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IPL 2026: Move over Mumbai Indians, Wankhede awaits its OG headliner – Virat Kohli  At the Wankhede Stadium, allegiances often blur when Virat Kohli walks out to bat. Over the years, the venue has repeatedly turned into a stage where individual stardom can rival franchise loyalties, with sizeable pockets of red challenging the traditional sea of blue.For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kohli’s presence has often ensured vocal away support, and on Sunday, Wankhede could feel less like a fortress for Mumbai Indians and more like a theatre awaiting one of the game’s most enduring headliners.A year ago, when Kohli walked out at the iconic venue, the reception was overwhelming. Noise levels reportedly touched 138 decibels, making it among the loudest cheers in the tournament’s history. Coming on the back of the Champions Trophy triumph and still an all-format mainstay then, Kohli lived up to expectations, striking a brisk 67 off 42 balls to power RCB to a 12-run win.ALSO READ | Match Preview: Mumbai Indians battle pesky ‘slow starters’ tag as RCB comes callingWith a packed stadium echoing his name, it scarcely felt like a home game for Mumbai Indians, and little suggests that will change when Kohli takes centre stage again. Despite the defending champion coming into the contest on the back of a defeat to Rajasthan Royals, the spotlight firmly remains on the former RCB captain’s return to Wankhede after a year.The numbers underline his comfort at the venue. Kohli has scored 641 runs at an average of 45.78 at Wankhede, impressive against an attack traditionally built around high-quality pace. His unbeaten 92 in 2016 remains among the most memorable knocks by an RCB batter here.Across formats, he has also crossed 1,000 international runs at the ground, highlighting sustained success in conditions that can aid seam movement early on. Among visiting batters in the IPL, few combine such consistency with a strike rate nearing 140 at this venue.Since the inception of the tournament, Kohli has amassed 922 runs in 34 matches against Mumbai Indians at an average of 31.79. With 8,790 IPL runs in his kitty, he will be keen to extend that tally at one of his favourite venues.Tickets have been sold out for days, and demand in the resale market remains high – a familiar trend whenever Kohli is in town. Having already scored 129 runs in three innings this season, the glimpses of the rhythm the 37-year-old has found are promising.As the two heavyweights clash again, Mumbai’s cricket faithful will hope the Wankhede lights once more frame a Kohli masterclass.Published on Apr 11, 2026  #IPL #Move #Mumbai #Indians #Wankhede #awaits #headliner #Virat #Kohli

IPL 2026: Move over Mumbai Indians, Wankhede awaits its OG headliner – Virat Kohli

At the Wankhede Stadium, allegiances often blur when Virat Kohli walks out to bat. Over the years, the venue has repeatedly turned into a stage where individual stardom can rival franchise loyalties, with sizeable pockets of red challenging the traditional sea of blue.

For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kohli’s presence has often ensured vocal away support, and on Sunday, Wankhede could feel less like a fortress for Mumbai Indians and more like a theatre awaiting one of the game’s most enduring headliners.

A year ago, when Kohli walked out at the iconic venue, the reception was overwhelming. Noise levels reportedly touched 138 decibels, making it among the loudest cheers in the tournament’s history. Coming on the back of the Champions Trophy triumph and still an all-format mainstay then, Kohli lived up to expectations, striking a brisk 67 off 42 balls to power RCB to a 12-run win.

ALSO READ | Match Preview: Mumbai Indians battle pesky ‘slow starters’ tag as RCB comes calling

With a packed stadium echoing his name, it scarcely felt like a home game for Mumbai Indians, and little suggests that will change when Kohli takes centre stage again. Despite the defending champion coming into the contest on the back of a defeat to Rajasthan Royals, the spotlight firmly remains on the former RCB captain’s return to Wankhede after a year.

The numbers underline his comfort at the venue. Kohli has scored 641 runs at an average of 45.78 at Wankhede, impressive against an attack traditionally built around high-quality pace. His unbeaten 92 in 2016 remains among the most memorable knocks by an RCB batter here.

Across formats, he has also crossed 1,000 international runs at the ground, highlighting sustained success in conditions that can aid seam movement early on. Among visiting batters in the IPL, few combine such consistency with a strike rate nearing 140 at this venue.

Since the inception of the tournament, Kohli has amassed 922 runs in 34 matches against Mumbai Indians at an average of 31.79. With 8,790 IPL runs in his kitty, he will be keen to extend that tally at one of his favourite venues.

Tickets have been sold out for days, and demand in the resale market remains high – a familiar trend whenever Kohli is in town. Having already scored 129 runs in three innings this season, the glimpses of the rhythm the 37-year-old has found are promising.

As the two heavyweights clash again, Mumbai’s cricket faithful will hope the Wankhede lights once more frame a Kohli masterclass.

Published on Apr 11, 2026

#IPL #Move #Mumbai #Indians #Wankhede #awaits #headliner #Virat #Kohli

At the Wankhede Stadium, allegiances often blur when Virat Kohli walks out to bat. Over the years, the venue has repeatedly turned into a stage where individual stardom can rival franchise loyalties, with sizeable pockets of red challenging the traditional sea of blue.

