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AFC Champions League: Ronaldo’s Al Nassr drawn to face Yokohama in QF, Al Hilal to meet Gwangju FC

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Kuala Lumpur, March 17: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr will face second-seed Japanese club Yokohama F. Marinos in the quarter-final as the draw for the AFC Champions League Elite took place at the AFC House here on Monday.

The knockouts will witness seven highly anticipated matches taking place in a unique centralised format between April 25 and May 3 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Four-time Asian champions and top-seeded Al Hilal SFC have been drawn to face South Korean club Gwangju FC in the quarterfinal. Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli Saudi FC, unbeaten in this season’s campaign with nine wins and a draw, were drawn to meet Thailand’s Buriram United, while Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale will meet 2011 champions Al Sadd SC of Qatar.

Each quarterfinal will be a cross-regional showdown, marking the first time that there will be no regional division of West and East teams in Asia’s top-tier men’s competition since the 2013 edition of the AFC Champions League.

The winners of the Al Hilal-Gwangju tie will meet the triumphant side from the Al Ahli-Buriram face-off while the victors of Marinos-Al Nassr will square off against Frontale-Al Sadd in the semi-finals.

The first quarterfinal is scheduled to take place on April 25, with the second and third quarterfinals set for April 26, and the final one to be played on April 27. The first semi-final is pencilled in for two days later on April 29, followed by the second semi-final on April 30.

The final will be staged on May 3 at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, with ultimate glory on the line and a record prize purse of at least USD 12 million at stake.

Former champions Al Hilal (2019, 2021) and Al Sadd (2011) will aim to taste glory again while the cast also comprises two former finalists in Al Ahli Saudi (2012) and Marinos (2023/24). Meanwhile, Gwangju are the first team to reach the last eight on their continental debut since Vissel Kobe in 2020.

Quarterfinals draw:

Al Hilal SFC (KSA) v Gwangju FC (KOR)

Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) v Buriram United (THA)

Yokohama F. Marinos (JPN) v Al Nassr Club (KSA)

Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) v Al Sadd SC (QAT)

Crime

Two Held With ₹68 Lakh Cash Near India-Myanmar Border In Mizoram; Heroin Worth ₹78 Lakh Seized

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Aizawl: Two persons were arrested with Rs 68 lakh in cash near the India-Myanmar border in east Mizoram’s Champhai district, officials said on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, the Assam Rifles intercepted a vehicle at Zote village on August 11, they said.

Upon thorough checking, Rs 60 lakh in cash was recovered from two persons in the vehicle.

The duo, identified as Joseph Lalthansanga and Vanlalruati, could not state any proper reason why they were carrying such a huge amount of cash. They were subsequently handed over to the police for legal action, officials said.

In another operation, the Assam Rifles recovered 94.6 gram of heroin, worth Rs 78 lakh, from the village on Wednesday.

The drugs were handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, officials said.

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National

India’s AI Tech Spending Projected To Reach Rs. 92 Thousand Crore By 2028: Report

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India’s AI technology spending is projected to grow at an annualised rate of 38 per cent from 2023 to reach $10.4 billion (approximately Rs. 92 thousand crore) in 2028, a report said on Thursday.

Around 40 per cent of organisations in India have already implemented agentic AI, and close to 50 per cent are planning to use the technology within the next 12 months, IDC InfoBrief and UiPath said in a joint report.

In 2025, AI investments are focused on building the foundational infrastructure required to power transformative, high-value use cases.

According to the report, the adoption is surging, fueled by a tech-savvy workforce, expanding digital infrastructure, and government-backed initiatives.

Organisations’ spending on enterprise automation, multilingual AI models, and agentic deployments is driving this momentum further.

The benefits are already visible, as 80 per cent of Indian companies say agentic AI boosts productivity, while 73 per cent say it improves decision-making, the report said.

According to the report, agentic AI is gaining strong traction across the manufacturing, retail and wholesale, healthcare, and life sciences industries, which heavily rely on data and repetitive decision-making cycles.

“Agentic automation is rapidly redefining business operations across India. While enterprises in this region are embracing the full potential of AI agents to streamline workflows and autonomously execute complex business processes, trust and security remain barriers to widespread implementation,” said DebDeep Sengupta, Area Vice President, South Asia, UiPath.

Our agentic automation platform directly addresses these challenges, breaking down barriers to enterprise AI adoption by enhancing security and compliance, improving accuracy and reliability for agentic outcomes, Sengupta added.

About 69 per cent of Indian organisations are using agentic AI to enhance productivity, 59 per cent to drive personalised customer engagement, while 57 per cent apply it to risk and fraud detection, highlighting how agentic AI is being applied across front and back-office functions, the report highlighted.

“Becoming an AI-fueled business is no longer an option in today’s unpredictable climate. For many organisations, it’s fast becoming a strategic necessity,” said Deepika Giri, Associate Vice President, IDC Asia/Pacific.

Across the region, organisations are embracing agentic AI and agentic automation at scale, Giri added.

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Maharashtra

MUMBAI’S CRICKET MUSEUM SET TO OPEN SOON

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The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is pleased to announce the upcoming inauguration of the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum in the second half of August 2025. Located at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the museum is a tribute to Mumbai’s rich cricketing heritage and the legendary figures who have shaped its success.

At the museum’s entrance, visitors will be welcomed by life-size statues of Shri Sharad Pawar and cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar who remains one of Mumbai’s and India’s most iconic sporting figures. Gavaskar’s statue, in particular, stands as a symbol of excellence and dedication that will inspire aspiring young cricketers for generations to come.

The highlight of the museum is a priceless collection of rare and iconic memorabilia donated by Mumbai’s legendary cricketers. These historic items reflect the deep-rooted legacy of Mumbai cricket and its contribution to Indian and world cricket.

The museum also features a cutting-edge audio-visual experience centre, bringing to life the stories, milestones, and memorable moments of Mumbai’s cricketing journey.

“The MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum is our heartfelt tribute to the stalwarts of Mumbai cricket and a testament to the visionary leadership of Shri Sharad Pawar. This museum stands as a living chronicle of Mumbai cricket’s unparalleled legacy, dedicated to preserving its rich history and inspiring future generations.

The statue of Shri Sunil Gavaskar, one of India’s greatest cricketing legends, will serve as a powerful symbol of excellence and determination. His monumental contributions to Indian and Mumbai cricket will continue to motivate young cricketers to dream big and aim high,” said MCA President Shri Ajinkya Naik.

“The MCA invites all cricket lovers and the public to visit and experience this one-of-a-kind tribute to Mumbai cricket” said Shri Abhay Hadap, Secretary MCA.

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