Viacom18 Bags Indian Cricket Digital and TV Media Rights for Nearly Rs. 6,000 Crore

Viacom18 on Thursday created a near monopoly in Indian cricket broadcasting sphere by bagging both TV and digital rights of the national team's home series for the next five years with a cumulative bid of approximately Rs. 6000 crore, beating Star India and Sony in a three-way battle. 

The BCCI had invited separate e-bids for both linear (TV) and digital for best price discovery.

"Viacom18 paid Rs. 3101 crore (approximately) for digital and Rs. 2862 crore for linear (TV). As has been the trend, digital has fetched more in Rs. 5963 crore (approximately) deal.

"With IPL digital rights being bought by Viacom for Rs. 26,000 crore plus, they now have almost all the high profile cricket properties save IPL linear (TV) and ICC events," a broadcasting industry source, tracking developments closely, told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

The rights will come into effect with India's three-match home series against Australia beginning September 22 and end on March 31, 2028.

India will be playing 88 international games across three formats including 25 Tests, 27 ODIs and 36 T20Is with per match value of the deal standing around Rs. 67.76 crore. This is nearly Rs. 7.76 crore more than last cycle's Rs. 60 crore per match value.

However, the BCCI is getting Rs. 175 crore less than Rs. 6138 crore it received during last cycle which had more games, specifically 102. If one looks at the prevailing market sentiments , it is not a bad price to fetch as the per match valuation has increased. One needs to factor in that only marquee Test matches and series versus England and Australia will fetch a decent advertisement revenue. For matches against other nations, it is only the T20 which is the cash cow.

India will play Australia in 21 games and will be pitted against England in 18 matches across three formats during the next five years.

The BCCI fell way short of the billion dollar mark (at least by Rs. 2300 crore) and one of the reasons forthat could be the declining popularity of the ODI format and there are 27 of them in the next cycle.

"One day bilateral series save World Cup year should be done away with as it doesn't bring requisite revenues. With so many T20 leagues also happening around the world, the viewers' fatigue should also be taken into account," a broadcasting industry veteran said.

He also provided an interesting take on how the potential bidders do their mathematics and arrive at a particular figure.

"In case of 25 Tests, you have 15 Tests against England and Australia at home. The kind of pitches that is being prepared for Test matches in India, the broadcaster has literally no chance on most of the occasions to commercially exploit the fifth day unless there is a flat deck.

"At times games finish during first session of fourth day. Just calculate how many potential seconds of ad revenue you can lose," he explained.

---

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/V6MhSHj

Asia Cup: Full House At Hotels And Kandy Stadium Ahead Of Ind-Pak Clash

There is a lot of excitement among cricket fans, especially the Indians, for the upcoming clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023, but there is a lot of struggle involved for a lot of these die-hard supporters of Men in Blue as tickets are sold out, so are the hotels and accommodation in Kandy, Sri Lanka, where the match is taking place. India and Pakistan will clash in their highly-anticipated Asia Cup 2023 match on Saturday at Kandy. The MD of a hotel told ANI that all the rooms are full and they are still receiving inquiries from fans.

"We are happy that cricket is back here. We are getting ready for the match between India and Pakistan. We are still receiving inquiries and started receiving them a month back. Now, we are fully packed. It is an amazing experience to see this after a long while, after the economic crisis and COVID-19," said the MD to ANI.

She said that the hotel is preparing really well to make the experience of their customers a great one.

"We are ready to give them the Indian-style food, just the way they asked us," she said.

Another hotel owner told ANI, "This Asia Cup is a good opportunity for the hotels. During the COVID-19, we faced a lot of losses. But now, our rooms are fully booked and packed. We are still receiving inquiries from people, but unfortunately, we do not have rooms for them. We are giving people discounts on food and liquor. This all is good for our country after the economic crisis and COVID."

Fans are extremely disappointed to miss out on catching the India-Pakistan match live as tickets are sold out.

A fan told ANI. "I just came here to watch the India-Pakistan match from Colombo. But all tickets are sold out. It is really unfortunate, but I have booked tickets for the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh match and I will watch it. All hotels and accommodation are also full. I really wanted to see Virat Kohli, Babar Azam and Pakistan pace attack."

Another fan from Canada also missed out on the match due to tickets selling out.

"I came from Canada to watch India versus Pakistan. Tickets are sold out. They are expensive too. Wanted to watch Virat Kohli and Team India. Accommodation is expensive, all hotels are booked, could not find anything," he said.

Pakistan, India and Nepal are in Group A while Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are in Group B. The tournament will follow a hybrid model with Pakistan hosting four matches across two venues and Sri Lanka hosting the remaining games. The six group-stage matches will be followed by the Super Fours beginning September 6.

The final will be played by the top two teams at the end of the Super Fours on September 17 in Colombo.

Indian Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir (travelling reserve).

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/gUq2YPr

'Stick To Cricket You've Been Playing': Kallis' Advice For South Africa

South African cricketing legend Jacques Kallis remarked that the Proteas players should stick to their roles during the ICC Cricket World Cup in India and continue the manner in which they have been playing, pointing that past unsuccessful campaigns were because the players "wanted it too much" and "went outside their roles" because of it. South African legends Kallis and Faf du Plessis have shared their thoughts on how the Proteas could fare at the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.

South Africa heads into the marquee tournament in India with a nice blend of youth and experience to pick from. They have never ever won a major ICC World Championship despite featuring some of cricket's most exciting and talented stars in their squad over the years.

When the selectors gather to pick their squad for the World Cup, they will have exciting young talents in Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs and Gerald Coetzee to pick from alongside seasoned campaigners like Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Temba Bavuma and David Miller.

As good as the squad will be, the legendary all-rounder Kallis, speaking exclusively to the ICC, said the key for South Africa would be to stay true to their brand of cricket.

"The one thing that needs to change for South Africa to be successful in a Cricket World Cup is to carry on playing the cricket that we've played going into the World Cup," he said as quoted by ICC.

"We have a history of playing good cricket leading into the World Cup. For some reason, things change. Maybe we want it too much. I think players wanted too much and you have gone outside of the area you need to be doing. Maybe going outside of their roles because they wanted too much," he added.

Kallis had a valuable piece of advice for the current crop of players: "Stick to your roles. Trust the partner next to you. And just play the cricket you have been playing."

Kallis believes South Africa's traditional strength - their pace attack - will once again be key for their hopes.

"South Africa's strength to me is going to be in our bowling attack. We have got some quality pace bowlers that can blow away the opposition's top-order. And I think they are going to play a major role if South Africa are going to get far, if we do get far (in the tournament)," he said.

Kallis' optimism was matched by former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis.

"South Africa's white-ball team is in a strong place. They have got some real experience going into that World Cup," he added.

Du Plessis, however, did warn that adapting to the conditions in the sub-continent would be the biggest challenge for Temba Bavuma's men.

"The challenge for all teams that are not from the subcontinent is obviously always the challenge of going to the subcontinent," he said.

