Ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka, the Indian cricket team underwent an intense net session in Colombo.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has accused opponents and supporters of 'bullying' Vinicius Jr, citing rough treatment in their 2-1 LaLiga win against Espanyol and calling it a 'pattern that repeats itself'.
Prateek Tulsani of Maharashtra clinched the U-15 boys' title, while Tanishka Kalbhairav of Karnataka secured the U-11 girls' title at the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships. Tulsani delivered a commanding performance, whereas Kalbhairav showed remarkable resilience to win her final.
The current FIH Hockey World Cup format, featuring a crossover pool system where first-round results carry forward, is causing widespread confusion among teams, fans, and media. Many stakeholders believe the complex system detracts from the game's excitement, shifts focus to mathematical calculations, and potentially favours larger teams, leading to calls for a simpler structure.
At the 16th Hockey Junior Women National Championship in Pune, Chandigarh, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh secured decisive wins, while Manipur narrowly defeated Maharashtra in a thrilling Division A encounter. Key players delivered strong performances, including hat-tricks, contributing to high-scoring matches and close finishes.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has moved into a joint lead with American Wesley So at the Sinquefield Cup after a decisive victory over France's Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, securing his spot in the Grand Finale.
Arsenal commenced their Premier League title defence with a commanding 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Coventry City. Goals from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard secured the win, showcasing Arsenal's intent for the season.
The Sports Ministry is set to commence the nomination process for the National Sports Awards next month, following a delayed announcement of the 2025 awards. The delay was due to a re-evaluation process aimed at preserving the integrity of the honours, which resulted in no Khel Ratna awardee for 2025 and fewer Arjuna awardees than recommended. The article also details the criteria for these prestigious awards and highlights some of the notable Arjuna awardees for 2025.
The Junior Women's National Hockey Championship saw Haryana, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh secure victories in Division A pool matches, while Uttar Pradesh and Manipur drew. Division B also commenced with Delhi and Uttarakhand winning their respective games.
Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh has called for a complete 60-minute performance from his squad in their "do-or-die" FIH World Cup match against Olympic champions Netherlands. Both Harmanpreet and coach Craig Fulton believe India can upset the hosts by playing smartly, maintaining impeccable defense, and capitalising on their underdog status.
India's javelin star Neeraj Chopra secured second place at the Lausanne Diamond League with an impressive throw of 88.05m, narrowly missing the top spot to Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage.
Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek advanced to the Cincinnati Open women's semi-finals, with Pegula overcoming Amanda Anisimova in a tough three-setter and Swiatek progressing after Elena Rybakina retired due to injury. In the men's draw, Flavio Cobolli reached his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, defeating Tommy Paul, and will face Arthur Fils.
Indian women's doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand have reached the quarterfinals of the World Championships, putting them one step closer to securing a medal.
Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem is embroiled in a controversy with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for travelling to South Africa for training without obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC). This unapproved travel could impact his participation in upcoming international competitions like the World Ultimate Athletics Championship and the Asian Games.
Sri Lankan cricket officials are considering a balanced pitch for the second Test against India at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), moving away from a spin-friendly track. This decision aims to provide equal opportunities for both batters and bowlers, similar to the Galle pitch, and support their young batting lineup. The SSC pitch character has evolved over the years, with less home advantage since the retirement of legendary players.
Lakshya Sen suffered a shock second-round exit at the BWF World Championships after losing to USA's 18-year-old Garret Tan in a thrilling three-game contest in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The Indian men's hockey team lost 1-3 to Olympic champions the Netherlands in a critical second-round match of the FIH World Cup in Amstelveen. The Netherlands scored three field goals in the second half, while India's sole goal came from a Harmanpreet Singh penalty corner.
Hyderabad Black Hawks U21 have won the inaugural Guardians Trophy, defeating hosts Goa Guardians U21 3-1 in the final. The tournament provided a crucial platform for emerging Indian volleyball talent, with individual awards and prize money distributed to top performers.
Bangladesh achieved a historic nine-wicket victory over top-ranked Australia in the first Test in Darwin, marking their first Test win in Australia. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto credited the team's focus on pace bowling for this significant upset, highlighting a shift in mindset among young fast bowlers. Hasan Mahmud was named Player of the Match for his nine wickets, including 6-55 in the first innings.
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen secured a hard-fought victory against Collins Valentine Filimon in the opening round of the BWF World Championships, attributing his win to crucial tactical adjustments after losing the first game. He will now face Garret Tan of the USA.
