BCCI Confirm One-Week IPL Suspension  The Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed that the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League has been suspended for one week. The decision was made on Friday morning, stemming from the ongoing cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.  Tournament officials intervened during a match between the Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals on Thursday in Dharamsala, which is less than 200 kilometres away from the northern city of Jammu, where explosions were reported earlier the same day.  Due to a rain interruption, the match in Dharamsala started later than originally scheduled and was forced to be halted when the stadium’s floodlights went out. While the outage was initially believed to be nothing more than a technical issue, officials opted to stop the match, citing potential air raid alerts as the cause for concern. A key contributor to the BCCI’s decision to suspend the tournament was the artillery exchanges between Indian and Pakistani soldiers in Kashmir the previous night, amid a growing military standoff following the attack on tourists in Pahalgam. The BCCI’s statement read:  “While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the Nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security of our country. Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders.” Since the announcement, teams have already begun disbanding, with local players and staff being escorted to safe locations, while international players have been flown out of the country until further notice.  The 2025 IPL season is currently 58 games in, meaning there are still 12 group-stage matches to go, followed by the Playoffs. It is understood that if the competition cannot be completed before India’s tour of  England next month, this season may only be able to resume in September.  Pakistan Super League Move to UAE Scrapped The day before the BCCI finalised their decision to suspend the IPL, it was revealed that the Pakistan Cricket Board had also made a big decision regarding the ongoing Pakistan Super League, opting to move the tournament to the UAE. This came after a drone fell in the Rawalpindi Stadium complex, which Pakistan claims was from India. The incident occurred just hours before a match between the Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi was scheduled to take place at the venue.  However, the PSL has now been suspended indefinitely, after the Emirates Cricket Board declined to host the remainder of the tournament owing to security concerns and not wanting to risk their relationship with the BCCI.  At the time of writing, the PSL have not released a revised schedule for the rest of the matches this season, meaning the remainder of the season could be abandoned unless a suitable destination can be secured. 

Arokodare on the Radar of European Powerhouses Bayern Munich and Newcastle United are believed to have joined the list of clubs across Europe that are keeping tabs on Nigerian international Tolu Arokodare ahead of the summer transfer window, which will open on Sunday, June 1.  The 24-year-old striker has enjoyed an excellent season in the Belgian Pro League, having scored 20 goals and provided five assists in 37 league games to date. He is the joint-favourite for the Golden Boot award for 2024-25 according to the best online betting sites, currently tied with STVV attacker Adriano Bertaccini.  It is understood that Arokodare is currently valued in the region of €25 million and was previously being tracked by Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor, though a deal could not be finalised between the parties, leading to the striker remaining in Belgium.  His impressive form for Genk earned him his maiden call-up to the Nigerian national team for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers in March, where he featured against both Zimbabwe and Rwanda. While he was unable to open his account for the Super Eagles, Arokodare’s performances indicated that he is ready for the international level.  In addition to the Bavarians and the Magpies, it is reported that Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart are also lining up offers for the 24-year-old forward, while Trabzonspor may still return with an improved offer to take him to the Super Lig.  