Robbers raid CPL cricketers at gunpoint in Barbados!
Caribbean Premier League (CPL) witnessed a shocking incident on Tuesday as the cricketers participating in the ongoing CPL and officials were robbed at gunpoint! While returning from a private program, two St. Kitts and Navis Patrios cricketers and a CPL official stopped in the midway to collect food on their way back to the hotel, and they were attacked. According to reports from the local newspapers, the robbers rampaged towards them for the valuables and jewellery. In the struggle, a gun was dropped and it was recovered by the police. Fortunately, none of the victims was injured, but the frightening incident has shaken the cricket community. However, authorities have not yet disclosed the names of the cricketers and the official. Barbados Police revealed the weapon was reserved, and an immediate investigation has been initiated. Despite the shock, Patriots have started preparing for their next match against Barbados Royals scheduled to be held on 11th September. Security and monitoring around both teams have been increased.
Shyam Thapa concerned with his relatives in ‘burning’ Nepal, slams the protesters
Sovik Mohanta: Legendary striker Shyam Thapa still has a connection with his relatives in Nepal, his birthland. While speaking to Parallel Sports, the 77-year-old former Indian international said, “I have a lot of memories in Nepal. When I played there, I received huge appreciation and affection from the country’s people. Even the King of Nepal came to watch my game and met me. When I was coaching the Nepal side that time, I also received a lot of respect.” Thapa remembered the same appalling situation in Nepal when the King died. He slammed he protesters, stating, “What are they trying to prove by burning the country’s famous temples and heritage sites? Isn’t this shame for them? Isn’t this a shame for the country? They could have made protests in a more gentle manner.” Thapa, who was born in Gulmi district of Nepal, also revealed he still has relationships with his relatives in the country. “I talk to them over the telephone often. All of them are there. I am deeply concerned.” Incidentally, the Nepal Army on Wednesday, citing threats to public security, said the prohibitory order in the country will remain effective until 5 pm, following which a nationwide curfew will be imposed until 6 am Thursday. The army said that in the name of the movement, the unruly groups carried out attacks on individuals and property and attempted sexual assaults. The country’s international airport has also been closed for an indefinite period.
Upasana, A Volleyball League Organizer Appeals to Indian Embassy for rescue in Nepal!
Upasana Gill, an Indian woman trapped in Pokhara, sends out an urgent plea for help. Gill went to Nepal for the volleyball league, but she got hemmed in by the violent protest. Gill recorded a video capturing her harrowing effect when the protesters targeted the hotel she is in and disseminating testament of her escape, leaving all her belongings behind. She stated in the appeal, “My name is Upasana Gill, and I am sending this video to Praful Garg. I request the Indian embassy to please help us. All those who can help us, please help. I am stranded here in Pokhara, Nepal.” Gill further narrated the traumatic event at her hotel: “I had come here to host a volleyball league, and currently, the hotel where I was staying has been burnt down. All my luggage, all my belongings, was in my room, and the entire hotel was set on fire. I was in the spa, and people were running behind me with very large sticks, and I barely managed to save my life.” The protest that began for the government’s action on the social media ban had escalated like wildfire. The issue wasn’t limited to the ban but rather demonstrated various severe issues like corruption, nepotism and unemployment. Primarily Gen Z protests led to the resignation of Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The situation in Nepal has worsened sharply, as protesters lash out at both locals and tourists alike. “The situation here is very bad. Fires are being set on roads everywhere. They are not sparing tourists here. They don’t care if someone is a tourist or if someone has come here for work. They are setting fires everywhere without any thought,” Gill reported. She made an emotional plea for assistance: “We don’t know how long we will stay in another hotel. “But I just request the Indian embassy to help us… There are many people with me here … Everyone who can help, please circulate this video … This message should be delivered to the embassy. With folded hands, I request all of you, please help us. We are all stranded here.” This protest led to the foundation of significant political changes in Nepal, as Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli submitted his resignation after protesters entered his office. In his resignation letter to President Ram Chandra Paudel, Oli stated, “In view of the adverse situation in the country, I have resigned effective today to facilitate the solution to the problem and to help resolve it politically in accordance with the constitution.” The Nepal Army has imposed strict security measures, with restrictions in place from morning to 5 p.m. and a nightly curfew lasting until 6 a.m. The army father notified that this protest, demonstration, vandalism, arson, or attacks on individuals and property occurring during the curfew period will be treated like criminal activity. This protest was initially started by the students over the ban of social media; however, it has escalated towards a more alarming movement against corruption and nepotism, which in turn has resulted in widespread unrest across the country.
