Indian shooter Vivaan Kapoor won a silver medal in the men's trap event at the ISSF World Championships in Doha on Thursday.
Real Madrid secured a significant 2-1 victory over league leaders Barcelona at Camp Nou, marking Barcelona's first LaLiga defeat this season. Kylian Mbappe scored both goals for Real Madrid, breaking the deadlock in the 41st minute and sealing the win with three minutes remaining. Raphinha scored Barcelona's equaliser. This result leaves Barcelona still at the top of LaLiga, with Real Madrid in third place.
Manchester City suffered a significant blow to their Premier League title ambitions, losing 3-1 to Nottingham Forest. This third consecutive league defeat leaves City six points adrift of leaders Arsenal. Forest secured their first home win of the season, with Liam Delap scoring twice, while City's coach Enzo Maresca cited a lack of intensity for the loss.
Cristiano Ronaldo Jr is the latest son of a football great to pursue an international career, joining a long list of players who have attempted to emerge from their famous fathers' shadows and build their own identities.
Title holders Portugal defeated Norway 2-1 in the Nations League, securing their place in the March quarter-finals with a perfect record. Goncalo Ramos scored the winning goal, further highlighting the team's success despite Cristiano Ronaldo's recent departure from the squad. Other Nations League results included Denmark beating Wales, the Netherlands overcoming Serbia, and Greece drawing with Germany.
Indian swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu secured her second bronze medal at the Dakar Youth Olympic Games, winning the girls' 200m freestyle. This achievement makes the 16-year-old the first Indian athlete to win multiple individual medals at the event.
Indian women wrestlers concluded their campaign at the U23 World Wrestling Championships with two medals. Amruta Pujari secured a silver in the 72kg category, while Komal won a bronze in the 59kg division. The men's freestyle team, however, had a disappointing outing, failing to reach any medal rounds.
Magda Linette, winner of the Chennai Open singles title, supported the decision to postpone Sunday's final due to unhealthy air quality caused by firecracker pollution. She emphasised the health risks for players, ball kids, and spectators. While glad for the postponement, Linette suggested organisers could plan better for festive periods. Her victory marked her first title in over two years, ending a difficult run and boosting her confidence for upcoming tournaments.
India never lost a Test at home while Mohammed Shami was playing. He played 21 of them, India won 17 and drew four.
AJUP chief and Naoda MLA Humayun Kabir has hinted at quitting electoral politics and his assembly membership after his arrest during the Rejinagar bypoll. Kabir, who claims the BJP will win Rejinagar due to a "looted mandate," expressed disillusionment with the democratic system and vowed not to attend the state assembly as long as Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is in office. He also alleged betrayal by Adhikari regarding his son's bypoll prospects.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Anuj Shrivatri on becoming India's 100th chess Grandmaster, hailing it as a significant milestone that showcases the nation's burgeoning talent and the sport's increasing appeal among young people.
Modern batters are scoring faster and hitting more boundaries, but are they losing control? India's struggles in Wellington have revived the debate over T20 cricket's influence on ODI batting.
Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal have secured their spots in the men's 57kg and women's 53kg finals, respectively, at the Asian Games in Nagoya. Both wrestlers, who previously won bronze at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, are now poised to compete for gold.
The Indian women's recurve archery team secured a historic gold medal at the Asian Games by defeating 10-time Olympic champions South Korea. The team, comprising Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma, and Kumkum Mohod, displayed exceptional nerve in challenging conditions.
Indian men's hockey coach Craig Fulton revealed that the tough semifinal victory against Pakistan was crucial in preparing the team for their dominant 5-1 win over Malaysia in the Asian Games final. This victory secured India's gold medal and a direct qualification for the 2028 Olympics. Senior player Hardik Singh also expressed relief and pride in the team's performance after a disappointing World Cup.
Five-time champions India began their Asian Champions Trophy hockey campaign with a dominant 13-0 victory over Bangladesh. Mandeep Singh scored a hat-trick, while Harmanpreet Singh, Dilpreet Singh, and Hardik Singh each netted a brace, showcasing India's strong title defence.
Indian archer Neeraj Chauhan defeated compatriot Dhiraj Bommadevara to secure the bronze medal in the men's individual recurve event at the Asian Games. This historic win makes him only the second Indian male to achieve an individual recurve medal at the prestigious event.
India and Pakistan's Under-19 cricket teams are set to face off in a crucial Asia Cup Group A encounter on Sunday. Both teams enter the match with convincing wins, aiming to secure a top spot in their group and advance to the semi-finals. The game will feature promising young talents, including Aaryavir Sehwag and Anvay Dravid from India, and strong performers like Usman Khan from Pakistan.
India's Lairenlakpam Ambekar Meetei has reached the men's 50kg boxing final at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, securing a dominant 5-0 win in the semifinals. This achievement marks the end of a 16-year wait for an Indian boxer in a Youth Olympics final, matching a milestone set in 2010.
SC Delhi defeated Inter Kashi 3-0 in an Indian Super League match. Carlos Fortes, Juan Pena, and Rodriguinho scored for SC Delhi, securing all three points despite Inter Kashi's efforts to find a breakthrough.