"Especially 50-over cricket. I find with T20 cricket, the surfaces are a bit more even. And you get some really good pitches. With 50-over cricket, you can get that wear and tear and the spinners really come into their own."

Du Plessis however added that the home team, India, and serial winners Australia would be the teams to beat.

"I think South Africa has got a really good side. It will be hard to get past a team like India in home conditions. The other team you can never write off is Australia, with them being so successful in ICC events," he concluded.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/y6L8BMe

Google Fitbit Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Violation of EU's General Data Protection Regulation Privacy Regime

Advocacy group Noyb on Thursday filed complaints against Google-owned Fitbit in Austria, the Netherlands and Italy accusing the fitness tracking company of violating the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy regime.

Vienna-based Noyb (None Of Your Business), the digital rights group founded by privacy activist Max Schrems, has already filed hundreds of complaints against big tech companies ranging from Alphabet's Google to Meta over privacy violations, some leading to big fines.

Fitbit forces its users to consent to data transfers outside the EU and does not provide the possibility to withdraw their consent, violating GDPR's requirements, Noyb said.

Fitbit sells watches that track activity, heart rate and sleep. It also offers a subscription service starting at $9.99 (nearly Rs. 830) a month.

"Given that the company collects the most sensitive health data, it's astonishing that it doesn't even try to explain its use of such data, as required by law," said Bernardo Armentano, data protection lawyer at Noyb.

Fines for violating GDPR rules can reach up to 4 percent of a firm's global annual revenue. Google's annual revenue was $280 billion (nearly Rs. 23,15,350 crore) in 2022. 

The advocacy group wants Fitbit to be forced to share all mandatory information about the data transfers with its users and allow them to use its app without having to consent to the transfers. 

While GDPR allows every person to withdraw their consent, Fitbit's privacy policy states that the only way to withdraw consent is to delete an account, which means losing their previously tracked workouts and health data, Noyb said. 

© Thomson Reuters 2023

---

Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 alongside the Galaxy Tab S9 series and Galaxy Watch 6 series at its first Galaxy Unpacked event in South Korea. We discuss the company's new devices and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/9ZCMImu

Asia Cup 2023: Matheesha Pathirana Sets Up Big Win For Sri Lanka

Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka made resolute fifties after Matheesha Pathirana's hostile bowling as Sri Lanka slayed Bangladesh by five wickets in their Asia Cup opener in Pallekele on Thursday. Pacer Pathirana's 4 for 32 restricted Bangladesh to 164. The home side then rode on Samarawickrama's 54 off 77 balls and Asalanka's unbeaten 62 off 92 balls to overhaul the target in 39 overs. Samarawickrama is going through a career rejuvenation this year after fading from the scene.

He earned a recall to the Lanka Test side after five years against Ireland this July, and he also made a return to their ODI unit after a gap of four years during the home series against Afghanistan in June.

Samarawickrama made his Test return count with a hundred in the second match against Ireland. On Thursday, his fifty was the cornerstone of Lanka's crucial win over Bangladesh.

But Lanka had to overcome a few uncomfortable moments before that.

Bangladesh bowlers had reduced Sri Lanka to 43 for three in 9.2 overs, dragging their side back into the match after their batsmen's shoddy effort.

In Lankan cricketing circles, Samarawickrama has always been known as a stylish batsman.

Even on a slowing down pitch, the right-hander produced some sparkling shots using a wafer-thin bat and supple wrists.

His ability to find gaps around the field was visible when he drove pacer Shoriful Islam through covers with disdain for four, and later flicked left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan through mid-wicket for a boundary.

Samarawickrama had an equally composed partner in Asalanka as they produced 78 crucial runs for the fourth wicket.

The left-handed Asalanka, who has been in fine fettle this year in ODIs, was never hesitant to take the odd risks for a boundary, and it helped Samarawickrama to bat assuredly at the other end.

But off-spinner Mahedi Hasan snapped the partnership.

Hasan had Samarawickrama stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim with a tossed-up delivery that beat the batter.

Bangladesh did get a couple of quick wickets, but they just did not have enough runs on the board to defend.

For that, Sri Lanka should thank their bowlers who worked around a resilient fifty by Najmul Shanto, who made 89 off 122 balls with seven fours.

However, other batsmen did not pick up any hint from Shanto as Pathirana and spinner Maheesh Theekshana (2/19) combined to strike at regular intervals after Bangladesh opted to bat first.

The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium pitch had a bit of carry and bounce in it, and Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka brought Theekshana into attack in the second over itself.

Theekshana, the highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in ODIs this year, fetched an immediate breakthrough as he trapped Tanzid Hasan plumb in front with a lovely delivery.

The ball pitched around the leg-stump and spun across to hit Hasan's back pad and the Bangladesh opener had to walk back with a duck on his debut.

Pathirana soon jettisoned skipper Shakib Al Hasan. The left-hander could not negotiate the extra pace of Pathirana, and the ball nestled in the hands of stumper Kusal Mendis.

Bangladesh were 36 for three at this stage and they needed a couple of partnerships to steady things in the middle.

The fourth wicket alliance between Shanto and Towhid Hridoy (20) saw Bangladesh adding 59 runs in nearly 14 overs.

Shanto guided his young partner well as Bangladesh showed signs of recovery.

However, Lanka captain Shanaka ended the blooming alliance while winning a leg-before appeal against Hridoy.

Pathirana returned to end the stay of veteran Mushfiqur Rahim, whose attempted upper cut was snaffled by Chamika Karunaratne near third man.

With the cream of their batting returned to the pavilion, Shanto was Bangladesh's remaining hope to reach a competitive total.

The left-hander, who is one of Bangladesh's better ODI batsmen this year, batted with caution without sacrificing chances to find boundaries.

His on-drive off pacer Kasun Rajitha was a fine piece of timing and cover.

However, Theekshana ended Shanto's tenure at the crease.

Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will now travel to Pakistan to face Afghanistan in their respective group matches.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/vhR1ZUL

"No Sense At All": PCB Blasted By Pak Greats For No Host Name On Jerseys

Pakistan Cricket Board is facing strong criticism from fans and a few former players over the omission of country's name on the official Asia Cup logo on participating teams' jerseys. Former captain Rashid Latif was among those who lashed out at the board soon after the Pakistan team took the field against Nepal in the opening match of the Asia Cup in Multan on Wednesday. Though Asia Cup is jointly staged by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the former is the host of the tournament. “This is unacceptable and it is the Asian Cricket Council which must explain this oversight since the Asia Cup is their property,” he said. Since the hue and cry, PCB unofficially has tried to play down the situation by saying that the ACC had taken a decision after last year's Asia Cup that the host country's name would not be given with the Asia Cup logo in future events.

But most Pakistani cricket fans on social media are not willing to accept this explanation. Some have even questioned that even if the ACC had taken such a decision, why did the PCB agree to it since Pakistan was hosting a multi-team event after 15-years.

