Divya Deshmukh calls herself fortunate after winning the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup!
India’s Divya Deshmukh broke down in tears after stunning Koneru Humpy and clinching the women’s World Cup title on Monday, and she, speaking to FIDE, called herself fortunate! Divya outclassed compatriot Koneru Humpy in the tie-break, winning the second rapid game in a tense rook endgame on Monday in Batumi, Georgia. “I need time to process it. I think it was fate that I got the Grandmaster title this way. Because before this, I didn’t even have one norm, and before this tournament, I was thinking ‘Oh, where can I get my norm,’ and now I’m a Grandmaster,” said Divya in an interview with FIDE right after clinching the title. Divya is now the fourth Indian woman to become a GM, after Humpy, R. Vaishali, and Harika Dronavalli. Despite ending up on the winning side on Monday, Divya believes her endgame skills need further polishing. “I definitely need to learn endgames. I’m pretty sure at some point I messed it up. I’m not sure how. It should have been an easy win. I think I should not allow g4. But I think maybe I should just go rook a3, rook f3, rook g3, and that should be a win,” said the 19-year-old. Divya is also hoping that the World Cup win, the biggest triumph of her young career, will lead to more glories. “It definitely means a lot. But of course, there’s uh there’s a lot more to achieve. So this I’m hoping this is just a start,” added Divya.
Now a camera for Messi exclusively on the pitch named ‘Messi-Cam’! on 2nd August
Lionel Messi has become the face of both Inter Miami and Major League Soccer, igniting widespread fan enthusiasm and accelerating the sport’s growth across North America. In another strategic broadcast initiative, MLS has announced the return of a special feature: an exclusive camera focused solely on Messi during an upcoming Leagues Cup match. Reintroduced from its 2024 debut, TikTok, Major League Soccer (MLS), and the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV are bringing back “Player Spotlight: Messi“—a live-stream experience that gives fans a Messi-only view of the match, available exclusively on TikTok LIVE. The first edition drew over six million live viewers, setting a record for a live sports stream on TikTok in the United States. “After the overwhelming success of Player Spotlight: Messi, which delivered our biggest-ever live U.S. sports audience on TikTok, we knew we had to bring it back. This is about giving fans a front-row seat to greatness, in real time, only on TikTok,” said Rollo Goldstaub, Global Head of Sports Partnerships at TikTok. “We’re bringing fans even closer to one of the greatest players of all time — in a way that’s dynamic, immersive, and made for the next generation of fans,” said Seth Bacon, MLS Executive Vice President of Media. “We’re proud to keep innovating with partners like Apple and TikTok to creat unforgettable moments.” The Messi spotlight first debuted in October 2024 during Inter Miami’s playoff opener against Atlanta United, drawing over 6.4 million views across MLS and club TikTok pages — becoming the most-watched sporting event in Apple history, according to the league. The ‘Messi Cam’ was first introduced in October 2024 during Inter Miami’s playoff match against Atlanta United, quickly becoming a hit with more than 6.4 million views across TikTok platforms for MLS and Inter Miami. It also set a new benchmark, becoming the most-watched sporting event in Apple TV history. Named “Player Spotlight: Messi”, the initiative will feature four Messi-centric broadcasts throughout the 2025 season. These livestreams, available exclusively on TikTok and optimized for mobile viewing, will be enhanced with custom graphics and overlays for a unique fan experience. On August 2, fans can tune in to see Messi in action once again during Inter Miami’s match against Mexican club Necaxa, a team co-owned by Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, Mesut Ozil, and Eva Longoria. The dates for the other three Messi broadcasts will be revealed later. This announcement comes as MLS continues to see a rise in viewership. Commissioner Don Garber shared that the average viewership per Apple Season Pass stream has increased by nearly 50 per cent in 2025, now reaching 120,000 unique viewers per match.
