Seasoned spinner Axar Patel delivered a crucial final over, helping India clinch a narrow two-run victory against Japan in a rain-curtailed one-off T20 International in Sano, despite a challenging pitch and a low-scoring affair.
The historic one-off T20 International between India and Japan on September 22 marks a significant step in cricket's global expansion, aiming to connect with new audiences and strengthen the sport's presence in Asia, according to BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.
The Indian junior men's hockey team secured a 3-3 draw against Japan in their second Pool A match of the Junior Asia Cup. India initially led 2-0, but Japan fought back to take a 3-2 lead in the final minute before India equalised with a penalty corner in the dying seconds.
India and Japan will play their first-ever men's T20 International cricket match on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture, marking the 75th anniversary of India-Japan Diplomatic Relations.
Indian shuttlers Anmol Kharb and Tanvi Sharma have made a strong start at the Korea Open Super 500 badminton tournament, both advancing to the women's singles second round on Wednesday. While Kharb defeated Rachel Chan, Sharma overcame Manami Suizu. However, HS Prannoy and the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv and Maneesha faced early exits.
Five-time champions India defeated South Korea 8-1 in the men's Asian Champions Trophy hockey semifinal, with Shilanand Lakra and Dilpreet Singh scoring two goals each. India will now face Japan in the final on Thursday, having remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.
BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla has confirmed that Indian cricketers participating in the upcoming Asian Games in Japan will stay in designated accommodation provided by the Organising Committee, which, while comfortable, will not be five-star hotels due to scarcity in Nagoya. Both BCCI and IOA have addressed the arrangements, ensuring player comfort and suitable facilities.
Japan's national cricket team, led by Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, will play a historic one-off T20 International against India on September 22 in Sano.
The Indian women's hockey team will commence its campaign in the six-nation Asian Champions Trophy on November 19 in Bhopal, aiming for a third consecutive title. Following their recent Asian Games gold, India will face Malaysia in their opening match, with the tournament concluding on November 28.
A small contingent of the 74-member Indian athletics team is still awaiting visa clearance for Japan, potentially impacting their acclimatisation camp ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. AFI officials are working to resolve the issue, which stems from VFS requirements regarding application locations.
Indian shuttlers Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth have advanced to the second round of the Kumamoto Masters Japan Super 500 badminton tournament. Sen defeated Chinese Taipei's Chi Yu Jen in straight games, while Srikanth made a comeback to beat Denmark's Rasmus Gemke. However, India faced defeats in the doubles matches.
The Indian men's badminton team defeated hosts Japan in the Asian Games quarterfinals, securing a medal.
A Bangladesh opposition leader, Nahid Islam of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has issued warnings against facilitating an Indian transit corridor through Bangladesh and called for a fair renewal of the Ganges water-sharing treaty, which expires in December. His remarks were made at a rally in Dhaka, where he also criticised the current government. The allegations about the corridor follow Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent visit to Japan, which focused on economic cooperation and regional connectivity, though Bangladesh officials deny discussing third-country issues. India has also expressed interest in strengthening regional linkages with Japan involving its northeastern states.
The Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, are set to feature top athletes across various disciplines. This preview highlights key contenders like swimmers Pan Zhanle, javelin throwers Haruka Kitaguchi and Arshad Nadeem, badminton star An Se-young, gymnastic sensation Carlos Yulo, tennis prodigy Alexandra Eala, and the formidable Indian cricket teams, all poised to make a significant impact.
India, already in the semifinals of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey, will play Malaysia in their fourth round robin match on Sunday.
Organisers of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games have defended their decision to forgo an Athletes' Village, opting instead for a mix of hotels, container huts, and a cruise ship, despite complaints about cramped conditions and shared rooms.
Japan is deepening its defence relationship with India while simultaneously expanding its economic, infrastructure and security engagement with countries around India -- particularly Bangladesh. The result is an emerging Japanese conception of South Asia in which India remains the strategic anchor, but the geography surrounding India is becoming increasingly important, points out Varun Arya.
Indian men's hockey team chief coach Craig Fulton expressed his delight after defending the Asian Champions Trophy title at home. He emphasised that his primary focus remains on defence, a strategy that has consistently yielded positive results for the team. India secured their sixth overall ACT crown by defeating Japan 4-1 on Thursday.
India's AM Green Ammonia has signed a Binding Heads of Agreement with Japan-based JERA to supply 70,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually for five years. The green ammonia, produced at AM Green's Kakinada facility in Andhra Pradesh, will support Japan's decarbonisation efforts, particularly for ammonia-fuelled car carriers and JERA's Hekinan Thermal Power Station.
The Indian women's hockey squad for the Asian Champions Trophy in Bhopal has been announced, featuring significant changes including the resting of veteran goalkeeper Savita Punia, who is replaced by Bansari Solanki. Head coach Sjoerd Marijne has also shuffled player roles, with Salima Tete continuing as captain for the tournament, which begins on November 19. India, as defending champions, will face Malaysia in their opening match.