“Makes no sense at all. Then why has the ACC given the host country's name on the logos for their Asian Emerging Nations Cup or their Asian under-16 event held in July in Malaysia,” former Test batsman Mohsin Khan questioned.

Mohsin Khan said the ACC should clear the confusion.

Another former player who didn't want to be named believes that Jay Shah, the President of the ACC and secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), was the reason for Pakistan not being acknowledged as the host nation on the official logo.

“Given the current scenario between the two countries perhaps the BCCI official felt it would be embarrassing for the Indian team players to wear kits with the name of Pakistan on the official Asia Cup logo,” he said.

Rashid Latif didn't rule out this possibility and said what had happened was embarrassing and needed to be clarified.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/3xCnUQV

New Captain Mitchell Marsh Leads Australia To Crushing Win

New captain Mitchell Marsh led a powerful Australian batting performance and set up a crushing 111-run win in the first T20I against South Africa at Kingsmead on Wednesday. Marsh clubbed a T20 career-best 92 not out off 49 balls as Australia piled up 226 for six after being sent in. Opening batsman Reeza Hendricks hit 56 for South Africa but the hosts were bowled out for 115. Debutant leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha took four for 31 after receiving a late call-up when Adam Zampa fell ill. 

"He's a fantastic young talent," said Marsh.

Both sides were missing several key players.

Australia went on an all-out attack, with Marsh slamming 20 runs off the second over, bowled by Lungi Ngidi.

New cap Matt Short (20) and Tim David (64) shared stands of 63 off 26 balls for the second wicket and 97 off 50 deliveries for the fifth wicket with Marsh.

"I thought Tim was fantastic. It was a really good partnership," said Marsh.

There were 11 sixes in the Australian innings, with both Marsh and David hitting the ball out of the ground and into a road over Kingsmead's old main stand on the leg side.

The Australian onslaught meant that South Africa needed to mount a record second-innings chase. It never looked likely after Marcus Stoinis bowled Temba Bavuma in a first over which cost only one run.

"It's been an interval since we last played and it showed tonight," said South African captain Aiden Markram.

The next two T20 matches, both to be played again in Durban, take place on Friday and Sunday. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/AXwq30d

"Expose Kohli...": WC Winner On Where India-Pakistan Contest Will Be Won

The cricket world is waiting with baited breath for the mega India vs Pakistan coach at the Asia Cup 2023 in Sri Lanka on Saturday. The match will be a closely watched affair as will be the individual performance Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma ahead of the Cricket World Cup. The performance in the Asia Cup 2023 will be a great indicator of where the form of the players lie ahead of the Cricket World Cup. Brad Hogg, former Cricket World Cup-winning Australian leg spinner, believes the contest between Shaheen Shah Afridi and the Indian cricket team top order will decide the fate of the marquee India vs Pakistan clash.

India will play their opening match against Pakistan on September 2 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. Hogg said that he would be watching the star-studded clash and the contest could be decided between India's experienced batters and Pakistan's fast-bowling prowess. 

"I definitely will be watching it. It is one of the biggest contests that we can have. Look, politics gets in the way of sports everywhere. It's here in Australia, England everywhere. We are just missing the rivalry between the two countries on the cricket field. It will be better for Pakistan as well because they will get the exposure. We want those contests to happen. India has a more dominant batting. Pakistan with their pace attack has a slight advantage, especially with left arm Shaheen Afridi. He is a quality bowler. When you have a left-arm fast bowler who swings the ball with pace and gets them to come in for the right-handers it does make it difficult," said Hogg on Backstage with Boria.

On being asked to comment on the battle between Shaheen Shah Afridi and Rohit Sharma, Hogg said, "I think Shaheen will have a chance with the deliveries that come in against right-handers. If Pakistan can expose Virat Kohli early in the contest against the new ball in front of Shaheen Afridi. The contest between Shaheen against the Indian top three will be decisive. So, for me, that's going to be where the game will be won and lost between India and Pakistan."

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/Ga5pZRX

Babar, Iftikhar Power Pakistan To Huge Win Over Nepal In Asia Cup Opener

Skipper Babar Azam hit a delightful 151 while Iftikhar Ahmed smashed his maiden ODI century as Pakistan thrashed minnows Nepal by 238 runs in the opening match of the Asia Cup in Multan on Wednesday. Babar and Iftikhar played pivotal roles in powering Pakistan to 342 for six after opting to bat. Babar (151 off 130) was involved in two crucial partnerships after a sedate start — first stitching 86 runs with Mohammad Rizwan (44 off 50) and then sharing a whirlwind 214 runs for the fifth wicket with Iftikhar (109 not out off 71 balls) — to take Pakistan to an imposing total.

Babar decorated his knock with 14 fours and four sixes, while Iftikhar, who was at his destructive best, struck 11 boundaries and four hits over the fence.

This was after Pakistan made an unimpressive start to their innings as they lost both the openers early.

It was always going to be a Herculean task for Nepal and it turned out to be so.

Kushal Bhurtel made a brave start to Nepal's chase with consecutive boundaries off Shaheen Shah Afridi on the opening two balls, but it was shortlived as the ace left-arm made a superb comeback to dismiss him and Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel in the last two balls of the over.

Naseem Shah then got into the act in the next over and induced an outside edge from Aasif Sheikh which was pounced by Iftikhar in the first flip as Nepal slipped to 14 for 3.

Aarif Sheikh (26) and Sompal Karmi then tried to steady the ship with a 59-run fourth-wicket stand, before Haris Rauf went through the defence of the former.

Rauf then dismissed Nepal's top-scorer Sompal (28) an over later to reduce the Himalayan nation to 82 for 5.

Thereafter, wickets fell like nine pins as Nepal batters failed to produce any resistance, eventually bundling out for 104 in 23.4 overs.

Leg-break bowler Shahdab Khan cleaned up Nepal's tail to return with impressive figures of 4 for 27.

Earlier, while Fakhar Zaman (14) showed intent initially but failed to carry on as he was brilliantly caught by a diving Nepal wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh off the bowling of Karan KC in the sixth over.

Pakistan suffered yet another blow soon when Imam-ul-Haq was found short of the crease while attempting a single that was not for the taking. A direct throw from Nepal captain Rohit Paudel ended his innings.

Babar was then joined at the crease by wicketkeeper-batter Rizwan and the duo stabilised Pakistan's innings.

While Babar played the role of an anchor, Rizwan showed his attacking instincts during the 86-run stand for the third wicket which came off 111 balls.

But the start of their partnership was far from rosy as the duo struggled to keep the scoreboard ticking initially with Pakistan reaching 50 in the 12th over.

The Pakistani duo kept the scoreboard ticking with rotation of strike and hit the bad balls to the boundary to bring up the team's 100 in the 22nd over.

