Sports

New Delhi, May 1 (IANS) Servotech Sports on Thursday launched the Dream League of India, a one-of-a-kind Tennis-ball Cricket League in a grand ceremony here on Thursday. The Dream League of India will be for both juniors (13–18) and seniors (18+), with six franchises participating across both categories.

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has been appointed as the League Commissioner for the Dream League of India. Joining the league as one of the six celebrity faces are acclaimed music director and singer Salim Merchant, the organisers informed in a release on Thursday. Servotech Sports aims to nurture the finest grassroots talent, with top performers earning the chance to represent India's tennis ball team internationally in tennis cricket.

To play in the Dream League of India, players can register themselves on the league’s official website or Starzpit App for the nationwide open fair trials, conducted across multiple districts and centres under the supervision of over 1,500 certified coaches.

From these fair trials, 860 junior and 860 senior players will be shortlisted for the DLI auction, where six franchises per category will select their squads. Players shortlisted from the fair trials will enter the Dream League of India auction.

Top performers stand a chance to be scouted by the International Tennis Cricket Federation (ITCF) and Tennis Cricket Association of India (TCAI) selectors to represent Team India in tennis cricket.

Moreover, unsold players will compete in the country’s biggest Inter-Zonal Tournament, with zonal champions advancing to an All-Zonal Championship. The winning team will face the Season 1 Franchise Champion in the Season 2 opener, ensuring every player gets a pathway to recognition and national glory.

Speaking on the launch of DLI, Rishabh Bhatia, Director, Servotech Sports, said, "At Servotech Sports, we are committed to transforming dreams into reality. The Dream League of India reflects our belief in grassroots empowerment and our passion for seeing India dominate new frontiers in sports. Every young player from every gully now has a real chance to wear the Tennis cricket ball India jersey,"

Speaking on the occasion, actor Sonu Sood, League Commissioner, DLI said, "Dreams are meant to be chased — and realised. The Dream League of India is not just about a game, it’s about giving wings to thousands of young athletes across India. I am proud to be part of a movement that will inspire, uplift, and transform the sporting landscape."

--IANS

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Chennai, May 1 (IANS) Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni delved into his team’s defeat after they were knocked out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 following a four-wicket loss to Punjab Kings at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk. In what was a must-win clash, CSK faltered at the death, with Dhoni acknowledging that the team didn’t score enough despite a strong batting show.

“I think the batting, yes, it was the first time we put enough runs on the board, but I feel it was slightly short of a par score,” Dhoni said after the match. “It’s demanding on the batsmen, but we needed slightly more.”

Put into bat, CSK were lifted by a gritty 88 off 47 balls from Sam Curran — his first fifty of the season — as he battled tough conditions and revived the innings after a poor start. Curran and Dewald Brevis stitched together a 78-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Curran later tore into young pacer Suryansh Shedge, smashing him for 26 runs in one over, giving CSK momentum heading into the final stretch. But what looked like a total of 200+ was derailed by Yuzvendra Chahal’s stunning 19th over, where he took four wickets, including a hat-trick.

"The partnership between Brevis and Sam was excellent. We didn't play the last four deliveries, and in the second last over, four batters got out. In close games, those 7 deliveries mean a lot. Well, he's a fighter (Curran). That's something we all know.

"Whenever he turns up, he wants to contribute. Unfortunately, so far, whenever we tried to give him a chance, the wicket was on the slower side and he found it slightly difficult," he added.

Dhoni, who had just hit a six, holed out on the very next ball, followed by the dismissals of Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj, and Noor Ahmad. CSK collapsed from 185/5 to 190 all out.

In reply, Punjab Kings made a steady start as Prabhsimran Singh continued his good form with a quickfire fifty, scoring 54 off 36 balls. He kept the chase on track before falling to Noor Ahmad.

From there on, captain Shreyas Iyer took over. Calm and composed early, he accelerated at the right time, hitting a flurry of boundaries and sixes, including a 17-run over off Matheesha Pathirana.

Iyer scored a fluent 72 off 41 balls before being dismissed with only a few runs left. Shashank Singh contributed a brisk 23 but also fell to a stunning boundary catch from Brevis, who juggled and kept his balance brilliantly near the ropes.

Reflecting on the game, Dhoni pointed out the areas where CSK fell short.

Dhoni was also impressed by Brevis’ effort in the field and his overall presence. “I think it's momentum in the middle order, and he's a very good fielder, and he has good power, so he can hit good balls for boundaries. He brings energy to the field, too. We needed that fresh air, someone not caught up in the spiral. He can be an asset going forward.”

