Kylian Mbappe scored two goals to lead Real Madrid to a convincing 4-1 victory over Sevilla, narrowing the gap on LaLiga leaders Barcelona to six points ahead of their crucial upcoming encounter.
On Day Three of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D clash, Sarfaraz Khan scored 154 for Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh, who are trailing by 244 runs. In another match, R Sai Kishore took a hat-trick, leading Tamil Nadu to an innings victory over Uttarakhand. Railways are also in action against Rajasthan, while Haryana secured a dominant win.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner discussed India's young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar ahead of the five-match T20 International series.
NorthEast United FC secured a dominant 4-1 victory over Kerala Blasters FC in an Indian Super League match. Alaaeddine Ajaraie scored a brace, with Antonio Moyano and debutant Aman CK also finding the net for the Highlanders. Kerala Blasters managed a single goal through Yansane.
Punjab captain Uday Saharan scored an unbeaten 106 to guide his team to 269 for four against Chhattisgarh on Day 1 of their Ranji Trophy match. This came after India skipper Shubman Gill was dismissed for just one run. In another match, Manvanth Kumar's 86 not out helped Karnataka recover against Saurashtra.
Haryana's Khushi Kadian, partnering with Tamil Nadu's Sanmitha Harini, secured the girls U-16 doubles title at the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship. Kadian, 13, also advanced to the singles finals in both the U-16 and U-14 categories, setting herself up for a potential triple triumph. Chandigarh's Ribhav Saroha also reached the Boys U-16 singles final, aiming for a double.
Second seed Elena Rybakina ended Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen's stirring US Open run with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory on Wednesday, advancing to the semi-finals and securing the world number one ranking for the first time.
Kakatiya Knights and Mighty Marathas secured victories in the Archery Premier League Season 2, maintaining their top positions. Prithviraaj Yodhas also climbed to third place, while Chola Chiefs continued their losing streak. Key archers like Gatha Anandrao Khadake, Neeraj Chauhan, and Simranjeet Kaur delivered stellar performances.
India captain Shreyas Iyer called back Arshdeep Singh after the pacer was struck on the shoulder by a Shamar Joseph bouncer in the final over of the fourth T20I against the West Indies in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Thulasimathi Murugesan and Nitesh Kumar secured a spot in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 final at the Asian Para Games after defeating China's Li Mingpan and Xiao Zuxian.
The current Managing Committee of the Goa Cricket Association (GCA) has rejected allegations of a Rs 50 crore accounting mismatch flagged by an audit report, asserting that the discrepancies occurred during the tenure of the previous committee.
Coco Gauff staged a remarkable comeback at the US Open, saving two match points to defeat Mirra Andreeva 2-6 7-6(7) 6-2 and secure her spot in the semi-finals. The 2023 champion overcame a poor start and a challenging tiebreak to win, setting up a clash with second seed Elena Rybakina.
The Indian women's football team suffered a heavy 0-8 defeat against Russia in their second international friendly in Kolkata. Russia displayed clinical finishing and exploited India's defensive weaknesses, scoring five goals in the first half and adding three more after the break, with multiple players bagging braces.
Abhishek Sharma's 61 and Tilak Varma's unbeaten 51 powered India to 211/6 before Hasan Nawaz's 96 fell short as Pakistan lost by 19 runs.
India's medal tally at the Asian Para Games reached 88, with armless archer Sheetal Devi securing two gold medals. The para-athletics contingent was the largest contributor, while medals also came from swimming, badminton, and table tennis, showcasing a strong performance across multiple disciplines.
As the cycle enters a crucial phase, the teams now look to strengthen their case for a top-two finish.
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy expressed immense satisfaction with his team's performance against India, stating that the 'swagger is back' after they held the T20 World Cup champions to a 2-2 series draw. He highlighted the team's renewed confidence and willingness to win as key factors.
The Union Sports Ministry has committed a grant-in-aid of Rs 2000 crore to the Gujarat Government for hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad. This funding, based on 2025 rates and expected to reach Rs 2500 crore by 2030, will be disbursed from the Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) scheme. Ahmedabad won the bid last year to host the centenary edition, which is anticipated to be a grand event featuring 15 to 17 disciplines, unlike the scaled-down Glasgow Games.
Himon Kumar Mondal from West Bengal and Tanishka Kalbhairav from Karnataka secured victories in the U-15 boys' and girls' categories, respectively, at the second National Ranking Table Tennis Championships held in Panchkula on Saturday. Mondal won a thrilling final against Rishaan Chattopadhyay, while Kalbhairav defeated Aarya Redkar.
Indian Greco-Roman wrestler Vishvajit More secured a silver medal at the U23 World Championship in Las Vegas, becoming the first Indian to achieve this feat. He lost a close final to Georgia's Koba Karumidze. Komal and Diksha Malik are still in contention for bronze medals in the women's event.
Navratri is a celebration of colour, devotion and dressing up, and Day 6 is all about green. Associated with nature, growth, renewal and prosperity, green brings a refreshing energy to the festive season.