Just when he was looking threatening, Rizwan fell to a direct hit at the non-striker's end by Dipendra Singh Airee in search of a quick single. Rizwan paid the price for not grounding his bat, something not acceptable at the highest level.

While Babar kept one end steady, Salman Agha (5) failed to trouble the scorers much, falling prey to Sandeep Lamichhane.

Babar brought up his fifty with a double in the 29th over.

But Iftikhar's arrival gave the much-needed boost to Pakistan's innings as he played aggressively from the onset.

Iftikhar's approach seemed to have inspired Babar as well as he too opened up his arms thereafter and found the boundaries at will.

Babar brought up his ton off 109 balls in the 42nd over.

The duo, especially Iftikhar, toyed with the Nepalese bowlers as it rained fours and sixes at will from there on. Iftikhar brought up his maiden ton off just 67 balls.

Babar fell just seven runs short of his personal best score. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/ZYGu4sW

England vs New Zealand 1st T20I Live Cricket Score And Live Updates

England vs New Zealand 1st T20I Live: England begin their final phase of preparation for the ODI World Cup with a T20I and an ODI series against New Zealand. The defending ODI World Cup champions will play four T20Is and four ODIs against the 2019 runner-up team. Interestingly, the ODI World Cup 2023 opener on October 5 will see England facing New Zealand in a repeat the 2019 final. In that sense, this tour will hold extra significance. (LIVE SCORECARD) 

Here are the LIVE Updates of the England vs New Zealand 1st T20I straight from Chester-le-Street

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/TF81XCq

Xiaomi Says EV Plans Running Ahead of Schedule Amid Revenue Drop Report

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi reported a 4 percent revenue drop in the second quarter, tracking a shrinkage in China's handset market, but said its move into making electric vehicles was running ahead of schedule.

Sales dropped to CNY 67.4 billion (nearly Rs. 76,450 crore) from CNY 70.17 billion (nearly Rs. 80,650 crore) in the same quarter a year earlier, but beating analysts' estimates of CNY 65.13 billion (nearly Rs. 74,860 crore).

Net income rose to CNY 5.14 billion (nearly Rs. 5,830 crore) over the period, an increase of 147 percent from CNY 2.08 billion (nearly Rs. 2,390 crore) a year earlier, also beating expectations. The company put the increase down to cost cutting and efficiency improvements, particularly in its physical stores.

"Despite the macroeconomic headwinds in the global market we continue to expand our footprint," Xiaomi President Lu Weibing said on an earnings call. 

"Several of our peers already exited from certain areas in this challenging environment, but no matter how hard it will be we will reinforce our presence across regions and markets," Lu said.

Consumer demand in China's smartphone market continued to shrink in the second quarter, dropping 5 percent to 64.3 million units, according to Canalys, a consultancy that tracks the smartphone industry.

Xiaomi's shipments declined by 19 percent to 8.6 million, while in major overseas market India, shipments fell 22 percent to 5.4 million units, Canalys said.

In light of declining handset sales, Xiaomi is planning to move into the manufacture of electric vehicles (EVs) and has received approval from China's state planner, Reuters reported this month.

The company has pledged a $10 billion (nearly Rs. 82,600 crore) investment over a decade in the automobile business.

Lu said the company's plans to start mass production of EVs in the first half of 2024 remains unchanged. "Our current progress is ahead of expectations and of the original production schedule," he said.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

---

From the launch of the Infinix GT 10 Pro to Amazon's latest mega-sale, we discuss the most noteworthy technology news events of the week on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/Q5kjqlB

Pakistan Announce Playing XI For Asia Cup 2023 Opener Against Nepal

Pakistan have named their playing XI for the opening game of the Asia Cup against Nepal in Multan on Wednesday. With Nepal as their opponent in the opening game of the 2023 Asia Cup, Pakistan has prioritised batting depth. Pakistan has many bowling options with three frontline quicks and three all-rounders who can bowl spin. The team made a few adjustments from the starting lineup against Afghanistan in the final ODI in Colombo. While Saud Shakeel moves to the middle order, Iftikhar Ahmed takes his place. Pakistan chose to go with Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, leaving no opportunity for pacer Mohammad Wasim.

Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz will be aided by Salman Agha in the spin department. 

The batting line-up has a familiar look with Iftikhar coming back into the middle-order after missing the final ODI against Afghanistan. 

Pakistan XI: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/F1SG8e7

iPhone 15 Series to Launch on September 12 at Apple 'Wonderlust' Event

iPhone 15 series has now got an official launch date as the California-based tech giant has announced its upcoming Apple 'Wonderlust' Event. The event is all set to be take place on September 12, and will be live streamed online. The company is expected to release a number of products at the fall launch event, including the iPhone 15 series, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, along with the announcement for iOS 17 and watchOS 10 launch date. However, the company has not revealed the products that will launch on the Apple Event. 

Apple has officially sent out invites for the fall launch event, named 'Wonderlust'. The event will take place at Apple Park on September 12, starting at 10 AM PT (10.30 PM IST). The launch will be live streamed online on apple.com and the Apple TV app. 

The upcoming launch event will witness the launch of the iPhone 15 series, which will include iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. There have already been several rumours regarding the specifications, design as well as colour options for these variants. The most awaited update for the this iPhone series lineup would be the inclusion of USB Type-C charging port instead of Lightning port. 

The company is also expected to release two new smartphones at the event — the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The successor to Apple Watch Series 8, the Watch Series 9 is expected to five colour options for the aluminium body, and three colourways for the stainless steel model. The smartwatch is expected to be similar to its predictor in terms of design. 

The second-generation Apple Watch Ultra model was previously reported to be manufactured using the 3D printing technology. The smartwatch is also said to bear a close resemblance to its predecessor. 

The company is yet to confirm the products that will be launched or unveiled at the upcoming events. However, Apple analyst Mark Gurman has confirmed about the launch of iPhone 15 series at the Wonderlust event. 

---

Apple unveiled its first mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at its annual developer conference, along with new Mac models and upcoming software updates. We discuss all the most important announcements made by the company at WWDC 2023 on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/6eu4nLE

Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan To Take On Nepal In Sweltering Multan

Pakistan will begin their campaign in the Asia Cup on Wednesday taking on Nepal in the city's sweltering heat as multi-team international cricket returns to the country after nearly 15 years. It has been a long, rough road for Pakistan cricket ever since the militant attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March, 2009. Following the attack, not only did Pakistan lose the Champions Trophy hosting rights but also its share of the World Cup matches in 2011. With the International Cricket Council (ICC) and member nations reluctant to visit the country because of security reasons, Pakistan went without an international game at home for nearly eight years against top-tier teams.

Which is why, the four matches of the Asia Cup being held in the country hold great significance for Pakistan, who have also been awarded the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Pakistan, who recently rose to No. 1 in ODI rankings after a clean sweep of the ODI series against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka, should win comfortably against Nepal, who are playing their first Asia Cup.

Only two Nepal players, leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane and allrounder Dipendra Singh Airee, have the experience of playing in T20 leagues.

