India’s inevitable win over Pakistan reveals a rivalry running on empty

Analysis India’s inevitable win over Pakistan reveals a rivalry running on empty
A Kashmiri shopkeeper watches the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan on a mobile phone in Srinagar on Feb. 23, 2025. (Reuters)
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Updated 24 February 2025
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India’s inevitable win over Pakistan reveals a rivalry running on empty

India’s inevitable win over Pakistan reveals a rivalry running on empty
  • ICC Champions Trophy clash in Dubai showed two teams moving in opposite directions

DUBAI: Living within a stone’s throw of the Dubai International Stadium, I was able to watch and experience how the atmosphere started to build before this eagerly awaited clash between India and Pakistan in the ICC Champions trophy.

More than three hours before the first ball was bowled, the horns started their familiar chorus. The rituals remained unchanged — the early pilgrimage to the stadium, the face paint, the flags. Despite this, something fundamental has changed in cricket’s most politicized rivalry. The match laid this truth bare.

What we witnessed was not a contest between two equals. Although this is still the message pumped out by the marketing machine and broadcasters continue to sell India against Pakistan as the game’s ultimate clash, the reality on the field tells a different story. In 36 C heat, we watched a stark display of two teams moving in opposing directions.

The demographic in the stands told its own story — a drowning sea of blue with mere patches of green. A visual metaphor for the competitive imbalance that has come to define these encounters. Even Pakistan’s supporters, who are usually defiant and vocal in even the toughest of times, sensed the inevitability of what was coming.

The match felt like a formality from the start. Pakistan’s approach was puzzling at best and self-destructive at worst. After losing Babar Azam early on, followed by Imam-ul-Haq, who ran himself out on his return to the team, the innings descended into an exercise of damage limitation. Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan needed to rebuild yet still try to be positive. It seemed they had a different plan altogether. Their lack of intent was so profound as to be puzzling. If they were trying to provide a basis for a late assault, then what should not happen is for them both to be dismissed in quick succession. This is exactly what happened.

Any hope of a challenging total vanished and Pakistan lost six wickets for 82 in less than 15 overs, setting India a modest total of 242 to chase.

India’s approach was the opposite of Pakistan’s. This brought the crowd alive and, for the first time, it felt that there were people in the stadium.

It was not until the 42nd over that a Pakistani batter hit a six, through Khushdil Shah. Rohit Sharma took only six balls to launch Naseem Shah for six. This was not just a shot, it was a pathological hammer blow, a statement that India no longer regards Pakistan as an equal but just another team to be dispatched.

Shubman Gill, the ICC’s new No. 1 ranked batter, had the crowd in awe of his classical shots, mixed with aggression. Even the Pakistani contingent clapped his majestic cover drives. Then came a vintage Virat Kohli performance. He played simple cricket against the spinners and attacked the seamers, saying afterwards: “I was happy with the template, it’s how I play in ODIs.”

India never left second gear because they never needed to and therein lies the problem. Rivalries require uncertainty. Both teams need to believe that they can win and, more importantly, they need both sets of fans to believe in the possibility of a victory. The Ashes have endured because, even when one team is stronger, the other always has the potential to retaliate. India against Australia captivates because both teams possess the ability to dominate.

India against Pakistan seems to have lost its edge on the field. The political tensions add edge to these encounters, but they can no longer mask the cricketing chasm that has opened up between the teams. We seem to be left with a rivalry running on nostalgia, fueled by memories of Miandad’s last-ball six in 1986 and Tendulkar’s uppercut off Shoaib Aktar’s bowling in 2003. Now, the contests are failing to create new moments worthy of that history.

The empty seats at the start of play would be unthinkable a decade ago for an India-Pakistan match. The crowd never reached its traditional fever pitch for such a match as it has become too one sided and predictable. “Men against boys,” was the sentiment being bandied about in the stands. It is hard to argue with that assessment. India’s victory felt inevitable from the moment Shakeel was caught in the deep. This is not the stuff of which great rivalries are made. They should make your heart race. They should keep you on the edge of your seat. They should make you believe in miracles.

There were no miracles, no edge-of-seat moments, no heart-racing finishes. Just the methodical dismantling of one team by another, executed with clinical efficiency that speaks of a rivalry in name only.

Perhaps it is time to be honest about what India versus Pakistan has become — a historical rivalry whose greatness now resides more in the past than the present. While the political undertones ensure these matches will always carry extra significance, the on-field contest has lost its competitive soul. For this rivalry to reclaim its place at cricket’s summit, Pakistan needs to rediscover its swagger, its intent and, most importantly, its belief. Until then, we are left with echoes of what once was, memories being played out to an increasingly indifferent audience.

