Category: Sports

Danish badminton player Mia Blitchfeldt has intensified her criticism of the playing conditions at the ongoing India Open tournament in New Delhi, calling them “simply unacceptable and highly unprofessional” in a detailed Instagram post. 

Blitchfeldt, who had previously voiced concerns about the conditions at the tournament, revisited her criticism with a lengthy statement that highlighted the difficulties players face in focusing on their performance amid the challenging environment.

“The past few days in India have been tough – tougher than I honestly expected. I had mentally prepared myself for ‘the worst’ once again, but the conditions surrounding us are simply unacceptable and highly unprofessional,” Blitchfeldt wrote on Instagram.

The Danish shuttler emphasized that the poor conditions have affected players’ ability to concentrate on their game and preparations.

Instagram Post

“We are here to perform and to stay focused on our preparations, both on and off the court. Unfortunately, under these circumstances, it becomes extremely difficult to focus solely on competing and delivering our best performance. Everyone is stressed and frustrated by the conditions we are being met with at a World Tour Super 750 event. At first, you try to laugh it off, but in the end, it is neither funny nor fair to the players or anyone participating in this event,” she added.

Blitchfeldt expressed particular concern about the upcoming World Championships, which New Delhi will host later this year. She questioned whether the national capital can provide suitable conditions for such a prestigious event.

“I am glad that this issue is finally receiving the attention it deserves, and I truly hope for better conditions for us players in the future if we are to continue competing in India. Sadly, under the current circumstances, I find it very difficult to see how a World Championship could be held here. I hope @bwf.official will do more to ensure proper conditions and better protection for the players in the future,” Mia concluded.

Blitchfeldt’s criticism comes amid mounting frustration from international players about the tournament conditions. 

Fellow Danish shuttler Anders Antonsen withdrew from the India Open 2026, citing severe air pollution in New Delhi. In an Instagram story, Anders said he hopes New Delhi’s air quality will improve later this year when the national capital hosts the BWF World Championships. Anders also confirmed that BWF has fined him 5000 USD.

According to media reports, players have also had to contend with bird droppings on the courts during matches. In another bizarre incident, a monkey entered the playing area, further disrupting the tournament and adding to players’ frustrations about the overall conditions at the Super 750 event.

England’s preparations for next month’s T20 World Cup have hit a major snag after the Indian government failed to issue visas to spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, as both have Pakistani heritage.

The delay means both players will miss traveling with the squad this weekend for six warm-up games against Sri Lanka, while it remains unclear when they will join their teammates.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has said that the visa delays are not a surprise, given India’s increasingly bureaucratic approach toward players of Pakistani origin in recent years amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan.

This instance marks the latest in a pattern of similar incidents. Shoaib Bashir missed the first Test of England’s series in India two years ago after having to fly back to London to complete his visa application, while Saqib Mahmood has faced similar issues in the past.

The development sparked fury on social media, with cricket fans calling out the Indian government’s selective visa policies.

“Every time, can you imagine the stink the BBCI and Indian government would kick up if we did the same for them,” one user wrote.

Every time, can you imagine the stink the bbci and Indian government would kick up if we did the same for them

— Stuart Tyrer (@stiggyt19) January 14, 2026

Another demanded stronger action from England’s cricket board: “I think if the Indian government keeps doing this, ECB cricket should grow a spine and just boycott the event.”

I think if the Indian government keeps doing this, @ECB_cricket should grow a spine and just boycott the event https://t.co/nmqqXrewLB

— Mikolf Tappler (@ShinMarginalScr) January 15, 2026

“Every F***ing time. The Indian authorities delay visa issuance to English players with Pakistani heritage. It’s beyond farcical at this point,” a frustrated fan commented.

Every F-ing time. The Indian authorities delay visa issuance to English players with Pakistani heritage. It’s beyond farcical at this point https://t.co/zkGBZHJTcA

— Stuart Drysdale Official (@DarloBun) January 15, 2026

Some called for retaliatory measures. “Next time India come to England pick two of their top players to refuse visas,” one user suggested.

Another went further, stating: “I have said it before and I will say it again, India should not be allowed to host international sporting events.”

England is not alone in facing visa complications. American fast bowler Ali Khan, who has Pakistani roots, revealed this week that India denied him a visa ahead of the tournament, despite him representing the US national team.

Reports indicate that Americans Ehsan Adil and Mohammad Mohsin, both of whom are of Pakistani descent, also face visa denials from Indian authorities. 

