Former Sri Lanka Test cricketer Kaushal Silva has been named the new head coach of the Hong Kong men’s cricket team, marking his debut in charge of an international side. The appointment comes just weeks before their Asia Cup 2025 T20I campaign, which begins with their opening match against Afghanistan on September 9 in the UAE.
The 39-year-old played 39 Tests for Sri Lanka between 2011 and 2018. He made his mark in first-class cricket as a leading wicketkeeper-opener, scoring 13,932 runs and 41 centuries. Since he retired in 2019, he has gained coaching experience in Sri Lanka, England, and Australia.
Cricket Hong Kong chairperson Burji Shroff said Silva’s hiring aligns with the board’s plan to grow local talent and make the team more competitive. Silva also expressed his goal to instil a strong work ethic and winning mindset while identifying young talent for long-term development.
Hong Kong recently secured a runner-up finish at the Asia-Pacific Cricket Champions Trophy in Singapore and now faces a challenging Group B in the Asia Cup. The tournament, scheduled from September 9 to 28, will feature eight teams competing in T20I format.
The group line-up is as follows:
Group A:
India
Pakistan
Oman
UAE
Group B:
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Hong Kong
Sri Lanka
While Hong Kong prepares for a tough Group B campaign, one of the tournament’s key fixtures is the potential for up to three clashes between defending champions India and arch-rivals Pakistan, including a possible final.
Fresh legs are needed after a long fourth Test. England are bringing in Jamie Overton for the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval starting July 31. The fast-bowling all-rounder joined to help a tired pace attack after a long fourth Test in Manchester, where England bowled for 143 overs. That match ended in a draw.
Captain Ben Stokes said the team may need fresh legs. England must avoid losing the final Test to win the series. Overton joins other fast bowlers Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue. All three might be used, with Atkinson and Overton seen as uncertain picks due to a lack of match time.
Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse have played in all four matches. Jofra Archer played in two after returning from four years out with injury. Stokes had some pain in the last game but said it’s very unlikely he will miss the series decider.
There’s not much time between games. England were still playing on Sunday night, and the last Test starts on Thursday, July 31. Overton has played just once since May due to a finger injury. Atkinson has not played top-level cricket in over two months after a hamstring injury. Tongue, who took 11 wickets earlier in the series, has stayed with the squad.
Star YouTuber Ludwig Ahgren is bringing back the renowned Streamer Games this August, and it’s bigger, bolder, and open for fans to watch!
Announced on Ludwig’s X (formerly Twitter) account, the event is set to take place on August 16 to 17, 2025. This year’s edition will be held live at Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, California.
The two-day event features 40 content creators going head-to-head in physical games, such as 100m sprint, cube tosses, and other field day events. They will be divided into eight teams of five, each member competing in a specific challenge.
The Streamer Games 2025 marks the first time the event will be held in front of a live crowd. Ludwig also took to his X account the Team Captain lineup:
Jeremy ‘Disguised Toast’ Wang
Din ‘Agent 00’ Muktar
Brittany ‘Cinna’ Watts
Leslie ‘Fuslie’ Fu
Seán ‘Jacksepticeye’ McLoughlin
Jason ‘JasonTheWeen’ Nguyen
Emily ‘Vanillamace’
Emily ‘ExtraEmily’ Xuechun Zhang
How to attend Streamer Games 2025
Fans who wish to see the event in person can grab tickets from the event’s official website at streamergames.gg. If you’d rather watch from home, the event will be streamed live on Ludwig’s YouTube channel and Red Bull’s official Twitch account.
Cole Palmer has quickly become a key player at Chelsea. Despite talk of Manchester City wanting him back, there’s no sign the Blues will let him go anytime soon. The 23-year-old is under contract until 2033 and is happy at the club.
Chelsea sees Palmer as one of their most important players, especially after his standout performances. He scored two goals and provided an assist in the Club World Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain, which helped the Blues win the title.
In his first season, he scored 20 goals, won two trophies, and became a fan favourite. However, he dreams of winning the Ballon d’Or, and to do that, he hopes to help Chelsea win the Premier League and Champions League. If the club can’t compete for those top titles, he may consider moving in the future.