For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kohli’s presence has often ensured vocal away support, and on Sunday, Wankhede could feel less like a fortress for Mumbai Indians and more like a theatre awaiting one of the game’s most enduring headliners.

A year ago, when Kohli walked out at the iconic venue, the reception was overwhelming. Noise levels reportedly touched 138 decibels, making it among the loudest cheers in the tournament’s history. Coming on the back of the Champions Trophy triumph and still an all-format mainstay then, Kohli lived up to expectations, striking a brisk 67 off 42 balls to power RCB to a 12-run win.

ALSO READ | Match Preview: Mumbai Indians battle pesky ‘slow starters’ tag as RCB comes calling

With a packed stadium echoing his name, it scarcely felt like a home game for Mumbai Indians, and little suggests that will change when Kohli takes centre stage again. Despite the defending champion coming into the contest on the back of a defeat to Rajasthan Royals, the spotlight firmly remains on the former RCB captain’s return to Wankhede after a year.

The numbers underline his comfort at the venue. Kohli has scored 641 runs at an average of 45.78 at Wankhede, impressive against an attack traditionally built around high-quality pace. His unbeaten 92 in 2016 remains among the most memorable knocks by an RCB batter here.

Across formats, he has also crossed 1,000 international runs at the ground, highlighting sustained success in conditions that can aid seam movement early on. Among visiting batters in the IPL, few combine such consistency with a strike rate nearing 140 at this venue.

Since the inception of the tournament, Kohli has amassed 922 runs in 34 matches against Mumbai Indians at an average of 31.79. With 8,790 IPL runs in his kitty, he will be keen to extend that tally at one of his favourite venues.

Tickets have been sold out for days, and demand in the resale market remains high – a familiar trend whenever Kohli is in town. Having already scored 129 runs in three innings this season, the glimpses of the rhythm the 37-year-old has found are promising.

As the two heavyweights clash again, Mumbai’s cricket faithful will hope the Wankhede lights once more frame a Kohli masterclass.

Published on Apr 11, 2026

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#IPL #Move #Mumbai #Indians #Wankhede #awaits #headliner #Virat #Kohli

“Hammond, Indiana. Okay. If you’ve been to Soldier Field and you’ve been on the lakefront and you are somebody that is a romantic like myself, that’s where football should be played, on the lakefront right in front of those giant skyscrapers, right next to that big, beautiful park with the best coach in football, with one of the best young quarterback. But that ain’t happening. Grow up, Peter Pan. I’m talking to myself. Grow up, Peter Pan.”

“That ain’t happening. Okay. Arlington Heights. One of the most state-of-the-art beautiful property in the north suburbs. Arlington Heights. I don’t know if you’ve ever been there, but they have a racetrack that they demolished there that I said, ‘Oh, it’s a no-brainer. They would never knock down something of such historical significance to Chicago.‘ Well, it didn’t work. Hammond, Indiana is happening. Okay, now let’s let’s not play doom and gloom. Let’s do a little mental health check in and say, what are the positives here? The positives are it’s closer to downtown. It’s closer to downtown than Arlington Heights would be. It’s in fact 30 minutes closer to downtown than where the Bears training facility is on the north side in Lake Forest where I lived. You get the unique opportunity. It’s almost like I’m going to use the phrase, I don’t fully understand it, but I’m going to use the phrase manifest destiny. Okay? Remember when people were just moving west and they’re like, I’m going to put a flag down here.”

“This looks like a nice little hill. This is my hill. I’m going to call it Johnny’s Hill. You know, like I think about all the it’s the American dream. Well, you know what? It didn’t work out in Chicago. So, just follow that coast south down to Hammond, Indiana. And I can promise you this, if they do it the right way, like a number of these teams have done, you get the opportunity to have a state-of-the-art venue for anything that you want. You get the opportunity to own your stadium and the land around it outright. You get to make it exactly how you want to make it. And I’ve heard a lot of things about Hammond, Indiana. More often than not, not good things. But I can guarantee you this. There are people, there are kids, there are generations of Bears fans that are down there that are so excited to welcome you and show you that area with open arms and you get to make it yours.”

“Now, I know that’s a slap in the face to a lot of people, including myself, but it’s time to get to the next level. And they can do that there. Winning to me, what does success look like to me? It looks like a quarterback that’s on schedule in first and second down and continues to do what he does on third down and in the fourth quarter. I think building a defense that can stop the run and rush the passer on third down and got to have it rush downs. That would be great. I think everything is moving in the right direction and I think this Hammond, Indiana thing is a unique opportunity for the Bears to really take the next step.”

“I remember when St. Louis moved to LA, and granted, it was a lot more miles for that move. They become a serious contender overnight and the Bears already are a serious contender. So imagine what happens if you pump some caffeine into that.”

