MADRID: Atletico Madrid hit new heights in their incredible season when Koke's goal secured a 2-1 aggregate success against Barcelona on Wednesday that put Atletico into the last four of Europe's elite club competition for the first time in 40 years.
MADRID: Atletico Madrid hit new heights in their incredible season when Koke's goal secured a 2-1 aggregate success against Barcelona on Wednesday that put Atletico into the last four of Europe's elite club competition for the first time in 40 years.
NEW DELHI: Few batsmen can match Kevin Pietersen's aura. He was one of the pillars of the England team for the better part of the last 10 years. However, England, for reasons better known to them, have turned their back on this world-class player. But world cricket's loss has been may turn out to be Delhi Daredevils' gain as captain Pietersen guides them in IPL-7. The former England captain spoke to TOI on Tuesday about the new chapter in his life. Excerpts...
NEW DELHI: Few batsmen can match Kevin Pietersen's aura. He was one of the pillars of the England team for the better part of the last 10 years. However, England, for reasons better known to them, have turned their back on this world-class player. But world cricket's loss has been may turn out to be Delhi Daredevils' gain as captain Pietersen guides them in IPL-7. The former England captain spoke to TOI on Tuesday about the new chapter in his life. Excerpts...
NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir played crucial knocks in the finals of two world events that India have won - 2007 World T20 and 2011 World Cup. And in both these events, one man who played a major role in India's triumph, was Yuvraj Singh. On Tuesday, Gambhir aggressively defended Yuvraj who has been copping flak for his tardy innings in the final of the World T20 last Sunday which India lost to Sri Lanka.
NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir played crucial knocks in the finals of two world events that India have won - 2007 World T20 and 2011 World Cup. And in both these events, one man who played a major role in India's triumph, was Yuvraj Singh. On Tuesday, Gambhir aggressively defended Yuvraj who has been copping flak for his tardy innings in the final of the World T20 last Sunday which India lost to Sri Lanka.
DORTMUND: Lacklustre Real Madrid edged past Borussia Dortmund 3-2 on aggregate after slumping to a 2-0 defeat on Tuesday to advance to the Champions League semifinals and stay on track for their tenth European crown.
DORTMUND: Lacklustre Real Madrid edged past Borussia Dortmund 3-2 on aggregate after slumping to a 2-0 defeat on Tuesday to advance to the Champions League semifinals and stay on track for their tenth European crown.
MUMBAI: "If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same...." Rudyard Kipling's poem has a resonance with sportsmen, who try very hard not to pay heed to the emotions surrounding victory and defeat. Sometimes, though, the media and fans don't make this possible, especially if you're an Indian cricketer.
MUMBAI: "If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same...." Rudyard Kipling's poem has a resonance with sportsmen, who try very hard not to pay heed to the emotions surrounding victory and defeat. Sometimes, though, the media and fans don't make this possible, especially if you're an Indian cricketer.
LISBON: The Spanish press are orchestrating a campaign to try and destabilise Barcelona's Brazilian star Neymar ahead of this year's World Cup finals Brazil coach Felipe Scolari claimed on Monday.
LISBON: The Spanish press are orchestrating a campaign to try and destabilise Barcelona's Brazilian star Neymar ahead of this year's World Cup finals Brazil coach Felipe Scolari claimed on Monday.
NEW DELHI: Sachin Tendulkar came out strongly in the defence of middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh whose poor batting in the World T20 final against Sri Lanka has been severely panned by experts and fans across the country.
NEW DELHI: Sachin Tendulkar came out strongly in the defence of middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh whose poor batting in the World T20 final against Sri Lanka has been severely panned by experts and fans across the country.
DHAKA: If you want to know what stress does to human beings, the ideal exercise would be to compare pictures of MS Dhoni from Sept 2007 and now. Back then, he was a fresh-faced, long-haired, big-hitting, bike-loving youngster who embraced attention. Now, he sports generous tufts of grey in his beard, has dark circles under his shifting eyes and slowly, but surely, his mask of coolness has started peeling off. He has even occasionally lost his cool in front of the media and started giving obtuse answers even to important questions.
DHAKA: If you want to know what stress does to human beings, the ideal exercise would be to compare pictures of MS Dhoni from Sept 2007 and now. Back then, he was a fresh-faced, long-haired, big-hitting, bike-loving youngster who embraced attention. Now, he sports generous tufts of grey in his beard, has dark circles under his shifting eyes and slowly, but surely, his mask of coolness has started peeling off. He has even occasionally lost his cool in front of the media and started giving obtuse answers even to important questions.
MIAMI: Sania Mirza and Cara Black fought their way into the second round even as Leander Paes made his third first round exit in five tournaments this year when he lost his opening round at the Sony Open with partner Radek Stepanek.
MIAMI: Sania Mirza and Cara Black fought their way into the second round even as Leander Paes made his third first round exit in five tournaments this year when he lost his opening round at the Sony Open with partner Radek Stepanek.
CHENNAI: Five of the eight IPL teams have gone for Indian captains, but Kings XI Punjab decided to name George Bailey as their skipper even when they had Virender Sehwag in the line-up. Coach Sanjay Bangar, though, made it clear that the Australian Twenty20 captain was a unanimous choice.
CHENNAI: Five of the eight IPL teams have gone for Indian captains, but Kings XI Punjab decided to name George Bailey as their skipper even when they had Virender Sehwag in the line-up. Coach Sanjay Bangar, though, made it clear that the Australian Twenty20 captain was a unanimous choice.
