Indian cricket’s mega league auction heads to ��

Jeddah to host Tata IPL 2025 mega auction on November 24-25. (File photo)

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Updated 06 November 2024

Rashid Hassan

November 06, 2024 13:29

Indian cricket’s mega league auction heads to ��

Jeddah to host TATA IPL 2025 player auction, the first such event in the Kingdom

Updated 06 November 2024

Rashid Hassan

November 06, 2024 13:29

RIYADH: The TATA IPL 2025 mega auction will be held in the Red Sea city of Jeddah on Nov. 24 and 25, 2024.

Unlike regular auctions, the mega auction, which takes place every three years, is spread over two days instead of one and is one of the most followed events in cricket, as the 10 IPL franchises build their squads for the next three years (2025-2027).

Following the big announcement by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the ��n Cricket Federation said on Wednesday: “The SACF, within the events in Jeddah calendar, are thrilled to announce that Jeddah has been selected by the BCCI to host the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Player Auction on November 24th and 25th, 2024 making it the first-ever international cricket event of this stature to be held in ��.”

The TATA IPL, widely recognised as the world’s most prestigious T20 cricket league, has registered 1,574 players from around the world for the 2025 player auction — 320 capped players, 1,224 uncapped players, and 30 players from associate nations. With only 204 slots available, teams will engage in competitive bidding wars to secure top talent, promising a thrilling experience for cricket fans worldwide.

“We are very pleased to host this prestigious event, which confirms the depth of our relationship with the BCCI and its honorary secretary, Jay Shah. In addition to the Kingdom’s commitment to developing the sport and showcasing its position as a global destination for sporting events,” said Prince Saud bin Mishal, chairman of the SACF.

“This prestigious event is a testament to our dedication to develop the sport in the Kingdom, and we look forward to celebrating this remarkable moment with cricket fans across the Kingdom,” Prince Saud added.

مزاد الكريكيت الأكبر عالمياً في قلب المملكة العربية السعودية!

جدة تستضيف مزاد لاعبي الدوري الهندي الممتاز للعام 2025 - استعدوا لسباق المزايدات وبناء فرق الأحلام للموسم القادم!
⁠ | | | | | ��…

— الاتحاد السعودي للكريكيت | Saudi Cricket (@cricketsaudi)

��’s hosting of the IPL 2025 Player Auction not only highlights its potential as a cricketing destination but also signals a new era of cultural exchange and sporting excellence in the region.

Cricket fans in �� will have a unique opportunity to witness the creation of the TATA IPL 2025 teams and be part of a popular global event, the federation said.

Commenting on the mega auction heading to the Kingdom, India’s ambassador to ��, Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan said: “It is a matter of great pride and excitement for us to witness the TATA IPL 2025 Players Auction being held in ��, a historic first that underscores the deepening ties between India and ��. This event reflects the growing cultural and sports exchanges between our two nations, symbolizing a new era of shared aspirations and people-to-people connectivity.”

Bringing the auction to Jeddah not only highlights ��’s growing role as a global sports and entertainment destination, but will also serve as catalyst for popularizing and developing cricket in the Kingdom, the ambassador said.

“Congratulations and best wishes to all those involved in making this momentous occasion possible,” Khan said.

There were 1,165 Indian and 409 overseas players registered for the auction, which will be held at the Abady Al Johar Arena (also known as Benchmark Arena), by the Nov. 4 deadline, the BCCI said.

Players are from countries including Italy, Canada, Netherlands, Scotland, the US and the UAE, apart from the full member nations excluding Pakistan.

Each franchise can build a squad of up to 25 players, which means that there are 204 slots available at the auction after the retention.

On Oct. 31, the deadline for teams to finalise which of their players they were keeping from their 2024 squads, a total of 46 players were retained across the 10 franchises.

The IPL allowed teams to retain up to six players this time — of which a maximum of five can be capped and a maximum of two can be uncapped. The six players can either be retained outright ahead of the auction, or can be bought back using right-to-match options at the auction, or a combination of both.

The IPL auction is being held overseas for the second successive year — 2024 was in Dubai.

Topics: India Cricket ��

Djokovic battles into Shanghai Masters semifinals as Vacherot’s fairytale run continues

Updated 33 sec ago

Reuters

October 10, 2025 06:53

Djokovic battles into Shanghai Masters semifinals as Vacherot’s fairytale run continues

Vacherot pulled off a huge upset, stunning 10th seed Holger Rune 2-6 7-6(4) 6-4 to become the second-lowest ranked player ever to reach an ATP Masters semifinal
Vacherot’s cousin Arthur Rinderknech is also in the quarterfinals, with the Frenchman set to play Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday

Updated 33 sec ago

Reuters

October 10, 2025 06:53

SHANGHAI: Fourth seed Novak Djokovic battled past a spirited Zizou Bergs 6-3, 7-5 on Thursday to reach the Shanghai Masters semifinals for a 10th time, setting up a clash with surprise package and world No. 204 Valentin Vacherot.