The loss confirmed Chennai’s elimination from the playoff race, marking the first time in the franchise’s history that they failed to qualify for the knockouts in two consecutive seasons.

--IANS

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Chennai, May 1 (IANS) Chennai Super Kings' journey in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 came to a disappointing end as they became the first team to be officially eliminated from the playoff race following a thrilling four-wicket loss to Punjab Kings at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Wednesday.

This marks a historic low for the MS Dhoni-led franchise, as they have now failed to make it to the playoffs in two consecutive seasons – something that had never happened before in the team’s illustrious history.

Batting first at Chepauk, CSK rode on a magnificent knock by Sam Curran, who scored a fluent 88 off just 47 balls, featuring nine fours and four sixes. Coming in at a precarious 48 for 3 in the power-play, Curran took charge of the innings and stitched a vital 78-run stand with Dewald Brevis (32), steadying the ship and lifting CSK towards a competitive total.

Curran’s strokeplay was at its peak in the 16th over when he took young Suryansh Shedge to the cleaners, smashing him for 26 runs, including two sixes and two boundaries. The English all-rounder looked set to take CSK past 200, but he perished in the 18th over, gloving a bouncer from Marco Jansen.

Just when CSK seemed to be setting up a strong finish, Yuzvendra Chahal turned the game on its head. The leg-spinner, who had bowled just two overs until the 19th, returned to bowl the penultimate over and scripted a remarkable collapse.

After being hit for a six by Dhoni, Chahal dismissed him the very next ball. What followed was a procession – Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj, and Noor Ahmad all fell in quick succession as Chahal picked up a sensational hat-trick, his second in the IPL, to restrict CSK to 190.

In reply, Punjab Kings started brightly, with opener Prabhsimran Singh setting the tone with a 36-ball 54. He combined well with captain Shreyas Iyer, who held one end and paced his innings perfectly with a 41-ball 72.

Despite losing a few wickets in the middle overs, including the well-set Prabhsimran and Shashank Singh (23), PBKS remained calm. Iyer's composed acceleration and a bit of luck at the death helped Punjab chase down the target in 19.4 overs.

--IANS

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Chennai, April 30 (IANS) In a high-stakes thriller at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Punjab Kings (PBKS) edged out Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by four wickets in the final over of a chaotic game that ended CSK’s playoff hopes in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 here on Wednesday.

A combination of Shreyas Iyer’s elegant match-winning fifty and Yuzvendra Chahal’s stunning 19th-over hat-trick orchestrated a memorable turnaround for PBKS after Sam Curran had set the game up brilliantly for the hosts with a fiery 88.

Put into bat, CSK rode on a stunning 47-ball 88 from Sam Curran — an innings laced with 9 fours, 4 sixes, and just 10 dot balls. Curran weathered a two-paced pitch and draining conditions to build what looked like a match-winning platform. His brutal takedown of part-timer Suryansh Shedge in the 16th over, which went for 26 runs, shifted the momentum in CSK's favour.

However, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer’s brave decision to hold back Chahal for the end turned out to be game-defining.

Chahal was brought back in the 19th over after bowling just two overs earlier. With MS Dhoni at the crease — known for his struggles against leg-spin — Iyer tossed the ball to Chahal. Dhoni hit a six off the first legal delivery he faced, but holed out the next ball. What followed was an astonishing hat-trick — Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj, and Noor Ahmad all fell in succession, and CSK collapsed from 185/5 to 190 all out, losing five wickets in seven balls for just six runs.

Chasing 192, PBKS began confidently. Prabhsimran Singh showed his full range early — a flat-batted six over long-on, followed by a cheeky scoop past short fine leg- set the tone. Though his partner Priyansh Arya fell to a sharp Khaleel Ahmed bouncer after a brisk start, PBKS reached 44/1 quickly.

Prabhsimran’s approach was both aggressive and smart. He punished Noor Ahmad with a paddle sweep for four and then stepped out for a six in the ninth over. He brought up his second successive fifty in 31 balls, but his momentum was halted when he miscued a big shot off Noor and was caught at deep midwicket for 54. At that stage, PBKS were 116/2 after 13 overs, needing 75 from 42.

At the other end, Shreyas Iyer was quietly building up. He was on 29 off 25 when Prabhsimran fell, but shifted gears decisively afterwards. A six over long-on off Sam Curran and a flat-batted four through cover showed he had found his timing. He reached his fifty off 32 balls and looked in complete control.

