Hardik Pandya (PTI Photo)

MUMBAI: Of late, Hardik Pandya has been making headlines for reasons beyond cricket. His cosy celebrations with girlfriend Mahieka Sharma after India’s triumph in the 2026 T20 World Cup drew criticism, with a Nagpur-based advocate even filing a police complaint. Reports of the allrounder buying a Rs 12-crore Ferrari 12Cilindri have added to the chatter around his flamboyant lifestyle — from his blonde hairstyle to the trademark gold chain.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Yet, amid all the noise, Pandya’s crucial role in India’s back-to-back T20 World Cup triumphs in 2024 and 2026 has not received the same attention.In both the 2026 semifinal against England at the Wankhede Stadium and the 2024 final against South Africa in Barbados, Pandya delivered decisive spells at the death, proving the perfect pace-bowling foil to the peerless Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah rightly walked away with most of the accolades, but Pandya’s contributions were equally vital.

In the 2026 semifinal, Pandya chipped in with a 12-ball 27 before returning figures of 2/38 in four overs in a high-scoring contest.When he came on to bowl the 19th over, England needed 39 off two overs, with Jacob Bethell — who blasted 105 off 48 balls — threatening to chase down India’s daunting 253. After Bethell launched the first ball for six, Pandya responded brilliantly, conceding just three runs from the next five deliveries and dismissing Sam Curran.With 30 needed off the final over, Pandya then produced a moment of brilliance in the field — a bullet throw from long-off that ran out Bethell at the start of the 20th over, effectively sealing the match for India.

Overall, Pandya finished the tournament with nine wickets in nine matches at 32.33, an economy of 8.81, while scoring 217 runs at a strike rate of 160.74, including two fifties.With the bat, one of his key contributions came against Netherlands in Ahmedabad, where his 21-ball 30, including three sixes, helped India recover from 110/4 in the 14th over. His 76-run stand with Shivam Dube lifted India to 196/6, a total that proved just enough in the end.Two years earlier, after enduring perhaps the toughest IPL season of his career with Mumbai Indians, Pandya bounced back magnificently in the 2024 T20 World Cup, taking 11 wickets in eight matches at 17.36 while scoring 114 runs at 48, including a fifty.In the 2024 final in Barbados, while Bumrah’s 2/18 grabbed the headlines, it was Pandya who turned the game with figures of 3/20 in three overs. When he returned for the 17th over, South Africa needed 26 off 24 balls. Pandya conceded just four runs and removed the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen, who had blasted 52 (27b).Entrusted with the final over, Pandya then had David Miller caught by Suryakumar Yadav, whose stunning running catch sealed India’s dramatic seven-run win.A source close to Pandya says cricket remains the allrounder’s primary focus, especially around major tournaments.“Cricket is his first love. It takes precedence over everything else. But away from the field, he enjoys his life and doesn’t worry about what people say. His philosophy is simple: live life fully, but when it comes to cricket, be completely dedicated.”According to the source, Pandya enters a different ‘zone’ before major tournaments. “He was rested from the ODI series against New Zealand in Jan and focused entirely on preparing for the T20 World Cup. He trained twice daily, stayed disciplined and avoided social media. He believes in practising in silence rather than showing everything on Instagram.”The source added that Pandya even logs off social media a month before major tournaments. “He doesn’t read newspapers or follow online chatter. His focus is only on winning the trophy.”Over the years, Pandya’s understanding of the game has also improved significantly. “As a batter he reads bowlers well, and as a bowler he reads batters well. He may not be the quickest, but he uses his intelligence and variations — especially that outswinger — to get the job done.”Though no longer India’s captain in any format, the 32-year-old has embraced his role as a senior leader in the side. During the World Cup, he was often seen encouraging teammates, especially fellow allrounder Shivam Dube, in team huddles.Quite simply, Pandya remains one of the finest white-ball allrounders in world cricket — arguably India’s best since the legendary Kapil Dev.Frequent injuries may have cost him the white-ball captaincy, but Pandya has repeatedly returned leaner, fitter and hungrier.Nearly eight years ago, after playing his eighth Test at Southampton against England, Pandya stepped away from red-ball cricket to extend his white-ball career — a decision that has clearly paid off. In limited-overs cricket, Pandya remains the player India can rely on with both bat and ball.

