The 20th Asian Games have officially commenced in Nagoya with a high-tech opening ceremony. India's 501-member contingent is led by flag bearers Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat, with some events already underway, including India's women's cricket team reaching the semifinals and a teqball bronze medal opportunity.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are grappling with significant accommodation issues, including male and female athletes being allocated shared rooms and long waiting times for credential activation, forcing even the host Japan team to seek alternative arrangements.
Indian badminton players, including PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda, were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games individual competitions, failing to secure any medals.
Badminton legend Saina Nehwal has lauded PV Sindhu's significantly improved attacking game, stating that her Japan Open Super 750 victory demonstrates her enduring championship quality and potential for more titles, despite recent injury challenges.
Indian Greco Roman wrestler Sunil Kumar secured a bronze medal in the men's 87kg category at the Asian Games, defeating Roberts Callum Johnston of the Philippines.
Indian Greco Roman wrestler Sunil Kumar made a strong start at the Asian Games, advancing to the men's 87kg semifinals with a dominant technical superiority victory.
Amitabh Kant, former NITI Aayog CEO, and PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl express strong confidence in India's potential to become a global golf powerhouse within the next decade. Kant specifically predicts a woman golfer will achieve a breakthrough moment for the country. They highlight India's demographic advantage, rising youth participation, and the need for university-level talent development and private investment in infrastructure to achieve this goal.
Cricket legend Kapil Dev has cautioned against creating 'excessive hype' around 15-year-old Indian cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, drawing parallels with Vinod Kambli's career, and urged the media to give the young talent time to develop.
The Indian men's hockey squad for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy, to be held in Punjab from October 27 to November 5, has been announced. Goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak returns to the team, while the core of the Asian Games gold-winning lineup, led by Harmanpreet Singh, has been retained. The tournament marks the return of international hockey to Punjab, with matches in Jalandhar and Mohali.
The Indian men's badminton team secured a medal at the Asian Games by defeating Japan 3-0 in the quarterfinals, highlighted by Lakshya Sen's incredible comeback victory. While the men celebrated, the women's team exited the tournament after a 1-3 loss to Japan.
The Indian men's and women's hockey teams are set to compete at the Asian Games in Kakamigahara, Japan, with the primary goal of winning gold to secure direct qualification for the Paris Olympics. The men's team aims to defend its title and overcome recent World Cup disappointment, while the women's team, buoyed by a strong World Cup performance, seeks only its second Asian Games gold. Both teams face tough competition, with the men needing to prove their dominance against regional rivals and the women confronting a strong Chinese side.
Indian benchmark stock indices, Sensex and Nifty, rallied significantly, with Sensex jumping over 1,500 points and Nifty reaching a nearly three-week high, driven by strong buying in banking, IT, and Reliance Industries stocks, alongside easing crude oil prices.
India's women's cricket team is set to face Sri Lanka in the Asian Games final, aiming to secure a gold medal and extend their continental dominance. While India enters as favourites with strong performances, Sri Lanka, led by Chamari Athapaththu, will look to challenge their supremacy in what promises to be an exciting clash.
Japan's coach Hajime Moriyasu expressed confidence ahead of their World Cup last-32 clash against Brazil in Houston, stating his team will not be pushovers. He cited their previous 3-2 victory over Brazil as proof of their progress and readiness to challenge the five-time champions. Japan secured their spot by finishing second in Group F after a 1-1 draw with Sweden, a result Moriyasu strategically preserved. He also highlighted the significance of Japan's advancement for Asian football and the growth of the sport in his country.
Indian golfer Pranavi Urs, fresh from winning a maiden Asian Games gold, has set her sights on an Olympic medal and a Major title.
Defending champions India's men's kabaddi team secured a dominant 37-21 victory over Chinese Taipei, advancing to the semi-finals of the Asian Games with an unbeaten record in Group A.
India's team management is considering pairing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with Abhishek Sharma for the second T20I against West Indies due to Sanju Samson's poor form. While the middle-order has performed well, Samson's consistent low scores are a concern. The article also discusses potential changes in the pace bowling combination and the West Indies' need for a higher total.
Shree Charani set a new T20I bowling rating record with 817 points, while Smriti Mandhana returned to the batting top five after starring in India's Asian Games triumph.
Jay Meena dreamed of becoming a cricketer, but fate had other plans.
Shiho Kuwaki of Japan defeated Germany's Esther Henseleit in a two-hole playoff to win the 2026 AIG Women's Open, marking the second consecutive Japanese victory in the tournament. Indian golfers Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok, however, failed to make the cut.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games concluded with a spectacular closing ceremony featuring a dazzling light and musical show, celebrating Japan's culture and hospitality. The event saw over 350 records broken, including 50 world records, and marked the official handover to Doha for the 2030 Games. India finished fourth in the medal tally with 85 medals.
