Sports

Married since 2005, Indian boxing legend Mary Kom is reportedly going through a tough phase in her personal life. Mary and her husband Karung Onkholer, aka Onler, are said to be on the verge of divorce, having been living apart from each other for a while now. The trouble in the couple’s paradise is said to have started after Mary’s husband, Onler’s defeat in the 2022 Manipur Assembly Elections. The couple had reportedly spent Rs 2-3 crores while campaigning, but the defeat in the elections left the two shattered.

As per a report in Hindustan Times, Mary has since moved to their Faridabad house with all four children. Onler, on the other hand, is in Delhi.

“Mary moved to Faridabad with their (four) children, while Onler has been living in Delhi with some family members,” a source close to the couple told the paper. “Their differences escalated after the elections. Mary was reportedly unhappy about the financial losses – around INR 2-3 crores – incurred during the campaign and (the fact) that he lost.”

The report also claimed that Onler wasn’t keen on entering the political landscape but agreed to contest elections on Mary’s insistence.

“It was Mary’s idea. He didn’t want to contest and had warned her that Manipur’s political landscape was volatile at the time,” the paper quoted a source as saying. “After the defeat, things worsened. Their usual marital disagreements turned serious, and Mary moved into her Faridabad house with the kids.”

No official communication from the couple has yet been made public, but a boxer, on the condition of anonymity, has said that the rumours of Mary and Onler getting a divorce might actually be true. In fact, the boxer even claimed that Mary is also in a relationship with another boxer’s husband.

“The separation rumours about Mary Kom and Onler might not be just rumours. No one knows the reason for sure, though. Everyone whispers about Mary ma’am being in a relationship with another boxer’s husband. Speculation has been fuelled further by her recent Instagram posts featuring him as her business associate.”

Thes report also pointed out the pain Onler has had to go through since Mary moved out.

“He’s heartbroken. He has always been a devoted father and gave up his football career to support Mary and raise their kids. Now he’s unable to meet them, and it’s taken a toll on him emotionally. It is no secret that he put his career on hold so that Mary could build hers,” the source said in the report.

File photo of Pakistan’s Hasan Ali (R) during a match against Australia. (AP/PTI)

Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali made headlines with his remarks about Pakistan Super League (PSL) potentially drawing viewers away from Indian Premier League (IPL), as both tournaments are scheduled to run simultaneously in April-May. The PSL, which has traditionally taken place in February-March, was rescheduled due to Pakistan’s packed international calendar.
The scheduling change has led to PSL’s 10th edition clashing with IPL’s 18th season, creating a unique situation for cricket viewers globally.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
“Fans watch the tournament where there’s good cricket with entertainment. If we play well in the PSL, viewers will leave the IPL to watch us,” Hasan told reporters, as per Geo News, ahead of the PSL opener.
Hasan Ali, who will play for Karachi Kings in PSL, also addressed Pakistan’s recent struggles in international cricket, particularly their disappointing performance in various tournaments.

Pakistan’s cricket team faced significant setbacks, starting with their early exit from the Champions Trophy under Mohammad Rizwan’s leadership, where they lost to both New Zealand and India in the group stage.
Following the Champions Trophy disappointment, the Pakistan Cricket Board initiated plans focusing on the T20 World Cup 2026 and ODI World Cup 2027.
The team’s challenges continued during their New Zealand tour, where they suffered a 4-1 defeat in the T20I series despite introducing new players alongside experienced ones.
The ODI series against New Zealand proved equally challenging, with Pakistan suffering a 3-0 whitewash despite the return of key players Rizwan and Babar Azam, who had missed the T20I series.

“When the national team doesn’t perform well, it impacts franchise leagues like the PSL,” Hassan said. “But when Pakistan do well, the PSL’s graph also rises.”
Hasan expressed optimism about the team’s future despite recent setbacks. “The current results aren’t great, but we have fresh faces in the team and also in management who need time. The players know where they went wrong and where to improve,” he said.

India remains a country obsessed with its cricket stars. Quite often this obsession has been highlighted as the reason behind the team’s inability to earn big titles. There have also been discussions around the places veterans like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, etc. hold in the team even as their performances haven’t been top-notch on the international stage in recent years. For Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Moeen Ali, players shouldn’t hold on to their spots in the team just because they have a big fan-following.

Moeen, in a straightforward conversation with the Indian Express, said that players can continue to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) even when they aren’t at their best. But at the international stage, it’s important to make way so that other players can be given a chance.

“Franchisee cricket is one thing, which is like a privately owned enterprise. You can continue playing if the franchisee is fine with it,” Moeen told the paper. “And it is a T20. But when you’re representing a country, be it a Test or an ODI, the self-reflection should be harder. If England was a franchise, I would have carried on playing because I know I am capable. But because it’s England and it’s international cricket, and there is always a bigger group of players to pick from, I retired to make way.”

When pointed out that it isn’t an easy call for certain top Indian players to make because of their intense fanbase (like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli), Moeen said it’s important that such decisions come from the individuals.

Rohit, in fact, has had quite an extended barren run with the bat. Even in the ongoing IPL, his stats paint a worrying picture of a massive decline.

