DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:49:57 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/sports/2nd-odi-vaishnavi-handed-debut-as-india-elect-to-bat-against-australia-molineux-ruled-out-662993.html Hobart Feb 27 India have won the toss and elected to bat first against Australia in the second ODI at the Bellerive Oval on Friday The multiformat scoreline is currently tied at 44 after Australia won the first ODI at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane India have opted to rest Shafali Verma and Renuka Singh Thakur with Amanjot Kaur included and leftarm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma handed her ODI debut in a bid to bolster their bowling stocksFor India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur who won her fifth straight toss in ODIs is fit to take the field after sitting out for Indias entire fielding innings in Brisbane due to a left knee issue Im fine now my left kneewhile playing I just got a niggle she saidAustralia made one change bringing in Nicola Carey who is based in Hobart for Sophie Molineux who has been ruled out of the series due to a lower back injury A statement from Cricket Australia CA said Sophie will be monitored ahead of Australias tour of the West Indies next monthIt comes as a worrying aspect for Australia as the injuryprone Sophie is set to take over as fulltime skipper across all formats in the West Indies Getting first crack with the ball on a wicket with a little bit of live grass might help us out We know if we get it right we can restrict them and its not an easy place to defend scores said skipper Alyssa HealyPlaying XIsIndia Smriti Mandhana Pratika Rawal Harmanpreet Kaur captain Jemimah Rodrigues Amanjot Kaur Richa Ghosh wk Deepti Sharma Kashvee Gautam N Sree Charani Kranti Gaud and Vaishnavi SharmaAustralia Alyssa Healy captain Phoebe Litchfield Georgia Voll Beth Mooney wk Annabel Sutherland Ashleigh Gardner Tahlia McGrath Nicola Carey Alana King Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/2nd-odi-vaishnavi-handed-debut-as-india-elect-to-bat-against-australia-molineux-ruled-out-662993.html Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/champions-league-vinicius-scores-winner-as-real-madrid-reaches-last-16-atalanta-eliminate-dortmund-662824.html Madrid Feb 26 Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League last 16 with a 21 home win over Benfica sealing a 31 aggregate victory Vinicius Jr scored the decisive goal in the 80th minute to settle an anxious night at the Santiago Bernabeu where the tie was level on the evening and the hosts struggled for long spellsBenfica missing suspended coach Jose Mourinho began with urgency and drew level on aggregate when Rafa Silva finished from close range after a sharp move down the right Real responded almost immediately as Federico Valverde pulled the ball back for Aurelien Tchouameni who curled in the equalizerThe game remained open Arda Guler had a goal ruled out for offside midway through the first half and the second period was played at a high tempo but with little precision as Madrid mislaid simple passes and the crowd grew restlessReal was without Kylian Mbappe because of a knee injury Benfica also missed forward Gianluca Prestianni who was provisionally suspended following an alleged racist insult aimed at Vinicius in last weeks first legMadrid suffered a scare in the 77th minute when Raul Asencio was carried off after a heavy fall As Benfica pushed forward in search of a goal Valverde released Vinicius down the insideleft channel and the Brazilian angled his finish past goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin to secure qualificationReal Madrid will face either Manchester City or Sporting CP in the round of 16 Elsewhere Atalanta eliminate Borussia Dortmund with 43 aggregate win Lazar Samardzic sealed Atalantas progress with the last kick of the game on a remarkable evening in Bergamo La Dea wiped out a 20 firstleg deficit before the break Gianluca Scamacca tapping in the fifthminute opener before Davide Zappacostas deflected shot wrongfooted Gregor Kobel late in the halfIt got even better for the hosts when Mario PaÅaliÄ met Marten de Roons cross but Dortmund replied through substitute Karim Adeyemis sublime curler on 75 minutes Extra time loomed until Atalanta won a penalty deep in added time an incident that brought red cards for Ramy Bensebaini Nico Schlotterbeck and Giorgio Scalvini SamardžiÄ made no mistake from the spot IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/champions-league-vinicius-scores-winner-as-real-madrid-reaches-last-16-atalanta-eliminate-dortmund-662824.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/kecmanovic-upsets-zverev-in-mexican-open-round-of-16-662830.html Acapulco Feb 26 Top sed Alexander Zverev bowed out of the Mexican Open after losing to Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 63 367 764 This is the second time Zverev has been knocked out in the round of 16 in Acapulco after winning the title in the 2021 edition Kecmanovic took advantage of Zverevâs 34 unforced errors to clinch the match with a tiebreak in the third set after the Serbian took the lead by winning the first set however the German evened the score in the second set I guess I was more aggressive when it mattered I served a lot better than my usual standards so Im happy that things went well today Kecmanovic said Obviously hes the big favourite so I didnt have any pressure there but you still have to play well when it matters close out the match and thankfully it went my wayThis was Kecmanovics first Top 5 win of his career He has improved to 22 in his ATP HeadtoHead series with the 24time tourlevel titlist Into the last eight at the hardcourt ATP 500 Kecmanovic will face Franceâs Terence Atmane in the quarterfinals In other action fifth seed Flavio Cobolli downed Dalibor Svrcina 64 64 Cobolli won 86 per cent 3743 of his firstserve points and saved all six break points he faced according to ATP StatsâI love playing in Mexico Iâve been coming here for three years now The Mexican fans bring a lot of color to the court and on social media Iâm very happy with the match I played I donât know who Iâll be playing next but Iâm sure it will be a tough match It doesnât matter what my opponentâs ranking isâ said Cobolli In another match of the day Spainâs Rafael Jódar was eliminated from the tournament after losing 62 46 61 to Franceâs Terence Atmane No 163 The Madrid native lost the first set by committing 14 unforced errors and leaving many balls in the net However in the second set the Spanish player recovered but he was unable to overcome the Frenchman in the third set who showed his power with his left hand IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/kecmanovic-upsets-zverev-in-mexican-open-round-of-16-662830.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-need-to-play-their-natural-aggressive-brand-of-cricket-against-zimbabwe-kumble-662863.html New Delhi Feb 26 Ahead of Indias mustwin Super 8 fixture against Zimbabwe former India spinner Anil Kumble suggested the Suryakumar Yadavled side not take the African nation lightly and play their natural aggressive brand of cricket With the defeat to South Africa in their first Super 8 game India found themselves in a tricky situation They will be looking to beat West Indies and Zimbabwe to have some control over their chances of making the knockoutsIndia need to play their natural aggressive brand of cricket against Zimbabwe But Zimbabwe are going to be a tough opponent and they must be respected They have delivered some strong performances They beat Australia They chased down 179 against Sri Lanka on Sri Lankan soil They have convincingly beaten Australia Their top four batters have been in excellent form Their tall fast bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans have been outstanding with the ball especially in the powerplay Kumble said on JioHotstarZimbabwe had a dream run in the ongoing tournament and were unbeaten in their group stage fixtures But their campaign hit a major hurdle after their brutal loss to the Windies in the first Super 8 match which leaves them further behind India on net runrate To now have any chance of progressing past the Super Eight stage they must now beat both India and South Africa convincinglyIndia cannot take them lightly They need to be at the top of their game Any individual who gets going must make it count You cannot assume the next batter will do the job In the T20 World Cup there are no ifs and buts You have to go out and deliver as an individual So yes you hope for the right result but India must focus on doing what they need to do he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-need-to-play-their-natural-aggressive-brand-of-cricket-against-zimbabwe-kumble-662863.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sujeet-kalkal-clinches-gold-at-uww-ranking-series-in-albania-662870.html Tirana Albania Feb 26 U23 world champion Sujeet Kalkal clinched the gold medal in the menâs 65kg freestyle category at the Muhamet Malo 2026 wrestling tournament He topped the podium with four straight wins on technical superiority The 23yearold Indian dominated Azerbaijanâs Rashid Babazade 100 in the final He had a convincing 110 win over USAâs twotime Pan American champion Joseph McKenna in the semifinal after beating Nika Zakashvili of Georgia 100 in the quarterfinals and starting his campaign with a 164 victory over Endrio Avdyli of Albania This is his second straight gold medal in the 2026 UWW Ranking Series following his Zagreb Open victory in Croatia earlier this month Sujeet warmed up with a 164 victory over Endrio Avdyli who tossed the Indian for a four at the start of the bout Nika Zakashvili Georgia fell next 100 before Sujeet defeated Joseph McKenna USA 110 the same scoreline as the one in the semifinals of the Zagreb OpenRashid who pulled off an incredible buzzerbeating fourpointer in the semifinals against Vitali Arujau USA to win 1613 failed to put up a fight in the final Sujeet laced him to win 100 to capture a second straight Ranking Series gold medalOverall this was Sujeetâs fourth gold medal in the UWW circuit having clinched the top spot at the 2022 Zouhaier Sghaier and the 2025 Polyak Imre amp Varga Janos MemorialIndiaâs Mohit Kumar competing in the same category could not make it past the qualifying roundIn the 57kg division Ankush and Atish Todkar battled through repechage to reach the bronze medal bouts but faltered in their respective matches Meanwhile Sumit 57kg Rahul 61kg Siddharth 70kg Parvinder 74kg and Aryan 86kg failed to reach the medal rounds in their respective weight divisionsIndia sent a 48member wrestling team for the Muhamet Malo 2026 with 16 each entered across the menâs freestyle the womenâs divisions and the GrecoRoman category IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sujeet-kalkal-clinches-gold-at-uww-ranking-series-in-albania-662870.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/purani-dilli-6-trials-for-delhi-premier-league-2026-on-march-5-amp-6-662880.html New Delhi Feb 26 Purani Dilli 6 have announced open trials ahead of the upcoming Delhi Premier League DPL 2026 The trials will be conducted on March 5 and March 6 at St Stephenâs Ground Mori Gate After an impressive showing in Season 1 Purani Dilli 6 experienced a challenging Season 2 Determined to bounce back stronger the franchise is now focused on identifying fresh talent and rebuilding momentum for DPL 2026The trials are open to aspiring cricketers aiming to showcase their abilities and earn a chance to represent Purani Dilli 6 in the Delhi Premier League 2026 The reporting time is 800 AM Trials are the foundation of every successful team We are looking for players with skill discipline and the hunger to perform under pressure Purani Dilli 6 is committed to providing a platform where talent meets opportunity said head coach Vijay Dahiya Akash Nangia owner of Purani Dilli 6 expressed confidence ahead of the trials and said Season 1 showcased the potential and fighting spirit of Purani Dilli 6 While Season 2 did not go as planned it has only strengthened our resolve These trials are an opportunity to discover new matchwinners and build a squad that reflects the pride and passion of Purani DilliThis trial will be conducted under the guidance of Vijay Dahiya a veteran coach who is an IPL franchise coach too and former Indian cricketer whose experience and leadership continue to inspire young talents IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/purani-dilli-6-trials-for-delhi-premier-league-2026-on-march-5-amp-6-662880.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-all-the-stats-from-englands-two-wicket-win-over-pakistan-in-super-8s-662625.html New Delhi Feb 24 Skipper Harry Brook pulled off a remarkable rescue act with a breathtaking 100 off 51 deliveries batting for the first time at No 3 as England qualified for the semifinals of the T20 World Cup after beating Pakistan by wickets in the Group 2 match of the Super 8s at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy Sri Lanka on Tuesday Promoted up the order for the first time in his T20I career Brook responded with authority smashing 41 of Englandâs 53 Powerplay runs and keeping the contest alive almost singlehandedly becoming the first skipper in T20 WC history to score a centuryWith this Brook became the first captain to score a T20 World Cup century and with that has lifted England to their fifth consecutive semifinal a feat no one has achieved beforeEngland restricted Pakistan to 1649 in 20 overs built on Sahibzada Farhans 63 and Fakhar Zamans 25 Liam Dawson claimed 324 while Jamie Overton picked 226 for England Chasing the modest total England rode on Brooks 100 and Will Jacks 28 to reach 1668 in 191 overs and win the match Shaheen Shah Afridi kept Pakistan in the hunt with 430 while Usman Tariq took 231 But in the end their effort was not enoughNumbers game from the Pakistan vs England match2 Sahibzada Farhan 63 became the second batter after Babar Azam to have three or more 50plus scores in a World Cup edition Babar Azam scored four fiftyplus scores in the 2021 edition10 The number of halfcenturies scored by Sahibzada Farhan 63 in 45 T20Is It was his second in 6 T20WC matches13 The number of sixes hit by Sahibzada Farhan in this T20 World Cup 2026 This is the most for Pakistan in a single edition of the T20 WC Farhan bettered the record of Mohammad Rizwan who hit 12 sixes in the 2021 edition62 The number of runs scored by Jos Buttler at an avg of 1033 in the current WCHis worst performance in an ICC tournament6 Phil Salt recorded his 6th duck in 58T20Is It was his first against Pakistan in 11 matches1st Shaheen Afridi became the first Pakistani bowler to pick a wicket off the first ball of a T20WC inningsIst In the history of T20WCs Harry Brook 100 became the first captain to hit a century Earlier Chris Gayle set the record when he scored 98 v India at Bridgetown in the 2010 edition100 Playing in his 61st T20Is Harry Brook 100 recorded his highest score bettering his previous best of 81 also against Pakistan in Karachi in Sep 2022Compiled by Manoj Kumar IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-all-the-stats-from-englands-two-wicket-win-over-pakistan-in-super-8s-662625.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-skipper-brooks-century-guides-england-to-semifinals-edge-pakistan-by-two-wickets-662627.html Pallekele Feb 24 Skipper Harry Brook pulled off a remarkable rescue act with a breathtaking 100 off 51 deliveries batting for the first time at No 3 as England qualified for the semifinals of the T20 World Cup after beating Pakistan by two wickets in the Group 2 match of the Super 8s at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Tuesday Promoted up the order for the first time in his T20I career Brook responded with authority smashing 41 of Englandâs 53 Powerplay runs and keeping the contest alive almost singlehandedly becoming only the first skipper in T20 WC history to score a centuryDrama unfolded with the very first delivery of the chase Shaheen Shah Afridi with the new ball got the desired inswing ending Phil Saltâs stay who edged inside the line to Usman Khan for a golden duckShaheen struck again with an outswinging delivery to Jos Buttler who underedged it for 2 runs continuing his poor run of form 26 21 3 3 7 2 through this tournament during which he has not scored a boundary since he left MumbaiJacob Bethell briefly threatened Shaheen but was dropped by Usman Tariq at short fine leg on the 6run only to be bowled out by Shaheen as he took a total of 3 wickets in the Powerplay Despite limited swing the hard length and relentless accuracy that Shaheen produced were vital in his success and he had now taken eight wickets in his first over throughout the T20 World Cup equalling that of Angelo MathewsBrook however flourished against spin He launched Mohammad Nawaz for four four and six in a single over and later hammered Shadab Khan for a 96metre straight six followed by a boundary over longon At one stage he appeared to be winning the game on his ownEarlier choosing to bat first Pakistan had a terrible start in the powerplay as they lost two early wickets Saim Ayub who has been out of form in the tournament yet again failed to impress with the bat After being tested with multiple bouncers early Jofra Archer got rid of him on a runaball sevenSkipper Salman Ali Agha 5 got out in the third over as Liam Dawson struck in his first over Despite the setbacks Pakistan remained in the contest at 462 thanks to a fluent start from Sahibzada Farhan who found the fence four times while Babar Azam signalled positive intent with two crisp boundaries before the breakThe introduction of spin was key in slowing things down Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson worked together getting grip and variation from the pitch Their disciplined lines and slight changes in pace forced the batters to play cautiously Pakistan found themselves stalled and needed to accelerate in the second half of the inningsFakhar Zaman shifted gears dramatically using his feet to Will Jacks and launching him straight back over his head for a towering six Farhan piled on the pressure in the same over smashing a massive 100metre hit over midwicket as the 14th over yielded 16 runs Farhan backed his century in the last match with a gritty and hardfought fifty in 37 deliveries but was undone by Overton for a 45ball 63Dawson made an impressive play to dismiss Fakhar Zaman at a key moment Fakhar misjudged consecutive googlies from Rashid and sent the second one high towards the leg side off a thick top edge Dawson dashed to his right from short fine leg and executed a fantastic tumbling catch on his backUsman Khan took advantage of another England misfield to get off the mark with two runs before confidently slogsweeping over midwicket for six Dawson returning for his second spell got rid of Usman after being hit for a four off a misfield and then followed it with the wicket of Mohammad Nawaz on the next delivery ending his spell at 3 for 24Usman Tariqs double strike in the middle overs left England struggling at 58 for 4 and later at 103 for 5 However Brook would not give up He tore apart Pakistans bowling attack scoring a remarkable hundred in just 50 balls He hit Afridi for six over cover and then followed it up with a four through midoff Although he was bowled by a precise yorker he left the field to a standing ovation with only 10 runs neededEngland almost threw away their advantage by losing two wickets to Mohammad Nawaz dragging the game into the final over Jofra Archer then powered Salman Mirza through midwicket to secure the win This victory guaranteed England a spot in the semifinals with a game left to play making it their fifth consecutive mens T20 World Cup semifinalPakistan despite Sahibzada Farhans impressive 63 needed to beat Sri Lanka and hope for favourable results elsewhereBrief scoresPakistan 1649 in 20 overs Sahibzada Farhan 63 Fakhar Zaman 25 Liam Dawson 324 Jamie Overton 226 lost to England 1668 in 191 overs Harry Brook 100 Will Jacks 28 Shaheen Afridi 430 Usman Tariq 231 by two wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-skipper-brooks-century-guides-england-to-semifinals-edge-pakistan-by-two-wickets-662627.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/leverkusen-advance-to-champions-league-last-16-after-controlling-olympiacos-662657.html Berlin Feb 25 Leverkusen progressed to the Champions League round of 16 after a goalless draw with Olympiacos comfortably protecting its firstleg cushion at home The German side entered the return match holding a twogoal advantage thanks to Patrik Schicks earlier brace allowing coach Kasper Hjulmand to prioritize control over attacking urgencyLeverkusen dominated the opening minutes and fashioned the first clear chances yet their finishing lacked precision reports XinhuaSchick was twice involved early first sending a header narrowly wide and then failing to lift the ball cleanly over goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis Jonas Hofmann had already tested the Greek keeper from a tight angle but the hosts gradually eased off the tempo as they focused on game managementOlympiacos struggled to inject intensity despite brief spells of pressure Their best opportunity arrived shortly after the restart when Gelson Martins forced Janis Blaswich into a sharp save from a narrow angle Leverkusen responded calmly and nearly struck themselvesA quick exchange between Ernest Poku and Alejandro Grimaldo opened space in the 62nd minute but the Spaniards effort rattled the crossbar instead of sealing the tie From there the contest faded into a lowkey finish with the visitors unable to break through Leverkusens wellorganized back lineSchick almost added a late winner deep in stoppage time but his attempted chip drifted off target The stalemate nevertheless comfortably sent Leverkusen into the last 16 where they will face either Bayern Munich or Arsenal Olympiacos by contrast exited the competitionThe only thing we can take as positive is that we are through We were far too sluggish and didnt play at all the way we wanted so we can be grateful that we are one round further Fortunately the opponent did not punish us said Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/leverkusen-advance-to-champions-league-last-16-after-controlling-olympiacos-662657.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/australia-to-host-bangladesh-for-test-series-after-23-years-in-august-662662.html Sydney Feb 25 Australia will host Bangladesh for a Test series for the first time since 2003 from August 13 22 Cricket Australia said on Wednesday The opening Test will commence on August 13 at Marrara Stadium in Darwin It will be the first time a Test has been held in Darwin since Australia hosted Sri Lanka in 2004 Darwin hosted Bangladesh in 2003 and Sri Lanka in 2004 but Australia had not played an international there since 2008 until South Africa played two T20Is there on a dropin pitch in August last yearThe twoTest series to close from August 22 at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay Notably Mackay will host a Test for the first time becoming the 12th venue to do so in Australia Bangladesh have not played Australia in longform cricket since notching their maiden Test win over them in Dhaka in 2017 The series will be part of the World Test Championship 2025 to 27 cycle in which Australia are leading with seven wins in eight matchesâWeâre delighted to bring Test cricket to northern Australia and look forward to a fantastic series against BangladeshIt is no secret the international calendar is now crowded and we are fortunate to have world class facilities available in August ensuring we have another window for Test cricket outside summer Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg saidMarrara Stadium and Great Barrier Reef Arena have been outstanding venues for international cricket in recent seasons he addedAfter the Bangladesh series Australia will move to South Africa for a threematch Test series Pat Cummins team will then host New Zealand for four match test series at the end of the yearSeries scheduleFirst Test August 1317 Marrara Stadium DarwinSecond Test August 2226 Great Barrier Reef Arena Mackay IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/australia-to-host-bangladesh-for-test-series-after-23-years-in-august-662662.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/abhishek-maintains-no-1-spot-ishan-enters-top-5-in-t20i-batter-rankings-662717.html Dubai Feb 25 Indiaâs T20I contingent has made a strong statement in the latest International Cricket Council ICC Menâs T20I Player Rankings with opener Abhishek Sharma maintaining his top spot AND wicketkeeperbatter Ishan Kishan breaking into the top five At the top of the batting rankings Abhishek retained his No1 position despite a relatively quiet start to the T20 World Cup He maintains a comfortable 62point lead over Englandâs Phil Salt Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan currently the tournamentâs leading runscorer jumped two spots to third achieving a careerbest ratingKishan climbed three places to move to fifth in the T20I batter rankings continuing his impressive run in the shortest format His surge headlines a productive week for India with multiple players making gains in the updated chartsIndiaâs presence in the top 10 has grown stronger with Kishanâs rise complemented by notable gains from other international performers South Africaâs Dewald Brevis vaulted 10 places to ninth while Afghanistanâs Ibrahim Zadran 13th West Indies skipper Shai Hope 14th and England captain Harry Brook 18th also registered significant progressIn the allroundersâ list Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza reclaimed the No1 spot after playing a key role in guiding his team into the Super Eights He overtook Pakistanâs Saim Ayub in what has become an increasingly competitive race at the top Indiaâs Shivam Dube also made gains rising two places to seventh while Afghanistan veteran Mohammad Nabi moved up to eighthIndians continue to feature prominently in the bowling rankings as well Spinner Varun Chakravarthy held on to the No1 position despite a costly outing against South Africa at the World Cup Meanwhile Proteas pacer Corbin Bosch surged 21 places to third after standout performances including a threewicket haul against the UAE and figures of 212 versus IndiaFurther down the list West Indies quick Matthew Forde seventh and India spearhead Jasprit Bumrah eighth made notable advances South Africaâs Marco Jansen West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie and England leftarm spinner Liam Dawson also enjoyed upward movement after productive weeks IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/abhishek-maintains-no-1-spot-ishan-enters-top-5-in-t20i-batter-rankings-662717.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 15:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/isl-2025-26-odisha-to-host-inter-kashi-in-their-first-match-of-season-662438.html Bhubaneswar Feb 23 Odisha FC will host newlypromoted Inter Kashi FC in their first match of Indian Super League ISL 202526 which will be played at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday This will be Odishas first match of the season at home after their opening fixture against Punjab FC on February 16 was postponed Meanwhile Inter Kashi showed immense resilience to secure a 11 draw against AIFF Super Cup champions FC Goa in their league debut last week and will be hoping to build on their fine startSpeaking ahead of their first match of the season Odisha FC head coach TG Purushottaman said âWe are not focused on the results We are concentrating on the performances the results will come automatically We will stick to our strengths and look to exploit their weaknesses We will take the challenges however they comeâSpeaking about the teamâs goals this season Odisha FC captain Carlos Delgado said âThe most important thing is to stay together be compact ambitious and enjoy the training We donât have much time so we must become a strong and united team quickly We will fight and give everything to winâBoth teams have met each other once in the AIFF Super Cup 2024 when Odisha emerged victorious 30 with Lalthathanga Diego MaurÃcio and Puitea scoring the goalsDiscussing Tuesdayâs match Inter Kashi Head Coach Antonio López Habas said âThe fundamental plan for us is to build the team in this category and grow every single day The target is always the next match now it is Odisha We are not the favourites to win the league but we want to be competitive throughout the season My model of play depends on the players I have A coach cannot say âThis is my system and it will never change No You must adapt to the qualities and conditions of your players That is my philosophyâWe have to do things well from the first moment because the league is very short But there is no pressure This is Inter Kashiâs first time in the ISL and if we follow the coachâs ideas and execute our plans properly we will be competitive in every game We must focus only on the things that depend on usâ said Inter Kashi forward Alfred PlanasOdisha FC will aim to ignite their campaign with a strong home performance while Inter Kashi FC will be eager to build on the positive start to their season IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/isl-2025-26-odisha-to-host-inter-kashi-in-their-first-match-of-season-662438.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/1st-odi-pratika-returns-healy-back-at-helm-for-australia-as-india-opt-to-bat-662455.html Brisbane Feb 24 India won the toss and elected to bat first against Australia in the first ODI of the threegame series here at The Gabba on Tuesday The stage changes but the focus stays on the same marquee names as the two sides square off India head into the 50over contest on the back of a 21 T20I series win powered by standout individual displays Smriti Mandhana topped the run charts with 129 runs while Georgia Voll impressed for Australia with 116 With the ball India enjoyed the upper hand as Arundhati Reddy claimed eight wickets to lead the tally and Shree Charani added five crucial scalpsThe spotlight now shifts to the ODI arena a format where Australiaâs legacy looms large Seventime world champions with a commanding headtohead record over India they have traditionally set the benchmark in oneday cricket India however will aim to carry forward the momentum and belief gained from their T20I successThis series also marks Australian skipper Alyssa Healys last of her career with the ace wicketkeeperbatter set to bow out of international cricket after the conclusion of the home series Winning the toss India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said â I think batting first will be a better option for us today So thatâs why as a group we decided that letâs bat first I feel opportunity because last day when we played the World Cup we all had really a lot of fun and hopefully today also weâll have fun We do have a few changes Kashvee is back in the side And Iâll give you my playing list so you can just go through itâMeanwhile Healy said âHappy days I would have loved to bowl first So weâve got a desired result but weâve obviously got to start really well and make use of this fresh wicket Itâs been very very unusual I will say that but also really enjoyable to sort of you know watch whatâs going to unfold in a couple of gamesâ time anyway So itâs nice to be back nice to be put under the pressure by the Indian side Theyâve started really well in the series so you know weâre going to have to fight really well in this ODI series to wrestle back some momentum I just think starting really well in this series Weâve prided ourselves on our oneday game We like these conditions and we play really well in these conditions So hopefully we can remain consistent to that in what we do really well and hopefully that throws the first punch No Perry no Garth Got some injuries picked up in the third T20 Thatâs probably the two notable changesâPlaying XIs India Smriti Mandhana Pratika Rawal Shafali Verma Harmanpreet Kaur c Jemimah Rodrigues Richa Ghosh wk Deepti Sharma Kashvee Gautam Sree Charani Kranti Gaud Renuka SinghAustralia Alyssa Healy c Phoebe Litchfield Georgia Voll Beth Mooney wk Annabel Sutherland Ashleigh Gardner Tahlia McGrath Sophie Molienux Alana King Megan Schutt Darcie Brown IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/1st-odi-pratika-returns-healy-back-at-helm-for-australia-as-india-opt-to-bat-662455.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ranji-trophy-final-jampk-opt-to-bat-first-against-karnataka-662459.html Hubli Feb 24 Jammu and Kashmir have won the toss and opted to bat first against eighttime champions Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy final here at the KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground on Tuesday Jammu amp Kashmir have qualified for their maiden Ranji Trophy Notably the last team to win their maiden Ranji Trophy title was MP in the 202122 seasonWhile Paras Dogracaptained JampK have a maiden title up for grabs Devdutt Padikkalled Karnataka are chasing their first crown in well over a decade JampKâs only defeat in this season came in a 35run loss to Mumbai in October and they have not looked back since thenKarnataka endured a campaign filled with twists and turns They were in a strong position before the tournament paused for the whiteball leg but the restart brought a significant setback in the form of a heavy defeat to Madhya Pradesh That result left them with little room for error and with weather interruptions and resistance from Punjab adding to the tension their path to qualification grew increasingly narrowStepping up when it mattered most newly appointed captain Padikkal produced an unbeaten 120 steering his side into the quarterfinals as daylight ebbed away From there momentum gathered pace a strong victory over Mumbai was followed by a dominant display against Uttarakhand securing their place as hosts for the finalPlaying XIsJammu and Kashmir Paras Dogra c Qamran Iqbal Yawer Hassan Shubham Singh Pundir Abdul Samad Kanhaiya Wadhawan wk Abid Mushtaq Auqib Nabi Yudhvir Singh Sahil Lotra Sunil KumarKarnataka KL Rahul Mayank Agarwal Devdutt Padikkal c Karun Nair Smaran Ravichandran Shreyas Gopal Kruthik Krishna wk Vidyadhar Patil Vijaykumar Vyshak Shikhar Shetty Prasidh Krishna IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ranji-trophy-final-jampk-opt-to-bat-first-against-karnataka-662459.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-vs-ind-ellyse-perry-kim-garth-ruled-out-of-odi-series-due-to-quad-injuries-662465.html Brisbane Feb 24 Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry and ace pacer Kim Garth have been ruled out of the threematch ODI series against India owing to the quad injuries that they picked up during the third and final T20I in Adelaide on Saturday Their availability for the Test match will be determined after the ODI series depending on their rehab progress Garth underwent scans on Monday and was officially ruled out on Tuesday with skipper Alyssa Healy confirming during the toss that the two players had been sidelined âNo Perry no Garth Got some injuries picked up in the third T20â Healy said after India won the toss and elected to bat Megan Schutt and Lucy Hamilton have been drafted into the ODI squad strengthening Australiaâs options ahead of the series Schuttâs return adds experience and firepower to the pace unit while Healy is set to partner Phoebe Litchfield at the top of the order as she begins her farewell tour Meanwhile T20 opener Georgia Voll has been slotted into a middleorder role for the 50over formatSchuttâs addition to the XI worked wonders for the home team as the veteran pacer dismissed India opener Pratika Rawal who was making her first international appearance since the injury that she picked up during the sideâs victorious ODI World Cup campaign Schutt struck off just the second delivery of the game and trapped Rawal lbw to send her back to the dugout for a twoball duck Seventime World Cup champions Australia have long set the pace in oneday cricket and maintain a strong overall record against India Meanwhile India playing their first ODI since winning the Womenâs ODI World Cup in November 2025 aim to transfer the confidence gained in the T20Is into the longer format The first ODI at The Gabba will set the tone for the series influenced by recent form tested reputations and the subtle reminder that in 50over cricket patience and precision remain crucial IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-vs-ind-ellyse-perry-kim-garth-ruled-out-of-odi-series-due-to-quad-injuries-662465.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/squash-brabourne-stadium-to-host-indian-open-from-march-18-22-662481.html Mumbai Feb 24 The Indian Open a PSA Copper events is scheduled to be be held from March 18 to 22 at the historic CCI Brabourne Stadium for its second edition tickets for which are now live Recognised by the Professional Squash Association PSA the tournament continues to build on the success of its 2025 edition which was named one of the Top 10 Iconic PSA Events of the year The 2026 edition will feature defending womenâs champion Anahat Singh returning to headline the event The lineup also includes Indiaâs top players such as Ramit Tandon Abhay Singh Veer Chotrani Velavan Senthilkumar and Joshna Chinappa as well as international contenders such as Yahya Elnawasany Hana Moataz Mazen Hesham and others This promises a highly competitive week of worldclass squash Additionally the tournament will award a USD 44500 prize purse for both the menâs and womenâs events marking a first for an Indian tournamentCyrus Poncha Secretary General of the Squash Rackets Federation of India said âThe Indian Open has quickly become a key stop on the PSA calendar giving Indian players exposure to worldclass competition while raising the profile of squash nationally For 2026 weâre excited to continue growing the tournamentâs international significance and see fans experience highlevel matches live supporting the sportâs longterm development in IndiaâThe quarterfinals semifinals and finals will take place on a fully glass court creating an arenastyle squash venue optimised for energetic closeup viewing Featuring a bigger stage equal prize money and a lineup of top Indian and international players the 2026 Indian Open is set to strengthen Indiaâs position in the global squash scene IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/squash-brabourne-stadium-to-host-indian-open-from-march-18-22-662481.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/four-day-khelo-india-winter-games-begin-in-jampks-gulmarg-today-662272.html Gulmarg Feb 23 All arrangements were in place on Monday for the inauguration of the 6th Khelo India Winter Games KIWG at this picturesque snowclad ski resort of Jammu and Kashmir The fourday event will be flagged off by JampK Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and 400 athletes from 30 states and union territories are participatingNuzhat Gul Secretary JampK Sports Council told IANS â400 participants from 30 states and union territories have registered for the games God willing the event is going to be a great success as Gulmarg has a good snow cover this timeâThe 4day event is being held from February 23 to 26 The first leg of KIWG was held at Leh town in Ladakh from January 20 to 26The second edition of the games for snow events is being held in Gulmarg All six editions of KIWG have been held in JampK and LadakhGulmarg features four medal disciplines including ski mountaineering alpine skiing Nordic skiing cross country and snowboarding The highest participation registration has taken place for alpine skiingAt the end of KIWG 2026 in LadakhLeh Haryana led the medal tally with four gold medals won by its figure and ice skaters This was followed by Ladakh Maharashtra and TelanganaThe mascot of KIWG is SheenEShe Shan the Snow Leopard Shan represents the spirit of Indian winter sports resilient agile and adaptable carrying the legacy of the Himalayas to a national stage through the Khelo India Winter GamesSpecial arrangements have been made for the event with all senior officers of civil administration and security taking stock of arrangements in detailKashmir is all braced up to receive the Vice President of the country CP Radhakrishnan on February 26 The vice president will be the chief guest at the 21st convocation of Kashmir University being held on February 26 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/four-day-khelo-india-winter-games-begin-in-jampks-gulmarg-today-662272.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sebastian-korda-claims-third-atp-tour-title-with-delray-beach-open-crown-662283.html Florida Feb 23 Sebastian Korda captured the third ATP Tour title of his career producing a composed performance to defeat fellow American Tommy Paul 64 63 in the final of the Delray Beach Open Having fallen just short as runnerup at the same tournament in 2021 Korda returned to lift the trophy this time becoming the ninth American man to triumph at the Florida event The 25yearoldâs victory propels him to No 40 in the ATP Live RankingsâIt means a lot Iâve been through some stuff the past couple of months years Iâve lost a lot of finals and now to get one here in Delray â this is where I made my first ATP final â so itâs like a fullcircle day Iâm just happyâ Korda saidBattling gusty afternoon winds Korda played assertive tennis from the baseline controlling rallies with clean confident ballstriking He seized the opening set with a timely break at 54 and was especially effective behind his first serve claiming 83 per cent of those points ATP reportsThe second set brought late drama Serving for the championship Korda fell behind 040 but refused to yield saving four break points in the game before sealing the win after one hour and 22 minutesâIt was tricky We were both struggling out there it was super windy I was just trying to put the ball in the court I was born and raised in Florida so Iâm used to the wind a little bit but this was extreme for sureâ Korda said Kordaâs path to the title was anything but straightforward He eliminated three of the tournamentâs top five seeds including second seed Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals and third seed Flavio Cobolli in the semifinalsThe championship clash marked the second allAmerican final of the season following the showdown in Dallas With the win Korda improved his ATP Head2Head record against Paul to 52 The two had not met in nearly 20 months since their encounter at Queens Club Championships in 2024For Paul 28 the defeat denied him a fifth career ATP Tour title Kordaâs triumph represents a significant milestone in his resurgence Last season he was sidelined from Roland Garros through WinstonSalem while recovering from a stress fracture in his right shin a setback that required the use of a protective boot and crutches Now healthy again Kordaâs breakthrough in Delray Beach signals a return to form and perhaps the start of another upward climb IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sebastian-korda-claims-third-atp-tour-title-with-delray-beach-open-crown-662283.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ferrari-mercedes-a-step-ahead-says-mclaren-boss-andrea-stella-after-pre-season-testing-662318.html New Delhi Feb 23 McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has suggested that Ferrari and Mercedes currently hold a slight edge heading into the 2026 Formula 1 season following the conclusion of last weekâs final preseason test The assessment comes after a strong showing from Ferrari with Charles Leclerc finishing more than eight tenths of a second clear of Lando Norris on the final day of running Leclerc also completed a competitive race simulation during the hotter part of the day underlining Ferrariâs apparent paceWhile McLaren completed its planned programme ahead of the seasonopening Australian Grand Prix on March 68 Stella admitted it remains difficult to draw firm conclusions about the competitive orderVery difficult to say There is a race simulation that I was I think was on Thursday between Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen It happened at a similar time of the day and it was a similar paceâ Stella was quoted as saying by Sky Sports when asked about the pecking orderOften the race simulation is actually where you can more accurately see what the genuine performance of cars is The reason why I think we have to be careful is that depending on the time of the day then the race simulation may be quite a lot fasterLike now on the last day Lando he was performing pretty strongly in a race simulation but at the same time probably the end of day three was the fastest time the track has been across the six days So difficult to say I think McLaren and Red Bull are probably very similar Ferrari and Mercedes are a step aheadThe early indications suggest that the leading quartet could be separated by fine margins with performance likely to fluctuate depending on circuit layout and prevailing conditionsRed Bull Racing impressed during testing with its energydeployment efficiency a potentially decisive factor under the 2026 regulations which allow electrical harvesting when drivers are off the throttle Stella noted that circuit characteristics will significantly influence how effectively teams can balance harvesting and deploymentI think in 2026 we will have to look at the characteristics of the circuits including this feature related to how easy it is as a circuit for the power unit requirement he saidSo Barcelona was actually relatively demanding in terms of balance between deployment and harvesting In Bahrain it was relatively easier because you spend enough time in braking that basically you do all the harvesting braking You dont need to do anything special in terms of lifting off for instance in order to add the time at which you harvest your power unitNow we go to Australia In Australia we go back to one circuit in which it will be a bit more difficult So in Australia it will be a little bit more difficult I think we will see the drivers will be busier in terms of their driving style to make sure that the power unit is exploited in terms of harvesting energy and deployment of energy in a way that is efficient And when we say efficient it means efficient for a long timeMcLaren which runs customer engines supplied by MercedesAMG Petronas Formula One Team continues to work closely with Mercedesâ High Performance Powertrains division Stella acknowledged the benefits of the partnership but admitted there is scope to further refine how the power unit is integrated and managedWe are very grateful for the efforts that HPP have pulled off to make sure that we are making progress every single day But I do see that theres still quite a lot to learn and definitely more work to do in terms of engine control power unit control and power unit exploitationâ the Italian said One thing we needed to learn is also how to use the features available in the power unit and what kind of new features you need to have available under the drivers control such that the power unit is not only competitive from a lap time point of view but also from a raceability point of view like when you have to compete with your rivals on trackWith the new regulatory cycle approaching and competitive gaps appearing marginal Stellaâs comments point to a tightly contested start to 2026 one where technical execution and circuitspecific strengths could prove decisive from race to race IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ferrari-mercedes-a-step-ahead-says-mclaren-boss-andrea-stella-after-pre-season-testing-662318.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-didnt-realise-the-new-ball-would-be-the-biggest-challenge-pollocks-view-on-what-went-wrong-for-india-662353.html New Delhi Feb 23 Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock gave his analysis of Indias Super 8 stage loss to the Proteas and stated that the cohost didnt adapt well to the conditions in Ahmedabad and failed to realise the new ball challenge with the seam moving around South Africa snapped Indias 12match unbeaten streak at the ICC Mens T20 World Cup as they handed the defending champions a 76run defeat at the Narendra Modi Stadium on SundayAfter India dominated early as Jasprit Bumrah produced a stellar opening spell of 27 the Proteas scripted a comeback through a 97run partnership off 51 balls between David Miller and Dewald Brevis A late charge from Tristan Stubbs who knocked off an unbeaten 44 off 24 balls took South Africa past the 180markâIndia didnt adapt well to the conditions in Ahmedabad South Africa had played three matches here already so they knew what to expect Yes they struggled at first when they lost the wickets of Quinton de Kock Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton early but they did not stop adjusting as per the conditions It was only when Brevis and Miller batted together that things worked for them Tristan Stubbs put his batting power to good use in the end to help South Africa reach 187 Indiaâs chase would have been simple had they played carefully in the beginning Pollock In response India failed to launch in the first six overs and were already in trouble at 313 after the powerplay South Africa kept a lid on the explosive and deeprunning Indian batting lineup as the Men in Blue were bundled out for 111 in 185 oversThe first six overs was the toughest because the ball wasnt coming onto the bat nicely Instead they went after the bowlers from the very first over You cant do that on this kind of a pitch while chasing a big total They lost two early wickets and were under pressure right away Sometimes you have to be smart and patient India didnt change their approach They didnt realise that the new ball would be the biggest challenge with the seam moving around he addedThe defending champions will now have to win their remaining matches against Zimbabwe and the West Indies to stay in contention for the semifinals especially with their net run rate now at 38 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-didnt-realise-the-new-ball-would-be-the-biggest-challenge-pollocks-view-on-what-went-wrong-for-india-662353.