Can Arokodare Help Solve Bayern, Newcastle Striker Dilemma? Bayern Munich were confirmed as Bundesliga champions last weekend when Leverkusen dropped points away to Freiburg, marking the first-ever major trophy for Harry Kane, who made the move to the Allianz Arena at the start of last season.  The England captain is en route to winning the Golden Boot this season with 24 goals and has firmly established himself as the team’s talisman. However, at 31 years of age, Kane will need support, particularly given the increase in games with the Champions League’s new expanded format.  It is understood that Vincent Kompany’s side is looking to bolster their attacking ranks next season, and Arokodare fits the profile the team are looking for. Mathys Tel was being groomed for the role, but there is a belief that he is considering making his loan move with Tottenham Hotspur a permanent deal.  Similarly, Newcastle United need reinforcements. Alexander Isak has had an excellent season for the Toons, scoring 23 goals and six assists in 32 Premier League games, but he has endured fairly frequent injury setbacks, which have left the team shorthanded at times.  Additionally, Callum Wilson will turn 34 next year, and ongoing injury issues have plagued him during his time at St. James’ Park. The England international has only featured in 15 league games this term and has not found the back of the net as yet this season.  Arokodare will be back in action on Sunday, when Genk take on Club Brugge in a crucial Belgian Pro League Championship round clash at Cegeka Arena.  Our football predictions

Indian Mixed Doubles Duo Secure Gold in Tunisia The WTT Contender Tunis 2025 was held at the Salle Omnisport de Rades in Tunisia between 22-27 April and was the ninth stop in the 2025 WTT Series, which carries world ranking points that help participants progress to higher tiers, such as the WTT Champions and Grand Smash events.  India’s hopes in the mixed doubles category were pinned on Manush Shah and Diya Chitale and who were the number three seed at the tournament, and among the favourites to win it according to most of the best online betting sites. With the amount of talent on display, the Indian duo’s journey to the final was far from straightforward, but their easiest match came in the round of 16, where they were drawn against qualifiers Sun Yang and Hu Yi, and they made light work of the Chinese pair, winning in straight sets 11-6, 11-5, 11,5.  In the quarter-finals, Shah and Chitale faced a tougher test in compatriots Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Sreeja Akula, who got in as wildcards. Gnanasekaran and Akula stunned the number-three seeds by winning sets two and three, but Shah and Chitale rallied and won the final two sets to progress 3-2.  Shah and Chitale then eased past Wassim Essid and Hana Goda of Tunisia and Egypt, respectively, in straight sets in the semis, earning a spot in the grand final, where they would go up against the number two seeds Sora Matsushima and Miwa Harimoto.  The final was a back-and-forth contest, with the Indian pair winning the first set before the Japanese duo struck back in set two. The same pattern followed in sets three and four, but Shah and Chitale found their best in the final set, winning it 11-6.  The victory was a historic one for India, as it was only their second mixed doubles title at a WTT Contender event, since Manika Batra and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran claimed gold at the WTT Contender Budapest back in 2021.  Shah/ Chitale Eyeing Global Success Following WTT Contender Title  Following their success in Tunisia, Shah and Chitale have already set their sights on their next target – the World Championships – which will be hosted in Doha between May 17 and 25. Speaking to the media about their victory over Matsushima and Harimoto, Shah said:  “When we played in Doha, we were facing them for the first time. I felt there was a massive difference in the level. But this time, we had some strategies and knew what to expect from such a strong pair. We will push to reach the quarterfinals at the World Championships.” Shah and Chitale are now ranked 11th in the ITTF Rankings, and their latest triumph was also a bit of redemption, as it was the Japanese pair who beat them in straight sets in the quarter-final of the WTT Star Contender Doha earlier in the year.  Earlier in the competition, Shah and Manav Thakkar reached the Men’s Doubles semi-final before bowing out to Benedikt Duda ...