Barring Lamichhane, who has played in the Pakistan Super League, the others know very little about the playing conditions here.

Having got their ODI status in 2018, Nepal are ranked 15th in the 50-over format, a sign of how close they are to achieving their dream of featuring in the 2027 World Cup, which will be a 14-team affair.

Having arrived in Pakistan a week back, it will be interesting to see how they fare against an outfit which is one of the favourites to lift the Asia Cup.

Pakistan will play just two games at home and the remaining in Sri Lanka, including the big ones against India. But the game against Nepal will offer their players a good opportunity to fine-tune their game.

Babar Azam recently hit two half centuries against Afghanistan and only a big one will satisfy the home team fans.

With the weather expected to be hot and humid, both teams will rely heavily on their spinners to do the job.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/NyxhQSV

Team India's SWOT Analysis: Are Rohit's Men Prepared For Asia Cup 2023?

The Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team will start its Asia Cup campaign in a high-voltage clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2. Apart from having a big emotional value, the match starts the final phase of preparation for the team ahead of the ODI World Cup at home. India's squad for the Asia Cup is almost on expected lines with two players - KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer - inducted straightway after making a comeback from injury. Sanju Samson has been named as the back-up player, with Rahul still carrying a niggle, according to BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar.    

NDTV analyses the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats for the Indian cricket team ahead of the Pakistan clash.

INDIA'S STRENGTHS

# A set top-three

Indian top-3 are set and as a group is one of the strongest in the world. India are expected to open with Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Rohit is one of the best openers in the world whereas Shubman Gill has been in amazing form in ODIs since 2022. Gill is the highest-ranked batter in the Asia Cup squad. He is 5th in the latest ICC ODI batting ranking.

Rohit is the only opener to average 50+ in ODI after scoring 3000+ runs, while Gill has the highest average (69.4) in ODI since 2022 (MIN: 500 Runs).

Virat Kohli is 102 runs away from scoring 13000 runs in ODI. He will become the 5th player in ODI to score 13000 or more runs.  Also, Kohli has the best average (57.3) among batters to score 10000+ runs in ODI. He is one of the 2 batters to average 50+ in ODI after scoring 10000+ runs, other being MS Dhoni who averages 50.6. He has the 2nd most centuries (46) in ODI after Sachin Tendulkar who has 49.

# Pace prowess

Indian pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah is back for India after more than a year in ODIs. Bumrah last played an ODI for India on July 14th, 2022. Bumrah has the 3rd best bowling average (24.3) among active pace bowlers in ODI (MIN: 100 Wickets).  Furthermore, Indian pacers have the joint best bowling average in ODI since 2022. Even without Bumrah Indian pacers were great and addition of Bumrah will be an added benefit to the bowling unit in ODI. Indian bowlers have done well in ODI since 2022 and both pacers and the spinners have been in great form in ODI since 2022.

WEAKNESS

# Not a settled middle order?

The number 4 spot has been a reason of bother for India since the ICC 2019 Cricket World Cup. India have tried out many players at the number 4 spot, but it has not worked out. Shreyas Iyer has scored 805 runs while batting at number 4 for India since 2019 ICC World Cup. However, he is returning to international cricket after an injury.

Another option for number 4 spot is Surya Kumar Yadav but he has scored 30 runs in 5 innings at the number 4 spot. Furthermore, Suryakumar Yadav in ODI has not been impressive. He is averaging 24.3 in ODI and has scored 511 runs in 24 innings.

Another concern is KL Rahul's fitness.  KL Rahul is India's leading run scorer while batting in the middle order since 2019 ICC CWC. However, he is also coming after an injury and will miss out first few matches of the Asia Cup with a niggle meaning Ishan Kishan will keep wickets for India.

Ishan Kishan has scored 106 runs in 6 innings in the middle order. But Ishan Kishan was used as an opener in the recent ODI series vs WI when India had the option to try him in the middle order. Also, India have added another new face in the squad for middle order i.e., Tilak Varma. He has made it to the Asia Cup squad after an impressive T20I series against WI and impressive IPL season.
o     But he has no experience while batting in the middle order in ODI and being called up to the squad before the World Cup ahead of the likes of Sanju Samson who has been named as the reserve player is shocking.

OPPORTUNITY

# Number 4 position

There are various opportunities for players at number 4 to seal their spot for the World Cup 2023 with an impressive Asia Cup. Shreyas Iyer, who has been India's best number 4, since 2019 ICC CWC will look to cement his place in the playing XI. However, if Iyer is not fit enough and if he fails at the number 4 spot then we might see players like Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma given a chance at this spot.

#Wicket-Keeping spot

If KL Rahul is fit enough, then his place in Indian playing XI as a wicket keeper batter is almost guaranteed.  KL Rahul is the only Indian batter to average 50+ while batting in the middle order since 2019 ICC CWC (MIN: 500 Runs)However, if KL Rahul is not fit enough and there might be fitness concerns after an injury then this place is up for grabs for the likes of Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson.

Ishan Kishan is expected to start in the playing XI as Rahul will miss the first 2-3 matches in the Asia Cup 2023. If Ishan Kishan performs then we might see KL Rahul out for a long time.

THREATS

# Players returning to the squad after injuries. The form for players returning from injuries is unknown and they might take some time to regain full match fitness.

# Lack of batting depth for India is also a concern.  There is no high-profile replacement in the squad for Hardik Pandya. If the fast-bowling allrounder is injured their is no like-for-like replacement who can deliver with same intensity. 

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/0SxE4wX

Pepe Coin’s Team Reeling Under Internal Conflict, Financial Drama Unfolds

Pepe Coin ecosystem is undergoing turbulent times since last week as speculations about the project being a big scam heated up on social media. A Pepe developer has claimed that three members of the memecoin's developer team ‘went rogue' last week and made bulky transfers outside of Pepe's multi-sig wallet for their malicious motives. Since the developer team behind the memecoin remains anonymous, no names of responsible parties have been revealed on public domains.

“$PEPE has unfortunately been plagued by inner strife with a portion of the team being bad actors led by big egos and greed,” the unnamed developer who claims to be in control of the project now published in an explanatory tweet.

Disclosing more details, the developer said the three now ex-members of Pepe's developer team stole 16 trillion or 60 percent of the 26 trillion tokens from its multi-sig wallet and wired them for sale to centralised exchanges.

“They then removed themselves from the multi sig in an attempt to absolve any association to $PEPE, deleting all of their social accounts and leaving me behind nothing but a message stating “the multi-sig has been updated, you are now in full control,” the tweet added.

Without revealing the intensity of losses to the Pepe community and any plans to compensate victims, the anonymous developer did say that most or all of the tokens stolen from Pepe's multi-sig wallet were quickly sold on OKX and Binance.