China has made a strong start at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with teenage swimmer Yu Zidi setting a new Games record and Olympic champion Pan Zhanle defending his title.
Fifteen-year-old shuttler Tanvi Patri has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the Youth Olympic Games badminton final, assuring India of its first medal in the discipline.
Five-time champions India, unbeaten in the Asian Champions Trophy, are set to face South Korea in the semifinal. Despite a dominant performance against South Korea in the round-robin stage, concerns linger over striker Abhishek's injury. India's strong squad depth, led by captain Harmanpreet Singh and a solid midfield, aims to secure a spot in the final.
Top seed Aliona Falei and Zhibek Kulambayeva secured their spots in the singles main draw of the WTA 250 Chennai Open after winning their final-round qualifying matches on Sunday. Weronika Falkowska and Kyoka Okamura also advanced.
Japan's Masatora Kawano and Australia's Rebecca Henderson have established new world records in the men's and women's marathon race walks, respectively, at the All Japan Race Walking meet in Takahata.
Malaysia, the Asian Games silver medallist, defeated South Korea 5-2 to secure the bronze medal at the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament. Abu Kamal Arzai scored two crucial goals, helping Malaysia overcome an early deficit and dominate the match.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet and interact with India's medal-winners from the recent Asian Para Games on Thursday at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex. India achieved its best-ever performance at the Games, securing 114 medals.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath surprised social media by delivering a speech in English at the India-Japan Business Conclave, with a video clip of his address quickly spreading online and drawing widespread reactions.
The Indian junior women's hockey team secured a spot in the Asia Cup quarterfinals after a dominant 7-0 victory over Japan. This win marks their third consecutive triumph in the Elite Pool, placing them at the top with nine points. They will now face China to determine the top position in the pool.
India's top-ranked tennis player, Vaishnavi Adkar, was defeated by Russia's Anastasia Zakharova in the second round of the Chennai Open singles. Adkar lost 3-6, 0-6, struggling against Zakharova's consistent play and powerful backhand. Meanwhile, Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi advanced to the doubles quarterfinals with her partner Shirvalli Bhamdipati, making her the sole Indian remaining in the singles draw.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) are reportedly dissatisfied with the arrangements and facilities for the upcoming Asian Games cricket tournament in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Concerns include inadequate dressing rooms, distant washrooms, and small hotel rooms. As a result, India might send a 'B' team instead of the previously announced full-strength squad, pending a report from a BCCI observer.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored a hat-trick as India defeated Malaysia 4-2 in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament, securing their fourth consecutive victory. Both teams have already qualified for the semifinals, with India set to face South Korea next.
Indian shuttler Tanvi Patri has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the badminton semifinals at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. The 15-year-old defeated Thailand's Kungkaew Kakanik and will now face Japan's Yuzuno Watanabe in the last four.
India is ranked as a "Rising Contender" in AI by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), indicating high readiness but lower disruption exposure. The report highlights India's strength in its large pool of AI specialists and IT-services workforce. While not yet an "AI Pioneer," India is leveraging its talent advantage, with government initiatives like Yuva AI for ALL and IndiaAI FuturesSkills aiming to upskill citizens and broaden access to AI education. The report emphasizes that execution and talent deployment are crucial for economies to gain ground in AI.
Five-time champions India maintained their perfect record in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament, defeating South Korea 8-0 in their final round-robin match on Monday. This dominant victory secured India's top spot in the standings with 15 points, setting up a semifinal clash against South Korea on Wednesday in Mohali.
India and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on maritime security cooperation, committing to deepen defence ties and oppose unilateral actions that impede freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific, a move seen as directed at China's increasing military presence.
Malaysia secured their third consecutive victory in the Asian Champions Trophy by defeating Bangladesh 6-1, with Abu Kamal Azrai scoring a brace. In another match, South Korea registered their first win of the tournament, narrowly beating China 2-1 after coming from behind. Bangladesh and China remain winless.
Arshdeep Singh is making the most of the rain-affected Asian Games in Nagoya, enjoying a romantic time with girlfriend Samreen Kaur and sharing a charming post from Nagoya Castle.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has declared the state fully prepared to host the 2030 Hockey World Cup, citing its rich hockey legacy, numerous Olympians, and rapidly improving sports infrastructure. This announcement follows the successful hosting of the Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026, which India won. The state government has invested significantly in new astroturf grounds and allocated substantial funds for sports development, reinforcing Punjab's commitment to its sporting heritage.
Indian stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed higher for the second consecutive day, driven by robust foreign fund inflows, better-than-expected Q2 corporate earnings, and a sustained moderation in crude oil prices.
