BCCI President Mithun Manhas, left, and Secretary Devajit Saikia, right, hand over the tournament trophy to Rajat Patidar (PTI Photo)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar struggled to find words after guiding his side to a second successive IPL title, admitting that lifting the trophy for the franchise was something he never imagined when he joined the team.RCB completed a successful title defence with a five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Virat Kohli‘s unbeaten 75 anchored the chase after the bowlers had restricted GT to 155/8.Reflecting on the triumph, Patidar said the emotions were difficult to describe.“I think it feels superb, you know. When we came here, a lot of memory of last year, the way we played last year. But at the same time, we have to be more in the present and feeling good. I think I don’t have words to express, but I’m feeling good.”The RCB skipper revealed that bowling first was always part of the plan and praised his attack for executing it perfectly. Bengaluru’s bowlers removed Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan inside the powerplay, putting the Titans under pressure from the outset.“Yeah, it was a clear plan. I think when we win the toss, it’s easy to chase, you know, and our plan was easy – get their top three in the powerplay, so it will be easy for us. And the way our bowlers bowled throughout the tournament, not in this match, I think it was superb.”Patidar made sure to acknowledge the entire bowling unit for their contribution to RCB’s back-to-back titles.“And the way Bhuvi, Hazlewood and Rasikh – I want to mention every bowler, KP, Suyash, Sheppy – I think they bowled brilliantly throughout the tournament.”The title triumph capped a remarkable personal journey for Patidar, who joined RCB in 2022 and has now become one of only a handful of captains to successfully defend an IPL title.“To be honest, I never dreamed of that, to be a captain and lifting a trophy for RCB. I think it was all written and I’m grateful for it.”Patidar admitted there was less pressure on the squad this season after winning their maiden title a year ago, with confidence replacing the burden of expectation.“Yeah, obviously, I think last year there was a lot of pressure because it was the first year for us (winning the title). And this year, I think we were pretty much confident because of the way we played in this tournament and everyone was looking in a good frame of mind.”He also thanked RCB supporters for turning every venue into a home ground throughout the campaign.“It was good to see fans were coming in every ground wherever we go. It feels like a home ground for us. So I think overall it was great, great for RCB.”Patidar credited his improved batting form to extensive preparation before the tournament and the guidance he received from senior figures within the franchise.“I think before entering the tournament, the pre-tournament prep was very good for me. The way I looked at my batting, I tried to analyse where I can improve, which are the shots I can improve on against the fast bowlers especially.”“In the tournament I worked with DK and a lot of players, VK Bhai. I got so many inputs, ideas, and it helped me.”The RCB captain also highlighted Virat Kohli’s influence within the dressing room, praising the veteran batter for the way he supports younger players.“I think whenever I see him, on the field and off the field also, he is always there for the team. He is always there for the players, especially the new players who are coming in.”“They have a lot of hesitation to speak, but he goes straight away and talks to them. So I think it was superb.”Patidar ended his post-match remarks with a special message for the fans who followed the team across the country.“So this one is for you again, RCB fans – Ee Salanu Cup Namdu (This year also the cup is ours).”For a captain who never dreamed of leading RCB to a trophy, Patidar now has two IPL titles in two seasons, cementing his place in the franchise’s history.

Jill Scott and Maisie Adam rocked up late to Soccer Aid after presenting the women’s FA Cup final elsewhere

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Lioness legend Jill Scott and stand-up comedian Maisie Adam arrived nearly half an hour late to this year’s Soccer Aid at London Stadium. The duo are understood to have turned up a full 25 minutes after the 6.30pm kick-off time.

The reason for their lateness is thought to be down to both co-hosting Channel 4’s coverage of the Women’s FA Cup final between Manchester City and Brighton on the opposite side of the capital at Wembley Stadium.

Following the conclusion of their duties, Jill and 32-year-old Maisie had to dash to east London in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford – roughly 23 miles away. Yet they only made it midway through the opening half as cameras showed them taking their places on the bench for the England side.

