Unlike batting and bowling, fielding is one such aspect of the game that does not get the attention it deserves. While most players manage to steal the show on the back of some exemplary batting and bowling abilities, this aspect of the game is generally overlooked. Throughout the history of the Asia Cup, we have cherished some breathtaking fielding displays that would often turn the game on its head. But at times, the pressure of the game gets so big on the players that lapses inevitably happen on the field. And when they do, it does not take too long for things to escalate as they become a prime target for the fans and media alike. 

Although some catches do not turn out to be very costly in nature, a few end up deciding the fate of the match, thus leaving the guilty party on the losing side. In this article, we bring you the four five costly fielding blunders to have ever occurred in the history of the Asia Cup, with Arshdeep Singh of India leading the list.  

See also: Five bowlers to produce best bowling figures in Asia Cup history ft Ajantha Mendis

Arshdeep Singh (Ind vs Pak, Asia Cup 2022)

This dropped catch from Arshdeep Singh will go down as the costliest drop in the record books. Not only did this drop chance leave the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma visibly distraught, but it also extinguished India's chances of advancing further in the tournament. During the Super Four match between India and Pakistan on September 4, 2022, Arshdeep dropped Asif Ali off Ravi Bishnoi's bowling in the 18th over. What was supposed to be a regulation catch at short third man turned into a horror tragedy for the Indian pacer. That miss proved pivotal, as Asif Ali went on to score 16 off 8 balls, turning the tide in Pakistan’s favor. He was entrusted with the ball in the final over and also succeeded in picking up a wicket. But he couldn't prevent Iftikhar Ali from getting off strike in the final ball of the run chase, and that is when the game was lost. Arshdeep's drop drew mixed reactions from former cricketers, with many labelling the effort as "lazy" while some also came to his defence and offered strong words of support.

Shadab Khan & Asif Ali (Pak vs Sl, Asia Cup 2022 Final)

Pakistani players are well known for committing atrocious fielding lapses during crunch moments of the game. On September 11, 2022, much to the agony of the Pakistani fans, Shadab Khan gifted an early lifeline to Sri Lanka's Bhanuka Rajapaksa by spilling a dolly of a catch. A few overs later, another catching opportunity went begging as a collision with Asif Ali near the boundary resulted in six bonus runs for Rajapaksa. These dropped chances proved fatal as Sri Lanka, who seemed to be staring down the barrel at 58-5, were able to make a timely recovery as Rajapaksa went on to score a valuable 71* to steer Sri Lanka to a competitive 170-6. As a result, the target proved beyond the reach of Pakistan as they were their innings folded for just 147, handing Sri Lanka a famous Asia Cup title victory. But had Shadab or Asif held on to the catches earlier, the end score line could have looked a lot different. 

Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli & Shreyas Iyer (Ind vs Nep, Asia Cup 2023)

The Men in Blue experienced a rare failure on the field when they took on Nepal for the first time in the history of the Asia Cup. In the early overs of the Nepalese innings, India dropped three regulation catches. Iyer, Kohli, and Kishan, who are well regarded for setting high fielding standards, were the guilty party. These unexpected blunders from some of India's best fieldsmen allowed the Nepalese openers to set a surprisingly solid foundation. Unlike the other drops, these dropped catches did not go on to hurt India as Rohit and Gill quickly raced out of the blocks to help India chase down 145 in a DLS-effected game, with all 10 wickets intact. While less dramatic, the fielding lapses were glaring in a game expected to be one-sided, and significantly boosted Nepal’s confidence early in the tournament.

Umar Akmal (Pak vs Sl, Asia Cup 2014 Final)

Thanks to their notorious fielding reputation, the presence of the Pakistani fielders in this list is omnipresent. According to some experts, Pakistan's Umar Akmal is believed to have dropped the Sri Lankan batter Lahiru Thirimanne. A pivotal moment came when Umar Akmal, Pakistan's wicketkeeper-batsman, dropped Thirimanne when he was on 36 in the 20th over. That reprieve allowed Thirimanne to go on and score a match-defining century. Sri Lanka chased down a target of 261, winning the final by five wickets with 22 balls to spare, thanks in large part to Lahiru Thirimanne’s century (101) and a strong partnership with Mahela Jayawardene (75). Additionally, this was not the only major lapse committed by a Pakistani fielder in that Final. Experts have the opinion that the fielding lapses were aplenty from Pakistan in that game, which resulted in a disappointing defeat for the Green Shirts. 

An ending is the start of something new. Ravichandran Ashwin, with that in mind, has called time on his IPL career. IPL was once the stepping stone for the off-spinner as he started off as a white-ball bowler who looked like he lacked potential for the red-ball game. He had a debut to forget in the IPL, playing in South Africa in 2009. He was initially taken as a net bowler but got a contract and made a debut in a game where he did not need to bat or bowl for CSK. 2010 and 2011, though, were the turning points for him. He became a regular in the eleven and was quickly used as Dhoni's powerplay specialist. 

The notion of spinners in the middle overs was altered with Ashwin coming in during the powerplay and creating an impact both economically and with key wickets from time to time. He broke the game open in the 2011 IPL Final, for example, taking the wicket of Chris Gayle in the first over of the chase. His success with the new ball became a stepping stone as he made his national debut in 2010 and also opened the bowling in a World Cup quarter-final against Australia in 2011. He finishes as the spinner with the most overs in the Powerplay, and it was a stint that pushed him forward nationally, too.