Although Manchester City are already title contenders, Palmer reportedly has no interest in going back, as he felt the club didn’t give him enough chances. Now, he enjoys proving himself at Chelsea.
A move to a top European club like Real Madrid or Barcelona could tempt him someday, but for now, Chelsea is determined to keep their star and help him reach the top.
Khel Kabaddi announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the 2025 Women’s Kabaddi World Cup (KWC) is postponed once again. It is meant to take place on August 3 to 10, but it has been moved until after the 2025 Pro Kabaddi League (PKL).
The postponement was reportedly due to the delayed submission of contingent team administrative details. To prevent further scheduling concerns, the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) said that no changes to the list of participants will be entertained.
It’s not the first time it was held back
This is not the first time the 2025 Women’s KWC has been delayed. The original schedule for the event was supposed to be held at Rajgir, Bihar, from June 1 to 10. Bihar withdrew as the host state, so the 2025 Women’s KWC was moved to Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad.
What we know so far about the competition
There is still no definitive schedule for the 2025 Women’s KWC, but the rest of the details remain unchanged. The tournament remains scheduled at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad and is set to feature the same 14 registered teams listed below:
Argentina Bangladesh Chinese Taipei Germany Netherlands
Considered by many as the greatest League of Legends player of all time, Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok has only played for one organisation. Once known as SK Telecom T1 and now simply T1, the team plucked Faker out of ranked solo queue to be the superstar mid-laner for the team in 2013.
He has not looked back as he embarked on the most legendary career in League esports history. With five World Championships, he is the most successful player in professional League of Legends, and he has an opportunity to win more with this new contract.
Faker commits his future to T1
It has been an interesting 2025 for T1, as they lost in the Mid-Season Invitational to Gen.G in the Grand Finals, then they also finished third in the Esports World Cup 2025. While they would have wanted to win the trophies, they are still having a promising year.
That was enough for Faker to commit to T1 and continue playing as the team’s star mid-laner. His contract will last until 2029, which removes the T1 fans’ anxiety about his contract ahead of a potential third-straight Worlds win in late 2025.
In a tense end to the Manchester Test, India refused Ben Stokes’ offer to end the match early with a draw. With 15 overs left, England’s captain approached India to call it off. But Indian batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, both close to centuries, said no. They wanted to keep playing and reach their milestones.
At the time, India stood at 386/4, leading by 75 runs. A result was unlikely, but India’s batters chose to stay at the crease. Stokes walked away, shaking his head. Tensions rose further when England’s Zak Crawley and Harry Brook exchanged words with Jadeja. The handshake between teams didn’t happen.
Commentator Sanjay Manjrekar said India made the right call, pointing out the batters’ effort and the context. He added that England may have done the same if roles were reversed.
Shubman Gill scored 103 and KL Rahul made 90 to rescue India after a rough start. Jadeja and Sundar later hit centuries and ended the match with an unbeaten stand of over 170 runs.
England brought on part-time bowler Harry Brook, who bowled loose deliveries, likely to force a quick end. The match ended in a draw. England still leads the series 2-1 as the teams head to London.
England’s Michelle Agyemang has been named Euro 2025’s Young Player of the Tournament, proving that even limited minutes on the field can make a huge impact. At just 19 years old, the Arsenal forward only played 138 minutes in total, but what she lacked in time, she made up for in impressive performances.
Some of Agyemang’s power plays are her two late equalisers. The first was during their quarter-finals match against Sweden, and the second was when they faced Italy in the semi-finals.
Lastly, she played an essential role in winning the trophy during their match with Spain, where England defeated them in a penalty shootout. While Agyemang’s minutes were few, her contributions were unforgettable.
The UEFA Technical Observer Group are the one to decide which award will be given to whom. In an interview, they said that ‘Michelle made a great contribution to help England reach the final,’ which backs their decision to give her the title. ‘She came on and both times got the goals that England needed to get through,’ they added.