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/jk-l-g-manoj-sinha-inaugurates-6th-edition-of-khelo-india-winter-games-662366.html Gulmarg Feb 23 IANS Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor LG Manoj Sinha on Monday while inaugurating the sixth edition of Khelo India Winter Games here said that from a simple sporting event these games have evolved into a true national festivalnbspLG Sinha welcomed and conveyed his best wishes to all participating athletes and team officialsnbspKhelo India Winter Games revive the sporting spirits ideals of peace equality and camaraderie In our vibrant diverse nation of myriad languages cultures and traditions the Winter Games at Gulmarg is serving as a universal language and shared heritageWinter Games at Gulmarg mirror lifes raw challenges building the resilience that propels future triumphs Falling analysing errors rising improved these are sports true lessons ones Skiers will live here the LG addedHe emphasised that the broader aim of Khelo India Winter Games is strengthening national unityThe LG said that the mega winter sports event is a celebration of our nations sporting legacy its unity and the transformative power of sports that binds every citizen and athlete igniting their drive and forging unbreakable characterIntense rivalry yields shared conversations and lasting friendships proving healthy competition and mutual respect coexist Our people need this ethos now more than ever As you race these Ski slopes remember diversity is our strength not division Khelo India reminds us our language may differ but our goals and values unite usWhen athletes from diverse states train together compete fiercely and cheer one another barriers of language culture and region dissolve before the sporting spirit LG Sinha addedHe said that Winter Games pit skiers against nature itself where excelling demands extraordinary prowess and over the coming days we will witness that prowess alongside technical mastery the poise from years of practice unyielding resolve and superhuman enduranceHe urged the participating athletes to uphold the highest standards of sportsmanship and encouraged them to give their best throughout the tournamentOn these Ski slopes of Gulmarg athletes identity hinges solely on performance every result reflects your skills discipline and grit crafting new championsIn disciplines like alpine skiing Nordic skiing snowboarding and ski mountaineering athletes rigorous training and unwavering dedication will shine through the LG addedLG Sinha also spoke on the transformation in the sporting sector across Jammu and Kashmir over the past few years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra ModiHe said that the establishment of stateoftheart sports infrastructure under the Prime Ministers Development Package PMDP and 100 Khelo India Centres have redefined the sporting landscapeHe emphasised that modern infrastructure coupled with the talent and dedication of Jammu and Kashmirs youth and the proactive support of dedicated officials has provided a massive impetus to the sectorLG Sinha said the true character reveals itself not just in victory but in adversity and a real athlete remains humble in triumph and dignified in defeatOn February 26 at the closing ceremony of sixth Khelo India Winter Games success wont be measured by medals alone but by the spirit of unity mutual respect and relentless pursuit of excellence he addedThe fourday Khelo India Winter Games at Indias premier winter sports destination will witness the participation of around 1000 athletes and officials from various states and Union Territories in different disciplinesOmar Abdullah Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Satish Sharma Minister for Youth Services ampamp Sports Nasir Aslam Wani Advisor to Chief Minister Farooq Ahmed Shah Member of Legislative Assembly from Gulmarg Atal Dulloo Chief Secretary Shahid Iqbal Choudhary Commissioner Secretary to the government Youth Services and Sports VK Birdi IGP Kashmir Anshul Garg Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Major General Puneet Doval Commandant High Altitude Warfare School Minga Sherpa Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Nuzhat Gul Secretary JampampK Sports Council senior officials representatives of Sports Authority of India and various sports organisations prominent sports personalities and sports enthusiasts in large numbers attended the inaugural ceremonyIANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/jk-l-g-manoj-sinha-inaugurates-6th-edition-of-khelo-india-winter-games-662366.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/australia-to-return-to-south-africa-for-first-test-tour-since-sandpaper-gate-662380.html New Delhi Feb 23 Australia will tour South Africa for a landmark threeTest series in 202627 marking their first redball visit to the country since the infamous 2018 balltampering episode in Cape Town Cricket South Africa unveiled their international schedule for the 202627 season confirming a marquee contest between the two most recent World Test Championship winners The series will culminate at Newlands in Cape Town the venue where the 2018 scandal unfolded and triggered one of the most turbulent chapters in Australian cricket historyThe tour will begin with a threematch ODI series in September with matches slated for Durban Johannesburg and Potchefstroom Australia will then shift focus to the longer format with Tests scheduled in Durban Gqeberha and Cape Town A warmup fixture in Potchefstroom is also part of the itinerary Australia are also expected to play limitedovers matches in neighbouring Zimbabwe before crossing into South AfricaSeveral members of the current Australian squad including captain Pat Cummins Steve Smith Mitchell Starc Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood were part of the 2018 touring party While some have since returned to Cape Town for whiteball fixtures Australia have not undertaken a full Test tour of South Africa in the eight years since that seriesDavid Warner who alongside Smith received a 12month ban for his involvement in the 2018 incident has since retired from international cricket as have former Test skipper Tim Paine and opener Usman Khawaja Cameron Bancroft who served a ninemonth suspension is unlikely to featureFor South Africa the series signals a renewed commitment to hosting Test cricket after a reduced home schedule in recent seasons due to financial pressures and the growing footprint of the SA20 league during the peak summer window The Proteas have not staged a home Test since January 2025 but are set to host Bangladesh and England in the upcoming southern summerThe Australia series could prove pivotal in shaping the next World Test Championship final Australia currently lead the standings with one defeat in eight matches but face demanding away tours of South Africa and India alongside a fourTest home series against New ZealandBefore heading to Africa Australia are scheduled to host Bangladesh in northern Australia in August rounding out a packed calendar that will test their depth across formatsODI SeriesFirst ODI September 24 Kingsmead Stadium DurbanSecond ODI September 27 Wanderers Stadium JohannesburgThird ODI September 30 JB Marks Oval Potchefstroom DNWarmup MatchOctober 34 JB Marks Oval PotchefstroomTest SeriesFirst Test October 913 Kingsmead Stadium DurbanSecond Test October 1822 St Georgeâs Park GqeberhaThird Test October 2731 Newlands Cricket Ground Cape Town IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/australia-to-return-to-south-africa-for-first-test-tour-since-sandpaper-gate-662380.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 18:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/healy-set-for-careers-final-odi-series-mooney-to-keep-wickets-662385.html Brisbane Feb 23 Australia have turned their attention to the 50over format as they seek a response in the multiformat contest against India with retiring captain Alyssa Healy set to headline several changes for Tuesdayâs first ODI in Brisbane After conceding the T20I leg 2â1 the hosts are poised to reshuffle their XI for the 50over games Healy will return to the top of the order replacing Georgia Voll and is expected to partner with regular opener Phoebe Litchfield Legspinner Alana King is also in line for her first appearance of the series likely coming in for fellow wristspinner Georgia Wareham while Grace Harris has not been included in the ODI squadIn a notable move Healy is not expected to resume wicketkeeping duties during her farewell series Instead Beth Mooney will continue with the gloves a decision understood to have been made for continuity after Mooney kept throughout the T20Is and with an eye on Australiaâs upcoming Caribbean tourHealy who holds a worldrecord 275 dismissals as a wicketkeeper and has been Australiaâs firstchoice glovewoman since 2014 has not kept since the end of WBBL11Speaking to reporters Monday at the Allan Border Field Healy reflected on her time away from the group during the T20I leg saying âIts already been a little bit weird watching to be completely honest I havent probably played as many of the T20 series over the last few seasons but being removed from the environment for the last couple of weeks and watching it all unfold has been a little bit weird and coming back in midway through a series has been a bit oddâThe 35yearold who will captain Australia through the three ODIs and the subsequent daynight Test in Perth before stepping away from international cricket insisted her focus is firmly on the team outcome rather than a personal sendoffâIm just really excited to play in what is a big series â its not so much about going out in in style its more about winning this seriesâ Healy saidAustralia trained on an optional basis at Allan Border Field as selectors weighed further decisions Vicecaptain Tahlia McGrath left out during the T20Is remains under consideration despite a lean ODI World Cup campaign earlier in the cycle Nicola Carey recalled after a threeyear absence is another option to bolster the XISophie Molineux who will assume the captaincy across formats following the series will serve as deputy during the onedayers and the TestFor Healy the Brisbane opener carries added personal significance Although she did not feature in Sydney her adopted home the Queensland fixture offers a different kind of homecoming Born on the Gold Coast she expects a strong turnout of family and friendsIts interesting how everything panned out she said I didnt get a game in Sydney but ironically to get a game here in Queensland where Ive got more family and friends from where we originated is a really special thingI think Uncle Ian Australia great Ian Healy has been in charge of roping them all together IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/healy-set-for-careers-final-odi-series-mooney-to-keep-wickets-662385.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 18:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/72nd-sr-nationals-mens-kabaddi-cships-to-be-held-in-vadodara-from-feb-24-662389.html New Delhi Feb 23 The 72nd Senior Nationals Menâs Kabaddi Championship 2026 is scheduled to be held at the Sama Indoor Complex in Vadodara from February 24 to 27 It will feature 31 teams from across India with approximately 400 players competing fiercely for the championship title The tournament organized by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India AKFI will showcase a blend of experienced players and emerging talents Participants who excelled in the Pro Kabaddi League PKL Season 12 will also be competingKey players to watch include the top three raiders from PKL Season 12 Ayan Lohchab Haryana with 316 raid points Devank Dalal with 271 and Bharat Hooda Services who scored 230 Ashu Malik who guided Dabang Delhi to victory last season will now represent Railways Meanwhile Arjun Deshwal will continue to lead Uttar PradeshThe tournament will highlight emerging talents like Deepak Sankar from Tamil Nadu who scored 64 tackle points for the Bengaluru Bulls and was named the New Young Player of the Season in PKL 12 Maharashtraâs representation includes Puneri Paltan raider Aditya Shinde who achieved 159 raid points featuring five super raids Haryanaâs defender Nitesh Kumar a rising star with 65 tackle points and five High 5s will also compete along with promising players Anil from Himachal Pradesh and Uday Parte from Madhya PradeshDefending champions Services with a starstudded team including Devank Dalal Naveen Kumar Bharat Hooda Ankit Jaglan and Jaideep Dahiya aim to defend their title in the upcoming tournament Railways Haryana and Maharashtra each supported by strong squads are expected to provide significant competition promising a highly competitive event This tournament will also act as an important platform for both top and emerging players where consistent performance can lead to selection for national camps the Indian team and professional leaguesThe Senior Nationals is jointly organised by the Gujarat Kabaddi Association and the Vadodara Kabaddi Association Collaborating closely with AKFI these associations have made thorough arrangements for athletes officials and teams further strengthening Gujaratâs reputation as a prominent host for major sporting events IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/72nd-sr-nationals-mens-kabaddi-cships-to-be-held-in-vadodara-from-feb-24-662389.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 19:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/judoka-rohit-majgul-secures-qualification-for-cwg-amp-asian-games-2026-662390.html Ahmedabad Feb 23 Gujaratâs rising judoka Rohit Majgul 66kg secured qualification for both the Commonwealth Games 2026 and the Asian Games 2026 after a stellar performance at the Judo Selection Trials in New Delhi In the bestofthree finals at the national judo trials Majgul faced Haryanaâs Garvit in a tense showdown The decisive bout went into golden score where Majgul executed a brilliant Ogoshi to score a wazaari and clinched victoryThe 23rd Commonwealth Games are scheduled to take place in Glasgow Scotland from July 23 to August 2 while the Asian Games 2026 are scheduled to take place in AichiâNagoya Japan from September 19 onwardsPost his victory Majgul said âQualifying for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games is a dream come true for me Every bout at the trials tested my limits but I trusted my training and my coaches to guide me This victory is not just mineâitâs a reflection of the hard work and support of the Vijayi Bharat FoundationâHailing from a small tribal village Talala in Gir Somnath district in Gujarat Majgul trains at Vijayi Bharat Foundation His dominance is no flash in the pan as he has also remained undefeated in the last two Senior Nationals further proving his consistency and technical masteryUnder the guidance of VBFâs coaches and support staff Rohitâs composure finesse and competitive spirit have shone through reflecting both his individual excellence and the strength of the foundationâs training systemsGuided by VBFâs dedicated coaching staff Majgulâs success highlights the strength of the foundationâs training ecosystem His achievement adds to Gujaratâs growing presence in Indian judo and marks a proud moment for the stateâs sporting communityIndian judokas have clinched four bronze medals through Sandeep Byala menâs 65kg Cawas Billimoria menâs 95kg Shyam Singh Gurjar menâs 95kg and Bannu Singh menâs open weight in the first Asian Games held in New Delhi in 1951At the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima Poonam Chopra won the bronze medal in the womenâs 56kg event She is the only Indian woman to win a judo medal at a continental event It is also Indiaâs last medal in judo at the Asian Games IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/judoka-rohit-majgul-secures-qualification-for-cwg-amp-asian-games-2026-662390.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 19:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/kiwg-2026-meet-sahil-syed-and-faizan-the-new-indian-kids-on-skis-662392.html Gulmarg JampK Feb 23 The three athletes in focus Sahil Thakur Syed Zain and Faizan Ahmad Lone have a single mentor and a single dream What binds them together is not geography On a windcarved ridge above Gulmarg where the snow gleams with the promise of ambition these three young Indian alpine skiers are carving more than lines into ice They are carving a futureManaliâs towering slopes and Kashmirâs powder fields could not be more distinct but a shared lineage of belief was shaped under the watchful eye of Mohammad Arif Khan the trailblazer who became the first Indian to represent the country twice at the Winter Olympics Under Khanâs guidance the trio recently trained in Italyâs Sudtirol region absorbing the technical rigour and competitive mindset that define Europeâs alpine eliteFor 19yearold Sahil Thakur skiing is an inheritance and instinct Raised in Manali in a family where snow is both playground and profession his father Devi Chand and brothers Rajneesh and Rahul all skiers Sahil speaks of Italy with reverenceâWhen I returned I could feel the differenceâ says Sahil âThe coaching the attention to technique it changes how you see the mountainâA national gold and silver medallist and a competitor at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon South Korea Sahil now fixes his gaze on a singular horizon the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps His ambition is not tentative it is inevitableIf Sahilâs journey was written in his bloodline Syed Zainâs was carved from aspiration Raised in Humhama on Srinagarâs outskirts Zain 16 grew up far from the European epicentres of Alpine skiing Yet his rise has been emphatic two gold medals in Slalom and Giant Slalom at the inaugural Khelo India Winter Games KIWG in 2020 followed by two silver medals at the Junior Nationals in 2022âSkiing is a European sportâ Zain said âBut Olympians like Arif Khan showed us it can belong to India tooâHis foundation was laid at the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering IISM in Gulmarg refined by Khanâs mentorship and strengthened alongside 35 to 40 Indian athletes during the Italy training programme Zain also credits sixtime Olympian Shiva Keshavan whose legacy continues to anchor Indiaâs winter sports ecosystemFaizan Ahmad Loneâs story is one of perseverance sharpened by opportunity A fivetime national gold medallist and fourtime Khelo India champion the 19yearold Faizanâs ascent has been powered not only by talent but by crucial supportâSkiing is expensiveâ he says âArif didnât just coach me he helped me secure sponsorship That allowed me to compete internationallyâFaizan has since represented India at the 2025 Winter Asian Games in Harbin China and competed in FIS races across Dubai and Kazakhstan each race another step in Indiaâs slow but steady climb toward alpine relevanceYet beyond medals training camps and Olympic dreams there is a quieter symbol of their shared journeyEach of their helmets bears the signature of Federica Brignone the Italian Olympic champion and one of Alpine skiingâs modern greats It is ink on plastic but it carries the weight of possibilityâHer signature reminds us why we do thisâ they say âIt keeps us focused It keeps us dreamingâOn Gulmargâs slopes where cold air sharpens resolve and every descent demands courage Sahil Zain and Faizan are no longer just athletes in training They are standardbearers of a nation still learning to believe in winter And somewhere between gravity and glory they are finding their way down the mountain and toward history IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/kiwg-2026-meet-sahil-syed-and-faizan-the-new-indian-kids-on-skis-662392.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 19:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ranji-trophy-from-scenic-kathar-to-playing-final-in-hubbali-the-making-of-sunil-kumar-662394.html New Delhi Feb 23 On February 17 in Kalyani many felt Bengal were assured of entering the Ranji Trophy final after bagging a slender lead over Jammu amp Kashmir A big second innings score and that would have been enough for Bengal to get into the title clash against Karnataka But cricket is a great leveller and brings its own twists and turns beyond oneâs imagination The exact same thing happened when Bengal folded for 99 giving JampK a target of 126 which they chased down to get into the title clash starting in Hubbali on TuesdayApart from Auqib Nabi taking a sensational fourfer his new ball partner Sunil Kumar also grabbed four scalps to put JampK in the driverâs seat for entering their firstever Ranji Trophy final Now against Karnataka and a formidable batting lineup featuring KL Rahul Devdutt Padikkal Karun Nair and Mayank Agarwal leftarmer Sunil is ready for the biggest game of his life after having his comingofage moment in KalyaniIt has been very good to bowl with Nabi There is no pressure when bowling alongside him because all the pressure is coming through him The way he bowls it feels like he is bound to get a wicket on every delivery When that happens then your job is to not give runs from the other side as they will get out to him and you just have to contain the runs from your sideWhen Vanshe Vanshaj Sharma hit that sixer I was sitting at the back of the dugout It was a very good and unforgettable moment for all of us It was clear before that we were going to play the final but then that feeling of entering the title clash was just unbelievable We have now forgotten that victory since we reached Karnataka The entire focus is on the final said Sunil in an exclusive conversation with IANS from HubbaliThe bowling plan for Karnataka Sunil feels will be no different from the one that has worked all season and the one that dismantled Bengal inside two sessions in ways even the JampK camp hadnât anticipatedThe plan was simple we wanted to get them out as soon as possible But we didnt think that they would get out in one or two sessions We thought that even if they got out in three or four sessions we would get a day to chase whatever total they would postâBut as soon as we got the wickets quickly we thought it could be easily chased down The bowling plan was the same we wanted to hit our basic line and length again and again so that they would make a mistake But we didnt think that they would suddenly get out in one or two sessions he recalledSunil hails from Kathar a scenic village nestled 35 kilometres from Akhnoor district in the Jammu region The son of an Army man Sunil played with a cosco ball as he fared better in cricket than his peers in the village who believed he had the capabilities to make a career out of playing the sportThere are a lot of swing bowlers who I watched a lot When I started watching cricket I would take notice of India leftarm pacers Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan I really liked Irfan Pathans bowling action and I used to try to copy it So by copying him my action became like this I also used to like the bowling of Dale Steyn and James Anderson said SunilWhen Pathan played for JampK as playercummentor from 2018 to 2020 Sunil had a chance to meet him âI went for a trial and thats where I met him once He asked me for my age and told me that I bowl very well and that I have a lot of time in handâ he saidAn intercollege tournament first introduced him to leatherball cricket Trials followed and then a talent hunt around 202122 brought him to the attention of JampK head coach Ajay Sharma Before I came to college I used to play with a cosco ball The first time I played leatherball based cricket was through an intercollege tournament and thats where my journey started Gradually I came to know about trials and attended it There I came to know that yes I am fine and I can play cricket professionallyâLuckily I also did well in the talent hunt and we were called for a T20 camp and Ajay sir came there for the first time I was first picked by the selectors from the talent hunt When Ajay sir was there I was playing in the C or D team So the next team match was A or B team and they said to put me in either of the two teams and make me bowl with the new ball So thats how it started and where I am playing now its because of that talent hunt If it wasnt for that I wouldnt have been able to achieve anythingâ he saidThe commute from Kathar to JampK Sports Hostel and Science College ground where the JKCA camps were held was a daily test of commitment in itself I had to travel 65 to 70 kms via scooty and if the camp was set up for 10am then I had to leave at 815am so that I could reach by 945 to 950am If camp ran till 2pm I would then leave at 230pm and reach home by 4 or 430pm he saidHis family he says never stood in the way âI didnt take cricket just because I wanted to pursue it My family knew that I play cricket In terms of playing a game when you want to achieve something really good then its not that you want to get some return from it You play for the love of that thingâI started like that and Im still playing with the same mindset So their support was that they never stopped me for anything I was good in studies used to pass exams well and get good marks So I told them that Im studying and playing and they were okay with itBowling coach P Krishnakumar who has overseen JampKs pace attack for three seasons identified Kumar early as a project worth investing in Its a very very big thing for him He comes from Akhnoor which is a very small place He didnt have a pitch to bowl and what he has done was he has made a pitch in his own home In the offseason he calls and asks me on improving his bowlingâWe discuss and I tell him to do this and that When he started he was more of an outswing bowler He never had a good inswing and I have developed his inswing I have developed his bowling from down the stick So whatever I could do I have done with him He is very calm like Auqib and is ready to work hardâIn the first year only of me coming here in the lunch and tea sessions we used to do specific skill sessions and he also has picked up very quickly and that is why he is performing because a bowler can only perform if teer hai uske tarkash mein there are many arrows in his quiver Then only he can compete with that If a batsman has more arrows he will win but if you have more than him so you will win and its very simple he said to IANSSunil also acknowledged the role of Krishnakumar in his development as a bowler âThe coaching staff is very helpful Krishna Kumar has done a lot of hard work in getting a lot of basic things right that were previously bad for meâHe has worked a lot on my mental side as well He always says that the more you keep your basics right and the simpler you keep your plans the better it is He has helped me in the offseason a lot to become a lot better with my bowlingâIn eight matches of this season Sunil has claimed 29 wickets at an average of 151 including two fourwicket hauls and as many fivefors His first fifer came in Jammu against Hyderabad a moment he describes as the highlight of his first fullfledged domestic seasonPlaying in this season feels really good This is my first season of playing domestic cricket and the performances have been fine so I feel good about it It was a very special moment to get my first fifer at our home ground and then get the second fivewicket haul against Himachal Pradesh in Amtar he saidAt 28 Sunil speaks with the measured certainty of someone who has had to wait long enough to know what patience in sports really means If you really want to do well in this game then you have to work on yourself with small improvements to be made every dayâEven if you find it boring or basic and start to think what will even happen through it you have to keep doing it One day God will give you the result as he sees the hard work you put in every day he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ranji-trophy-from-scenic-kathar-to-playing-final-in-hubbali-the-making-of-sunil-kumar-662394.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 19:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/shubhankar-finishes-48thand-veer-is-53rdin-kenya-662405.html Nairobi Feb 23  Shubhankar Sharma carded a fine 3under 67 to finish Tied48th at the 2026 Magical Kenya Open Veer Ahlawat 69 finished T53rd Indiaâs third player in the field Yuvraj Sandhu had missed the cutCasey Jarvis claimed his maiden DP World Tour title rounding off a wiretowire success at the 2026 Magical Kenya OpenThe South African who had shared the lead after each of the first three rounds held off playing partner Davis Bryant in a Sunday that was twice interrupted by stormy conditions in NairobiSharma starting from the 10th had four birdies against one bogey in his first nine and turned in 3under and on his second nine he had an eagle bu also had three bogeys and another birdie His four rounds were Veer had six birdies but also gave away five bogeysJarvis made six birdies and topped off his eight under par round of 62 with a second eagle of the day to win by three strokes at Karen Country ClubThe 22yearold began his day with three birdies and a bogey in his first four holes to reach 19 under par still one clear of compatriot Hennie Du PlessisAt the Genesis Invitational Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala rounded off the week with solid final rounds that saw them finish Tied16th and Tied22ndMeanwhile Jacob Bridgeman 72 overcame strong challenges from Kurt Kitayama 64 and Rory McIlroy 67 to win The Genesis Invitational as the massive crowd filling the amphitheater roared for him around the 18th green at The Riviera Country ClubAs Bhatia shot a 68 with an eagle and three birdies against three bogeys Theegala also had an eagle on the first and three birdies against one bogey for his 67IndoBritish Aaron Rai who had a great start with 66 finished with 76 and was T28thBridgeman started with a sixshot lead He stretched it to seven with 12 holes to play And as the lead began to shrink with superb finishes by Adam Scott 63 Kurt Kitayama 64 and finally Rory McIlroy 67 he lost feeling in his hands on the putterBridgeman pulled it together with one last par making a nervy 3footer on the 18th for a 1over 72 and a oneshot victory over McIlroy and Kitayama for his first PGA TOUR titleBridgeman is the first player since Scott in 2005 to play Riviera for the first time and leave with the trophyWoods met him atop the steps overlooking the 18th green and as they walked toward the trophy presentation Bridgeman said the tournament host told him how cool it was to win at Riviera the one place Woods could never masterBridgeman finished at 18under 266 and didnt make a birdie over the final 15 holes He heard constant cheers for McIlroy one of golfs most popular figures who was never a threat until he holed a bunker shot for birdie on the 12th and finished birdiebirdie for a 67Scottie Scheffler who had to make a 7foot par putt on Friday to make the cut had a 6665 weekend and wound up tied for 12th his worst finish since he tied for 20th at THE PLAYERS Championship nearly a year ago He ended his streak of 18 consecutive top 10s IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/shubhankar-finishes-48thand-veer-is-53rdin-kenya-662405.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 21:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/omar-abdullah-calls-for-artificial-snow-to-boost-gulmarg-as-global-ski-destination-662416.html Gulmarg JampK Feb 23 JampK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday stressed the urgent need for artificial snow generation in Gulmarg to safeguard winter sports and strengthen tourism Addressing the commencement of the Khelo India Winter Games 2026 Abdullah said climate variability poses a serious challenge to traditional winter games in the region and called for artificial snow generation to boost Gulmarg as an international ski resortWelcoming the participants the Chief Minister highlighted the importance of adapting to changing weather conditions as he noted that recent snowfall patterns have become unpredictable forcing authorities to rethink longterm planning for winter sports infrastructureThe government is committed to developing Gulmarg as an international skiing destination and ensuring consistent sporting activity despite climate challenges he saidAbdullah also underlined that reliance solely on natural snowfall is no longer sustainable and called for the introduction of artificial snow generation systems to secure the future of winter gamesHe further acknowledged that some concerns may arise over artificial snow projects but said such measures are necessary to prevent loss of tourism opportunities and protect livelihoods linked to winter tourismThousands of local stakeholders including hoteliers guides transport operators and small businesses depend on the winter season he saidThe Chief Minister said the administration will extend every possible support to athletes and sports infrastructure to nurture more internationallevel competitors from Jammu and KashmirCongratulating skier Arif Khan for bringing laurels to the region he expressed hope that more athletes would emerge from the gamesHe added that participation in sports remains as important as winning medals adding that sustained investment in winter sports and tourism will position Gulmarg among the leading global skiing destinations while ensuring economic stability for local communitiesAs many as 400 athletes from 30 states and Union Territories are participating in the Khelo India Winter Games The main events are ski mountaineering Nordic skiing alpine skiing and snowboardingMost of the participants have registered for alpine skiing IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/omar-abdullah-calls-for-artificial-snow-to-boost-gulmarg-as-global-ski-destination-662416.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 22:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/kiwg-2026-army-makes-rousing-start-himachal-crpf-also-among-gold-medals-on-day-1-662418.html Gulmarg JampK Feb 23 Army made an emphatic start to the Gulmarg leg of the Khelo India Winter Games KIWG 2026 winning three of the five gold medals at stake on Day 1 on Monday CRPF and Himachal Pradesh also finished with gold medals on Monday It was not a day for the favourites as veteran stars like Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda of Karnataka and Aanchal Thakur of Himachal Pradesh were usurped by skiers who have been doing well in the national circuitYoung Jiah Aryan all of 17 and one of Indiaâs upcoming talents in Alpine skiing from Karnataka won a bronze in her second Khelo India Winter Games KIWG Jiah lined up against seniors like Aanchal and Sandhya Thakur who have represented India at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin China last February Himachal Pradeshâs Sandhya beat Aanchal in a tight race on the Kongdoori slopesIt was an emotional day for CRPFâs Kajal Kumari Rai who won the gold in the 15km Nordic skiing crosscountry for women at the Gulmarg Golf Course Kajal relegated hotfavourite Bhavani to the bronze in a brilliant finish The Meghalayaborn Kajal dedicated her gold to her father who died last year in February CRPFâs Renu Danu won the silver Bhavani has won a hattrick of gold medals in KIWG 2025Armyâs Sunny Singh won the dayâs first gold medal in the menâs sprint in Nordic skiing Sunny has been winning medals for the Army at the KIWGs regularly and on Monday the Kathua skier who has trained at the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg led an Army 123 in the opening event before the inauguration ceremony took place on the Golf CourseIn his speech at the inauguration ceremony the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu amp Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha said this edition of the Khelo India Winter Games has been like a ârelay raceâ since the Winter Olympics ended in Italy on Sunday and KIWG events started in Gulmarg on Monday âThe Games are a classic example of national integration and display the power of creativity through sportsâ he saidâOur athletes can take inspiration from Olympic legends like American Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin and Indian athletes like Olympian Arif Khan of JampK and Aanchal Thakur of Himachal Pradesh This edition is coming at the back of the Winter Olympics and is a great platform to showcase technical skills in challenging natural conditionsâ said Shri Sinha who added that âKIWG was a test of courage and characterâ Shiffrin is a threetime Olympic gold medallistChief Minister of JampK Shri Omar Abdullah urged athletes to perform better âWe want another Arif Khan to be born here We have had six editions of Khelo India Winter Games Now itâs time to think about how to win medals at least at the Asian level The onus is on us to create the infrastructure to make Gulmarg an allweather international ski destinationâ said Shri AbdullahGulmarg has been unnaturally warm this week with the sun blazing down and the snow melting Shri Abdullah mooted the idea of âartificial snow generationâ to combat global warming which has been impacting winter sports worldwide âGulmargâs bread and butter is linked with snow and tourism We cannot deny climate change and have to think of creating infrastructure where we are not entirely dependent on natural snowâ said Shri AbdullahResults Day 1 all finalsNORDIC SKIINGMen Sprint 15 km 1 Sunny Singh Army 30683 seconds 2 Shubam Parihar Army 30735 secs 3 Manjeet Army 30873 secsWomen 15 km 1 Kajal Kumari Rai CRPF 520829 secs 2 Renu Danu CRPF 531081 secs 3 Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda Karnataka 532044 secsSNOWBOARDINGMen Slalom1 Vivek Rana Army 0101439 secs 2 Kulvinder Sharma Army 0102854 secs 3 Vikar Ahmad Lone JampK 0103174 secsALPINE GIANT SLALOMMen 1 Mayank Panwar Army 0106479 secs 2 Baqir Hussain Army 0107194 secs 3 Devendra Gurung Army 0109473 secsWomen1 Sandhya Thakur Himachal Pradesh 0123285 secs 2 Aanchal Thakur HP 0123985 secs 3 Jiah Aryan Karnataka 0131064 secs IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/kiwg-2026-army-makes-rousing-start-himachal-crpf-also-among-gold-medals-on-day-1-662418.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 22:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/jemimah-rodrigues-completes-2500-t20i-runs-662182.html Adelaide Feb 21 India batter Jemimah Rodrigues completed 2500 runs in the T20 Internationals achieving the feat during her outing with the willow against Australia in the final and deciding T20I of the threegame series at the Adelaide Oval Before walking into the crease at No 3 for the third T20I Rodrigues had accumulated 2492 runs in 104 innings Playing her 118th T20 International the Delhi Capitals skipper went past the 2500run landmark with a boundary off Kim Garth in the fifth over of the first innings having opted to bat first Rodrigues became only the fourth female Indian cricketer to reach the landmark in womenâs T20Is after skipper Kaur vicecaptain Smriti Mandhana and opening batter Shafali Verma The India opener also Rodriguesâ teammate at Delhi in the Womenâs Premier League WPL reached 2500 T20I runs earlier this week while scoring a quick 29 off 23 balls at the top of the order in the Canberra T20I During the same match Kaur set an impressive record by becoming the mostcapped international player in womenâs cricket On February 19 in her 356th international game the Indian World Cupwinning captain overtook New Zealand legend Suzie Bates to secure the record for the most international appearances by a womanFollowing Kaur and Bates Ellyse Perry who made her historic 350th international appearance for Australia on Saturday ranks third among women cricketers with the most appearancesThe allrounder made history by becoming the first Australian woman to reach 350 international games celebrating her 20th year at the highest level Speaking of the series so far the visitors dismissed the Aussies for 133 at the SCG in the first match then quickly reached 501 in 51 overs before rain interrupted India were significantly ahead of the DLS par score and managed to seal a win to take a 10 lead in the series Australia made a strong comeback at the Manuka Oval in Canberra Sent in to bat again they achieved a higherthanaverage total thanks to Georgia Volls aggressive 88 They faltered slightly near the end of their innings but India responded with a quick start Nevertheless the Australian bowlers changed their pace effectively causing a collapse that allowed the hosts to defend their total convincingly and level the seriesThe two sides are currently locked in the third and final game of the T20I leg of Indiaâs tour with the Women in Blue reaching 1011 in 12 overs courtesy of Mandhanaâs powerful halfcentury and Rodriguesâ firepower IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/jemimah-rodrigues-completes-2500-t20i-runs-662182.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/gpkl-season-two-to-feature-international-players-from-europe-africa-and-asia-662184.html New Delhi Feb 21 The Global Pravasi Kabaddi League GPKL has confirmed participation from international players across multiple continents for its upcoming season two The upcoming season is expected to feature both male and female athletes from Europe Africa and Asia further strengthening GPKLâs positioning as a bridge between Indiaâs kabaddi heartland and the emerging global ecosystem of the sport Kabaddi players from Europe Africa and Asia to lit up GPKL season 2International participation for season 2 is anticipated from European nations including England the Netherlands Poland Hungary the Czech Republic and Germany In addition African representation is expected from Tanzania Kenya and Cameroon â regions where kabaddi has witnessed steady grassroots growth in recent yearsAsian participation will also expand with players from Hong Kong and Taiwan joining the Season 2 talent poolThe inclusion of athletes from these geographies reflects a broader trend of growing interest in kabaddi beyond traditional playing nations and highlights the increasing role of structured competitive platforms in accelerating the sportâs global developmentâImportantly Season 2 will continue to feature participation from both men and women athletes The leagueâs commitment to dualgender representation remains central to its longterm vision of inclusive growth and international engagementâ the tournament organisers said in a statementThe participation of international players also complements ongoing efforts to create meaningful pathways for overseas kabaddi athletes through exposure to structured competition coaching environments and interaction with experienced Indian playersWhat began as GIPKL in its launch season now evolves into the Global Pravasi Kabaddi League with a sharper global outlook and a stronger emphasis on structured developmentAs kabaddi continues to expand its international footprint platforms that enable crossborder participation are expected to play a critical role in strengthening the sportâs global competitiveness and longterm institutional growth IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/gpkl-season-two-to-feature-international-players-from-europe-africa-and-asia-662184.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/isl-2025-26-kerala-blasters-resolve-stadium-dispute-on-eve-of-home-match-with-mumbai-city-at-kochi-662190.html Kochi Feb 21 Kerala Blasters FC have acknowledged the States Minister of Industries and Law MLA Ernakulam and President Greater Cochin Development Authority GCDA for facilitating the organisation of their upcoming home match in the Indian Super League ISL 202526 season at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi Kerala Blasters FC will welcome former winner Mumbai City FC for a home match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday There were some doubts over hosting the match at the JLN Stadium which is owned by the Greater Cochin Development Authority GCDA The match was facing uncertainty following a dispute between Kerala Blasters and GCDA over the rent for the stadium Earlier in the day the GCDA had stopped the club from hosting its scheduled prematch press conference at the stadium citing unresolved contractual and financial issues The intervention of P Rajeeve Minister for Industries and Law Government of Kerala P V Srinijin Honble MLA and President Ernakulam District Football Association and Chandran Pillai Chairman GCDA helped Kerala Blasters resolve the issues and host the match at the stadiumKerala Blasters FC acknowledges the efforts of Shri P Rajeeve Honble Minister for Industries and Law Government of Kerala Shri p v Srinijin Honble MLA and President Ernakulam District Football Association and Shri Chandran Pillai Chairman GCDA in facilitating a resolution regarding the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium and the upcoming fixture the club said in a statement on SaturdayWe would like to sincerely thank the fans of Kerala Blasters FC for the unwavering love and support shown to the club over the last few hours Your passion and belief continue to drive us forward every single day the club saidKerala Blasters FC also thanked AIFF officials vendors partners and club staff for continuing to support the clubWe also extend our appreciation to officials of the AIFF our vendors partners and the entire club staff many of whom went above and beyond and some even delayed breaking their fast while continuing to support the club â a gesture that truly meansthe world to usIn the end football is the winner We will take to the field against Mumbai City FC tomorrow for our first home game of the seasonSee you in the stands they said in the statementKerala Blasters FC return to Kochi after an openingweek defeat to Mohun Bagan SG and will be eager to register their first points of the season in front of their home supporters The hosts will look to show greater control and defensive cohesion as they attempt to find rhythm in the final third Mumbai City FC travel to Kochi aiming to build earlyseason momentum under Petr KrÃtký Known for their organised structure and ability to manage possession effectively Mumbai will seek to impose themselves and secure a positive result away from home IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/isl-2025-26-kerala-blasters-resolve-stadium-dispute-on-eve-of-home-match-with-mumbai-city-at-kochi-662190.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 04:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/man-city-beat-newcastle-to-pressure-arsenal-as-leeds-hold-villa-662205.html London Feb 22 Nico OReilly scored two goals as Manchester City closed the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table to just two points with a 21 victory over Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium OâReilly bagged two goals in the firsthalf either side of a deflected equaliser from Lewis HallAnd City held firm in a tense secondhalf showing steel and determination to seal a vital three pointsOâReillyâs first goal in the match was the 500th home Premier League goal City have scored since the start of the start of the 201617 season â thatâs 67 more than next best Liverpool who have hit 433 in the same periodThe result extended Citys winning home record against Newcastle in the Premier League to a remarkable 17 gamesAston Villa was frustrated by Leeds United in a 11 draw at Villa Park which saw Anton Stach score an excellent free kick to put the battling visiting side aheadLeeds clung on until the 89th minute when January arrival Tammy Abraham netted a goal for Aston Villa whose slim title chances have probably now goneChelseas efforts to finish in the topfour were frustrated by a late goal as Burnley salvaged a 11 draw at Stamford BridgeJoao Pedro put Chelsea in front after just four minutes after sliding in Pedro Netos low cross but after Wesley Fofana was sent off for seeing the second of his two yellow cards in the 72nd minute Chelsea was guilty of sitting deep and Zian Flemming punished them with an injurytime header from James WardProwses pinpoint cornerJames Milner made history with a record 654th Premier League appearance as Brighton claimed a muchneeded 20 win away to Brentford with first half goals from Diego Gomez and Danny WelbeckWest Ham and Bournemouth took a point each in a 00 draw at the London Stadium which leaves West Ham still in the bottom three IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/man-city-beat-newcastle-to-pressure-arsenal-as-leeds-hold-villa-662205.