Sachin Tendulkar joins America's National Cricket League ownership group
Washington/Texas (PTI): Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has joined America's National Cricket League (NCL) ownership group, a move that is expected to give a big boost to the sport in the United States in the coming years.
"Cricket has been my life's greatest journey and I am pleased to join the National Cricket League at such an exciting time for the sport in the US," Tendulkar said after the NCL announced that the batting legend has joined them.
"The NCL's vision to create a platform for world-class cricket while inspiring a new generation of fans to resonate with me. I look forward to being part of this new initiative and witnessing the growth of cricket in the US first hand," Tendulkar said.
The NCL tournament opens with a performance by singer Mika Singh and features themed nights, bringing a Coachella-like energy, a media release said.
This season, the NCL brings together cricket legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Zaheer Abbas, Wasim Akram, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sir Vivian Richards, Venkatesh Prasad, Sanath Jayasuriya, Moin Khan and Blair Franklin. The cricketing heroes will mentor and coach the next generation of players.
It will also feature top-tier players from around the world, including Shahid Afridi, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik, Shakib Al Hasan, Robin Uthappa, Tabraiz Shamsi, Chris Lynn, Angelo Mathews, Colin Munro, Sam Billings, Mohammad Nabi and Johnson Charles.
"We are incredibly excited to welcome Sachin Tendulkar to the National Cricket League family," said Arun Agarwal, chairman of the NCL.
Tendulkar will present the championship trophy to the winning team at the NCL's inaugural tournament, marking a historic moment for the sport's rise in the United States, the media release said.
"His influence in cricket is comparable to what Pele does in soccer or Babe Ruth in baseball. Sachin's commitment to the game, along with his global appeal, will be key as we introduce cricket to new audiences in America. His involvement highlights the NCL's goal to inspire future generations and establish cricket as a major sport in the US," Agarwal said.
NCL said while sports legends like Michael Jordan elevated basketball to global heights and Brady carved out a dynasty in football, Tendulkar's influence reached beyond cricket fields, inspiring billions across the world. His presence changes the sport itself, much like how Muhammad Ali became an ambassador of boxing or how Tiger Woods revolutionised golf. Tendulkar was not just a player -- he was the face of cricket's rise into a worldwide phenomenon, his mastery of the game making him a household name far beyond cricket-loving nations.
Headquartered in Dallas, the NCL has introduced an innovative Sixty Strikes format, a fast-paced version of the game.
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Delhi riots 2020: HC to hear Umar Khalid's bail plea in UAPA case on Monday
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court will on Monday hear the bail plea of former JNU student Umar Khalid in a UAPA case related to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the communal riots here in February 2020.
The bail pleas by other co-accused in the case -- student activist Sharjeel Imam and Gulfisha Fatima, 'United Against Hate' founder Khalid Saifi and others -- are also listed for fresh hearing before a bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur.
The cases were earlier before a bench headed by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait but the judge was recently transferred to the Madhya Pradesh High Court as its Chief Justice.
Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and several others have been booked under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the February 2020 riots, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.
The violence had erupted during the protests against the CAA and NRC.
Umar Khalid, who was arrested by the Delhi Police in September 2020, has assailed a trial court order of May 28, which refused to grant him bail in the case. Notice on his appeal was issued by the high court in July.
The pleas of Imam, Saifi and other accused were filed in 2022 and have been listed before different benches from time to time since then.
Sharjeel Imam, in his appeal filed in 2022, has assailed a trial court order of April 11, 2022 which refused to grant him bail. The police had arrested Imam in the present case on August 25, 2020.
On May 28, the trial court had rejected Umar Khalid's plea seeking regular bail for the second time, saying its previous order dismissing his first bail application had attained finality.
"When the Delhi High Court has already dismissed the criminal appeal of the applicant (Khalid) vide order dated October 18, 2022, and thereafter, the applicant approached the Supreme Court and withdrew his petition, the order of this court as passed on March 24, 2022 (on the first bail plea), has attained finality and now, in no stretch of imagination this court can make analysis of the facts of the case as desired by the applicant and consider the relief as prayed by him," the trial court had said.
On October 18, 2022, the high court had upheld the dismissal of the first bail plea and said the city police's allegations against Umar Khalid are prima facie true.
The high court had said that admittedly, the anti-CAA protests "metamorphosed into violent riots", which "prima facie seemed to be orchestrated at the conspiratorial meetings" and the statements of the witnesses indicate Khalid's "active involvement" in the protests.