“I definitely think you shouldn’t just hold on because you’re a big name or you have a massive following. And it should never be your own personal goals,” he said.

Moeen even said that such a reluctance to step aside can be branded as ‘selfishness’.

“Don’t just hold on for the sake of holding on in a selfish way. Just be a bit more realistic and think, is it worth me holding on? Have I got more to give to the team? If the team wants to go in a new direction, I think you should allow that to happen. If you’re not performing and you’re at that age where you’re a bit older and there’s younger players coming through and they’re probably playing better than you right now. It doesn’t mean they’re better than you now, but they’re playing better than you. Then you should be a bit more realistic and honest with yourself,” he asserted.

New Delhi: The announcement of India’s squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 raised a few eyebrows as Mohammed Siraj failed to find a spot. The 31-year-old played a crucial role in India’s brilliant display during the ODI World Cup 2023, forming an excellent partnership with Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah. Team India captain Rohit Sharma stated that the decision to drop Siraj was influenced by his reduced effectiveness as the ball got older.
While IPL 2025 provided an opportunity to prove a point, Siraj was presented with the stern challenge of emerging as a leader of the pack. RCB opted to release Siraj for the IPL 2025 auction where he was picked by GT for Rs 12.25 crore. There were questions over whether the pacer would be able to hold his own in a new environment, after the Champions Trophy snub.Siraj has responded in emphatic fashion and been excellent, accounting for nine wickets in four matches.
While the 31-year-old cricketer had picked 15 wickets at an average of 33.07 and an economy rate of 9.19 in the previous season, he has already recorded nine dismissals at an average of 13.78 and an economy rate of 7.75 in IPL 2025. The pacer has also registered six dismissals during the powerplay so far in this edition which is more than his tally during the powerplay in the previous edition.

Siraj won the ‘Player of the Match’ award in GT’s most recent IPL 2025 match against SRH, recording his best figures in the IPL of 4/17. This marked the second consecutive instance where Siraj was named the Player of the Match, having registered a spell of 3/19 in the previous match against his old team RCB. IPL 2025 marks the first season where the pacer has been named the ‘Player of the Match’ twice.
“I could not digest it initially. When you are not selected in the Indian team, it does cross your mind whether you are good enough, but I wanted to be ready for the IPL,” said Siraj while discussing his mindset after the Champions Trophy snub. “When you are executing exactly what you want to do, that is when you are on top. When the ball is listening to you and doing exactly what you want, that gives a different feeling. I was playing matches consistently, so I didn’t realise the mistakes I was making. I focussed on my bowling during the break and the ball is being bowled nicely now,” he added.
One major factor behind the pacer’s current success is the hard work through thick and thin after being dropped. “Siraj said, ‘I could have played in the Champions Trophy but I guess they want to give game time to others. I will use this time to focus on my fitness and keep practicing’,” said the cricketer’s close friend Mohammed Kaleem during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.

“There are two to three cricket grounds in Hyderabad. He used to work on a particular aspect during the day and a different skill set during the night. There was specific focus on improving his technique as a bowler. Siraj has always been quite fearless and confident as a cricketer. Muttiah Muralitharan and VVS Laxman had invited him to a net session back in 2016-17 just to see his potential and consider him as an addition to SRH. He bowled bouncers at a very high pace to KL Rahul who got scared and asked him to slow down considering the risk of injury. Siraj also managed to dismiss Virat Kohli which earned him respect in the latter’s eyes. I and Siraj used to sit together at the entry gate for net bowlers at that point. However, impressing Muralitharan and Laxman soon earned him an IPL contract with SRH ,” he added.
The 31-year-old cricketer’s childhood coach Kudaravalli Srinivas further highlighted Siraj’s mental transformation as a major factor behind his success.
“Siraj has always been someone who respects the seniors and follows the decision of the captain or team management. However, he was just like a machine earlier who would simply follow orders. Now, Siraj has started thinking on his own after joining GT as he knows that he has to survive by himself. His pace has increased. Siraj is clocking more than 140 kph consistently,” stated Srinivas.
“Siraj knows all the weaknesses of the batters and is focused on exploiting them. If you see his spell against SRH, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma didn’t get bandwidth to free their arms, leading to their dismissal in the powerplay which left a huge impact. Siraj was the number one bowler in ODIs when he was dropped for the Champions Trophy. That snub triggered a desire to improve and excel as much as possible,” he added.

Chennai Super Kings’ Ravichandran Ashwin with teammates during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings, in New Chandigarh, Tuesday, April 8, 2025
| Photo Credit: PTI

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin surpassed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) right-arm swinging seamer Bhuvnesh Kumar to become the third-highest wicket-taker in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

During Tuesday (April 8, 2025) night’s clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS), the 38-year-old off-spinner scythed two wickets in four overs, giving away 48 runs at an economy of 12. With these two wickets, Ashwin breezed past Bhuvneshwar to emerge as the third-highest wicket-taker in the history of the cash-rich league.