Ironically, though, the first two seasons typecast him as a white-ball bowler. Ashwin, though, broke into the Test side and became India's premier spinner and second leading wicket taker for India in Test Cricket. Ashwin the Test Cricketer went on to do great things, while Ashwin the white-ball cricketer started to tail away after 2017. Ravichandran Ashwin though did not stop his experiments. He played around with his action a lot in the IPL and even ventured into Leg-spin. He started it in 2015 when the need for wrist-spinners in white-ball cricket did its rounds, and he continued as the leg-spinner in the 2018 season as well while leading the Kings XI Punjab. He moved around teams a few times and also introduced the Mankad in the IPL. He did warn Steve Smith back in 2012, but Jos Buttler was the first victim in 2019, while Aaron Finch also got his own death stare in 2020.

The experiments did not stop, though. Ashwin, a rulebook on his own, introduced the value of retiring a batter out when he retired himself out while batting for the Rajasthan Royals. He was the first to do so and took the step in order to get a better hitter in Riyan Parag ahead of him. After him, the mode of dismissal has become a strategic use in the IPL and franchise Cricket around the World, with Faf Du Plessis recently walking off for 91 in the final over, feeling the heat in the USA.

As a player, Ashwin was out of the scheme for a good part after 2017 in white-ball cricket but his IPL time was still going well. He went from CSK to RPS for a season, missing another with injury and then to the Punjab Kings. With the Punjab Kings, he got his chance to lead and did so quite well, but unfortunately, he did not achieve the results to drive home. With his next team, the Delhi Capitals, Ashwin stood around as a regular pairing with Axar Patel and played a crucial role as an economical bowler and also a wicket-taker. His best phase after the inital days though, was with the Royals, where Ashwin helped his side to the Final and also shared memorable moments with the likes of Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal and Jos Buttler.

His last season, unfortunately, did not go well. It was not the happiest homecoming after Chennai brought him back for 9 Crores, with Ashwin going through his most expensive season with the ball while struggling to take wickets. In retirement, though, Ashwin now follows the path of Dinesh Karthik and opens up the chance of playing in leagues around the World with a lot yet to be seen of the off-spinner across the globe.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had their worst-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2025, finishing last on the table for the first time ever. The team finished with only four victories and collected only eight points, and their historical tactic of simply relying on experienced and all-rounders did not pan out at all. CSK struggled with all areas of the game - batting, bowling, and fielding. Toward the end of the campaign, stand-in skipper MS Dhoni hinted at major changes in the squad. Despite the poor run, a few youngsters impressed in limited chances. Adding to the buzz, rumours suggest Sanju Samson may move from Rajasthan Royals (RR) to CSK ahead of IPL 2026.

Reports from The Indian Express revealed that Samson had already met CSK’s management and head coach Stephen Fleming during the Major League Cricket season. Rajasthan Royals, however, are believed to have asked for two players from Chennai in exchange for their star wicketkeeper-batter. This demand has complicated matters for CSK, who are reportedly evaluating whether to move forward with such a deal. Given the situation, the five-time champions could instead explore an all-cash transaction to secure Samson, avoiding the risk of losing valuable squad members.

See Also: "He May Have Retired Out of Frustration" – Ex India Cricketer’s Massive Statement on Cheteshwar Pujara

Heading into 2026, CSK also face uncertainties around leadership. While MS Dhoni’s future remains unclear, full-time captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has struggled with both form and captaincy. The franchise also battled inconsistency in their opening partnerships, experimenting with four different combinations through the season. This instability has intensified speculation about the need for a reliable top-order batter like Samson. However, former RR teammate R Ashwin recently suggested that Samson’s move might not succeed, noting CSK’s reluctance to trade players, especially at a value as high as INR 18 crore.

Why CSK will not bid for Sanju Samson in upcoming mini auction?

Sanju Samson’s inclusion in Chennai Super Kings (CSK) may not solve their problems and could, in fact, create new ones. Samson usually bats in the top order, a space already crowded with options like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rachin Ravindra, 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, and New Zealand’s Devon Conway. Rising talent Urvil Patel, who impressed with cameos in IPL 2025, also strengthens the wicketkeeping department alongside Conway. With Ruturaj’s potential shift to No. 3 or No. 4, fitting Samson into the batting lineup becomes a difficult challenge for the team.

Adding to the concerns, Samson’s record at CSK’s home ground, MA Chidambaram Stadium, has been underwhelming. In 11 innings, he has scored only 134 runs at an average of 12.18, including a duck. His strike rate of 100.75 further highlights his struggles at Chepauk, where he has never managed to score a half-century or a hundred. Such poor statistics raise doubts about his ability to perform consistently on CSK’s home turf.

Samson’s captaincy record at Chepauk also doesn’t inspire confidence. Out of three matches he has led there, two ended in defeats, with his only win coming narrowly by three runs. With such numbers, CSK’s management may think twice before pursuing him. Considering the franchise’s reliance on player compatibility and home-ground advantage, Samson’s poor performances in Chennai could weigh heavily against his chances of joining the five-time champions for the IPL 2026 season.

Famous Number Threes around the World of Test Cricket are known for their grit and resilience. For India, two will always stand out in history. Rahul Dravid, the bridge between the openers, a swinging or seaming new-ball attack, and Sachin Tendulkar at number four. Cheteshwar Pujara, the one who stood between the openers who were often good strokemakers and Virat Kohli. To many, though, Pujara stands an anomaly. In an era where T20 Cricket boomed and runs became a form of currency, Pujara stood and showed the value of the art of blocking, leaving, and patiently taking balls onto the body.

