Abhishek Sharma with his father Rajkumar Sharma and mother Manju Sharma (Special arrangement)

TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: Before the 2018 U-19 World Cup, Abhishek Sharma pleaded with his father, Rajkumar Sharma, to get a passport and come to New Zealand to watch him play. Rajkumar Sharma refused, saying he would travel abroad only if Abhishek played a Test match, an ODI World Cup, or a T20I World Cup. The 16-year-old was heartbroken, but he made a promise to his father: “One day you will have to come and watch me live from the stands. I will play in a World Cup for India.” Eight years later, Rajkumar Sharma, along with his wife Manju Sharma, daughter Komal Sharma and son-in-law Lovish Oberoi, is in Colombo to watch Abhishek play a World Cup match for India.

“I have seen his IPL matches and some India matches but I have never watched him play a World Cup match from the stands. This is my first time,” an emotional Rajkumar Sharma told TimesofIndia.com.“He wanted us to travel to New Zealand during the U-19 World Cup, but I didn’t go. I challenged him that the day he plays for India in a senior World Cup, ODI or T20I, or Tests, I will travel wherever the venue is, to watch him play. I did break his heart, but I also gave him a goal in life,” Sharma senior said.The world’s leading T20I batter did not have an ideal start to the tournament. He played with a stomach infection against the USA in Mumbai. Although his innings lasted just one ball, his condition worsened. He had a high fever when the team landed in Delhi for the Namibia match. It got so severe that the southpaw had to be admitted to the hospital for a night. The illness also caused drastic weight loss.His family rushed to Delhi to be with him. After seeing his son lying on the hospital bed, Rajkumar Sharma decided to cancel his Colombo tickets, but Abhishek assured him that he would be fit for the February 15 match against Pakistan.“Karoron logon ki dua thi, woh kaise fit nahi hota?” said Rajkumar Sharma. (When millions of people were praying for him, how could he not be fit?)Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, who saw Abhishek’s onslaught from close quarters during the Asia Cup in Dubai, is also an admirer of the Indian batter.“We all know he’s a good player and I really hope he plays tomorrow because we want to play against the best team they have. I really hope he is recovering well and can play tomorrow,” Agha told reporters at the R Premadasa Stadium on the eve of the highly anticipated match against India.Abhishek’s father said he was grateful that his son was admired not only within his own team but also in the opposition camp.India captain Suryakumar Yadav also hinted at Abhishek’s return during the press conference.“If he wants him to play, then we’ll play him tomorrow. Done. If the opposing team’s captain is saying it will be good if Abhishek Sharma plays, then let’s play him. No problem,” Surya said.Back from the hospital bed, Abhishek Sharma batted for an hour in the nets. His session was divided into two parts. In one net, he faced fast bowlers, mostly net bowlers. In the second stint, he took on the spinners. There were a few hits and misses, but the sound off the bat was a clear signal that the Amritsar marauder was back, with plenty of critics to silence, including former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir.

“He is a slogger. That is how I see him. A player who cannot judge the line and defend the ball properly, can I call him a proper batter? He comes in and swings hard, and it connects well for him right now,” Amir said on the show Haarna Mana Hai.“But the day he learns to handle tough lines and defend properly, I will change my opinion. You are playing on small grounds and flat wickets. You have not really been tested yet,” Amir added.“Let him tour South Africa, New Zealand and England, where the ball moves. That is where the real test will be. If he succeeds there, I will be the first to call him a proper batter,” he said.Since making his debut in July 2024, Abhishek Sharma has emerged as one of the most destructive batters in world cricket. In 39 T20Is, the left-hander has scored 1,297 runs at a staggering strike rate of 194.45, with two centuries and eight fifties, while maintaining a strong average of 36.02.Although his father admits that watching his son bat increases his blood pressure.“I have told him so many times, ‘Kaake single bhi le’ (take singles as well). Now I have given up. But I sincerely hope he stays at the crease for longer. Right now, he is helping the team get ferocious starts, but if he can control his temptation a bit and bat till 15 overs, he can finish games quickly. But this approach has brought him so many blessings, so I have stopped complaining,” he said.As Abhishek Sharma prepares to walk out under the Colombo lights, the moment carries more than just runs and records. It is the culmination of a promise made by a teenager, the faith of millions who prayed for his recovery, and the quiet pride of a father finally watching from the stands. Whatever unfolds on the pitch, this World Cup night already stands as one of the most personal chapters of Abhishek’s journey.

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to expand his impressive business portfolio by tapping into the UK market, as his stance on retiring from football comes to light

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly planning to extend his brand into the UK. The 41-year-old, currently playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, is believed to be interested in introducing his hotel and bar businesses to Britain.

The Manchester United legend teamed up with Portuguese hotel group Pestana in 2016 to launch a range of CR7-branded hotels and bars. He owns CR7-branded establishments in Madrid, Funchal, Lisbon, Marrakech and New York.

According to The Sun, the partnership, which operates Inverse by Pestana CR7 venues throughout Portugal, has applied to register the trademark in the UK. The report suggests that Ronaldo, who remains immensely popular in Manchester, recognises the strong potential market in the city should he decide to open a bar or hotel there.

Ex-United team-mate Gary Neville already operates Hotel Football, located near Old Trafford. While there’s no sign of Ronaldo retiring soon, those close to him reportedly think his increasingly proactive business approach indicates he’s preparing for life after football.

Despite already amassing a fortune worth hundreds of millions, he continues to broaden his portfolio across fashion, fitness and hospitality sectors.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which monitors the world’s wealthiest individuals, Ronaldo’s net worth is estimated at £1.04billion.

