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Hardik Pandya’s captaincy is simple; he doesn’t impose his will on anyone: Sai Kishore

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4 years ago

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Gujarat Titans’ left-arm spinner Sai Kishore has defined Hardik Pandya’s captaincy in just one word: Simple. The 25-year-old, who was bought by the Titans for Rs three crore after a fierce bidding war from several franchises in the IPL 2022 mega auction, has said that Pandya carries himself with a lot of confidence, which rubs off on fellow cricketers, and is the reason for the newcomer’s superb performance this season.

Gujarat Titans are top of the table with 20 points and will take on Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens here in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. The team won 10 of the 14 league games, an incredible feat for a side that was not given much of a chance after the mega auction.

Kishore said, Pandya had a “very strong personality” and never imposes his will on the players.

“Hardik to me has been pretty simple. The last game he came to me and said, ‘Left-hander is batting, do you want me to tell you anything, or you know?’ I said, ‘I know, I’ll take care’. I find Hardik as a very strong personality. He carries himself with a lot of confidence, and has confidence in his players as well. Not trying to impose himself on all the players. Give them their space, their freedom and ‘you express yourselves. If something goes wrong, I’ll be there’. That’s how I’ve seen Hardik,” Kishore said on gujarattitansipl.com.

The 25-year-old Kishore, who has impressed with the limited exposure he has got this season, added that head coach Ashish Nehra and Pandya forge a strong bond because of which everyone in the team feels “secure”.

“It’s been amazing being here, with Ashu pa and Hardik. Ashu pa has made sure that everybody feels so secure in this team. Even when I was playing the 12th game of the season, I still felt like I need to contribute something for the team. Didn’t feel like I’ve been left out or something like that. We’ve all felt so secure and a lot of credit needs to be given to the both of them making the environment like that.

Kishore added that if a captain imposes his will on players, the natural instinct goes for a toss, but in the Gujarat Titans’ setup, it’s always fun to play as the skipper is always backing his teammates.

“I’ve always loved the kinds of captains who give the responsibility to the player, rather than just imposing always. Then your instincts just get cut off. Credit to captains like that, always fun to play like that.”

He also said that contrary to reports that the Titans had a meticulous bowling plan before every game, there was no such elaborate meeting as everyone knew his role well.

“Honestly, there has not been ‘planning’ planning as such. We just sit together and discuss for half an hour, 40 minutes, what is the devised plan. The good thing about the team is, we have proper bowlers. We don’t have half-bowlers, half-batters. Whoever has played, they knew their roles, proper. It’s like five professionals handling their work, so the results have come. You don’t need to sit down and coach them in general. It’s five professional players showing up and doing their skillsets to the best they can.

“Definitely, Ashu pa (Ashish Nehra) being a fast bowler himself, he’s someone who reads the game very well. He has kept it pretty simple, like ‘this guy is a compulsive puller’, ‘this guy is good square of the wicket’, ‘this guy is good when it’s pitched up, let’s not give it up’. It’s been simple, but clear plans to execute. With Ashu pa also being a bowler, it has helped us so much. It has made the job very easy,” added the spinner.

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FIFA WC: When and where to watch Portugal vs DR Congo; know all details

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4 days ago

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June 16, 2026

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Houston, June 16: Portugal will kick off their 2026 World Cup journey against DR Congo on Wednesday, aiming for an ideal start in Group K, which also features Colombia and Uzbekistan. Widely considered favourites to progress, Roberto Martinez’s side will be keen to secure three points early and strengthen their bid to finish top of the group.

The spotlight will once again fall on Cristiano Ronaldo, who enters what is expected to be his sixth and final World Cup. At 41, the Portuguese captain has already lifted the UEFA European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles, but the World Cup remains the one major honour missing from his glittering career.

For DR Congo, the tournament marks a long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage after more than five decades. Their only previous appearance came in 1974, when the nation competed as Zaire. Having finally ended a 52-year absence from the World Cup, Sebastien Desabre’s side will now look to build on that achievement and prove they can challenge more established opponents in Group K.

How to watch Portugal vs DR Congo live in India:

Live streaming and live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 football matches will be available on the Zee5 platform and app in India. A subscription will be needed.

Live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on the Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.