His Test debut alone was a matter of patience. After churning out runs in the domestic circuit for a good five years, Cheteshwar Pujara finally got his due in 2010. It was not to be, though, with Pujara waiting patiently for six hours with Sachin Tendulkar and his future partner in crime Murali Vijay having fun against the Australian bowlers. He struggled to take on Mitchell Johnson going back after facing three balls. In the second innings though, Pujara got his chance. Rahul Dravid, idol to many, graciously moved down a spot and let Pujara go at three allowing the youngster to play a brisk knock to see India through a tricky chase and also announce himself on the international circuit.

With India touring and the legendary trio of Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid phasing out, Cheteshwar Pujara got his next proper run in the following season at home. 12 games at home and Pujara announced himself properly with centuries and double centuries in the home season. Could he replicate the same overseas though? With India heading to South Africa, it was a Test for a young Indian batting unit. Openers Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay and the trio of Rahane, Kohli and Pujara embarked against the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. It was here that Pujara proved he can do the same overseas playing a magnificent second innings knock at Johannesburg, making 153 to get India to a really good score. 

The next generation of batting announced themselves with scores in South Africa and New Zealand that year while they also did well in Australia where Pujara had some struggles. The generation was set, though and Pujara found partners first in Murali Vijay who left the ball as good as anyone and Virat Kohli and Rahane. He became the man of Grit in the Indian side and his efforts came to the fore even more against the Australian attack. Pujara stood out in 2017 with an innings that will still hurt the fingers of Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe in Ranchi, making 202 after playing more than 500 balls.

 In an era where the art of playing spin dwindled, Cheteshwar Pujara along with Murali Vijay found ways to get through. Pujara's style of keeping the pad beside the bat has helped him save himself from the LBW, frustrating Nathan Lyon so many times. His battles with Nathan Lyon are a separate chapter with both sharing interesting banter over their careers. They faced of 1158 times in Test Cricket, with Pujara dismissed ten times and only once LBW.

On extreme Pitches Pujara's abililty came more on show. He took 54 balls to get off the mark on a treachourous Wanderers Track and went on to make a gritty fifty later on. During the second half of his career, when sides started to find more restrictive methods Pujara did feel the heat. It was evident in the 2021 BGT when Cummins had him under more discomfort. Pujara though managed to find more gritty runs. The strike-rate went slower but the runs did not dry up too much and the effect was evident with Pujara playing the famous key roles in Sydney and the Gabba. He stopped making the big hundreds but still got crucial fifties, a slow burn 40 in Lords and a 60 in Oval to flip the game for India. 

Time though did catch up on him with his failures in the WTC Final the last straw. While Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma too struggled, Cheteshwar Pujara was the one who took the fall, dropping out for the side in what turned out to be the final blow to his international career. He did cointineu to churn runs though for both Sussex and Saurashtra, enjoying County Cricket a lot in the last four years of his careers. Pujara though, dropped, still had perspective in his stats. He averaged 31 in his last 24 Tests while the six batters India tried at number three also averaged the same 31. Pujara though now leaves on his own terms with wonder on whether he could have stayed on a little longer for one final push in the national side.

After losing the first two ODIs against South Africa in the ongoing three-match 50-over series, Australia looked to make a strong statement with the bat in the final game at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay. Their captain, Mitchell Marsh, won the toss and took the absolute right decision of batting first.

Let’s take a look at the top five highest scores for Australia in ODI history.

1. 434/4 vs South Africa

When Australia smashed this score against the Proteas in 2006 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, they hardly had any idea of losing the game from that position. Adam Gilchrist and Simon Katich took them to a flying start of 97 runs in 15.1 overs, with the former scoring 55 runs in 44 balls. Katich scored 79 runs in 90 balls at a strike rate of 87.77.

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Their number three batter, captain Ricky Ponting, played one of the sensational knocks of 164 runs in 105 balls at a strike rate of 156.19, thanks to 13 boundaries and nine sixes, while southpaw Michael Hussey dashed unbeaten 81 runs in 51 balls with a strike rate of nearly 160 as they posted 434 runs in the first innings. 

However, the famous 175-run knock from Herschelle Gibbs and a few more contributions were enough for the Proteas to chase down the target by one wicket on the penultimate delivery.

2. 431/2 vs South Africa

It’s the ongoing clash between Australia and South Africa in Mackay. Winning the toss, they opted to bat first as their openers, Head and Mitchell Marsh, creamed their respective centuries. The former drilled 142 runs in 103 balls at a strike rate of 137.86, decorated with 17 boundaries and five sixes, while Marsh smacked 100 runs.

Cameron Green remained unbeaten on 118 runs in just 55 balls at a strike rate of 214, with the help of six boundaries and eight sixes. Carey also drilled an undefeated 50 runs in 37 balls at a strike rate of 135.14, smashing seven boundaries. They put 431/2 in their allotted 50 overs in the first innings of the encounter.

3. 417/6 vs Afghanistan

This huge and successful batting performance from the Pat Cummins-led side came from the 2015 ODI World Cup against Afghanistan. At WACA, they batted first to post 417 runs on the board, with Warner clubbed a fine knock of 178 runs in 133 balls at a strike rate of 133.83, thanks to 19 boundaries and five sixes. Steve Smith was equally great in the job with 95 runs in 98 balls.

Glenn Maxwell continued to muscle the ball at all parts of the ground with 88 runs in just 39 balls at a strike rate of 225.64. It was another poor batting show from the Asian side, who were bundled out for 142 runs and earned the defeat by 275 runs.

4. 399/5 vs Netherlands

It was from the last ODI World Cup in 2023 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi when Australia met the Netherlands for the vital game. Batting first on a good batting surface, they posted 399/5 in their allotted 50 overs. Opening batter, David Warner, clubbed a fine knock of 104 runs in just 93 balls with 11 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 111.82.