New Delhi: Indian men’s cricket team player Sanju Samson with a trophy during the BCCI Naman Awards 2026. (PTI Photo)

Sanju Samson, the standout performer and Player of the Tournament in India’s 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup victory, admitted he still wakes up in disbelief at winning the title on home soil. Yet, he is confident that India’s continuous stream of emerging talent ensures more triumphs in the years ahead.“Not yet, I am still like, when I get up in the morning, I’m like, ‘has it really happened’. So honestly, that’s the feeling. But I feel that in the coming years, with the quality of players we have in our country, this is going to be repeated. The number of players who are coming up in India is definitely going to do this more and more often,” Samson told broadcasters at the BCCI awards in New Delhi on Sunday.

Samson’s tournament performance was extraordinary. Despite not being part of India’s starting XI, he amassed 321 runs in just five innings at a strike rate approaching 200. His innings included a match-winning 97* against West Indies in the Super Eight stage, followed by 89 in both the semi-final against England and the final versus New Zealand.Reflecting on his journey, Samson said, “You can only dream where you want to go, but you can’t definitely ride the path towards it. So my life or my career has been one of the best examples. I definitely wanted to do this a couple of years ago. I want to win a World Cup for my country, but it had its own plan, its own script. So, it’s more like a movie. I enjoyed it.“As I said before, I wanted to do something like this, then I got pulled out of my journey, and then suddenly, the team wanted me to contribute, and that’s when I actually mentally flipped a bit… I think, before that, in the New Zealand series, the focus was all about me.“But in the World Cup, the focus is all about the team, what the team requires. And in the Zimbabwe game, right from that moment, everyone wanted me to contribute. I had a role to play. So that’s when the shift happened and the confidence that, okay, ‘the team needs you, Sanju’, and let’s do what you can to the best. So that’s where everything started from.“And then I had the experience, I was working mentally. I was working physically, so I knew that I was ready, and I knew that this was meant for me, so I just had to do what I know best.”Samson’s story was not the only one of perseverance. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who joined the squad late as a replacement for the injured Harshit Rana, described his journey to a second T20 World Cup medal as almost miraculous. “I was not in the initial squad, then I got it, played a game, and now I have been part of two World Cup-winning squads. I would say it’s a miracle for me,” he said.

Gujarat Titans’ Jos Buttler (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma)

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has highlighted key concerns for the Gujarat Titans ahead of the IPL 2026 season, pointing to their reliance on the top-order and star batter Jos Buttler’s lacklustre form as potential trouble spots.The Titans reached the IPL 2025 playoffs but fell to the Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator. Their success last season largely stemmed from standout performances by Sai Sudharsan (759 runs), Shubman Gill (650), and Jos Buttler (538).In a recent YouTube video, Chopra explained that Gujarat’s batting strategy leans heavily on the top three. “What are their weaknesses? They can be called weaknesses or challenges. A slight overdependence is still seen on the top three. It’s great if they replicate what they did last year, which means the top three together bat till the 14th or 15th over, and at least one of them should 100 per cent be there till the 15th over. You should only be one down by the 14th or 15th over,” he said.Chopra also flagged Jos Buttler’s recent struggles, calling his form “pedestrian” compared to his past standards. He stressed that if Buttler continues to falter, it could pose problems for the Titans, as both openers cannot be expected to consistently carry the scoring load.“However, the truth is that Jos Buttler’s current form is very, very pedestrian. We have not seen Jos Buttler playing more ordinary than this in any World Cup edition. He was seen struggling in good conditions this time. So will that be a bit of an issue for the Gujarat Titans? You want to start with Jos Buttler, but what if the form isn’t good? Both openers can’t score runs every time,” Chopra added.Buttler’s poor run in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, held in India and Sri Lanka, saw him accumulate just 87 runs across eight matches.Gujarat Titans are set to begin their IPL 2026 campaign on March 31, facing Punjab Kings at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.

Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PTI Photo)

U-19 World Cup sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who first made headlines at 14, is now turning his focus to the Indian Premier League, aiming to deliver a title-winning season for Rajasthan Royals.Sooryavanshi left fans in awe during IPL 2025 as the youngest centurion in the tournament, and earlier this year, he powered India to their sixth U-19 World Cup in Harare with a blistering 175 off 80 balls in the final against England.Speaking on the sidelines of the BCCI Naman Awards, the young batter said his priority is clear: “The goal this IPL season is to win the trophy for the team, as it is a very important thing. I want to do well, and my performance will help the whole team. This is my goal — to contribute to RR’s wins and win the trophy for the franchise.”Sooryavanshi also expressed his delight at reuniting with his U-19 teammates during the awards ceremony. “It feels really nice. Won a trophy as well for India at the World Cup. Because of this award ceremony, feeling nice to meet my teammates and coaches again here,” he said.The Bihar-born youngster made history as the youngest IPL signing when Rajasthan Royals secured him in 2024, aged just 13, for Rs 1.1 crore. Reflecting on those early days, Sooryavanshi said: “When I made my domestic debut, RR had been keeping an eye on me during my domestic and Under-19 games. Their scouting team had been keeping an eye on me for a long time. I felt that I could go to RR because my trial with them had gone very well. I am happy to be with RR, as I have improved a lot too in my life while playing for them.”He also credited learning from the team’s seniors and the legendary Rahul Dravid during his initial IPL experience. “For any youngster, the first IPL camp is always interesting and it was the same for me too. Rahul (Dravid) sir was there at that time, so I got to learn a lot from him. There were a lot of senior players in the team, and I had a good learning experience from them during the first camp as well as the first IPL,” he said.With the IPL 2026 season approaching, all eyes will be on Sooryavanshi as he seeks to turn his prodigious talent into franchise glory.

Ashish Limaye (TOI Photo)

The eighth edition of the Times of India Sports Awards will be held on March 21, 2026, in Lucknow, celebrating the achievements of India’s finest athletes across multiple disciplines. The awards recognise performances delivered between January 1 and December 31, 2025, honouring standout displays at global championships and major international competitions. Featuring more than 45 categories, TOISA highlights both established champions and emerging talents who brought pride to the nation through exceptional performances during the year.The winners will be selected by a distinguished jury comprising some of India’s most celebrated sporting icons. Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, hockey legend PR Sreejesh, former cricket team captain Mithali Raj, Paralympic great Devendra Jhajharia, table tennis stalwart Sharath Kamal and tennis icon Leander Paes will evaluate the nominees across categories, ensuring a credible and expert assessment of excellence in Indian sport.The equestrian nominees reflect India’s growing strength in the discipline on the continental stage. Ashish Limaye made history by winning individual gold in eventing at the FEI Asian Equestrian Championships — India’s first-ever individual gold at the event — and also helped the country secure team silver. Veteran rider Shruti Vora enjoyed an outstanding campaign with three silver medals in dressage disciplines, while Divyakriti Singh played a key role in India’s team dressage silver and continued to rank among Asia’s top riders. Together, their performances highlighted a memorable year for Indian equestrian sport.Here are the nominees for Equestrian at TOISA 2025:Ashish LimayeDate of Birth: November 22, 1993Place of Birth: Pune, MaharashtraSport: EquestrianMajor Achievements in 2025:FEI Asian Equestrian Championships: Gold (Indivual – Eventing), Silver (Team – Eventing)Ashish Limaye spearheaded India’s success in eventing with a landmark performance at the FEI Asian Equestrian Championships, clinching the individual gold medal and etching his name in history as the country’s first-ever individual gold medallist at the event. He also played a pivotal role in guiding India to team silver in eventing, combining forces with Shashank Singh Kataria and Shashank Kanmuri to secure a memorable podium finish for the nation.Shruti VoraDate of Birth: January 6, 1971Place of Birth: Kolkata, West BengalSport: EquestrianMajor Achievements in 2025:FEI Asian Equestrian Championships: Three silver medals (Individual – Dressage; Dressage Intermediate Freestyle-I; Team Dressage)Shruti Vora enjoyed a standout 2025 season, highlighted by an impressive medal haul at the FEI Asian Equestrian Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. Competing in dressage, the veteran 55-year-old secured three silver medals — one in the individual event, another in the Intermediate Freestyle-I, and a third in the team competition. Vora combined with Divyakriti Singh and Gaurav Pundir to power India to a podium finish in the team event, capping off a memorable continental campaign.Divyakriti SinghDate of Birth: October 22, 1999Place of Birth: Jaipur, RajasthanSport: EquestrianMajor Achievements in 2025:FEI Asian Equestrian Championships: Silver (Team Dressage)Divyakriti Singh played a pivotal role in India’s silver-medal finish in Team Dressage at the FEI Asian Equestrian Championships, further cementing her place among the country’s most accomplished riders. With this podium finish, she became the only Indian equestrian to have won medals at both the Asian Games and the Asian Championships. Earlier in May 2025, Divyakriti reclaimed the No. 1 ranking in Asia in the Global Dressage Rankings for 2024–25, published by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), the sport’s global governing body.

Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (Agency Image)

Virat Kohli has picked his former Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate Chris Gayle ahead of Rohit Sharma while choosing the best opener in T20 cricket during a recent “This or That” challenge.In a video shared by RCB on Sunday, Kohli was asked to select between two players at a time while identifying the greatest opener in the shortest format. The former RCB captain first opted for Adam Gilchrist over Sunil Narine.

The next comparison was between Gilchrist and Travis Head, and Kohli picked the Australian left-hander, explaining that his choice was specifically for T20 cricket. When Head was then put up against Virender Sehwag, Kohli switched to the former India opener.The comparisons continued with Sehwag facing Sachin Tendulkar, but Kohli again selected Sehwag, noting that in the T20 format he would still favour the aggressive opener.The challenge eventually reached its final choice between Rohit and Gayle. After pausing briefly, Kohli decided to go with the West Indies legend as his pick for the best T20 opener.Gayle’s record in the format backs up his reputation. The former West Indies national cricket team opener remains the highest run-scorer in T20 cricket, having amassed 14,562 runs in 455 innings across all T20 competitions. In the Indian Premier League, he scored 4,965 runs in 142 matches.Gayle also holds the record for the highest individual score in IPL history. Playing for RCB against Pune Warriors India in 2013, he produced an unbeaten 175, a knock that still stands as the tournament’s best.Rohit, meanwhile, has enjoyed a remarkable career in the shortest format as well. The former India captain has scored 4,231 runs in 159 T20I matches and 151 innings, while in the IPL he has accumulated 7,046 runs from 272 matches and 267 innings.Kohli himself will soon return to action for RCB when the defending champions begin their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28.