Several T20 World Cup teams, including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Canada, Italy, the US and the Netherlands, have reportedly approached the ICC to discuss visa issues for players born in Pakistan or of Pakistani descent.

Pakistan’s own squad will not face any visa concerns as Pakistan and India have already agreed upon a hybrid model for ICC events, under which both teams play their matches at neutral venues when one of them hosts the tournament.

Sri Lanka will host all group-stage games and any knockout matches involving Pakistan.

Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has indicated he would willingly give up his number 56 jersey to Pakistan star Babar Azam at the Sydney Sixers, citing the Pakistani captain’s higher pay grade as reason enough to do so.

The comment came during a Big Bash League (BBL) “60 Second Slog” video segment featuring Starc and Australian white-ball captain Mitchell Marsh, where the pair discussed cricket and traded jokes.

Both Starc and Babar wear number 56 for their respective international teams, but at the Sixers, Starc currently holds the 56 jersey while Babar wears 056. When Marsh brought up Babar’s well-known preference for the number and asked, “What are your thoughts there?”

The roast of Mitch Starc, by Mitch Marsh in the #60SecondSlog ⏰ #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/tH3SIflM1Y

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 16, 2026

“I think he’s paid a lot more than I am, so he probably gets it,” Starc said.

Marsh also asked Starc what swings more: the ball when he bowls or his mood after a poor over.

“Younger Starkey, definitely my mood. Nowadays, probably the ball,” Starc replied.

Marsh also took a playful dig at Starc’s status as a number one ticket holder at the Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Giants AFL club alongside wife Alyssa Healy.

“What’s it like having this status with a club of ten fans?” Marsh asked.

Starc fired back quickly saying, “What’s it like playing finals? Oh, sorry, you wouldn’t know.”

When asked about Marsh becoming the first “Mitch” to captain an Australian national side, Starc dismissed any notion of wounded ego.

“Not one bit. I was so happy for you,” Starc said.

Starc has recently returned from international duties with Australia to feature for the Sixers in the final stages of the BBL season. The 34-year-old paceman is expected to make his first appearance today against Sydney Thunder.

On the other hand, Babar joined the Sydney Sixers for the ongoing season. The former Pakistani captain has accumulated 154 runs in eight matches with two fifties, maintaining a strike rate of 104.05 and an average of 25.66.

Babar is also expected to return to Pakistan’s national T20 side for the 2026 World Cup next month.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has removed Najmul Islam as the chairman of the finance committee following controversy over his remarks about senior cricketer Tamim Iqbal.

BCB President Md Aminul Islam, who will now also serve as the acting chairman of the committee, made the decision under Article 31 of the BCB Constitution to ensure the smooth and effective functioning of the board.

In a statement, the board said protecting players’ interests remained its highest priority.

The BCB reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the honour and dignity of all cricketers under its jurisdiction and urged players to remain professional and committed to the development of Bangladesh cricket.

It also called on players to continue their participation in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

The decision followed a strong protest by Bangladeshi cricketers earlier in the day when no teams arrived at the venue for a scheduled BPL match.

Players staged the protest in response to “humiliating” remarks by Islam wherein he had called Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent”.

Widely shared screenshots of Islam’s Facebook post read, “This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent.”

He had made the comment after Tamim urged the BCB to prioritise cricketing interests ahead of Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

Tamim’s remarks followed the BCB’s decision to not travel to India for the tournament after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) requested the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL, citing security concerns.

The Big Bash League(BBL) will introduce a new designated batter rule from season 16, adding greater flexibility and tactical depth to the competition. 

The rule allows teams to make changes within their playing XI without using substitutions, giving more options to manage players during a match.

Under the new rule, teams can nominate one player as a designated batter before the toss. 

BIG NEWS ANNOUNCED FOR BBL|16 (1/2)#BBL15 pic.twitter.com/EYcsjwK3U6

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 15, 2026

This player will be allowed to bat but will not be permitted to bowl or field. If a designated batter is named, teams must also nominate a designated fielder. The designated fielder can field and may act as the wicketkeeper, but will not be allowed to bowl.

For example, if a team has a specialist batter who struggles in the field, they can name him as the designated batter so he only bats. A separate player is then used purely for fielding when the team is bowling. This allows the team to strengthen its batting without weakening its fielding.

The rule is optional, meaning teams can choose to play with a traditional playing XI if they do not wish to use the designated batter option. 

The change will apply only to the men’s Big Bash League and will not be used in the Women’s Big Bash League for now.

