West Indies Delayed, England Pedals Through Chaos Ahead of Final ODI at The Oval
When London’s infamous traffic showed its true colours on Tuesday, there was only one way forward — on two wheels. In a scene straight out of a quirky sports movie, several England cricketers ditched team buses and hopped onto Lime rental bikes, pedaling their way through the congested capital to reach The Oval in time for the third and final One-Day International against the West Indies. The West Indies team, unfortunately, wasn’t as quick to adapt. Caught in a heavy snarl north of the Thames, their arrival at the ground was delayed, throwing a slight wrench into the day’s proceedings. With no time for warm-ups or net sessions, the Caribbean side walked straight into the dressing room moments before the scheduled toss. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued a statement just before play was supposed to begin, “Due to a delayed arrival of one of the playing teams, who are stuck in heavy traffic north of the river, the scheduled start of play will be delayed…” Meanwhile, England players, already at the venue thanks to their bicycle detour, stayed loose by casually kicking a football around the outfield. The pitch stayed covered, not because of rain, but simply out of precaution as the delay unfolded. The toss, originally planned for 12:30 PM local time, was eventually held at 1:10 PM, and play got underway at 1:30 PM — with no overs lost. England, leading 2–0 in the series after solid wins in Birmingham and Cardiff, looked to complete a clean sweep. For West Indies, the delay was far from ideal, but they hoped to finish the ODI leg on a high before shifting gears to the T20I series starting Friday.
Churchill Brothers Win Appeal, Will Keep I-League Trophy
The AIFF Appeals Committee, led by Hon’ble Justice (Retd.) Rajesh Tandon has upheld protests by Churchill Brothers, Namdhari, and Real Kashmir against Inter Kashi. The club was accused of fielding an ineligible foreign player, Mario Barco, during the I-League 2024–25. As a result, Churchill Brothers has been awarded 2 additional points, Namdhari gained 3 points, and Real Kashmir received a superior match result. However, Inter Kashi lost 4 points and suffered a negative goal difference adjustment. This decision, in turn, confirmed Churchill Brothers as the I-League champions with 42 points. The committee, comprising Justice Tandon, District Judge AK Tripathi, and lawyer Priyanka Mishra, unanimously ruled that the AIFF Competition Committee was right in rejecting Inter Kashi’s attempt to re-register Mario Barco, who had withdrawn due to injury. A letter dated 15th February, 2025, from the AIFF League Committee attempting to overrule that decision was deemed procedurally invalid and declared “non est” by the panel. The Appeals Committee has instructed the AIFF to ensure all consequences of the order are implemented, effectively sealing Churchill Brothers’ title win. The I-League trophy will remain in Goa, and the club has expressed gratitude to the judicial panel for upholding their rightful claim for the trophy.