The eighth edition of the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) will be held on March 21, 2026, in Lucknow, celebrating the achievements and inspiring journeys of India’s finest athletes across multiple disciplines. TOISA 2025 will honour performances delivered between January 1 and December 31, 2025, recognising standout displays at major international tournaments and world championships. Featuring more than 45 award categories, the event acknowledges both established stars and rising talents who brought pride to the nation.The winners will be decided by a distinguished jury comprising some of India’s most celebrated sporting icons, including Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, hockey legend PR Sreejesh, former batting great Mithali Raj, Paralympic champion Devendra Jhajharia, table tennis stalwart Sharath Kamal and tennis legend Leander Paes. Their expertise ensures a credible and comprehensive evaluation of excellence across Indian sport.The hockey nominees for TOISA 2025 reflect India’s strong performances on the continental stage during the year. Among the men, Asia Cup-winning captain Harmanpreet Singh led from the front with six goals, while forward Abhishek Nain was named Player of the Tournament after scoring six times in the title-winning campaign. Defenders Jugraj Singh and Amit Rohidas also impressed with consistent performances across the Asia Cup and Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.In the women’s category, defender Udita Duhan stood out with a Player of the Tournament display in India’s runners-up finish at the Asia Cup. Forwards Navneet Kaur and Mumtaz Khan were joint top scorers for India with six goals each, while Rutuja Pisal added four goals to underline the depth and promise in India’s attacking lineup.Here are the nominees for Hockey at TOISA 2025:HOCKEY – MALEAbhishek NainDate of Birth: August 15, 1999Place of Birth: Sonipat, HaryanaSport: HockeyMajor Achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Winner – Player of the Tournament (6 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Runners-upAbhishek Nain enjoyed a breakthrough 2025 season as a forward for the Indian men’s hockey team, emerging as one of the side’s most influential performers. He was instrumental in India’s triumphant campaign at the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, where he scored six goals and was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for his outstanding displays. Abhishek also made a significant impact at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, finding the net three times as India finished runners-up in the prestigious invitational tournament.Harmanpreet SinghDate of Birth: January 6, 1996Place of Birth: Amritsar, PunjabSport: HockeyMajor Achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Winner – Captain (6 goals)Harmanpreet Singh led from the front as captain of the Indian men’s hockey team, guiding the side to a memorable title triumph at the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar. A commanding defender and one of the finest drag-flick specialists in world hockey, Harmanpreet once again showcased his prowess from penalty corners, scoring six goals during the tournament. His leadership and clinical finishing proved crucial in India’s successful campaign, further cementing his reputation as one of the game’s premier defenders.Jugraj SinghDate of Birth: December 11, 1996Place of Birth: Attari, PunjabSport: HockeyMajor Achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Winner (4 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Runners-up (4 goals)Jugraj Singh enjoyed an impressive 2025 season, playing a key role in India’s triumphant campaign at the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar. The defender was instrumental in the title-winning run, contributing four crucial goals during the tournament. He carried that form into the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, where India finished runners-up, once again scoring four goals and making a significant impact at both ends of the pitch. His consistency across the two major tournaments underlined his growing importance in the national setup.Amit RohidasDate of Birth: May 10, 1993Place of Birth: Sundergarh, OdishaSport: HockeyMajor Achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Winner (2 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Runners-up (4 goals)Amit Rohidas put together a strong 2025 campaign, playing a vital role as vice-captain of the Indian men’s hockey team. The seasoned defender was instrumental in India’s title-winning run at the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, where he contributed two crucial goals and marshalled the backline with authority. He continued his fine form at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, scoring four goals as India finished runners-up. Reliable in defence and effective in attack, Rohidas made a telling impact at both ends of the pitch across the two major tournaments.HOCKEY – FEMALEUdita DuhanDate of Birth: January 14, 1998Place of Birth: Hisar, HaryanaSport: HockeyMajor Achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Runners-up – Player of the Tournament (3 goals)Udita Duhan was instrumental in India’s runners-up finish at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The defender delivered standout performances throughout the tournament, scoring three goals while anchoring the backline with composure and authority. Her all-round impact earned her the Player of the Tournament award, highlighting her pivotal role in India’s impressive campaign.Navneet KaurDate of Birth: January 26, 1996Place of Birth: Shahabad Markanda, HaryanaSport: HockeyMajor Achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Runners-up (6 goals)Navneet Kaur delivered a strong performance at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China, playing a key role in India’s runners-up finish. The experienced forward finished as the joint top-scorer for the team with six goals during the tournament, consistently leading the charge in attack as India went all the way to the final before finishing behind hosts China.Mumtaz KhanDate of Birth: January 15, 2003Place of Birth: Lucknow, Uttar PradeshSport: HockeyMajor Achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Runners-up (6 goals)Mumtaz Khan impressed with a strong showing at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The young forward struck up a fine attacking partnership with senior pro Navneet Kaur, with both players scoring six goals each — the joint-highest for India in the tournament. Mumtaz’s contributions were vital in powering India to the final, where they eventually finished runners-up to hosts China.Rutuja PisalDate of Birth: November 28, 2002Place of Birth: Satara, MaharashtraSport: HockeyMajor Achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Runners-up (4 goals)Rutuja Pisal emerged as another bright spark in India’s forward line at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The young attacker netted four goals during the tournament, playing an important role in India’s run to the final, where they eventually finished runners-up to hosts China. Earlier in 2025, the Satara, Maharashtra native produced a match-winning display in the Hockey India League, scoring both goals to power the Odisha Warriors to a 2-1 victory over Soorma Hockey Club in the championship clash.