Lionel Messi has made MLS history by becoming the first player to win the Golden Boot in back-to-back seasons, scoring 26 goals this season. This follows his 29 goals last season, making him only the second player to achieve 25+ goals in consecutive years. The 39-year-old, who retired from international football earlier this year, extended his contract with Inter Miami until 2028. Inter Miami finished second in the Eastern Conference as the MLS Cup Playoffs approach.
The Indian men's volleyball team secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Vietnam in their opening Pool C match at the Asian Games, winning in straight sets. They are set to play Hong Kong and Qatar in upcoming matches.
East Bengal FC Women are on the verge of making history as they aim to become the first Indian club to reach the AFC Women's Champions League quarterfinals. They need at least a draw against DPR Korea's 4.25 SC in their final Group B match on Saturday to secure qualification. The team, currently third in their group, is strategising to overcome their strong opponents and advance in the prestigious tournament.
Germany coach Juergen Klopp acknowledges that while his team's results in the initial four international matches have been mixed, with only one win, he sees clear progress since their disappointing World Cup exit, particularly in their aggressive, high-tempo play.
Brighton & Hove Albion have climbed to second in the Premier League table after a convincing 2-0 home victory against 10-man Brentford. Goals from Diego Gomez and Pascal Gross secured the win, marking the club's best-ever start to a top-flight season.
Jaypal Malviya, a 31-year-old farmer and idol-maker from Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, has become the first Indian shooter to secure an Olympic quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. His journey is remarkable, starting from a casual interest in shooting at village fairs to winning a silver medal at the ISSF World Championships in Doha with a second-hand pistol. Despite financial challenges and a lack of formal coaching, Malviya's dedication has led him to this significant achievement, though his place in the Olympic squad will depend on future trials.
World number two Carlos Alcaraz saved two match points to defeat Taylor Fritz 6-7(10), 7-5, 6-3, securing his spot in the Paris Masters semi-finals and denying Fritz a place in the season-ending ATP Finals.
India's Amruta Pujari has stormed into the women's 72kg final at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships, while Komal secured a bronze medal in the 59kg category. Sweety and Vaishnavi Patil are also in contention for bronze through repechage, adding to Vishvajit More's earlier silver medal.
The India U17 men's football team secured a dominant 4-0 victory over hosts Myanmar in their second friendly match on Wednesday, concluding their tour on a high note. Captain Dallalmoun Gangte, an own goal, Kamgouhao Doungel, and Hrishikesh Charan Manavathi contributed to the scoreline, marking head coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo's first win. Both teams are preparing for the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers.
Former India chief selector Chetan Sharma discusses the recent high-profile IPL trade involving Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh, emphasising that team requirements should dictate such decisions. He also praises India's emerging pace-bowling talent, highlighting the strong bench strength demonstrated in the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand. Sharma believes the current period of experimentation is vital for identifying a core group of players for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Punjab FC secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Odisha FC in their Indian Super League campaign opener. Messi Bouli scored a stoppage-time winner after both teams were level at 1-1 at half-time, giving Punjab FC an early lead and then the decisive goal.
Former India sprinter Ashwini Nachappa claimed she withdrew from the Indian Olympic Association's Sportspersons of Merit (SOMs) elections due to "external pressure," raising concerns about transparency. Her withdrawal, along with others, occurred just before the virtual elections, which also saw complaints of code of conduct violations against Dola Banerjee and alleged misuse of IOA resources.
Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali is preparing for the Women's World Championship against China's Ju Wenjun next year. Known for her aggressive style, Vaishali is working on becoming a "universal player" to master all types of positions. She views the Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot as crucial training and has a packed schedule of tournaments leading up to the main event.
Harry Kane is set to become England's most-capped men's player with 126 appearances against Croatia, surpassing Peter Shilton. He will also present his Ballon d'Or trophy. Kane, already England's record goalscorer, expressed pride in his consistency and dedication, with manager Thomas Tuchel hailing him as a unique leader. Kane remains driven to achieve 100 England goals and win a major trophy with the national team.
Aaryavir Sehwag fulfilled his promise to father Virender with a stunning 160 against UAE, powering India to a 70-run victory and a place in the U-19 Asia Cup semifinals.
Greece secured a surprising 1-0 victory over hosts Germany in their Nations League Group A2 match, with Dimitris Kourbelis scoring the decisive goal. This defeat marks a difficult start for new German coach Juergen Klopp, who has now failed to win either of his first two matches in charge. The win puts Greece atop their group, while Germany remains on one point.
Manchester United, despite being in the Premier League relegation zone, salvaged a chaotic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa, scoring twice in stoppage time. This dramatic comeback, following a similar midweek Champions League recovery, showcased the team's fighting spirit under manager Michael Carrick, even as they remain 18th in the league.
The constructors' title is where the team gets its reward, a greater share of the sport's prize pot and prestige for sponsors, and is the trigger for staff bonuses that affect everyone working long days at the Brackley and Brixworth factories in England.
World number two Aryna Sabalenka remains optimistic about reaching the WTA Finals semi-finals despite a comprehensive 6-4, 6-0 defeat to 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, where she lost 11 consecutive games.
Indian men's hockey head coach Craig Fulton revealed that the hard-fought semi-final victory over arch-rivals Pakistan significantly boosted the team's confidence, leading to their dominant 5-1 win against Malaysia in the Asian Games final and securing a berth for the 2028 Olympics.