Indian para-athlete Rinku Hooda won a gold medal in the men's javelin throw F46 event at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya. Despite being deeply affected by his mother's passing in August and battling a shoulder injury, Hooda dedicated his victory to her. He aims to secure a Paralympics medal next, having previously won medals at various international championships.
Hubert Hurkacz secured his first-ever victory over Novak Djokovic, eliminating the four-time champion from the Shanghai Masters with a dominant 6-4, 6-3 win. Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev advanced, continuing his pursuit of the year-end world number one ranking.
Novak Djokovic backed Jannik Sinner's decision to end his 2026 season early, saying prioritising long-term recovery over a rushed comeback could extend his career and maximise future success.
Mona Agarwal staged a remarkable comeback to win the gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle (SH1) event at the Asian Para Games, narrowly defeating compatriot Avani Lekhara who secured silver. This one-two finish marked India's opening medal account and secured a second quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.
South Africa has made significant changes to their squad for the second Test against Australia in Gqeberha, dropping Tristan Stubbs and calling up Matthew Breetzke. Ryan Rickelton will take over as wicketkeeper, likely leading to Kyle Verreynne's exclusion from the playing XI. These changes come after their heavy defeat in the first Test, with lead pacer Kagiso Rabada expected to return.
Ariv Dutta of West Bengal and Saksya Santosh of Karnataka secured the Under-13 boys' and girls' titles, respectively, at the second National Ranking Table Tennis Championships held in Panchkula on Thursday. Rajvardhan Tiwari and Phalgun Gupta also won the U-11 boys' and girls' titles. The championships featured intense matches across various age categories, highlighting emerging talent in Indian table tennis.
India's Asian Para Games campaign saw a remarkable performance, particularly in athletics, securing five gold medals on Tuesday. Nishad Kumar and Deepthi Jeevanji were standout performers, both setting new Games records and clinching multiple golds. The nation's overall medal tally reached 35 by the end of day two, with significant contributions from shooting, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis, archery, and badminton, promising further success.
West Indies head coach Darren Sammy emphasised the critical importance of winning both powerplays (batting and bowling) to defeat India in the ongoing T20I series. He highlighted the team's struggle to contain India in the initial overs while bowling and stressed the need for improvement. Sammy also defended all-rounder Roston Chase, praising his discipline and tactical understanding amidst criticism of his selection.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has acknowledged his side's disappointing start to the Premier League season but expressed confidence that they will overcome this difficult period, especially as they prepare for a crucial Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid.
Daniil Medvedev defeated Tommy Paul 6-3 1-6 6-3 to reach the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, while Rafael Jodar made history by becoming the youngest semi-finalist after beating Casper Ruud 4-6 6-4 6-3. Medvedev will face Jodar next, with Alexander Zverev and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina contesting the other semi-final.
The Indian men's chess team secured a silver medal on a tie-break after drawing with Hungary, while the women's team clinched a bronze medal by drawing with Georgia at the 46th Chess Olympiad.
Cristiano Ronaldo says his goalscoring record is not valued enough as the Al Nassr star closes in on 1,000 career goals, with 981 for club and country.
Manchester City's head coach Enzo Maresca stated that the club's players and supporters have grown closer following the Premier League's financial rule breach charges, while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provided an update on player injuries, with Martin Zubimendi potentially returning and Piero Hincapie still sidelined.
Defending champion Manish Sureshkumar and top seed Vaidehee Chaudhari have advanced to the semi-finals of the 31st Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship in New Delhi. Sureshkumar overcame a 0-3 deficit in the deciding set, while Chaudhari recovered from a second-set collapse. Both will also compete in doubles finals.
Indian professional boxer Neeraj Goyat is set to face former UFC lightweight world champion Anthony Pettis in a six-round super welterweight contest on January 23 next year. Three Indian cities are being considered to host the high-profile bout, which marks a significant moment for Indian boxing as Goyat fights a major international name on home ground.
A 52-year-old woman was allegedly beaten to death by her neighbours in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, on Sunday, suspected of practising witchcraft. Police are investigating the incident, and an FIR is expected after the victim's son submits a written complaint.
Defending champions Jammu and Kashmir managed to secure a draw against Madhya Pradesh in their Ranji Trophy Group A opener. Rain and bad light intervened on the final day, preventing Madhya Pradesh from pushing for a victory after J&K were left reeling at 88 for seven chasing 326.
Pakistan batter Hasan Nawaz expressed his disappointment over losing the Asian Games gold medal match against India, citing "small mistakes" as the reason for their defeat. Despite scoring 96 runs in the final, Nawaz felt the team could have won and highlighted the challenge of playing against India. He also spoke about his personal comeback and future aspirations in cricket.
Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha has called for a stronger, athlete-centric sporting ecosystem, emphasising the need for robust federations, committed coaches, quality infrastructure, and effective sports science support. She highlighted that sporting excellence requires institutions that prioritise athletes and provide fair opportunities, while also congratulating recent Asian Games gold medallists.