The 17th over by Pathirana saw Iyer at his creative best — a slot ball launched over long-on, a wristy whip over wide long-on, and a delicate open-faced shot between backward point and short third man demonstrated the full array of his skills. PBKS coasted to 175/3 at the end of that over, needing just 17 off 18 balls.

Shashank Singh played a handy cameo — 23 off 12 — including two sixes. But he gave Dewald Brevis a chance to showcase arguably the best catch of the season. Sprinting along the deep midwicket boundary, Brevis juggled the ball twice, stepped out and back in again multiple times before completing an extraordinary relay catch that sent Shashank back.

Even with PBKS needing just three runs off nine balls, the game took a chaotic turn. Shreyas Iyer tried to finish things in style but was bowled by a full delivery from Pathirana for a sublime 72 off 41.

Despite Curran’s brilliance and moments of fielding excellence, CSK’s final overs implosion cost them dearly. Chahal’s spell — 4 wickets in the 19th over, including a hat-trick — was one of the standout moments of the IPL season, and Shreyas Iyer’s composed yet explosive 72 ensured PBKS didn’t let the opportunity slip.

Brief scores:

Chennai Super Kings 190 all out in 19.2 overs (Sam Curran 88, Dewald Brevis 32; Yuzvendra Chahal 4-32, Marco Jansen 2-30) lost to Punjab Kings 194/6 in 19.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 72, Prabhsimarn Singh 54; Khaleel Ahmed 2-28, Mateesha Pathirana 2-45) by four wickets

--IANS

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Bhubaneswar, April 30 (IANS) Japanese midfielder Rei Tachikawa scored the all-important goal in the 87th minute as Jamshedpur FC made it to the final of the Kalinga Super Cup for the first time, after defeating Mumbai City FC 1-0 at the Kalinga Stadium, here on Wednesday. Jamshedpur FC will take on FC Goa in the final to be played on Saturday.

In the second semifinal, Jamshedpur had more say in attacks from the beginning and breached the rival defence twice early in the match. While Mumbai averted danger at the expense of a corner at the start, goalkeeper Rehenesh Thumbirumbu was quick to thwart the set-piece a couple of minutes later.

Rehenesh came to his team’s rescue once again in the 31st minute when Jordan Murray’s header from inside the six-yard box had a goal written all over it. But Rehenesh displayed remarkable reflexes to rise to the occasion and punch away the ball.

Mumbai, which had earlier registered two convincing wins in the tournament, found it difficult to find their rhythm. Except for a fine Lallianzuala Chhangte cross from the left that had the potential to fetch a goal, the islanders couldn’t stretch the Jamshedpur defence much.

Things didn’t improve in the second half, with the teams creating fewer chances. While Mumbai continued to struggle up front, Jamshedpur were distinctly unlucky not to find the target at least twice after the hour mark.

On both occasions, the post came to Mumbai’s rescue, though goalkeeper Rehenesh was beaten hands down. After Stephen Eze rued his luck for the post to stand in his way, seasoned midfielder Pronay Halder’s low drive met with a similar fate a couple of minutes later.

The constant pounding at the rival goal finally bore fruit for Jamshedpur FC in the 87th minute. After a combined move from Khalid Jamil’s men was cleared by the Mumbai defenders in a rather clumsy manner, Tachikawa picked up the ball outside the box and unleashed a left-footer that deflected off a defender before going in.

For the rest of the period, including the six minutes of injury time, Mumbai tried their best to retrieve the situation. But Jamshedpur, expectedly, put more men in defence to keep their lead intact.

Rei Tachikawa was presented the Kalinga Player of the Match award by Shri Himanshu Sekhar Sahoo, Hon'ble MLA, Dharmasala, Odisha.

In the first semi-final played earlier in the day, FC Goa defeated Mohun Bagan SG 3-1. While FC Goa will be looking to emulate their Super Cup victory in 2019, Jamshedpur FC will be in uncharted waters, having made it to the final of the tournament for the first time.

--IANS

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Xiamen (China), April 30 (IANS) Defending champion China handed Thailand a 4-1 defeat to surge to the top spot in Group A and make it to the knockout stages of the Sudirman Cup mixed team badminton competition here on Wednesday evening.

In mixed doubles, Feng Yanzhe and Wei Yaxin beat Teeraratsakul Pakkapon and Muenwong Phataimas 23-21, 21-11. Facing Thailand's Wangcharoen Kantaphon in the men's singles, Li Shifeng beat him 21-18, 17-21, 21-13 in an 85-minute thriller.