For now, the remaining 10 trillion tokens in the multi-sig wallet are under the oversight of a trusted project loyalist, the developer claimed.

an announcement to the $PEPE community:

Yesterday on August 24th, 2023, a series of unexpected transactions took place from the $PEPE multisig CEX
Wallet in which ~16 Trillion $PEPE tokens (worth roughly $15m USD) were transferred to various crypto exchanges (OKX, Binance,… pic.twitter.com/iZmXV1TAvw

— Pepe (@pepecoineth) August 26, 2023

While some have lauded Pepe team's transparency following this tweet, the others commented under the post saying they now have concerns about the project.

Only newbies would believe that story

— Klown :slot_machine: (@klown_777) August 26, 2023

Name and shame, take accountability.

— ROLLABLAZΞR :frog: (@rollablazer) August 26, 2023

Last week, the value of Pepe dived by 15 percent and is currently trading at $0.0000008727 (roughly Rs. 0.000072). Not only were the settings of Pepe's multi-sig wallet changed, but also 16 trillion Pepe tokens amounting to $15 million (roughly Rs. 123 crore) were transferred from Pepe's multi-sig wallet into four centralised exchanges.

These factors triggered a climate of FUD — fear, uncertainty, and doubt — among the Pepe community members, many of whom suspected that the entire Pepe project was a sham.

Currently, over 391 trillion Pepe tokens are in circulation out of its pre-decided total supply of over 420 trillion tokens.

---

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/fZbrcMO

'Baby AB' Dewald Brevis Steps Onto International Stage

Dewald Brevis will take a step onto cricket's big stage during Australia's white-ball tour of South Africa, which starts with the first of three Twenty20 internationals at Kingsmead on Wednesday. Brevis, 20, was nicknamed 'Baby AB' for the way he modelled his game on that of retired South African star AB de Villiers. He wears the same number 17 on his shirt and has the ability to hit big sixes, particularly in the area between midwicket and long-on. He slammed a South African T20 record score of 162 off 57 balls in a domestic match last October but has yet to have consistent success for franchise teams in four countries.

Brevis is expected to make his international debut in the T20 series and will need to live up to the early hype about his career to secure a ticket to the 50-overs Cricket World Cup in India in October and November.

Brevis is part of an 18-man squad for a five-match one-day international series which follows the T20s. Only 15 players will go to the World Cup.

"I know there will always be expectations," he said. "Pressure is always there; I feel the pressure, but I like it. I just want people to get to know me as Dewald Brevis and just see how I go about my things."

Several other players from both sides will also be keen to press their World Cup claims.

Australia's leading fast bowlers will miss the T20 series, providing an opportunity for newcomer Spencer Johnson as well as Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis to make a mark in the shorter games before being part of the one-day series.

Australian batsman Travis Head said on Monday that Johnson deserved his selection after injuries had hampered him early in his career.

"He bowls at high speed and swings the ball. He can be a match-winner."

All-rounder Aaron Hardie will want to make the most of his first international call-up.

South African fast bowler Gerald Coetzee, 22, has had a rapid rise to prominence and will be making his T20 international debut after playing in two Test matches and two one-day internationals.

The white-ball series will provide hard-hitting Tristan Stubbs with a chance to cement a World Cup place.

Matthew Wade was a late replacement in the Australian T20 squad after Glenn Maxwell suffered an ankle injury in training in Durban.

T20 international squads:

South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams, Rassie van der Dussen.

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.

Fixtures:

August 30, first T20 international, Durban

September 1, second T20 international, Durban

September 3, third T20 international, Durban

September 7, first one-day international, Bloemfontein

September 9, second one-day international, Bloemfontein

September 12, third one-day international, Potchefstroom

September 15, fourth one-day international, Centurion

September 17, fifth one-day international, Johannesburg

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/EUyTbaH

Watch: Did Babar Invoke 'Chak De India' Spirit To Pump Up Pakistan Side?

Pakistan cricket team climbed of the top of ODI rankings after winning their three-match series against Afghanistan 3-0. The victory came at a brilliant time for the side as they geared up for the Asia Cup 2023 where they will face long-time rivals India. Following Pakistan's win over Afghanistan in the third T20I encounter, Babar gave a speech to the team about unity and taking responsibility. In a video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Babar could be seen motivating his teammates and he told them that the success for the side came because of all of their hard work and the fact that their hearts were pure.

“Today we are No. 1 just because of our hard work. We went through a lot of ups and downs but the unity of this team is intact. ‘Har bande ka dil saaf hai'(Every guy's heart is pure). No one is thinking like, ‘He did this, why didn't I?'. Everyone is happy with everyone else's performance and this should stay like this,” Babar said.

“Our bowling will win us the match on some days, on others, our batting will win it. We won't say ‘this department is doing this, that department isn't'. We'll only talk like a team. ‘Main, mera… Ye Nahi Hoga. Hum… ye team hum hain, koi individual nahi hai [There will be no ‘I' but only ‘we'],” he added.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pakistan Cricket (@therealpcb)

In the video, Babar looked to further inspire his team that had just claimed the No. 1 spot in ICC ODI Rankings, having beaten Afghanistan 3-0 in the series.

The speech had shades of Shah Rukh Khan's speech from the 2007 Bollywood film 'Chak De India' where he focused on team unity. In the dialogues, Shah Rukh Khan, who played the character of the coach of the Indian women's hockey team, asked players to play for the country and not themselves.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/CNZOhHl

"Talking To Dravid, Rohit, Virat But...": Suryakumar On ODI Struggles

Suryakumar Yadav admitted that ODI cricket is the "most challenging" format for him. However, he added that he is looking forward to doing well in the format. The 32-year-old right-hander is the number one T20I batter but he has failed to replicate the performance in the 50-over games for India. With an under-par performance so far, Suryakumar struggles to find his feet in ODI cricket. The batter said that he continues to seek help from Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

"I would try to fulfill the role I am given by the team, no matter what role. This is a format I am looking forward to doing well in. I am doing great in T20Is. But these both are white-ball formats. Why I cannot crack the code here, people are wondering," Suryakumar told Star Sports as quoted by ANI.

Suryakumar said that he finds the ODI format the most challenging one because one has to play a healthy mix of all formats in it.

"I am practicing. For me, this format is the most challenging one...you have to play a mix of all formats in this one. First you take your time, then you do some strike rotation then go for some big shots like in T20Is. I have been talking to head coach Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli," he added.

Suryakumar said he is trying to keep his attacking intent and approach intact.

"But I am now trying to play as per the situation and practicing accordingly. Hopefully, this is the tournament where I crack the code," he added.

"I am always excited to bat. It does not matter if I am out on the first ball. People ask me why I sprint to the crease when my chance to bat comes, but I feel that maintaining this excitement is important. When I am running well and play a few good strokes, I feel that I am in my zone and need to do something big for my team," he concluded.

In 26 ODIs and 24 innings, Suryakumar has managed just 511 runs at an average of 24.33, with two half-centuries.