Marnus Labuschagne continued the momentum with 62 runs in just 47balls. But for the champions to get to a mammoth score, the biggest contribution came from Glenn Maxwell, who bashed 106 runs in just 44 balls at a strike rate of 240.90, smashing nine boundaries and eight sixes in the innings.  

None of the Dutch batters were able to spend time in the middle as they were bundled out for 90 runs in the second innings, allowing Australia to earn a huge victory by 309 runs.

5. 392/8 vs South Africa 

It’s the clash at Bloemfontein between the Aussies and the Proteas in 2023 when the former posted 392/8 in their first innings. Their opening batter, David Warner, drilled 106 runs in 93 balls with the help of 12 boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 113.97, while Head creamed 64 runs in 36 deliveries at a strike rate of around 180.

Labuschagne smashed 124 runs in 99 balls at a strike rate of 125.25, decorated with 19 boundaries and one six. Josh Inglis drilled 50 runs in 37 balls with seven boundaries and one six as they fired their way to 392 runs.

In reply, South Africa posted 269 to lose the game. For the home side, most of their batters got starts, but none of them were able to convert them to a big score, which didn’t help them in the chase. They faced defeat by 123 runs in the encounter. 

The promotion and the regulation of the Online Gaming Bill 2025 have been passed in the Rajya Sabha on August 21, 2025, which has cleared the Union Cabinet and both Houses of Parliament within the next three days. The government aims to move quickly to ban the real money games (RMGs).

The law will now head toward President Droupadi Murmu’s desk for her signature, which will lead it to an Act. The move could render many fantasy leagues like Dream11, MPL, and PokerBaazi’s main revenue activities of pay-to-play-based gaming platforms, which are now expected to be crushed overnight.

“It is the responsibility of the government and Parliament to take strict action against malpractices in society, like chit funds. Problems (due to online money games) have led to several families being destroyed.” Union Minister for Electronic and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, expressed at the Upper House of Parliament that MPs across party lines would support the law.

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The Bill has been passed to the Upper House Clause-by-clause, amidst all the loud cheers and allegations of ‘vote theft’ from the opposition parties, two MPs, CPI’s John Brittas, and V. Sivadasan, as it moved the proposals purportedly to amend the Bill on certain clauses. However, they took the floor to repeat the allegations, as the deputy chairman, Harivansh, addressed that these remarks wouldn’t be taken on record.

Rapid process of Online Gaming Bill 2025

Vaishnaw observed that the law won’t be subject to the prolonged timelines of the other key laws, which have been worked on by the IT Ministry, named the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. The regulations were worked out after months of consultations with the industry and the other stakeholders.

“With a prohibition, you can’t do consultations. With a prohibition, you can’t do consultations.” Vaishnaw expressed that the bill includes a prohibition.

The Bill is being referred to as the online money games in the text, with the industry yet to comment on it, but reportedly has appealed in a letter to the Home Minister, Amit Shah, to reprieve the ban. Probo, which is an opinion trading firm for permitting wagers on the outcomes of various events, has called the passed Bill really unfortunate and declared that it would suspend the real money gaming product.

After a short notification after the Bill’s enactment, as highlighted by Mr. Vaishnaw, it would bring a change immediately. The Ministers of Youth Affairs, the Sports, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting would take various steps to promote e-sports, as the government pointed out in the statement.

Nazara Technologies invested nearly US$122 million in PokerBaazi and saw a dip of 2% on August 21. It has fallen about 15% since the Bill was spoken about in the Lok Sabha.

“Nazara has no direct exposure to real money gaming (RMG) businesses. The Company’s only indirect exposure to RMG is through its 46.07% stake in Moonshine Technologies Private Limited (PokerBaazi). As Nazara does not hold a majority stake or exercise control, Moonshine’s revenue is not consolidated in the Company’s financial statements and has no impact on the Company’s reported Revenue or EBITDA.” The firm expressed in a filing with the bourses.

Delta Corp. Ltd., a casino and gaming firm, owns the poker platform Adda52, which has seen a record dip of 3.14%.

Government issues media statement on Online Gaming Bills 2025

The government released a media statement on the Online Gaming bill development, where they claimed that the platforms are often used for financial fraud, money laundering, and messaging activity that threatens national security.

“The government believes that the harms of addiction, financial loss, and even extreme consequences such as suicides associated with online money gaming can be prevented by preventing such activities.” The media statement released by the government, as claimed by CricTracker, addressed

“Additionally, online money gaming platforms are often misused for financial fraud, money laundering, terror financing, and messaging activity that compromises national security.” It added.

BCCI secretary clarifies stance on Online Gaming Bill 2025

The secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Devajit Saikia, clarifies the stance of the board, stating that the cricketing body will follow all the rules and regulations and will not do anything that is not permitted.

“The act has just been discussed in the Lok Sabha today and the Rajya Sabha yesterday. It would then take a final shape, go through Presidential assent, and then there will be a 'date of appointment.' We will then read it, and then only we will take a call on whatever is there.” The BCCI secretary was quoted as saying by TOI.  

“The BCCI will not do anything which is not permitted by the government or by any law of the country. The BCCI will not violate any of the laws enforced in the country. That's very clear.” Saikia expressed.

The veteran also highlighted that they won’t do anything that is not under permission. Saikia also questioned if the BCCI has any companies or sponsorship in the cigarettes and liquor companies.

