What Led Tiger Shroff to Withdraw from the Durand Cup at the Last Minute?

Bollywood star Tiger Shroff has announced that he will not be participating in Mumbay FC's upcoming Durand Cup match against Nongkseh SS&CC from Meghalaya, scheduled for Tuesday in Shillong. The actor cited a "work commitment" as the reason for his absence, despite being included in the squad for the tournament.

Shroff, who made his debut with Mumbay FC in 2024, has not played in the team's previous two Group E matches, both of which resulted in defeats. Mumbay FC suffered a heavy loss to Langsning, another team from Meghalaya, with a score of 0-5, followed by another identical defeat against Shillong Lajong. As a result, the team has already been eliminated from the tournament.

In a video shared on the club's Instagram account, Shroff expressed his disappointment, stating, “Really, really unfortunate, but a work commitment has come up at the last moment, so I won’t be able to make it to Shillong for the Durand Cup. I was really looking forward to playing for my team Mumbay FC but unfortunately I won’t be able to make it. All the very best to everybody out there. The tournament has been amazing. All the very best Mumbay FC. Kill it boys.”

Meanwhile, the 135th Durand Cup has seen Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) and Sporting Club Delhi secure their spots in the quarterfinals following impressive victories on Monday. In Kolkata, MBSG dominated the CISF Protectors, winning 6-0 in a Group A match. Sahal Abdul Samad was the standout player, netting a first-half hat-trick with goals in the 17th, 19th, and 37th minutes. Additional goals from Manvir Singh, Jamie Maclaren, and Tekcham Abhishek Singh solidified the team's commanding performance, allowing MBSG to finish atop Group A with a perfect nine points.

In Ranchi, Sporting Club Delhi also showcased their strength, defeating the Indian Air Force 7-1 to advance from Group C. The Indian Air Force, despite their efforts, ended the group stage in third place with three points from two matches and will face Jamshedpur FC in their final group encounter on August 13.