#Kyle #Long #optimistic #Bears #moving #Hammond #Indiana">Kyle Long is trying to be optimistic about the Bears maybe moving to Hammond, Indiana  “Hammond, Indiana. Okay. If you’ve been to Soldier Field and you’ve been on the lakefront and you are somebody that is a romantic like myself, that’s where football should be played, on the lakefront right in front of those giant skyscrapers, right next to that big, beautiful park with the best coach in football, with one of the best young quarterback. But that ain’t happening. Grow up, Peter Pan. I’m talking to myself. Grow up, Peter Pan.”“That ain’t happening. Okay. Arlington Heights. One of the most state-of-the-art beautiful property in the north suburbs. Arlington Heights. I don’t know if you’ve ever been there, but they have a racetrack that they demolished there that I said, ‘Oh, it’s a no-brainer. They would never knock down something of such historical significance to Chicago.‘ Well, it didn’t work. Hammond, Indiana is happening. Okay, now let’s let’s not play doom and gloom. Let’s do a little mental health check in and say, what are the positives here? The positives are it’s closer to downtown. It’s closer to downtown than Arlington Heights would be. It’s in fact 30 minutes closer to downtown than where the Bears training facility is on the north side in Lake Forest where I lived. You get the unique opportunity. It’s almost like I’m going to use the phrase, I don’t fully understand it, but I’m going to use the phrase manifest destiny. Okay? Remember when people were just moving west and they’re like, I’m going to put a flag down here.”“This looks like a nice little hill. This is my hill. I’m going to call it Johnny’s Hill. You know, like I think about all the it’s the American dream. Well, you know what? It didn’t work out in Chicago. So, just follow that coast south down to Hammond, Indiana. And I can promise you this, if they do it the right way, like a number of these teams have done, you get the opportunity to have a state-of-the-art venue for anything that you want. You get the opportunity to own your stadium and the land around it outright. You get to make it exactly how you want to make it. And I’ve heard a lot of things about Hammond, Indiana. More often than not, not good things. But I can guarantee you this. There are people, there are kids, there are generations of Bears fans that are down there that are so excited to welcome you and show you that area with open arms and you get to make it yours.”“Now, I know that’s a slap in the face to a lot of people, including myself, but it’s time to get to the next level. And they can do that there. Winning to me, what does success look like to me? It looks like a quarterback that’s on schedule in first and second down and continues to do what he does on third down and in the fourth quarter. I think building a defense that can stop the run and rush the passer on third down and got to have it rush downs. That would be great. I think everything is moving in the right direction and I think this Hammond, Indiana thing is a unique opportunity for the Bears to really take the next step.”“I remember when St. Louis moved to LA, and granted, it was a lot more miles for that move. They become a serious contender overnight and the Bears already are a serious contender. So imagine what happens if you pump some caffeine into that.”  #Kyle #Long #optimistic #Bears #moving #Hammond #Indiana

Lionel Messi found the net with his third touch in the FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match between Argentina and Iceland in Alabama, USA on Tuesday.

Messi marked his return from a muscle strain by scoring from the penalty spot in the 71st minute, just seconds after coming off the bench. The Argentine sent fans into raptures with an emphatic finish from 12 yards.

It was Messi’s 911th career goal for club and country and 117th goal for Argentina and made him the oldest scorer in the country’s football history.

Messi did not play in Argentina’s friendly win over Honduras on Saturday.

Published on Jun 10, 2026

#WATCH #Lionel #Messi #scores #Argentina #Iceland #FIFA #World #Cup #warmup #match">WATCH: Lionel Messi scores in Argentina vs Iceland FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match  Lionel Messi found the net with his third touch in the FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match between Argentina and Iceland in Alabama, USA on Tuesday.Messi marked his return from a muscle strain by scoring from the penalty spot in the 71st minute, just seconds after coming off the bench. The Argentine sent fans into raptures with an emphatic finish from 12 yards.pic.twitter.com/Y5URIeyx53— Messi World (@MessiWorld101) June 10, 2026It was Messi’s 911th career goal for club and country and 117th goal for Argentina and made him the oldest scorer in the country’s football history.Messi did not play in Argentina’s friendly win over Honduras on Saturday.Published on Jun 10, 2026  #WATCH #Lionel #Messi #scores #Argentina #Iceland #FIFA #World #Cup #warmup #match

It was Messi’s 911th career goal for club and country and 117th goal for Argentina and made him the oldest scorer in the country’s football history.

Messi did not play in Argentina’s friendly win over Honduras on Saturday.

Published on Jun 10, 2026

#WATCH #Lionel #Messi #scores #Argentina #Iceland #FIFA #World #Cup #warmup #match">WATCH: Lionel Messi scores in Argentina vs Iceland FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match

Lionel Messi found the net with his third touch in the FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match between Argentina and Iceland in Alabama, USA on Tuesday.

Messi marked his return from a muscle strain by scoring from the penalty spot in the 71st minute, just seconds after coming off the bench. The Argentine sent fans into raptures with an emphatic finish from 12 yards.

It was Messi’s 911th career goal for club and country and 117th goal for Argentina and made him the oldest scorer in the country’s football history.

Messi did not play in Argentina’s friendly win over Honduras on Saturday.

Published on Jun 10, 2026

#WATCH #Lionel #Messi #scores #Argentina #Iceland #FIFA #World #Cup #warmup #match

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