Satwik-Chirag face a 10-day Asian Games grind as the defending champions focus on fitness, injury prevention and workload management.
The Indian men's and women's hockey teams commence their Asian Games campaign in Japan, with both aiming for a gold medal to secure direct qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics. The men's team seeks to recover from a recent World Cup slump, while the women's team looks to build on their strong World Cup performance, facing significant challenges from opponents like China.
Indian shooters Suruchi Inder Singh and Kamaljeet overcame initial disappointments at the Asian Games to clinch India's first shooting gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. Both athletes had faced setbacks in their individual qualifications but rallied together, setting a Games and Asian record score of 484.6 to defeat South Korea. Their victory marks a significant turnaround and a testament to their resilience and teamwork.
Kylian Mbappe describes Zinedine Zidane becoming his France coach as "like something out of a movie," completing a remarkable journey that began with Zidane guiding him toward Real Madrid.
Fresh from their record-extending Asia Cup triumph, defending champions India will begin their Asian Games title defence as overwhelming favourites against hosts Japan in the women's quarter-finals in Nagoya on Friday.
India experienced a day of mixed results at the Asian Games, securing a gold medal in shooting through Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet, and a silver in men's 10,000m with Gulveer Singh. However, a major setback occurred with the unexpected early exit of top badminton men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. The nation also added several bronze medals in pole vault, shot put, table tennis, and assured more in squash, pushing its total medal count to 23.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has confirmed Pakistan's participation in the upcoming Men's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in India. The event, scheduled from October 27 to November 5 in Jalandhar and Mohali, will feature six nations, with India hosting its arch-rivals under the central government's policy allowing multi-lateral sports engagements.
India's T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer expressed his excitement about participating in the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, highlighting the opportunity to interact with top athletes and understand their mindset, while also focusing on the team's immediate T20I challenges.
Australia secured an unassailable 2-0 ODI series lead against Zimbabwe after Travis Head's century powered them to a record total, backed by Adam Zampa's 200th wicket in an 84-run victory.
Defending champions Alpine APL Pipers, led by World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi, defeated FYERS American Gambits 9-7 in a critical Global Chess League match. Carlsen ended Javokhir Sindarov's winning streak, while Gujrathi secured a marathon victory, propelling Pipers closer to a final berth.
The West Indies have announced their ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming series against India, with John Campbell returning to the ODI side and Kamil Pooran earning his maiden T20I call-up.
Chinese President Xi Jinping began his second state visit to the US, meeting President Donald Trump at the White House. Both leaders expressed a desire for a better future for their nations, with Xi emphasising cooperation over confrontation and the avoidance of the "Thucydides Trap." Discussions also touched upon artificial intelligence governance and the extension of a trade truce. The visit was notably marked by a media boycott of White House coverage due to a dispute over press access.
Sumit Nagal, India's top singles player, believes sheer desire will be crucial in the Davis Cup qualifier against Korea, especially on the slow Seoul courts.
Newly promoted Hull City secured a 2-2 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, extending their unbeaten start to the Premier League season to four matches, much to the delight of manager Sergej Jakirovic.
The US Open semi-final between American tennis stars Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe attracted a host of celebrities from sports, film, and fashion, including Serena Williams and Trinity Rodman, to witness Shelton's victory.
England's white-ball captain Harry Brook revealed that former Ashes and T20 World Cup-winning batter Kevin Pietersen has been instrumental in teaching the squad how to effectively play spin.
India T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer has highlighted the importance of regular game time and confidence for Jasprit Bumrah, who is returning from injury ahead of the Afghanistan T20I series, the Asian Games, and the ODI World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, remains confident in his ability to contribute to the Portugal national team under new coach Jorge Jesus, targeting both the UEFA Nations League title and his 1,000th career goal. He addressed his international future post-World Cup, his motivation, and dismissed critics, asserting he is not yet ready to retire.
Bihar-born Abhishek Anand's journey from tennis-ball cricket and IIT Kanpur to Japan's national team has culminated in a historic opportunity to face India on Tuesday.
FYERS American Gambits defeated Triveni Continental Kings to retain their top position in the Global Chess League standings, ahead of Alpine APL Pipers. Other matches saw Ganges Grandmasters secure a dominant win over Continental Kings, while Mumba Masters suffered two defeats, including a loss to PBG Alaskan Knights. The Gambits, Pipers, and Grandmasters have all won four matches, with Gambits having played one more round.