Dhruv Jurel showed the same traits as his father did as an army man: Courage, discipline, resilience and an unwillingness to surrender.
Novak Djokovic is aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open, but recent physical struggles, particularly in high heat and humidity, raise questions about his ability to endure the demanding tournament. Despite his experience, the 39-year-old faces a challenging field and needs to manage his energy carefully to achieve his historic goal.
Haryana defeated Jharkhand 2-1 to win the 16th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship. Madhya Pradesh secured third place by beating Chhattisgarh 3-1 in the bronze medal match. Haryana made a strong comeback after conceding an early goal, with Bhavya and Khushi scoring to secure their victory.
France achieved a historic double victory at the World Championships, with Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue winning mixed doubles and Alex Lanier securing the men's singles title. This unprecedented success is attributed to decades of strategic investment in a national badminton system, including national and regional centres, coach education, and a focus on holistic player development, aiming to elevate France among traditional Asian powerhouses in the sport.
Canadian badminton player Victor Lai, currently world No. 7, expresses his ambition to become world No. 1. He acknowledges the challenge from established stars and welcomes the rise of a new generation of young shuttlers. Lai highlights his recent Super 1000 title win and his breakthrough at the India Open as crucial steps in his mental and professional growth.
Rajvardhan Tiwari and Debanshu Chakraborty secured quarterfinal victories in the Under-11 Boys category at the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships in Kanpur. The tournament also saw thrilling five-game matches and a remarkable comeback by unseeded Inaaya in the girls' section, highlighting emerging talent.
'Frankly, I'm in that zone for another Olympics.'
Defending champions NorthEast United FC are set to face 17-time winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the second semifinal of the Durand Cup. NorthEast United, chasing a third consecutive title, made a strong comeback in their quarterfinal, while Mohun Bagan advanced via a penalty shootout after a solid defensive campaign. Both teams are fully fit and ready for a challenging encounter.
Indian cricketer Zeeshan Ansari attributes his red-ball cricket resurgence to the invaluable lessons learned from spin legends Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori during his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The India Women's cricket team achieved a historic 270-run victory over England in their first-ever Test match at Lord's, sealing the win on the final morning with Sneh Rana taking the last wicket. Legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar was present, offering encouragement to the team and celebrating their landmark triumph.
India U-19 defeated Sri Lanka U-19 by 211 runs in the second Youth Test in Colombo, securing the two-match series 1-0, with leg-spinner Rohit Yadav and pacer C Venkata sharing seven wickets.
The Asian Junior Classical Championship in Mumbai saw top seed Mayank Chakraborty win his opening match, while other leading contenders Vignesh Advaith Vemula and Akhilbay Imangali were held to draws. The girls' section witnessed several upsets, with lower-rated players securing draws or victories against higher-rated opponents. The tournament features a strong field of 85 players from nine federations, including International Masters and FIDE Masters.
Bangladesh secured a historic nine-wicket victory over Australia in Darwin, marking their first-ever Test win on Australian soil and stunning the No. 1-ranked Test side.
Rising Indian badminton talent Unnati Hooda attributes her rapid progress to her father, Upkar Hooda, who left his job to mentor her full-time.
Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra achieved his season's best throw of 88.05m at the Lausanne Diamond League, securing second place, narrowly beaten by Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage who threw 88.14m.
Tim Seifert's explosive half-century and 'Player of the Match' performance, alongside his 'Player of the Tournament' award, propelled Manchester Super Giants to their first Men's Hundred title, defeating Trent Rockets by five wickets in a thrilling final at Lord's.
Anthony Andrews, a highly successful coach in Indian women's football, has been appointed as the assistant coach for the India U17 women's national team. He will continue his dual role with East Bengal FC while preparing the Young Tigresses for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers.
Indian MMA fighter Sangram Singh secured the STRIKE Asia Championship title by defeating Pakistan's Mohammed Abid Ali with a stunning knockout in just 80 seconds. This victory extends Singh's unbeaten professional record and highlights his successful transition from wrestling to mixed martial arts, further solidifying his status as a top Indian combat sports athlete.
Erling Haaland stunned fans by replacing his trademark flowing blonde locks with a buzz cut, sparking playful reactions from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Pep Guardiola before Manchester City's opener.
Indian discus thrower Seema Kaliramna secured a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games with a throw of 58.65m, despite fouling her last three attempts. Compatriot Nidhi Rani finished fourth. Jamaica's Samantha Hall won gold, and Canada's Julia Tunks took silver.