“Once the act comes into force, we will look into it, examine it, and if it's permissible, then we will take sponsorship (from online betting and gaming companies), if it's not permissible, we'll not do anything. Take the example of cigarettes and liquor. Has the BCCI taken any sponsorship from the cigarettes and liquor companies, since taking sponsorship from these kinds of companies was banned?” Devajit Saikia said in the same interaction.

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“So, whatever is permissible in the laws in force in our country, we will do that only. The BCCI will follow every policy of the country that is framed by the central government.” The BCCI secretary revealed.

Effect of Online Gaming Bill 2025 on cricket revenue

The Online Gaming Bill 2025 can put the multi-billion-dollar fantasy gaming industry at risk. It aims to put an end to the vast diversity of the online gaming fraternity, including eSports, social, and casual gaming, real money gaming, and educational gaming. There are restrictions to the online money game, as recent reports have claimed.

“No person shall offer, aid, abet, induce, or otherwise facilitate any transaction or authorization of funds towards payment for any online money gaming service.” The Prohibition Act explains. As per the offences and the penalties, real money gaming is a crime and could lead to jail, and the service provider could also get fined a handsome amount.

The Economic Times reports reveal that the Indian cricket team’s title rights bag a whopping sum of INR 358 crore from the Dream11 partnership, while, on the flip side, the My11Circle pays a fee of INR 625 crore to buy the IPL fantasy gaming rights for a slot of five years. In the Indian Sports community, the fantasy sports companies pay a huge amount.

From Dream11 to My11Circle, it’s a given-take act. The My11Circle is even the official sports partner of the Indian Premier League (IPL), something which Dream11 was part of in the past. That gives birth to trust among the users.

The clauses of the bill state that real money gaming is putting a lot of pressure on social problems and will need regulations. The first and second rules of the ninth clause mention the implications of the real money gaming services or advertisements.

The first, the punishment shall be imprisonment for a huge term up to three years or a fine up to rupees one crore, or both. For the second, it comes down to an imprisonment of two years or a fine of rupees fifty lakhs or both.

“Cricket is huge in India, and there won’t be any dearth of sponsors for Indian cricket and its properties. However, the personal sponsorship market can shrink because of this bill.” The renowned sports lawyer, Vidushpat Singhania, spoke on the matter as per the PTI.

Apart from the sponsorship or the right deals, the individual sports stars also get endorsements from these companies, which can be valued at crores. That will be another issue.

As per the bill, the paying and earning money on the real money gaming platforms will be stopped. However, the catch is that they can turn to a subscription-based model to test the analytical skills of the users, but the usual money will be stopped.

“Any person who offers online money gaming service in contravention of section 5 shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with a fine which may extend to one crore rupees or with both.” Clause 9 (1) reads.

“Any person who makes or causes to make an advertisement in any media, in contravention of section 6, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with a fine which may extend to fifty lakh rupees or with both.” Clause 9 (2) reads.

There is no doubt that the multi-billion dollar industry is facing a huge setback, which could be highlighted in the sponsorship deals along with the clubs and franchises of the game, more so of Indian cricket.

It has made a new issue, which finds the Indian team in danger of losing their jersey sponsor for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which is set to begin in the second week of September. The BCCI has already announced the 15-member squad for the tournament, to which there have been multiple reports on the decision of omitting their middle-order batter, Shreyas Iyer, from the squad.

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Due to this new development, BCCI will now need to look for new sponsorship options. The faces of several past and present cricketers, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni included, promoted the fantasy leagues during the series of the national side and even during the Indian Premier League (IPL).

But now that the bill is getting passed, it will be up to the BCCI to take new decisions and paths regarding the matter.  

Expected changes to the gaming industry

With the end of the Online Gaming Bill, it’s expected to change the sports industry. Esports will now get recognized as a legitimate sport, with the sports ministry tasked to frame guidelines. It will support the training academies, technology platforms, and other schemes. This move is also anticipated to unlock the investment, talent pipelines, and broadcast rights to bring the games closer to the mainstream economy.

The national online gaming authority will also be established in categories and register their games. It needs to be determined if it gets qualified as a money game. The body will still need to issue various rules and regulations, and orders to ensure the regulation of the sector.

The bill, which offers a complete ban on offering, operating, or facilitating online money games, can’t be advertised or promoted on any media platform, while the banks and the financial firms are stopped from processing the related transactions.

“No bank, financial institution, or any other person facilitating financial transactions or authorization of funds shall engage in, permit, aid, abet, induce, or otherwise facilitate any transaction or authorization of funds towards payment for any online money gaming service.” The clause was added.

India’s online gaming sector is a whopping USD 3.7 billion in 2025, as per the WinZo-IEIC report, and has been disrupted even since the bill was tabled in the parliament. Nearly 86% of the sector’s revenue originates from the transaction and real-money-based games.

The proposal will affect platforms like Dream11, My11Circle, PokerBaazi, Winzo, Gamescraft, 99Games, and many. But these are the games that have taken the lion’s share of the revenue for these platforms that generated the real money gaming platforms.  

Fantasy sports, over the years, has made a special place among the crazy lovers of the game. The young generation doesn’t only enjoy being a simple spectator of the game, but also wants to create their team by putting themselves into the shoes of the leader and earn rewards based on the performances of the players.

At the start, many fantasy gaming industries started to put their feet in India. Later, with a motivated sector, Dream11 was founded back in 2008 by two young and superb co-founders, Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth. They were the first Indian gaming company to enter the club and have now become one of the top 10 innovative companies in India.