Spain also had standout stars like Aitana Bonmati, the Player of the Tournament, and Esther Gonzalez, who finished as the top scorer with four goals in the tournament.
The big question: can the home side bounce back and avoid going down 0–2 against a sharp and in-form Pakistani outfit? West Indies, on the other hand, are still searching for rhythm. Their T20 talent pool is deep, with names like Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, and Romario Shepherd capable of changing games in a few overs. But inconsistency in execution—particularly with the ball—has made it hard to sustain pressure over 20 overs.Though Pakistan has the advantage in discipline and recent form, West Indies won’t be intimidated. Their record at home, combined with a fast-scoring lineup, means they always have a puncher’s chance. The key will be holding nerve during the death overs and converting starts into match-winning knocks.
Pakistan: Consistency Meets Expectation
Pakistan arrives with a resume befitting a world-class T20 side. They’ve had a strong 2025 campaign, especially in limited-overs cricket, where they thrive behind a disciplined bowling attack and a top order led by Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Pakistan has won 9 of their last 11 T20Is, recently sweeping Ireland and looking sharp in the lead-up to this series.
Their ability to control matches through Shaheen Afridi’s new-ball bursts and Shadab Khan’s middle-overs economy gives them a natural edge here. In the 1st T20I, they chased down a modest target with clinical efficiency—showing once again why they remain one of the most composed sides in the format.
West Indies: Poised for a Breakthrough
West Indies, on the other hand, are still searching for rhythm. Their T20 talent pool is deep, with names like Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, and Romario Shepherd capable of changing games in a few overs. But inconsistency in execution—particularly with the ball—has made it hard to sustain pressure over 20 overs.
Though Pakistan has the advantage in discipline and recent form, West Indies won’t be intimidated. Their record at home, combined with a fast-scoring lineup, means they always have a puncher’s chance. The key will be holding nerve during the death overs and converting starts into match-winning knocks.
Head-to-Head: Pakistan Leads 1–0
The opening match of the series went Pakistan’s way, with the visitors chasing down 159 with 9 balls to spare. Fakhar Zaman anchored the innings with a brisk 60, while West Indies struggled with consistency in both bowling lengths and fielding. That performance reinforced Pakistan’s edge in execution, but also showed that West Indies had moments—they just couldn’t string them together.
That match remains a key reference point heading into this round: Pakistan knows West Indies can strike quickly, and West Indies knows they let one slip. The big question now is whether they can pull together 40 strong overs and push the series to a decider.
Predictions
This match will likely be decided by new-ball wickets and middle-order partnerships. Pakistan will aim to keep things tight in the Powerplay and rely on Rizwan and Babar to anchor the chase. West Indies, in contrast, will look to push the scoring rate early and disrupt Pakistan’s bowling rhythm through aggressive intent.
The Caribbean side’s best chance may lie in batting first and putting scoreboard pressure on Pakistan. If they can force a high chase or squeeze in the middle overs, momentum—and the home crowd—could shift in their favor.
Most betting experts such as BettingApps and BettingsitesIndia give Pakistan a 68–72% chance to win, while West Indies has a 28–32% upset probability. The match total is expected to go over 319.5 runs, suggesting a potentially high-scoring contest even if Pakistan maintains control.
Final Verdict
According to BookiesBonuses, the odds favor Pakistan, and rightly so. They’re the more experienced, better-balanced, and more disciplined team. But matches aren’t played on paper. West Indies’ power hitters, unpredictable brilliance, and the home advantage in the Caribbean could all play a role in leveling the playing field.
The esports world has seen many iconic players throughout the years. These players were not always the most dominant stars, but their impact shaped how their games are played and perceived today.
By identifying the most influential players across the esports industry’s history, you get a glimpse into the games and how they’ve changed over the years. Before looking at the top players, you must understand the characteristics first.
What makes a player influential?
Influence can have many definitions in esports, but it usually involves pioneering a play style in their respective game. At the same time, these are players who made people interested in the game and possibly got them to play.
Iconic players deserve all the praise they receive for their impact and how they inspired a newer generation. These names played significant roles in their chosen game’s history in esports.