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/alcaraz-sinks-fils-to-lift-qatar-open-trophy-662219.html Doha Feb 22 Carlos Alcaraz swept past resurgent Frenchman Arthur Fils 62 61 in just 50 minutes to secure the Qatar Open trophy just 20 days after becoming the youngest man in history to complete the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open The title triumph marked Alcarazâs ninth ATP 500 trophy drawing him level with former World No 1 Andy Murray for the fourthhighest tally in the category since its inception in 2009âI came this year hungry for more I think after every tournament we just have to set new goals Iâm just really happy and proud of everything I have done with my team on and off the courtâItâs been a really strong start to the year It wasnât easyâ I had to be strong mentally with my team Iâm just playing great tennis and Iâm really happy about this week This trophy means a lot to me Alcaraz said From the outset Alcaraz dictated terms striking early and defending with breathtaking athleticism Even after Fils raised his level and began trading blows from the baseline the Spaniard repeatedly produced spectacular retrievals and clutch shotmaking to extend his winning streak to 12 matches ATP reportsAlcaraz has also extended his outdoor hardcourt winning streak to 30 matches â a run that includes major triumphs at the Australian Open and US Open By clinching the title in Doha â his 26th tourlevel title The Spaniard now boast a 29265 record according to the ATP WinLoss IndexWith his run to a first tourlevel final since winning the title in Tokyo in 2024 Fils jumped seven spots to No 33 in the ATP Live Rankings The former World No 14 will next compete at the ATP 500 in Dubai where he faces a rematch with Jiri Lehecka whom the Frenchman beat in the Doha quarterfinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/alcaraz-sinks-fils-to-lift-qatar-open-trophy-662219.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/mann-ki-baat-pm-modi-praises-indian-origin-cricketers-in-foreign-teams-highlights-speciality-of-bhartiyata-662222.html New Delhi Feb 22 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised Indianorigin cricketers playing in foreign teams and emphasised the significance of Bhartiyata and noted that wherever Indians travel they maintain a strong connection to their roots in their matrabhoomi motherland while also contributing to the development of their karmabhoomi place of duty He highlighted the importance of sports in everyones life stressing that One who plays blooms adding that sports unite usAddressing the 131st episode of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat PM Modi said Nowadays you must be watching T20 World Cup matches I am sure that while watching a match you must be eyeing a particular player The jersey may belong to another country but on hearing their name you realise that he is from our country The moment gives you a slight happiness because the player is of indian origin and is playing for the country where his family settled They step onto the field wearing the jersey of their country and wholeheartedly represent that nation he said The Prime Minister noted that the Canadian cricket team has the highest number of Indianorigin players He mentioned that the teams captain Dilpreet Bajwa was born in Punjabs Gurdaspur and Naveneet Dhaliwal is from Chandigarh He also mentioned the names of Harsh Thaker and Shreyas Movva and said that several players like these are making both Canada and India proudPM Modi also mentioned that the USA cricket team and said Americas team has many players from Indias domestic cricket The American teams captain Monank Patel has played for Gujarats U16 and U18 teams Mumbais Saurabh Harmeet Singh and Delhis Milind Kumar are all proud of the American teamHe also stated that several players in the Oman cricket team have played in different states of India and mentioned the names of Jatinder Singh Vinayak Shukla Karan Jai and AshishIndiaorigin players are also creating a place for themselves in the teams of New Zealand UAE and Italy too Many such Indianorigin players are bringing pride to their countries and becoming an inspiration for the youth there he said This is the speciality of Bhartiyata Wherever they go Indians remain connected to the roots of their motherland and they also contribute to the development of their karmabhoomi the Prime Minister added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/mann-ki-baat-pm-modi-praises-indian-origin-cricketers-in-foreign-teams-highlights-speciality-of-bhartiyata-662222.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 12:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-jacks-rashid-shine-as-england-crush-sri-lanka-to-clinch-51-run-win-662255.html Colombo Feb 22 IANS England produced a clinical allround display to crush Sri Lanka by 51 runs in their ICC Mens T20 World Cup Super Eights clash bundling out the hosts for just 95 runs in 164 overs after posting 1469 in a gripping encounternbspDefending a modest total on a bowlerfriendly surface Englands spinners turned the contest into a onesided affair with a relentless middleovers squeeze that left Sri Lanka gasping The chase never recovered from a dramatic powerplay collapse as the hosts slumped to 345 their secondlowest powerplay score in this edition among full member sidesJofra Archer set the tone early dismissing Pathum Nissanka with a wellset trap at deep midwicket before removing Kamil Mishara But it was Will Jacks who broke the backbone of the inningsThe offspinner struck twice in the fourth over including the prized wicket of Kusal Mendis caught and bowled and then added Dunith Wellalage to finish with outstanding figures of 322 becoming the first England spinner to claim three wickets in the powerplay of a T20IWith spin operating from both ends Liam Dawson joined the act His drift and control accounted for Kamindu Mendis and later produced a sharp caughtandbowled dismissal A bizarre hitwicket from Dushan Hemantha further underlined Sri Lankas unravelling under pressureAt 536 the contest was effectively over despite a brief counterattack from skipper Dasun Shanaka The righthander struck two sixes in his 30 off 24 balls attempting to revive hopes with aggressive intent However Adil Rashids guile proved decisive The legspinner removed Shanaka with a stunning relay catch effort in the deep and then cleaned up the tail with his trademark wrong unRashid fittingly sealed the win bowling Dilshan Madushanka through the gate to trigger celebrations as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 95 their lowest total against England in T20 World CupsEarlier England themselves had struggled to build momentum after being sent in Phil Salts 62 off 40 balls anchored the innings but disciplined spells from Wellalage 326 and Maheesh Theekshana 221 restricted them to 1469That total however proved more than enough as Englands spinners suffocated the chase with precision and control extending their dominance over Sri Lanka with a 12th consecutive T20I victory in the headtohead rivalryBrief scores England 1469 in 20 overs Phil Salt 62 Dunith Wellalage 326 Maheesh Theekshana 221 beat Sri Lanka 9510 in 164 overs Dasun Shanaka 30 Will Jacks 322 Adil Rashid 213 Jofra Archer 220 by 51 runsIANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-jacks-rashid-shine-as-england-crush-sri-lanka-to-clinch-51-run-win-662255.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 19:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/interim-phf-chief-lifts-2-year-ban-on-hockey-captain-butt-amid-pro-league-controversy-662060.html New Delhi Feb 20 The newly appointed interim president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation PHF Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani has lifted the twoyear ban on the national team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt Amid allegations of mismanagement during the national hockey teamâs participation in the second leg of the FIH Pro League in Hobart Australia outgoing PHF chief Tariq Hussain Bugti imposed a twoyear ban on captain Ammad Butt before stepping down from his postOn Thursday Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accepted Bugtis resignation and appointed the Ministry of InterProvincial Coordination IPC Federal Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani as adhoc president of the federationThe development came amid controversy over the Pakistan national teamâs tour of Australia where accommodation arrangements could not be secured on time forcing players to spend several hours on the roadHowever Pakistan captain Ammad Butt in a video statement had earlier refuted claims that the team was left without any hotel accommodation or forced onto the streets But players have expressed discomfort over their daily TADA allowance of USD 40 from the PSB which falls short of the USD 100 stipulated in PHF regulationsOn Friday the interim president of PHF Wani announced the revocation of Butts ban stating that transparency and fairness would guide all decisions under his tenure the Dawn reportedPakistan have lost all of their FIH Pro League so far and their overall performance also came under criticism The report further stated that after Bugtiâs resignation Pakistan Cricket Board PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the hockey players including Ammad ButtSpeaking to the media after the meeting Butt said Naqvi told him there was no ban and that the same team that toured Australia would travel to Egypt IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/interim-phf-chief-lifts-2-year-ban-on-hockey-captain-butt-amid-pro-league-controversy-662060.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/la-liga-changes-likely-as-real-madrid-visit-in-form-osasuna-662061.html Madrid Feb 21 Tabletopper Real Madrid will travel to one of La Ligas most hostile grounds on Saturday to play Osasuna in the El Sadar Stadium in Pamplona Alvaro Arbeloas side travels to the north of Spain as the new La Liga leader after last weekends 41 win at home to Real Sociedad and FC Barcelonas 21 defeat in Girona saw the two teams swap places in the standingsMadrid also took a big step towards the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday with their 10 firstleg playoff round win away to Benfica in a game marred by alleged insults towards goalscorer Vinicius Jr reports XinhuaVinicius are almost certain to start in Pamplona although Arbeloa could be tempted to rest Kylian Mbappe for next weeks return leg at home to Benfica while Jude Bellingham is still out with a hamstring injuryBrahim Diaz Gonzalo Garcia and Dani Carvajal all have a chance of starting if Arbeloa decides to rotate his squadOsasuna have improved after a slow start to the season under coach Alessio Lisci and are currently 10th in La Liga after a fivegame unbeaten run Veteran striker Ante Budimir will be a constant threat to Real Madrid and the Croatian has 11 goals in La Liga this seasonWinger Victor Munoz has also been a big success for Osasuna this season after joining last summer from Real Madrid which retains 50 percent of the 22yearolds rightsThe pace of Munoz and the recent arrival of Raul Moro give Osasuna options on the wings and Munoz is likely to try and cause problems behind Trent AlexanderArnold or Carvajal down Real Madrids righthand side IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/la-liga-changes-likely-as-real-madrid-visit-in-form-osasuna-662061.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/neymar-to-retire-from-football-by-the-end-of-2026-662078.html New Delhi Feb 21 Following his clear and understandable statements regarding his next journey Neymar has made an announcement about the potential to conclude his successful football career in 2026 The 34yearold who renewed his contract with his boyhood club Santos last month said he is taking things year by year and did not rule out retirement at the end of the calendar year Neymar returned to Santos in January 2025 and played a key role in helping the team stay in Brazilâs top flight He scored five goals in the last five matches of the season which helped the club avoid relegationYet despite rediscovering form at home the forward remains uncertain about what lies aheadâI dont know what will happen from now on I dont know about next yearâ Neymar told Brazilian online channel Caze on Friday âIt may be that when December comes Ill want to retire Im living year to year nowâHis candid remarks come at a crucial juncture âThis year is a very important year not only for Santos but also for the Brazilian national team as its a World Cup year and for me tooâ Neymar said underlining the significance of the months aheadNeymar recently had successful knee surgery as he continues to deal with recurring injuries that have affected the later stages of his career As Brazilâs alltime leading scorer with 79 international goals he has not played for the national team since October 2023 This raises questions about his participation in the upcoming global tournamentBrazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has repeatedly stated over the past year that only fully fit players will be considered for selection for the 2026 World Cup which is set to take place from June 11 to July 19 in Canada Mexico and the United States IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/neymar-to-retire-from-football-by-the-end-of-2026-662078.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ben-shelton-withdraws-from-mexican-open-in-acapulco-662087.html Acapulco Feb 21 Ben Shelton will not compete at this yearâs Mexican Open with tournament organisers confirming that the American has opted to step aside in order to recover physically Ranked No 9 in the ATP standings Shelton has made three previous appearances in Acapulco His deepest run came in 2024 when he advanced to the last eight before falling in a threeset battle to Casper Ruud Event officials in Acapulco stated that Shelton has been dealing with quadriceps discomfort prompting his withdrawal from the Mexican tournamentThe 23yearold is coming off a title run in Dallas where he saved three championship points to defeat Taylor Fritz and capture his first title of the season and fourth ATP Tour titleShelton has enjoyed a strong opening stretch to his 2026 campaign He reached the quarterfinals in Auckland and again at the Australian Open before lifting the title in Dallas He currently holds a 102 record on the seasonThe American No 1 roared back from a set down to earn a 36 63 75 victory for his second ATP 500 trophy saving all three championship points in a nervy 10th game of the deciderWith the onehour 51minute victory Shelton improved to 21 in his headtohead series with Fritz Since the beginning of 2025 Shelton is 114 in decidingset matches including nine wins from a set down ATP reportsâIt feels amazing I thank God because I needed something super natural to end up winning this tournament with all the holes that I was in I feel grateful to play five matches out here with these crowds The energy was amazing said Shelton after the winâI had to fight until the last minute Fritz was playing very good tennis and I was struggling a lot with what he was throwing at me I tried to be a competitor through and through and I ended up coming out on top I think itâs a testament to the work me and my team put in he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ben-shelton-withdraws-from-mexican-open-in-acapulco-662087.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 12:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/he-came-back-too-early-its-a-good-lesson-guardiola-on-rodris-return-from-injury-662114.html New Delhi Feb 21 Pep Guardiola admitted that Rodri might have returned from injury sooner than ideal yet believes the midfielder is slowly regaining his form The Spain international sustained a knee ligament injury in September 2024 a year following his Ballon dOr award and returned to play in May Since then Rodri has struggled to regain the level of influence he had at Manchester City Additionally he missed part of this season due to a hamstring injury which further affected his recovery and consistency Guardiola stays hopeful believing Rodri is on track to return to his best formâHe came back too early Our desire to get him back him especially he came back early thats why it was longer Its a good lessonâ Guardiola was quoted as saying by ESPNâHuman beings have a time for recovery There are players who can recover earlier like Bernardo Silva for example or Phil Foden and other ones need more time Still its not his best but every time his mood and his training and his playing is improving Hes a special playerâ he addedThe 29yearold Spaniards contract expires next summer and when asked if he wanted him to stay Guardiola replied âI would love that desperately Rodri is Rodri As much age as he has more wiser more understanding of the game There are players that are defined on the big stages in the difficulties and Rodris one of them like Bernie like Rúben Dias like many of them that I had in the past You cannot achieve what we achieved if you dont have huge personalitiesâRodri is expected to participate in Saturdays Premier League match against Newcastle with City awaiting the Football Associations decision on charges following his comments after the draw with Tottenham earlier this monthThe Newcastle match is scheduled to start at 8 pm 130 am IST on Feb 22 allowing the Magpies extra time to recover after their extensive journey to play Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday Guardiola a consistent critic of the busy fixture schedule faced by clubs hopes this will establish a precedentâBig compliment for the Premier League to put the game to 8 pm and not 3 pm after this trip It was a long one come back late and after one day you have to travel again Now they can travel tomorrow its a big difference At the end the Premier League think about the Premier League team what they need Hopefully the experience can be provided for the future for all the teams in England that play in Europe to have a proper rest to be readyâ he stated Newcastle are currently in 10th place and have not won in their last 12 visits to the Etihad However Guardiola anticipates a tough challenge drawing from the insights gained midweek âI saw the last game against Qarabag in the Champions League and it was exceptional It was 50 at halftime it could have been nine The rhythm and the intensity and the pace they are playing is the Newcastle I remember when they started this project Every team can drop points to everyone It happened to all the teamsâ he mentioned IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/he-came-back-too-early-its-a-good-lesson-guardiola-on-rodris-return-from-injury-662114.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 14:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/rosenior-backs-joao-pedro-to-become-one-of-the-worlds-best-662116.html New Delhi Feb 21 Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior believes forward Joao Pedro has the potential to become one of the best strikers in world football â provided he sustains his current level of performance The Brazilian has been in electric form since Roseniorâs arrival at Chelsea FC last month scoring six goals and registering four assists in his last eight appearances His recent run has been pivotal to Chelseaâs momentum across competitions with Pedro rediscovering rhythm and confidence at a crucial stage of the seasonAmong the standout moments was his brilliant brace in Naples a performance that secured Chelsea a topeight berth in the UEFA Champions League Domestically he has delivered at key moments as well producing fine finishes against Brentford FC West Ham United FC and Leeds United FC at Stamford Bridge His opener in the 20 win over Brentford in particular underlined his sharp movement and clinical edge in front of goalPedro has primarily operated as a central number nine during this spell leading the line with maturity and composure However the 24yearold has also demonstrated tactical flexibility at times partnering Liam Delap â notably during the second half of the comeback victory over West HamâEvery player works on being the best player they can be regardless of the role theyâre asked to carry outâ Rosenior said ahead of Burnleyâs visit to Stamford Bridge in the Premier LeagueâFor Joao heâs had real rhythm Iâve asked him to do different things and heâs taken it on board and put it into practice Heâs been outstandingâThe Chelsea boss believes the next phase of Pedroâs development will determine just how far he can goâThe quality has never been in doubt The true test for Joao now â which is the exciting thing â is if he can maintain this level of intensity and this level of quality he can be one of the best strikers in world footballâI truly believe that Itâs a possibility at the moment if he maintains this levelâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/rosenior-backs-joao-pedro-to-become-one-of-the-worlds-best-662116.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 14:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/gotten-not-better-at-all-bro-gauff-vents-out-at-coach-after-loss-to-svitolina-662118.html Dubai Feb 21 Tensions flared for Coco Gauff during a dramatic semifinal defeat at the Dubai Tennis Championships as the World No 4 appeared to vent her frustration toward her coaching team in the midst of a gruelling contest Gauff lost 46 76 46 to Ukraineâs Elina Svitolina in a marathon match that lasted three hours The game was full of momentum shifts but a key moment in the middle of the second set drew as much focus as the tennis itselfAfter striking one of her 12 double faults on the afternoon the 20yearold American visibly bristled Turning away from the court Gauff could be heard expressing her exasperation saying âIve been doing everything youve wanted for the last six monthsâ She then appeared to lower her voice before adding âAnd its gotten not better at all broâMany people saw the comments as aimed at her serving coach Gavin MacMillan who joined her team before last yearâs US Open MacMillan a biomechanics expert with experience in various sports notably collaborated with Aryna Sabalenka in 2022 to help improve her serve Gauff brought him in to tackle ongoing serving issues as she led the WTA Tour in double faults last season with over 300Despite making technical adjustments to her service motion the problem reemerged during crucial moments against Svitolina Gauff succeeded in saving four match points in a tense secondset tiebreak to push the match to a deciding set but she couldnt stop Svitolinaâs momentumThe Ukrainian player now 31 reached her first Dubai final in nearly a decade where she will compete against American Jessica Pegula Pegula earned her spot in the final by coming from behind to defeat her fellow American Amanda Anisimova 16 64 63For Gauff the defeat was a bitter end to an otherwise strong week underscored by visible frustration as she continues to search for greater consistency on serve IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/gotten-not-better-at-all-bro-gauff-vents-out-at-coach-after-loss-to-svitolina-662118.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 14:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/dortmund-secure-brazilian-teenager-prates-on-long-term-deal-661942.html Berlin Feb 20 Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of Brazilian leftback Kaua Prates from Brazilian topflight side Cruzeiro with the 17yearold set to join the Bundesliga club ahead of the 202627 season Dortmund confirmed that Prates has signed a longterm contract running until 2031 after successfully undergoing a medical this week The defender will remain under contract with Cruzeiro until the summer of 2026 before linking up with his new club in Germany reports XinhuaPrates who stands 184 meters tall moved to Cruzeiros youth academy in 2019 and made his professional debut in May 2025 at the age of 16 He has since featured in 17 matches for Cruzeiros first teamOn the international stage the junior international helped Brazils U17 side lift the South American U17 Championship last yearWith Kaua we have been able to secure an extremely exciting player for us He is still very young and is among the most talented players in South America We are convinced that with his abilities his ambition and his development potential he fits Borussia Dortmund very well said sporting managing director Lars RickenSporting director Sebastian Kehl also expressed his satisfaction at completing the deal We are delighted to have signed Kaua He is a highly talented player with a very versatile profile and is capable of playing in several defensive positions within various systems His tackling ability robustness and mentality will undoubtedly enrich our team next season Kehl saidPrates said he was eager to begin the next chapter of his career in Germany I am very proud to be able to play for this great club from the summer I am incredibly excited and I will give everything from day one in black and yellow to be successful with BVB he saidPrates is set to become Dortmunds 16th Brazilian player Only Germany has provided more players and combined appearances for the club The Brazilian connection began with Julio Cesar in 1994 while Dede holds the record for most appearances by a nonGerman with 398Borussia Dortmund remains in the Bundesliga title race sitting second and six points behind leader Bayern Munich while also keeping its Champions League hopes alive after a 20 firstleg win over Atalanta in the roundof16 tie IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/dortmund-secure-brazilian-teenager-prates-on-long-term-deal-661942.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/brazil-egypt-to-play-world-cup-fifa-wc-warmup-friendly-in-june-661945.html Rio de Janeiro Feb 20 Brazil to play Egypt in a friendly a week before FIFA World Cup 2026 begins in June as both teams finalise their preparations for the mega event the Brazilian Football Confederation CBF said The match will be played at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on June 6 five days before the start of footballs showpiece tournament in the United States Mexico and CanadaBrazil will play its last home preWorld Cup warmup a week earlier with a friendly against Panama at the Maracana Stadium on May 31Fivetime world champion Brazil will begin its Group C campaign against Morocco on June 13 before facing Haiti on June 19 and Scotland on June 24To conclude the preparation phase the Brazilian national team will face the oldest African team and one of the most successful on the continentThe most successful team in FIFA World Cup history with five titles 1958 1962 1970 1994 and 2002 Brazil is the only national team to have participated in every edition of the tournament and seeks to extend its dominance by winning its sixth titleEgypt is the most successful team in the Africa Cup of Nations with seven titles and has participated in three FIFA World Cups being the first African and Middle Eastern team to play in the tournament in 1934 in ItalyEgypt will start the FIFA World Cup campaign against Belgium on June 15 and will also face New Zealand on June 21 and Iran on June 26 in Group GThe North African team will look to to reaffirm its status as one of the greatest powers on the African continent and in the Arab world with millions of fans dreaming of a historic campaignThey rely on the talent and leadership of star player Mohamed Salah as well as a squad that combines experience and youth with names like Omar Marmoush Mahmoud TrÃzÃguet and Mostafa MohamedThere have been six matches since 1960 between Brazil and Egypt with Brazil winning all six Themost important was on June 15 2009 during that years Confederations Cup in Bloemfontein South Africa The Brazilians won 43 with goals from Kakà 2 LuÃs Fabiano and Juan The other matches were friendlies the last one in 2011 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/brazil-egypt-to-play-world-cup-fifa-wc-warmup-friendly-in-june-661945.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/mensik-upsets-sinner-in-doha-sets-sf-with-fils-661950.html Doha Feb 20 Jakub Mensik caused a major upset in the Qatar Open when the 20yearold stunned World No 2 Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinal of the ATP 500 event Mensik beat Sinner 763 26 63 for the biggest win of his career by ATP rankingTwo years ago the Czech notched his maiden Top 5 victory against Andrey Rublev during his breakout run to the championship match in DohaThe 2025 Miami champion Mensik is now 42 against Top 5 opponents a tally that includes victories against ATP No 1 Club members Novak Djokovic and Sinner and he is up three spots to No 13 in the ATP Live Rankings as a result of his exploits in Doha so far ATP reportsâBefore the match I knew about Jannikâs quality A great guy a great champion Already what he has done in his young career itâs pretty impressive so I knew it was going to be a tough one But even with that thought I came to the match to win it and actually having a winning mindset Mensik saidHe will bid to reach the final in the Qatari capital for the second time on Friday when he faces the 21yearold FilsHaving made his return to action earlier this month after playing just two matches in the preceding eight months due to a back injury Frenchman Fils earned his first tourlevel semifinal appearance since last April by overcoming Jiri Lehecka 63 63âI didnt know that I was going to play that good that fast for sure You dont know what to expect when you are back from injury since what six to eight months So you dont really know what to expectâIâm pretty happy with the way Im playing now Its not my best tennis yet so far but were getting there I just need to fight every match to play a lot of balls to play a lot of games sets points to get again ready and getting better and better said Fils in his postmatch press conference IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/mensik-upsets-sinner-in-doha-sets-sf-with-fils-661950.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/gulmarg-set-to-showcase-real-impact-of-khelo-bharat-niti-during-kiwg-2026-661900.html Gulmarg Feb 19 The upcoming edition of the Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg is poised to become a realworld example of the governmentâs ambitious Khelo Bharat Niti with a visible surge in tourism local economic activity and national participation ahead of the February 2326 competition window Launched by the Union sports ministry in July last year the Khelo Bharat Niti aims to strengthen Indiaâs sporting ecosystem while leveraging major events to drive economic growth By promoting infrastructure development talent identification and international competitiveness the policy also seeks to boost allied sectors such as tourism manufacturing and sports technologyThat vision is already taking shape in Gulmarg one of Kashmirâs premier winter destinations where tourist interest has risen sharply in the leadup to the Games With Indiaâs top skiers including Winter Olympians set to compete the event has generated enthusiasm across the region particularly among those whose livelihoods depend on sports tourismLocal businesses have seen a clear uptick in activity Abeed a hotelier at Sheen Woods Tangmarg said bookings had surged weeks before the eventâFor us this is more than just tourism It is our identity When the Games happen Gulmarg feels like the heart of the countryâ he says pointing to a lobby filled with athletes from Madhya Pradesh Haryana Kerala Telangana and Jammu amp KashmirâYou hear different languages at breakfastâ he says âIt feels like a country in one roomâThe growth of the Winter Games in Gulmarg reflects a steady upward trajectory The inaugural edition in 2020 saw 1123 athletes compete across 13 disciplines with Jammu amp Kashmir topping the medal tally Participation rose to 1208 athletes in 2021 with the host region winning 18 gold medals The 2023 edition marked the peak with 1395 athletes as Jammu amp Kashmir secured 26 gold 25 silver and 25 bronze medals Though the 2024 and 2025 editions featured fewer events and participants competition intensified with teams such as the Army Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka delivering strong performancesNow as the sixth edition approaches the focus has shifted from experimentation to legacybuilding especially in reviving tourism after a challenging period Following the April 22 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam domestic tourist arrivals to Kashmir dropped significantly to around 1047 lakh in 2025 compared to approximately 26 lakh in 2024 However officials from the tourism department said visitor numbers have rebounded this year driven by the New Year rush and growing anticipation around the Winter Games Gulmargâs 2300 hotel and hut beds are already over 50 per cent booked for the event periodBeyond hotels and resorts the Games are also providing crucial income opportunities for seasonal workers On the slopes of Kongdoori sledge pullers Altaf Hussain and Muhammad Rafiq are preparing for the influx of visitorsâThis is our seasonâ Hussain says adjusting the ropes over his shoulders âWhen the games start Gulmarg comes aliveâThe duo typically earn between Rs 500 and Rs 1500 per tourist depending on distance and time with daily earnings ranging from Rs 1500 to Rs 3000 during peak periods a stark contrast to lean days when tourist footfall is minimalThe 2026 edition will feature four medal disciplines ski mountaineering alpine skiing Nordic skiing crosscountry and snowboarding attracting athletes and spectators from across the countryAs Gulmarg prepares to host another major winter sporting spectacle the Khelo India Winter Games are emerging as more than just a competition They represent a tangible demonstration of how sports policy can energise local economies strengthen national sporting culture and reaffirm Gulmargâs place as Indiaâs winter sports capital IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/gulmarg-set-to-showcase-real-impact-of-khelo-bharat-niti-during-kiwg-2026-661900.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-manifested-this-moment-ever-since-canada-qualified-for-t20-wc-yuvraj-samra-on-record-ton-against-nz-661762.html Chennai Feb 17 At just 19 Yuvraj Samra announced himself on the biggest stage with a breathtaking 110 to power Canada to 1734 against New Zealand here at the M A Chidambaram Stadium on Monday Walking out for his very first T20 World Cup appearance the teenager played with poise beyond his years combining elegance with authority in a 58ball century that rewrote record books At 19 years and 141 days he became the youngest batter to score a fifty in T20 World Cup history and went on to register the first hundred by a player from an Associate nation in the tournament Moreover his 110run knock was the highest individual score for Associate teams in T20 World CupsReflecting on the milestone innings Samra speaking to the broadcasters after the first innings said âHonestly I manifested this moment ever since we qualified for the World Cup Every single day I dreamed about scoring a hundred on this stage To do it here in my first appearance and as the youngest player in this World Cup itâs truly a dream come trueâCanadaâs innings began cautiously against the newball pair of Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy but Samra quickly found his rhythm He pierced gaps with precision and launched an 87metre six to signal his intent while captain Dilpreet Bajwa provided steady support The duo stitched together a 116run opening stand the highest by an Associate team against a Full Member in T20 World Cup history laying the platform for a formidable totalSamraâs hundred studded with 11 fours and six sixes also carried emotional weight Named after Indian great Yuvraj Singh he surpassed his idolâs highest T20 World Cup score in the processâIt feels incredible There are so many emotions right now I canât really put them into words Yuvraj Singh is someone Iâve looked up to since I was a kid so to even be mentioned in the same breath is special I just wish my dad was here today watching me from back home this oneâs for himâ he notedSamra was equally measured in his assessment of the surface in Chennai âThe wicket was a bit slow and the ball was sticking slightly I felt it was important to pick the right deliveries to attack and not force shots Once I got set I focused on timing rather than power I think bowling into the pitch and mixing the pace will be key on this surface itâs not the easiest track for freeflowing strokeplay so youâve got to adaptâ he saidDespite late strikes from Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson quick contributions from Harsh Thaker and Dilon Heyliger ensured Canada finished strongly setting up a compelling contest under the Chennai lights IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-manifested-this-moment-ever-since-canada-qualified-for-t20-wc-yuvraj-samra-on-record-ton-against-nz-661762.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-pak-t20-clash-bjp-expresses-confidence-in-victory-cong-slams-match-with-terror-state-661644.html New Delhi Feb 15 IANS The muchanticipated IndiaPakistan T20 World Cup encounter scheduled for Sunday evening has once again ignited sharp political reactions across party linesnbspnbspWhile leaders from the BJP and its allies voiced confidence that India would secure a decisive victory the Congress questioned the very staging of the match in light of crossborder terrorism allegedly backed by PakistannbspIndia and Pakistan are set to face off in Colombo later in the day The atmosphere in the host city is already chargednbspStreets have been decked with flags hotel lounges are abuzz with animated discussions and crowds are expected to begin assembling outside the stadium hours before the tossBJP MP Praveen Khandelwal expressed strong confidence in Team Indias prospectsnbspSpeaking to IANS he said India has defeated Pakistan on the battlefield as well and now our cricket team will tear apart Pakistans team on the cricket field today which will show Pakistan that India is superior in every respect the very bestnbspLadakh Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta also expressed hope that India will win this matchnbspAs far as the IndiaPakistan match is concerned with 140 crore Indians standing behind our players Indias victory is certain Pakistan struggles against India in every field be it defence or other areas he told IANSBJP leader Ravindra Raina also conveyed optimism linking the match to the auspicious occasion of MahashivratrinbspAs we all know today India is set to face its archrival Pakistan on the cricket field On this sacred occasion of Mahashivratri we pray that the blessings of Lord Bholenath and Goddess Parvati remain with our Indian team Raina said in a conversation with IANSnbspUttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad described sports as a matter closely tied to national pride saying that victories on the field resonate emotionally across the countryThe nations emotions are connected to the game with players as its heroes As for Pakistan dogs die on the streets because they cannot decide which way to go Similarly some countries are unable to make decisions about running the nation or managing relations Nishad told IANSnbspJDU national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad also anticipated a highvoltage contestnbspSpeaking to IANS he said This will prove to be a thrilling match and crores of Indian cricket fans hope that India can deliver a strong defeat to Pakistan on the cricket field and assert its dominance in the T20 World CupThe CPIM meanwhile welcomed the fixture and emphasised that sports should remain separate from political disputesnbspCPIM leader Hannan Mollah told IANS This is a welcome development after continuous quarrel and stopping and starting all these things At least as I always say sports should not be drawn into politics Sports are a different aspect of civilisation and lifeIn contrast Congress leaders strongly objected to India playing Pakistan citing the recent terror attack in Pahalgam which they said was carried out by The Resistance Front a wing of Pakistanbased LashkareTaiba In the attack 26 tourists were killednbspCongress leader Rashid Alvi voiced sharp opposition to the matchnbspNo match should be played with Pakistan How can we play a game of victory and defeat with those who come to our country and spread terrorism who kill our people A game whether cricket or any other is played with friends With enemies Holi is played and that too a Holi of blood he told IANSSenior Congress leader TS Singh Deo also questioned the logic behind the fixturenbspThe issue of India and Pakistan playing in the T20 World Cup seems to be a topic of discussion currently as to whether or not we should do that The larger issue is do we have any relationship with Pakistan Do we want to have any relationship with Pakistan Why should there be a cricket match if we are not having diplomatic talks with the terror state Pakistan he saidnbspAs the teams prepare to take the field in Colombo the match has once again become more than just a sporting contestIANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-pak-t20-clash-bjp-expresses-confidence-in-victory-cong-slams-match-with-terror-state-661644.html Sun, 15 Feb 2026 16:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/fritz-survives-injury-scare-to-enter-sf-in-dallas-661614.html Dallas Feb 14 Taylor Fritz survived an injury scare to beat Sebastian Korda 672 64 765 for a place in the Dallas Open semifinals At 45 3015 first set Fritz hit an awkward backhand flick that led to a sharp pain and a physio visit in the same game He had the injury worked on and was still feeling the pain but not as intensely He received multiple visits from the physio which he explained helped ATP reportsThat was a weird one He hit a really hard return and so I had to kind of hit a flick backhand and the way that I hit it just jammed my elbow I think It was a hardhit ball so I just think the way I hit it behind me and extended my elbow I instantly just felt this really sharp pain in my elbow Fritz said in his oncourt interview I went over to the towel box I was feeling it and I was like âIâll try to hit a serveâ Luckily I made it and it wasnât a bad serve because the ball came back and I couldnât hit the next ball It was such a sharp painFritz had to deal with Korda who served at 54 in the finalset tiebreak But the former No 15 player in the PIF ATP Rankings made backtoback forehand errors allowing Fritz to escape The top seed hit 22 aces and saved all four break points he faced according to ATP StatsFritz will next face former World No 3 Marin Cilic who stormed past breakthrough Briton Jack Pinnington Jones 61 64 in just 78 minutesThe Croatian a 21time tourlevel champion is pursuing his first ATP Tour title since Hangzhou in 2024 Fritz leads their ATP headtohead series 21 but they have not played since 2022 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/fritz-survives-injury-scare-to-enter-sf-in-dallas-661614.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 15:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/dortmund-tighten-pressure-in-title-race-with-win-over-bayern-661617.html Berlin Feb 14 Borussia Dortmund strengthened its pursuit of leader Bayern Munich with a comprehensive 40 home victory over Mainz extending its unbeaten Bundesliga run and maintaining a threepoint gap at the summit The result stretched Dortmunds sequence without defeat to 15 league matches and halted Mainzs recent surge as the visitors winning streak came to an end in the opening fixture of the 22nd matchdayNiko Kovacs side asserted control early dominating possession and forcing Mainz deep Its first clear opportunity brought the breakthrough after 10 minutes From the right edge of the area Julian Ryerson delivered a precise cross and Serhou Guirassy rose above Dominik Kohr to head in from close rangeFive minutes later the pattern repeated Ryerson again found space to cross this time picking out Maximilian Beier at the far post His header from a tight angle struck Daniel Batz and crossed the line for 20Mainz briefly threatened a response when Silas ran clear following a defensive lapse but he steered his effort wide The miss proved costly Shortly before the interval Ryersons corner caused further problems and Guirassy powered home another header to make it 30 effectively deciding the contest before the breakAfter halftime Dortmund remained the more dangerous side Batz denied Julian Brandt and Guirassy in quick succession yet Mainz struggled to generate sustained pressure despite occasional approachesThe fourth goal arrived in the 84th minute Another Ryerson corner deflected off Dominik Kohr and rolled into his own net completing a night in which the Norwegian assisted all four goals Gregor Kobel preserved the clean sheet with a late save ensuring Mainz finished emptyhandedDortmund remain second and trim the gap to FC Bayern to three points increasing the pressure on the leaders before their next fixture while 14thplaced Mainz continue to hover above danger sitting just two points clear of the relegation playoff positionWe are happy and we are pleased with the win In the first half we were very efficient and directed the game the way we wanted After the break we controlled it A 40 is very good and above all keeping a clean sheet is important for us We are not looking at Bayern now We are looking behind us because our clear objective is to qualify for the Champions League Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/dortmund-tighten-pressure-in-title-race-with-win-over-bayern-661617.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 16:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/united-rescue-point-at-west-ham-chelsea-held-at-home-by-leeds-661428.html London Feb 11 Tomas Souceks 50th goal for West Ham was not enough to secure a vital home win as a 96thminute strike from Benjamin Sesko earned Manchester United a 11 draw West Ham limited Uniteds attacking threat for much of the match and was seconds from a victory that would have pulled the London club level with Nottingham Forest But Bryan Mbeumo whipped a late ball into the area and Sesko squeezed his effort through a narrow gap and into the net The draw ended Uniteds fourgame winning run reports XinhuaChelsea was held to a 22 draw at home by Leeds United despite racing into a twogoal lead Joao Pedro opened the scoring and Cole Palmer doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after a handball in the Leeds areaLeeds fought back when Lukas Nmecha converted a penalty following a foul on Jayden Bogle Noah Okafor then tapped in the equalizer during a chaotic move that saw Chelsea appeal unsuccessfully for handball against Bogle as he chased a through ball Chelsea pushed for a late winner but Palmer missed a clear chance firing over from close rangeJacob Ramseys 68thminute strike gave Newcastle United a 21 win away to Tottenham Malick Thiaw had put Newcastle ahead in firsthalf stoppage time before Tottenham responded after the break with Archie Gray scoring from close range following a corner Ramseys goal proved decisive and leaves Tottenham mired in the relegation battleThe win lift Newcastle into the top half and within three points of Liverpool in sixth while Spurs drop one place to 16th with Leeds United overtaking themBournemouth came from behind to beat Everton 21 away Everton led through Iliman Ndiayes penalty after a foul on Jarrad Branthwaite but headers from Rayan and Amine Adli in the 61st and 64th minutes turned the match Evertons task became harder when Jake OBrien was sent off five minutes later for denying a clear scoring chanceOn Wednesday Manchester City hosts Fulham Aston Villa welcomes Brighton and Liverpool travels to Sunderland IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/united-rescue-point-at-west-ham-chelsea-held-at-home-by-leeds-661428.