Company highlights of Dream 11 

Tracking Dream 11 and its parent company 

Dream11 is an application that allows its users to create various teams where they can earn cash based on the actual match performance of the players they have selected on their teams. Each good move of the player, including a catch, a wicket, a four, or a six, provided extra points, as the leader of the side gets 2x and the vice-captain gets 1.5x points.

Dream11 has allowed its users to play the game in various categories like Cricket, football, Kabaddi, and the NBA (National Basketball Association).

It’s a sports technology whose portfolio is associated with brands like Dream11, Fancase, DreamSetGo, DreamPay, and others. Dream Sports is a channel of the game that looks to add various fans to connect deeply with the games for their love and affection with events, experiences, and commerce.

When Jain and Bhavit founded the company 17 years ago, they hardly predicted earning the 10th rank among India’s Great Mid-size workplaces in 2019. They also got investors, including Kaaari Capital, Think Investments, Multiple Equity, Tencent, and Steadview Capital.

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Signing up for Dream11

The sign-up in the application is a very easy process where an individual will just have to go through the registration process through a few steps.

• Download the Dream11 app on your mobile device
• Register on the app with your mobile number and get the OTP.
• Put some cash into your wallet and select the match to start playing.

Dream11- Industry and its startup story

The Indian gaming industry is expected to generate USD$10060 million in revenue by 2025, with a projected CAGR of 10.08% expected for the next five years from 2025, reaching the amount of US$14770 million by 2029.

The trend is not surprising. It highlights the growth and importance of the gaming business in India, which is driven by several factors, including the population's interest in the gaming industry, which expands through smartphone penetration and increased internet accessibility.

Harsh Jain, the first co-founder of Dream11, is the CEO of the company, while Bhavith Sheth is the COO of it. As per reports, they currently have nearly 800 employees in the company.

The startup story is interesting. Both realized quite early that for the growth of the application, they would have to crack the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was the catalyst for the new fantasy sports industry to emerge. Harsh and Bhavit founded the company with the aim of making it a profitable and service-oriented opportunity.

Four years after it was founded, the company launched its first freemium service by asking for investors and inviting them to join its venture.

“While starting a company, it is important to define its culture and then align everyone to that culture. Systems and processes may have to be reinvented, but the culture will always be the same.” The reports of India Today claimed.

Dream11 Business and Revenue Model

The company operates a freemium model, which provides users with both free and premium services where they can decide to enter the free fantasy sports league and win smaller rewards, while they can also pay to enter contests with bigger payouts. It increases its user engagement and improves the monetization chances within the fantasy sports platform by a combination of free and premium offerings.

In the revenue mode, they have different sources, out of which some of the prominent ones are-

• Dream11 makes money by keeping 15% of the entry fees that they get from the contests held on the platform, as the platform charges.
• The monetary value also comes from the sale of goods through its income and propels the financial expansion of the organization.

Dream11 challenges and its growth

Any successful company faces challenges. It’s the normalcy, and that’s what happened with the company. Getting through the legal obstacles, locating the market, and then marketing the company was always an issue. On the flip side of the coin, they also had to fix the office location by planning and implementing the best technologies.

Some of the key growth areas of the Dream11 company are given below-

• It has 15.01 million concurrent users, as per the latest reports.
• It also had 220 million+ users as per the same report.
• According to March 2024, the number of registered users in Dream11 is 25000000+
• The total streamlined hours of the live content of Dream11 is 40000+ hours.
• It also has 29 sports brands as partners till March last year.

A brief look at the financial difference of Dream11 from FY21 to FY23

A quick summary of Dream11 

The company has achieved a strong increase in revenue from FY22 to FY23, which demonstrates the market expansion. The company saw a rise in profits despite the increased expenses. Its expenses also saw a significant increase in FY23 compared to FY22, due to the operational spending and rising depreciation expenses.

Dream11 Partnerships-

The company made various partnerships. The Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association is a part of it in the T20 league, where the franchise earned the India-based fantasy sports platform in January 2023. They also partnered with the Legends League Cricket and reached many cricket lovers.

In the Women’s Premier League, the Mumbai Indians (MI) also closed a deal with the company in March 2023. The chief marketing officer of the sports, Vikrant Mudaliar, said, “Marquee women-centric leagues like WPL will accelerate the growth of women's cricket.”

Slowly, they also grabbed Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, and other Bollywood superstars for the new campaign of ‘sab khelenge’ during April 2023.

Dream11 Awards

The first prestigious award for the company was the Red Herring Global 100 Award, which was conducted by Red Herring in January 2013. Later, they were also named among the 10 biggest and most popular trends of 2018 in India by a report by Google.

In 2019, BCCU signed Dream11 as the official fantasy partner of the Indian Premier League and continued the partnership for the next three years. This was not only a validation of the league but also the whole fantasy gaming sector of the country.

In 2018, it was ranked at the ninth position among India’s Great Mid-size workplaces. It was one of the 42 innovative startups of the country.

Plans of Dream11

Jain stated that the company had no plans to expand the global stage during the Startup Maha Kumbh event in New Delhi. He also explained that in India, due to the large scale of the population, it has a unique platform, which could prove to be unnecessary at the global stage. Dream11 is one of the three gaming unicorns of the country, with a value of over $1 billion.

“We are the country with the largest young population. We have tailwinds of a government that is pushing technology forward more than ever before. We must take advantage of this amazing opportunity.” Jain said during the event.

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During an interview on Mint in August last year, Jain highlighted the business model of Dream11.

“The business was a complete failure. Wrong product, wrong business model, too much front-loading of capital to try to grow too fast without getting product-market fit. We made every mistake you can think of. If you have a list of things that entrepreneurs should avoid, we pretty much checked off all of them.” He addressed.