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Soccer Aid, broadcast on ITV, is marking its 20th anniversary this year. The yearly charity football encounter continues its quest to generate crucial funds for international children’s charity UNICEF, while uniting a distinctive blend of world-class football icons and cherished celebrities.

Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney captained the England squad, which was overseen by co-founder Robbie Williams and managed by Harry Redknapp.

Additional well-known figures from the footballing world featured former men’s England players Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Joe Hart.

Actors Danny Dyer, Tom Hiddleston and Adolescence star Owen Cooper also took part. TV personalities Paddy McGuinness, Jack Whitehall and Sam Thompson also had some cameos, alongside former England rugby player Joe Marler.

Radio presenter Jordan North, podcaster and presenter GK Barry, Love Island star Chloe Burrows and I’m A Celeb winner and YouTube sensation Angry Ginge rounded off England’s squad.

The latter put in a great performance at the back, which included several last-ditch blocks and clearances, to help England win 3-2 and also claim back-to-back player of the match awards.

On the World XI side, Olympic sprinting legend Usain Bolt took charge as manager. His side featured Edwin van der Sar, Michael Essien, Jordi Alba, Leonardo Bonucci, Dimitar Berbatov, Nemanja Matic, Nabhaan Rizwan, Nitro, Ali Krieger, Jen Beattie, Nicky Byrne, Dermot Kennedy, Chris O’Dowd, Richard Gadd, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

The World XI initially went three goals behind courtesy of a quickfire brace by Jermain Defoe and great strike from actor Damson Idris.

Essien pulled one back before Tim Cahill added a second late on. England XI were able to see out the game to claim victory with Angry Ginge and Rooney collectively lifting the trophy.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s remarkable IPL 2026 campaign ended with yet another record as the Rajasthan Royals teenager became the first player in tournament history to win five major individual awards in a single season.Although Rajasthan Royals fell short of reaching the final, Sooryavanshi was the undisputed star of the tournament. The 15-year-old swept the awards night, collecting the Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season, Super Sixes of the Season, Orange Cap and Most Valuable Player awards.It was a fitting reward for a campaign that completely redefined what was thought possible in the IPL.Sooryavanshi finished the season as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.30. He also smashed a record-breaking 72 sixes, comfortably surpassing Chris Gayle’s long-standing record of 59 sixes in a single IPL season.The teenager’s dominance was reflected in every major batting category. He won the Orange Cap for finishing as the highest run-getter, claimed the Super Striker award for his extraordinary scoring rate of 237.30, and secured the Super Sixes award after clearing the ropes 72 times during the campaign.His impact went far beyond those headline numbers. Sooryavanshi became the first uncapped batter in IPL history to score two centuries and broke Yashasvi Jaiswal’s record for the most runs by an uncapped player in a season by a massive margin.Among his standout performances was a breathtaking 16-ball half-century against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator, equalling the fastest fifty ever scored in an IPL playoff match. Earlier in the season, he blasted a 36-ball hundred against the same opposition, the third-fastest century in IPL history. Remarkably, he also owns the second-fastest IPL century.The youngster continued to rewrite the record books in Qualifier 2, where he became both the youngest batter and the fastest by balls faced to reach 1,000 IPL runs. He reached the landmark in just 440 deliveries, eclipsing Andre Russell’s previous record by 105 balls.The powerplay proved to be Sooryavanshi’s favourite hunting ground. Of his 776 runs, an astonishing 521 came in the first six overs, the highest tally recorded by any batter in that phase during an IPL season.His six-hitting numbers were perhaps even more extraordinary. Chris Gayle’s iconic 59-sixes season in 2012 came from 456 balls, a six every 7.7 deliveries. Sooryavanshi, by comparison, launched 72 sixes from only 327 balls faced, clearing the boundary once every 4.5 deliveries.While Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted the trophy after defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final, the individual awards night belonged entirely to Sooryavanshi. At just 15 years of age, he produced one of the greatest batting seasons the IPL has ever witnessed and became the first player to walk away with five major awards in a single edition of the tournament.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s IPL 2026 Awards

At WWE Clash in Italy 2026, Gunther failed to become the new Undisputed WWE Champion. The Ring General locked horns with Cody Rhodes in the kickoff match. Despite having huge momentum, the former Imperium Leader got pinned by the Prodigal Son.