The designated batter rule is a modified version of the X-factor player rule that was previously used in the Big Bash. Unlike the X-factor, which allowed substitutions during the match, the new rule works within the selected XI and is designed to maintain the core structure of the game while adding strategic variety.

Pakistani star batter Babar Azam has revealed the names of toughest bowlers he has faced in his career, naming former South African pacer Dale Steyn as his biggest challenge.

The former Pakistan captain appeared in a challenge video on former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen’s YouTube channel ‘The Switch’ where he took up a short-ball challenge.

During the interview, Pietersen asked Babar about his toughest battles against fast bowlers. 

Babar Azam Reveals The Hardest Bowlers He’s Faced! pic.twitter.com/dcoApVf6Fp

— The Switch | Kevin Pietersen (@kptheswitch) January 14, 2026

“Nowadays, almost every team has pacers who can bowl at speeds above 150 kilometres per hour,” Babar responded, going on to recall his first tour of South Africa where he faced Steyn.

Babar described the experience as demanding, saying Steyn’s deliveries were both fast and difficult to play. “Playing that innings gave me a lot of confidence,” Babar said.

“After facing Dale Steyn, one of the fastest bowlers in the world, I felt I could face any bowler.”

He also praised South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada, saying, “Kagiso Rabada is one of the finest bowlers across all formats.”

Babar is the all-time leading run-scorer in T20 Internationals with 4,429 runs in 136 matches at an average of 39.54 and a strike rate of 128.45. 

He also shares the record for the most half-centuries in T20Is with India’s Virat Kohli, having scored 38 fifties.

Babar is currently playing for Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League and has so far scored 154 runs in eight matches with two fifties, maintaining a strike rate of 104.05 and an average of 25.66.

He is also expected to return to the national T20 side for the 2026 World Cup next month.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that tickets for the three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Australia will go on sale from Friday, January 16, at pcb.tcs.com.pk. 

Fans can also purchase physical tickets starting Monday, January 19, from TCS Express Centres 10 am onwards.

The announcement comes as Pakistan gears up to host Australia for three T20Is on January 29, 31 and February 1 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. All three matches will begin at 6 pm.

The PCB has set different pricing for the opening match as compared to the second and third games.

First T20I (January 29)

VIP enclosures (Fazal Mahmood and Imran Khan) will cost PKR 800 while Premium seats (Raja and Saeed Anwar) are priced at PKR 600. First Class enclosures (Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Abdul Qadir, Javed Miandad and Sarfaraz Nawaz) will cost PKR 500 whereas General Stands (Hanif Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saeed Ahmed) will be available for PKR 400.

For premium viewing areas, VIP enclosures at Iqbal End (Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram) will cost PKR 1,500, while Jinnah End seats (Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas) are priced at PKR 2,000. Hospitality gallery tickets will cost PKR 5,000.

Second and third T20Is (January 31 and February 1)

The PCB has increased prices for the final two matches as VIP enclosures will cost PKR 1,000, Premium seats will cost PKR 700, First Class PKR 600 and General Stands PKR 500.

Iqbal End VIP tickets are priced at PKR 2,000, while Jinnah End VIP enclosures will cost PKR 2,500. Hospitality gallery tickets for these matches will be available for PKR 6,000 each.

The PCB has also made 24-seat hospitality boxes available at Iqbal End, priced at PKR 20,000 per seat for the first match and PKR 25,000 per seat for the second and third.

International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced Wednesday that it has received more than 500 million ticket requests for this year’s World Cup.

Soccer’s organising body said that fans from Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia submitted the most requests outside the three host nations: the United States, Mexico and Canada.

FIFA is charging up to $8,680 per ticket. After facing criticism, the organisation announced last month it will offer $60 tickets for every game to the 48 national federations in the tournament.

The federations will decide how to distribute these tickets to their fans who attended previous games.

The most-requested match in the third sales phase, which ran from December 11 through Tuesday, was Colombia vs. Portugal on June 27 at Miami Gardens, Florida. 

The next most popular matches were Mexico vs. South Korea on June 18 in Guadalajara, Mexico; the final on July 19 at East Rutherford, New Jersey; the opener between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 at Mexico City; and a second-round match on July 2 at Toronto.

“Knowing how much this tournament means to people around the world, our only regret is that we cannot welcome every fan inside the stadiums,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement. 

