Sports Bulletin on March 11: Rohit Sharma and Team Return to India Amid Grand Welcome by Fans, PCB Lodges Complaint to ICC Over Awards Ceremony Snub

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In today's sports bulletin (March 11), India's ICC Champions Trophy-winning squad received a grand welcome upon their return home, while the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged a formal complaint against the ICC regarding the awards ceremony snub.

Meanwhile, the Premier League title race sees a major shift, and New Zealand announced their squad for the upcoming T20I series against Pakistan. Let's take a look at the sports bulletin in details:

Champions Trophy Winners Return Home to Heroic Reception

India's ICC Champions Trophy 2025-winning squad members, including captain Rohit Sharma, all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, and head coach Gautam Gambhir, received a rousing welcome upon their return. Gambhir, who guided India to its third Champions Trophy title, landed in Delhi around 7 PM, while Rohit arrived in Mumbai at 8 PM, greeted by fans. With celebrations winding down, Indian players now shift focus to IPL 2025, beginning on March 22.

India Post Honors Champions Trophy Triumph with Special Postal Marking

India Post has commemorated India’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 victory with a special cancellation postal marking, unveiled at the Mumbai General Post Office. Chief Postmaster General Amitabh Singh introduced the unique stamp cancellation to celebrate India’s third title win, adding a collectible for cricket and philately enthusiasts. The special cancellation is available to the public at Mumbai GPO, marking a tribute to the historic triumph.

PCB Files Complaint Against ICC Over Champions Trophy Presentation Snub

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged a formal complaint with the ICC, alleging disrespect after its representative, Sumair Ahmed Syed, was excluded from the Champions Trophy presentation ceremony. Syed, the tournament director, was not invited to the dais, which PCB called a "blatant disregard" for Pakistan’s role as the host. While the ICC clarified that only top board officials are included in such ceremonies, PCB termed it a "double standard" and demanded a public apology, insisting on fairness and transparency in cricket governance.

Australia-England 150th Anniversary Test in 2027 to Be a Historic Day-Night Clash

Cricket Australia has confirmed that the 150th anniversary Test between Australia and England at the MCG in March 2027 will be a pink-ball, day-night fixture. Scheduled for March 11-15, the match marks 150 years since the first-ever Test in 1877 at the same venue. Unlike previous commemorative Tests played with a red ball, this will be the first day-night men’s Test at the MCG, aimed at maximizing attendance and global viewership.

Sports Ministry Lifts WFI Suspension; National Wrestling Trials Scheduled for Weekend

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) will hold national selection trials this weekend in Delhi for the 2025 Senior Asian Wrestling Championships in Jordan. This comes after the Sports Ministry revoked WFI’s suspension on March 10. The delay had impacted India’s participation in UWW ranking events, affecting wrestler seedings for the 2025 World Championships.

Michael Bracewell to Captain New Zealand in T20I Series Against Pakistan Amid IPL Absences

Michael Bracewell will lead New Zealand in the five-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting March 17 in Christchurch. Several key players, including Mitchell Santner, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, and Glenn Phillips, are unavailable due to IPL commitments, while Kane Williamson also opted out. Spinner Ish Sodhi and pacer Ben Sears return to the squad.

R Ashwin Backs India to Dominate World Cricket Like Australia of the 1990s-2010 Era

Ravichandran Ashwin believes India's Champions Trophy 2025 victory, achieved without Jasprit Bumrah, signals the team’s potential to dominate world cricket as Australia did from the 1990s to 2010. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin credited India's bowlers for the triumph and named Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy as certainties for the 2026 T20 World Cup squad.

Deepti Sharma Rises to Fifth in ICC ODI All-Rounder Rankings, Smriti Mandhana Retains No. 2 Spot

India’s Deepti Sharma climbed to fifth in the latest ICC ODI Women’s all-rounder rankings, surpassing New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr. Deepti, who is also third in the T20 all-rounders rankings and fourth in the ODI bowling charts, trails Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner at the top. Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana remains the only Indian in the top 10 of the ODI batting rankings.

Kush Maini Named BWT Alpine's Test and Reserve Driver for 2025 F1 Season

Indian racer Kush Maini has been announced as BWT Alpine's test and reserve driver for the 2025 Formula 1 season, making him the first Indian in 13 years to be part of an F1 team. Maini, who will continue competing in Formula 2 with Dams Lucas Oil, impressed Alpine with four test outings last season.

Man Utd Hold Arsenal as Liverpool Extend Premier League Lead to 15 Points

Liverpool tightened their grip on the Premier League title race with a 3-1 win over Southampton, extending their lead to 15 points after Arsenal were held 1-1 by Manchester United. Bruno Fernandes' free-kick put United ahead, but Declan Rice's 74th-minute equalizer salvaged a point for Arsenal. Elsewhere, Chelsea edged Leicester City 1-0, and Bournemouth squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Spurs.