The result has put India on the brink of a semi-final and Pakistan on the brink of elimination. Mathematically, there is a chance but, if New Zealand beat Bangladesh, it would mean that Pakistan becomes the first team to be ousted from the tournament, after only two matches. This will be a bitter blow. Pakistan’s return to hosting an ICC tournament will end in deep disappointment, after the high hopes which had built up.

Cricket in Pakistan has been badly buffeted from all angles in recent years. This latest defeat by India will serve only to make life in the eye of the storm even more uncomfortable.


Al-Ain to host 6th IMMAF Youth World Championships in July

Al-Ain to host 6th IMMAF Youth World Championships in July
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Al-Ain to host 6th IMMAF Youth World Championships in July

Al-Ain to host 6th IMMAF Youth World Championships in July
  • Tournament will be held at the Al-Ain Convention Center with more than 1,000 male and female athletes from 60 countries taking part

ABU DHABI: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation has announced that the sixth IMMAF Youth World Championships will be held in Al-Ain Region for the first time from July 21-27.

The tournament will be staged at the Al-Ain Convention Center with more than 1,000 male and female athletes from 60 countries competing in the championship’s largest event to date.

The championship, organized by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, or IMMAF, and hosted by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation for the fourth year in a row, serves as a global platform to discover emerging talents in mixed martial arts and to strengthen the UAE’s position as a leading international sports destination. 

The championship is the culmination of a long-standing collaboration between IMMAF and the UAEJJF, with a prior agreement extended last year to continue hosting the event in Abu Dhabi for three more years, from 2025 to 2027.

Mohammed bin Dalmouj Al-Dhaheri, UAE Jiu-Jitsu and IMMAF board member, said: “We are committed to delivering an exceptional edition of the championship and take pride in hosting top emerging talents from around the world.

“This underlines the UAE’s strong position as a prime platform for organizing and hosting big international competitions and a desirable destination for athletes worldwide. This tournament builds on the nation’s successful sporting events, which have received considerable international praise. It also plays an important role in our attempts to expand the sport within the country by motivating our athletes to excel and earn top honors. 

“The selection of Al-Ain Region is due to its historical significance, rich cultural heritage, tourist attractions and natural landscapes, which complement the championship’s dynamic atmosphere to offer an unprecedented experience for participants and spectators,” he added.

Kerrith Brown, IMMAF president, said: “The IMMAF Youth World Championships continue to set the global benchmark for youth development in mixed martial arts, and we’re proud to see the event grow year after year. This year, we’re honored to bring the championships to the world-class Al-Ain Convention Center in collaboration with the UAE MMA Federation, marking an exciting new chapter for IMMAF.

“With over 1,000 youth athletes expected to compete, the 2025 edition will be our largest yet. It’s a powerful statement about the future of MMA, and I look forward to witnessing the next generation of stars take center stage.”


Pedersen makes it 3 wins out of 5 at Giro d’Italia to extend his overall lead

Pedersen makes it 3 wins out of 5 at Giro d’Italia to extend his overall lead
Updated 15 May 2025
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Pedersen makes it 3 wins out of 5 at Giro d’Italia to extend his overall lead

Pedersen makes it 3 wins out of 5 at Giro d’Italia to extend his overall lead
  • The 29-year-old Pedersen also won two of the three opening stages in Albania to take the leader’s pink jersey back to Italy
  • With the bonus seconds Pedersen picked up, the Danish cyclist extended his lead over pre-race favorite Primoz Roglic to 17 seconds

MATERA, Italy: Overall leader Mads Pedersen made it three wins out of five at this year’s Giro d’Italia as he won a bunch sprint at the end of the fifth stage on Wednesday.

Pedersen just managed to edge out Edoardo Zambanini in a finish that was so close the Lidl-Trek rider had to ask a teammate: “Did I win? Are you sure?”

Tom Pidcock was third at the end of the 151-kilometer (94-mile) route from Ceglie Messapica to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Matera, which is renowned for its “Sassi,” or ancient cave dwellings.

The 29-year-old Pedersen also won two of the three opening stages in Albania to take the leader’s pink jersey back to Italy.

“Now it’s really incredible and to win in this jersey as well, it’s insane and it’s way more than I ever dreamt about,” Pedersen said. “What a Giro we have and what a team I have around me.”

With the bonus seconds Pedersen picked up, the Danish cyclist extended his lead over pre-race favorite Primoz Roglic to 17 seconds, with Mathias Vacek another seven seconds back.

With a kilometer to go, Pedersen appeared too far back but he managed to get up to the front before a late corner and then got a great lead out from Vacek.

Pedersen then launched his final sprint early and just barely held off Zambanini, who almost managed to beat him after coming up along the barriers.