IPL Chairman Confirms Plans For Tournament Expansion Underway The chairman of the Indian Premier League, Arun Dhumal, has confirmed that the BCCI is actively looking into the possibility of expanding the IPL to 94 games by the start of the 2028 season. He said:  « We’ve been discussing in ICC, we’ve been discussing in-house in BCCI. Given how the interest of the fan is changing with regard to bilateral and ICC events, in regard to franchise cricket and T20 cricket, we’ll have to talk more seriously about it and see how we can create maximum value for the stakeholders of the game.” Since the Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants entered the competition back in 2022, the IPL now features 74 matches. Initial plans for the tournament to increase to 84 games from this year were postponed due to scheduling constraints.  Our IPL predictions will be available for the remainder of this season’s competition, and if the proposed revamp comes to fruition, each team is expected to play each other twice, home and away. As it stands, there are no immediate plans to increase the number of franchises.  Dhumal went on to praise the 2025 season, pointing to the competitive spirit and breakthrough of young players as major wins for the competition. He also expressed hope to see a new champion being crowned this year, with the Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru all in the running.  It is understood that the final decision on the IPL’s proposed expansion will come during the course of 2026, following FTP negotiations and broadcaster feedback.  RCB Suffer Huge Blow As Key Player Ruled Out of IPL  Despite competing in every edition of the Indian Premier League to date, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have never managed to win the title, but this season could be the one for them, with the team currently performing at an exceptional level and among the favourites according to the best online betting sites. However, RCB were dealt a massive blow in the lead-up to their match against the Lucknow Super Giants on May 9, with batsman Devdutt Padikkal sustaining a right hamstring injury that has ruled him out for the remainder of the competition.  The 24-year-old has featured in 10 of the Royal Challengers’ 11 matches this season and has contributed 247 runs, including two 50+ knocks. Padikkal will be replaced by Mayank Agarwal, who cost the franchise ₹1 crore at the IPL auction last year. Agarwal has racked up 127 IPL appearances since his debut season in 2011, and he has scored 2,661 runs over that period. He began his IPL career at RCB, but has also played for the Punjab Kings, Delhi Daredevils, Rising Pune Supergiants and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The 34-year-old is expected to feature for RCB against LSG on Friday, where the team will be looking to earn a victory that will likely guarantee them a top-two spot heading into the Playoffs.  Our cricket predictions

FanCode and Sony Sports Suspend PSL Coverage The day after the Pahalgam attack, the BCCI went on record to condemn what they labelled a “cowardly act,” while vice president of the Board, Rajeev Shukla, also revealed that there is no scope for India to play Pakistan in the upcoming bilateral series. Shukla said:  « We are with the victims and we condemn it. Whatever our government will say Will do. We don’t play with Pakistan in bilateral series because of the government stand.  And we will not play with Pakistan in bilaterals going forward. But when it comes to ICC events, we play due to ICC engagement.” Indian cricketers, including the likes of Virat Kohli of RCB, who are among the favourites to win the ongoing IPL, according to the best online betting sites, took to social media to share their condolences.  On April 23, popular streaming provider FanCode decided to pull the coverage of the Pakistan Super League match between the Multan Sultans and Islamabad United in India and removed all PSL content from its carousel.  Shortly after, the owners of India’s television rights to broadcast PSL matches, Sony Sports, followed suit and blacked out all broadcasts and shows related to the PSL, while neither provided an official statement, nor did they advise on whether coverage might resume.  The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not responded to the Indian broadcasters’ decision to stop coverage of the PSL in Bharat, but this represents yet another instance where sport is caught in the centre of the ongoing tensions between the countries.  Recap of Pahalgam Attacks and Impact on Ind-Pak Cricket Pahalgam, a popular and picturesque holiday destination in the Baisaran Valley, turned into a scene out of a horror movie on April 22 when gunmen opened fire on tourists at around 14:30 on Tuesday afternoon.  When the dust settled, 28 tourists were killed and several more were injured, marking one of the deadliest attacks in the region since 2019. Those who were lucky enough to survive the incident reported that the terrorists were wearing army fatigues and singled out their victims based on faith.  Six attackers opened fire on the crowds of people, and it has since been revealed that The Resistance Front (TRF), a known militant group believed to be a part of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, have claimed responsibility for the gruesome attack.  Following the incident, former Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Shesh Paul Vaid accused the Pakistan army of playing a role in the attack, claiming that the terrorists were actually Special Service Group commandos.  Pakistan has denied having any prior knowledge or involvement in the attack, and extended their condolences to the victims and their families, but unsurprisingly, that has not done much to ease the rising tensions between the nations, with several Indian leaders calling for ties to be cut completely between India and Pakistan.  Our cricket predictions