Manjrekar asserts India have Moved On From Kohli-Rohit
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has explained that the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in Test Match hasn’t hurting India badly in the IND vs ENG series. Speaking on JioHotstar, Sanjay Manjrekar has said that Rohit Sharma was averaging a dismal 10 in the last two Test series that he played, while ace batter Virat Kohli was averaging 30 in the last five years and although they weren’t easy to replace, their retirements haven’t been a huge loss to India. It was a loss of two very senior players, but not a loss of contribution, because they weren’t contributing as much,” Manjrekar explained “I think India have given a great account of themselves. They’ve kept the series alive, and it’s certainly interesting to see the mood in the bus on the England bus when it goes down to London compared to the Indian bus on the way down to London. As we see Shubman Gill here in a league of legends, as it said, and certainly has the opportunity to go to the top of that sort of leaderboard there, and I wouldn’t bet against it,” Having conceded a 311-run lead and lost their openers for ducks in the second innings, India displayed resolve to get a favourable result because of the efforts of Gill (103 off 238), KL Rahul (90 off 230), Jadeja (107 not out off 185) and Washington (101 not out off 206). In the absence of Rohit and Kohli, Test skipper Shubman Gill led India’s batting charge twice, first in the Birmingham victory over England, then in the Manchester draw that kept the series alive. Former England batter Jonathan Trott said while speaking on Sony Sports, he admitted that had the scenario been reversed, England wouldn’t have managed to pull off the same. “If you’re taking the Joe Root out of the side or taking two experienced players like India have had to retire recently, it would be a very, very different scenario. I think India have given a great account of themselves,” “They’ve kept the series alive and it’s certainly interesting to see the mood in the bus on the England bus when it goes down to London compared to the Indian bus on the way down to London,” Trott added.
Washington Sundar Post a heartfelt message to everyone and thankful to God
Following his maiden Test and international ton during a hard-fought draw against England at Manchester during the fourth Test, Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar said that the century was special and the feeling is “difficult to put into words” as reaching three figures in whites is “something truly unique”, and post a heartfelt message “Grateful for the people, and forever grateful to you, God,” After missing out on centuries against England twice in the past, most recently in 2021, when he was left stranded at scores of 85* and 96*, Sundar got his moment when it mattered the most. Promoted to number five for his rock-solid technique to guard an injured Rishabh Pant, Sundar stood tall with leftie and seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, forging an alliance worth 203 runs and scoring his maiden Test hundred — a composed, unbeaten 101* that helped India pull off a dramatic draw against England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. The 25-year-old all-rounder’s quiet gratitude came after a loud statement on the field, where he and Ravindra Jadeja (107) batted through the final phase of Day 5 to rescue India from what once looked like certain defeat. Reduced to 0/2 at the start of their second innings, India needed a miracle. They found it in the form of a rock-solid batting effort, with Shubman Gill (103) and and KL Rahul (90) also playing key roles. This was just the second draw for England in 40 Tests under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, which was a rare occurrence in their aggressive ‘Bazball’ era. But it was a deserved result for India, whose batters absorbed immense pressure to ensure the series stays alive at 2-1. Sundar shared his feelings while speaking to JioHotstar, saying, “It feels very special. Honestly, it’s difficult to put this feeling into words because a Test hundred is something truly unique. Every century matters, but this one holds special significance. I got the opportunity to bat at number five, and my only focus was to fight for an entire day. That was the only message from the coach as well. I am just really glad we managed to draw this match.” Speaking about the team’s approach in their second innings, Washington said that the team wanted to play to the merit of the ball, as the wicket offered something to both seamers and spinners alike. “Our focus was to stay disciplined and give everything we could. To experience the moments we did today, especially after managing to draw the game, feels amazing. I think the whole team played really well throughout the Test match, and now it is going to be even more exciting heading into the next one,” he concluded. In three Tests of this series so far, Sundar has scored 205 runs in six innings, averaging 51.25, with a century to his name. He has also taken seven wickets in five innings at an average of 35.85, with best figures of 4/22 at Lord’s. With the possibility of leveling the series still on the line, the stage is set for a cracking finale at The Oval. But for now, Sundar’s words and his resolve linger as the high point of a chaotic final day.