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-stoinis-renshaw-guide-australia-to-1826-against-ireland-661463.html Colombo Feb 11 A 61run partnership between Matthew Renshaw and Marcus Stoinis helped Australia reach 1826 in 20 overs against Ireland in their first match of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the R Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday Coming to bat after winning the toss Australia were off to a bad start as their standin captain Travis Head was run out on the seventh ball of the innings after a mixup with his opening partner Josh Inglis Head scored just six runs off seven balls he played and hit one fourAfter an early wicket Inglis and Cameron Green played with positive intent and attacked Ireland bowlers fiercely The duo forged a partnership of 49 runs off just 23 balls before Green was out on the last ball of the fifth over trying to hit a six against Mark Adair Green scored 21 runs off just 11 balls and provided momentum to the batting side with two sixes and one fourInglis continued the attack by hitting two boundaries in the next two overs but was eventually caught by Paul Stirling at cover in the seventh over The wicketkeeper batter scored 37 runs off just 17 balls Inglis also hammered six boundaries and one sixAustralias experienced allrounder Glenn Maxwell tried to steer the innings but was dismissed cheaply in the tenth over after edging out against Lorcan Tucker Maxwell scored just 9 runs in nine ballsAustralia were at 904 during the midinnings interval and as Ireland were hoping to do more damage Renshaw and Stoinis forged a 61run partnership which was helped by Irelands sloppy fieldingThe duo adopted a boundaryless approach at the start as they were continuously rotating the strike putting pressure on the opposition who were looking for a wicketIreland finally got the breakthrough in the 17th over when Matthew Humphreys clean bowled Renshaw who departed after scoring 37 runs in 33 ballsStoinis who was dropped by Delany in the next over continued to attack but missed a welldeserved fifty when he was finally caught by Benjamin Calitz in the 18th over Stoinis scored 45 runs in just 29 balls and hammered two fours and one six which guided Australia to a challenging totalAdair was the most successful bowler for Ireland as he finished with good figures of 244 While Matthew Humphreys George Dockrell and Harry Tector took one wicket eachBrief Scores Australia 1826 in 20 overs Marcus Stoinis 45 Matt Renshaw 37 Mark Adair 244 Harry Tector 124 against Ireland IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-stoinis-renshaw-guide-australia-to-1826-against-ireland-661463.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-zimbabwe-choose-to-bowl-against-oman-in-campaign-opener-661277.html Colombo Feb 9 Zimbabwe have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Oman in their Group B clash of the 2026 T20 World Cup at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground SSC in Colombo on Monday After winning the toss Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza said Were going to have a bowl first We looked at the wicket as well and it looked like theres early movement as well and with the wind going on as well I think the wicket is going to look to get better from what I can see Give our seamers the best chance to make the ball talkZimbabwe and Sri Lanka share a very good relationship so they were very kind enough to allow us to come a week before and we were in Hambantota for a week And then we have been here for five odd days as well So certainly those 1012 days have certainly helped us to prepare And adjust to the conditions and we couldnt wait to get the show on the road he addedWhile after losing the toss Oman captain Jatinder Singh said Absolutely Itâs a good surface and it definitely settled down a bit in the second innings The preparation has been excellent We arrived in Sri Lanka quite early and had a really strong buildupWe played a couple of games and since the conditions here are very different it was important for us to get used to them Itâs also much more humid compared to Oman so overall the preparation has been spot on Based on the wicket I think around 160 to 165 would be ideal Anything in that range should be competitive he addedPlaying XIsZimbabwe Brian Bennett Tadiwanashe Marumani Dion Myers Brendan Taylor wk Sikandar Raza c Ryan Burl Tashinga Musekiwa Brad Evans Wellington Masakadza Richard Ngarava Blessing MuzarabaniOman Jatinder Singh c Aamir Kaleem Hammad Mirza Wasim Ali Karan Sonavale Jiten Ramanandi Vinayak Shukla wk Sufyan Mehmood Nadeem Khan Shah Faisal Shakeel Ahmed IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-zimbabwe-choose-to-bowl-against-oman-in-campaign-opener-661277.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 03:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/asian-riflepistol-cship-manu-misses-gold-in-shoot-off-esha-wins-bronze-in-25m-pistol-661298.html New Delhi Feb 9 Manu Bhaker narrowly missed out on a gold as she went down to Vietnamâs Thuy Trang Nguyen in an exciting final of 25m Womenâs Pistol that was decided at the end of two shootoffs in the Asian RiflePistol Championship which is being held here at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range Esha Singh won her second individual medal of the championship winning bronze Naamya Kapoor clinched gold in the junior category in another tense shootoff while Anjali Bhagwat secured the bronze in the same event as India took their total medal tally to 60 medals including 37 gold 13 silver and 10 bronze In the finals Esha Singh started with a perfect five in the first series while Manu and Thuy Trang hit four All three shooters were trading the medal positions after each series in the tightly contested finals The Indians were putting pressure on the Vietnamese shooter but a perfect five shots in the sixth series saw her take a twopoint lead Manu and Esha took advantage of Nguyenâs oneshot seventh series to close the gapEsha who was leading with a score of 30 at the end of the eighth series missed all her shots in the ninth series to eventually be content with the bronze medal In the last series Manu hit three shots while Nguyen hit two shots to end the finals on 35 shots to take the finals to a shootoffIn the first shootoff both shooters hit two shots each and in the following shootoff Manu missed three shots to miss out on the gold medal The third Indian in the final Rhythm Sangwan finished in fourth placeIn the junior finals Naamya Kapoor survived a shootoff to clinch the gold The youngest Indian to win a World Championship medal hit 29 shots the same as Rihadatul Asyifa of Indonesia The young shooter held her nerve in the shootoff hitting three shots while Asyifa missed all her shots Anjali Bhagwat won bronze with a score of 24 Parisha Gupta who qualified for the finals in the top spot finished in fifth place with a score of 14The Indian teams also secured gold in both the senior and junior categories IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/asian-riflepistol-cship-manu-misses-gold-in-shoot-off-esha-wins-bronze-in-25m-pistol-661298.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 03:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-muzarbani-ngarava-and-evans-take-three-wickets-each-as-zimbabwe-bowl-out-oman-for-103-661302.html Colombo Feb 9 The fast bowling trio of Blessing Muzarabani Richard Ngarava and Brad Evans picked three wickets each as Zimbabwe bowled out Oman for 103 runs in 195 overs in their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign opener at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on Monday Being put to bat after losing the toss Oman were off to a disastrous start as Muzarbani clean bowled skipper Jatinder Singh 5 with a good length ball on the first ball of the second overOmans experienced batter Hammad Mirza followed suit as he was dismissed in the next over by Richard NgaravaAs the pressure increased on the batting side Muzarbani came back for his second over and sent Aamir Kaleem who became the oldest player to feature in a T20 World Cup match At 44 years and 81 days of age Kaleem broke the record of Ryan Campbell who played at 44 years and 34 daysZimbabwes star bowler edged out Karan Sonavale who went for a duck in the same over Oman lost their fifth wicket at the score of 27 when Wasim Ali was clean bowled by the skipper Sikandar Raza after the powerplayAs the Oman team were heading towards an early allout wicketkeeper batter Vinayak Shukla and Sufiyan Mehmood showed some fightback The duo forged a 42run partnership the teams highest in the innings which helped the team cross their lowest total markHowever their resistance didnt last long as Vinayak was undone by Ngarava in the 15th over Vinayak scored 28 runs and hit four boundaries during his stay at the crease Ngarava took his third wicket in the same over as Jiten Ramanandi edged a shortpitched ball which was caught by wicketkeeper Dion MyersSufyan continued the charge but got out in the 17th over trying to pull a slower delivery He scored 25 runs off 39 balls and hit two foursNadeem Khan provided a late push with a brisk 20 off 18 but was dismissed by Evans in the last over putting an end to Omans inningsFor Zimbabwe Muzarbani Ngarava and Evans were the most successful bowlers Muzarbani finished with the figures of 3 for 16 while Ngarava finished with 317 Brad Evans also took three wickets while giving out 18 runs Skipper Raza took one wicket in his four oversBrief Scores Oman 10310 in 195 Vinayak Shukla 28 Sufyan Mehmood 25 Blessing Muzarbani 316 Richard Ngarava 317 Brad Evans 318 against Zimbabwe IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-muzarbani-ngarava-and-evans-take-three-wickets-each-as-zimbabwe-bowl-out-oman-for-103-661302.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 03:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-zimbabwe-register-dominant-eight-wicket-win-against-oman-in-campaign-opener-661314.html Colombo Feb 9 Zimbabwe began their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion registering a dominant eightwicket victory over Oman as they chased down a modest target of 103 in just 133 overs in the eighth match of the tournament at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground SSC in Colombo on Monday Coming in to chase an easy target Zimbabwe were off to a strong start as both openers struck the ball fluently with the team scoring at a run rate of over 10 runs per over in the first three oversOman finally got their breakthrough in the fourth over when Sufyan Mehmood dismissed Tadiwanashe Marumani who was looking in excellent touch and scored 21 runs off just 11 balls including five boundariesSufyan provided another wicket to Oman in the same over when he sent Dion Myers back to the pavilion for a duckAfter the backtoback wickets Zimbabwe wicketkeeper batter Brendan Taylor forged a matchwinning partnership with opener Brian Bennett who rotated the strike wellThe duo followed a boundaryless approach at the start and took singles and doubles as they gradually increased pressure on the oppositionBrian missed out on a welldeserved halfcentury as he remained unbeaten on 48 He hammered seven fours during his fine innings Taylor scored 31 runs off 30 balls including three boundaries before retiring hurt at the end of the 13th over Captain Sikandar Raza hit the winning runs as Zimbabwe chased down the total in just 133 overs For Oman Sufyan was the only bowler to pick up wickets finishing with figures of 3 for 12 in three oversEarlier the fast bowling trio of Blessing Muzarabani Richard Ngarava and Brad Evans picked up three wickets each as Zimbabwe bowled out Oman for 103 runs in 195 overs after choosing to bowl firstOman were off to a disastrous start as Muzarabani clean bowled skipper Jatinder Singh 5 with a goodlength delivery on the first ball of the second over Omanâs experienced batter Hammad Mirza followed suit as he was dismissed in the next over by Richard NgaravaAs pressure mounted on the batting side Muzarabani returned for his second over and sent Aamir Kaleem and Karan Sonavale back to the pavilion in the same over As Oman headed towards an early collapse wicketkeeper batter Vinayak Shukla and Sufiyan Mehmood showed some resistance The duo forged a 42run partnership the teamâs highest of the innings which helped Oman cross the 100run markBrief Scores Zimbabwe 1062 in 133 overs Brian Bennett 48 Brendan Taylor 31 Tadiwanashe Marumani 21 Sufyan Mehmood 212 beat Oman all out for 103 in 195 Vinayak Shukla 28 Sufyan Mehmood 25 Blessing Muzarbani 316 Richard Ngarava 317 Brad Evans 318 by eight wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-zimbabwe-register-dominant-eight-wicket-win-against-oman-in-campaign-opener-661314.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 04:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/dp-world-players-championship-to-tee-off-on-tuesdat-at-qutab-golf-course-661328.html New Delhi Feb 9 DP World and the Professional Golf Tour of India PGTI have jointly launched the DP World Players Championship The first leg of the DP World Players Championship is scheduled to be held at the Qutab Golf Course in New Delhi from February 10 â 13 2026 The tournament offers a prize purse of INR 15 crore The tournament week teedoff with the ProAm event on February 8The second event of the 2026 DP World PGTI season will see participation of 126 players including 125 professionals and one amateur The strong field at the event boasts of top Indian professionals Veer Ahlawat Om Prakash Chouhan Manu Gandas all former DP World PGTI Order of Merit champions as well as Angad Cheema twotime winner on the DP World PGTI last year Ajeetesh Sandhu twotime international winner and Shubham Jaglan 2026 DP World PGTI Qualifying School Champion to name a few Sri Lankaâs N Thangaraja threetime winner on the DP World PGTI last year will be the leading foreign name in the fieldThe host city of Delhi will be represented by prominent names Arjun Prasad Kshitij Naveed Kaul Rashid Khan and Shamim Khan all winners on the DP World PGTIKapil Dev president Professional Golf Tour of India PGTI said âThe launch of the DP World Players Championship reflects DP World and PGTIâs joint commitment of elevating Indian golf and providing our players with maximum competitive opportunities We thank DP World for their support which will help accelerate the development of professional golf in India We look forward to a highly competitive and exciting 2026 DP World PGTI seasonâAmandeep Johl CEO Professional Golf Tour of India PGTI said âDP World and PGTI have jointly launched the DP World Players Championship with the objective to create a competitive platform that helps Indian players grow and progress Through our partnership with DP World we are positioning PGTI on a global platform attracting worldwide attention and reinforcing Indiaâs credentials as a premier destination for elite golf competition We extend our gratitude to MrYuvraj Narayan Group Deputy CEO amp Chief Financial Officer DP World Mr Rizwan Soomar CEO amp Managing Director MENA amp India Subcontinent DP World and the entire DP World team for partnering with PGTI DP Worldâs support is instrumental in driving the longterm development of Indian professional golf We also thank the Qutab Golf Course one of the top championship venues in the DelhiNCR region for partnering with us in staging the eventâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/dp-world-players-championship-to-tee-off-on-tuesdat-at-qutab-golf-course-661328.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/new-guard-new-grades-bcci-contracts-signal-indian-crickets-big-shift-661351.html New Delhi Feb 9 Indian cricket just got a glimpse of its future â and itâs wearing fresh names at the top The Board of Control for Cricket in Indiaâs 2025â26 annual player contracts arenât just about retainers and grades They tell a bigger story a generational handover is well and truly underwayFor years Indian cricket revolved around the twin pillars of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Now while both remain centrally contracted their move to Grade B underlines a shift from automatic leadership status to experienced support rolesTaking their place in Grade A are Shubman Gill â Now officially seen as the face of Indiaâs batting future Jasprit Bumrah â Still the attack leader and the only fast bowler in the top tier Ravindra Jadeja â The everreliable threedimensional assetGillâs promotion feels symbolic The stylish opener has moved from âpromisingâ to âpillarâ and the board has stamped that belief in inkBumrahâs presence in the top bracket once again proves Indiaâs pace plans still orbit around his fitness and skill Jadeja meanwhile continues to be cricketâs ultimate utility cricketer â bat ball field all eliteBeing in Grade B doesnât diminish the stature of Kohli or Rohit â it redefines itThey now sit alongside key multiformat players like KL Rahul Mohammed Siraj Hardik Pandya Rishabh PantThis tier now looks like the experienced engine room â players who can still win matches but are no longer the longterm blueprintThe longest list belongs to Grade C and thatâs exactly how selectors want itNames like Rinku Singh Tilak Varma Ruturaj Gaikwad and Arshdeep Singh highlight Indiaâs growing whiteball depth while youngsters such as Dhruv Jurel and Sai Sudharsan are being groomed as the next longterm investmentsThis isnât just a backup pool anymore â itâs a parallel production lineWomenâs contracts Stability at the top surge belowIn the womenâs setup the leadership core remains solid in Grade A Harmanpreet Kaur Smriti Mandhana Jemimah Rodrigues Deepti SharmaBut what stands out is the expanding middle tier Players like Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh reflect Indiaâs aggressive fearless new batting identity while several new names entering the contract list show how quickly the womenâs talent pool is wideningThis is less about transition and more about rapid expansionThis yearâs list isnât just administrative â itâs directional India is planning beyond legends Youth is no longer âemergingâ itâs âestablishedâ Depth is now a strategy not a luxuryThe message from the BCCI is crystal clear the next Indian era isnât comingItâs already here IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/new-guard-new-grades-bcci-contracts-signal-indian-crickets-big-shift-661351.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 07:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-all-the-stats-from-zimbabwes-dominant-8-wicket-win-over-oman-661352.html Colombo Feb 9 Zimbabwe began their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion registering a dominant eightwicket victory over Oman as they chased down a modest target of 103 in just 133 overs in the eighth match of the tournament at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground SSC in Colombo on Monday The fast bowling trio of Blessing Muzarabani Richard Ngarava and Brad Evans picked up three wickets each as Zimbabwe bowled out Oman for 103 runs in 195 overs after choosing to bowl firstComing in to chase an easy target Zimbabwe were off to a strong start as both openers struck the ball fluently with the team scoring at a run rate of over 10 runs per over in the first three oversOman finally got their breakthrough in the fourth over when Sufyan Mehmood dismissed Tadiwanashe Marumani and Dion MyersAfter the backtoback wickets Zimbabwe wicketkeeper batter Brendan Taylor forged a matchwinning 68run partnership with opener Brian Bennett who rotated the strike well With this Zimbabwe achieved the target easily in just 133 oversHeres a look at all the key stats from the Zimbabwe vs Oman Match9 Zimbabwe recorded their 9th win in the T20 World Cup matches To date they have played 21 matches won 9 and lost 11 while 1 match produced no result8 Oman suffered their 8th defeat in the 11th World Cup matches3 Brendan Taylor was retired hurt in the 13th over of the innings when he was playing In the last 5 T20 innings this was the 3rd instance when he was retired hurt103 103 in 195 overs is Omans 3rd lowest total in the T20 World Cup Before this they scored 47 v England in North Sound in 2024 and 65 for 9 v Bangladesh in Dharamsala in the 2016 World CupAamir Kaleem of Oman became the oldest player to feature in a T20 World Cup match At 44 years and 81 days age Kaleem broke the record of Ryan Campbell who played at 44 years and 34 daysLowest totals against Zimbabwe in the T20 World CupTotal Overs For Venue Year103 195 Oman Colombo 20261169 20 UAE Sylhet 20141298 20 Pakistan Perth 20221326 20 Scotland Hobart 2022136 194 Scotland Nagpur 20161389 20 Australia Cape Town 2007 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-all-the-stats-from-zimbabwes-dominant-8-wicket-win-over-oman-661352.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 07:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/no-penalty-or-sanction-for-bcb-icc-issues-statement-661358.html Dubai Feb 9 The International Cricket Council ICC Pakistan Cricket Board PCB and Bangladesh Cricket Board BCB have concluded an open constructive and congenial dialogue This dialogue covered several matters including but not limited to the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 and the broader outlook for cricket in South AsiaWhile reflecting on the Bangladesh cricket teamâs unfortunate absence from the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup the global governing body for cricket reaffirmed BCBs position as a valued Full Member with a proud cricketing history and a vital role in the growth of the global game The ICC also reiterated its continued facilitation of growth in one of cricketâs most vibrant markets with more than 200 million passionate fans to ensure that the national teams nonparticipation in ICC Mens T20 World Cup does not have any longterm effects on Cricket in the countryThe highlights of the dialogue set out below reflect a forwardlooking alignment reached in good faith and are intended to provide clarity on the current position of the stakeholders They do not alter qualify or detract from the ICCâs constitutional autonomy governance framework or established decisionmaking processes all of which remain fully applicableIt is agreed that no financial sporting or administrative penalty will be imposed on Bangladesh Cricket Board in relation to the current matterIt is acknowledged that BCB retains the right to approach the Dispute Resolution Committee DRC should it choose to do so This right exists under current ICC regulations and remains intactThe ICCâs approach is guided by its principles of neutrality and fairness and reflects the shared objective of facilitative support rather than punishmentAs part of this understanding an agreement has been reached that Bangladesh will host an ICC event prior to the ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup 2031 subject to the usual ICC hosting processes timelines and operational requirementsThis reflects confidence in Bangladeshâs capability as a host and reinforces the ICCâs commitment to providing meaningful hosting opportunities across its membership to develop cricket in the countryThe ICC PCB and BCB along with other Members remain committed to continued dialogue cooperation and constructive engagement in the best interests of the sport All stakeholders acknowledge that the spirit of this understanding is to protect the integrity of the game and preserve unity within the cricket fraternityICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta said âBangladeshâs absence from the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup is regrettable but it does not alter the ICCâs enduring commitment to Bangladesh as a core cricketing nation Our focus continues to be on working closely with key stakeholders including BCB to ensure the sport grows sustainably in the country and that future opportunities for its players and fans are strengthened Bangladesh remains a priority cricket ecosystem deserving of longterm investment in its development competitiveness and global integration and is not defined by shortterm disruptionsâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/no-penalty-or-sanction-for-bcb-icc-issues-statement-661358.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 07:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/premier-league-man-city-secure-dramatic-late-win-over-liverpool-661235.html London Feb 9 Manchester City rallied late to beat Liverpool 21 at Anfield keeping its Premier League title hopes alive with a dramatic comeback City kicked off nine points behind leader Arsenal which had beaten Sunderland 30 on Saturday and the gap appeared set to widen when Dominik Szoboszlai curled in a stunning free kick in the 75th minute to give Liverpool the leadBernardo Silva equalized in the 84th minute finishing after Erling Haaland headed the ball into his path before Haaland completed the turnaround from the penalty spot The spot kick was awarded after Matheus Nunes was brought down by goalkeeper Alisson Xinhua rperotsThe match ended in chaotic fashion when Szoboszlai hauled down Haaland as the striker broke clear on goal Haaland reacted and the ball ended up in the net but following a VAR review the referee ruled out the goal awarded City a free kick and sent off SzoboszlaiIt was a brilliant advert for the Premier League First half was really good and we lost a bit of momentum in the second half Anfield can feel like that After that we played more direct and after that we lost the ball and we were so passive What a strike from Szoboszlai and after that led by our captain Bernardo we come back The spirit has been there and in general the first half was really good and second half a bit of fatigue said GuardiolaElsewhere Ismaila Sarr scored the only goal as Crystal Palace ended a 13game winless run with a 10 victory away to Brighton moving nine points clear of the relegation zoneSarr struck in the 61st minute after Brighton failed to clear effectively running onto a through ball and slotting homeJames Milner was an unused substitute for Brighton leaving him one appearance short of equaling Gareth Barrys Premier League record of 653 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/premier-league-man-city-secure-dramatic-late-win-over-liverpool-661235.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/real-madrid-win-in-valencia-betis-take-copa-revenge-in-la-liga-661239.html Madrid Feb 9 Secondhalf goals from left back Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe gave Real Madrid a 20 win away to Valencia on Sunday night keeping the defending champion one point behind FC Barcelona in the La Liga title race Carreras opened the scoring in the 65th minute with an individual effort riding a pair of weak challenges before finishing Mbappe sealed the victory in injury time as Madrid largely subdued before the break steadily forced Valencia deeper in the second halfWhile Madrid stayed on Barcelonas heels Valencia slipped closer to the relegation zone in a difficult week that also saw the club eliminated from the Copa del ReyAntony scored in the 29th minute as Real Betis avenged its recent Copa del Rey quarterfinal loss to Atletico Madrid with a 10 league win at the Metropolitano StadiumBetis beaten 50 at home by Atletico just three days earlier tightened defensively and was fortunate when a potential secondhalf equalizer for the hosts was ruled out for offsideGorka Guruzeta scored twice in the first half as Athletic Club returned to winning ways with a 42 home victory over Levante in a match that descended into chaos late onGuruzeta headed home in the 29th minute and added a low finish five minutes later after Levante was reduced to 10 men when Alan Matturro was sent off for hauling down Inaki WilliamsAthletic missed chances to extend its lead and Unai Elgezabals overhead kick pulled a goal back for Levante in the 81st minute Nico Serrano restored a twogoal cushion five minutes later but Jon Ander Olasagasti struck in the 94th minute to make it 32 before Robert Navarro sealed the win in the ninth minute of added timeSevilla salvaged a 11 draw at home to Girona thanks to a late goal from Kike Salas and a stoppagetime penalty save by Odysseas Vlachodimos who denied Cristhian Stuani with the final kick of the matchGirona had taken the lead in the second minute through Thomas Lemar and was left frustrated after failing to secure all three points against a Sevilla side that struggled to create chancesGetafe ended a ninematch winless run with a 20 victory away to AlavesAlaves edged the first half but failed to respond after Luis Vazquez gave Getafe the lead in the 53rd minute with Mauro Arambarri adding a penalty in the 72nd IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/real-madrid-win-in-valencia-betis-take-copa-revenge-in-la-liga-661239.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-hopefully-uae-get-wins-this-time-and-go-a-long-way-says-sharafu-661243.html New Delhi Feb 9 The United Arab Emirates UAE are all set to make their third appearance in the 2026 Menâs T20 World Cup when they open their Group D campaign against New Zealand in Chennai on Tuesday evening The Gulf nation qualified for the mega event after finishing third in the AsiaEAP regional qualifiers and marked their return to the tournament for the first time since 2022 where they secured their maiden T20 World Cup victory over NamibiaRighthanded batter Alishan Sharafu has been in strong form since the last T20 World Cup in 2024 accumulating 1105 runs in 37 innings at an average of 325 and a strike rate of 134 In an exclusive conversation with IANS Sharafu talks about his batting the UAEâs aims in the tournament and the influence of captain Muhammad Waseem and head coach former India opener Lalchand RajputQ Youve been in exceptional form post2024 scoring over 1000 runs with 10 fiftyplus scores Whats clicked for you during this period and how do you maintain that consistencyA Im just glad that Ive been able to score a few runs and its been fun so far batting at the top for UAE in T20Is and Im glad that Ive had a couple of good games and helped the team in winning games especially in important tournaments like the Asia Cup qualifiers and the T20 World Cup qualifiers So thats been fun and hopefully it keeps going wellQ Your strike rate against pace 147 is significantly better than against spin 118 What specific work are you doing to improve your game against spinners ahead of playing in Indian conditionsA About the strike rate yes I do enjoy playing a bit of pace early on when I go in to bat in the innings and I fancy taking my chances against the fast bowlers in the power play and then obviously in the middle overs thats the time where you have to consolidate and play around with the other batters So I do enjoy playing spin and taking my chances against spin but if I have to say then Ill probably say that I enjoy playing pace a little bit moreQ Playing alongside and against some of the worlds best in the ILT20 â which players have you learnt the most from and what specific aspects of their game have you tried to incorporate into yoursA Yes ILT20 has been a massive platform for all of us UAE cricketers and Ive been especially lucky enough Ive been playing for the Knight Riders for the last three years and theyve fully trusted in what I do and Im grateful for the opportunities theyve givenIve played every single game for them and fortunately enough Ive done decently well for them So that experience has been invaluable and Ive fully enjoyed my time over there and the environment there and getting to spend quality time with the worldclass cricketers there has been quite a good experienceQ Youve always been a toporder batter but youre now adjusting to middleorder responsibilities as well How challenging has that transition been and whats the biggest difference in mindset between the two rolesA Yes Ive always batted at the top but it was in ILT20 where I first started batting in the middle order and I enjoyed that challenge quite a bit and something different and new But you have to learn to adapt to different situations and roles in the teamSo Im glad that I had a bit of experience doing that and in franchise cricket Now that Ive sort of started doing a similar role for the UAE I hope I can channel my batting in the same frequency and hopefully consolidate in the middle overs and try and bat as deep as possibleQ Can you talk us through how you developed your powerhitting game Was it natural ability or hours of specific trainingA Thats been the plan especially going into this World Cup and in recent times Power hitting yes Ive always tried to incorporate an aggressive brand of cricket Growing up like every other kid I loved watching people hit sixes and obviously hit sixes myself too So it was something that I dont know if it was natural or yes Ive worked a bit towards specifics for power hitting But Ive always enjoyed that brand of cricketQ Youve only batted once in your previous World Cup appearance How much are you looking forward to making a bigger impact this time aroundA Yes at the last World Cup I only played the last game which we won against Namibia and that was a special experience making my first appearance at a World Cup This time around its a different bunch of players a different team and a different role too Im quite looking forward to this one and wherever I can contribute to making the team win Id be glad and hopefully I can put my hand up and help the UAE win a few games hereQ The UAE have never progressed past the group stage Realistically what does success look like for this team at this World CupA Yes the last World Cup like I said was the first time we marked our first World Cup victory So you always want to do better than what you did last time Hopefully we win a few games this time and you never know if we win a couple of games we have a pretty good shot at making it into the next round So obviously the mindset has to be positive and thats what were going to collectively aim for as a teamSo hopefully we have a couple of good games and you never know on the day Its T20 cricket and if we go out there and express ourselves and play a positive brand of cricket Im pretty confident that if we do that we can change things and go a long way in the tournamentQ Whats it like being part of a UAE team with players from different cultural backgrounds How does that diversity strengthen the group Also a word on support from Captain Waseem and Coach RajputA Yes I think thats one thing about our team weve got people from different backgrounds weve got a diverse bunch of players and Im quite happy with how gelled we are as a team and I dont think theres ever been a time where weve thought that Oh this persons from here or This persons from this background because weve pretty much played with each other all our lives in the UAE and I think were really comfortable with each other and its a really good environmentYes our coach and captain have been really supportive and obviously Waseem Bhai has been phenomenal with performances and as a teammate so its quite fun being out there on the field with him and I quite enjoy batting with him myselfIts been fun so far and hopefully we have a few good knocks at this World Cup and obviously our coach too hes always been big on preparing really hard It becomes a lot easier when you go out there into a match Im really glad to have these people around and a huge thanks to both of them for all the support and I quite enjoy being around them IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-hopefully-uae-get-wins-this-time-and-go-a-long-way-says-sharafu-661243.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 17:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/hyderabad-superstar-seone-mendez-remains-unbeaten-at-the-wpbl-season-two-661122.html Mumbai Feb 7 One of the first picks for the Hyderabad Superstars Seone Mendez has completed her unbeaten streak during the league stage of the World Pickleball League Beating Katerina Stewart of the Bengaluru Jawans Seone stamped her authority in the womens singles category for the seasonâThe WPBL league has been an incredible experience so far Staying undefeated through the league stage has been really rewarding and a testament to the preparation and consistency Iâve been focused on bringing each match Iâve put a lot of emphasis on staying sharp physically and mentally treating every match with the same level of intensity regardless of the opponent Most importantly being part of the Hyderabad Superstars has made the journey even more special the energy support and professionalism around the group has been amazingâ said Seone Mendez Hyderabad SuperstarsSeone Mendez was touted as one of the players to watch out for at the start of the league and she has proven to be the only player to beat through her 6 league games Her formidable ground strokes and incredible court coverage have resulted in her dominating that event Throughout her games she never looked under the pump at any point and held a steady lead from the first minute of the game Her strong tennis foundation has been key for Seoneâs smooth transition into pickleball where she has steadily climbed up international ranks over the last six to eight months Touted to be one of the top ranked players in the world by the end of this year Seone has been instrumental for Hyderabad Superstarsâ rise to the top 4 on the leaderboard of the World Pickleball League Hyderabad Superstars are currently in the 4th position on the leader board with just two games remaining in the league stagesStarting strong the Superstars won their first two games on the trot and have been on the losing side of some extremely close matches giving them a fair chance for a spot in the finals The squad for Hyderabad Superstars boasts of international stars like Marcello Jardim Talia Saunders Kaitlynn Hart Pep Canyadell Lauren Mercado Louis Laville and Indian Superstar Mayur Patil along with Seone Mendez IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/hyderabad-superstar-seone-mendez-remains-unbeaten-at-the-wpbl-season-two-661122.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 08:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/davis-cup-britain-beat-norway-to-reach-qualifiers-second-round-661135.html Oslo Feb 7 Great Britain are through to the Davis Cup Qualifiers 2nd Round after defeating Norway 30 in Oslo thanks to a 62 26 765 victory for Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool in the doubles match Great Britain will now face either Ecuador or Australia in the Davis Cup Qualifiers second round with the winner moving on to the Final 8 in November The Davis Cup Qualifiers secondround ties are set to take place in SeptemberLeon Smithâs team needed the minimum number of matches to overcome a depleted Norwegian side who were undoubtedly the underdogs after the withdrawal of world No 12 Casper Ruud on WednesdayCash and Glasspool the topranked doubles team in the whole of the sport were pushed all the way to a decisive tiebreak by a makeshift Norwegian pairing of Nicolai Budkov Kjaer and Viktor DurasovicAll eyes were on the opening rubber of this tie as British No 1 Jack Draper made his longawaited return to the match court his first match since August 2025Draper showed signs of the player who reached a careerhigh world No 4 last year as he dispatched Viktor Durasovic 62 62 in only 61 minutesIt was then over to Cam Norrie who came back from 41 down in the second set to secure a 64 64 victory over 19yearold Nicolai Budkov KjaerComing into day two with a twomatch lead the Brits only needed one more win to seal their place in the second roundUp stepped last yearâs No 1 doubles team on the ATP Tour Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool to face Budkov Kjaer and DurasovicThe Brits showed their quality in the pressure moments of a deciding set tiebreak silencing the crowd and completing Great Britainâs victory with a 62 26 765 winWith the tie already wrapped up Jacob Fearnley came in to play Budkov Kjaer in the final rubber and put on a strong performance against the ATP Next Gen semifinalistFearnley put the icing on the cake for the British team winning 36 63 107 in an hour and 16 minutesIn other Davis Cup action Japans twoday tie against Austria started on Friday Yosuke Watanuki beat Sebastian Ofner 63 64 to give Japan the lead before Jurij Rodionov downed Shintaro Mochizuki 64 75 to level for AustriaGermany eased to a 20 lead against Peru with straightsets singles wins from Yannick Hanfmann and JanLennard Struff in Dusseldorf while Denmark and hosts Croatia are knotted at 11 after the first day of play IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/davis-cup-britain-beat-norway-to-reach-qualifiers-second-round-661135.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 10:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-2026-madushan-approved-as-replacement-for-malinga-in-sri-lanka-squad-661137.html Colombo Feb 6 The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 on Friday approved Pramod Madushan as a replacement for Eshan Malinga in the Sri Lanka squad Madushan a mediumfast bowler who has played 13 ODIs and eight T20Is was named as a replacement after Malinga was ruled out following a shoulder injury sustained during the bilateral T20I against England on 1 February ICC said in a statementThe replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee ETC before the player can be officially added to the squadMadushan 24 years old and previously played for the Sri Lanka national cricket team in eight T20Is has taken 12 wickets at an average of 863 runs per over Madushan last played in an international T20I on April 28 2023With the pace bowling attack of Madushan together with his team mates Matheesha Pathirana and Dushmantha Chameera Sri Lanka will compete against Ireland at the R Premadasa Stadium Colombo on February 8Sri Lanka squad Dasun Shanaka c Pathum Nissanka Kamil Mishara Kusal Mendis Kamindu Mendis Kusal Janith Perera Charith Asalanka Janith Liyanage Pavan Rathnayake Wanindu Hasaranga Dunith Wellalage Maheesh Theekshana Dushmantha Chameera Matheesha Pathirana Pramod Madushan IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-2026-madushan-approved-as-replacement-for-malinga-in-sri-lanka-squad-661137.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 10:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/jemimah-joins-harmanpreet-smriti-deepti-in-womens-central-contracts-grade-a-report-661140.html New Delhi Feb 7 Allformat skipper Harmanpreet Kaur star batter Smriti Mandhana and allrounder Deepti Sharma have been retained in Grade A while Jemimah Rodrigues has been promoted from Grade B in the womens central contracts as per reports In the topmost category a player earns Rs 50 lakh annually while those in the B and C categories are paid Rs 30 lakh and Rs 10 lakh respectivelyThe BCCI has awarded central contracts to 21 players in the womenâs category according to a Dainik Jagaran reportEight players Pratika Rawal Kranti Goud Shree Charani Harleen Deol Kashvee Gautam G Kamalini Vaishnavi Sharma and Tejal Hasabnis are the new entrants in the central contract listYastika Bhatia Radha Yadav Arundhati Reddy Amanjot Kaur Uma Chetry and Sneh Rana have all retained their central contractsThe report stated that Renuka Thakur Shafali Verma Richa Ghosh and Sneh Rana have all been slotted in grade B while grade C includes Radha Yadav Amanjot Kaur Pratika Rawal Kranti Goud Uma Chetry Arundhati Reddy Shree Charani Yastika Bhatia Harleen Deol Kashvee Gautam G Kamalini Vaishnavi Sharma and TejalAccording to the 202425 contracts list announced in March 2025 Renuka Singh Jemimah Rodrigues Richa Ghosh and Shafali Verma have all been retained in Grade B while Yastika Bhatia Radha Yadav Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar join them in Grade C in the central contracts list from the 202223 season Shreyanka Patil Titas Sadhu Arundathi Reddy Amanjot Kaur and Uma Chetry were the fresh faces who made the cut for the retainershipAfter their maiden ODI World Cup crown the Women in Blue are gearing up for the multiformat series against Australia starting from February 15Meanwhile the BCCI will discuss possible changes to the India menâs central contracts system at its next Apex Council meeting as per proposals from the Ajit Agarkarled selection committee IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/jemimah-joins-harmanpreet-smriti-deepti-in-womens-central-contracts-grade-a-report-661140.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 12:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bcci-announces-cash-award-of-rs-75-cr-for-u19-mens-wc-winning-team-661141.html New Delhi Feb 7 The BCCI have announced a total cash award of Rs 75 crore for the U20 Mens Cricket World Cup winning team technical staff and the selection committee the boards secretary Devajit Saikia told IANS on Saturday India beat England by 100 runs to win the ICC Under19 Mens Cricket World Cup final at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Friday claiming a recordextending sixth U19 World Cup crownA cash award of Rs 75 crore will be given to the Indian team who won the U19 Mens Cricket World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia We are working on the details of the prize amount breakup for players technical staff and the selection committee but Rs 75 crore is the total reward for them from the BCCI Saikia told IANSA staggering century from 14yearold Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fired India to ICC U19 Menâs Cricket World Cup glory Captain Ayush Mhatre 53 and wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu 40 also made valuable contributions as India racked up 4119 England made a promising start in reply but a middleorder collapse proved costly with Caleb Falconerâs brilliant 115 in vain as India clinched their sixth U19 Menâs Cricket World Cup crownThis title triumph completed a rare double with India currently holding both the ICC Under19 Menâs and Womenâs World Cup titles Saikia further said that BCCI will soon announce the central contracts for senior men and women players Also an official statement will come out very soon on the central contracts for senior mens and womens players he addedEarlier Saikia congratulated Indian youth on their recordextending sixth U10 World Cup title This outstanding achievement is a testament to the strength of a robust system built on longterm player development competitive domestic structures quality coaching programmes supported by dedicated technical staff and a strong talent identification processAgegroup cricket remains a key priority and the BCCI will continue to invest in and strengthen these foundations for the future Well done boys The nation is immensely proud of you he posted on X IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bcci-announces-cash-award-of-rs-75-cr-for-u19-mens-wc-winning-team-661141.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 12:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/boxam-elite-12-indians-enter-finals-as-sachin-lovlina-lead-charge-on-penultimate-day-661155.html La Nucia Spain Feb 7 Twelve Indians including eight women and four men will compete for gold on the final day of BOXAM Elite International 2026 following another session full of assured performances Leading the mens charge was Sachin 60kg who extended his brilliant run with another dominant win over Englands Jack Dryden Over in the womenâs section Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain 75kg stormed through to the finals with a unanimous victory over Walesâ Rosie EcclesHeld in La Nucia Alicante Spain the BOXAM Elite 2026 has featured over 200 boxers from 20 nations India 12 is the most wellrepresented nation in Saturdayâs finals â ahead of heavyweights Kazakhstan 11 Ukraine 5 and hosts Spain 4 and is assured of at least one gold with the Elite Women 54kg final being an allIndian affair Indiaâs women continued their strong showing with commanding semifinal wins across divisions headlined by the confirmation of a gold in the 54kg category where Preeti and Poonam will face off for the title Elsewhere Manju Rani 48kg Nitu 51kg Priya 60kg Arundhati Choudhary 70kg and Naina 80kg all advanced to the finals with emphatic victories underlining Indiaâs depth and consistency across weight classesIn the menâs competition India added further finalists through dominant displays from Deepak 70kg Akash 75kg and Ankush 80kg Deepak produced one of the sessionâs standout moments by forcing a firstround RSC against Kazakhstanâs World Boxing Cup Finalsâ silver medallist Nurbek Mursal while Akash and Ankush negotiated tough bouts against Kazakh opponents to seal their places in Saturdayâs goldmedal contestsIndiaâs campaign also saw several boxers finish on the podium with bronze medals after falling at the semifinal stage including Pranjal Yadav 65kg Kajal 65kg Sanamacha Chanu 75kg and Mankirat Kaur 80kg in the womenâs competition Jadumani Singh 55kg Mohammed Hussam Uddin 60kg and Hitesh Gulia 70kg secured bronze finishes in the menâs draw IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/boxam-elite-12-indians-enter-finals-as-sachin-lovlina-lead-charge-on-penultimate-day-661155.