In challenging conditions, Djokovic was made to work harder than the scoreline suggests by his Belgian opponent, who actually registered more winners than the four-time champion but was undone by unforced errors.

“First encounter with Bergs, a great guy. Obviously a lot of firepower in his game. He played a good game,” Djokovic said.

“Again, I was a little bit too passive. Just very challenging conditions these days for all the players. Just trying to stay alive on the court and glad to overcome this hurdle.”

Bergs shows resilience

In the opening set, Bergs showed remarkable resilience by saving five set points to frustrate Djokovic, before the Serbian finally closed it out with an unreturned serve.

The second set proved even more gruelling, with both players serving well but treating the crowd to breathtaking rallies that left Djokovic hunched over his racquet on several occasions.

The highlight came during one extraordinary rally where Djokovic gave Bergs five golden opportunities to seal the point with overhead shots and volleys at the net, only to somehow emerge victorious and bring the crowd to its feet.

Djokovic eventually sealed victory on his third match point, advancing to face Vacherot in what promises to be an intriguing semifinal clash.

“Amazing story for him. This tournament has taken out top players of the world... it’s really impressive what he’s doing,” Djokovic said.

Vacherot set to crack top 100

Vacherot pulled off a huge upset, stunning 10th seed Holger Rune 2-6 7-6(4) 6-4 to become the second-lowest ranked player ever to reach an ATP Masters semifinal.

The Monegasque qualifier’s remarkable run will see him crack the top 100 next week after spending half of last year sidelined with injury, but even playing in Shanghai was a question mark when he arrived.

“I didn’t even come as a qualifier, I came as an alternate. I wasn’t sure to even play the qualifier,” Vacherot said.

“Coming back from six months out is always not easy. You cannot just come back and win tournaments right and left. You’ve just got to fight your way through a little bit.”

Vacherot’s stunning journey in Shanghai, which now includes wins over four seeds, looked doomed early on as Rune raced through a physically demanding opening set while the underdog felt his “lungs were screaming.”

But the tide turned dramatically in the second-set tiebreak when Vacherot produced a stunning backhand crosscourt winner to take a 5-4 lead.

Rune crashed his next shot into the net and could only watch as Vacherot fired a forehand winner down the line on set point to level the match.

Rune struggled physically in the decider, requiring the trainer twice to massage his leg. Vacherot then capitalized to complete a memorable victory in a contest lasting a minute shy of three hours.

“It would mean a lot to play at least one of the guys of the ‘Big Three’ in my career,” Vacherot said on playing Djokovic.

Vacherot’s cousin Arthur Rinderknech is also in the quarterfinals, with the Frenchman set to play Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday.

Topics: Shanghai Shanghai Masters

Lack of crowd noise a bit sad, says England’s Tuchel after win over Wales

Updated 10 October 2025

Reuters

October 10, 2025 01:23

Lack of crowd noise a bit sad, says England’s Tuchel after win over Wales

The German said his loyalty to the players he used in last month’s wins had been rewarded

