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By K.R. Nayar  Dubai.   The joyful scenes that followed India’s win will remain etched in the memories of those who were at the stadium forever. Never before had Indian expatriates celebrated a victory with such enthusiasm. After the final, when the stadium’s public address system played the Lungi Dance song, many fans wrapped themselves in the Indian flag and danced to the tune. Since lungis are traditionally tied around the waist, almost everyone did the same with the flag. Interestingly, even the Indian players joined in, dancing to various songs. As Indian rap songs echoed beyond the stadium, fans continued dancing all the way home. Rohit Sharma takes a selfie with the trophy and journalists Sharma poses the trophy with journalists   Rohit Sharma made it a point to share the joy of winning with journalists as well. In Barbados, after winning the ICC T20 World Cup, he had posed with reporters and even autographed their media accreditation cards. When asked b...

By K.R. Nayar   Dubai. When a diary entry creates a huge impact, it’s a great feeling—especially when the person mentioned in it becomes the centre of attention, attracting numerous selfie requests at the stadium. After a few fans read my diary about the Modi look-alike, it went viral, and he was soon noticed by many spectators during the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium.   Modi look-alike S.P. Reddy with  Sreekumaran Unni. Photo courtesy:  Sreekumaran Unni   The discovery of the Modi look-alike happened by chance, as I always keep an eye for something unique among the fans. Soon after my diary was posted, many observed his striking resemblance to Modi. Not only was he approached for photos, but he was also flooded with messages from around the world.   The photo which caught attention. Photo by K.R. Nayar  One of the spectators who noticed him was Sreekumaran Unni, a passionate cricket enthusiast who...

By K.R. Nayar   Dubai.  India emerged as the champions of the Champions Trophy, riding on skipper Rohit Sharma’s sparkling 76 under the Ring of Fire floodlights at the Dubai International Stadium in front of a packed Sunday crowd. India’s formidable batting depth was on full display, with crucial contributions from Shubman Gill (31), Shreyas Iyer (48), Axar Patel (29). In the end K. L. Rahul (34n.o) and Hardik Pandya’s (18) and their 38-run partnership was also instrumental in India’s win. India clinched victory by four wickets with six balls to spare, lifting the Champions Trophy for the third time and pocketing the prize money of USD 2,240,000. This edition of the Champions Trophy was the richest ever, boasting a total prize pool of USD 6,871,768—a 53% increase from the 2017 edition.   New Zealand's innings up and downs   The day began with Rohit Sharma equaling the world record for the longest streak of lost tosses in men’s ODIs, a record held by ...

By K.R. Nayar   Dubai.   Cricket fans lining up to enter the stadium love to have fun. They cheered for one fan who looked similar to Indian Prime Minister Modi. A few, acting like his followers, cheered him into the stadium while calling out, “Modi, Modi, welcome Modi.” He enjoyed the attention, and when this reporter asked for a photo, he waved just as Modi does during a rally. Incidentally, Modi was present during the 2023 ICC World Cup final in Ahmedabad and had consoled the Indian team when they lost the final. In 2024, he hosted the T20 World Cup-winning team for breakfast at his residence. A look-alike Modi fan and his followers. Photo by K.R. Nayar   Indian and Pakistani photographers’ hunt for autographs   It was interesting to watch an Indian and a Pakistani photographer together requesting autographs from Indian players. One wanted an autograph on a cricket bat, while the other wanted one on a cricket ball. Suman Chattopadhyay, from India, is a...

By K.R. Nayar   Dubai.   Shubman Gill, the vice-captain of the Indian team, exudes the same confidence he displays as a batter while answering questions about India’s chances in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand on Sunday.     Shubman Gill on India's chance in the final. Photo by K.R. Nayar   When asked by this correspondent about playing a rematch against New Zealand, this time for the title, and the key areas to be cautious about in the final, Gill responded: “The last time we played them, despite losing three wickets early in the powerplay, we put up a good performance and won comfortably. So, there isn’t any added discussion. Obviously, we can talk about someone from the top three firing—that would give us a better chance to chase a big total or post one. Apart from that, there isn’t much extra discussion. The nature of the wicket will be an important topic. The pitches we are playing on here are a bit different from those i...

By K.R. Nayar Dubai.   After closely observing Hardik Pandya’s tattoos while he was sporting a sleeveless T-shirt, it was interesting to notice that K.L. Rahul’s arms were also covered in tattoos. Though Rahul, who hit the winning six against Australia to take India into the final, usually wears full sleeves, his tattoos remain visible. Each of his tattoos has a story. Having grown up near the Mangaluru beachfront with a house close to a lighthouse, he has a tattoo of a lighthouse on his forearm. He also has the number 284 inked on his right side, marking his position as India’s 284th Test cricketer. After Rahul’s match-winning six against Australia, a fan breached security and, overwhelmed with joy, hugged him. Rahul made no attempt to push him away; instead, he consoled him. KL Rahul's tattoos are visible even when wearing a full-sleeve T-shirt. Photo by K.R. Nayar  Batting coach Kotak played with Tendulkar, Jadeja, and Rahul   Team India’s batting coach, Sitan...