Daily Briefing: The Dream 11 wicket falls

On that note, let’s get to today’s edition. 👇

🚨 Big Story

India’s largest fantasy sports platform, Dream 11, has pulled out as the lead sponsor of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), leaving the Indian cricket body without a sponsor in the upcoming Asia Cup.

Zoom in: Dream 11 began operations 18 years ago, and today stands at a valuation of at least $8 billion. It acquired the rights to become BCCI’s lead sponsor in a three-year deal in July 2023, taking over from ed-tech firm Byju’s, which has been mired in financial and legal troubles. As part of the deal, Dream 11 would not have to pay a penalty, owing to a clause allowing it to pull out of the contract if a law brought in by the government impacts its core business. Notably, Dream 11 is linked with several sports leagues and franchises, even internationally.

Zoom out: The decision comes in the wake of the legislation passed by Parliament, which bans real-money online games in the country. The government has flagged concerns that these platforms can be misused for money laundering or terrorist activities and are addictive in nature. Soon after the Rajya Sabha passed the Bill, several such platforms wound down their real-money operations, allowing players to only access their free offerings. The move has put a giant question mark on the future of the business of sports, which has relied heavily on such platforms for sponsorship.

⚡Only in Express

“For so-called secular parties, we are only good for iftar parties, Ajmer chadar… (today) anyone can marginalise the Muslim community”

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi is among the fiercest critics of the Narendra Modi government and is known for his powerful speeches inside and outside of Parliament. Owaisi sat down with The Indian Express for the latest Idea Exchange session, where he discussed the allegations of vote chori, his thoughts on Modi 3.0, and the need for Muslim leadership at the national level. Read.

📰 From the Front Page

Tragic: A case of alleged dowry demands and torture of two sisters married to two brothers in Delhi’s outskirts came to a tragic end with the death of the younger sister, succumbing to severe burn injuries. Nikki (26) was allegedly set on fire by her 30-year-old husband, Vipin Bhati, on Thursday. At the heart of the matter was a successful beauty parlour the sisters had opened just two years ago — their first taste of financial independence. This is their story.

The count: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has asked the Census Commissioner to enumerate Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) separately in the next Census. If approved, this will be the first time they are listed separately, which will help the government implement targeted welfare schemes for these highly marginalised groups spread across 18 states and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Dig deep: The findings of archaeologist K Amarnath Ramakrishna in Keeladi in southern Tamil Nadu have the potential to reshape history as we know it. In his 2023 report, Ramakrishna detailed the findings of an urban settlement in Keeladi, with the earliest evidence of life dating between the 8th and 5th centuries BCE. This puts Keeladi in the same timeframe as urban sites in the Gangetic plains at the time, challenging the notion that India’s civilisation flowed from North to South. His findings have been disputed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Ramakrishna speaks to The Indian Express about his work and why more research is needed in the South.

📌 Must Read

Visa woes: Last week, the US State Department revoked over 6,000 student visas. Some of these were tied to funding collapses, after the Trump administration froze billions of dollars in federal research grants, and others to political activity, amid the administration’s crackdown on student activism. The chaos started in April, when the US revoked F-1 visas and terminated the legal status of several students. While the statuses were later restored, the visas were not. This has left Indian students, who form one of the largest international student cohorts in the US, facing an uncertain future.

The outlook: The Indian economy stands poised for transformation amid proposed GST reforms and the uncertainty around tariffs and global trade. While tax concessions may boost consumer spending, the external environment may prove to be challenging, says Saugata Bhattacharya, one of the three external members of the RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). Read his full interview.

⏳ And Finally…

Cheteshwar Pujara, cricket’s “greatest modern devotee” of batting time, has laid down his arms. He leaves behind not just runs — enough to stand eighth among India’s Test giants — but a silhouette etched in patience and grit. Rarely chasing the limelight, he found immortality instead in the quiet act of resistance that would define India’s maiden conquest in Australia. My colleague Sandip G pens a tribute to the man who turned endurance into art.

Also read: Pujara’s interview with Sandip G.

🎧 Before you go, do tune in to today’s ‘3 Things‘ podcast episode, where we discuss: the Bill to remove jailed ministers, the stray dog orders, and the Bihar voter list.

That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow,
Sonal Gupta

Business As Usual by EP Unny