Afghanistan-Sri Lanka white-ball series likely to be postponed indefinitely as West Asia conflict deepens
A recent study reveals significant growth in women's cricket participation across India, highlighting increased interest, career aspirations, and the sport's rising popularity.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that he met with United States President Donald Trump, who told him he welcomed Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Olympic medallists Abhinav Bindra and PV Sindhu have praised Lakshya Sen for his performance at the All England Open badminton championship, highlighting his courage and resilience despite his runner-up finish.
World Champion D Gukesh's struggles continue as he draws with Parham Maghsoodloo at the Prague International Chess Festival. Aravindh Chithambaram also drew his match, while Surya Shekhar Ganguly secured his first victory in the challengers' section.
'Our diplomacy should have been focused on preventing war and avoiding the inevitable disruptions it would cause, posing a real risk to India's growth story,' asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
'The US landed in this war without planning. The US felt that if they kill Ayatollah Khamenei the people of Iran will come out on the roads and do a regime change.' 'On the contrary, the US bombings on Iran has united the entire nation.'
'Even if it is defeated and the Speaker remains, the Opposition parties that have lost faith in his impartiality will continue to have that feeling.' 'If the Speaker reflects on this and tries to be more neutral, more impartial, more objective in his conduct -- then one can say the resolution had a salutary effect. That would be the best outcome.'
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The Indian U17 women's team defeated Myanmar 2-0 in an international friendly match, with Pritika Barman scoring both goals. The match is part of India's preparation for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup.
US President Donald Trump stated the war with Iran would end 'soon,' citing significant military gains and minimal remaining targets. This contradicts earlier administration statements about an open-ended timeline.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla addressed concerns about fairness and speaking privileges in the House, emphasising that all members, including the Prime Minister, must adhere to parliamentary rules and procedures.
Iran has issued a defiant response to United States President Donald Trump's claims regarding the conclusion of hostilities, asserting that it alone will 'determine' the end of military actions against American and Israel targets.
'To suddenly give the impression of taking a position that is hostile to Iran, or, at least, not friendly to Iran, is not a good thing.'
Despite the escalation in US military action, the War Secretary noted that Iran's missile response has declined in the last 24 hours.
Trump also called upon China, France, and Japan, among others, to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has expressed his interest in joining the national team's coaching setup, aiming to refine their approach to Test cricket following their Ashes defeat and scrutiny of the 'Bazball' tactics.
Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Devajit Saikia said the first 20-day schedule of the Indian Premier League 2026 season will be announced in two to three days, with the tournament set to begin on March 28.
Amid escalating tensions with Iran, President Trump is urging nations dependent on Middle Eastern oil to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard critical global energy supplies.
Sourav Ganguly, former Indian cricket team captain, praised Sanju Samson's match-winning innings of 97* runs, calling it 'outstanding' and hailing him as a 'very good player' after India's victory against West Indies in the T20 World Cup.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu congratulated Team India for defeating England and reaching the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup final, praising the team's all-round performance.
Indian shuttler Dev Ruparelia progressed to the round of 32 after defeating Pranit Somani at the Dutch Junior International. Other Indian players, including Samuel Tamang and Durga Esha Kandrapu, also advanced.
The West Indies cricket team remains stranded in Kolkata due to international airspace restrictions following the T20 World Cup, while South African players also face travel disruptions.
Arshdeep Kaur emerged victorious in the 25m pistol women's event at the National Selection Trials, surpassing Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker.
The Indian pair suffered a 23-21, 21-12 defeat against Malaysia's Aaron Tai and Khai Xing Kang in the Round of 32 match.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday described Om Birla as an outstanding Member of Parliament and "excellent" Speaker of the Lok Sabha, praising him for functioning above party lines and carrying everyone along while presiding over the House.
Wildcard entrant Manas Dhamne's impressive run at the Maha Open ATP Challenger came to an end after losing to Duje Ajdukovic in the quarterfinals. Other players including Edas Butvilas, Felix Gill, and Federico Cina advanced to the semifinals.
Pakistan's chances of reaching the T20 World Cup semifinals depend on a dominant win against Sri Lanka and a significant victory for England against New Zealand. The team's batting woes and reliance on individual performances pose a challenge.
The second semi-final of the T20 World Cup between India and England achieved a record-breaking peak concurrency of 65.2 million viewers on JioHotstar, marking a new global benchmark in digital sports viewership, according to the ICC.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka debuted her engagement ring after defeating Himeno Sakatsume in straight sets at Indian Wells, revealing the surprise proposal from fianc Georgios Frangulis.
Former England captain Michael Atherton believes India is the 'pre-eminent' white-ball team and has a strong chance of holding all three ICC limited-overs titles after their T20 World Cup win.
'Because in white-ball cricket, we've lost two out of the last three series in the one-day format. If it was an era, we wouldn't have lost two series.'
Pakistani cricket fans posted threatening messages directed at the family of captain Salman Agha after Pakistan's defeat against England in the T20 World Cup Super 8s match.
The Indian women's hockey team began their FIH World Cup Qualifiers 2026 campaign with a convincing 4-0 victory over Uruguay, showcasing a dominant performance in Hyderabad.
An Iranian state television presenter has labelled the women's national soccer team as "wartime traitors" after the players did not sing their national anthem before their Asian Cup opener against South Korea in Australia earlier this week.
Pakistan's cricket fraternity expresses disappointment over the national team's performance in the T20 World Cup, with former players calling for radical decisions and criticizing player selection and performance.
The brave displays of cricket's second-tier nations were the brightest feature of the Twenty20 World Cup, which got off to a rocky start and culminated in a predictable home win for white-ball behemoths India on Sunday.
India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs to win their third T20 World Cup title. The victory was marked by enthusiastic celebrations, consolatory gestures towards the New Zealand team, and the presence of cricket legends.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday trounced the opposition including the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party and Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar by winning decisive mandates in Pune and neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad in the civic polls, retaining power in both municipal corporations.
Nepal's Rastriya Swatantra Party is surging ahead in the general elections after Gen Z protests ousted the previous government, signaling a potential new era in Nepali politics.
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