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 16:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-credit-to-faheem-he-batted-outstandingly-well-says-skipper-agha-hails-pakistans-win-over-netherlands-661172.html Colombo Feb 7 IANS Pakistan opened their T20 World Cup campaign with a narrow nerveshredding win over the Netherlands a result that underlined both their quality and their lingering vulnerabilities Skipper Salman Ali Agha credited Faheem Ashraf for his late cameo which helped the side cruise past the Dutch with three wickets to spareWhat should have been a routine chase of 148 turned into a lastover scramble rescued only by Ashrafs blistering knock After the match captain Salman Ali Agha admitted the team had made life unnecessarily difficult for themselves but praised the overall bowling effort that kept the Netherlands within reachnbspWe have to do it the hard way But I think it was when we bowled I think we really stuck down really well With 148 I can take that any day he saidPakistans bowlers had set the platform by dismissing the Netherlands for 147 despite a promising start from the Dutch batters The spinners tightened the screws through the middle overs and regular wickets prevented any batter from batting deepSalman was particularly pleased with the collective bowling display saying Theyve been bowling well for like the last six months now And they have done it today as well Its a complete bowling performance I can say thatIn contrast Pakistans chase lurched from comfort to chaos The first half of the innings went according to plan but a flurry of wickets shifted momentum sharply We batted well in the first 10 overs but you have five six bad overs like if its two or three bad overs you get so far away from the game Salman reflected I think the first 10 overs was very good We batted really well And then they managed to pull wickets down And then at that time the pressure came inAs the required rate ballooned and wickets continued to fall the Netherlands briefly looked set to pull off a famous upset That was until Faheem Ashraf dropped early in his innings launched a stunning counterattack to swing the game back in Pakistans favournbspSalman was quick to credit the allrounder for the escape But credit obviously to Faheem I think he batted outstandingly wellThe captain also highlighted the importance of better game awareness in tight contests And I think we need to absorb better when it comes to these kinds of games he said pointing to missed opportunities to close out the chase earlier on a surface that improved for batting Lovely batting conditions If you sum up the conditions of batting Its not easy to start but once you get in its a good wicket to bat on When someone gets in we need to make sure that person will finishIANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-credit-to-faheem-he-batted-outstandingly-well-says-skipper-agha-hails-pakistans-win-over-netherlands-661172.html Sat, 07 Feb 2026 16:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/atletico-madrid-thrash-betis-to-reach-copa-del-rey-semifinal-661076.html Madrid Feb 6 Atletico Madrid delivered a convincing performance to claim the semifinal spot in Spains Copa del Rey with a 50 rout of Real Betis Betis threatened early through Ez Abde but Atletico quickly seized control and dominated the first half David Hancko opened the scoring with a nearpost header from a Koke corner and the visitors never looked backNew signing Ademola Lookman was heavily involved from the outset missing one chance when sent through on goal and firing over after Hanckos knockdown as Atletico denied Betis possession and territory reports XinhuaGiuliano Simeone doubled the lead in the 30th minute after being set up by Matteo Ruggeri and Lookman made it 30 before halftime cutting inside two defenders from the left and beating goalkeeper Adrian with a composed finishAtletico suffered an early setback after the break when Pablo Barrios was forced off with a hamstring injury and replaced by Jose Gimenez a concern ahead of the clubs Champions League playoff against Club Brugge later this monthThe injury did little to halt Atleticos momentum Antoine Griezmann made it 40 in the 62nd minute finishing a counterattack started by Lookman before Thiago Almada completed the scoring late on by converting a rebound after Adrian had saved Griezmanns initial effortThe teams meet again on Sunday at Atleticos Metropolitano Stadium in La LigaPreviously Barcelona reached the semifinals on Tuesday with a 21 win at Albacete while Athletic Club beat Valencia 21 and Real Sociedad won 32 at Alaves on WednesdayThe draw for the twolegged semifinals will be held Friday with the first legs next week and the return matches in the first week of March The final is scheduled for April 18 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/atletico-madrid-thrash-betis-to-reach-copa-del-rey-semifinal-661076.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-shastri-smith-bishop-to-headline-star-studded-commentary-panel-661090.html Dubai Feb 6 Highlyrenowned commentators Ravi Shastri Nasser Hussain Ian Smith and Ian Bishop headline commentary panel during the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup that commences in India and Sri Lanka on February 7 An impressive list of former greats and current stars also features former T20 World Cup winners Aaron Finch Dinesh Karthik Kumar Sangakkara Samuel Badree Robin Uthappa Carlos BrathwaiteThe ICC said that current player and reigning ICC World Test Championshipwinning captain Temba Bavuma of South Africa will be heard on commentary while 2014 T20 World Cup winner Angelo Mathews is also included in an impressive list of commentators that will be utilised across the 55 matches at the tournamentTeam India is entering the tournament as defending champions and will aim to become the only team to win the trophy for the third time and also to defend the titleIndia are a popular pick as tournament favourites coming off scintillating form that has seen them win 48 of their last 56 T20I games dating back to October 2023 And more recently producing a dominant series win against New ZealandThe Men in Blue will kick off their campaign on February 7 with a groupstage match against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in MumbaiList of commentators for ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 Ravi Shastri Nasser Hussain Ian Smith Ian Bishop Aaron Finch Dinesh Karthik Kumar Sangakkara Samuel Badree Robin Uthappa Carlos Brathwaite Eoin Morgan Wasim Akram Sunil Gavaskar Matthew Hayden Ramiz Raja Dale Steyn Michael Atherton Waqar Younis Simon Doull Shaun Pollock Katey Martin Harsha Bhogle Mpumelelo Mbangwa Natalie Germanos Danny Morrison Alan Wilkins Ian Ward Mark Howard Nick Knight Athar Ali Khan Kass Naidoo Bazid Khan Raunak Kapoor Niall OâBrien Preston Mommsen Andrew Leonard Russel Arnold Roshan Abeysinghe Angelo Mathews Temba Bavuma IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-shastri-smith-bishop-to-headline-star-studded-commentary-panel-661090.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-batting-firepower-all-round-resources-spinners-hold-the-key-in-indias-title-defence--661095.html New Delhi Feb 6 India begin their Menâs T20 World Cup title defence on Saturday through a Group A clash against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai With unmatched batting depth enviable allround resources and spinners in their prime India has everything in their arsenal to become the first nation to win consecutive T20 World Cups and claim the trophy on home soil Captain Suryakumar Yadavs side are coming on the back of a commanding 41 series victory over New Zealand boasting of the best win percentage among the top ten teams since the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados IANS takes a closer look into Indiaâs title defence chances through an indepth SWOT analysisStrengths Ahead of the World Cup India are dominating all the rankings â they are the topranked T20I team as well as possess the number one batter and bowler in Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy Their ultraaggressive batting approach has resulted in them having a great run rate and posting tall scores with immaculate easeAs per Cricket21 in the postWorld Cup 2024 phase India has the highest run rate of 99 In terms of balls per boundary BPB India are again leading the charts with an impressive 44 Indiaâs dominance is further highlighted in the tally of 200plus totals they have amassed 13plus such scores since 2024 Menâs T20 World Cup â 12 of which have come batting firstApart from Abhishek India also have destructive batters in Ishan Kishan skipper Suryakumar Yadav Tilak Varma Rinku Singh as well as allround trio of Hardik Pandya Axar Patel and Shivam Dube lending great balance Apart from Chakaravarthy Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh are making for a great fast bowling combinationWeaknesses Despite many brilliant performances Indias toporder remains fragile more so due to the side yet to figure out the opening partner for Abhishek Ishan Kishans recent good form is in contrast with Sanju Samsons struggles With the side still mum on their opening combination it can be a pocket of weakness for opposition to exploitIn terms of powerplay bowling India have been expensive at times while struggling to pick wickets in that phase as well as in death overs and that could bring about their downfall in highpressure games Who occupies the number eight spot is also a dicey one as it depends on the team management wanting either batting or bowling depthOpportunities After winning the Menâs T20 World Cup in 2007 India broke the long drought by winning it in 2024 and are the defending champions now With everyone calling them as overwhelming favourites India have the chance to get three historic feats defend the title win it for the third time and break the jinx of a team never winning a final at homeThreats Washington Sundar remains doubtful for the T20 World Cup participation after missing the entire New Zealand series due to side strain If Washington is not available for the tournament in time it means they will have one less allround player and that can affect their flexibility especially if someone from the firstchoice eleven picks up an injuryA fully fit Hardik Pandya is arguably a very precious asset for India going into the tournament and many will be hoping that heâs fit and firing on all cylinders in the tournament considering how his absence in the second half of the 2023 ODI World Cup affected the team balance IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-batting-firepower-all-round-resources-spinners-hold-the-key-in-indias-title-defence--661095.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-very-happy-with-indias-progress-hopes-are-really-very-high-to-retain-the-title-says-mhambrey-661097.html New Delhi Feb 6 Having lifted the Menâs T20 World Cup trophy for the first time in 2007 before breaking a long drought to clinch the crown in 2024 defending champions India are aiming to become the first team to achieve three milestones retain the crown win it three times and clinch a World Cup in the shortest format on home soil The cohosts enter the tournament as the topranked side and boast of the number one ranked batter and bowler in Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy respectively With their ultraattacking batting template and pinpoint precision with the ball India have the best win percentage among the top 10 T20I teams since winning the 2024 editionParas Mhambrey Indiaâs former bowling coach was a part of the setup during the 2024 triumph under Rohit Sharma and believes the side has the depth and leadership to retain the title Before India launches its title defence against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday Mhambrey spoke exclusively to IANS on the sideâs chances of retaining the title Suryakumar Yadavs captaincy the influential factors in play when featuring in a mega event at home and more ExcerptsQ We are just a day away from the 2026 T20 World Cup commencing this time on home soil How do you analyse Indias chances of retaining the trophy won in 2024A Im very happy and sure of it In the way Ive seen in the last few years the way the team has progressed the kind of cricket theyre playing â thats fabulous Just to see the last series that we played and even the last game that we played the warmup game against South Africa â its fabulous to watch just the way everyones going about itHappy to know and see that the core is still there from the last two years Its so important to actually have that core playing the World Cup One is the experience bit â theres so much experience out here and just the skill sets that are available to us When youre entering a big tournament like this you want all your top players to be availableIts good to see that Tilak Varma is back in the team getting an opportunity and playing a fabulous innings out there Overall we are very happy with the way things have progressed for us Now its one day at a time But just the way the Indian team is playing I think hopes really are very highQ Take us back to June 2024 â what are the moments from that victorious 2024 World Cup campaign that give you goosebumps to dateA Its the tag of world champions I think any team that plays cricket and any individual that represents the country â I think the tag of being a world champion is always special Thats something that will stay with that individual and the team Im no different from anyone else out here As a player I know the value and the importance of representing your country and especially the World Cup is so special because it comes every four yearsWe didnt have the T20 tournament and we always kind of looked at the 50over tournament and the World Cup was special So getting an opportunity out there and then again just shifting it from one side of the rope to the other and getting an opportunity to be part of that dressing room â its something that as a player I always wanted to be and experience the whole journey if I can say thatIts so special because it takes a lot The tenure of the tournament is a week or so 15 days But there are a couple of years of real real hard work that went into it and when you see that finally bear fruit I cant explain that I think the tag of being world champions is specialQ That 2024 World Cupwinning squad had a special chemistry How much of that has carried forward into this 2026 team in your opinionA It is the case â you can see it on the ground Everyone is so professional in terms of being very clear about their roles Good to see that each and every individual has delivered at some point or other It was so important to go into the tournament and not only deliver I thought they won the game for the team and thats so important You are ticking the right boxes out here and everyone is fitSo good to see that they are coming and you have the best 15 available to choose from and its so important The core is always important because thats where your experience lies You have been through that situation and they have experienced that To a certain extent they are a little better prepared to deal with the tournament because some of the individuals have not played and not experienced thisThey played the bilaterals and other series but especially the World Cup is different I am sure by the time the first game comes â and much before it right now â I think everyone will get the hang and feel of what the World Cup is especially when its a domestic oneWherever you go they will be reminded There will be hoardings out there and billboards around People in the lift the watchmen also saying Jeetna hai jeetna hai You have to win you have to win So they will feel how important it is not only for the players but for the whole country aroundQ Suryakumar Yadav is leading this Indian side while also being one of the most destructive batters in world cricket and discovering form at the right time How do you see him balancing those dual responsibilities in this mega eventA He is doing it wonderfully I thought he had settled down well He is very well settled in his role right now Whatever you say that shift is a little different even though you dont want to think about it and feel it may not affect you But its always going to be at the back of your mind that you are captain and that adds a little bit of responsibility on your shoulders â not only for the others but also for yourselfYour expectations also are high up there because you want to deliver and then you are playing a dual role right You are also focusing on importantly your game So its difficult now He has to find the balance and I am very happy with the way he is shaped up because its very difficult to find the balance between yourself and the teamNow he has to look after all the 10 other players on the ground not only himself So it takes a little while but Im happy with the way he is shaped up as a captain â just the way others have warmed up to it and just that you can see on the ground for sureQ Playing a World Cup at home comes with its own pressures and advantages What do you think will be the biggest factor â the crowd support familiarity with conditions or just the form they are inA All three â you touched the right points You cant beat the home crowd You have that when you go in and know that everyone is going to be rooting for you When chips are down you still have people supporting you Its so important sometimes As an opponent you are not in a game and you dont really realise that you are on top of the game right now because of so much support that you haveSo thats incomparable anyway but conditions definitely because you play on these wickets you know exactly how the wickets behave â like the red soil and black soil â because you played out there and just generally from your past you can draw from your past experiences and then work on your gameThe most important bit is the form I thought it was important to have everyone contributing and its good to see that not only did everyone contribute but at some point they all won games Maybe on an individual basis â like a spell a knock or a few balls â its so important to do that In all three aspects I think you are really up there and I am happy because all three bases are covered for usQ Without asking for predictions which team do you think poses the biggest tactical challenge for India in this tournamentA Oh thats a mystery question you asked me You got me thinking about it Its just I feel in a tournament like this from past experiences I can tell you that whenever you go with the favourites I think people have got it wrong If you look at the way just look at the way the last game was the last World Cup final was against South AfricaIts just one scenario â they were favourites to win at one time We went in that didnt work and its just the way the game went and everyone thought This is going to be South Africa You have someone like you dont take away from Sri Lanka in these gamesIf you look at the last few games that theyve played theyve been playing decent cricket and with their home conditions youre going to play some games there similar to out here because a lot of these guys play in the IPL â the bowling bit So they would be competitive and maybe a couple of teams like this But as I said you really cant go in with the favourite side as sometimes youve got it wrongQ On a scale of cautiously optimistic to supremely confident where does this Indian team stand heading into the World CupA Ill put my neck out here and say supremely confident Its just the way theyre playing and what kind of cricket theyre playing â it gives you a lot of confidence Availability of players is again a big factor for me Variety is available as spinners and seamers â a big factor thats been touched We covered all our bases as well as we could and Im supremely confident in just the way they have played in the past â so fingers crossed IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-very-happy-with-indias-progress-hopes-are-really-very-high-to-retain-the-title-says-mhambrey-661097.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-2026-10-players-who-could-shape-the-tournament-661114.html New Delhi Feb 6 The ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 is here with India and Sri Lanka cohosting The tournament will feature a strategic battle Indiaâs battingfriendly pitches are expected to encourage aggressive batting and high scores while Sri Lankaâs slower more challenging pitches will require patience adaptability and spinbowling skill T20 World Cups are seldom won solely through depth Instead they hinge on key moments such as an explosive powerplay a crucial spell that stifles the middle overs or a masterful performance in the death overs under intense pressureHistory shows that a few standout players often shape the tournaments story Here are 10 cricketers who look primed to leave a lasting imprint on the 2026 editionAbhishek Sharma IndiaIndiaâs evolution in T20 cricket has been driven by a clear intent exemplified by Abhishek Sharma As an opener he views the powerplay as an opportunity rather than a risk leveraging pace and true bounce conditions common in India His talent for breaking down bowling attacks early can give him the potential to disrupt entire tournaments With a string of confident performances he could make Indiaâs top order exceptionally formidableTravis Head AustraliaFew batters can push opposition teams on the back foot as quickly as Travis Head His aggressive scoring not only comes fast but also unsettles the bowlers often leading them to adopt defensive fields early and prompting captains to abandon plans sooner Headâs experience playing in subcontinental conditions enhances his versatility making him even more formidable In a format where maintaining momentum is crucial he continues to be one of Australiaâs most lethal weaponsWanindu Hasaranga Sri LankaIf the conditions favour Sri Lanka Hasaranga is likely to be a key player A wristspinner known for taking breakthroughs he is effective both with the new ball and during the middle overs which is exceptional in T20 cricket His sharp cricketing mind and subtle variations make him especially dangerous on slow pitchesPlus his improving ability to hit lowerorder shots makes Hasaranga a versatile matchwinner in home conditionsHardik Pandya IndiaBig tournaments require players who can manage chaos and Hardik Pandya has built his career on thriving in such environments Whether heâs finishing an inning bowling a key over or energising the fielding side his impact often extends beyond just statisticsFor India Hardikâs importance is in maintaining balance he offers versatility in team setup while taking on leadership roles during stressful moments In close knockout matches his calmness could be invaluableQuinton de Kock South AfricaFew batters combine elegance and brutality as effortlessly as Quinton de Kock His comeback to international cricket reestablishes authority at the top of South Africaâs batting lineup De Kockâs key strength is his capacity to control powerplays with composure making bowlers work hard for breakthroughs early on When he bats deep into an innings South Africaâs prospects of setting or chasing large totals improve significantlyVarun Chakaravarthy IndiaVarun Chakaravarthyâs comeback stands out as one of Indian cricketâs more understated successes Once labelled just a âmystery spinnerâ he now skilfully blends deception with control and strategy His distinctive strength lies in his performance during the powerplay a period when most spinners focus on damage control On turning wickets his variety of deliveries can be pivotal especially against aggressive openersRashid Khan AfghanistanRashid Khan continues to set the benchmark for T20 bowling His extensive experience in franchise cricket worldwide has enhanced his adaptability and his statistics reflect consistent excellence over time More than simply taking wickets Rashid manages the gameâs flow induces mistakes and excels under pressure For Afghanistan he is not only their top player but also their key pillar of strengthPhil Salt EnglandEnglandâs assertive T20 strategy is well exemplified by Phil Salt As an opener eager to take charge immediately Salt seldom gives bowlers a chance to settle Although slower Sri Lankan pitches might challenge his shot choices his bold style suits Englandâs game plan If he survives the initial overs the match can swiftly turn in Englandâs favorAzmatullah Omarzai AfghanistanAfghanistanâs success in global tournaments relies on versatile cricketers and Azmatullah Omarzai exemplifies this As a strong middleorder batsman and a capable pace bowler he provides both balance and strategic options When facing toptier teams players like Omarzai frequently make crucial impacts by contributing in various parts of the gameâan ability that could prove essential for Afghanistanâs ongoing campaignJasprit Bumrah IndiaEven in a format mostly centered around batters Jasprit Bumrah stands out as a master of control His ability to vary length angle and pace lets him command the game during both the powerplay and the death overs which are the most unpredictable parts of a T20 match When playing in familiar conditions his impact increases further As the game tightens and margins become thinner captains increasingly rely on Bumrah as their goto bowlerThe 2026 T20 World Cup promises to be a clash of contrasts featuring power against precision aggression versus adaptability Although teams will be filled with talented players these ten individuals emerge as possible creators of pivotal momentsIn a tournament where one over can alter the course of the game their performances could determine the eventual championsThe marquee event gets underway on Saturday and will run till March 8 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-2026-10-players-who-could-shape-the-tournament-661114.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/boxam-elite-2026-nitu-preeti-atorm-into-sf-jadumani-shines-again-as-india-confirm-19-medals-661116.html La Nucia Spain Feb 6 The Indian contingent continued its impressive run at the BOXAM Elite International 2026 confirming 19 medals after a dominant showing on Day 3 of the tournament on Friday Nitu 51 kg and Preeti 54 kg led the charge by storming into the semifinals of their respective weight categories while Jadumani Singh 55 kg once again delivered a commanding performance in the menâs competitionThe Indian womenâs contingent under newly appointed head coach Santiago Nieva has guaranteed 12 medals while the menâs team has confirmed seven podium finishes heading into the semifinal stageNitu was in imperious form shutting out Canadaâs McKenzie Wright with a commanding 50 win to secure her place in the last four Preeti followed with a clinical showing against Spainâs Maria Gonzalez forcing an abandonment in Round 3 after dictating the contest with sustained pressure Poonam 54kg added another emphatic 50 victory over Thailandâs Natnicha Chongprongklang while Priya 60kg and Pranjal 65kg registered unanimous wins against Spainâs Laura Galano and Czech boxer Viktorie Jilkova respectively Kajal 65kg edged Kazakhstanâs Akbar Ichshanova 41 in a tightly contested boutIn the menâs competition Jadumani Singh continued his fine run outclassing Peng ChiaFeng of Chinese Taipei 50 in the 55kg category Mohammed Hussam Uddin 60kg produced a polished display to defeat Ukraineâs Ali Dahly unanimously while Sachin 60kg battled past Ukraineâs Aider Abduraimov in a tense 32 decision Akash 75kg also advanced with a solid 41 win over Spainâs Jose Luis CaneroSeveral Indian boxers bowed out after spirited efforts including Pawan Bartwal who went down narrowly 23 to Englandâs Ellis Trowbridge and Abhinash Jamwal who lost to Ukraineâs Elvin Aliiev Despite the exits Indiaâs growing medal tally underlined another strong day at the tournament with multiple semifinal spots secured as the competition heads into its decisive stages IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/boxam-elite-2026-nitu-preeti-atorm-into-sf-jadumani-shines-again-as-india-confirm-19-medals-661116.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/they-have-refused-our-flight-is-booked-sky-reflects-on-pakistan-boycotting-t20-wc-match-660995.html Mumbai Feb 5 Skipper Suryakumar Yadav broke silence on Pakistan boycotting the ICC Mens T20 World Cup match against India and stated that his team is ready to fly to Colombo on February 15 for the game at the R Premadasa Stadium Pakistan will not play India in their scheduled Menâs T20 World Cup match in Colombo on February 15 after their government approved the Men in Greens participation in the World Cup on the condition that they will not play the match against India India and Pakistan are in Group A alongside Namibia Netherlands and the United States of America USA All of Pakistans matches are scheduled in Sri Lanka which is cohosting the tournament with India India will open the campaign against the USA on February 7 the tournaments first day at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai Meanwhile Pakistan will kickstart their campaign against the Netherlands on the same dayWe havent refused to play against Pakistan They have refused I think mindset is pretty clear We have not said no to playing the match It came from the other side ICC has given the official fixtures BCCI and the government have decided on a neutral venue along with ICC Our flight is booked for Colombo So we are going for sure The team discussion is that we are playing first on February 7 then we will go there Suryakumar told reporters in the T20 World Cup 2026 Captains Day Press Conference on Thursday Pakistans stance of not playing India follows the ICCs decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland for the T20 World Cup Bangladesh were excluded after they refusing to play their matches in India citing security concernsThe Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif reaffirmed on Wednesday that their senior mens cricket team will not play India in the forthcoming Mens T20 World Cup which will be cohosted by Sri Lanka and India We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we wont play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field We have taken a very considered stance and we should completely stand by Bangladesh and I think this is a very appropriate decision We are with Bangladesh he addedEarlier the International Cricket Council ICC expressed serious concerns over the Pakistan governmentâs decision to instruct its cricket team to boycott its fixture against India saying This position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event scheduleâWhile the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide including millions in Pakistan The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and longterm implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem which it is itself a member and beneficiary of it added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/they-have-refused-our-flight-is-booked-sky-reflects-on-pakistan-boycotting-t20-wc-match-660995.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chhattisgarh-open-kabthiyal-baisoya-emerge-joint-leaders-in-round-3-660998.html Naya Raipur Chhattisgarh Feb 5 Anshul Kabthiyal and Honey Baisoya took the honours in the third round of the INR 15 crore Chhattisgarh Open 2026 after both golfers fired scores of sixunder 63 to move up one spot and emerge joint leaders at a total of 21under 186 at the Fairway Golf amp Lake Resort in Naya Raipur American Jhared Hack also produced a 63 on Thursday to gain one place and end the day in third position at 20under 187 at the DP World PGTIâs opening event of the season Veer Ahlawat 62 and Akshay Sharma 69 occupied tied fourth place at 18under 189The 21yearold Anshul Kabthiyal 626163 who was overnight tied second had an early break with his 45foot birdie conversion on the second After a dry spell till the 10th Kabthiyal yet to win a title got back to picking up birdies from the 11th hole onwards Kabthiyal then had a flurry of birdies on the 14th 15th 17th and 18th where he sank a 25footer and three other putts from a range of nine to 12 feetKabthiyal who posted seven top10s last year to finish inside the top30 of the PGTI Ranking said âI hit some great approach shots today Iâve kept the errors out this week having dropped just one bogey in the tournament so far and that too early in round oneâI hadnât fared too well at this course last year but this year Iâve adjusted to the course much better I have my game plan in place and a muchimproved mindset this time aroundâ he saidBaisoya a seventime winner on the DP World PGTI made five birdies over his first 11 holes which included three conversions from a range of 10 to 25 feet Honeyâs bogey on the 12th did not slow him down as he rallied with a 15foot eagle conversion on the 13th and a birdie on the 15th Baisoya who bagged eight top10s on the DP World PGTI last year including a runnerup finish then dropped his third bogey of the week on the 16thBaisoya who was overnight tied second along with Kabthiyal said âI had an up and down day today I worked hard on my chipping and putting during the New Year break and as a result those aspects of my game have been trending well this week Iâm now feeling more comfortable in the course and enjoying myself out thereâThe Professional Golf Tour of India PGTI serves as the official governing and sanctioning body for mens professional golf in India It is a recognised member of the International Golf Federation and the International Federation of PGA Tours PGTI also enjoys strategic alliances with the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour European Tour PGTI events offer Official World Golf Ranking OWGR points The Tour is led by its President Padma Bhushan Kapil Dev who is an iconic sporting legend who continues to inspire athletes and audiences nationwide IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chhattisgarh-open-kabthiyal-baisoya-emerge-joint-leaders-in-round-3-660998.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/batc-india-women-crush-myanmar-5-0-in-opener-660832.html Qingdao Feb 4 Defending champions India women began their Badminton Asia Team Championship campaign in commanding fashion registering a dominant 50 victory over Myanmar in their Group Y opener at the Qingdao Conson Gymnasium on Wednesday The Indian team suffered a big blow before the start of the tournament as twotime Olympic medallist PV Sindhu played a major part in Team Indias triumph in 2024 withdrew from competition due to a niggleAfter Sindhus exit all the focus was on 17yearold prodigy Tanvi Sharma who was part of Indias titlewinning squad in 2024 and she did not let down Tanvi won the first match comfortably It took her just 32 minutes to beat Myanmars Thet Htar Thuzur 2113 2116 in the opening matchAfter a strong start Rakshita Sree Santosh and Malvika Bansod also sealed points with straightset wins against the visitorsIn the doubles game the pair of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra got the better of Su Latt and Thet and beat the Myanmar combination in straight sets 2115 2116In the final match the duo of Tressa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand crushed Htet and Phoo with a straightset victory of 218 216Defending champions India will now play against last years runnersup Thailand in the next match which will be played on ThursdayIn the tournament each groupstage tie comprises five rubbers which include three singles and two doubles with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinalsThe tournament also serves as Asias qualifying event for the Thomas and Uber Cup finals scheduled to be held in Horsens Denmark in AprilMayIndias women are the defending champions while China are the reigning mens winners Indias men have claimed bronze medals twice in 2016 and 2020 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/batc-india-women-crush-myanmar-5-0-in-opener-660832.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/icc-t20i-rankings-kishan-gains-32-spots-saim-ayub-becomes-no-1-all-rounder-660836.html New Delhi Feb 4 Indian wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan has jumped 32 positions in the latest ICC Mens T20I batter rankings after an impressive comeback series against New Zealand where the lefthanded player scored 207 runs in just three matches which also includes his maiden T20I century Kishan is now placed at the 32nd spot in the rankings released just before the upcoming T20 World Cup which will commence on February 7Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav has also moved past Pakistans Sahibzada Farhan to come in sixth place While opener Abhishek Sharma continued his dominance at the topMeanwhile Pakistans opener Saim Ayub has grabbed the top spot in the T20I allrounders ranking after an impressive run in the recently concluded Australia series which Pakistan won by 30 The 23yearold scored 119 runs and claimed three wickets during the series which helped him dethrone Sikandar Raza from the No 1 spotPakistans main spinner Abrar Ahmed also made significant gains as he moved to the second spot The rightarmer is just 28 points behind Varun Chakravarthy who holds the top spotPakistans allrounder Mohammad Nawaz who took a fivewicket haul in the series moved eight spots to be placed at seventh in the bowlers rankingWhile England legspinner Adil Rashid moved up two places to fourth and New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner jumped eight spots to equal 23rd in the rankingThere were also other movements inside the top 10 for T20I batters Englands former captain Jos Buttler moved up to third Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka climbed to fifth and New Zealands Tim Seifert advanced to ninthOther than that South Africas opener Ryan Rickleton moved 42 places to the 40th spot and Australian allrounder Cameron Green climbed 16 spots to 14 Proteas star Quinton De Kock who scored a brilliant hundred has gained 15 places to sit at 22nd IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/icc-t20i-rankings-kishan-gains-32-spots-saim-ayub-becomes-no-1-all-rounder-660836.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sli-adjusts-competition-schedule-to-support-long-term-goals-and-improve-overall-experience-660841.html New Delhi Feb 4 The NRAI and SLI have rescheduled the leagues inaugural season for later this year to enhance its longterm stability broadcast reach and fan engagement This strategic adjustment aims to establish the league as a premier showcase of Indian shooting leveraging the significant sports momentum anticipated from key international events in 2026 and beyond The decision was made following thorough consultations with key stakeholders such as broadcast partners and franchisesThe updated schedule allows the league to better sync with the international shooting calendar since the original launch date was set before the yearâs major multisport events such as the Asian Games where Indian shooters aim to compete for top honorsThe league is also utilising this phase to enhance its production capabilities As Indiaâs first franchise shooting league SLI is implementing advanced broadcast technologies that have not yet been used in India for this sport The SLI is working with specialised thirdparty partners to improve the broadcast quality ensuring a smooth worldclass viewing experience Furthermore the league collaborates closely with state associations to expand the sport nationwide focusing on talent development and infrastructure The extra time also enables franchises to implement organized city activations school outreach programs community events and supporter clubs helping to cultivate a strong fanbase prior to the start of the SLINRAI president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said âOur priority is to give our athletes the biggest stage possible By realigning the season we are creating a dedicated window where Shooting League of India gets the maximum eyeballs on television This shift allows us to welcome our shooters back from key events as stars giving them the spotlight they deserve while ensuring the league product is technically perfectâAlso this additional preparation period enables us to move from alpha testing to broadcast perfection Our objective is to deliver a flawless worldclass viewer experience from the very first shotâ he addedNRAI secretary general Pawankumar Singh stated We are taking this opportunity to strengthen the leagueâs foundation We are actively engaging with state stakeholders to ensure the SLI benefits the sport at the grassroots level At the same time we are working with technical experts to refine the last few elements so that we build a sustainable highquality ecosystem that entertains fans for years to comeThe SLI continues to pursue its goal of turning shooting into a popular spectator sport showcasing a blend of top international stars and Indiaâs best talent IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sli-adjusts-competition-schedule-to-support-long-term-goals-and-improve-overall-experience-660841.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-time-of-upsets-is-in-past-for-netherlands-aim-to-get-in-final-four-says-logan-van-beek-660845.html New Delhi Feb 4 The Netherlands have won more matches in the Menâs T20 World Cups than any other associate nation Twin victories over England twice while taking down South Africa and Zimbabwe have underlined their ability to beat topranked sides But as they gear up to compete in their seventh T20 World Cup the Netherlands are keen to shed their reputation of being giantkillers and make a serious push to get into the closing stages of the tournamentSeambowling allrounder Logan Van Beek was born in Christchurch New Zealand but holds a Dutch passport through his father and has been a constant presence in Netherlands setup since 2014 Menâs T20 World Cup In an exclusive conversation with IANS van Beek talks about the Netherlands aspirations in the tournament preparation reliance on data analytics and more ExcerptsQ How have you adjusted to the pitches which will be on offer in India and Sri Lanka during the sideâs recent camp at Super Kings Academy in ChennaiA Yes its my first time of actually understanding the difference between red soil black soil and then the combo of black and red They all have differences depending on what time of day you play If youre playing a morning game it might be a little bit stickierIn the afternoon itâs a little bit drier and then come the evening dew might play a factor Its just trying to understand the different soils and sometimes it dictates what ball you might go to more often in your spellQ Given the Netherlands history of making upsets in recent tournaments how do you foresee the sideâs chances in the mega eventA I think the times of upsets is kind of in the past for us Were here to reach the final stages of the tournament Weve been together as a group for two or three years now Weve won some big games which has given us confidence But were here to get to the final four and see if we can push for the trophyQ Beyond the smaller talent pool what additional challenges do Associate teams face in competing at this levelA Obviously theres the financial kind of problem that associate teams have the lack of resources the lack of extra coaching throughout the season and the leadin periods Theres also the number of players that we often have to choose fromSo you really have to upskill the guys that are in your kind of 20man squad But again its something that we just have to deal with and get on with it Our kind of motto is just to try and get as much as we can out of each individual and then come together as one as we walk onto the fieldQ To what extent does the Netherlands rely on data and analytics in T20 cricket and how does it shape your preparationA Were a big fan of data analytics Were not afraid of a long meeting and discussion amongst the group and really understanding what guys are thinking and what each person has seen with the data Weve got a coaching staff who really look into the numbers and try to find that little outlier or something that can give us a slight advantage going into the gameI think its something that we need to do as a group just to have something oneup against the opposition because when we go up against the likes of Australia India New Zealand Man for man obviously theyre very good cricketers and we need to find ways to find little gaps in their games that we can exploit or just ways to try and get a little opportunityIf we can open that up that doesnt really make sense but if we can find a way that we can find some information that is unique use it and if we can gain that little opportunity to take advantage of and see if we can run with it T20 cricket is one of those games where there are small advantages The game can happen very fast and momentum can shift very quickly So thats what were trying to do is to try and create a moment to try and turn that into momentumQ Having beaten South Africa previously as well as England and Zimbabwe what do such victories mean for Associate players like youA First and foremost its a great memory Some of my greatest memories with the Dutch team are beating those top tier nations and the most enjoyable part of those games is the way that weve gone about it In preparation weve stood tall guys have had special performances within those games but weve done it as a groupIts something that we thrive on in terms of being and winning together So now going into this tournament having had those little successes in the past its about can we do that in these first four games and try and get those three winsQ You continue to play domestic cricket in New Zealand and England How does that experience help your own game and in adapting to different conditionsA I just love playing cricket all year round I guess getting a little bit older I want to make sure that Im playing cricket I dont necessarily want to be indoors training The more cricket I can play whether it be New Zealand or England I just want to make sure that as long as this body is fit I want to be playing cricketIt obviously gives you good experiences coming against different types of players slightly different pitches Its also exciting because youre trying to evolve your game constantly Young guys are coming in and doing some really special different thingsIts good to get that experience and then when you go into tournaments like this you can rely on that experience If you see something you can and you do go well so Ive done well by doing this against this Im going to trust that and definitely adds to the toolboxQ The Netherlands will play matches in Colombo New Delhi Chennai and Ahmedabad How significant will it be to adapt to the conditions on offer closer to game daysA Weve played in Delhi against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup and so we know that venue Its a rapid outfield and quite a small ground Australia had a bit of a day out that day But for me its exciting Ahmedabad is a huge stadium Im hoping that theres going to be 130000 people there just for that atmosphere against IndiaIve never been to Sri Lanka Ive always wanted to play in Colombo So thats going to be a really cool experience Then Chennai Ive personally played a game there for New Zealand A But weve watched plenty of IPL cricket and weve seen the Super Kings do so well there Its just going to be an awesome experience Playing cricket in India in general is just an amazing experience doesnt matter which ground youre atQ You were born and raised in Christchurch but represent the Netherlands through family heritage How do you balance this dual identity and more importantly carrying Dutch cricket forwardA I am me really Its like Logan van Beek is a mixture of being half Dutch My grandfathers a West Indian from Trinidad and Tobago I was born and raised in New Zealand Im kind of a bit of a mixing pot of different nationalities and thats unique to me Im super proud of each and one of those nationalities that I representIve been fortunate enough to play and represent the Netherlands in the last 12 years Its something that Im very very proud of each time I get to do it Its the main thing just trying to inspire the next generation of Netherlands cricketersIf we can throughout this World Cup get one or two of them watching seeing how we play together how much fun were having and doing some xfactor performances then hopefully we create some young cricketers who want to pick up a cricket bat instead of a hockey stickQ Your grandfather Sammy Guillen played Tests for both West Indies and New Zealand How much does that family history influence your own cricketing journeyA It is 100 percent Hes the reason why I play cricket He taught me how to hold a bat and play the game in the right spirit He was my biggest fan and my biggest critic Every time I play cricket a lot of the times Im playing for him I know that hes up there watching me But he was a massive influence and I definitely wouldnt be playing cricket if it wasnt for him and his passion for the game IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-time-of-upsets-is-in-past-for-netherlands-aim-to-get-in-final-four-says-logan-van-beek-660845.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/manisha-bhowneesh-top-trap-t1-finals-660850.html New Delhi Feb 4 Manisha Keer and Bhowneesh Mendiratta secured the top positions in womenâs and menâs Trap T1 respectively at the Shotgun National Selection Trials 1amp2 held at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range In the womenâs finals Manisha scored 27 targets to narrowly beat Neeru Dhanda who finished with 25 hits Aashima Ahlawat took third place with 20 hits Kirti Gupta led the qualification round with a score of 118 and placed seventh in the finals Rajeshwari Kumari and Aashima Ahlawat scored 114 each Preeti Rajak qualified for the finals with a score of 113 followed by Manisha Keer with 110 The top eight were rounded out by Neeru Dhanda 109 Varsha Varman 107 and Shagun Chowdhary 106Bhowneesh narrowly defeated Prithviraj Tondaiman 2827 to claim the top position in the menâs finals World Cup Final 2024 medallist Vivaan Kapoor finished third with 23 hits Earlier in the qualification Kynan Chenai secured the top spot with a score of 122 to qualify for the finals followed by Prithviraj with 120 Vivaan and Ahvar Rizvi earned the next spots with scores of 119 Bhowneesh Arshad Hasan Khan Ali Aman Elahi and Udaivir Singh Jaijee each scored 118 rounding out the top eight World Championship bronze medallist Zoravar Singh Sandhu also scored 118 but finished outside the top eight due to a cutoff In the junior menâs finals Zuhair Khan who scored 27 finished in first place with a comfortable threehit margin over Lakshya Atree who scored 23 hits Navjeet Bishnoi secured third place with 18 hits Manitwa Singh Rawat who topped the qualification with a score of 120 ended in eighth position Vinay Pratap Singh qualified for the finals in second place with a score of 118 followed by Zuhair Khan with 117 Udhav Singh Rathore and Arjun scored 114 while Lakshya Atree and Syed Ahyaan Ali scored 113 with Navjeet Bishnoi making the top eight with 112 World Cup mixed team medallist Sabeera Haris won the womenâs junior finals narrowly defeating Addya Katyal 2524 Addya led qualifying with a score of 114 while Sabeera secured second place in the finals with 112 Ishika Bhardwaj took third with 19 points after scoring 103 in qualification The top eight also included Darshna Rathore 111 Bhavya Tripathi 109 Tanisska Senthilkumar 108 Tanisha Singh Chandrawat 104 and Nilaa Rajaa Baalu 103 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/manisha-bhowneesh-top-trap-t1-finals-660850.