Updated 10 October 2025

Reuters

October 10, 2025 01:23

LONDON: England head coach Thomas Tuchel has never been slow to speak his mind and the German turned his ire on the Wembley fans on Thursday, criticizing the home supporters for being too quiet in a comfortable 3-0 friendly win against Wales.
The mood was buoyant enough as goals by Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Bukayo Saka in the opening 20 minutes made England’s eighth successive win over the Welsh a formality.
With the game petering out in the second half, many England fans opted to leave early, some launched paper aeroplanes and it was only the loud away contingent who created any noise.
“We had one-and-a-half training days to prepare against a well-trained team and we did very well,” Tuchel said. “We had an excellent first half, we were 3-0 up very quickly, but we could have been 4-0 up at halftime.
“Then we couldn’t score, the fourth one, the fifth one, the stadium was silent, we never got any energy back from the fans. I think the players delivered a lot to get more from the stands.
“What more can you give them? Twenty minutes, three goals, and the way we attacked Wales, and they didn’t let them escape, even from their own half, and it was ball-win after ball-win.
“If you’re here for half an hour, it’s just Wales fans. Yeah, so a bit sad. The team deserved big support today.”
In his press conference later Tuchel said he had no doubt that England’s support in Latvia on Tuesday, when a win could seal their place at next year’s World Cup, will be louder.
“I’m 100 percent sure that we will have fantastic support in the (World Cup) and we will have top support in Latvia. We had excellent support in Serbia,” he said.
“But today we were 3-0 up and I was like ‘why is the roof still on?’ It’s nothing big. It was just like it could have helped us also in the second half, in some moments, to regain energy and to regain a rhythm.”
Tuchel left out Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from his squad, while captain Harry Kane, Noni Madueke and Reece James were missing from the team that beat Serbia 5-0 last month because of injury.
But the German said his loyalty to the players he used in last month’s wins had been rewarded.
“The team’s pushing itself, they buy into the idea, and they love the idea of going after opponents,” Tuchel, who has won six of his first seven matches in charge, said.
“At the moment, it’s very intense, it’s very demanding, but it’s very effective. I’m very delighted with the last two matches. We are absolutely on the right way and on the side it feels like we show very good behavior, even like a club team.
“This is the feeling that we want to create. And like I said, the competition is on, and you can feel it. The guys who play are happy to play. They want to keep their shirts.”

Topics: football

Spain’s La Liga plans to make its international match an annual event

Updated 09 October 2025

October 09, 2025 22:52

Spain’s La Liga plans to make its international match an annual event

“The idea is to follow a similar model but with one difference: We will only play one match abroad,” Tebas said
“It’s a strategy that will help to increase revenues in the mid- to long-term, because we will increase the value of our partners, our sponsors

Updated 09 October 2025

October 09, 2025 22:52

NEW YORK: La Liga plans to make an international soccer match an annual event after announcing Barcelona and Villarreal will play outside Miami on Dec. 20, Spanish league president Javier Tebas said during an interview with The Associated Press.
Becoming the first major European league to move a competitive match abroad, La Liga is following the model of the NFL, which has played in London since 2007, and this season also has games in Berlin, Dublin, Madrid and Sao Paulo.
“The idea is to follow a similar model but with one difference: We will only play one match abroad,” Tebas said of future schedules. “So I strongly believe that what they are doing is something very positive for the competition. They are letting people all over the world to know the competition, to engage with the competition.”
The soccer match will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. La Liga intends to announce future international games with longer lead times. It usually releases its schedule around the start of July.
“It’s a strategy that will help to increase revenues in the mid- to long-term, because we will increase the value of our partners, our sponsors. We will increase the value of audiovisual rights with our broadcasters,” he said.
“Hopefully we will increase the interest, the engagement of the audience in other countries as we are expecting to bring this one game every year to different countries around the world.”
Italy’s Serie A is planning to move a Feb. 8 match between Milan and Como from San Siro to Perth, Australia, because the Italian stadium won’t be available after hosting the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics two days earlier.
Tebas said the experience of playing in an NFL stadium with many food and beverage options and gathering areas could spark improvements in Spain. Real Madrid renovated Estadio Santiago Bernabéu and Osasuna revamped El Sadar.
Construction is ongoing at Barcelona’s Camp Nou, Betis’ Estadio Benito Villamarín and Getafe’s Estadio Coliseum, and Valencia has long-delayed plans for a Nou Mestalla.
“The objective is to increase the match day experience more than the two hours,” Tebas said. “The clubs are already working toward that objective.”
CONCACAF, soccer’s governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean, said Thursday it must approve the match and “will conduct a thorough review of the application, including consulting key regional and global stakeholders.”
Tebas said CONCACAF cannot block the game because of last year’s settlement that dropped FIFA from a lawsuit by the promoter Relevent, which like Hard Rock Stadium and the Dolphins is owned by Stephen Ross.
“There is already a positive resolution in court that Relevent achieved against FIFA and that goes as well to CONCACAF in the US, so they can’t really go against that court resolution,” he said.
Tebas said Barcelona and Villarreal would play any Copa del Rey round of 32 matches on Dec. 16, then fly immediately after their games and arrive in Florida early on Wednesday ahead of the Saturday game.
Tebas said La Liga has chartered planes to bring to Florida what it estimates will be 2,000 to 3,000 fans from Villarreal, which is the home team. Relevent said a presale of tickets will start Oct. 21 and general sale the next day.