Women's singles world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi endured a grueling battle with Intanon Ratchanok. Wang dropped the first set 19 to 21 and recovered to clinch the second 21-13. However, Wang lost the decider 21-23, reports Xinhua.

"She played very aggressively today. I didn't do well in many details, which gave my opponent lots of opportunities and confidence. I hope my failure can be transformed into a valuable experience," said Wang.

In the men's doubles and women's doubles, China had comfortable wins, with Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang beating their opponents 21-14, 21-14, while Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning won 21-11, 21-8.

In Group B, four-time champion South Korea overcame another men's singles stumble to defeat Chinese Taipei 4-1, ranking first in the group.

The quarterfinal lineup for the Sudirman Cup was confirmed a round early after the second round of group matches concluded here on Tuesday. Japan, Malaysia, Denmark and Indonesia secured their spots with two consecutive wins. They join China, Thailand, South Korea and Chinese Taipei, who had already advanced the previous day. The eight teams will now compete in the final group matches to determine seeding for the knockout stage. Malaysia downed Australia 4-1 and will play Japan for the top spot in the group.

In Group C, Japan cruised past France 5-0. On her birthday, Chiharu Shida partnered with Arisa Igarashi to win the women's doubles match 2-0.

"I'm very happy to win with my partner today - victory is the best birthday gift," Shida said.

--IANS

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New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) Sunil Narine put on a brilliant all-round show – scoring 27 off 16 balls and claiming, 3-29 with the ball, being the stand-in captain and effecting a crucial run-out - to help Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) edge Delhi Capitals (DC) by 14 runs and keep themselves in contention for a playoffs spot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Tuesday.

After KKR had their batters producing quick knocks at a great strike rate to post 204/9 on a pitch that was great for batting, DC threatened to chase down the total via a 76-run stand between vice-captain Faf du Plessis, who top-scored with 62, and skipper Axar Patel, who smashed 43 despite suffering a left-hand injury while fielding.

But Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, despite initial expensive spells, made decisive double strikes in the 14th and 18th overs respectively, as DC went from 136/3 to eventually finish at 190/9, to suffer their third defeat at their original home venue.

Apart from taking 3-29, Narine was also the stand-in captain due to Ajinkya Rahane’s hand injury and Venkatesh Iyer being subbed out and even ran out KL Rahul to ensure he had a memorable game with all-round contributions. His bowling partner Chakaravarthy took 2-39 as KKR were also supported by Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, and Andre Russell, taking a wicket each.

DC’s chase began on a bad note as Abishek Porel sliced to mid-off against left-arm spinner Anukul Roy, who didn’t allow batters to break free by mixing up his deliveries nicely. Du Plessis made the most of the pace from Harshit Rana by smacking him for three boundaries, though he lost Karun Nair, who was trapped lbw by a straight yorker from Vaibhav Arora for 15.

After DC ended the power-play at 58/2, DC suffered a big blow when du Plessis stopped halfway and KL Rahul tried completing the quick single, but his late urgency didn’t help as he was caught just short of the crease by Narine’s direct hit from short fine leg.

Du Plessis continued to move forward by pulling and glancing Chakaravarthy for consecutive fours, before lofting him down the ground for six in a 16-run ninth over. Despite Axar picking boundaries via an injured left hand, including hitting two sixes off Narine, du Plessis got his fifty in 31 balls and then cut off a slower off-cutter from Harshit Rana to keep DC steady in the chase.

But Narine made a huge dent in DC’s chase with a double strike in the 14th over – he had Axar lobbing a quicker ball to cover, while Tristan Stubbs was castled through the gate with an off-break delivery. Narine dealt DC another big blow in his final over as du Plessis heaved to deep mid-wicket.

It was then Chakaravarthy’s turn to make a double strike in the 18th over – Ashutosh Sharma reverse-hit to backward point, while Mitchell Starc skied to the keeper. Vipraj Nigam kept the fight on for DC – lofting Chakaravarthy for six, before edging and lofting Rana for four and six respectively. He then smacked Russell for two boundaries via bottom-handed drives, before being castled by the all-rounder for 38, all but sealing the deal in KKR’s favour.

Previously, KKR began with a bang as Rahmanullah Gurbaz drilled Starc for boundaries through mid-off and cover-point. Narine took a liking to Dushmantha Chameera dishing out fuller balls and on pads to take him for two sixes and a four, with the one-handed maximum being the standout, as 25 runs came off the second over.