Interestingly, Suryakumar got a solid start in ODI cricket. In his first six innings, he scored 261 runs at an average of 65.25, with two half-centuries. His last half-century was in February 2022 against West Indies. In his first-ever ODI series against Sri Lanka, he also won the 'Man of the Series' award for scoring 124 runs in three innings at an average of 62.00 with one half-century, striking at a strike rate of around 122.

But since then, it has been downhill for the batter. In 18 innings that followed since his last fifty, he has scored just 250 runs at an average of 14.70, with the best score of 35. This also includes three successive golden ducks against Australia. His drastic fall in ODIs and struggle to keep going in ODIs despite promising starts has puzzled a lot of fans.

(With ANI Inputs)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/dhOXlbx

Jimmy Neesham Withdraws From New Zealand's T20I Series Against England

New Zealand have been forced to reshuffle their squad as all-rounder Jimmy Neesham will skip the Kiwis' upcoming T20I series against England. Neesham was due to join the NZ camp following the completion of his domestic campaign with The Oval Invincibles in England's domestic T20 competition. But the 32-year-old will instead return to New Zealand to be alongside his wife ahead of the birth of their first child according to the ICC. Neesham has featured in more than 150 matches national team and played a pivotal role in the success they enjoyed in the last edition of the ODI World Cup as he amassed 232 runs and claimed 15 wickets. 

New Zealand coach Gary Stead fully supported Neesham's decision to return home and skip the series against England.

"The birth of a child is a special time and we are a family environment. We are glad to be able to support Jimmy in heading home," Stead said as quoted by ICC.

All-rounder Cole McConchie will take Neesham's place in New Zealand's 15-player squad for the four T20 matches against England and Stead is confident the 31-year-old can fill the void with ease.

"Cole has impressed us this year when he's been given opportunities in international cricket and offers any squad options with bat and bowl while also being a strong fielder," Stead added. 

The first of four T20I matches against England will be held at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday, with the two teams to play four ODIs following the T20I series that will provide both camps with an excellent preparation ahead of the start of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in October.

New Zealand T20I squad to face England: Tim Southee (c), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/pu8zy3k

"Kohli Of Old": Windies Great Praises Legendary Batter's Return To Form

Former West Indies pacer Curtly Ambrose feels that India's legendary batter Virat Kohli is back in his groove. He added that the player could serve the Indian cricket for the next couple of years. 34-year-old Kohli, whose form dipped in the first half of the year 2022, has improved his performance noticeably since the Asia Cup last year. Kohli's rise in international cricket continues and he is now the batter with second-highest number of international centuries (76) following Sachin Tendulkar, who is at the helm with 100 tons at the highest level.

"He's still a very good cricketer, a quality batsman. Every great batsman goes through patches where they struggle to score runs. I can't think of any great batsman who never struggled in international cricket. Virat is a special player. He's had his time where he has struggled a bit but he seems to be getting back into form," Ambrose told RevSportz.

"He scored a half-century in the first Test against West Indies and then he scored a century. He looks to be in better form, more fluent and looks to be the Virat Kohli of old. He can still serve Indian cricket for a couple of years to come," he added.

Kohli played two Test matches in West Indies and scored 76 and 121 in the two innings he batted. He was rested after the first ODI of the three-match series in the Caribbean islands, while he was not named in the five-match T20I series that followed.

The batter will be seen in action next in the Asia Cup, starting August 30.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/y2sRSdP

Moto G54 5G Full Specifications Leaked Ahead of September 5 Launch: All Details

Moto G54 5G is set to launch on September 5 as a successor to the Moto G53 5G. The older model was globally introduced in January 2023 but was initially released in China in December 2022. The Moto G53 5G comes with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ SoC and a 5,000mAh battery with 10W wired charging support. Ahead of the launch of the upcoming Moto G54, its design renders were leaked recently and the model was also spotted on certification sites. Now, all the key specifications of the upcoming handset has surfaced online.

An Appuals report has leaked the specifications of the Moto G54 5G. It is said to launch with a 6.5-inch full-HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) LCD display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and an aspect ratio of 20:9. The phone is said to be powered by an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 7020 SoC paired with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of inbuilt storage. It is expected to ship with Android 13-based MyUX.

The dual rear camera unit at the back of the Moto G54 5G is likely to include a 50-megapixel primary sensor with phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and optical image stabilisation (OIS) alongside an 8-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens. The selfie camera is expected to be equipped with a 16-megapixel sensor.

As per the report, the handset is likely to be backed by a 6,000mAh battery with support for 30W wired Turbocharging support. The Moto G54 5G is said to be equipped with a hybrid slot with microSD card support and a 3.5mm audio jack. It is also tipped to support dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C 2.0 port and GPS connectivity. It is said to weigh 196 grams and measure 161.56mm x 73.82mm x 8.89mm in size.

The report adds that the Moto G54 5G is expected to launch in two storage variants - 8GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256GB. The phone has previously been teased to be offered in black, blue, and green colour options.

---

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/WDxue59

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Display Specifications Surface Online; Leaked Render Hints at Flat Display

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specifications have leaked online, months ahead of the expected debut of the company's top-of-the-line flagship smartphone for 2024. The successor to the Galaxy S23 Ultra that was unveiled this year could feature a display with flat edges, according to an image leaked on the microblogging website X (formerly Twitter). The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is said to feature Qualcomm's yet-to-be-announced Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC that is also expected to power most flagship smartphones from a range of manufacturers next year.

Tipster Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) posted an image of the purported Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on Monday that shows the front portion of the handset. Unlike its predecessor, this handset appears to sport a display without curved edges. The bezels on the display appear similar to this year's model. The leaked image also shows a centre-aligned hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera located at the top of the display.

Exclusive: Galaxy S24 Ultra about 6.8" (actual 6.78") screen, 3120x1440, 19.5:5, peak brightness 2500nit. pic.twitter.com/8I1UtTkyaY

— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) August 28, 2023

The display specifications of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra were also leaked by Ice Universe, who has a good track record of sharing details of Samsung products well before they are announced. According to the tipster, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will sport a 6.78-inch display with a resolution of 1,440x3,120 pixels, a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and up to 2,500 nits of peak brightness.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra was previously tipped to measure 162.3x79x8.6mm. The handset is also said to be powered by Samsung's Exynos 2400 chipset or Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC in different markets. The handset is expected to run on Google's upcoming Android 14 operating system, with the company's One UI 6 interface.

Previous reports also suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will feature a powerful 50-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The company's existing flagship, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, is equipped with a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.

If the leaked details are accurate, this could mean Samsung's upcoming flagship phone could offer better images captured when zooming in on a subject. However, it is worth taking these leaked details with a pinch of salt as the South Korean tech conglomerate is yet to announce plans to launch the purported handset.