“When I had gone to fundraise and talked to VCs (venture capitalists), they said TAM (total addressable market) and all, I couldn’t understand anything. An MBA helped me a lot in understanding how to build a business out of a dream.” Jain added.

Effect of the passed Online Gaming Bill on Dream11

The company has pulled the plug on the real-money gaming business, as the reports have revealed, as they look to wipe out the legal basis of the paid fantasy sports. The Centre’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Bill has been passed by the Rajya Sabha, which has put a ban on the games, including fantasy sports, poker, and rummy.

During an internal note, Jain told his employees that there is no legal path to paid contests of the company once the law is enacted. The ban has sent shockwaves through the gaming industry as the companies brace for more financial losses with the threat of large-scale job cuts and deep concerns.

See you in our second innings. pic.twitter.com/oEfBNiC4dd

— Dream11 (@Dream11) August 22, 2025

The bill has proposed that any person offering an online money gaming service in violation of the stipulated provisions will face imprisonment of three years or a fine that could be extended to INR 1 crore or both. It has also led to imprisonment of up to two years and a fine of nearly INR 50 lakh or both, for those parties that indulge in the advertisements.

Dream11, which has moved its back to the India at the start of the year, has been among the hardest hit with over 90% of the Dream Sports’ revenue comes from the real-money contest as in FY24, they got a revenue of nearly INR 9600 crore according to the reports, which was driven mostly due to the home ODI World Cup 2023, where India did well, having gone through an unbeaten campaign before facing their maiden defeat in the final against Australia.

Dream Sports is now shifting its focus to smaller verticals. With the RMG business being phased out, they are expected to redirect the focus on the non-RMG ventures, which include strengthening the platforms such as Fancode and Sportz Drip, along with the other investments in Cricbuzz and Willow TV.

“I am writing this with a heavy heart. Declaring a platform illegal after years of validation, taxation, and judicial recognition isn’t just wrong—it is deeply unethical.” Smrita Singh Chandra, the former vice-president of Policy Communications of Dream11, shed light during a LinkedIn post.

It has also been indicated by the reports that the company may look to explore international opportunities of developing new formats for the foreign markets, as they have recently been adopted by competitors like the Mobile Premier League (MPL).

“There is addiction. The family's savings are lost. It is estimated that 45 crore people have fallen victim to it. More than ₹20,000 crore of our middle-class families' hard-earned money has been destroyed.” The Union Minister of Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, reckoned. He felt that it would ban the online games, which could prove to be a ‘big problem for society, especially the middle-class youth.’

The bill has proposed that any person offering an online money gaming service in violation of the stipulated provisions will face imprisonment of three years or a fine that could be extended to INR 1 crore or both. It has also led to imprisonment of up to two years and a fine of nearly INR 50 lakh or both, for those parties that indulge in the advertisements.

Shreyas Iyer’s snub from the Asia Cup 2025 left many cricket experts and fans baffled. The squad announcement by BCCI came with a lot of controversies because of the selections. Iyer’s presence in the middle order for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 turned out like an anchor. With his matured batting and swift stroke-playing abilities, the Mumbai-born deserved to be in the Asia Cup squad. The Ajit Agarkar-led selectors panel chose Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, and Rinku Singh as their middle-order batters. Through his article we will compare the T20I stats of Iyer and Dube.

Shreyas Iyer vs Shivam Dube T20I stats comparison:

Shreyas Iyer:

Exclusion from the board’s central contract might have motivated Iyer to play the game in a more methodical, effective way. After marking his presence in domestic cricket, Shreyas left everyone stunned by leading Punjab Kings in the final of IPL 2025 as the captain. Before that, the batter made his comeback in ODIs for India, where he again did not let his followers get upset. Iyer not only evolved as a captain but also aged finely as a batsman. For Team India, the right-handed batsman. As of now, Iyer has played 51 T20Is for the Men in Blue and maintained an average of 30.66, for a total of 1,104 runs with a 136.12 strike rate. In the Twenty20 format, an average of 30 is considered good. He made his T20I debut back in 2017 and played his last match in the format on December 3, 2023. In that match, which was against Australia in Bengaluru, Iyer scored a brilliant 53-run innings for the winning cause. Since then, he has not gotten to play a single T20I game for India.

Iyer's T20I stats in brief

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Shivam Dube:

Dube marked his footprint in the T20I arena in 2019, a couple of years after Iyer’s debut T20I match. With Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Shivam quickly blossomed as a dependable middle-order. But, so far, his career is not so celebrated as Iyer’s. So far, the left-handed batsman has played 35 T20Is for Team India, scoring 531 runs at an average of 31.23. Notably, Dube’s batting average is slightly higher than Iyer’s T20I batting average. This year, in January-February, when India was facing England for a T20Is series, Dube played a couple of significant innings. In Pune, he scored 53, and in the next match, he contributed with a 30-run innings and clinched 2 wickets as well. Dube can contribute both with batting and bowling, while Iyer can contribute with batting and leadership qualities.

Dube's T20I stats in brief

Shreyas Iyer vs Shivam Dube T20I Stats Comparison: 

India's full squad for Asia Cup 2025:

Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, and Rinku Singh.

Indian cricket fans filled social media platforms with their mixed feelings about Team India's squad for the Asia Cup 2025. The Ajit Agarkar-led selector panels left many proven talents out of the equation, for which a part of Indian cricket fans are not entirely happy after seeing the team. For the opening slot, BCCI chose Abhishek Sharma over Yashasvi Jaiswal. Shubman Gill was introduced in the line-up as the vice-captain to assist skipper Surya Kumar Yadav. Jaiswal and Gill are both young and highly talented, but he has performed so far better for Team India in T20Is. Let's derive.