Indian boxers Lovlina Borgohain, Priya Ghanghas, and Kapil Pokhariya have advanced to the semifinals of the Asian Games, ensuring at least bronze medals for the country. Lovlina, a Tokyo Olympics medallist, secured her second consecutive Asian Games podium finish, while Priya made a strong comeback, and Kapil also reached the last four. This brings the total number of assured boxing medals for India to six.
India's Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza has made a strong start at the 2026 Asian Games, securing two victories in the Teqball women's singles event to reach the semi-finals.
India's men's 10m air pistol team, comprising Kamaljeet, Aakash Bhardwaj, and Kedarling Uchaganve, failed to secure a medal at the Asian Games. Kamaljeet narrowly missed the final, while Kedarling's poor performance led to Japan clinching the bronze medal. This marks another disappointing day for Indian shooting, which has yet to win a gold medal after five days of competition, raising concerns about their performance at the event.
Defending champions India's women's cricket team is set to face Bangladesh in the Asian Games semifinal. With a dominant head-to-head record, India aims to continue their winning streak, while Bangladesh will rely on their spinners to challenge the strong Indian batting lineup for a spot in the final.
P V Sindhu clinched her maiden Super 750 title at the Japan Open, defeating local favourite Akane Yamaguchi in a dominant performance that showcased her return to top form, ending a nearly two-year title drought and rekindling hopes for a record sixth World Championships medal.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, extended their rally in early trade, driven by strong buying in bank stocks, Reliance Industries, and positive global cues, despite foreign institutional investors offloading equities.
Pranavi Sharath Urs delivered an exceptional 7-under 63 at the Asian Games golf competition, placing her in sole second position individually and elevating the Indian women's team to bronze medal contention. Her performance, marked by clean ball-striking and aggressive play, has created significant momentum for India's medal aspirations in both individual and team events.
Japan showed their battling qualities to eke out a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their World Cup Group F opener on Sunday, as Hajime Moriyasu's side backed up their desire to make an impact at the tournament with a gritty display.
The 20th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, running from September 19 to October 4, will feature approximately 17,000 athletes from 45 countries competing in 469 medal events across 43 sports. Japan hosts for the third time, introducing new sports like mixed martial arts and virtual taekwondo, while also serving as a qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Navigating this geopolitical minefield requires a cold-blooded blend of immediate tactical pleading, structural domestic diversification, and aggressive collective resistance, suggests Ambassador Rajasekhar.
Indian sailors Manu Francis and Kurisinkal Noble secured a silver medal in the men's skiff opening race 9 at the Asian Games sailing competition in Gamagori City, Japan. The duo finished with 23 points, behind China, and had previously won bronze at the Asian Sailing Championships. The women's skiff team finished fourth.
Baranica Elangovan has won a historic bronze medal for India in the women's pole vault event at the Asian Games, marking the country's first-ever medal in the discipline. She cleared 4.15m, sharing the bronze with Kazakhstan's Polina Ivanova.
Shreyas Iyer scored his maiden T20I hundred, leading India to a dominant eight-wicket victory over West Indies in the opening match of the five-match series. Despite recent travel and jet lag, Iyer's unbeaten 102, alongside a strong bowling performance including Naman Dhir's three wickets, ensured India chased down West Indies' total of 171 with ease. West Indies captain Shai Hope lamented his team's chaotic batting and lack of runs.
Indian badminton stars Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu face challenging draws in the individual competitions at the Asian Games, while defending champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have a more favourable path to the semifinals. The individual events follow India's men's team securing a bronze medal. Players will need to overcome tough opponents to secure individual medals.
Jio Platforms (JPL) is preparing a capex-light strategy to commercially launch 6G services in the early 2030s through software upgrades, rather than fresh infrastructure investments, according to Akash Ambani, managing director of JPL.
Indian boxer Sachin Siwach has advanced to the men's 60kg quarterfinals at the Asian Games with a 4-1 victory over Mohammad Adnan Abu Jajeh. Meanwhile, last edition's bronze medallist Preeti Pawar was eliminated after a 0-5 loss to North Korea's Pang Chol M in the women's 54kg round of 16. Siwach is now one win away from securing a medal.
Indian opener Shafali Verma has risen to fourth in the ICC Women's T20I Batting Rankings following her maiden T20I century at the Asian Games. Other Indian players like Shree Charani and Deepti Sharma maintain top bowling positions, while Kranti Gaud and Nandani Sharma also achieved career-best rankings. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur hold positions in the top 10 batting rankings.
India's women's hockey team secured a resounding 20-1 victory over Thailand at the Asian Games, with drag-flicker Deepika Sehrawat setting a new record by scoring nine goals in a single match. This marked India's third consecutive win in Pool B, maintaining their top position ahead of their upcoming match against hosts Japan.
Sweden and Japan played out a 1-1 draw in their World Cup Group F match, with Anthony Elanga scoring for Sweden and Daizen Maeda for Japan. The result ensures both teams progress to the knockout rounds, with Japan finishing second and Sweden securing a spot as one of the best third-placed teams.