Gurbaz continued to make merry against Starc by getting two fours and a six behind square, with the steer past short third being a standout. But Starc eventually had the last laugh as Gurbaz edged a yorker behind to the keeper and fell for 26. Narine brought up KKR’s fastest fifty of the season by pulling Mukesh Kumar for four before Rahane dazzled under the night sky.

Against Starc’s experiments, Rahane was at his glorious best – pulling over square leg for six and flicking through mid-wicket for four. Against Mukesh, Rahane cashed on the width by punching and slicing through the off-side on consecutive balls, as KKR signed off from power-play at 79/1.

After that, DC made a mini comeback as Narine tried a quicker ball from leg-spinner Nigam, but was trapped lbw. Axar then came in to bowl four overs on the trot and make more inroads – his slider kept straight to trap Rahane lbw, and a non-turning ball accounted for Venkatesh Iyer, who miscued a slog to cover.

Amidst all this, Angkrish Raghuvanshi tried putting pressure on DC by unfurling two gorgeous sixes down the ground off Nigam – one going straight down the ground, while the other was dispatched over the long-on fence. In his final over, Axar had appealed for a catch down leg off Rinku Singh but didn’t get much support from keeper Abishek Porel. Replays later showed that Rinku would have been caught out, as an edge was detected.

Rinku made the most of the lucky reprieve by pulling Kuldeep Yadav off the backfoot for four, before dancing down the pitch to take a four and six off him. The 61-run stand for the fifth wicket was broken by Chameera as Raghuvanshi sliced his slower leg-cutter to deep cover and fell for 44.

In the next over, Rinku fell for 36 as he holed out to long-on off Nigam. Russell slapped Chameera’s full and wide balls for two boundaries in the 19th over – one of which came off a misfield in the deep.

He then muscled Starc for a jaw-dropping maximum down the ground to take KKR beyond 200, before the pacer trapped Rovman Powell lbw with a pinpoint yorker. Though Chameera pulled off a superman-like catch to dismiss Roy, and Russell was run out for 17, 204/9 was sufficient for KKR to get a crucial win.

Brief scores:

Kolkata Knight Riders 204/9 in 20 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 44, Rinku Singh 36; Mitchell Starc 3-42, Axar Patel 2-27) beat Delhi Capitals 190/9 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 62, Axar Patel 43; Sunil Narine 3-29, Varun Chakaravarthy 2-39) by 14 runs

--IANS

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New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy picked five wickets between themselves, including the duo making double strikes in their respective final overs, to help Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Capitals by 14 runs and keep themselves in contention for an IPL 2025 playoffs spot at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

After KKR had their batters producing quick knocks at a great strike rate to post 204/9, it did seem like the 76-run stand between Faf du Plessis, who top-scored with 62, and Axar Patel, who smashed 43 despite an injured left hand.

But Narine and Chakaravarthy, despite initial expensive spells, made decisive double strikes in the 14th and 18th overs respectively, as DC went from 136/3 to eventually finish at 190/9, and suffered their third defeat at this venue.

Narine, with 3-29, was also stand-in captain and even ran out K.L. Rahul to ensure he had a memorable game with all-round contributions, while his bowling partner Chakaravarthy took 2-39, and were also supported by Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora and Andre Russell taking a wicket each.

DC’s chase began on a bad note as Abishek Porel sliced to mid-off against left-arm spinner Anukul Roy, who didn’t allow batters to break free by mixing up his deliveries nicely. Du Plessis made the most of the pace from Harshit Rana by smacking him for three boundaries, though he lost Karun Nair, who was trapped lbw by a straight yorker from Vaibhav Arora for 15.

After DC ended the power-play at 58/2, DC suffered a big blow when du Plessis stopped halfway and KL Rahul tried completing the quick single, but his late urgency didn’t help as he was caught just short of the crease by Narine’s direct hit from short fine leg.

Du Plessis continued to move forward by pulling and glancing Chakaravarthy for consecutive fours, before lofting him down the ground for six in a 16-run ninth over. Despite Axar picking boundaries via an injured left hand, including hitting two sixes off Narine, du Plessis got his fifty in 31 balls and then cut off a slower off-cutter from Harshit Rana to keep DC steady in the chase.