“I used a lot of energy to move back up on Vacek’s wheel,” Pedersen said. “I had to spend energy to come back to at least fight for the win. Then luckily I had enough for the last sprint. So that was a really tough one.”

Prior to this year’s race, Pedersen had only won one stage in the Giro, two years ago in Naples — where Thursday’s sixth stage also ends.

“Every day we try to win as as much as possible and we try again tomorrow,” he said.

The stage is the longest leg of the three-week race and has two categorized climbs on the 227-kilometer route from Potenza.

The Giro ends in Rome on June 1.


Bologna end 51-year wait for a major trophy by beating AC Milan to win Italian Cup

Bologna end 51-year wait for a major trophy by beating AC Milan to win Italian Cup
Updated 15 May 2025
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Bologna end 51-year wait for a major trophy by beating AC Milan to win Italian Cup

Bologna end 51-year wait for a major trophy by beating AC Milan to win Italian Cup
  • It was coach Vincenzo Italiano’s first win in a final, having lost back-to-back Europa Conference League title matches while in charge of Fiorentina
  • The result secured Bologna a spot in next season’s Europa League and left Milan with the very real likelihood of missing out on European competition

ROME: Bologna ended a 51-year wait for a major trophy when it beat AC Milan 1-0 to win the Italian Cup on Wednesday.

Dan Ndoye returned from injury to score the only goal and help Bologna to their first Italian Cup since 1974. The club, which is owned by Canadian Joey Saputo, has only won two second-division titles in between.

It was also coach Vincenzo Italiano’s first win in a final, having lost back-to-back Europa Conference League title matches while in charge of Fiorentina and finishing runner-up in the 2023 Italian Cup.

“They were three hefty disappointments,” Italiano told broadcaster Mediaset. “I didn’t think I could immediately come back and get my own back. But we succeeded and I’m happy.

“I add an important trophy to my mantlepiece and I truly dedicate it to the guys, who were extraordinary.”

Italiano had been flung in the air by his players in celebration immediately after the final whistle. Many of them were in tears of joy, much like some of the thousands of Bologna fans in the stands.

And the 47-year-old coach was eager to get back to the festivities.

“Now let me go and celebrate, because this is something really incredible,” Italiano said with a smile at the end of his television interview.

It is Italiano’s first season at Bologna after replacing Thiago Motta, who left to Juventus after steering the team to their first-ever Champions League qualification. Motta was fired by Juventus earlier this season.

The result secured Bologna a spot in next season’s Europa League and left Milan with the very real likelihood of missing out on European competition.

It could spell the end of Sérgio Conceiçao’s short stint in charge of the Rossoneri, with Milan eighth in Serie A after a disappointing season.

Both teams came to Rome looking to end an Italian Cup drought, as Milan last lifted the trophy 22 years ago — losing two finals in the intervening years.

The match was played at a high tempo from the start and both goalkeepers were called into making impressive saves in the opening 10 minutes.

Tension threatened to boil over toward the end of the first half and Bologna captain Lewis Ferguson was left bloodied with what looked like a broken nose after a sliding tackle on Rafael Leão, who caught him on the face with his leg as he was upended.

Bologna broke the deadlock eight minutes into the second half. Riccardo Orsolini was tackled by Theo Hernández in the area but the ball fell to Ndoye, who carved out some space before curling into the right side of the net.

The 24-year-old Switzerland international had missed Bologna’s previous three matches with a thigh injury.

Milan had fought back from a goal down to beat Bologna 3-1 in the Italian league on Friday, but there was to be no such comeback in Rome.


Alcaraz sets up Italian Open semifinal clash with Musetti, Sabalenka falls

Alcaraz sets up Italian Open semifinal clash with Musetti, Sabalenka falls
Updated 15 May 2025
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Alcaraz sets up Italian Open semifinal clash with Musetti, Sabalenka falls

Alcaraz sets up Italian Open semifinal clash with Musetti, Sabalenka falls
  • Madrid Open winner Sabalenka was sent packing in the quarterfinals by Chinese eighth-seed Zheng Qinwen 6-4, 6-3
  • Current world No. 2 and defending champion Zverev lose his Rome crown in addition to his ranking as he went down to home hope Musetti 7-6 (7/1), 6-4

ROME: Carlos Alcaraz set up a semifinal meeting with Lorenzo Musetti at the Italian Open on Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Jack Draper in the last eight, while women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out.

Madrid Open winner Sabalenka was sent packing in the quarterfinals by Chinese eighth-seed Zheng Qinwen 6-4, 6-3.

Third seed Alcaraz, meanwhile, produced what he called one of his best displays of the season to book a last four date with the man he beat in Monte Carlo last month.

The Spaniard’s impressive win over Draper kept alive his chances of a third title of the season and also moved him up to No. 2 in the world rankings behind Jannik Sinner.