In the post-match, the former World Heavyweight Champion was visibly frustrated as Rhodes celebrated his victory. Many fans online are unhappy with Cody retaining the gold.

Gunther has been booked as an unstoppable force in the Stamford-based promotion. He retired Goldberg, John Cena & AJ Styles and emerged as the Career Ki**er.

Additionally, the 38-year-old star has had an undefeated streak in singles matches since last year’s SummerSlam PLE. However, Cody Rhodes’ defeating him has ended this impressive streak.

This article will look at five reasons why Triple H didn’t put the Undisputed WWE title on Gunther at Clash in Italy 2026.

#5. To set the stage for a rematch

After WrestleMania 42, the Triple H creative regime is seemingly more focused on booking rematches. This is evident from Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill rematch getting booked at the recent international show.

Also, Roman vs. Jacob was a rematch at Clash in Italy. Gunther losing the match could lead to another match between them. The chances are higher, especially after the Ring General was frustrated in the post-match.

Gunther might demand a rematch from the American Nightmare or destroy him in the aftermath episode of RAW or SmackDown. So, setting the stage for a second match could be the reason why he lost at Clash in Italy.

As of now, Night of Champions 2026 is the ideal location for their potential rematch.

#4. WWE is giving Cody Rhodes another monster push

Cody Rhodes defeated John Cena to become the Undisputed Champion. Later, Drew McIntyre dethroned him and took the title, only to drop it before WrestleMania 42 to the Prodigal Son.

At WrestleMania this year, Randy Orton competed in an Undisputed title match against Cody Rhodes, but the American Nightmare retained the Championship. His victory over an unstoppable Gunther proves that WWE is giving a monster push to the former AEW star.

This could be a probable explanation why Triple H didn’t put the title on the Ring General at the international Premium Live event.

#3. The unfinished business of Cody Rhodes & Randy Orton

After the Viper lost to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 42, he launched a post-match assault. Following this, the Legend Ki**er went on hiatus from the company and has been notably absent.

So, it’s clear that Cody and Orton still have unfinished business to settle in the squared circle. This could be why Gunther failed to emerge as the new Champion at Clash in Italy 2026.

If Gunther had won the title from Cody, the American Nightmare feud with Orton would not have had the Championship element. Considering this, WWE decided not to crown Gunther as the new title holder at Clash in Italy.

#2. It was a botched ending

Many fans online believe that the Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther Undisputed WWE title match was ended in a botch. In the closing moment, the Ring General almost put her legs on the ropes, but in an awkward situation, the referee counted to three.

Gunther appears to be genuinely surprised by the ending of the match and kept shouting on the official ringside. There might be a chance that the Clash in Italy match ended in a botch, which contributes to the Ring General’s failure to become the Champion.

#1. WWE may want to crown Gunther as Champion in the rematch

The post-match reaction of Gunther subtly confirms that WWE is planning for a second match between the Ring General and the American Nightmare. If this rematch happens, there is a chance that the former Imperium Leader might dethrone the Prodigal Son in this rematch and emerge as the new Champion.

Crowning Gunther as the next potential Undisputed WWE Champion could be the motive for his loss at the international Premium Live event. Triple H may want the Ring General to become Champion, probably at Night of Champions 2026.

If this happens, then it will not only be a title victory for the 38-year-old star but also a revenge for the loss at the Clash in Italy Premium Live event.