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 02:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/saff-u-19-womens-championship-india-beat-bhutan-8-0-to-set-up-final-clash-with-bangladesh-660858.html Pokhara Feb 4 The Indian U17 womenâs team produced a dominant allround display to defeat Bhutan 80 in their final roundrobin match of the SAFF U19 Womenâs Championship 2026 at the Pokhara Rangasala Stadium on Wednesday securing a place in the tournament final Pearl Fernandes starred with a firsthalf hattrick while Pritika Barman scored twice as the Young Tigresses overwhelmed their opponents with relentless attacking football Alisha Lyngdoh Abhista Basnett and Divyani Linda also found the net in a onesided contestIndia wasted little time asserting control opening the scoring in the sixth minute when Alisha Lyngdoh struck a crisp effort from outside the penalty area The advantage was doubled soon after as Abhista Basnett finished from close range following a cutback from Pritika BarmanPearl Fernandes then took centre stage latching onto a welltimed through ball to make it 30 before Divyani Linda added the fourth with a composed finish at the near post Pritika extended the lead further in the 25th minute converting from the right side of the boxThe pressure continued as Pearl scored twice more before the break completing her hattrick and helping India race into a commanding 70 lead at halftimeIndia made multiple changes after the interval but the tempo remained high The Young Tigresses created several chances striking the woodwork on two occasions before Pritika Barman added her second goal in the final minute rounding off a comprehensive victory She was later named Player of the MatchIndia goalkeeper Munni had a largely quiet outing with the defence keeping Bhutan at bay for most of the match despite one brief moment of danger in the first halfWith this result India finished second in the standings with six points from three matches three behind tabletoppers Bangladesh Earlier in the day Bangladesh defeated hosts Nepal 40 confirming Indiaâs spot in the final Nepal finished third with three points while Bhutan ended the campaign without a pointIndia will now face Bangladesh in the final on February 7 The Indian U17 side is competing in the U19 tournament as part of its preparations for the AFC U17 Womenâs Asian Cup China 2026 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/saff-u-19-womens-championship-india-beat-bhutan-8-0-to-set-up-final-clash-with-bangladesh-660858.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 02:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chhattisgarh-open-akshay-sharma-continues-domination-with-second-straight-bogey-free-60-enjoys-three-shot-lead-660871.html Naya Raipur Feb 4 Akshay Sharma continued his domination at the INR 15 crore Chhattisgarh Open 2026 thanks to a second straight bogeyfree round of nineunder 60 Akshayâs extraordinary second round powered him into a threeshot lead at 18under 120 at the PGTIâs seasonopener being played at the pristine Fairway Golf amp Lake Resort in Naya RaipurHoney Baisoya and Anshul Kabthiyal both overnight tied fourth and two off the lead shot scores of eightunder 61 on Wednesday to move into joint second place at 15under 123Veer Ahlawat one of the leading names in the field was placed tied ninth at 11under 127 The halfway cut was declared at sixunder 132 Fiftyone professionals made the cutAkshay Sharma 6060 the overnight leader by one shot once again equaled the lowest score ever achieved in a single round at the Fairway Golf amp Lake Resort to further consolidate his lead on day two Chandigarhbased Akshay a winner of three professional titles had an errorfree round for the second day runningThe 35yearold Akshay looking to end a fiveyearlong victorydrought picked up five birdies on the backnine which included two 18feet conversions and a narrow miss for a holeinone on the 17th where his tee shot landed inches from the hole This was the third occasion in the tournament that Sharma missed a holeinone by a whiskerAkshay made further gains on the frontnine with two birdies and an eagle landing his iron shots within five feet on all three occasions He missed out on an albatross on the eighth leaving himself a onefoot conversion for eagle Akshay said âIâve been playing so well that it feels like a dream Iâve been hitting it great Before I started my round today I looked up defending champion Shaurya Bhattacharyaâs score and stats from last year Shaurya had totaled 27under for the week and had dropped just one bogey in the tournament That helped me set my goal for the week Iâll look to better Shauryaâs total and make it a bogeyfree weekâItâs all a result of the daily practice that I put in during the newyear break My course management has also been topnotch this week I switched my clubs recently and that has helped raise my game The focus from here on will be on making most fairways and greensâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chhattisgarh-open-akshay-sharma-continues-domination-with-second-straight-bogey-free-60-enjoys-three-shot-lead-660871.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 02:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/blue-tigresses-defeat-zvezda-2005-perm-notch-third-friendly-win-in-turkiye-660899.html New Delhi Feb 4  The Indian senior womenâs national team beat Russian side Zvezda2005 Perm 20 in a friendly match at the SampB Sport Football Complex Serik Antalya Turkiye on Wednesday Anju Tamang scored the early goal in the ninth minute before Lynda Kom Serto netted late on in the 89th to secure the win for the Blue Tigresses who played their fifth friendly in Antalya as part of their preparations for the AFC Womenâs Asian Cup Australia 2026Earlier they registered a 10 victory over German side Hertha BSC Frauen and played out a 00 draw against WFC Spartak Moscow inthe first match of four games friendlies Grace Dangmei scored the decisive goal in the 37th minute to secure the win for the Blue Tigresses as they continued their preparatory campaign in Turkiye ahead of the AFC Womenâs Asian Cup Australia 2026India will play their last game in Turkiye against FK CsÃkszereda Miercurea Ciuc of Romania on February 7 before departing for Australia on February 10 The Blue Tigresses are in Antalya as part of their buildup to the continental tournament and will continue training in Türkiye till the first week of February before shifting base to Perth Australia The Blue Tigresses will kickstart their Asian Cup Group C campaign against Vietnam on March 4 at the Perth Rectangular Stadium followed by matches against Japan on March 7 in Perth and Chinese Taipei on March 10 in Sydney IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/blue-tigresses-defeat-zvezda-2005-perm-notch-third-friendly-win-in-turkiye-660899.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/athletic-bilbao-real-sociedad-into-copa-semis-after-away-wins-660919.html Valencia Feb 5 Inaki Williams scored a 96thminute winner to see Athletic Bilbao beat Valencia 21 to reach the semifinal of the Copa del Rey The forward came on as a substitute to volley home a cross from his brother Nico when it looked as if the game was heading for extra time Xinhua reportsAthletic coach Ernesto Valverde made 10 changes to the side that drew 11 at home to Real Sociedad on Sunday but his side took the lead in the 27th minute when Umar Sadiq flicked Robert Navarros free kick into his own netThe Valencia fans were starting to lose patience when a terrible mistake from Athletic goalkeeper Alex Padilla gifted an equaliserPadilla dropped a simple ball at the feet of Sadiq who bundled it into the net before apologising for his error at the other endAthletic controlled the game in the second half but after Mikel Jaureguizar saw a penalty well saved by Stole Dimitrievski the match looked set for extra time until the Williams brothers combinedThis team always has spirit and that is something we must never lose Reaching the semifinals something Athletic have done a lot lately is a success for us and we hope it will also be a cause for celebration for our fans gaffer Ernesto ValverdeIn the days other quarterfinal Abde Rebbach put Alaves ahead in the eighth minute at home to Real Sociedad who quickly drew level thanks to Mikel OyarzabalToni Martinez restored Alaves lead from the penalty spot after a bad foul from Benat Turrientes after 29 minutesTurrientes made amends when he set up Goncalo Guedes to level in the 76th minute and substitute Orri Oskarsson hit the winner with seven minutes to playOn Tuesday night FC Barcelona won 21 away to secondtier Albacete while Real Betis hosts Atletico Madrid on Thursday ahead of Fridays semifinal draw IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/athletic-bilbao-real-sociedad-into-copa-semis-after-away-wins-660919.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/icc-reveals-broadcast-details-for-mens-t20-world-cup-2026-660938.html Dubai Feb 5 The ICC has unveiled the broadcast plans for the Menâs T20 World Cup featuring 20 teams and 55 matches running from February 7 to March 8 Cohosted by India and Sri Lanka the tournament will be accessible worldwide through TV digital audio and emerging platformsAlongside the main tournament official warmup matches will be broadcast on select TV and digital platforms allowing fans to get an early look at the teams before the opening gameIn India JioStar will broadcast the tournament to fans via Star Sports on linear TV and through the JioHotstar digital platformAll fixtures will be accessible in five languagesâEnglish Hindi Tamil Telugu and Kannadaâon JioStarâs TV and digital coverage with additional regional feeds in Bengali Bhojpuri and Haryanvi available on JioHotstarCoverage in Marathi and Indian Sign Language will also be provided for all team India matches semifinals and the final on JioHotstarBuilding on the success of earlier ICC events a vertical live feed will be offered in English and Hindi on JioHotstar catering to mobilefirst viewersIn addition on JioHotstar viewers will also have the option to enjoy the games in 360 view and via the Multicam feature which allows engagement with the live match from specific POVsvantage points including Hero Stump Battery Field view and MultiViewJioStar has partnered with PVR â Inox for nationwide screenings of multiple matches during the T20 World CupStar Sports will also be accessible to viewers in Sri Lanka Bangladesh Nepal Bhutan and the Maldives through its distribution partners across the subcontinentFor cohost Sri Lanka Dialog TV will serve as the official broadcast partner offering extensive coverage across the island This includes live telecasts on linear TV the ThePaparecom website and the Dialog Play mobile appAdditionally Dialog TV will provide a Sinhala language feed for all matches on both their linear and digital platformsCoverage will be further expanded through Dialog TVâs freetoair partner TV Supreme as well as Sri Lanka Telecoms PEO TV platformFans in the United Kingdom and Ireland can watch the action on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event with digital streaming through NOW Sky Sports will also offer Hindi commentary for the semifinals and the finalFurthermore since Italy is participating in their first ICC Menâs T20 World Cup Sky Italia will broadcast all Italy matches along with the semifinals and the final live on their platformsProteas fans can catch all the live action through SuperSportâs extensive TV and digital services across subSaharan AfricaIn Australia coverage will be on Prime Video with an extra Hindi commentary feed accessible for all India matches semifinals and the finalFans in New Zealand can watch the matches on SKY Sport which will also provide Hindi commentary for all India games including the semifinals and the finalIn Pakistan coverage will be provided by PTV and Myco with support from digital partners Tamasha ARY Zapp and Tapmad Additionally the ICC will create an Urdu commentary feed for Pakistan matches which will be broadcast on PTV Home and streamed by digital partnersWillow TV will continue providing live coverage of ICC events in the United States and Canada All 55 matches will be streamed in both English and Hindi with free access to all USA matches for viewers in the US and Canada These matches will also be available free of charge on Willowâs official YouTube channelCommentary in English and Hindi will be accessible via Willow DTC and CricBuzz DTC platforms while other Willow platforms will carry only the English commentary In partnership with popular social media personality Jomboy Willow will offer fans an alternative commentary option for the USA vs India and USA vs Pakistan matchesIn the UAE and the larger MENA region the tournament will be broadcast on CricLife Max which is accessible via StarzPlay Moreover fans throughout the Middle East can watch StarzPlayâs coverage of the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup on the big screen thanks to partnerships with VOX UAE KSA Kuwait Qatar Bahrain Oman Reel UAE Roxy Cinepolis Star UAE Mukta Bahrain and Epix Cinema BahrainESPN will broadcast all matches live in the Caribbean Islands while the Disney app will stream the event across Latin America Additionally some matches will feature Portuguese commentary on ESPNâs linear TV platforms in BrazilTotal Sports Management Bangladesh will broadcast the event via leading linear channels T Sports amp Nagorik TV as well as on the digital platform RabbitholeAdditional broadcasters include PNG Digicel Pacific Islands Hub Sports 4 Singapore and Lemar TV Afghanistan which will also offer commentary in Pashto and Dari In Nepal Kantipur TV will air the tournament with some matches produced locally in NepaliThe Nepali commentary will also be accessible in certain regions through ICCtv expanding reach to Nepalispeaking viewers In the Netherlands NOS will live stream all matches involving the Netherlands catering to cricket fans in the countryFor viewers in Malaysia and Hong Kong matches can be watched on the CricBuzz channel through their partnerships with Astro Cricket and PCCWAdditionally the tournament will be available inflight and at sea on Sport 24 allowing fans to stay up to date on the action while travellingAll remaining territories will be streamed live and free via the ICCâs own platform ICCtv Besides live match coverage ICCtv will offer commentary in multiple languages including Japanese and Bahasa with some matches also available live on the ICCâs official YouTube channelBesides live video the ICC mobile app will also offer worldwide access to commentary in English In the UK and Ireland BBC will broadcast radio coverage while in Australia listeners can tune into ABC and SENFor Indian audiences All India Radio will offer live audio commentary and in Sri Lanka Derana FM will provide live ballbyball commentary for all matches IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/icc-reveals-broadcast-details-for-mens-t20-world-cup-2026-660938.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/the-leela-maharaja-sawai-man-singh-polo-cup-jaipur-polo-team-beat-suhana-all-stars-660948.html Jaipur Feb 5 Jaipur Polo Team delivered a composed performance to register a 7â45 victory over Suhana All Stars Polo Team in the opening match of The Leela Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Polo Cup Displaying control consistency and attacking clarity across all four chukkers Jaipur set the tone early to secure a deserved winThe contest began at a brisk pace with both teams looking to establish early momentum Jaipur made a confident start combining effective ball movement with sharp finishing to edge ahead 2â15 by the end of the opening chukker while Suhana All Stars remained competitive through disciplined playJaipur continued to build steadily in the second chukker asserting greater control in midfield and capitalising on scoring opportunities Lance Watson led the attacking charge supported well by HH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur as the team extended their advantage to 4â25 at halftimeThe third chukker proved pivotal with Jaipur raising the tempo and tightening their grip on the match Sustained pressure and clinical conversions saw them pull further clear moving to a commanding 6â35 lead by the end of the chukker as Suhana All Stars found it increasingly difficult to break through Jaipurâs structured defenceSuhana All Stars showed resilience in the final chukker adding a goal through their attacking pair to reduce the deficit Jaipur however remained composed managing the game effectively and closing out the contest at 7â45 to seal a strong opening victoryLance Watson starred for Jaipur with four goals supported by HH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur with two goals and Th Bhawani Singh Kalvi with one For Suhana All Stars Polo Team Savir Mehraj Godara and Matias Vial scored two goals each in a spirited effort IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/the-leela-maharaja-sawai-man-singh-polo-cup-jaipur-polo-team-beat-suhana-all-stars-660948.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/vinesh-calls-out-haryana-wrestling-assoc-over-unfair-selection-criteria-for-fed-cup-660959.html New Delhi Feb 5 In a fiery outburst star wrestler Vinesh Phogat has hit out at the Haryana Wrestling Association for what she calls unfair selection criteria for the Federation Cup 2026 Vinesh expressed her frustration over the associations decision to limit trial opportunities to only 2025 senior state medallists and those who participated in international competitions in 2025 She questioned the rationale for excluding 2024 national medallists and those unable to compete in the Senior Nationals 2025 due to age restrictions âThe selection criteria of the Haryana Wrestling Association for the Federation Cup 2026 are completely unfair Giving trial opportunities only to 2025 Senior State medallists and those wrestlers who participated in international competitions in 2025 is a betrayal of thousands of hardworking wrestlers Have the 2024 national medallists suddenly become ineligible Has winning a medal in Sub Junior Nationals now become worthlessHave injured players become criminals Those wrestlers who could not participate in Senior Nationals in 2025 due to the age limit are completely eligible in 2026â Phogat penned on XThe wrestler emphasised that these events are every players dream and lamented that the current rules could prematurely end the careers of wrestlers who have spent years representing their countryThis year there are major tournaments like the Asian Games and the World Championships Playing in such tournaments and bringing medals for the country is every players dream But because of these rules you are eliminating them right now and practically putting a permanent stop to their future This is not just an injustice to the sport but an open mockery of the players lives and struggles Where will our wrestlers go after working hard for so many yearsâ she addedPhogat didnât mince words while claiming that the lack of fair trials at the state level is stifling the growth of new talent in Indian wrestling She strongly advocated for open trials insisting that true talent can only be recognised on the mat Today the situation is such that even at the state level fair trials are not being conducted In such a scenario how will new talent emerge for the country If fair selection is needed then there should be open trials Talent is recognised on the mat and not giving a player a chance to show his talent is a very big betrayal to him she wroteIn her final appeal Phogat urged Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Nayab Saini to intervene and ensure justice for the states wrestlers âHonourable Chief Minister Sir cmohry NayabSainiBJP you should intervene in this matter and ensure justice for the wrestlers of Haryana she concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/vinesh-calls-out-haryana-wrestling-assoc-over-unfair-selection-criteria-for-fed-cup-660959.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-look-forward-to-working-together-says-fifa-prez-gianni-infantino-after-meeting-icc-chief-jay-shah-660964.html New Delhi Feb 5 FIFA president Gianni Infantino has met the International Cricket Council ICC chief Jay Shah in Milan The meeting marks the crossover between two of the most important people in the worlds most popular sports Infantino shared a glimpse of the meeting with Shah through a post on Instagram He lauded Shahs work in the growth of cricket and also wished him luck as cricket is getting back to the Olympics It was my pleasure to meet ICC Chairman Jay Shah today in Milan The outstanding work he has done to grow the beautiful game of cricket is exemplary I wish him and everyone the very best as cricket gets reintroduced to the Summer Olympic Games in two years time he wrote in a postInfantino also expressed his desire to work with Shah to unite the world with the help of sports I also look forward to working together and collaborating as we unite the world through sports he addedCricket is set to return to the Olympics in the 2028 Summer Games to be held in Los Angeles 128 years after its debut in Paris 1900 when Great Britain claimed gold in a oneoff match against FranceAt LA 2028 cricket will return in a much more modern avatar with separate T20 format tournaments for men and women each with its own set of medals gold silver and bronze The competitions for the menâs and womenâs categories will run from 12 July to 29 July The medal matches will be held on 20 July womenâs and 29 July menâs respectivelySix teams will be competing in each of the menâs and womenâs tournaments comprising 28 matches in all A total of 90 athlete quotas have been allocated for each gender allowing every team to name a 15member squadAll cricket matches at the LA 2028 Olympics will be held in a temporary purposebuilt venue at the Fairgrounds in Pomona a city located about 50 kilometres from Los AngelesHowever the qualification scenario for the LA28 Olympics is yet to be decided It is expected that the topic will likely be discussed during the ICCs annual conference in Singapore which will start on July 17 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-look-forward-to-working-together-says-fifa-prez-gianni-infantino-after-meeting-icc-chief-jay-shah-660964.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-women-rally-behind-the-mens-team-ahead-of-t20-world-cup--660966.html New Delhi Feb 5 As the Indian menâs cricket team gears up for the T20 World Cup 2026 the support from their female counterparts is pouring in Members of the Indian womenâs team who made history by clinching the ICC Womenâs ODI World Cup in 2025 have sent heartfelt messages to the menâs team wishing them all the best as they look to defend their title in the upcoming tournament With the Indian mens team entering the tournament as the defending champions having won the T20 World Cup 2024 against South Africa in a thrilling final the encouragement from their female counterparts serves as a reminder of the unity and camaraderie within Indian cricketHarmanpreet Kaur the Indian womenâs captain led the charge by sending a powerful message of support âWishing Team India all the best for T20 World Cup Play with full of your heart enjoy and we all know you are going to win this Wishing all the luckâ she said exuding confidence in the teamâs abilitiesSmriti Mandhana one of the brightest stars in womenâs cricket and the vicecaptain of her team also shared her best wishes and said âWishing the best for the Indian Team looking really good we all are looking forward to another cup But no pressure and hopefully we can play some good cricketâ she stated acknowledging the high expectations surrounding the menâs teamDeepti Sharma who played a crucial role in Indiaâs ODI World Cup victory and was named Player of the Series expressed excitement about the upcoming event in India adding a touch of emotional significance to her message âWishing all the very best this is going to happen in India and it will be very special Go get the cup homeâ the allrounder said highlighting the pride and passion that accompany a home World CupRicha Ghosh the dynamic wicketkeeperbatter for India also sent her best wishes to the menâs team recognising the significance of the World Cup for both teams âWishing you all the very best for the Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 good luck guysâ she expressed sending her encouragement ahead of what promises to be an exciting tournamentThe Indian womenâs team which made history by winning the 2025 ICC Womenâs ODI World Cup for the first time since the tournamentâs inception has shown that the spirit of Indian cricket is united regardless of format or gender While the Men in Blue gear up to kick off their campaign against the USA on Saturday members of the womenâs team are preparing for their multiformat tour of Australia starting on February 15 The Women in Blue will begin their tour with a threegame T20I series followed by as many ODIs and a oneoff Test IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-women-rally-behind-the-mens-team-ahead-of-t20-world-cup--660966.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-two-world-cups-20-years-apart-italy-skipper-wayne-madsens-whirlwind-journey-660977.html New Delhi Feb 5 When Wayne Madsen takes the field at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 9 he will inscribe his name in the history books for more than one reason Apart from being the captain of Italy playing its firstever cricket World Cup match against fellow European nation Scotland Madsen will join a select list of athletes who have featured in World Cups in two different sports But in Madsens case it will also be for different nations Back in 2006 Madsen played in the Hockey World Cup for South Africa in Monchengladbach Germany Twenty years on he will hold a cricket bat instead of a hockey stick when he dons Italys blue jersey in the Menâs T20 World Cup None would have pictured this in their wildest dreams not even those who believe in the stuff of fantasy Italy a footballcrazy nation with a rich history could end up missing the bus to the FIFA World Cup in a year in which its much lessercelebrated cricket team makes its debut on the biggest stage in the shortest format though the football side still has to clear the European playoffsSitting in a hotel in Chennai a day before Italy play a warmup match against UAE at the MA Chidambaram Stadium Madsen is imagining the scene when he walks out with the team sheet in hand in Kolkata for Italyâs first game in a cricket World Cup coming against ScotlandMy Italian heritage means a great deal to me Representing Italy connects family history with professional life Wearing this badge carries responsibility not just to the present team but to the future of Italian cricket Walking out at Eden Gardens will be incredibly specialPride will be the dominant emotion for me pride in the group in the journey and in what Italian cricket has achieved Captaining Italy at a World Cup is a huge honour a great responsibility and one that Iâm extremely excited for says Madsen who has four T20I caps for Italy in an exclusive conversation with IANSThough Madsen was announced as Italyâs captain in November last year the reality of having that leadership armband hit him after arriving in India âI found out on our November tour though I would say the reality only properly sunk in arriving in India and I imagine leading the team out at Eden Gardens will take it up another levelâ he saidFor someone who represented South Africa at the Hockey World Cup and played domestic cricket for KwaZuluNatal Madsen has carved a reputation as one of English county crickets most reliable batters while turning out for Derbyshire He also had stints with London Spirit and Manchester Originals The Hundred Joâburg Super Kings SA 20 Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi PSL and Rangpur Riders BPLBut Madsenâs Italian heritage via his family opened a door that seemed to shut when an England callup didnât come âI genuinely never imagined myself playing in a cricket World Cup This journey has unfolded through commitment opportunity and being part of a group that truly believes in what itâs building Itâs been unexpected but incredibly rewardingâ he saidFrom his hockey days Madsen remembers locking horns with Dilip Tirkey Indias mostcapped menâs player and current Hockey India president during the 2006 World Cup in Germany âHe was a worldclass player and a strong leader You knew immediately you were facing someone of real quality Those encounters are valuable because they force you to raise your own standardsâ he saidThat tournament left an indelible mark on Madsen who had another moment to cherish Scoring the late equaliser against Korea in a 22 draw That tournament taught me a lot about pressure preparation and playing in front of big crowds Those environments demand clarity and composure and the lessons from that experience have stayed with me throughout my careerâ he saidTwenty years later the setting has changed but the stakes still remain high for Madsen âItâs something Iâm very grateful for To experience a World Cup even once is rare doing it in two sports almost 20 years apart puts a lot into perspective It reminds you how fortunate you are and how important it is to enjoy the momentâ he addedThe technical crossover between hockey and cricket is apparent when Madsen showcases a range of different shots sweep reversesweep ramp and uppercut Theres the skill side of things the wrist work sweeping reverse sweeping The biggest takeaway was learning how to stay calm in highpressure situationsWhether itâs hockey or cricket the crowd the expectations and the stakes can be overwhelming if you let them be Playing at the top level in hockey taught me how to manage that he saidMadsenâs years as a midfielder in hockey prepared him for cricket captaincy in ways that might not be immediately visible âVery much so I played a lot in the centre of midfield where you would help to control the press etc just like a captain supporting the bowler in setting his fieldâLeadership is about shared responsibility trust and clarity Those principles donât change with the sport Iâm fortunate to be part of a leadership group where everyone takes ownershipâ he saidItalys success at the European qualifications last July in which they finished second to the Netherlands guaranteed their World Cup debut For a nation where cricket exists in footballs overwhelming shadow visibility at the Menâs T20 World Cup carries transformative potentialâThis team has been built on commitment and belief Players come from different backgrounds and systems but everyone has fully bought into what weâre trying to achieve Thereâs a strong sense of identity and purpose within the groupâItâs a landmark moment Visibility at this level matters enormously When people see Italy competing on the world stage it creates belief and interest This tournament is an important step in the sportâs longterm growth in Italyâ added MadsenItalys Group C draw in the T20 World Cup offers no easy passage Twotime champions England are filled with worldclass players who play IPL regularly Fellow twotime winners West Indies are inconsistent but capable of explosive brillianceNepal are the tournaments dark horses riding a wave of domestic enthusiasm and Scotland stung by their qualifying loss to Italy and coming in place of Bangladesh are keen to spring surprises Managing expectations while maintaining a competitive edge requires careful calibration feels MadsenâWe want to win games and be competitive in every match If we play disciplined smart cricket and back our preparation we give ourselves a chance Our focus is always on performance firstâThe key is routine and clarity Eden Gardens is iconic but once the game begins itâs still cricket Weâre focused on staying present sticking to our plans and enjoying the occasion without being distracted by itâ he addedMadsenâs vision extends beyond the results Italy can conjure up in the T20 World Cup Strong performances would mean more investment in infrastructure pathways systems and a whole lot of beliefBut on February 9 at Eden Gardens Italian cricket gets its moment to shine under the Kolkata sun âI hope this World Cup lays a foundation If it helps create pathways belief and opportunity for the next generation of Italian cricketers then weâve done something meaningfulâ concluded Madsen IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-two-world-cups-20-years-apart-italy-skipper-wayne-madsens-whirlwind-journey-660977.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/gautam-gambhir-seeks-blessings-at-siddhivinayak-temple-ahead-of-indias-t20-wc-opener-660981.html Mumbai Feb 5 Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir visited the Shree Siddhivinayak Temple on Thursday and sought blessings from Lord Ganesha ahead of the sideâs home T20 World Cup campaign He was accompanied by batting coach Sitanshu Hargovindbhai Kotak The Men in Blue will start their title defence on Saturday against the USA when the two sides square off at the iconic Wankhede StadiumEarlier Gambhir visited the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati ahead of the third T20I of the fivematch series against New Zealand and offered prayers at the historic shrine After concluding the third game Gambhir along with Team India players visited Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple in Simhachalam Visakhapatnam before the fourth T20IDefending champions India led by Suryakumar Yadav are among the strongest contenders for the title this year If they succeed the Men in Blue will become the first team to win backtoback T20 World Cups Notably no host nation has ever lifted the T20 World Cup trophy giving India a rare opportunity to rewrite history and denying India both milestones would take something extraordinaryThe sheer depth and class of Indiaâs T20 talent mean this side is a clear step up from the team that went unbeaten across diverse conditions in the USA and the West Indies two years ago This dominant T20 unit last lost a series back in August 2023 well before that World Cup Since the start of the previous tournament India boast a remarkable winâloss ratio of 65 in a format known for its unpredictabilityThe team has prepared remarkably well Led by Suryakumar Yadav they recently won a fivematch T20I series against South Africa and New Zealand reaffirming their dominance over the Proteas On Wednesday they defeated South Africa by 30 runs in the official warmup match and will look to head into their campaign opener against the USA with the same form and momentum IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/gautam-gambhir-seeks-blessings-at-siddhivinayak-temple-ahead-of-indias-t20-wc-opener-660981.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/batc-holders-india-women-qualify-for-qf-despite-2-3-loss-to-thailand-660982.html Qingdao China Feb 5 Defending champions India suffered a 23 loss to Thailand in the second Group Y match of the Womenâs Division of Badminton Asia Team Championships on Thursday Thailand delivered an impressive performance to secure the top position in Group Y while India finished in second place as both teams progressed to the knockout stage of the tournamentIndian women were off to a flying start as world No 42 Tanvi Sharma stunned world No 16 Busanan Ongbamrungphan 2114 1721 2118 in a threegame contest which lastes one hour and three minutes Then the doubles duo of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly moved past Tidapron Kleebyeesun and Nattamon Laisuan 2114 2022 2111 to extend Indias lead to 20 However Thailand managed to regain their footing in the tie when Rakshitha Ramraj was unable to sustain the momentum losing to the 19yearold Pitchamon Opatniputh with scores of 1921 and 1721Thailand managed to level the tie and force a deciding fifth match after Tanisha Crasto and Shruti Mishra were defeated by Hathaithip Mijad and Napapakorn Tungkasatan with scores of 2119 1421 and 1521In the decisive fifth rubber Malvika Bansod was defeated by Pornpicha Choeikeewong with scores of 1821 and 1421 in a match that lasted 40 minutes enabling Thailand to secure the tie and finish at the top of the group The tournament also serves as Asiaâs qualifying event for the Thomas and Uber Cup finals scheduled to be held in Horsens Denmark in AprilMayIndiaâs women are the defending champions while China are the reigning menâs winners Indiaâs men have claimed bronze medals twice in 2016 and 2020On Wednesday India made a fine start to their title defence when they crushed Myanmar 50 in their first game of Group Y IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/batc-holders-india-women-qualify-for-qf-despite-2-3-loss-to-thailand-660982.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-have-to-give-100-pc-in-every-match-aditya-lalage-eyes-strong-comeback-ahead-of-fih-mens-pro-league-660743.html New Delhi Feb 3 Aditya Arjun Lalages path from Puneâs Krida Prabodhini to the international hockey arena has been marked by dedication He first appeared in the senior team against Germany during the 2024 Test series and after two years of honing his skills hes prepared to regain his position Now part of the 33member Senior Men National Coaching Camp in Rourkela Aditya is aiming for a powerful comeback before the FIH Menâs Pro League 202526Adityaâs return to the national team isnât simply about rejoining itâs about demonstrating his growth Reflecting on his time away from the senior squad he emphasizes his dedication to learning and enhancing his attacking skillsIn these two years I learned by watching the seniors and asking them where I needed to improve I focused more on attackingâspecifically goal scoring inside the D There were separate sessions for strikers and I have practiced well on that said AdityaAditya began his hockey journey not on the field but in a movie theatre As a secondgrade student watching Shah Rukh Khanâs Chak De India ignited a dream that would influence his life It wasnt only the victory that inspired him but also the strength of teamworkI watched the whole movie and felt I also want to play for India My favourite scene was the final match where the forwards who didnt talk earlier finally passed the ball to each other to score the winning goal That passion came to me at that time and I decided I have to play hockey only he recalledAditya was initially selected for the state hostel in Pune Krida Prabodhini for his sprinting in the 800m but he preferred hockey to other sports Under Olympian Ajit Lakras mentorship he developed from a promising young athlete into a strategic player ultimately contributing significantly to Indiaâs gold medal victories at the FIH Junior Asia Cup in Oman and the FIH Junior World Cup in Kuala Lumpur in 2023The recently finished Hockey India League HIL served as a valuable learning experience for him While representing the SG Pipers Aditya played alongside international players which helped build his confidence He particularly mentions his exchanges with Argentine striker Tomas Domene as a key influenceI spoke to Tommy Domene about his routine He told me Your speed is good your skill is good If you go inside the D create PCs Penalty Corners and take shots on goal you can score more goals Playing with international stars taught me about their mindsetâhow they handle mistakes and reset during a match Aditya sharedHailing from a state known for legends like Dhanraj Pillay and the Walmiki brothers Aditya is aware of the legacy he inherits He admired Pillay growing up and participated in camps run by Yuvraj and Devindar Walmiki where he learned from their guidance on managing pressureToday in the national camp he finds support in senior forwards like Abhishek Abhishek bhai helps me a lot He tells me Dont take any tension play freely His help has been massive for meAs the Indian team prepares to confront top rivals such as Argentina and Belgium in Rourkela Aditya is focused on his responsibilities He offers speed skills in winning penalty corners and a strong desire to demonstrate his valueFor me the message from the coach is clear use my speed carry the ball into the D and make PCs In every match I have to give my 100 for the teamâwhether it is attacking or defending Aditya said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-have-to-give-100-pc-in-every-match-aditya-lalage-eyes-strong-comeback-ahead-of-fih-mens-pro-league-660743.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pistol-shooters-take-aim-as-india-hope-for-a-strong-start-in-asian-championship--660751.html New Delhi Feb 3 Pistol shooters will take aim at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges here in Delhi as medals in 10m Air pistol events will be decided as competition day one will be underway tomorrow in the Asian Championship RiflePistol Indian shooters led by World Champion Samrat Rana World Cup Final Champion Suruchi Singh Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and Esha Singh will look to give the hosts a strong start in the continental event Four finals will be held on Wednesday including the senior menâs and womenâs along with the finals of Junior and Youth men also Suruchi Singh and Samrat Rana will be one of the favourites to win the gold medal along with Manu Bhaker and Esha Singh in the womenâs eventWorld number four and world silver medallist Ho Ching Shing from Hong Kong lines up as one of the favourites for the womens 10m air pistol She has made the continental final on four occasions winning silver in 2019A dark horse for a medal could be Cheng YenChing of Chinese Taipei ranked 16th in the world The 19yearold had a solid performance of 25th in her debut World Championship and even finished fifth on her ISSF World Cup debut in Munich Thu Vinh Trinh of Vietnam a twotime Asian bronze medallist and twotime Olympic finalist will also feature Current World Champion Samrat Rana will lead the Indian menâs side along with world number two and world bronze medallist Varun Tomar and Sharvan Kumar who finished 12th in the World ChampionshipValeriy Rakhimzhan of Kazakhstan the world number eight and the ISSF World Cup silver medallist from Munich who placed fourth last year in Shymkent Hsieh HsiangChen of Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistans world number 25 Mukhammad Kamalov who placed ninth at the 2025 World Championship will be the main competitors for the Indian shooters Junior and youth athletes will also be in action tomorrow with Jonathan Gavin Antony Mukesh Nelavalli Deaflympics medallist Abhinav Deshwal Himanshu Rana and Priyanshu Yadav taking the field in the Junior category and Darren K Dawn Girish Gupta Abhay Dhama Mandeep Chauhan Dhairya Prashar and Hardik Bansal will be in action in the youth category The hosts have entered the largest squad of 118 athletes with Kazakhstan fielding the second biggest contingent of 35 athletes Regional powerhouses Korea and Japan have also fielded strong squads and Shooters from Chinese Taipei Vietnam and Hong Kong are also expected to put in good performances IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pistol-shooters-take-aim-as-india-hope-for-a-strong-start-in-asian-championship--660751.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 02:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chattisgarh-open-akshay-sharma-takes-first-round-lead-with-a-phenomenal-nine-under-60-660759.html Naya Raipur Feb 3  Akshay Sharma shot a phenomenal nineunder 60 to take the firstround lead at the INR 15 crore Chhattisgarh Open 2026 the PGTIâs seasonopener Akshay Sharma took the early lead as he equaled the lowest score ever achieved in a single round at the Fairway Golf amp Lake Resort in Naya RaipurAkshay who had a nearperfect round and narrowly missed a holeinone on two occasions matched the record for the lowest score at the venue set by Khalin Joshi last yearTwotime PGTI winner Akshay of Chandigarh had a bogeyfree effort on day one that saw him make five birdies on the frontnine and four on the backnine He sank two 15footers for birdiesAkshay said âIt was a dream round being one of those days when every aspect of my game was topnotch â driving ironplay and putting I missed only three greens in regulation today and missed out on holesinone by one foot on two occasions â second and 17th I enjoyed some good form towards the end of last year with a couple of top10 finishes I feel Iâm now building further on that form I also had a good outing in Naya Raipur last year with a top10 finish So Iâm quite familiar with this courseâ Sixteenyearold Kartik Singh fresh from his tied seventh place finish at the PGTI Qualifying School last week and making his DP World PGTI debut made an eagle seven birdies and a bogey on day one to be placed tied secondKartik former India No 1 Junior and Amateur said âIâm feeling great about starting so well in my very first event on the PGTI I came back well after a bogey on the first hole My mindset every day is to shoot a good round and play as well as I can I made a lot of long putts today and chippedin once It is definitely very competitive here on the DP World PGTI and I feel I need to raise my game further to contend hereâEarlier in the day the Honourable Finance Minister of Chhattisgarh Shri O P Choudhary performed the ceremonial teeoff at 830 amAfter the ceremonial teeoff O P Choudhary met with some top professional golfers participating and also interacted with media personsO P Choudhary said âEvents such as the SECL Chhattisgarh Open go a long way in building a positive image for Chhattisgarh and changing the perception of the state Our focus has been on developing Nava Raipur Greenfield Capital City and along with that promoting sports in the state We are expecting many new sporting facilities and academies to come up in Chhattisgarh Developing sports in the state has many benefits as it creates employment inspires young sportspersons showcases the state as a hub of sporting activity and a major tourist destination This in turn attracts investment which leads to economic growth and revenue generation The economic growth in the state can then drive the welfare and social schemes for the massesâWe look forward to welcoming our national sporting icon Shri Kapil Dev President PGTI on the final day of the tournament We thank him for being one of the driving forces behind this event His support and encouragement will be key to making this tournament bigger and better and promoting sports in Chhattisgarh IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chattisgarh-open-akshay-sharma-takes-first-round-lead-with-a-phenomenal-nine-under-60-660759.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 02:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/leverkusen-beat-st-pauli-in-german-cup-quarterfinal-660776.html Berlin Feb 4 Bayer Leverkusen booked a place in the German Cup semifinals with a 30 home win over St Pauli on Tuesday St Pauli started sharply and almost took the lead from their first corner with Martijn Kaars unable to convert in a crowded sixyard areaLeverkusen were sloppy in possession early on and a mistake by goalkeeper Ben Voll later presented Patrik Schick with a clear chance but Karol Mets cleared the effort off the lineThe visitors continued to press Joel Chima Fujita dragged a shot wide from a promising position and was booked for a foul on Exequiel PalaciosLeverkusen controlled possession but lacked tempo and penetration until they went ahead just past the halfhour markSchick was unable to force an opening at the edge of the area yet Martin Terrier reacted quickest in the scramble and drove the ball into the left corner Xinhua reportsSt Pauli had a major opportunity to equalize before the interval After a move down the right Arkadiusz Pyrka pulled the ball back into the area but Kaars missed the target from close rangeAfter the break errors disrupted the flow of the match and St Paulis attacking play became increasingly fragmented as Leverkusen managed the tempoThe hosts doubled their lead in the 63rd minute when Aleix Garcia delivered from the right and Schick finished with his left foot into the right cornerDanel Sinani later registered St Paulis sole attacking effort of the second half Leverkusen remained in control and Jonas Hofmann struck the post with a longrange attemptHofmann eventually added the third goal in stoppage time finishing after a diagonal pass from Alex Grimaldo The victory sends Leverkusen into the last four ahead of the semifinal draw on February 22The semifinals are scheduled for April 21 and 22 with the final to be played in Berlin on 23 MaySt Pauli didnt have the quality to really threaten us even though we didnt play a good game ourselves said Bayer Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich There are a lot of things we need to improve but in the cup its about getting through and thats what we did IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/leverkusen-beat-st-pauli-in-german-cup-quarterfinal-660776.