Djed Spence becomes the first Muslim footballer, playing for the senior England team
Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence wrote his name in the history of English football to have represented England seniors as the first British Muslim footballer on Tuesday night in Belgrade. The 25-year-old substituted in the 69th minute, replacing Chelsea’s Reece James, during England’s 5-0 World Cup qualifying win. Spence’s debut is being marked as a breaking point for British Muslims, who still remain neglected in professional football despite the fact that around six percent of the UK population identifies as Muslim. Born in London to Jamaican parents, Spence started his professional career at Middlesbrough, cracking into senior football as a teenager. In 2022, he secured a move to Tottenham Hotspur, though his early years in North London were challenging, marked by three loan spells away from the club. Spence fought his way back into the Spurs squad and played a key role in their Europa League final victory last season, cementing his reputation as one of the Premier League’s most reliable right-backs. The defender admitted he was not aware of the milestone until after the match. “I was surprised because I didn’t know I was the first, so it’s a blessing. It is good to make history and hopefully inspire young kids around the world that they can make it as well. They can do what I am doing,” said Spance. For Spence, the night was not only a professional breakthrough but also a deeply personal and spiritual one. “Whatever religion you believe in, just believe in God. Days like today are special because of God, for me. I was a little bit emotional because the journey hasn’t been easy. But I am officially an England player now and I am over the moon.”
PV Sindhu crashes out of Hong Kong Open in the round of 32
India’s two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu crashed out of the Hong Kong Open Super 500, losing to Denmark’s unseeded Line Christophersen on Wednesday. Sindhu, who had reached the BWF World Championships quarterfinals last month, went down 21-15, 16-21, 19-21 in the round of 32. The defeat that Sindhu conceded in just an hour was her first against the 25-year-old Dane after five previous wins. The Indian started in a fashion, surging ahead 3-1 in the opening game. From 14-13, she allowed Christophersen only one more point before sealing the opener. The second game, however, slipped away as Sindhu led 13-12 but conceded five straight points to lose momentum. The decider turned into a nerve-wracking battle, with the scores tied at 19-all. Christophersen held firm to take the final two points and knock out the former World Champion. Sindhu’s exit comes just as she seemed to be rediscovering form after early-season setbacks at the Swiss Open and Japan Open.
Legendary LeBron lands in China with ‘NBA’ to apease the tension between China and USA
China is subtly reopening the door to U.S.–China cultural exchange through sports. As the NBA returns to Macao next month, it’s acting as a strategic soft-power move to ease growing trade friction between the world’s two largest economies. On 10th and 12th October, 2025, the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns are scheduled to play preseason games at Macao’s Venetian Arena. It significantly marks the NBA’s return to Chinese territory for the first time since the fallout over a tweet by Daryl Morey in 2019. These matchups are part of a multi-year collaboration between the NBA and Sands China Ltd., aimed at regaining the league’s presence in the region. This comeback occurs against the backdrop of escalating U.S.–China trade tensions. Former President Donald Trump had proposed steep tariffs on Chinese goods, which elicited retaliatory threats from Beijing. Though the president delayed them by 90 days, negotiations stay in delicate array. Along with a potential summit between U.S. and Chinese leadership that might be around the corner. Amid these geopolitical pressures, the NBA’s return offers an alternate path—one rooted in culture rather than coercion—to revive dialogue and mutual engagement. Adding significance to the moment, LeBron James said, in China’s official state newspaper, “Basketball is not only a sport but also a bridge that connects us.” Wherever tension rose when he was the first NBA player to write for the party-run publication. However, later it was declared that James did not write any op-ed for publication; rather, it was a compilation of various interviews he had given to the reporters in China. “It’s super humbling for me to be able to come here, so far away from home, and get the reception and the love. I just wanted to pour it back to the community and to this country,” Xinhua, the official news agency, published about James as he wrapped up his visit in Chengdu.
CAFA Nations Cup success was ‘significant’ for the future of Indian football says Mahesh
Sudeep Pakrashi: Mahesh Gawli, the former Indian international who has been serving as an assistant coach for the senior national team for the last three years, says winning a bronze medal in the recently concluded CAFA Nations Cup was a significant milestone, looking forward to the future of Indian football. Defying the recent trend of notions about Sunil Chhetri’s indispensability in the senior national team, it became possible for Khalid Jamil’s India to acquire a bronze medal in the CAFA Nations Cup. Gawli while speaking on a WhatsApp call from Hisor, Tajikistan, explained, “Sunil Chhetri is a legend. His contribution to the senior national team is undeniable. Even his strike-rate and performance in the last ISL cannot be ignored also. Still, it could be possible for the young brigade to finish with a bronze in the CAFA Nations Cup without Sunil’s presence. Looking forward to the future of Indian national team’s progress, it was a big gain for the senior national team that a few of the youngsters came up.” The youngsters like Irfan Yadwad, Danish Farooq Bhat, Nikhil Prabhu, Rahul Kannoly Praveen, Udanta Singh Kumam drew the attention of the football fraternity in CAFA Nations Cup. Senior national team ended 2024 with consecutive 11-match defeats and they also lost to Hong Kong in a 2027 Asian Cup qualifier and drew with Malaysia early this year. The senior national team have the only victory against Maldives in an international friendly early this year. So, winning a bronze medal in the CAFA Nations Cup was Khalid Jamil’s maiden assignment, and Mahesh Gawli, when asked about Khalid’s key strength in coaching, explained, “Every coach has their own style of guiding the boys. Khalid has also his own style. But my observation says Khalid has been able to transmit the self-belief among the footballers. That was the reason they could show the courage and determination against higher-ranked Oman also.” Mahesh had also mentioned Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s name stating, “He has set example of dedication and grit. He was not with the senior national team. But after return, he was so disciplined and hard-working that should inspire the youngsters.”
