Sports
Champions Trophy: ESPN Star Sports lines up bevy of advertisers
NEW DELHI: ESPN Star Sports (ESS) said Thursday it has lined up a bevy of seven sponsors for the ICC Champions Trophy. The sponsors include Maruti Suzuki India, Samsung, Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors, Havell’s, Phillips, and adidas.
ESPN Software India managing director RC Venkateish also said that Sony India, MIRC and Aviva have joined as spot buyers.
The channel has already sold 80 per cent of its inventory and is asking for Rs 225,000 per 10 seconds, sources say. There will be around 160 spots of 30 seconds each per match.
The series, which was originally scheduled for last year in Pakistan, will feature 15 matches involving eight top teams and will kick off in South Africa from 22 September to 5 October.
The telecast will feature 13 commentators including Ravi Shastri, Harsha Bhogle, Sanjay Manjrekar (India), Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Ian Chappell (Australia), Bob Willis, Nick Knight, Alan Wilkins (England), Shaun Pollock, Kepler Wessels (South Africa), Ian Bishop (West Indies), Simon Doull (New Zealand), and Ranil Abenayeke (Sri Lanka).
ESS‘s production will involve a 26 camera shoot along with six HawkEye cameras and a state-of-the art EVS replay system for the telecast. ESS will be will be broadcasting the matches in 183 territories.
Sports
Ashish Limaye bags gold and bronze at Montelibretti 2026 event
Indian rider shines in Italy, gains ground ahead of higher-level tests
MUMBAI: Ashish Limaye delivered a strong performance on the international stage, clinching both gold and bronze at the FEI Eventing Competition Montelibretti 2026 held in Italy earlier this month.
Competing against riders from across the globe, Limaye secured the top podium finish in the CCI 2 Long Format riding Easy Turn, registering a score of 30.2 in a field that featured participants from five nations. He followed it up with a bronze medal in the CCI 2 Short Format aboard Willy Be Dun, scoring 32 in a much larger and highly competitive pool of 66 riders representing nine countries.
Reflecting on the outing, Fédération Equestre Internationale event rider Ashish Limaye said, “Riding at Montelibretti was amazing. To compete with such talented riders from around the world was fantastic. I’m really happy with the results and the effort our team has put in.”
Beyond the podium finishes, Limaye also achieved a milestone result on D’Avril du Pinier, earning a Minimum Eligibility Requirement, bringing him closer to qualifying for the FEI World Equestrian Games.
While the Montelibretti competition was not a direct qualifier for major multi-sport events, it serves as a crucial stepping stone as Limaye prepares to move up to the more demanding CCI 3 level.
With momentum firmly on his side, the Indian rider now looks set to build on this success as he targets bigger stages in the global equestrian circuit.