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/arsenal-reach-carabao-cup-final-after-last-gasp-havertz-goal-660779.html London Feb 4 Kai Havertz netted a dramatic late winner as Arsenal reached the Carabao Cup final with a 42 aggregate victory over Chelsea Goals from Viktor Gyokeres Ben White and Martin Zubimendi gave the gunners a onegoal lead going into the second leg clash which saw precious few chances at Emirates StadiumBut as the visitors looked for a late goal gunners broke away and it was former Chelsea man Havertz who rounded Robert Sanchez to give us a 10 win and send Arsenal to Wembley for their first Carabao Cup final in eight yearsCarrying a 32 advantage from the first leg the Gunners began confidently at the Emirates Stadium dictating early tempo and territoryBut with Chelsea setting up in a compact back five clear openings were limited during a cagey first hourBlues boss Liam Rosenior looked to inject a spark by introducing Estevao and Cole Palmer yet Arsenalâs defensive organisation stood firm as they absorbed the visitorsâ growing pressureAnd in the dying moments the decisive moment arrivedSubstitute Havertz â only recently back from injury â latched onto a late break rounded Robert Sanchez with composure and fired home sending the Emirates into raptures and sealing Arsenalâs return to WembleyThe Gunners will now meet either Manchester City or Newcastle United who contest the second leg of their semifinal on Wednesday eveningHaving last appeared in the Carabao Cup Final eight years ago Arsenal will hope this victory marks the beginning of another memorable cup run as they continue to compete on multiple fronts this seasonFollowing the Carabao Cup semifinal success Arsenal will be back in Premier League action in N5 taking on Sunderland onThen on February 12 they head to west London to take on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/arsenal-reach-carabao-cup-final-after-last-gasp-havertz-goal-660779.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/fc-barcelona-ease-past-albacete-to-reach-copa-del-rey-sf-660783.html Madrid Feb 4 Reigning Copa del Rey holder FC Barcelona became the first team to reach the semifinals with a 21 win away to second division side Albacete It is the 16th time in the last 20 years that Barca have reached this stage of the competition and it is now the 62nd time in total a reflection of the consistency of the club in the knockout competition Of the 43 Copa del Rey finals they have played in the blaugranes have won 32 making them the most successful club in the history of the tournamentLamine Yamal put Barcelona ahead in the 39th minute curling a leftfooted shot into the far corner after Marcus Rashford won possession in midfieldWith several changes to its starting lineup Barcelona had struggled to break down a disciplined Albacete defense before the breakthrough Rashford sent a low ball across the face of goal in the third minute and wasted a clear chance five minutes later after being slipped through by Dani Olmo reports XinhuaAlbacete also threatened in the first half Agus Medina shot straight at goalkeeper Joan Garcia while Antonio Puertas twice tested Garcia after turnovers in the Barcelona halfRonald Araujo doubled Barcelonas lead in the 58th minute with a header from a corner Robert Lewandowski should have made it 30 soon after but fired tamely at Raul Lizoain when well placedLizoain later denied Ferran Torres who replaced Lewandowski as the game opened up while Albacete missed opportunities of its own Jefte Betancor headed over when unmarked and then had a goal ruled out for offside in the 84th minuteAlbacete pulled one back in the 87th minute through Javi Morenos diving header to set up a tense finish Torres had a goal disallowed for offside at the other end and Barcelona defender Gerard Martin cleared Fran Gamezs chipped effort off the line to preserve the winTwo more quarterfinals are scheduled for Wednesday with Alaves hosting Real Sociedad and Valencia at home to Athletic Club Real Betis hosts Atletico Madrid on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/fc-barcelona-ease-past-albacete-to-reach-copa-del-rey-sf-660783.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/from-roaring-dangals-to-silent-pits-the-slow-death-of-mud-wrestling-in-delhi-660799.html New Delhi Feb 4 Once the heartbeat of old Delhi traditional wrestling akhadas echoed with the sounds of cheering crowds thudding bodies and the earthy scent of mud Today many of those spaces lie quiet their legacy fading as the cityâs sporting culture shifts and interest in desi wrestling wanesA former Indian wrestler speaking to IANS recalled a time when dangals like the one near Jama Masjid Old Delhi would draw massive gatherings People would travel across the city just to watch boutsâ he said âIt wasnât just a sport â it was community pride and tradition rolled into oneBut the decline has been sharp especially after the Covid19 pandemic Lockdowns disrupted training routines local competitions stopped and many akhadas struggled financially Without steady support several either shut down or now operate with a fraction of their earlier strengthAnother worrying factor the wrestler alleged was the rise of âfixedâ bouts âWhen spectators started feeling that some matches were staged and betting was involved trust brokeâ he said âFans are smart â they can tell when something isnât realâ That erosion of credibility he believes pushed many loyal followers awayIn the chaos genuine talent has suffered most Promising young wrestlers who once saw akhadas as stepping stones to national glory now drift toward other sports or give up entirely due to lack of exposure and financial backingHe insists revival is still possible â but only with serious intervention âThe Delhi government must step in to protect and promote traditional mud wrestlingâ he urged âThese akhadas are part of our cultural heritage If we lose them we lose a piece of who we areâFor now the mud pits wait â silent but not yet forgotten IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/from-roaring-dangals-to-silent-pits-the-slow-death-of-mud-wrestling-in-delhi-660799.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/reigning-world-champion-gukesh-to-play-in-norway-chess-2026-660700.html Stavanger Feb 3 Reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju will compete at Norway Chess 2026 taking his place in the field at one of the worldâs strongest chess tournaments The Indian star comes to Oslo as the youngest undisputed world champion in the history of the game In 2024 Gukesh won the Candidates Tournament before going on to defeat thenWorld Champion Ding Liren securing the world title at just 18 years oldâI am really happy to take part in Norway Chess again fighting against a very strong field as always and looking forward to all the exciting gamesâ said GukeshHis rapid rise includes several historic milestones among them becoming the youngest player ever to cross the 2750 rating mark and earning the Grandmaster title at the age of 12 the thirdyoungest in chess history He has also been a key part of Indiaâs recent success on the international stage At the Chess OlympiadHe won individual gold on board one in 2022 followed by both team gold and individual gold on board one in 2024Norway Chess has already featured defining moments in Gukesh Dâs career At the 2025 edition he finished third and claimed his first classical victory over Magnus Carlsen in a dramatic game that sparked the widely shared tableslam moment and quickly became one of the tournamentâs most talkedabout encountersâHaving Gukesh D return to Norway Chess as reigning World Champion is something we truly value India has become one of the strongest chess nations in the world today and we know many fans will be following Gukesh D closely We hope chess audiences across India will tune in as he competes in Oslo in 2026 says Benedicte Westre Skog COO of Norway ChessIn total 18 of the highestrated players in chess history have competed in Norway Chessâwith Garry Kasparov as the only exception among the alltime greats though he has visited the event twice IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/reigning-world-champion-gukesh-to-play-in-norway-chess-2026-660700.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/mcc-announces-new-edition-of-laws-of-cricket-for-2026-effective-from-oct-1-660710.html London Feb 3 The Marylebone Cricket Club MCC is set to amend the Laws of Cricket by allowing a wider range of bats a move aimed at easing the financial burden on amateur players as the cost of traditional English willow continues to rise As part of a new edition of the Laws due to take effect on October 1 2026 the MCC has introduced an amendment to Law 58 titled Categories of bat The change is one of 73 revisions announced by the gameâs lawmakers and will permit the use of laminated bats known as Type D bats in openage recreational cricket for the first timeUntil now Type D bats which are constructed from up to three pieces of wood have been restricted to junior cricket Under the revised Laws they will be permitted more broadly to address the rising global cost of batsLaminated bats typically feature an English willow face supported by cheaper lowergrade willow such as Kashmir willow By contrast Types A B and C bats are made from a single solid piece of willow The MCC expects elitelevel cricket to continue using these traditional onepiece designsThe law change also opens the door for manufacturers to use nonwillow materials behind the batâs faceMCC Laws manager Fraser Stewart said extensive testing had been carried out alongside bat makers and suggested that any competitive edge from laminated bats would be negligibleâIt is important that we announce these changes now as part of the Clubâs global commitment to the game giving officials from all over the world the chance to learn under the new Laws ahead of them coming into force in October Cricket is a fastevolving sport and this edition is drafted with the modern game in mind as we are constantly looking to ensure that the Laws which the Club has administered since being founded in 1787 are fit for all levels of cricket across the globeâ Stewart said in a statement by MCCâThe Laws subcommittee meets several times each year to shape the Laws and debate what changes are required to every area of the edition The changes announced today represent the way the game continues to evolveâ he addedThe decision follows a conference hosted by the MCC at Lordâs last year where stakeholders from across the game examined the future of bat production A key concern was cricketâs heavy dependence on English willow a resource that has become increasingly scarceDemand from South Asia has driven prices sharply upwards with bat costs reportedly tripling in recent years and some premium models now approaching Â1000The MCC is also understood to be investigating alternative bat materials though officials remain cautious about maintaining the balance of the game and avoiding heightened injury risks Researchers at the University of Cambridge have previously proposed bamboo as a potential substitute for willow while graphitebacked bats outlawed in 2006 and later abandoned by manufacturers have resurfaced in discussionsOther changes to the LawsIn addition to equipment reforms the MCC confirmed that the latest version of the Laws will eliminate gendered language and include clearer wording to assist nonnative English speakersA significant onfield change impacts multiday matches Law 1252 will be revised so that if a wicket falls in the final over of the day play will not end immediately Instead the over must be finishedThis doesnt save time which is the case at lunch and tea as the remaining balls need to be made up the next day and it takes the drama out of the game the MCC saidBall regulations are also changing Under Law 41 junior and womenâs cricket balls will now fall within stricter standardised size and weight limits The game will operate with three defined ball sizes 1 2 and 3 to ensure greater consistencyAdditional amendments includeLaw 1952 now bans socalled âbunny hopâ boundary catches by limiting fielders to a single airborne touch after returning from beyond the boundary Any further contact must be made entirely within the field of playLaw 2731 permits wicketkeepers to have their gloves in front of the stumps during the bowlerâs runup provided they are fully behind the stumps at the moment of releaseRevised wording in Laws 151 and 152 prevents captains from declaring the final innings of a matchClarifications to Laws 1851 and 1852 mean batters may abandon a run without penalty unless the act is deemed deliberately deceptive In such cases the fielding side is awarded a penalty and chooses which batter faces the next deliveryLaw 198 now distinguishes intentional throws at the stumps classed as overthrows from ordinary misfields which no longer count as suchLaw 20111 gives umpires greater discretion in calling the ball dead allowing it to be deemed settled when stationary or held by any fielder not just the bowler or wicketkeeperSince 1787 the MCC has overseen and safeguarded the Laws of Cricket and these recent updates aim to strike a balance between tradition and the needs of a changing more sustainable affordable and clear global game IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/mcc-announces-new-edition-of-laws-of-cricket-for-2026-effective-from-oct-1-660710.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/indias-no-1-rutuja-bhosale-headlines-doubles-main-draw-for-mumbai-open-wta-125k-series-660713.html Mumbai Feb 3 The Doubles Main Draw for the fifth edition of the Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series was revealed at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association MSLTA on Tuesday Indiaâs Rutuja Bhosale will team up with Thailandâs Peangtarn Plipuech seeded number one in the tournament scheduled from February 4 to 8 at MSLTA Indiaâs No 4 and No 5 Womenâs Doubles players Ankita Raina and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty will team up to face Franceâs Leolia Jeanjean and Japanâs Naima Karamoko Meanwhile Indiaâs No 2 Womenâs Doubles player Prarthana Thombare will partner with 21yearold Alevtina Ibragimova They will compete against the second seed pair Elena Pridanika ranked World No 75 in Doubles and Polina Iatcenko Rutuja aims to win this tournament having nearly advanced in her last two eventsâreaching the semifinals at the Maharashtra Open and finishing as RunnerUp in the WTA 125K Series in Jinan China She and Plipuech will face Thailandâs Mananchaya Sawangkaew and Argentinaâs Nicole Fossa Huergo Speaking about the Mumbai Open happening at the MSLTA the 29yearold said âI have been playing at MSLTA since I was 10 years old so to see a WTA event happening here it simply feels unreal Itâs extremely exciting to see venues like the MSLTA provide a platform for the growth of tennis in Indiaâ Prarthana Thombare the runnerup in the last edition aims to build on her recent success at the Mumbai Open After an impressive 2025 which saw her reach the semifinals of the WTA 125K Series in Turkey and finish as the runnerup in WTA Newport USA she is eager to capitalize on the support of her home crowd advantage Speaking about playing in the Mumbai Open Thombare said âItâs very enjoyable and joyful to be playing in India especially in Maharashtra Its a very special tournament itâs my fourth year Itâs great to be back in Mumbai for another edition and hopefully I can lift the trophy this timeâ Darja Semenistaja the 2024 Singles champion will compete in doubles alongside Zuzzana Pawlikowska facing Japanâs Hiroko Kuwata and South Koreaâs Sohyun Park Mananchaya Sawangkaew last seasonâs Singles Runner Up and Leolia Jeanjean the current third seed in the Singles draw will also participate in the doubles event IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/indias-no-1-rutuja-bhosale-headlines-doubles-main-draw-for-mumbai-open-wta-125k-series-660713.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/yuki-bhambri-attains-career-high-world-no-20-atp-mens-doubles-rankings-660718.html Chandigarh Feb 3 Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri has climbed to a careerhigh ranking of world No 20 in the latest ATP Rankings making him the first Indian mens doubles player to break into the Top 20 after Rohan Bopanna With a significant jump from his previous rank of 22 Bhambri has officially broken into the elite Top 20 of the ATP doubles standings for the first time in his careerThis ranking leap comes on the back of an impressive run of form for the 33yearold who has featured in multiple ATP Tour finals and made deep runs at Grand Slam tournaments Partnering with Swedenâs Andre Goransson Bhambri produced an excellent showing at the first Grand Slam of the year the Australian Open in Melbourne reaching the third round to collect the ranking points necessary to push him past the threshold After dismissing local wildcards James Duckworth and Cruz Hewitt in the opener Bhambri and Goransson staged a dramatic comeback against Santiago Gonzalez and David Pel in the second round winning 46 76 5 63 They narrowly lost to the Brazilian duo Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos in a tightly contested match in the next round 677 36Bhambri who is a Roundglass Tennis Academy athlete has been steadily progressing since the 2025 season when he reached the US Open semifinals alongside New Zealands Michael Venus where they were narrowly edged out by the fourthseeded British duo of Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski after holding a set and break advantageIn March 2025 Bhambri claimed his first ATP 500 title at the Dubai Tennis Championships partnering Australias Alexei Popyrin The pair came from a set down and saved four match points to defeat reigning US Open and Australian Open doubles champions Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten 36 7612 108 in a thrilling final Earlier in the season Bhambri also became Indias No 1 doubles player ending veteran Rohan Bopannas remarkable 286week reign at the topHe is currently scheduled to play the ATP 500 swing in the Middle East using these highertier tournaments to push toward further ATP ranking gains and later join the Indian squad for the Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/yuki-bhambri-attains-career-high-world-no-20-atp-mens-doubles-rankings-660718.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/jamaal-lascelles-leaves-newcastle-after-11-years-joins-leicester-city-660726.html Leicester Feb 3 The 32yearold centre back Jamaal Lascelles has put an end to his 11year journey at Newcastle United as he joined Leicester City on Tuesday The defender has signed a deal until the end of the 202526 season to stay at Leicester Jamaal arrives in Leicester with a wealth of topflight experience having spent a decade in the Premier League and captaining Newcastle United across multiple seasonsJamaal initially joined Newcastle from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2014 alongside goalkeeper Karl Darlow but returned to the City Ground on loan for the 201415 season He made his mark after returning to Tyneside gradually forcing his way into the firstteam picture during the latter half of the 201516 campaignWith his spectacular performance Jamaal earned the Newcastle captains armband under then manager Rafa BenÃtez in the latter half of the 2015 season He went on to lead the club to the 201617 Championship title guiding United back to the top flight and establishing himself as a regular presence in the Premier League in the seasons that followedThe defender also played a key role in Newcastleâs recent resurgence most notably captaining the side in their historic 41 Champions League victory over Paris SaintGermain in October 2023 Although injury sidelined him for much of last season Jamaal continued to be an influential figure within the squadâs leadership groupNewcastle posted an emotional tribute to their former captain Everybody at Newcastle United wishes Jamaal the very best of luck for the future and thanks him for his outstanding contribution to the club He will always be welcome at St James Park said the club in a statementJamaal felt excited about joining Leicester for the rest of the season âIâm buzzing to get through the door Itâs a great setup here with huge support and the facilities are fantastic I just canât wait to help out as much as I can try to push us up the league and meet the boys tomorrowâ he said in a video released by the club IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/jamaal-lascelles-leaves-newcastle-after-11-years-joins-leicester-city-660726.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ancelotti-keeps-brazil-world-cup-squad-open-660635.html Rio de Janeiro Feb 3 Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti said he is close to finalising his squad for this years FIFA World Cup but left the door open for adjustments With much of the European season still to be played Ancelotti said there was time for players to push late claims for selectionIt is not closed the Italian said at an event in Rio de Janeiro I have said before that Brazil is lucky to have many good players The list is not closed but we are close to the final list There are some positions that are not 100 definedAncelotti praised the Brazilian Football Confederation CBF for its pretournament planning The CBF announced last month that Brazil would be based in New Jersey using the modern Columbia Park complex in Morristown as its main training facilityI think at this moment we have very good logistics a fantastic training center a very private hotel to work well the 66yearold saidThe CBF allowed us to focus on the technical side and gave us peace of mind to work well for the World Cup which is very important We are preparing with positivity and optimismThe World Cup will be played from June 11 to July 19 in the United States Mexico and CanadaBrazil will begin its Group C campaign against Morocco on June 13 before facing Haiti on June 19 and Scotland on June 24Ancelottis team will prepare for the tournament with friendlies against France in Boston on March 26 and Croatia in Orlando five days laterThe CBF is also reportedly close to confirming a friendly against Panama in late May and a final warmup match against Egypt in the United States on June 6 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ancelotti-keeps-brazil-world-cup-squad-open-660635.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/im-here-to-bring-energy-and-goals-says-larsen-on-on-palace-move-660640.html London Feb 3 Crystal Palace have announce the signing of Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a clubrecord deal worth 48 million pounds The 25yearold Norway international has signed a fourandahalf year contract He will wear the No 22 shirt for the Eagles and becomes their third arrival of the January transfer windowIm really excited to come to Crystal Palace Its been something Ive wanted to do for a long time now Im here to bring energy and goals and to try to do my best for the club Larsen saidâI feel like its what I need and hopefully what the club needs as well Im here to bring energy goals and to try and do the best for the club Thereâs obviously many things to look into when you are changing clubs But Iâm looking at what the club wants from me â and what the club is looking to do in the futureâIâm coming in to hopefully help win some games and bring the team back to where it was at the start of the season because obviously that was amazing It just shows Palace can definitely be there in the top half and should be there Hopefully thatâs what I can do he addedLarsen has spent the last yearandahalf with Wolves following two seasons at Celta Vigo Adapting to English football with ease he scored 14 Premier League goals in 35 appearances during his first season at Molineux in 202425Chairman Steve Parish said Weâre delighted that Jorgen has chosen to continue his impressive journey with us and look forward to seeing him in action at Selhurst Park Iâm sure he will prove himself a valuable asset for years to comeâHe made his senior debut for Norway in November 2020 and has since become a regular at international level winning 24 caps and scoring four goals IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/im-here-to-bring-energy-and-goals-says-larsen-on-on-palace-move-660640.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-just-ran-out-of-time-says-cummins-on-missing-t20-world-cup-660651.html New Delhi Feb 3 Australiaâs fastbowling spearhead Pat Cummins has revealed that he came very close to being part of the T20 World Cup 2026 squad but a minor delay in his recovery ruled him out of the final 15team squad Cummins was replaced by Ben Dwarshuis in Australiaâs squad for the mega tournament which begins on February 7 due to an ongoing back issue The rightarm pacer said he was feeling good physically but simply did not have enough time to complete his recoveryIt was really unfortunate I feel pretty good just a minor setback and just ran out of time really Ill rest up for a few weeks and go from there Cummins said to AAP as quoted by the ICCThe Australian captain explained that after the Adelaide Test the medical team felt his back needed between four and eight weeks of rest before he could build up his workload againWe knew after the Adelaide Test match we were going to need somewhere between four and eight weeks to let the bone settle right down before then building back up Initially we thought it might only be four weeks because I was feeling really good but just had a followup scan he saidThey thought it probably needed another couple of weeks so the timeline just became a bit too tight he addedCummins is now hopeful of returning to competitive action during the Indian Premier League IPL in March but stressed that his main focus is being fully fit for a busy test calendar later in the yearAustralia has a packed schedule ahead with home tests against Bangladesh an away series in South Africa followed by multiple matches against New Zealand and India before the current World Test Championship cycle endsWe thought the first half of the year was a pretty good time to be conservative with the amount of cricket thats coming up Well get it right then hopefully that will mean you wont have to worry about it and you can just go out and play all those Test matches he explainedWhereas if youre not careful with it now and it flares up youre chasing your tail a bit Cummins addedDespite missing the World Cup Cummins backed Australia to perform strongly in the tournament He said the recent T20I series loss to Pakistan does not reflect the true quality of the squadIt wasnt our greatest few games in Pakistan but the guys are coming off a strong Big Bash and a couple of guys are coming back from injury for the World Cup Cummins saidMorale is good Chatting to a few of the boys from afarâ they know how big it is theyre desperate to get started and get into it he addedThe 2021 T20 World Cup champions will face Ireland Zimbabwe Oman and cohosts Sri Lanka in their groupstage matches IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-just-ran-out-of-time-says-cummins-on-missing-t20-world-cup-660651.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-to-host-asian-riflepistol-cship-in-2027-with-8-la-olympic-quotas-on-offer-660656.html New Delhi Feb 3 India will host Asian RiflePistol Championship in 2027 with eight LA 2028 Olympic quotas on offer the Asian Shooting Confederation said The competition will take place from December 1 to 10 here at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting RangeThe Asian RiflePistol Championship 2027 will be organised by the National Rifle Association of India NRAI from 01 to 10 December 2027 at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges in NewDelhi IndiaThe championship will hold added significance as 8 Asian continental quota places for the LA Olympic Games 2028 will be distributed during the event ASC said in a releaseQuota places are allocated to NOCs except when obtained through the Olympic Ranking or universality places in which case they are allocated to athletes by nameIndia had obtained the maximum possible 16 quotas eight each in the rifle and pistol from the Olympic shooting qualifying events for Paris 2024 India sent a record 21 shooters to the Olympics Games in 2024 a massive jump from the 15 shooters at Tokyo Indian shooters won three medals all bronze at the Paris 2024 OlympicsCurrently India are looking for plenty of home success as New Delhi gets set to host the Asian Shooting Championship RiflePistol from February 2 to 14 The hosts have assembled the largest team with 118 athletes while Kazakhstan is the secondlargest with 35 athletesRegional powerhouses Korea Iran and Japan have also brought strong squads and shooters from Chinese Taipei Vietnam and Hong Kong are anticipated to perform wellUnsurprisingly India brings the largest contingent to the competition at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges with 118 athletes entered â over a third of the total 311 athletes Kazakhstan also bring a strong presence with 35 athletes while Iran have registered 28In total the championship will feature athletes from 20 countries with 564 starts across the competition IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-to-host-asian-riflepistol-cship-in-2027-with-8-la-olympic-quotas-on-offer-660656.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/organisers-to-launch-pro-wrestling-league-based-gaming-app-to-keep-fans-engaged-pwl-chairman-dayaan-farooqui-660581.html Noida Feb 2 The Pro Wrestling League PWL is set to enter a new phase of growth with plans to introduce the GrecoRoman style in future editions of the tournament Chairman and Promoter Dayaan Farooqui confirmed that discussions are already underway to expand the leagueâs format and incorporate additional elements that can further elevate its global stature The announcement comes on the back of a highly successful PWL 2026 season which concluded on Sunday with Haryana Thunders clinching the title after edging past Delhi Dangal Warriors 54 in a thrilling final The finale drew a packed house underscoring the leagues growing popularity and wrestlingâs strong connection with Indian audiencesSpeaking about the leagueâs roadmap Farooqui revealed that GrecoRoman wrestling could soon become an integral part of PWLâs structure alongside freestyle boutsâIn the coming time this will be fully taken into consideration when further modifications are made to introduce GrecoRoman wrestling with two bouts in GrecoRoman style and the remaining bouts in freestyle For us this is only the beginning From February 2 when we meet we will consider how more elements can be incorporated into this We have already announced that we will launch a gaming app for the Pro Wrestling League in the near future We will not stop here this is just the start of our journey and we will plan how much bigger we can make itâ Farooqui told IANSHe emphasised that the leagueâs vision extends well beyond the competition mat With initiatives such as a dedicated gaming app in the pipeline PWL aims to deepen fan engagement and build a longterm ecosystem around the sportReflecting on the response from fans Farooqui said the overwhelming support has been the leagueâs biggest reward particularly after a sixyear hiatus âThe happy faces of the people are our true victoryâthe enthusiasm and passion that has emerged among them I have always said that this is a sport that does not need to be explained It is a sport in our country and is deeply connected to our nation and it has always brought us medals at the Olympics We have received a very positive response After six years this return has been special for us and today the final was completely sold outâthere was absolutely no space left to sit These things motivate us even more and we hope that in the time ahead the public will continue to give us the same love and support helping to take the Pro Wrestling League forwardâThe successful comeback has also caught the attention of the international wrestling community Representatives from United World Wrestling UWW the sportâs global governing body were present during the event and expressed keen interest in deeper collaboration with the leagueâWe received a very positive response from all the UWW representatives who were present They say they would like to send more of their wrestlers to compete in India as it would give them excellent exposure It is a matter of great pride for us that they are saying their foreign players would gain exposure by competing in India Through this tournament our aim was to give exposure to Indian wrestlers In the coming time we will see participation in even bigger and better international tournamentsâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/organisers-to-launch-pro-wrestling-league-based-gaming-app-to-keep-fans-engaged-pwl-chairman-dayaan-farooqui-660581.html Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/jaipur-polo-team-reach-final-of-kognivera-cup-with-a-hard-fought-win-over-optiemus-achievers-660480.html Jaipur Feb 1 In a fiercely contested semifinal Jaipur edged past Optiemus Achievers 8â7 to seal their place in the final of the KogniVera Polo Cup being played in Jaipur The match flowed with shifting momentum across all four chukkers with both sides trading goals consistently Jaipur showed greater composure in crucial late moments while Optiemus relied heavily on their powerful striking duo Ultimately Jaipurâs balanced attackâanchored by Lance Watson and HH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipurâproved decisive in clinching victoryOptiemus Achievers opened the scoring early through Daniel Otamendi striking twice at 240 and 540 Jaipur managed to pull one back via Lance Watson at 705 closing the chukker at Jaipur 1 â 2 OptiemusIn the second chukker Jaipur levelled through HH Jaipur at 150 and Lance Watson at 705 Optiemus answered through Dhruvpal Godara 400 maintaining a narrow lead The score moved to Jaipur 3â3 Optiemus by halftimeThe third chukker saw Jaipur come out with renewed energy with HH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur scoring four goals at 045 505 600 and 630 and Lance Watson added another at 705 The third chukker ended with a scoreline of 83 in favour of JaipurThe final chukker unfolded into a tense period with Optiemus trying to mount a comeback via three from Dhruvpal Godara and one from Shamsheer Ali but Jaipur held on to end the game at 87 progressing to the final of the Kognivera CupHH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur emerged as the top scorer of the game with five goals and Lance Watson equally supported with three goals to his nameJaipur Polo Team will now face V Polo in the final of the Kognivera Cup today at 330 PMThe Jaipur Polo Team comprises skilled and dedicated players who carry forward a legacy deeply rooted in the royal traditions of Jaipur Known for their precision teamwork and passion for the sport the team remains a formidable presence on the field consistently striving for excellence and representing the pride of Jaipur with every match they playOn Friday Jaipur Polo Team continued to ride the momentum to register a comprehensive 955 victory over Chandna Polo in a wellcontrolled encounter Displaying attacking cohesion disciplined structure and composure across all four chukkers Jaipur asserted its dominance to record another assured win in the tournament IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/jaipur-polo-team-reach-final-of-kognivera-cup-with-a-hard-fought-win-over-optiemus-achievers-660480.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 12:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/anahat-singh-reaches-final-of-squash-on-fire-in-washington-660496.html Chennai Feb 1 Indias teenage star Anahat Singh reached her maiden final of a PSA Bronzelevel event at the Squash on Fire Open in Washington with a 31 victory over Sabrina Sobhy of the US The Indian World No 31 stunned the American World No 23 119 113 911 115 in the semifinals and will meet top seed and World No 10 Georgina Kennedy of England for the title The player from New Delhi is the seventh seed in this eventEarlier Anahat fought back from 20 down to beat No 2 seed Sana Ibrahim and reached the semifinals of the Squash on Fire Open on SaturdayThe Indian world No 31 and seventh seed fought her way back into the contest overturning a 65 deficit in both the third and fourth games to edge out the Egyptian world No 17 811 811 117 118 117 in the PSA Bronzelevel eventAnahat 17 has already made a name for herself on the PSA Tour this season most notably reaching the semifinals of the Silverlevel Canadian Womenâs Open in October climbing up inside the worldâs top 30 soon afterwardsAnahat has been in great form for the last couple of months finishing runnerup in the British Junior Open helping the Indian team to a historic victory in the firstever Squash World Cup and winning the title in the Daly College Cup PSA event in IndoreIndian top seed Anahat Singh lost in four close games in the womenâs Under19 final at the prestigious British Junior Open squash held at the University of BirminghamAnahat ranked 29th in the world was defeated in the final by French second seed Lauren Baltayan with scores of 911 117 311 911 She was competing in her ninth BJO final across different age groupsShe advanced to her first womenâs under19 final at the prestigious squash tournament winning her semifinal match 118 117 119 over Egyptâs Malika El Karaksy 34 in just 28 minutes IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/anahat-singh-reaches-final-of-squash-on-fire-in-washington-660496.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 14:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/thailand-masters-devika-sihag-wins-maiden-super-300-title-after-goh-jin-wei-retires-660520.html Bangkok Feb 1 Young Indian badminton player Devika Sihag has etched her name in the history books as she won the womenâs singles crown at the Thailand Masters Super 300 tournament on Sunday Devika has become only the third Indian shuttler after stalwarts PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal to win a womens singles title in a Super 300 The 20yearold shuttler from Haryana was declared the winner after her opponent Malaysiaâs Goh Jin Wei retired hurt during the final due to a hamstring problemDevika was in complete control of the match and had already taken the opening game with a big margin of 218 before building a strong lead of 63 in the second game when the match was stoppedThe Thailand Masters which carries a prize purse of USD 250000 is part of the BWF World Tour Super 300 circuit and marks a breakthrough for the young IndianDevika showed calmness and maturity throughout the tournament defeating higherranked opponents starting with Ashmita Chaliha in the first round and then taking down eighth seed Tung CiouTong and top seed Supanida Katethong on the way to the final The 20yearold did not drop a single game through the tournament producing a series of assured performances against a strong international field Her standout moment came in the quarterfinals where she knocked out top seed Supanida Katethong setting the tone for a dominant march to the titleGoh Jin Wei a former world junior champion and currently ranked inside the top 70 struggled to move freely during the final before deciding to withdraw allowing Devika to seal the title the Badminton Association of India BAI informed in a release on SundayDevika has shown steady progress on the international badminton circuit with consistent performances over the past few seasons She won her first international title at the Malaysia International in August 2025 and later played a key role in Indiaâs mixed team that secured a bronze medal at the 2025 World University GamesHer strong run continued in the following season where she reached the final of the Indonesia Masters Super 100 In 2024 Devika featured in four title matches winning championships at the Swedish Open and the Portugal International while finishing as the runnerup at the Estonian International and the Dutch International IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/thailand-masters-devika-sihag-wins-maiden-super-300-title-after-goh-jin-wei-retires-660520.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/la-liga-2025-26-barcelona-win-in-elche-as-atletico-drop-more-points-away-from-home-660455.html Madrid Feb 1 FC Barcelona ensured they will retain their lead at the top of La Liga after a 31 win away to Elche as they maintained their advantage in the Spanish top division football over archrivals Real Madrid Lamine Yamal put Barcelona ahead early and his side then went on to hit the woodwork three times before the break before Alvaro Rodriguez took his chance to level the score for ElcheFerran Torres who had twice hit the woodwork put Barcelona back in front and although Raphinha was forced out with a groin problem his substitute Marcus Rashford netted Barcelonas third with a rightfoot shot in the 71st minuteSecondplaced Real Madrid play Rayo Vallecano on Sunday at lunchtime Madrid are four points adrift of Barcelona who now have 55 pointsAtletico Madrid dropped two points in a 00 draw away to Levante in a game in which Atletico striker Alexander Sorloth had to be taken to the hospital after a clash of heads Gerard Moreno scored a penalty and a header from a corner as Villarreal had a 22 draw away to Osasuna who drew level thanks to the impressive Victor MunozIlyas Chairas 73rdminute tapin saw Oviedo win 10 at home to Girona for their third victory of the season which ended a winless run of 14 matches Veteran midfielder Santi Cazorla started the move with Thiago Fernandez setting up Chaira to score against his former clubAlaves won 21 away to Espanyol on Friday night to climb into midtable and extend Espanyols run of poor form The club announced on Saturday that they had signed Finnish defender Ville Koski from Croatian side NK Istra for the remainder of the seasonBarcelona lead the table with 55 points from 22 matches while Real Madrid are second with 51 points from 21 matches Atletico Madrid are third with 43 points from 22 matchess and Villarreal are on 42 points from 21 matches Espanyol who have 34 points from 21 matches are fifth in the standings IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/la-liga-2025-26-barcelona-win-in-elche-as-atletico-drop-more-points-away-from-home-660455.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/he-plays-the-way-we-do-ishan-kishan-backs-alcaraz-in-australian-open-final-660465.html Thiruvananthapuram Feb 1 India wicketkeeperbatter Ishan Kishan has backed Carlos Alcaraz to win the menâs singles final against Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open 2026 saying the young Spaniardâs attacking instincts and fearless shotmaking closely resemble the way Indian cricketers approach their game âI personally want Alcaraz to win because I feel that the way he plays is very much like how we playâ Kishan said in a video released by BCCI on X âHeâs a bit quick Whenever thereâs a gap he tries to hit it He doesnât lookâ he doesnât show that much patienceâ he addedKishan believes Alcarazâs natural aggression and willingness to seize opportunities make him an exciting prospect in big matches even against a seasoned champion like Djokovic He also said that Alcaraz is aiming for his first Aus Open title so he should win itâSo that is with Alcaraz Itâs very important for Alcaraz to win because heâll have his first Australian Open So I am with Carlito he saidContrary to Kishan Indias fast bowler Arshdeep Singh wants Djokovic to win the title clash I am supporting Iceman Djokovic he saidThe Australian Open final sets up a highstakes clash between two generations with Alcaraz and Djokovic both chasing a historic milestone of their ownVictory in Melbourne would see the 22yearold Spaniard complete a rare career Grand Slam having already won the French Open Wimbledon and the US Open He will also become the youngest man ever to achieve this feat eclipsing the record held by his compatriot Rafael Nadal who completed the set at 24Standing in his way is Djokovic who is not just playing for another title he is seeking to stand alone as the most successful Grand Slam player in the history of the sport male or female A victory would secure Djokovics 25th Grand Slam title moving him past Margaret Court 24 for the most major singles titles in history The final will be played at Rod Laver Arena Melbourne on SundayMeanwhile Kishan and Arshdeep were both the standout performers for India in the fifth T20I played at Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday While Kishan played a magnificent knock of 103 runs Arshdeep took a fivewicket haul which helped India secure a 46run win against New Zealand IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/he-plays-the-way-we-do-ishan-kishan-backs-alcaraz-in-australian-open-final-660465.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 11:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/usman-tariq-trolls-cameron-green-after-chucking-gesture-in-pakistan-vs-australia-2nd-t20i-660477.html Lahore Feb 1 Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq responded sharply on social media after Australian allrounder Cameron Green appeared to question his bowling action during the second T20I match played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday Tariq posted a meme on Instagram on Sunday suggesting that Greenâs reaction was driven by frustration following his dismissal Though he did not mention Green by name the timing and message of the post were widely seen as a clear response to the onfield incidentThe incident occurred in the 11th over of Australiaâs chase when Green was dismissed while trying to play an aggressive shot against Tariq As he walked back to the pavilion Green was caught on camera making a hand gesture that many interpreted as an accusation of âchuckingâ The gesture quickly became a talking point among fans on social media with some demanding a ban on the Pakistan bowlerTariq is known for an unusual bowling action that includes a brief pause before releasing the ball He has faced scrutiny in the past and was reported twice for a suspect action during the Pakistan Super League PSL However on both occasions he was later cleared after undergoing testingTariq was also embroiled in a chucking row ahead of the ILT20 final in the United Arab Emirates forced to defend his unconventional action which he claimed fell within all allowable 15degree parameters of elbow straighteningSpeaking of the match coming to bat after winning the toss Pakistan posted a mammoth total of 198 runs in 20 overs with the help of skipper Salman Aghas knock of 76 and wicketkeeper batter Usman Khan who scored 53 runsAustralia looked clueless throughout the chase and was bundled out for just 108 runs in 154 overs Green was the lone player to cross the 30run mark With this win Pakistan has clinched the threematch series by winning the first two matches IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/usman-tariq-trolls-cameron-green-after-chucking-gesture-in-pakistan-vs-australia-2nd-t20i-660477.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 12:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/max-downman-signs-pre-contract-agreement-with-arsenal-660289.html London Jan 30 16yearold football star Max Downman will continue his stay at the Emirates Stadium as he has signed a precontract agreement with Arsenal on Friday Downman will sign his first professional contract with the club when he turns 17 on New Years Eve this year Dowman made his debut for Arsenalâs U18 team at just 13 years of age and became the youngest player to register a goal in the UEFA Youth League when hitting the net in that competition aged 14âThis means everything to my family We all support Arsenal and I really feel like I belong here Iâd like to thank all my coaches teammates and most importantly my family and friends who have got me to where I am today Max said on signing the precontract as quoted by Arsenals official pageâIâve been at the club my whole life so this really means a lot Thereâs such a clear pathway here for players who have come through our academy like Bukayo Myles and Ethan who all really inspire me Itâs amazing to have role models so close who have experienced the same thing that I have Iâm now so excited to continue to work hard with my developmentâ he addedArsenals coach Michael Arteta also congratulated the young footballer on the precontract agreementItâs a proud moment to see him sign that deal in front of his family and his loved ones Big credit to everybody thatâs been involved in that journey with him to bring him all the way to the first team and especially the manner in which theyâve done it Now we have an amazing talent that day by day I think we need to shape because thereâs so much there he said in a press conference ahead of the Premier League clash against Leeds UnitedDespite his young age Dowman has already made five appearances for Arsenalâs first team and even provided an assist in a match against Leeds Dowman also featured in a Champions League fixture against Slavia Prague playing 18 minutes on the pitch IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/max-downman-signs-pre-contract-agreement-with-arsenal-660289.