His worth takes into account career earnings, investments and endorsements, with Bloomberg estimating that his salary income from 2002 to 2023 surpassed £410 million.

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His transfer to Al‐Nassr in 2022 saw him sign a reported annual salary of £177million, and he has since agreed a new contract keeping him at the club until 2027.

He also earns £13.4m annually through his sponsorship deal with Nike. Ronaldo recently went on strike at Al-Nassr.

The 41-year-old sat out matches against Al-Ittihad and Al-Riyadh as a way of expressing his dissatisfaction with Al-Nassr, the Pro League and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF).

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He has been upset over a lack of transfer activity at the club, as well as the reduced influence of his allies, chief executive Jose Semedo and director of football Simão Coutinho.

However, Ronaldo has since ended his strike action and is expected to play a key part in Al-Nassr’s clash with Al Fateh on Saturday evening.

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World Curling has addressed the cheating allegations that rocked Friday night’s round-robin game between Canada and Sweden, concluding that “no violations were recorded” during the umpires’ observations that followed the claims.

Tensions flared when Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson accused Canada’s Marc Kennedy of double-touching the stone. Videos shared online appeared to show Kennedy touching the stone with an extended finger after he released the handle. 

Sweden’s Rasmus Wranaa (L) reacts next to Canada’s Ben Hebert during the curling men’s round-robin between Canada and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. Cortina d’Ampezzo on Feb. 13, 2026. (Tiziana FABI / AFP)

The two opponents exchanged words when Eriksson said, “Maybe it’s okay touching the rock after the hog line, I don’t know.”

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Kennedy then fired back, “Who’s doing it? I haven’t done it once, you can f— off.”

The two continued to exchange words, but it was Kennedy who used profanities to express his displeasure with the accusations. 

“Come on Oskar, just f— off.” 

World Curling released a statement Saturday addressing the controversy – both the accusations and Kennedy’s sportsmanship. 

Canada’s Brad Jacobs and Marc Kennedy in action during the men’s curling round-robin session against Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The event took place in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

“Game Umpires are situated at the end of each sheet and physically cannot see every delivery infraction. However, when they are made aware of delivery issues, game umpires are positioned to observe the delivery for three ends. During this period of observation in the Friday evening game, there were no violations recorded,” the statement began, noting that video replay is not used during games and an umpire’s call is final. 

OLYMPIC CURLING MATCH DESCENDS INTO CHAOS AFTER CHEATING ALLEGATIONS PROMPT PROFANE INSULT

The sports governing body also addressed two rule concerns, including “double-touching” and touching the granite. According to the rules, players can retouch the handle multiple times, but “touching the handle after the hog line is not allowed and will result in the stone being removed from play.” 

Additionally, the stone will be removed from play if the granite is touched at all during “forward motion.”

As a result of the allegations, World Curling said that two officials will be positioned to observe all deliveries beginning with Saturday’s games. 

Canada’s Ben Hebert, Canada’s Brad Jacobs and Canada’s Brett Gallant compete in the curling men’s round robin between Canada and Sweden during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Feb. 13, 2026.  (Tiziana FABI / AFP)

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Canada was also issued a verbal warning from World Curling for Kennedy’s language during the game.

 “During that meeting it was made clear to those officials that further inappropriate behavior, determined by rule R.19 would result in additional sanctions,” the statement read. According to the rule, Kennedy could face suspension if he commits another violation. 

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Breezy Johnson recently shared Mikaela Shiffrin’s amusing reaction to the American pop star Taylor Swift celebrating her engagement. Along with a gold medal, Johnson took home a precious ring as her longtime boyfriend, Connor Watkins, proposed to her near the finish line after she completed her super-G run.

The American skier’s boyfriend popped the question after Johnson’s quest for a super-G title ended with a crash. As she reached the finish line, Watkins was waiting with a ring in his pocket. Reciting lyrics from the Taylor Swift song “Alchemy,” Watkins pulled out the ring with a blue gem at the center of a white sapphire set.

He also gave her a piece of wood which had the lyrics “Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?” from “Alchemy” carved on it. The iconic proposal did not go unnoticed by Taylor Swift, who congratulated the couple on the Instagram post by referencing another lyric from the song:

“Where’s the trophy? He just comes running over to me’ CONGRATULATIONS!!!”

Swift’s reaction was noticed by Shiffrin, who was present on the site when the heartwarming moment unfolded. After the American singer’s comment, Shiffrin expressed her jealousy towards Johnson, who opened up about her teammates’ feelings, saying:

“I just lost it. I did not expect the way that it grew legs and ran, and then she commented, and I was like, ‘Oh my God’ and then Mikaela was there, and like I could tell she was like, ‘I’ve never been so jealous of Breezy in my life.’”

Breezy Johnson won a gold medal in the downhill event at the 2026 Winter Games.

When will Mikaela Shiffrin compete next at the 2026 Winter Olympics?

Mikaela Shiffrin competed at the Winter Olympics in the team combined event and slalom. However, she fell short of registering a win after finishing in fourth and 15th in combined and slalom, respectively.

She still has the opportunity to medal in Italy, and end her no medal draught from the 2022 Beijing Games. Shiffrin will next compete in the slalom. The women’s slalom schedule at the 2026 Winter Olympics is given below:

• Feb. 15: Women’s giant slalom run 1 | 4 a.m. ET
• Feb. 15: Women’s giant slalom run 2 | 7:30 a.m. ET
• Feb. 18: Women’s slalom run 1 | 4 a.m. ET
• Feb. 18: Women’s slalom run 2 | 7:30 a.m. ET