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)

New Delhi, March 17: The 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is now just a couple of days away, and Mumbai Indians’ skipper Hardik Pandya said his message for the youngsters coming into the ten-team tournament was to just believe in themselves and stay neutral amidst the highs and lows.

“The young players coming into the IPL are extremely talented. My message to them is simple—believe in yourself. They are here because they are good enough, but the biggest challenge at this stage is self-doubt. Sometimes, players start questioning whether they belong at this level, and that doubt can take away from their skill set.

“Managing that mental aspect is crucial. What I can offer them are the lessons I have learned over the years. In this game, there will be highs and lows. The key is to remain balanced, not just for one season but throughout their careers. Staying neutral will allow them to maximise opportunities and seize crucial moments.

“They will face tough tests, but sometimes all they need is a little patience. In terms of skill set, they are far ahead of where we were at 21 or 22. Their talent and fearless approach are already there—it’s just about reinforcing their belief in themselves,” said Pandya to JioHotstar.

MI, who finished at bottom of the points table in IPL 2024, will start their 2025 campaign in Chennai against fellow five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 23, before travelling to Ahmedabad to play against Gujarat Titans (GT), a team Pandya captained to win the 2022 season, on March 29.

Pandya further talked about the importance of perseverance and resilience in a cricketer’s life while navigating the various phases in a playing career, citing his own experiences. “For me, it has always been about never leaving the battlefield. There have been phases in my career where my focus wasn’t necessarily on winning but on surviving and holding my ground.

“I realized that no matter what was happening around me, cricket would always be my greatest ally—it was my way forward. I kept pushing through, and when all the hard work finally paid off, it was beyond anything I could have scripted.”

Last year was a roller-coaster time for Pandya – from being booed by crowds while leading MI in IPL 2024 to being a key figure in India winning T20 World Cup and the recent Champions Trophy.

“The six-month phase where we won the World Cup, and then the kind of love and support I received upon returning—it was a complete 360-degree turnaround for me. Throughout that time, I knew that if I remained persistent, honest with my work, and gave my absolute best, I would come out stronger. I didn’t know exactly when that would happen, but as they say, destiny had its plan, and in my case, everything changed within two and a half months,” he concluded.

New Delhi, March 15: Star batter and former captain Virat Kohli joined the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad on Saturday ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.

In a video shared by the franchise on social media, Kohli can be seen posing in an RCB jersey with the caption reading, “The King is here and like always, he’s 2 steps (sometimes a LOT more) ahead of everyone.”

Kohli was in sublime touch during India’s title-winning campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai last week. Rohit Sharma-led side defeated New Zealand in the final to claim their third tournament title.

The 36-year-old amassed 218 runs from five matches at an average of 54.50. He scored a match-winning unbeaten century against arch-rivals Pakistan before scoring a crucial 84 against Australia in the semi-final.

For the IPL 2025 season, RCB have appointed Rajat Patidar as their skipper after revamping their squad in last year’s mega auction.

“Rajat, firstly, I want to congratulate you and wish you all the very best. The way you have grown in the franchise and the way you have performed, you have really made a place in the hearts of all the fans of RCB, all over India,” Kohli had said on Patidar’s appointment.

“They get excited to watch you play. So, this is very well deserved. Myself and the other team members will be right behind you, and you’ll have all our support.”

Patidar takes over from Faf du Plessis, who led RCB for the last few seasons but was not retained ahead of the 2025 auction. The 31-year-old batter’s rise in RCB’s ranks has been nothing short of remarkable.

After his breakthrough performance in the 2022 season – where he smashed a scintillating century in the playoffs – Patidar has evolved into a key figure for the franchise.

Kohli, who captained RCB for nearly a decade before stepping down in 2021, acknowledged the weight of responsibility that comes with the role but expressed confidence in Patidar’s leadership. Although this will be Patidar’s first time leading a team in the IPL, he has already captained Madhya Pradesh during the 2024-25 season in both the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (where they finished as runners-up) and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. These tournaments marked his first full-time leadership role in domestic cricket.

Meanwhile, Kohli has been associated with RCB since the inception of IPL in 2008. He has also led the franchise in 140 matches before leaving the leadership role. In 252 matches, the batting stalwart has amassed 8,004 runs, including eight centuries and 55 fifties at an impressive average of 38.67.

The 36-year-old is the leading run-scorer in the IPL, way ahead of Shikhar Dhawan’s tally of 6,769 runs – the second player on the list. Despite having such a decorated IPL career, Kohli has never won a title in the 17 editions of the tournament so far. RCB finished as runners-up on three occasions in 2009, 2011 and 2016.