Some players introduced their games to a new generation, and they were influential enough to grow the game. Now, have a look at the biggest names in certain esports that have left their mark on their games and the esports:
Danil ‘Dendi’ Ishutin (Dota 2)
Across Dota 2’s illustrious history, there have been many amazing players. Names like Amer ‘Miracle-’ Al-Barkawi and Sumail ‘SumaiL’ Hassan come to mind due to their success and influence. Before they stood out, Danil ‘Dendi’ Ishutin was Dota 2’s most prominent star.
He won the very first The International in 2011 with Natus Vincere, and he was the star player in the mid lane. Throughout the years, Dendi became popular with the variety of heroes and play styles he had as a mid laner. Most people associate him with Pudge, as he always had innovative ways to use the Meat Hook, including the legendary Fountain Hook game in 2013.
Dendi was also known for many playmaking heroes, such as Puck, Rubick, and Shadow Fiend. With his friendly demeanour and bubbly personality, Dendi became an endearing player that people wanted to watch, and he became Dota 2’s first superstar, whose play style remains influential today.
Christopher ‘GeT_RiGhT’ Alesund (Counter-Strike)
Counter-Strike dates back to the 2000s when 1.3 and 1.6 were the popular games. That was when Swedish player Christopher ‘GeT_RiGhT’ Alesund got his start, as he started playing in 2007. He stood out for Fnatic starting in 2009, winning multiple trophies before moving to SK Gaming.
However, GeT_RiGhT would get his biggest break as part of the Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) team in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It was a star-studded roster, but GeT_RiGhT was the team’s standout player. He was always pulling off the clutch plays, mostly coming from unexpected spots on the map.
He was an innovative player, as he pioneered the ‘Lurker’ play style. It is a style that focuses on control and non-aggression. A player with this style wants to catch their opponents off guard, and GeT_RiGhT did that with excellent timing and game sense.
It became such an influential style that even Valorant players have also played it in that role. Ayaz ‘nAts’ Akhmetshin’s play as a lurker in Valorant felt very similar to GeT_RiGhT, which cements his influence across different first-person shooter games.
Daigo Umehara (Street Fighter/FGC)
The fighting game community (FGC) is filled with all kinds of iconic players. For them, Daigo Umehara is a living legend. He specialised in 2D arcade fighting games, but Street Fighter was his most iconic game, where he is also considered arguably the greatest player.
In the Guinness Book of World Records, he is the most successful Street Fighter player ever, which is also backed up by his six Evo Championship Series wins. Many Street Fighter players look up to Daigo, as he proved that one could take over the game and become a legend. His influence is not only seen in SF, but in other fighting games too.
Known for his discipline, precision, and legendary game sense, Daigo is influential. The most iconic moment of his career is the legendary Evo 2004: Moment #37, when he parried an entire combo to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. That brought new fans into the FGC, cementing his status as an influential FGC icon that other players look up to.
Hong ‘MadLife’ Min-gi (League of Legends)
Playing the support role is fun, but people have a bad perception of it as it is not flashy enough. That changed when Hong ‘MadLife’ Min-gi redefined what the role could do. He was a playmaking support, and that was evident with his performances on champions like Thresh and Blitzcrank.
Most of the time, people see the support role as a passive one. The players who play the support-based champions are usually behind the attack-damage carry (ADC) during team fights. That is not the case with MadLife, as he was usually the support player who initiated the fights, and was there on the frontline.
He would find ways to weave in and out of the fight to keep using his champion’s abilities. That required impressive game sense, and MadLife showed that support players are not replaceable, as they can also make significant plays on the same level as a top-laner or an ADC.
Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag (Call of Duty)
Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag was a top-tier Call of Duty player during his heyday, but his influence goes beyond the controller. He was a captivating player who had clutch performances, and he had a relatable personality to boot.
Although already a respected pro, his legacy grew even more after retirement when he founded 100 Thieves, one of the iconic esports organisations. Nadeshot is a competitive person, and that has bled into his org, content creation, and more. His business savvy turned him into the blueprint that esports players follow today.
