India's path to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals has become more challenging following a defeat to South Africa.
India will look to seal the ODI series against Afghanistan while continuing to test combinations for the 2027 World Cup, with Kuldeep Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal among those pushing for opportunities in the second match.
The Pakistan women's cricket team is reportedly facing significant internal disagreements and a tense environment during the Women's T20 World Cup in England. Amidst a winless streak, reports highlight clashes between team mentor Wahab Riaz and captain Fatima Sana over selection and disciplinary matters, alongside broader issues of team groupings and coaching frustrations. This mirrors past problems in Pakistani cricket, exacerbated by frequent coaching changes.
India's Women's T20 World Cup campaign ended in another group-stage exit, putting Harmanpreet Kaur's captaincy under scrutiny and exposing issues with team selection, batting approach, bowling balance and fielding that could trigger a major reset.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit China for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, shortly after US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing. The visit underscores the close strategic ties between China and Russia amid global tensions.
Beijing clearly intends to extend the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor to Bangladesh as part of its larger Maritime Belt and Road Initiative to boost its Indian Ocean presence.
The Beijing summit may have reduced immediate diplomatic uncertainty, but it did not resolve the deeper structural contest between the United States and China. That contest appears likely to define the coming decade, notes Varun Arya.
Dhaka and Beijing on Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation on the management of the Teesta and other rivers and signed 13 agreements to bolster bilateral ties following talks between Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
'I am challenging you, Bhajji. If you have a problem with the slap thing and me... come into the ring.'
Veteran fast bowler Ishant Sharma's coach, Shravan Kumar, has criticised the national selectors for not including pace sensation Auqib Nabi in the Indian team's playing XI for the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan. Kumar highlighted Nabi's exceptional performance of 60 wickets in the Ranji Trophy, which was instrumental in Jammu & Kashmir's maiden title triumph, arguing that such achievements should not be overlooked by relegating him to a backup role.
Indian shuttlers Anmol Kharb and Ashmita Chaliha have successfully advanced to the women's singles quarterfinals at the Macau Open Super 300 badminton tournament. While Ashmita secured a straight-sets victory, Anmol progressed after her opponent retired. However, India's challenge in men's singles, women's singles (other players), and mixed doubles sections concluded in the earlier rounds.
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak discussed the potential debut of 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of the T20 series opener against Ireland. While acknowledging Sooryavanshi's talent, Kotak emphasised that a player scoring runs should not be benched to accommodate a new talent, highlighting the challenge of team selection with abundant talent in Indian cricket. He also touched upon captain Shreyas Iyer's leadership and the BCCI's system for nurturing young players.
Following his visit to China, US President Donald Trump has suggested a potential shift in Washington's approach to Taiwan, expressing reluctance to engage in military conflict over Taiwan's independence and cautioning against unilateral moves.
Vaobhav Sooryavanshi, 15, stands a chance to become India's youngest international cricketer, potentially breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record.
Chinese leaders, including its generals, will have to weigh whether they can win a war if they ever attack Taiwan and if at all, can they sustain the subsequent devastation, notes Rup Narayan Das.
Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during their IPL match against Gujarat Titans, resulting in a penalty of INR 24 lakhs.
Two former Chinese defence ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve over graft charges, official media reported.
US President Donald Trump will visit China from May 13 to 15 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. The visit occurs amidst global tensions, including the war in West Asia and trade disputes between the US and China. Discussions are expected to cover China-US relations, world peace, and economic issues.
Nasser Hussain believes the Women's T20 World Cup has arrived at the perfect time for Deepti Sharma and Smriti Mandhana, while warning that India's bowling combination remains the team's biggest concern.
India's dual pursuit of a robust strategic partnership with Washington and a pragmatic, tension-management policy with Beijing represents the essence of modern multi-alignment. By embracing economic pragmatism, learning to compartmentalize political differences, and engaging in continuous dialogue, India can secure its borders, grow its economy, and contribute to a stable, multipolar Asian century, points out Ambassador Rajasekhar.
Rajasthan all-rounder Manav Suthar has made his Test debut for India against Afghanistan in Mullanpur, becoming the 319th player to represent the country in Test cricket.
For the foreseeable future, the most likely outcome remains continuation of the status quo. Taiwan will remain self-governing without formally declaring independence, while China continues to apply sustained pressure short of war, predict Krishnan Srinivasan and Manoj Mohanka.
Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi can revive Test cricket if nurtured properly, urging patience and warning against excessive scrutiny of the young star.
US President Donald Trump received a red carpet welcome in Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on trade, the Iran war, and other key issues. The visit underscores the importance both nations place on their relationship amid ongoing tensions.
Former India captain Anjum Chopra hailed Deepti Sharma as one of cricket's most influential all-rounders after her five-wicket haul against Pakistan, while also highlighting the importance of Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur to India's Women's T20 World Cup campaign.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and teenager Tanvi Sharma led a strong performance by Indian women in the Australian Open Super 500 badminton tournament, both advancing to the round of 16. While Sindhu secured an easy win, Tanvi caused an upset. However, it was a disappointing day for Indian men's singles players, with all three bowing out in the opening round, though the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Rawat and Maneesha K progressed.
Ishan Kishan's recent good form makes him the ideal candidate to take over the crucial No 3 slot in Virat Kohli's absence.
United States President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for his return home following diplomatic engagements in Beijing.
India and China held constructive talks on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, emphasising that maintaining border peace and tranquillity enabled progress in normalising overall relations.
Julian Quinones gave hosts Mexico a dream start as he scored in the ninth minute in the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening match against South Africa.
Lucknow Super Giants' IPL season was marked by inconsistent selections, questionable combinations, and a lack of clarity in their strongest XI, leading to a disappointing campaign.
India wicketkeeper-batter Kona Srikar Bharat has announced his retirement from international cricket after playing seven Tests for the country. The 32-year-old debuted in 2023 and played his last Test a year later, scoring 221 runs. He also holds the record for the first triple century by a wicketkeeper-batter in Ranji Trophy.
Sunil Gavaskar believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a special talent and should be included in the upcoming T20 series in England.
Temba Bavuma, who led South Africa to their maiden ICC World Test Championship title and a historic 2-0 series sweep in India, also made the cut, while four Australian players were included.
While tensions have eased at several friction points and mechanisms for managing the boundary have been reactivated, underlying differences persist. Disputes over naming practices in Arunachal Pradesh, continued infrastructure development on both sides, and unresolved questions regarding patrolling rights indicate that the structural gap remains, notes Dr Kumar.
Ghaziabad Police have intensified 'Operation Clean Sweep' in the Khoda area, conducting extensive verification drives, flag marches, and search operations to enhance law and order and curb criminal activities. The initiative, which includes identifying suspicious individuals and scrutinising history-sheeters, was prompted by the recent murder of a 17-year-old student, Surya Pratap Chauhan, and aims to improve public safety and communal harmony.
Donald Trump asked countries involved in the peace talks with Iran to sign on to the Abraham Accords, which deal with establishing diplomatic, economic and security ties between Israel and Arab nations.
Former India captain Kris Srikkanth advises Royal Challengers Bengaluru to exclude Romario Shepherd from their playing XI for the IPL final against Gujarat Titans, citing concerns over his expensive bowling.
Indian cricket star Virat Kohli has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury, a rare occurrence for the exceptionally fit batsman. The news comes amidst uncertainty over Rohit Sharma's full availability for the series, also due to a hamstring issue, sparking discussions about the future of both senior players in the ODI format.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, saw gains in early trade, driven by strong performance in banking shares and positive sentiment from Asian markets, alongside optimism surrounding the ongoing US-China Summit.