“That is why we are committed to creating multiple ways for fans to be part of the FIFA World Cup 2026 – through a wide range of fan experiences beyond the stadiums, both in person and online – so that as many people as possible can share in what will be the biggest sporting event ever staged,” he added.

FIFA will notify applicants about their ticket status no earlier than February 5. The organisation will allocate tickets randomly for matches where demand exceeds availability.

Bangladeshi cricketers have threatened to boycott all forms of cricket unless Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam resigns following his controversial remarks against former national captain Tamim Iqbal.

Mohammad Mithun, president of the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), made the announcement on Wednesday, hours after Nazmul Islam’s comments sparked widespread outrage. The development comes as two Bangladesh Premier League matches remain scheduled for January 15.

The controversy erupted when Nazmul Islam accused Tamim Iqbal of being an “Indian agent” in a Facebook post. 

The remarks followed Tamim’s recent interview in which he urged the BCB to prioritise cricketing interests before making a final decision on Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

Tamim’s comments came after the BCB decided against traveling to India, citing security concerns, following a request from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL squad.

In his Facebook post, Nazmul wrote, “This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent.”

The BCB quickly distanced itself from the remarks and expressed regret in an official statement.

“The Board expresses its sincere regret for remarks that may be deemed inappropriate, offensive, or hurtful,” the statement read. “Such comments do not reflect the values, principles, or official position of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, nor do they align with the standards of conduct expected from individuals entrusted with the responsibility of serving Bangladesh cricket.”

The BCB clarified that it does not endorse statements made by board officials unless issued through authorized channels.

“The BCB reiterates that it does not endorse or take responsibility for any statement made by any director or board member unless formally issued through the Board’s designated spokesperson or the Media & Communications Department. Any statements made outside these authorised channels are personal in nature and should not be interpreted as representing the views or policies of the Board,” the statement added.

The board also warned of disciplinary action against any individual whose conduct disrespects cricketers or harms the integrity of Bangladesh cricket. The statement reaffirmed full support for all players, past and present, emphasizing that cricketers remain at the heart of the sport in the country.

The CWAB strongly condemned the remarks and demanded a public apology from the BCB director.

Several Bangladesh cricketers reportedly voiced their displeasure on social media. Spinner Taijul Islam termed the remarks “tasteless and completely unacceptable,” demanding a public apology and accountability.

Former captain Mominul Haque described the comments as insulting to Bangladesh’s cricketing community, while pacer Taskin Ahmed said such statements would not help the game move forward and urged officials to act responsibly.

On Friday, Nazmul Islam issued a clarification on Facebook, stating that his remarks reflected his personal opinion.

“A legendary cricketer who scored 15,000 international runs for Bangladesh is now batting in favour of India. This is purely my personal opinion. Please do not take this comment in any other way,” he wrote.

On the other hand, a decision on venues for Bangladesh’s matches, amid souring Dhaka–New Delhi ties, is still awaited.

Top Danish badminton player Anders Antonsen, currently ranked world No. 3 in men’s singles, has withdrawn from the India Open Super 750 in New Delhi, citing extreme air pollution as his reason. 

The Danish shuttler shared a screenshot showing the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 348, which falls into the hazardous category. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has fined him $5,000 for skipping the event.

“Many is curious to why I have pulled out of the India Open for the third consecutive year. Due to the extreme pollution in Delhi at the moment I don’t thinks it’s a place to host a badminton tournament. Crossing my fingers that it will be better in the Summer when the World Championships will take place in Delhi. As a result BWF once again has fined me 5000 USD,” Antonsen wrote on his Instagram story.

Antonsen’s decision follows similar concerns raised by his compatriot, Mia Blichfeldt. The world No. 20, who reached the Round of 16 in the tournament, complained about poor health conditions.

She pointed out that the training venue remained cold, dusty, and unhygienic, making warm-ups and preparation difficult.

“I am happy with the court conditions but not with health conditions. I actually hoped it was going to be better than the other hall. I think it’s still very dirty and really unhealthy conditions for all the players. Everyone is warming up in two layers of pants and winter jackets and gloves and hats,” Blichfeldt told Indian media.

“It’s not good warm-up preparation for a player who has to go on court and move fast and go in splits. I know everyone is doing their best to make the conditions better for the players, but I think there is still a way to go,” she added.

The Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2026 is taking place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi from January 13 to 18. 

The Super 750 tournament features 256 players from 20 countries competing for a total prize purse of $950,000. The event serves as a crucial preparation for players ahead of the BWF World Championships scheduled at the same venue in August 2026.