Why Were Rajasthan Royals Accused of Match-Fixing? From the infamous Australian sandpaper incident to South African captain Hansie Cronje’s acceptance of remuneration from external parties, match-fixing has been one of cricket’s biggest issues in recent years, and the Indian Premier League is no exception.  During the 2015 IPL season, the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were banned for two years after the Supreme Court found Gurunath Meiyappan (team principal of CSK) and Raj Kundra (co-owner of RR) guilty of placing bets on IPL matches.  The decision to kick the then two-time tournament winners, CSK, and RR, who were the champions of the inaugural season, out of the competition sent shockwaves across the globe, and since then, match/ spot-fixing has been relatively unheard of in the IPL over the last decade.  However, this season, a formal accusation of match-fixing was made against the Rajasthan Royals after the team suffered back-to-back defeats from solid positions against the Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants in mid-April.  The convener of the Rajasthan Cricket Association Jaideep Bihani was the one who raised several questions regarding the Royals’ defeats in both those matches and suggested that the team may have been guilty of match-fixing.  Rajasthan Royals’ Response to Match-Fixing Allegations  Following the allegations by Bihani, a senior official of the Rajasthan Royals, Deep Roy, responded to the situation, stating that the allegations brought upon the franchise were false and baseless. He said:  « Such public statements are not only misleading but have caused serious damage to the reputation and credibility of Rajasthan Royals, Royal Multi Sport Private Limited (RMPL), the Rajasthan Sports Council, and the BCCI. They also tarnish the integrity of cricket.” Management of the Rajasthan Royals then went a step further by submitting an official letter to the Ministers of Sport requesting action against Bihani, though no formal decision has been taken.  Since then, there has been speculation that the Royals were involved in a disagreement with the powers that be regarding a reduction in ticket sales, which some feel could be the reason for the team fixing results, but once again, there has been very little to back up the speculation. Our cricket predictions

Islamabad United PSL Playoff Hopes In Danger After defying the odds to beat the Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League final last season, Islamabad United carried that momentum into the 2025 campaign and racked up consecutive wins in their first five matches, which saw them installed as tournament favourites by most of the best online betting sites.  The defending champions made a massive statement in their first match, securing a comfortable eight-wicket victory over the Lahore Qalanders and followed up with another big result, taking down Peshawar Zalmi in game two by 102 runs, thanks to a masterful innings of 106 (52) by Sahibzada Farhan.  Islamabad then did the double over the Multan Sultans either side of a six-wicket victory against the Karachi Kings, and at that point, they were leading the league standings with 10 points and looked a class above the rest in the competition.  However, game six broke the trend, with Lahore turning the tables to beat Sherus by a massive 88 runs after bowling them out in just 16.5 overs, and that result proved to be the turning point for the champs, albeit for all the wrong reasons.  Following that defeat, ISLU posted an underwhelming target of 143/9 against PZ and lost the match by six wickets last Friday before Quetta added to their woes, edging United to a two-wicket victory with just one ball to spare 24 hours later.  The loss to the Gladiators marked Islamabad’s third defeat in a row and forced them to relinquish top spot in the league standings, while also tossing their Playoff hopes into doubt with two rounds of matches in the group stage still to go.  As it stands, Sherus trail Quetta by one point and are level on 10 points with third-placed Karachi, while Lahore (9 points) and Peshawar (8 points) need just one more victory to potentially leapfrog them in the standings.  ISLU need to win at least one of their two remaining games to reach the knockout rounds of the 2025 PSL, but they have two difficult fixtures on the horizon, set to face the league-leading Gladiators later today before taking on the Kings in their final group-stage match on Saturday. Green and Maroon Cap Standings Ahead of Final Two Rounds Despite enduring a dismal season, having only won a single match and already out of Playoff contention, the Multan Sultans have had one major reason to cheer, and that has been the performance of star batter Mohammad Rizwan.  The Pakistan international kicked off his PSL campaign with a remarkable innings of 105* in just 63 deliveries against the Karachi Kings and notched up 76* against Lahore on April 26. He now dons the Green Cap with 363 runs in nine matches, with a strike rate of 139.08 In the bowling category, things are a little tighter with West Indies paceman Jason Holder and Karachi Kings quick Abbas Afridi both locked on 15 wickets apiece in the Maroon Cap standings, while Hasan Ali is just ...