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.
France and England, reeling from World Cup semi-final defeats, will compete in the third-place playoff. The match marks Didier Deschamps' final game as France coach and offers Kylian Mbappe a chance to pursue the Golden Boot and the tournament's all-time scoring record. Both teams are expected to rotate their squads.
Pakistan's hockey team faced embarrassment in a five-a-side match against India in Muscat when umpires penalised them for fielding six players instead of five. This led to India scoring 8 goals. The incident has prompted the Pakistan Hockey Federation President to demand an explanation, recalling a similar blunder in the 2022 Asia Cup that cost them a World Cup qualification.
Lionel Messi scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami as the Major League Soccer side beat Mexican club Cruz Azul 2-0 to win the Campeones Cup at Nu Stadium in Florida on Wednesday.
Kanika Mann has the kind of bubbly energy that makes it impossible not to notice her. And while comparisons to Alia Bhatt may follow her around, Kanika is clearly busy carving out a style identity of her own.
India is set to face Afghanistan in the second T20I, aiming to clinch the series despite ongoing concerns about a reliable fifth bowling option in the absence of Hardik Pandya. The team delivered a dominant performance in the first match, securing a seven-wicket victory.
India has announced an 18-member squad for the upcoming BWF World Junior Championships in Cairo, Egypt. The team, featuring Asian U-17 champion Tanvi Patri and other promising talents, was selected after trials in Guwahati. India, a bronze medallist in the previous edition, aims for a strong performance, with the tournament introducing new scoring systems for the Suhandinata Cup and individual events.
Ajit Agarkar has informed the BCCI he will not continue as chief selector, prompting the board to begin searching for his successor as his contract ends October 4.
Pacer Tess Flintoff's exceptional four-wicket haul dismantled India A's batting line-up, leading Australia A to a comfortable six-wicket victory in the opening match of the women's unofficial T20I series.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board hosted 'Koh-E-Zafar' in New Delhi to celebrate the strong cricketing friendship between India and Afghanistan.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and a state delegation have been invited by the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) to witness the semi-finals and finals of the Asian Games hockey competitions in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. This invitation is significant as Punjab is set to host the men's Asian Champions Trophy 2026, with the experience gained in Japan expected to aid in organising future international sporting events in the state.
Despite India's dominant Asia Cup victory, head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged fielding as an area for improvement, while dismissing concerns over the middle-order's performance.
Leeds United climbed to third in the Premier League with a 4-1 victory over Newcastle, while Inter Milan staged a comeback to beat Udinese 5-3, maintaining their perfect Serie A start alongside AS Roma, who won 2-0 at Torino. In LaLiga, Betis continued their strong run with a win over Villarreal.
Will Jacks delivered a career-best bowling performance with 5-22 and an unbeaten 46 runs, leading England to an 89-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first One Day International. England posted 265, with Harry Brook scoring 67, before bowling out Sri Lanka for 176. This win extends England's recent strong form in the ODI format.
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar lauded American tennis player Ben Shelton's thrilling five-set victory over Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open quarter-finals, while also expressing sympathy for Alcaraz's tough luck after returning from injury.
Indonesian hockey players, particularly Ferdian Fathur Rahman and Firdaus Muhammad, are deeply inspired by the Bollywood film "Chak De! India" as they prepare to face India at the Asian Games.
Australia Women 'A' defeated India 'A' by 30 runs in Mullanpur, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match unofficial T20I series, largely thanks to Katie Mack's unbeaten 83.
Trinity Rodman raced 200 miles from Washington to New York after her match to support boyfriend Ben Shelton, arriving just in time to witness his US Open final defeat.
Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Parinaaz Dhaliwal overcame a challenging start to secure India's first-ever bronze medal in the Asian Games skeet mixed team event. Their remarkable comeback, fueled by mutual support and a fighting spirit, culminated in a significant achievement for Indian shooting, adding to their individual medal tallies at the Games.
Indian shooters Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane secured second place in the 10m air rifle mixed team qualification at the Asian Games 2026, positioning them for a medal contention. China set a new world record in the same event. Separately, Aadhya Tiwari faced a defeat in her opening soft tennis match but aims to recover in her next game.