Topics: La Liga Spanish league president Javier Tebas Barcelona villarreal

Algeria qualify for the World Cup for first time since 2014 after Mahrez inspires win

Updated 09 October 2025

October 09, 2025 21:39

Algeria qualify for the World Cup for first time since 2014 after Mahrez inspires win

A 3-0 win over Somalia on Thursday guaranteed Algeria first place in Group G in African qualifying
Algeria, captained by Riyad Mahrez, joined neighboring nations Morocco and Tunisia as well as Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in securing a spot in next year’s expanded 48-team tournament

Updated 09 October 2025

October 09, 2025 21:39

BIR EL DJIR, Algeria: Algeria have become the fourth African country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup — and all of them are from the north of the continent.
A 3-0 win over Somalia on Thursday guaranteed Algeria first place in Group G in African qualifying with a match to spare and a return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.
Algeria, captained by Riyad Mahrez and led by former Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic, joined neighboring nations Morocco and Tunisia as well as Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in securing a spot in next year’s expanded 48-team tournament being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

QUALIFIED !

Algeria has booked its place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

It will be Algeria’s 5th appearance at the big dance after 1982, 1986, 2010 and 2014
— Algeria FC (@Algeria_FC)

It will be the fifth time for the Algerians at the World Cup — and they’ve only ever progressed from the group stage once, in 2014 when they lost to Germany in the round of 16.
A total of nine African teams will directly qualify and be in the World Cup tournament draw taking place on Dec. 5 in Washington D.C.
The other five group winners will be known over the next week. The four best runners-up play in a knockout competition in November, and the winner advances to the playoffs.
Mahrez stars
Despite being a home game for Somalia, it was staged at the Miloud Hadefi Olympic Complex in Algeria and the fans were treated to a show by Mahrez — the team’s star winger who used to play for Manchester City and now is at Al-Ahli in ��.

Algeria have qualified for 26!
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup)

The 34-year-old Mahrez set up goals for Mohamed Amoura in the sixth and 58th minutes, either side of scoring himself with a fierce strike into the roof of the net in the 19th.
Mahrez started his international career weeks before the 2014 World Cup, and was included in Algeria’s squad for the tournament, only playing in their first group game.
Fight for second
Uganda stayed in second place in the group — four points behind Algeria — after beating Botswana 1-0 and moved three points clear of Mozambique, which lost 2-1 at home to Guinea.
In the final round of matches, Uganda travel to Algeria and Mozambique play Somalia.
Morocco the benchmark
All the African teams heading to the World Cup will look to repeat the exploits of Morocco, which became the first team from the continent to reach the semifinals in the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Topics: Algeria Riyad Mahrez 2026 World Cup Somalia

Indonesia bars Israeli athletes from gymnastics world championship

Updated 09 October 2025

AFP

October 09, 2025 20:26

Indonesia bars Israeli athletes from gymnastics world championship

“The Indonesian government has a firm stance that it will not have any contact with Israel until Israel recognizes the existence of a free and sovereign Palestine,” Yusril said
Israeli nationals with dual passports can also enter Indonesia using their other passport

Updated 09 October 2025

AFP

October 09, 2025 20:26

JAKARTA: Indonesia will not issue visas to Israeli athletes for the upcoming world artistic gymnastics championships in Jakarta, a minister said Thursday, citing the nation’s support for Palestinians.
The event, scheduled for October 19-25 in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, is expected to feature more than 500 athletes from 79 countries.
Israeli athletes were reportedly among those set to compete, but coordinating minister for legal affairs and human rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the government would not allow them entry.
“The Indonesian government has a firm stance that it will not have any contact with Israel until Israel recognizes the existence of a free and sovereign Palestine,” Yusril said in a statement.
Indonesia has no formal ties with Israel, but Israeli nationals or their sponsors, such as Indonesian-based businesses or Indonesian nationals, can apply for a short-term visa under the “calling visa” procedure.
Israeli nationals with dual passports can also enter Indonesia using their other passport.
Immigration and Corrections Minister Agus Andrianto told local media Kompas.com on Thursday the move followed a formal request from the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation.
Andrianto confirmed the decision to AFP, without elaborating.
The federation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In July 2023, Indonesia pulled out of hosting the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games following controversy over Israel’s participation.
In March that year, Indonesia lost the hosting rights to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup after two governors objected to Israel’s participation.

Topics: War on Gaza Israeli athletes Indoensia gymnastics

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Indian cricket’s mega league auction heads to ��

Indian cricket’s mega league auction heads to ��

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Indian cricket’s mega league auction heads to ��������

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Djokovic battles into Shanghai Masters semifinals as Vacherot’s fairytale run continues

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Indian cricket’s mega league auction heads to ��

Indian cricket’s mega league auction heads to ��