---

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/UIxjlbQ

Australia's Glenn Maxwell Aggravates Injury Month Before World Cup 2023

Australia's star allrounder Glenn Maxwell is in a race against time as he continues to battle with a fresh injury with the ICC ODI World Cup just a month away. Maxwell ended up hurting his ankle during a training session in Durban while training for Australia's T20I series against South Africa on Wednesday and he will now fly home to be alongside his wife as they await the birth of their first child according to the ICC. Maxwell is expected to recover from his ankle injury in due time, but, national selector Tony Dodemaide has made it clear that no risks would be taken with the 34-year-old given his injury history that includes the freak leg injury he picked up at a friend's party late last year.

Yet, Dodemaide remains confident that Maxwell will be ready for Australia's ODI series against India next month. 

"We will monitor Glenn's recovery with a view to him being available for the three-match ODI series in India in advance of the World Cup," Dodemaide said as quoted by ICC.

Maxwell a quality all rounder has played 128 ODIs and scored 3490 runs at an average of 33.88 and a strike rate of 124.82. He has also taken 60 wickets with an economy rate of 5.56.

Maxwell's injury has opened the door of return for Matthew Wade who has earned a call back in the T20I squad for the series against South Africa and could provide another wicket-keeping option alongside Josh Inglis. 

Maxwell is not the only absentee from Australia's T20I squad, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green and David Warner are on the sidelines as well. 

Australia T20 squad to face South Africa: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/EZ8YXgz

Japan Postpones ‘Moon Sniper’ Rocket Launch Carrying NASA, ESA-Made Satellite, for Third Time

Japan's space agency on Monday postponed for the third time the launch of its "Moon Sniper" lunar mission due to poor weather.

The H2-A rocket due to blast off from the southern island of Tanegashima was also carrying a research satellite developed with NASA and the European Space Agency.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) gave no new date for the start of the mission, which comes after India successfully landed a probe on the Moon last week.

MHI Launch Services, the rocket co-developer, said on the social media platform X that the mission was called off "because it was confirmed that the upper wind does not satisfy the constraints at launch".

Last week India landed a craft near the Moon's south pole, a historic triumph for the world's most populous nation and its low-cost space programme.

Previously, only the United States, Russia and China had managed to put a spacecraft on the lunar surface, and none on the south pole.

India's success came days after a Russian probe crashed in the same region, and four years after a previous Indian attempt failed at the last moment.

Japan has also tried before, attempting last year to land a lunar probe named Omotenashi, carried on NASA's Artemis 1, but the mission went wrong and communications were lost.

In April, Japanese start-up ispace failed in an ambitious attempt to become the first private company to land on the Moon, losing communication after what the firm called a "hard landing".

The "Moon Sniper" is so called because JAXA is aiming to land it within 100 metres (330 feet) of a specific target on the Moon, far less than the usual range of several kilometres.

Japan has also had problems with launch rockets, with failures after liftoff of the next-generation H3 model in March and the normally reliable solid-fuel Epsilon the previous October.

---

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/hKQwPIs

Are India Favourites For Asia Cup? Pakistan Legend's 'Dangerous' Verdict

Pakistan bowling great Wasim Akram on Sunday said the upcoming Asia Cup will test readiness of subcontinental bowlers for 50-overs cricket ahead of the ODI World Cup, but refused to pick any favourites for the tournament. The Asia Cup begins on Wednesday with Pakistan taking on Nepal in the tournament-opener in Multan, but all eyes are fixed on the mega clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in Kandy on September 2. "Be it India or Pakistan or Sri Lanka, we will find out if the bowlers are able to deliver 10 overs or not, now-a-days they are all used to bowling four-overs (per game)," Akram told reporters here during a tournament sponsor's event.

The competition will revert to 50-overs format in this edition after being organised in T20 version last year, and Akram welcomed the change.

"This is a good idea by ACC to have a 50-over Asia Cup because right after it we have the World Cup," he said.

Akram said all teams will be challenged on the parameters of fitness and game plans.

"It is a long tournament -- not a one-off that you can enter the semifinals after winning one game," he said.

"You have to win games to get on top. You have to take it game by game. Also, it is a 50-over competition (this time) not T20, which means different mindset and fitness will be required." The legendary pacer refused to predict any favourites but said the road will be tough for all sides.

"Last time we had predicted an India versus Pakistan final but Sri Lanka won the competition. All three teams are dangerous -- anyone can win on their day," Akram said.

"There are other teams competing too. Last time Sri Lanka won the title, India even failed to make it to the final.

"India versus Pakistan is very important, we know about so much support (teams get), so many eyeballs, so many people (following). But other teams are also here to play so you cannot minus Sri Lanka or Bangladesh," he added.

Akram said India have a balanced squad for the Asia Cup.

"I think they are trying different things, new players especially in the T20 format, also a new captain. They have a balanced squad. But it will not be easy for India or any team," he said.

Asked if Pakistan could have taken a strong stand against India for not travelling to the neighbouring nation for the Asia Cup, Akram played it safe.

"The Pakistan government has given permission that Pakistan (team) can travel to India," he said.

"I have always maintained and said that politics and sports should be apart from each other. People to people contact is very important and the average Indian and Pakistani, they do respect each other. I hope eventually sanity prevails." The second highest ODI wicket taker with 502 dismissals, Akram termed the Asia Cup as the "second biggest tournament" in the world.

"It is the second biggest tournament in the calendar of the cricketing world. (The) World Cups and then the Asia Cup, two giants, clash of the titans… two titans, India and Pakistan then Sri Lanka, the previous Asia Cup champions last year in Dubai -- what a success that was," he said.

"All six countries are looking forward to seeing their players. This is a prep tournament before the big one, the World Cup."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/RHMpSCa

Watch: Kohli, Jadeja Toil Hard In Batting Practice Ahead of Asia Cup 2023

The Asia Cup 2023 is just around the corner and the Indian cricket team is toiling hard in the practice camp in Alur, Karnataka. In the past few days, batters were divided into pairs as part of a match simulation. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were followed by the pair of Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer. In a video going viral on social media, Kohli was batting this time with Ravindra Jadeja as both the players faced spin bowling. It was most probably a part of match situation simulations and both players were looking to play sensible shots.

There were several questions over KL Rahul's fitness following his Asia Cup 2023 selection as chief selector Ajit Agarkar told the media that he was suffering from a slight niggle.

Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja batting together in the practice session. pic.twitter.com/MfAta34EEQ

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 27, 2023

The call-up for the continental tournament was a big deal for the batter after a prolonged battle with injury but the update along with the inclusion of Sanju Samson as a back-up did not alleviate the fears. However, there was some good news for cricket fans as Rahul did wicket-keeping practice where he was helped by skipper Rohit Sharma at the ongoing practice camp in Alur, Karnataka.

Earlier, he also did some batting practice as he was paired with Suryakumar Yadav at the No. 5 and No. 6 slots respectively in a match simulation. India went for fixed pairings in the practice with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill followed by Virat Kohli and the returning Shreyas Iyer at No. 4.

India take on Pakistan in their first match of Asia up 2023 on September 2.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/QUF3PRG