“I lost focus a little bit in the second set but it wasn’t (for) too long, so it was pretty good,” said the four-time Grand Slam winner in search of a first Rome crown.

“Probably it was one of the most complete matches that I played this year.”

Alcaraz had to be at his best to down fifth seed Draper, who put in another strong showing on clay in Italy after losing the Madrid Open final to Casper Ruud.

The Briton lost control of the first set when, after taking a two-game lead, he was broken twice by Alcaraz who then took the lead in the match.

And Alcaraz made sure of victory by breaking Draper to love to go 5-4 ahead in the second set before serving out the match.

The day’s final match saw current world No. 2 and defending champion Zverev lose his Rome crown in addition to his ranking as he went down to home hope Musetti 7-6 (7/1), 6-4.

After trading breaks earlier in the set, Zverev looked set to seal the opener after breaking Musetti at 5-5 and then leading on his next service game 40-0.

But the Italian improbably saved four set points to force a tiebreak, which he swept 7-1 in front of a raucous center court.

An angered Zverev argued with the umpire in the second set but kept his cool on the court up to 4-4.

The German had looked the more likely to make a breakthrough until the ninth game when a stunning backhand winner gave Musetti break point, which he duly converted before holding to 30 to reach his third semi of the year on clay.

“I felt the adrenaline and energy from the first point, even if it was not an easy start, but I managed to come back and find a way, and that’s the key of this match,” said Musetti.

Ruud’s attempt at a Madrid and Rome double has a Sinner-shaped obstacle in its way after the world No. 7 won his postponed match with Jaume Munar 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals where he will face the top seed on Thursday.

Sabalenka’s stunning clay-court form deserted her at the Foro Italico as she fell in straight sets to Olympic gold medalist Zheng.

It was seventh time lucky for the world No. 8 as she at last got the better of her Belarusian opponent with a confident display under the lights in Rome.

After surviving early pressure on her own serve, Zheng broke Sabalenka to take a 3-2 lead in the first set before serving out.

Zheng then pounced in Sabalenka’s first service game in the second frame to go up a break.

Sabalenka showed determination to make gritty holds in the fifth and seventh games of the set, but she could not make inroads on Zheng’s service as the 22-year-old powered into the semis.

“It’s been a long time I haven’t arrived in semifinals,” Zheng told Sky Sports after securing her first semifinal appearance of the season.

“It was not easy for me because at the beginning of the year I got some struggles with my arm.

“So right now I’m just perfectly in shape and trying to play better tennis all the time.”

Zheng will meet Coco Gauff in the last four after the American earlier beat Mirra Andreeva 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).

Gauff has guaranteed herself No. 2 in the women’s world rankings with her solid displays in Rome, where she saw off seventh seed Andreeva.

Former US Open winner Gauff said that she had “a lot of confidence” for the last four, where she will face an opponent against whom she holds a 2-0 record.

Gauff, 21, is looking for her first title of the season ahead of Roland Garros, after losing the Madrid final to Sabalenka.


Celtics rout Knicks in Game 5, send series back to New York

Celtics rout Knicks in Game 5, send series back to New York
Updated 15 May 2025
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Celtics rout Knicks in Game 5, send series back to New York

Celtics rout Knicks in Game 5, send series back to New York

Derrick White scored a game-high 34 points and the Boston Celtics extended their season by beating the visiting New York Knicks 127-102 on Wednesday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Knicks lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, and Game 6 will be played Friday in New York.
White shot 7-for-13 from 3-point territory and made 9 of his 11 free-throw attempts. Boston sank 22 of its 49 shots from behind the 3-point arc  and outscored New York 68-43 in the second half.
The Celtics received 26 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists from Jaylen Brown. Luke Kornet added 10 points, nine rebounds and seven blocked shots, and Payton Pritchard came off the bench to make five 3-pointers and score 17 points.
It was Boston’s second playoff game without Jayson Tatum, who had surgery Tuesday to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon. Tatum didn’t play in Game 2 of Boston’s first-round series against Orlando, and the Celtics won that game 109-100.
Josh Hart scored a team-high 24 points for New York, which shot 29-of-81 from the field . Jalen Brunson collected 22 points and six assists, but he fouled out with 7:19 to play. Brunson was called for his fifth foul with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter.
The Knicks received 19 points and eight rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis was limited to one point in 12 minutes and didn’t play in the second half.
New York led 32-30 after one quarter and the game was tied 59-59 at halftime. An 11-0 run capped by a Pritchard 3-pointer put the Celtics up 81-68 with 7:10 left in the third, and Boston had a 91-76 advantage entering the fourth.
The Celtics led by as many as 28 in the final 12 minutes.
It was Boston’s first victory at home in the series.