But Narine made a huge dent in DC’s hopes with a double strike in the 14th over – he had Axar lobbing a quicker ball to cover, while Tristan Stubbs was castled through the gate with an off-break delivery. Narine dealt DC another big blow in his final over as du Plessis heaved to deep mid-wicket.

It was then Chakaravarthy’s turn to make a double strike in the 18th over – Ashutosh Sharma reverse-hit to backward-point, while Mitchell Starc skied to the keeper. Vipraj Nigam kept the fight on for DC – lofting Chakaravarthy for six, before edging and lofting Rana for four and six respectively. He then smacked Russell for two boundaries via bottom-handed drives, before being castled by the all-rounder for 38, all but sealing the deal in KKR’s favour.

Brief scores:

Kolkata Knight Riders 204/9 in 20 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 44, Rinku Singh 36; Mitchell Starc 3-42, Axar Patel 2-27) beat Delhi Capitals 190/9 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 62, Axar Patel 43; Sunil Narine 3-29, Varun Chakaravarthy 2-39) by 14 runs

--IANS

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Jakarta (Indonesia), April 29 (IANS) The National Basketball Association (NBA) has expressed interest in relocating its basketball academy to Indonesia from Australia, according to local media reports quoting Indonesia's Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo.

"The NBA wants its academy currently based in Australia to be moved to Indonesia due to the country's large basketball population," Ariotedjo said during the signing of an MOU between Indonesian Sports Promotion and the Indonesian Basketball Association in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He added that the NBA had conveyed this plan during a recent meeting with him in New York, where the league expressed a strong commitment to expanding its presence in Indonesia, including by opening a basketball academy, reports Xinhua.

According to Ariotedjo, Indonesia ranks among the top five countries globally in terms of basketball population, based on data from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). This data aligns with records from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which show basketball as one of the most popular sports in the country.

"Therefore, we, the government, will certainly not only support this plan but also be proactive in facilitating it," he said.

The minister called on the Indonesian Basketball Association and the Indonesian Sports Promotion to actively support the NBA's plans. "This opportunity needs to be welcomed for the advancement of basketball in Indonesia," he added.

The NBA Global Academy is one of the elite basketball training centres located at Basketball Australia’s (BA) Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra, Australia.

NBA Global Academy is a partnership with BA and serves as the NBA’s hub for top male and female prospects from outside the U.S. Up to sixteen elite athletes attend NBA Global Academy each year and train under the supervision of NBA-hired coaches and in collaboration with BA’s Centre of Excellence team and coaches.

The academy is part of the NBA's global outreach programme through training centres in all major continents to promote and nurture basketball talent around the world.

--IANS

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Chennai, April 29 (IANS) As Punjab Kings get ready to take on Chennai Super Kings in a crucial clash of the Indian Premier League, their fast bowling coach James Hopes said his players will have to play at their best to keep alive their chances of making it to the playoffs.

Ahead of the face-off at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday, Hopes acknowledged the potential that lies ahead in the tournament, recent performances of the middle-order, and the rise of young Indian talent in the tournament.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Hopes underscored the team’s strategy as they prepare to face the Super Kings, who are currently at the bottom of the table. Highlighting how it will be wise to take one match at a time, the fast bowling coach believes that the team should not worry about long-term consequences before going onto the field.

"I think the biggest thing for us is we know what can happen in a few weeks if we play well in the next two or three weeks. But our focus has to be on the first ball of tomorrow night and getting through this game," Hopes stated.

He further added, “All teams in this competition are so dangerous that on their night, they can beat anyone. So it would be foolish of us to look too far ahead. We've just got to look at the game tomorrow night, play our best game of cricket tomorrow night, and then worry about what happens after that."

Hopes also addressed the concerns around the team’s middle order, which did not get enough opportunities to showcase their strength and skills in the tournament due to the top order’s powerful display on more than one occasion.

Reinforcing his belief in the middle order, Hopes said, “They are training very well, and I'm not going to say I wish the middle order would do more because that means our top order is not doing well. I think I'll take our top order doing what they're doing and trust that people like Nehal, Glenn, Josh, and Shashank will have their moments when required."

The fast bowling coach also reflected on the performances of Indian youngsters in the tournament, which included the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi hitting a century last night.

Lauding the young cricketing talent harboured by India, the former Australian cricketer said, “These kids in general, not just last night, they just play a different game. They come up against the Kohlis of the world, the Dhonis of the world, and there's just no fear anymore. I think Indian cricket is very well placed, especially in the shorter format of the game, to put a few teams that would compete with the top few teams in the world on the park right now.”

--IANS

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