So far in IPL, the Chennai-born cricketer has 185 wickets in 217 matches at an average of 29.92, where the crafty ball tweaker has conceded runs at an economy of 7.18. The best bowling figures for the veteran spinner in this league is 4/34

On the other hand, the ‘Prince of Swing,’ Bhuvneshwar, boasts 184 scalps in 179 matches of the competition so far. These wickets have come at an average of 27.28, where the bowler has conceded runs at an economy of 7.57. The best figure for the 35-year-old player is 5/19.

Above Ashwin are Punjab Kings (PBKS) leg-break spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (206 wickets in 164 matches at an average of 22.83 and best figures of 5/40) and former spin maestro Piyush Chawla (192 wickets in 192 matches at an average of 26.60, with best figures of 4/17).

Speaking about Tuesday’s (April 8, 2025) IPL 2025 encounter, opener Priyansh Arya’s maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) century helped hosts Punjab Kings (PBKS) score 219 runs and set up victory over five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who lost the encounter by 18 runs.

Priyansh was adjudged ‘Player of the Match’ for his blistering display with the bat. PBKS is at the fourth spot with three wins and a loss, while CSK is at ninth with a win and four losses.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is relishing the prospect of taking on Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals of the Champions League as the English former winners seek to end the French side’s quest for continental glory. “Aston Villa is a historic club that won the European Cup in 1982 and of course it is very special in football,” Emery pointed out at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday on the eve of the first leg. “When I arrived at Villa two-and-a-half years ago I knew this history. Of course my challenge at that moment was to compete for trophies, and to get back into Europe. To be in the Champions League is really amazing but maintaining consistency is the next challenge.

“To be playing a Champions League quarter-final in Paris is really special for everybody involved with Villa but we want to be consistently doing it at this level.”

Villa eased past Club Brugge to reach the last eight, having finished an impressive eighth during the league phase of the competition.

Facing a PSG side who ousted Liverpool on penalties in the last round promises to be a much stiffer test for Villa.

“I think Liverpool were the favourites before playing PSG and PSG beat them playing fantastic football,” added Emery, who coached the French champions from 2016 to 2018.

“Now maybe with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, PSG are the favourites (to win the Champions League).

“It is a huge challenge for me and for the players, but we feel confident.”

Emery said he felt Marcus Rashford had found happiness again on the pitch and was playing with freedom after joining Villa on loan from Manchester United in the winter transfer window.

Rashford, 27, has three goals and four assists in 12 appearances for Villa and has pedigree against PSG in European competition.

He scored a crucial stoppage-time penalty when United beat PSG 3-1 at the Parc des Princes in 2019 to win a last-16 tie on away goals.

Rashford also struck a late winner in Paris when the Old Trafford club won 2-1 in a group-stage contest in 2020, played behind closed doors during the pandemic.

“I think he is playing freely and feeling comfortable, and this is the most important thing,” Emery said.

“We see him smiling and that is the best news we can have.”

Emery was also full of praise for his opposite number Luis Enrique, as the two Spaniards renew acquaintances in the competition.

“He is one of the best coaches in the world. I have faced him a lot of times and it is always difficult tactically,” said Emery.

Emery was in charge of PSG when they lost to Luis Enrique’s Barcelona in the Champions League last 16 in 2017, going down 6-1 in the return after winning 4-0 at home in the first leg.

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

Chennai Super Kings’ Mukesh Choudhary attempts to take the catch of Punjab Kings’ Priyansh Arya during an IPL 2025 match in New Chandigarh, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. However, Mukesh Choudhary touched the boundary cushion after taking the catch off R. Ashwin.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Luck is only as good as the opportunities you seize. While Punjab Kings’ Priyansh Arya cashed in on the lives he got, Chennai Super Kings batters did not make use of the multiple reprieves they received in the IPL fixture at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium here on Tuesday. 

The 24-year-old’s unwavering courage, even after getting two lifelines, helped him smash the second-fastest century by an Indian in the IPL (39 balls).

CSK head coach Stephen Fleming lauded Priyansh’s knock while acknowledging that fielding cost the side dearly. 

“Priyansh had a day out, didn’t he? It’s very brave to come off a first-ball dismissal [against Rajasthan Royals] and look to play like that. It’s pretty special to go out and create the innings yourself when batters at the other end are faltering,” Fleming said after CSK’s 18-run loss.

“The first ball we bowled straight [against Priyansh], we created a caught-and-bowled chance, and that [had it been caught] changes the night quite drastically… the game was really lost in the field. I thought we were sloppy and just lacked accuracy under pressure.” 

Before his first foray into the IPL, Priyansh made the headlines by smashing six sixes in an over for South Delhi Superstarz in the Delhi Premier League.

Shashank Singh — who himself rode his luck while notching up a half-century in PBKS’ win — said such State T20 leagues will aid the youngsters get better faster. “Oh yes, I am really in favour of these leagues. We saw Priyansh today (on Tuesday), and Digvesh Rathi in Lucknow Super Giants. These are players who did well for their State leagues,” Shashank said.

“These leagues are good as you get an opportunity to play under lights and in pressure situations… because skills, obviously, most of them will have. But then you get to see the mental toughness and the character during these State leagues”.