VVS Laxman, who coached the Indian team at the Asian Games, lauded Shreyas Iyer's captaincy, highlighting his meticulous preparation, sharp tactical understanding, and ability to assess opposition strengths as key to his success.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of Air Staff, has expressed significant concern over the inordinate delays in inducting new combat jets, including the indigenous Tejas aircraft, stating that these delays are severely impacting the Indian Air Force's depleting fighter squadron strength. He highlighted the need for 36-40 new fighter jets annually to address these gaps and voiced worry over Pakistan's collaboration with China on a fifth-generation fighter jet.
Indian hockey stars Hardik Singh and Manpreet Singh shared their thoughts on the recent Asian Games gold medal win, which also secured their qualification for the LA 2028 Olympics. They discussed their dietary plans, coach Craig Fulton's positive influence, and the team's belief in their attacking prowess.
India finished fourth at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 85 medals, a significant dip from the previous edition's record haul. While traditional strongholds like shooting and athletics underperformed, breakthroughs in archery, wrestling, golf, boxing, hockey, and cricket showcased a broadening sporting base. The performance serves as a reality check on sustaining progress towards top global rankings and highlights areas for improvement in mental conditioning and preparation.
West Indies captain Roston Chase admitted that his side likely made an error in team selection for the second Test against Pakistan, underestimating the pitch's early assistance for spin and regretting the decision to field only one frontline spinner.
Indian women's hockey team goalkeeper Bichu Devi Karibam and Pakistan striker Abdul Rehman have been honoured with the Poligras Magic Skill Awards for their outstanding performances at the recent FIH World Cup. The awards, decided by fan votes, recognised Devi's crucial save and Rehman's exceptional 3D skills.
Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam is set to play domestic first-class cricket for OGDCL in the President's Trophy to address his prolonged dip in Test form. Azam has struggled to score centuries since December 2022 and has faced criticism for his inability to convert starts, prompting him to seek PCB's help to participate in the longer format domestically.
Terming protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as "enemies" like India, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said there will be no dialogue with them, even as the death toll due to clashes between demonstrators and security personnel rose to 20 on Wednesday.
Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as the captain of the Indian women's cricket team across all formats, a decision acknowledged by the BCCI which lauded her leadership, particularly the 2025 Women's World Cup victory and Asian Games gold medals. Kaur expressed her commitment to continue playing for India, contributing as a senior player.
The Amritsar Rural police on Saturday arrested five accused linked to the firing incident involving assistant sub-inspector Jaswant Singh, who was posted with the Amritsar commissionerate.
India's women's table tennis team commenced their Asian Games campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory over Indonesia in their opening Group F match. Sreeja Akula, Diya Chitale, and Yashaswini Ghorpade each secured wins in their respective rubbers, ensuring a dominant start for the Indian contingent.
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.
Pakistan's lower order staged a spirited late fightback, with debutant Razaullah smashing 81 and sharing a 121-run stand with Abbas to frustrate England before dismissal.
Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has heavily criticised captain Babar Azam for his 'weak' leadership during the ongoing Test series against England, where Pakistan is trailing 0-2, stating that Azam's personality is reflected in his struggling captaincy and decision-making.
Ishan Kishan smashed an unbeaten 80 against Sri Lanka to overtake Virat Kohli's T20I record for fifty-plus scores in a calendar year and move within 80 runs of Suryakumar Yadav's India record.
The trophy is supposed to be the full stop to a tournament, not another comma in an India-Pakistan controversy, points out K R Nayar.
India overcame early setbacks in shooting and athletics to achieve a strong fourth-place finish at the Asian Games, matching its previous edition's ranking. A late surge in boxing, archery, wrestling, and hockey, alongside historic wins in golf and cricket, contributed significantly to the medal tally, despite a lower overall medal count compared to the 2022 edition.
Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem has expressed his disappointment over social media criticism following his poor performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He attributed his ninth-place finish to the extremely cold weather affecting his javelin throws and affirmed his commitment to return to winning form, stressing his grounded nature despite fame.
Australia have strengthened their ODI squad for South Africa with returns for Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, while Jack Edwards could debut amid Cameron Green's shoulder concern.
Yashvir threw the javelin to a distance of 85.72 m, his personal best.