Key details:

Date and kick-off time: Wednesday, June 17, 10.30 PM IST

Venue: Houston Stadium, Texas, USA

Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim

Squads:

Portugal-

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Silva

Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Matheus Nunes, Nelson Semedo, João Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Gonçalo Inácio, Renato Veiga, Rúben Dias, Tomas Araujo

Midfielders: Ruben Neves, Samuel Costa, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva

Forwards: João Félix, Francisco Trincão, Francisco Conceição, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leão, Gonçalo Guedes, Gonçalo Ramos; Cristiano Ronaldo

DR Congo-

Goalkeepers: Timothy Fayulu, Lionel Mpasi, Mike Epolo

Defenders: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Gedeon Kalulu, Joris Kayembe, Arthur Masuaku, Steve Kapuadi, Rocky Bushiri, Axel Tuanzebe, Chancel Mbemba, Dylan Batubinsika

Midfielders: Noah Sadiki, Samuel Moutoussamy, Edo Kayembe, Nathan Mukau, Charles Pickel, Ngal’ayel Mukau Mbuku, Brian Cipenga, Theo Bongonda, Gael Kakuta

Forwards: Meschack Elia, Fiston Mayele, Cedric Bakambu, Simon Banza, Yoane Wissa

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FIFA WC 2026: ‘Physically fit Haaland primed for massive impact’, says Norway coach Solbakken

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4 days ago

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June 16, 2026

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Boston, June 16: Head coach Stale Solbakken hailed Erling Haaland as the “world’s best goalscorer” and stated that the physically fit one of the world’s deadliest strikers is primed to make a massive impact as Norway are making their return to the FIFA World Cup after a 28-year absence.

Norway will begin their World Cup campaign against Iraq in a challenging Group I that includes two-time champions France and Senegal on Wednesday in Boston.

Haaland has scored 55 goals in 50 international appearances for the Norway national team, making him the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. He reached 50 Norway goals in 46 appearances. It made him just the sixth footballer and first in 53 years to register the half-century in fewer than 50 international caps.

Haaland, with 17 goals in nine games, finished as international football’s leading marksman for 2025, six clear on his closest challengers. Solbakken believes powerhouse Haaland is without equal when it comes to to putting the ball in the back of the net.

“Hopefully Erling will have a very big impact. I think he’s the world’s best goalscorer. He is physically fit, he was given a little break at the end of the season – (missing) one game for Manchester City and one for us. Hopefully we can give him good service because, if we give him chances, he has a tendency to score,” Solbakken told reporters.

Solbakken also highlighted the importance of Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard. “When he is on the pitch he is a very, very important player for us, and he’s our captain. He dictates, in many areas, the tempo of our play,” the coach said.

Norway’s last World Cup appearance came in 1998, when Solbakken was part of the squad. Securing qualification for the 2026 finals carries special meaning for the former midfielder.

“I think that’s for every citizen – to lead this country in a game like that. And especially after 28 years, then obviously that is perhaps the top thing on the list. Hopefully it will be a nice experience. We will firstly get a good performance and then a nice result,” he said.

Asked what his last message to the players would be before the match, Solbakken said motivation would not be an issue, but handling the occasion correctly would be key.

“The match can have better and less good periods, and we have to find back the good feeling if we lose that feeling in the course of the match,” he said.

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FIFA World Cup 2026: Spain boss De la Fuente confident injured trio will be fit for debut

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2 weeks ago

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June 8, 2026

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Madrid, June 8: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente remains confident that the injured trio of Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Victor Munoz will be fit in time to start his side’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.

De la Fuente was speaking to the press ahead of his side’s friendly against Peru in the Mexican city of Puebla, which is the final chance to make adjustments ahead of his side’s World Cup opener against Cabo Verde in Atlanta on June 15, reports Xinhua.

De la Fuente left Williams, Munoz, and Yamal at Spain’s base in Chattanooga to continue their return to fitness, but insisted they were “meeting their recovery deadlines.”

“They were scheduled to do more specific work these next few days, and if they continue progressing this way, I think they’ll be available [against Cabo Verde],” he said.

Yamal and Williams have hamstring problems, while Munoz has a calf strain. “Each one had their own process. Lamine’s injury was different, as was its duration. But the most important thing is that, within the expected timeframe, he’s currently fit to be included in the squad,” De la Fuente insisted.

Yamal, Williams, and Munoz all play on the wing, but even if they aren’t fit for the opening game, De la Fuente said he had players in the squad who could provide cover.

“We have other options. There are different styles, and we’ll see how the week goes,” the coach said, adding that the Peru game would see him field a more recognisable team than the one that drew 1-1 with Iraq last Thursday.

“I have a plan for how to start the World Cup if there are no adverse circumstances. Football can always surprise you, but I won’t reveal the lineup,” he concluded.

The Spain national team reached the United States on Saturday to continue with its preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 finals, with a few questions still to be answered — especially the one hanging in the balance of the fate of the injured trio.

Spain flew in from Santiago de Compostela (northern Spain) to Nashville after Thursday’s 1-1 draw against Iraq, and from Nashville, the squad travelled to Baylor School in Chattanooga, which will be its base for the tournament.

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