Yashasvi Jaiswal' T20I career so far:

The highly talented batsman, only 23 years old, has already played 23 T20Is for Team India and scored 723 runs in total at an average of 36.15. After making his T20I debut in August 2023, the southpaw played multiple crucial games for the Men in Blue. Keeping an average around 36 after playing over twenty matches at the highest level proved his proficiency as a limited-overs batter. In his second T20I match, Jaiswal scored an unbeaten 84-run innings against the West Indies in 2023 and smashed a hundred in the same year against Nepal. Notably, Jaiswal played all of his T20Is during 2023 and 2024; in this year, so far, he has not gotten to play in a match in the format.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s last 5 T20I matches:

93* vs Zimbabwe, 2024

12 vs Zimbabwe, 2024

40 vs Sri Lanka, 2024

30 vs Sri Lanka, 2024

10 vs Sri Lanka, 2024

T20I batting stats in brief:

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Shubman Gill's T20I career so far:

Gill, 25, has played fewer T20Is than Yashasvi Jaiswal to date. In 21 T20Is, the top-order batter, who is assigned as the vice-captain for the Asia Cup after getting the captaincy role of the Test side, scored 578 runs, at an average of 30.42, including the best score of an unbeaten 126. Like Jaiswal, Gill also made his international debut in the format in 2023. Despite thrashing a century, Shubman’s T20I career has remained underwhelming so far. Though his last 5 T20Is looked much more promising.

Shubman Gill’s last 5 T20I matches:

66 vs Zimbabwe, 2024

58* vs Zimbabwe, 2024

13 vs Zimbabwe, 2024

34 vs Sri Lanka, 2024

39 vs Sri Lanka, 2024

T20I batting stats in brief:

Shubman Gill vs Yashasvi Jaiswal: Vital T20I Stat Comparison

India's full squad for Asia Cup 2025:

Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed the 15-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE on Wednesday, August 19. Of all the picks, the inclusion of Shivam Dube was controversial, as the all-rounder hasn't had great impact in T20Is. He has played 35 matches so far but consistently underwhelming with bat and ball has genuinely raised questions about his inclusion. Many expected the selectors to look beyond him, especially given India’s wealth of talent in the shortest format. Dube’s continued presence in the squad has, therefore, become one of the more surprising calls.

Dube was also part of India’s victorious 2024 T20 World Cup campaign but managed only modest contributions. In eight innings, he scored 133 runs at an average of 22.16 with a strike rate of 114.65 which are not good numbers for a middle-order batter in T20. Although, he did play a useful 27 off 16 balls in the final against South Africa, which helped India lift the trophy. But there are still queries regarding his consistency and any impact he has made in these major tournaments. A lot of strong contenders were left off the selection announcement, which leads people to think there may have been better options available to consider. Let us look at three players could have replaced him;

Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal was reportedly in contention for the backup opener’s role alongside Shubman Gill, but the latter was preferred and also named vice-captain for the Asia Cup 2025. Jaiswal had been part of India’s T20 World Cup squad in 2024 but did not feature in any game as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli opened the innings throughout the tournament. His exclusion from the latest squad came as a surprise to many, given his potential to provide explosive starts at the top of the order.

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Jaiswal was last seen in T20I action during the series against Sri Lanka in July 2024 and has a solid record in the format. In 23 T20Is, Jaiswal has scored 723 runs with a batting average of 35.15 and strike rate of 164.32, proving he can score quickly from ball 1. Jaiswal would have made a threatening opening pair with Abhishek Sharma. With two of the three keepers, Sanju Samson and Gill, able to bat in the middle order at No. 3 it is unfortunate this opportunity was lost for Jaiswal and India at the T20I event.

KL Rahul

KL Rahul has long been criticized for his lower strike rates during T20 cricket matches, but his IPL 2025 season showed a much more aggressive approach. The stylish right-handed batsman was able to consistently attack the bowlers right from the start, and Rahul ended the IPL 2025 season with 539 runs in 13 matches with an average of 53.90, and struck at a 149.72 rate, the highest strike rate that he had in the IPL since 2018. This was a clear indication that he had adapted his game, and made observers reconsider previously expressed concerns about his viability in difficult T20 match conditions.

For International cricket, Rahul has had a reliable T20I career scoring 2265 runs in 72 matches, with an average of 37.75, and a strike rate of 139.13. Although he has respectable figures, he has not featured for India in T20Is since their T20 World Cup semifinal loss to England in 2022. He could add real value for India during the Asia Cup 2025, especially in the friendly batting conditions of the UAE because he plays spin and pace both with relative ease. There was surprise from fans and expert observers lineup with the decision to omit him.

Shreyas Iyer

As we approached the announcement of the squad on Wednesday, we were given strong indications that Shreyas Iyer would be returning to India's T20 setup after a long absence. The stylish Mumbai batter had an outstanding IPL 2025 season, taking Punjab Kings to the finals while impressing with his sharp leadership credentials. He was one of the tournament's most consistent performers with the bat, scoring 604 runs in 17 games at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07, which shows his value in pressure moments.

Despite his IPL heroics, Shreyas has not played a T20I since December 2023. In his international career, he amassed 1104 runs from 51 T20Is at an average of 30.67 and a strike rate of 136.13. Known for his poise and artistry against spinners, Iyer could have provided stability in the middle order in the 2025 Asia Cup. The tournament was being played in the UAE where many of the pitches are spin-friendly and his absence raised eyebrows among fan and cricket observers alike.