India achieved a respectable fourth-place finish in the Asian Games medals tally, securing 85 medals including 21 gold, driven by a significant late surge in boxing, archery, wrestling, and hockey, despite initial setbacks in shooting and athletics.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated that the missing Asia Cup trophies for both men's and women's teams will eventually reach the BCCI headquarters, though no timeline was given. He also expressed confidence in the women's team winning gold at the Asian Games.
Former RAW chief AS Dulat has released his debut novel, "Our Kind of Games," a fictional exploration of the Kashmir insurgency and the complexities of intelligence work. The book, which features a foreword by Farooq Abdullah, delves into the moral dilemmas faced by an intelligence officer in Srinagar during the early 1990s.
Pakistan fast-bowling legend Wasim Akram has voiced his disappointment over the state of the country's cricket, particularly in Test matches. He attributes the team's struggles to a significant lack of quality batting talent emerging in recent years, despite the Pakistan Super League's existence. Akram also highlighted the need to revive club cricket and maintain consistency in team selections.
The Indian men's cricket team has advanced to the Asian Games semi-final after their quarter-final match against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain, with India progressing based on their superior ICC T20I ranking.
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has expressed serious concerns about the health of his friend and ex-captain Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned. Akram's comments follow similar calls from other international cricketers, including Brian Lara, for proper medical care and humane treatment for Khan.
Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) with a three-month ban after testing positive for a cannabis-related substance. The ban, which can be reduced upon rehabilitation, was backdated to May 1, and his records from matches between February 7 and May 1 have been disqualified.
Former Pakistan defensive hockey player Muhammad Saqlain has revealed his battle with stage four B oral cancer, stating that his sports background provided him with the fighting spirit needed to overcome the dreaded disease. He underwent an eight-hour surgery and is now undergoing immunotherapy for a full recovery, having kept his health issues private until now.
Ollie Robinson reached 100 Test wickets in just 24 matches and now boasts the best bowling average among 100-wicket bowlers since World War I.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has voiced concerns over significant delays in inducting new combat jets, including the Tejas aircraft, which are impacting the Indian Air Force's depleting fighter squadron strength. He stressed the need for annual induction of 36-40 jets to address the gaps and discussed ongoing procurement plans like the MRFA deal and future strategies for combat aircraft and theatre commands.
India women's team seamer Kranti Gaud has been fined 10 per cent of her match fee and received one demerit point by the ICC for breaching the Code of Conduct during the T20 Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka. Gaud was penalised for an aggressive gesture after dismissing a batter. Separately, the Pakistan women's team was fined for a slow overrate in their semifinal match.
The Indian women's table tennis team secured a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Singapore in the Asian Games Group F match, with Sreeja Akula and Yashaswini Ghorpade delivering crucial wins. In contrast, the Indian men's team suffered a 0-3 defeat to Iran in their Group F encounter.
England captain Joe Root has surpassed Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most half-centuries in Test cricket, achieving his 69th fifty during England's eight-wicket victory over Pakistan.
The Indian sub-junior boys' hockey team secured dominant victories against arch-rivals Pakistan (7-3) and hosts Oman (10-1) at the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship. Meanwhile, the Indian sub-junior girls' team fought hard but lost 3-6 to China in their Elite Pool match. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup.
India's men's and women's table tennis teams both secured dominant 3-0 victories over Indonesia in their opening Group F matches at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, showcasing a strong start to their campaigns.
The Asian Games medals tally after Day 7 shows China in a commanding lead with 176 medals, including 107 gold. Japan and Korea follow, while India is positioned tenth with a total of 30 medals.
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.
India's squash campaign at the Asian Games concluded with two bronze medals in the team events. Both the men's and women's teams fell short in their respective semifinals against Malaysia and Hong Kong, respectively. Despite strong individual performances, including Tanvi Khanna's comeback, India couldn't advance to the finals, adding to their overall medal tally of two silvers and three bronzes in squash.
Jemima Goldsmith, filmmaker and former wife of Pakistan's ex-prime minister Imran Khan, has married multi-millionaire financier Cameron O'Reilly. The news was confirmed by her family, with the couple reportedly exchanging vows over the weekend. Goldsmith continues to advocate for her sons and ex-husband amidst his incarceration.
Jemima Goldsmith, filmmaker and former wife of Pakistan's ex-prime minister Imran Khan, has married multi-millionaire financier Cameron O'Reilly. The news was confirmed by her family, with the couple reportedly exchanging vows over the weekend. Goldsmith continues to advocate for her sons and ex-husband amidst his incarceration.