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-2026-icc-announces-24-match-official-for-group-stage-660292.html Dubai Jan 30 The International Cricket Council ICC on Friday announced the match official for the group stage of the Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 beginning February 7 In total 24 officials will serve as onfield umpires and six will be match referees during the group stage of the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026The officials for the Super Eight and knockout stages will be announced laterKumar Dharmasena and Wayne Knights will be the onfield umpires for the opening match between Pakistan and the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in ColomboThis match will mark Knightsâ first appearance at an ICC Menâs T20 World Cup while Dharmasena continues to add to his extensive tournament experienceDharmasena was part of Sri Lankaâs ICC Menâs Cricket World Cupwinning team in 1996He has officiated in 37 matches at the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup including the finals in 2016 and 2022 This achievement places him fourth on the alltime list for matches officiated in the competitionKnights will also reach a significant milestone during the Group A match as he officiates his 50th T20 International as an onfield umpire On the opening day in Kolkata Nitin Menon and Sam Nogajski will take charge of the Group C match between Scotland and the West IndiesMenon was part of the onfield umpire team for the first semifinal of the 2024 Menâs T20 World Cup between Afghanistan and South Africa Nogajski officiated four group matches at the previous edition including Indiaâs match against the USAIndia and the USA will meet later on 7 February in Mumbai with Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker appointed as the onfield umpiresTucker holds the record among officials for most matches officiated at the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup with 46 appearances so far He is set to reach his 50th match during the tournament The Australian will also officiate matches such as England versus Nepal India against Namibia and South Africa versus the United Arab EmiratesChris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth who worked together in the 2024 final will reunite for the Group B match between Australia and Ireland on 11 February Illingworth will also be onfield with Dharmasena for the important groupstage match between India and Pakistan in Colombo on 15 FebruaryMatch RefereesDean Cosker David Gilbert Ranjan Madugalle Andrew Pycroft Richie Richardson Javagal SrinathUmpiresRoland Black Chris Brown Kumar Dharmasena Chris Gaffaney Adrian Holdstock Richard Illingworth Richard Kettleborough Wayne Knights Donovan Koch Jayaraman Madanagopal Nitin Menon Sam Nogajski KNA Padmanabhan Allahuddien Paleker Ahsan Raza Leslie Reifer Paul Reiffel Langton Rusere Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Gazi Sohel Rod Tucker Alex Wharf Raveendra Wimalasiri Asif Yaqoob IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-2026-icc-announces-24-match-official-for-group-stage-660292.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/fulham-sign-norway-winger-oscar-bobb-from-man-city-660311.html London Jan 30 Fulham have completed the signing of Norway winger Oscar Bobb from Manchester City for a reported fee of Â27 million with the 22yearold committing to a fiveandahalfyear contract at Craven Cottage Bobb will wear the number 14 shirt at Fulham and becomes one of Marco Silvaâs key attacking additions as the west London club continues its push for European qualificationâIt feels great to be here I had a great day meeting everyone and Iâm very excitedâ Bobb said after completing the move as quoted by the Fulham official websiteThe winger revealed he sought advice from Fulham midfielder and Norway teammate Sander Berge before agreeing to the transferâI spoke to Sander my good friend and I spoke to the manager and he explained what the systemâs like how the lads are and how the club is He seemed lovely so it was an easy decisionâ Bobb addedBobb departs from Man City after making 61 senior appearances for the team scoring 13 goals and providing 27 assists across all competitions However his opportunities diminished following the January arrival of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth which saw Bobb slip down the attacking pecking orderThe Norwegian featured 15 times for City this season but failed to find the net with his last appearance coming on December 17 against Brentford in the Carabao Cup where he was forced off injured inside the opening 20 minutesBobb had also attracted interest from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund but Fulham moved swiftly to secure his signature He reunites with Berge at Craven Cottage after featuring six times for Norway this year and playing a role in their qualification for this summerâs World CupFulham arrive at the signing in strong form having lost just one of their last seven Premier League matches under Silva They currently sit seventh in the table following a 21 victory over Brighton on Saturday with Bobb expected to bolster their attacking options during the second half of the campaign IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/fulham-sign-norway-winger-oscar-bobb-from-man-city-660311.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/vaidehee-chaudhari-granted-wild-card-entry-into-main-draw-at-2026-mumbai-open-125k-series-660332.html Mumbai Jan 30 India No 2 womenâs sinngles player Vaidehee Chaudhari has been announced as the Wild Card into the main draw at the upcoming 2026 Mumbai open WTA 125K Series Also 15yearold youngster Parthsarthi Mundhe and 22yearold Akanksha Nitture have been given a Wild Card for the Qualifiers of the competition which will be held at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association MSLTA in MumbaiThe Qualifiers will be held on 31st January and 1st February followed by the main draw which is scheduled from 2nd to 8th February 2026Vaidehee Chaudhari was given the wild card into the main draw after Sahaja Yamalapalli earned direct entry into the main draw of the Mumbai Open WTA 125K SeriesShe is entering the Mumbai Open in a rich vein of form winning W35 Solapur in December after beating Michika Ozeki in the final 2025 and reaching the final of WTT 15 in Ahmedabad in JanuaryThe 25yearold was also a mainstay in the Indian Team at the Billie Jean King Cup Asia Oceania Group 1 and won crucial Singles matches for her sideSpeaking on the occasion Vaidehee Chaudhari stated âIm very excited and thankful to Hon President Mr Prashant Sutar and Hon Secretary Mr Sundar Iyer of MSLTA for giving me this golden opportunity This year there are a lot of highranked international players competing in the LampT Mumbai Open so I am looking forward to the challengeâTalking about her personal goals and strategy ahead of the tournament she said âI plan to enjoy every match and do my best to go deep in the competition by staying focused trusting my training and giving everything Iâve got in every single gameâ15yearold Parthsarthi Aru Mundhe hailing from Dharashiv district in Maharashtra is a Junior National Champion and will be looking to impress local supporters in the Qualifiers of her first ever LampT Mumbai Open campaign Parthsarthi Aru Mundhe will be facing Polandâs Zuzanna Pawlikowska while Akanksha Nitture will play against Indian veteran Ankita Raina on the first day of Qualifiers at the MSLTA IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/vaidehee-chaudhari-granted-wild-card-entry-into-main-draw-at-2026-mumbai-open-125k-series-660332.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-under-19-team-interact-with-tendulkar-ahead-of-key-wc-clash-against-pakistan-660340.html Bulawayo Jan 30 The India under19 menâs side virtually interacted with legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar ahead of their decisive Super Six clash against Pakistan in the ongoing U19 World Cup England secured a semifinal berth with a 65run victory over New Zealand on Friday while Afghanistan also progressed to the last four stage with a 191run win over Ireland It means Sundayâs contest between India and Pakistan is now a virtual knockout with only one team from Group 2 set to progress to the knockoutsâIn what was an invaluable experience the next generation got insights and perspectives on the important ingredients for success and longevity in an ever evolving sport not just limited to technical skills and remaining fit but also the importance of staying focused disciplined humble and rooted in successâ wrote the BCCI on its âXâ account on FridayThey also posted pictures of the entire U19 team being together along with the entire support staff â head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar bowling coach Sunil Joshi and fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh with Tendulkar in the background Apart from the coaches VVS Laxman former India cricketer and Head of Cricket at the BCCI Centre of Excellence CoE was spotted in the picturesWith the Indian U19 team in Zimbabwe for the U19WorldCup Hungry focused and eager to learn Embracing the challenge growing with every session and proud to represent the country on the world stageâ wrote Laxman on his âXâ accountIndia led by Ayush Mhatre registered a whopping 204run victory over Zimbabwe in their first Super Six game held earlier this week at the Queens Sports Club The sideâs victory was set up by a splendid century from Vihaan Malhotra and a fine fifty from Abhigyan KunduPakistan meanwhile have suffered a major blow ahead of the crucial clash against India as wicketkeeperbatter Mohammad Shayan has been ruled out of the tournament after being struck on the nose while keeping to a fastbowler during a scenariobased practice match Following the blow Shayan was taken to hospital where Xrays confirmed a fracture IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-under-19-team-interact-with-tendulkar-ahead-of-key-wc-clash-against-pakistan-660340.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-under-19-team-interacts-with-tendulkar-ahead-of-key-wc-clash-against-pakistan-660341.html Bulawayo Jan 30 The India under19 menâs side virtually interacted with legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar ahead of their decisive Super Six clash against Pakistan in the ongoing U19 World Cup England secured a semifinal berth with a 65run victory over New Zealand on Friday while Afghanistan also progressed to the last four stage with a 191run win over Ireland It means Sundayâs contest between India and Pakistan is now a virtual knockout with only one team from Group 2 set to progress to the knockoutsâIn what was an invaluable experience the next generation got insights and perspectives on the important ingredients for success and longevity in an ever evolving sport not just limited to technical skills and remaining fit but also the importance of staying focused disciplined humble and rooted in successâ wrote the BCCI on its âXâ account on FridayThey also posted pictures of the entire U19 team being together along with the entire support staff â head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar bowling coach Sunil Joshi and fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh with Tendulkar in the background Apart from the coaches VVS Laxman former India cricketer and Head of Cricket at the BCCI Centre of Excellence CoE was spotted in the picturesWith the Indian U19 team in Zimbabwe for the U19WorldCup Hungry focused and eager to learn Embracing the challenge growing with every session and proud to represent the country on the world stageâ wrote Laxman on his âXâ accountIndia led by Ayush Mhatre registered a whopping 204run victory over Zimbabwe in their first Super Six game held earlier this week at the Queens Sports Club The sideâs victory was set up by a splendid century from Vihaan Malhotra and a fine fifty from Abhigyan KunduPakistan meanwhile have suffered a major blow ahead of the crucial clash against India as wicketkeeperbatter Mohammad Shayan has been ruled out of the tournament after being struck on the nose while keeping to a fastbowler during a scenariobased practice match Following the blow Shayan was taken to hospital where Xrays confirmed a fracture IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-under-19-team-interacts-with-tendulkar-ahead-of-key-wc-clash-against-pakistan-660341.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/rush-for-passes-is-sweet-challenge-pwl-ceo-reflects-on-league-success-660342.html Noida Jan 30 The Pro Wrestling League PWL CEO Akhil Gupta said the extended gap since the leagueâs last edition has heightened interest among fans reflected in strong crowd turnout at the venues The PWL 2026 kicked off on January 15 with the grand finale scheduled for February 1 marking the return of the league after sixyear hiatusâIt is a matter of great fortune for us that so many people are coming to the gates There is tremendous interest and there is a rush for passes at the entrance This reflects both the love of the people and the challenges that come with itâbut for us it is a sweet challenge Pro Wrestling League CEO and Promoter Akhil Gupta told IANSOn the leagueâs longterm vision Gupta said the PWLâs focus remains on growing wrestling in India and expanding the leagueâs footprint beyond a single venueâOur goal is to grow the sport and expand the league to multiple cities Players from more than 17 countries are taking part People usually go to the US to study but here we have players from the US coming to play The emotions were overwhelming Susaki who has never played in a private league before liked the PWL so much that she personally told us she wants to come to India every year Overall we are getting an extremely positive response from everyone including players and coachesâOn coordination with the Wrestling Federation of India highlighting the operational strength of the league Gupta praised the close coordination between the PWL and the Wrestling Federation of IndiaThe coordination and understanding between us and the WFI is something I cannot put into wordsâit is exceptionally strong and well balanced Some things should remain a surprise and people should get to know about them slowly and steadily We are receiving amazing viewership data and I assure you that whatever decision is taken will be beyond everyoneâs imaginationEarlier on expansion plans for the next season WFI chief Sanjay Singh said the league will expand to major cities in its next edition with logistical constraints limiting the current season to a single venueâThe next PWL season will be held across all major cities This time due to time constraints the league was organised only at the Noida Stadium However next season everyone will get the opportunity to enjoy the excitementâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/rush-for-passes-is-sweet-challenge-pwl-ceo-reflects-on-league-success-660342.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/mertens-and-zhang-win-australian-open-womens-doubles-title-660361.html Melbourne Jan 31 Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai who last played a Grand Slam together at Wimbledon in 2022 reunited at the Australian Open to win the womens doubles title The BelgianChinese duo defeated Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic 764 64 to win what is a ninth Grand Slam doubles title between them in just their seventh career event as a pairMertens now has six Grand Slams three in Australia while Zhang has three Zhang lifted her other womens doubles trophies with the nowretired Samantha Stosur at the 2019 Australian Open and the 2021 US OpenMertens has now won a doubles Grand Slam in each of the last three years Currently ranked World No 6 Mertens was assured of getting back to World No 1 regardless of the final result She will log her 40th week on top next weekThe No 4 seeds pulled away against the No 7 seeds after coming from 41 behind in the first set They later stormed out to a 50 lead in the second set and needed almost every bit of that cushion They didnt wrap up the win until five games later and after two championship points slipped away at 52 WTA reportsMeanwhile hometown wildcards Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans Re in the action in the mens doubles finalsKubler is bidding for his second Australian Open doubles crown after triumphing with Rinky Hijikata also as wildcards in 2023 Polmans a semifinalist with Andrew Whittington at Melbourne Park in 2017 is contesting his first Grand Slam finalIn the mixed doubles final on Friday hometown wildcards Olivia Gadecki and John Peers broke a 37year drought when they became the first pairing to defend their Australian Open mixed doubles crown in thrilling fashionGadecki and Peers became the first duo to win consecutive AO mixed doubles titles since Jana Novotna and Jim Pugh in 198889They became the first Australians to go backtoback at their home Slam since Margaret Court and Ken Fletcher achieved the feat in 196364 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/mertens-and-zhang-win-australian-open-womens-doubles-title-660361.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/delhi-pro-volleyball-league-set-to-debut-this-year-660364.html Delhi Jan 31 Delhi Pro Volleyball League DPVL has been officially launched with backing of the Delhi Volleyball Association along with support from the Delhi Olympic Association Former national volleyball players Neeti Rawat and Jasoda Gulliya officially announced the Delhi Pro Volleyball League which will take to the court in 2026Kuldeep Vats President Delhi Olympic Association and Joint Secretary Volleyball Federation of India was present at the official announcement and assured full support to the leagueThe league will feature six franchises and include players from Delhi as well as across the country The players will be selected through fair and open trials to be conducted in the coming monthsDelhi has always produced outstanding volleyball talent The Delhi Pro Volleyball League is a timely and muchneeded initiative that will give players a professional pathway and help strengthen the volleyball ecosystem at both state and national levels Vats saidSudhir Vats President Delhi Volleyball Association was also present at the occasion and welcomed the initiative This league will play a crucial role in identifying nurturing and retaining volleyball talent from Delhi With a transparent structure and fair opportunities DPVL can become a benchmark for statelevel professional leagues in India he saidAs Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said âVolleyball is not just a sport it is a game that builds coordination cooperation and collective strengthâ Taking this spirit forward and aligning with Indiaâs growing sporting economy the national capital is all set to make its mark on the professional volleyball map with the launch of the Delhi Pro Volleyball LeagueSpeaking about the longterm vision of the league Jasoda Gulliya CoFounder Delhi Pro Volleyball League said Our vision is to build a professionally governed league that offers stability transparency and longterm value to players franchises and partners DPVL is not just about hosting matches but about creating a sustainable sporting ecosystem where volleyball talent can grow earn and aspire globallyâHighlighting the need for such a league Neeti Rawat CoFounder Delhi Pro Volleyball League added âDelhi has immense volleyball talent but players often lack a consistent professional platform DPVL aims to bridge that gap by giving athletes exposure recognition and a clear pathway to higher levels of competitionâAt the event Delhiâs Junior Boys and Girls Volleyball Teams were felicitated The Junior Boys team recently finished runnersup at the National Championships reinforcing the need for a professional league like DPVL to provide young players with the right platform to gain prominence and progress in their careers IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/delhi-pro-volleyball-league-set-to-debut-this-year-660364.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-was-protecting-them-brook-admits-to-lying-about-teammates-during-nz-nightclub-incident-660378.html Colombo Jan 31 England skipper Harry Brook has changed his version of a latenight incident in Wellington last year when he was struck by a nightclub bouncer admitting that other players were also present with him during the altercation after previously claiming he was alone However in a new statement he released on Friday Brook admitted that other players were with him admitting he had misled reporters to protect the players from being drawn into a situationâI accept responsibility for my actions in Wellington and acknowledge others were present that evening I regret my previous comments and my intention was to protect my teammates from being drawn into a situation that arose as a result of my decisions I have apologised and will continue to reflect on the matter said Brook as quoted by the BBCThis has been a challenging period in my career but one from which I am learning I recognise I have more to learn regarding the offfield responsibilities that come with leadership and captaincy I remain committed to developing in this area and to improving both personally and professionallyâ he addedBrooks comments came after a report in the Telegraph revealed that Brook Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue were all under investigation by the ECBBrookâs revised stance contrasts sharply with comments he made last week when he portrayed the incident as a solitary lapse in judgment and distanced his teammates from the episodeâThere was no intention of going out no intention of putting ourselves in a tricky situationâ he had said âI took it upon myself to go out for a few more and I was on my own there I shouldnât have been there I was trying to get into a club and the bouncer just clocked me unfortunately I wouldnât say I was leathered Iâd had one too many drinksâ he said to the media ahead of the Sri Lanka tourMeanwhile the England cricket team started their preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 on a high as they beat the cohosts Sri Lanka in the first match of the T20I series in Pallekele Cricket Stadium on FridayThe T20 World Cup will be the first time Brook will be captaining the side in an ICC event IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-was-protecting-them-brook-admits-to-lying-about-teammates-during-nz-nightclub-incident-660378.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/u19-wc-abdul-qadir-approved-as-replacement-for-mohd-shayan-in-pakistan-squad-660397.html Lahore Jan 31 Abdul Qadir has been approved as a replacement for wicketkeeper Mohammad Shayan in the Pakistan squad ahead of their U19 World Cup final Super Six match against the arch rivals India on Sunday Qadir who was one of the five travelling reserves was named as a replacement after Shayan was ruled out due to a nasal bone fracture which he sustained during a team training sessionThe Event Technical Committee of the ICC U19 Mens Cricket World Cup 2026 has approved Abdul Qadir as a replacement for Mohammad Shayan in the Pakistan squad ICC said in a statement on SaturdayAs England and Afghanistan joined Australia in the semifinals after recording convincing wins on Friday leaving India and Pakistan who face off in their final Super Six match on Sunday to contest for the final remaining spotIndias equation is pretty straightforward A win against Pakistan will ensure they qualify for the final four as the topranked team from Group 2 A defeat however could spice things up if Pakistan get the net runrate into playFor Pakistan simply winning the match wont be enough to close the net runrate gap with India They would require a victory by a huge margin to leapfrog India in the standings and secure a place in the semifinalsIf Pakistan bat first they would need to win by 105 runs or more to finish second in the Group 2 standings and qualify for the semifinals at Indias expense However if they end up chasing then Pakistan would need to achieve whatever target India set at a pretty fast paceFor instance if Pakistan have to chase a target of 251 they would have to do so in 294 overs or fewer to progress through to the knockouts And if the target is lower Pakistan would have to chase it marginally quicker IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/u19-wc-abdul-qadir-approved-as-replacement-for-mohd-shayan-in-pakistan-squad-660397.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/if-i-take-kohlis-wicket-i-will-touch-his-feet-says-pbks-new-recruit-vishal-nishad-660401.html Udaipur Jan 31 Punjab Kings new recruit Vishal Nishad highlighted the influence of Indias charismatic batter Virat Kohli on his journey and also spoke about his reaction if he gets the opportunity to take the wicket of his idol saying he would touch his feet A massive fan of Kohli Nishad spoke about how the former Indian captain inspired him to take up the sport âMy idol is Virat Kohli I am inspired by his attitude and his drive hes my favouriteâ Nishad saidHowever with the prospect of facing his idol on the pitch Nishad was asked how he would celebrate if he managed to take Kohlis wicket âIf I take his wicket Ill touch his feet because hes my idolâ he replied displaying the unique blend of ambition and humility that defines the Punjab Kings spiritA standout product of a local T20 league and as a testament to perseverance Nishad joined the Kings following a journey marked by grit and family sacrificeâThere were tough times I used to go with my father and help him with work I even thought Iâd quit cricketâ Nishad recalled âMy mother told me to leave it and learn something else because becoming a cricketer is so difficult But I didnt give up I told her âMom I will definitely do itâ Once they saw my resolve my family stood behind meâOriginally a tennisball player Vishal was prompted to transition to professional cricket by a friend who was impressed by his natural âball throwingâ skillsâInitially I played tennisball cricket A friend watched me throw and suggested to try the leather ball because he liked my action After that I decided to practice seriously Thats how it all startedâ he revealedHe added âMy coach didnât charge me fees for three years Eventually I played in a local T20 tournament in Uttar Pradesh and performed well After two years of playing in the tournament I landed up here with Punjab KingsâExplaining his choice to become a bowler Nishad noted how his background in tennisball cricket played a pivotal role âAs I was practicing with the tennis ball initially I got used to making it spin I adapted my tennisball skills to the leather ball which played a major role in me becoming a bowlerâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/if-i-take-kohlis-wicket-i-will-touch-his-feet-says-pbks-new-recruit-vishal-nishad-660401.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-gave-everything-the-work-continues-sinner-pens-heartfelt-note-after-aus-open-sf-exit-660403.html New Delhi Jan 31 World No 2 Jannik Sinner thanked his supporters and reflected on his Australian Open journey while congratulating Novak Djokovic on reaching the final The Italian faced a very tough loss on Friday at the tournament where he was defeated by Djokovic in an exciting fiveset semifinal After leading two sets to one Sinner couldnt finish the match and his disappointment was clear in his postmatch comments where he said that the defeat hurt him âa lotâSinner came into the match aiming for a third consecutive Australian Open title and had defeated Djokovic in their last five encounters However on Friday at Rod Laver Arena the second seed failed to take advantage of crucial opportunities converting only two of 18 break points against the 38yearoldâNot my day but I gave everything Congrats to DjokerNole itâs always an honour to share the court with you Thanks to everyone for all the support over the last two weeks The work continues See you soon againâ Sinner wrote on XSunday will mark the first time that Sinner will not compete in a major final since 2024 Wimbledon where Alcaraz defeated Djokovic Despite this setback the 24yearold Sinner expressed high praise for Djokovic and mentioned that the Serbianâs level of play was not unexpectedâHes won 24 Grand Slams We know each other very well how we play I always said you can not be surprised because I feel like hes the greatest player for many many years Of course hes playing less tournaments because of his age and everything but we also know how important Grand Slams are for me for him for Carlos and everyone There is this small extra motivation and he played great tennis Hopefully I can take it as kind of a lesson maybe to see what I can improve onâ Sinner said in his oncourt interview on Friday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-gave-everything-the-work-continues-sinner-pens-heartfelt-note-after-aus-open-sf-exit-660403.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/anahat-stages-stunning-comeback-to-enter-squash-on-fire-sf-in-washington-660405.html Washington Jan 31 Teenage star Anahat Singh fought back from 20 down to beat No 2 seed Sana Ibrahim and reach the Squash on Fire Open semifinals on Saturday The Indian world No 31 and seventh seed fought her way back into the contest overturning a 65 deficit in both the third and fourth games to edge out the Egyptian world No 17 811 811 117 118 117 in the PSA Bronzelevel eventAnahat 17 has already made a name for herself on the PSA Tour this season most notably reaching the semifinals of the Silverlevel Canadian Womenâs Open in October climbing up inside the worldâs top 30 soon afterwardsShe is now one win away from her biggest career final but she had to do things the hard way on quarterfinals day in Washington DC falling two games behind to Ibrahim in the dayâs penultimate matchBut with a full crowd watching on â a crowd which included her coach Greg Gaultier and plenty of vocal support for her â Singh clawed her way back into the contest overturning a 65 deficit in both the third and fourth gamesKey to her turnaround was undoubtedly her composure at crucial moments an impressive trait for a player so young and she continued to play with her fluid attacking style throughoutAt 67 down in the fifth she had little room for error but errors were not on her radar reeling off the next five points on the bounce to close out the comeback win turning to the crowd and letting out a huge roar of emotionShe will now face the inform Sabrina Sobhy for a place in the final after the American ended the impressive run of the unseeded Jana Swaify with a 30 winMeanwhile Veer Chotrani lost 811 116 1412 119 to the sixth seed from England Declan James in the menâs quarterfinal IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/anahat-stages-stunning-comeback-to-enter-squash-on-fire-sf-in-washington-660405.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-japans-tokito-oda-becomes-youngest-man-to-hold-all-four-major-titles-simultaneously-660417.html Melbourne Jan 31 Japanese prodigy Tokito Oda made history by winning the Australian Open 2026 menâs wheelchair title against Martin De la Puente 36 62 62 This victory made him the youngest man to simultaneously hold all four Grand Slam titles across any professional tennis format At only 19 years old Odaâs victory over the third seed at Melbourne Park makes him the second man ever to win four consecutive menâs wheelchair singles majors joining Japanese legend Shingo Kunieda who astonishingly won 12 in a row starting from 2007Odas victory marks his second AO crown and his eighth major title overall bringing him within two titles of Britains Alfie Hewett Now firmly established as the world No1 Oda is on track to approach Kuniedaâs record of 28 menâs wheelchair singles Grand Slam titlesâFirst I gotta say I was missing you baby I want to appreciate Martin You are my best friend on tour We always hang out every time and you speak Japanese so sometimes itâs so funny with you Itâs the first time we shared a final at a Grand Slam I was very happy to play with Martin Big congrats to your teamâ Oda jokingly mentioned his first trophy won in 2024 before shifting focus to De la PuenteOda also secured the doubles title teaming up with Argentinian Gustavo Fernandez for his second Grand Slam doubles victoryâThank you all I really appreciate all of your love â I hope you guys keep supporting wheelchair tennis Thank you so muchâ he saidThe championship match started with De la Puente taking a 31 lead in the first set just before the days first rain delay Although Oda managed to briefly catch up the Spaniard responded strongly causing Oda to lose his first set of the tournamentOda raised his game significantly in the second set moving quickly to reach balls and returning them deep into the corners applying heavy spin to force De la Puente out of positionAfter a long rain delay Oda regained control under the Margaret Court Arena roof securing the title with 52 winners to De la Puenteâs 31 He also won 74 per cent of his firstserve points significantly surpassing his opponentâs 51per centIt was the 18th time these two had met their sixth encounter at a Grand Slam and their first final matchupDe la Puente was aiming to be the 13th player to win a menâs wheelchair singles Grand Slam title after previously losing to Hewett in the Wimbledon final in 2024 Although he was disappointed the Spaniard accepted the result graciously smiling through the momentâCongrats Tokito weâve known since you were almost a kid you already destroyed everyoneâs chair on tour â you are a great champion Thanks to my team Theyâve been pushing me a lot and I was struggling a lot at Christmas It was a tough time for me and they were pushing me â my team my family my girl â they were all pushing me Hopefully weâre gonna have another battle next yearâ De la Puente said after the lossBesides Odaâs win at Melbourne Park in 2024 he was also runnerup to Hewett in 2023 and 2025 He has now secured 41 singles titles before turning 20As the Australian Open marks 50 years of wheelchair tennis Odaâs rise serves as a strong symbol of the sportâs development and promising future IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-japans-tokito-oda-becomes-youngest-man-to-hold-all-four-major-titles-simultaneously-660417.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/jindal-bedla-beat-thunderbolt-to-reach-kognivera-cup-sf-660428.html Jaipur Jan 31 Jindal Bedla maintained their strong streak this season delivering a commanding performance to advance to the semifinals of the KogniVera Cup 2026 8goal now taking place in Jaipur They first defeated Thunderbolt convincingly with an 11â25 score then remained composed to beat Jaipur in a penalty shootout securing their spot in the final four Although Thunderbolt began the contest with a 15goal lead under the handicap rule Jindal Bedla took control early on Siddhant Sharma starred with an impressive eight goals supported by Simran Shergills two goals and Venkatesh Jindals single showcasing a strong team effortJindal Bedla made their intentions clear early on as Siddhant Sharma struck twice in the first chukker with Simran Shergill also finding the target to put his side firmly in command In the second chukker Siddhant elevated his game further netting five goals to stretch Jindal Bedlaâs lead to 8â15The momentum continued into the third chukker with Venkatesh Jindal and Simran Shergill each scoring a goal taking the scoreline to 10â15 heading into the final period Thunderboltâs Lt Col Vishal Singh Chauhan pulled one back in the fourth chukker but Siddhant Sharma had the final say adding another goal to cap a commanding 11â25 victory for Jindal BedlaLater Jindal Bedla showcased their composure under pressure overcoming Jaipur in a penalty shootout to secure their place in the semifinal scheduled for SaturdayThe teamâs strong showing follows their recent triumph at the Rajmata Gayatri Devi Memorial Cup where Jindal Bedla were crowned champions remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament Riding high on confidence and form the side now has its sights firmly set on the iconic sevenfoot KogniVera Cup trophy â the worldâs tallest polo trophy â as they continue their quest for another historic title IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/jindal-bedla-beat-thunderbolt-to-reach-kognivera-cup-sf-660428.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chotrani-anahat-in-washington-squash-quarters-senthilkumar-bows-out-660230.html Washington Jan 30 Veer Chotrani stunned the French world No 19 Baptiste Masotti in a fivegame thriller in the round of 16 at the Squash on Fire Open in Washington while compatriot Velavan Senthilkumar went down to Mexican world No 11 and second seed Leonel Cardenas in five games World No 49 Chotrani staged a second straight comeback to sink No 4 seed Masotti 116 711 811 111 119 and will meet sixth seed Declan James of England in the quarterfinals of the PSA Bronzelevel eventChotrani had recovered from 21 82 down to beat Balazs Farkas in round one and once again needed all five games to beat Franceâs Masotti 24 hours later clinging on in a tensionfilled fifth game in which he saw five match balls come and go from 104 up before taking the sixth with a smart backhand drop at 109Chotrani will now face Declan James who himself had to fight back from 20 down to win in five against Muhammad Asim Khan closing out a 72minute duel 117 in the fifthThat wasnât even the end of the fivegamers in the afternoon session as No 2 seed Cardenas came out on top of another epic against SenthilkumarFor much of their 64minute encounter it looked as though the Indian southpaw might cause a sizable upset but Cardenas came up clutch in the closing stages most notably on a sensational match ball when he showed some remarkable retrieval skills to keep a 26shot rally alive before flicking a forehand winner down the lineIn the womenâs section seventh seed Anahat Singh beat Hayley Ward RSA 115 118 1214 115 in the second round She will take on Egyptian second seed Sana Ibrahim in the quarterfinalsIn another entertaining battle top seed Mohamed Elshorbagy beat rising star Noor Zaman after a hardfought fourthgame tiebreak IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chotrani-anahat-in-washington-squash-quarters-senthilkumar-bows-out-660230.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/jaipur-polo-team-beat-chandna-polo-955-in-kognivera-cup-660239.html Jaipur Jan 30 Continuing their strong momentum in the Kognivera Cup Jaipur Polo Team registered a comprehensive 955 victory over Chandna Polo in a wellcontrolled encounter Displaying attacking cohesion disciplined structure and composure across all four chukkers Jaipur asserted their dominance to record another assured win in the tournament Jaipur made a steady start to the contest edging the opening chukker 15â1 as both teams settled into rhythm HH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh led Jaipurâs early attacking efforts while Chandna Polo responded through Alejo to keep the opening exchanges competitiveThe second chukker saw Jaipur raise the tempo significantly and take firm control of proceedings With fluid ball movement and sharp finishing Jaipur stretched their lead to 55â2 at halftimeBhawani Singh Kalvi and Lance Watson made important contributions during this phase complementing HH Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singhâs influence as Jaipur began to dictate the flow of the gameChandna Polo showed resilience in the third chukker with Alejo continuing to push forward and add to their tally Jaipur however remained composed responding with disciplined play and effective counterattacks to extend their advantage to 65â4 heading into the final chukkerIn the closing chukker Jaipur maintained control and managed the game with maturity adding three more goals to seal the contest at 95â5 Chandna Polo added a late goal but Jaipurâs structured approach ensured they remained firmly in command until the final whistleMaharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh once again stood out for Jaipur with a fourgoal performance while Bhawani Singh Kalvi added three goals and Lance Watson contributed two completing a wellrounded team effort For Chandna Polo Alejo led the scoring with three goals supported by Ashok Chandna and Dino Dhankar with one goal each IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/jaipur-polo-team-beat-chandna-polo-955-in-kognivera-cup-660239.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/peoples-armwrestling-federation-of-india-gets-paralympic-committee-of-india-affiliation-660054.html Mumbai Jan 29 The Peopleâs Armwrestling Federation of India PAFI has received official affiliation from the Paralympic Committee of India PCI The affiliation represents a major step forward for paraarmwrestling in India strengthening its pathway towards structured competition athlete development and longterm inclusion in the global Paralympic ecosystemArmwrestling has already gained important international momentum having been included in the recent Asian Youth Para Games 2025 in Dubai It is also one of the few sports where Para athletes are included in the main competition Building on this progress PAFI now looks ahead to the sportâs inclusion in the Asian Para Games and the Asian GamesThe affiliation with the Paralympic Committee of India further strengthens these efforts bringing ParaArmwrestling closer to its longterm goal of being included in the Paralympic Games and offering Indian athletes a pathway to compete on the worldâs biggest sporting stageDevendra Jhajharia President of the Paralympic Committee of India said âI extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Peopleâs Armwrestling Federation India PAFI on receiving official recognition from the Paralympic Committee of India This recognition stands as a powerful affirmation of PAFIâs sustained efforts to promote and grow the sport of armwrestling for para athletes while providing them a credible competitive platform and treating them on par with ablebodied athletes It reflects the federationâs commitment to inclusivity structured development and excellence and marks an important step in strengthening Indiaâs presence in armwrestling at both national and international levelsâIn India PAFI and Pro Panja League have shown dedicated support to para athletes with special categories integrated in the league and across state championships The Pro Panja League has ensured inclusivity by bringing male female and para athletes to compete on the same platform with para athletes paid equally based on their rankings in line with all other athletesâTogether PAFI and the Pro Panja League have played a crucial role in creating a sustainable ecosystem for ParaArmwrestlers providing them structured tournaments visibility and professional opportunities and have ensured the domestic competitions match international standardsPreeti Jhangiani President of the Peopleâs Armwrestling Federation India PAFI Vice President of the Asian Armwrestling Federation AAF and CoFounder of the Pro Panja League stated âWe are deeply honoured to receive official recognition from the Paralympic Committee of India as the official governing body for armwrestling in India This milestone is not just an achievement for PAFI but a validation of our unwavering commitment to transparent governance athlete welfare and inclusive growth It strengthens our resolve to create fair opportunities and a clear pathway for Indian armwrestlers to represent the nation with pride at national and international platformsâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/peoples-armwrestling-federation-of-india-gets-paralympic-committee-of-india-affiliation-660054.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/squash-senthilkumar-chotrani-advance-in-washington-660056.html Washington Jan 29 Reigning menâs national champion Velavan Senthilkumar and Veer Chotrani advanced in the Squash on Fire Open in Washington with hardfought first round wins in the PSA Bronzelevel event World No 46 Senthilkumar rallied to beat Englandâs Tom Walsh 1214 118 118 116 and will next meet Mexican world No 11 and second seed Leonel Cardenas World No 49 Chotrani edged out Hungaryâs Balazs Farkas 611 911 115 119 113 and will take on French world No 19 and fourth seed Baptiste Masotti nextChotrani found himself on the brink of defeat to the Hungarian No 1 sitting 82 down in game four having lost the first two games before winning the third But the talented Indian dug deep to win nine of the next 10 points sending the match to a decider and shifting the momentum firmly in his favour He carried that momentum into the decider too racing clear to bring up seven match balls at 103 needing only one to get over the lineMeanwhile Womenâs National champion and seventh seed Anahat Singh received a firstround bye That was followed by another fivegame tussle between Menna Hamed and Wai Yhann Au Yeong in the match immediately afterwardsAu Yeong only got into the tournament earlier this week but threatened an upset in round one as she came out on top of two lungbusting tiebreaks in the first two games against Hamed winning the first 1513 and the second 1917Hamed was being hampered by an injury to her toe and started game three 10 down after being given a time violation for a delayed return to court but she quickly began to find her rhythm and her range nonethelessAfter closing out game three 115 she overturned a 53 deficit to take the fourth 117 and would need only seven more minutes to clinch her spot in round two wrapping up the decider with a neat backhand drop down the linear 104Later in the day there was an impressive 32 win for Hayley Ward over Xin Ying Yee while Noor Zaman overcame a tricky test in the form of wildcard Yee Xian SiowSam Todd also got the better of crowd favourite Valerii Fedoruk in the dayâs final match on the glass and Nathan Lake rounded out the dayâs play with a 31 win over Mazen Hesham IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/squash-senthilkumar-chotrani-advance-in-washington-660056.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/suresh-raina-praises-incredible-spirit-of-vande-mataram-cisf-coastal-cyclothon-660075.html New Delhi Jan 29 Former India cricketer Suresh Raina extended his best wishes for the Vande Mataram CISF Cyclothon 2026 calling it a stirring symbol of discipline dedication and determination  The CISF Vande Mataram Coastal Cyclothonâ2026 a flagship national public outreach and awareness initiative was virtually flagged off from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here on Wednesday The event was inaugurated by the Honâble Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai who graced the occasion as the Chief GuestWith the flagoff the 25day mega national movement formally commenced as two CISF cycling teams simultaneously set out from Bakkhali West Bengal and Lakhpat Gujarat The teams will collectively traverse approximately 6500 kilometres along Indiaâs eastern and western coastlines covering nine coastal States and two Union Territories before culminating at Kochi on 22 February 2026I wish good luck to the whole CISF team I hope the CISF marathon is going to be a lot of fun and full of enthusiasm Please participate All the best Raina said in a video shared by CISF on its X handle drawing a powerful connection between sporting excellence and national service he applauded CISF personnel for their relentless efforts in spreading awareness about the critical importance of Indiaâs maritime securitySuch inspiring words from an iconic sportsperson further strengthen CISFâs resolve to drive impactful initiatives in the supreme interest of the nation CISF posted on XDuring the journey the Cyclothon will halt at 52 coastal villages which will be adopted by CISF for sustained yearlong engagement In coordination with key stakeholders such as ONGC Port Authorities and other maritime agencies local CISF units will undertake community welfare and infrastructure development activities supported through Corporate Social Responsibility CSR initiativesWith 47 CISF units located near Indiaâs coastline the Force will ensure continued and longterm engagement with these adopted villages Notably 50 percent of the participating cyclists are women reflecting a significant step towards gender inclusivity and women empowerment in national service initiativesThe Cyclothon will witness the participation of notable personalities from sports culture film industry and public figures during major events at Mumbai Goa Mangaluru Konark Visakhapatnam and Chennai before its culmination at Kochi IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/suresh-raina-praises-incredible-spirit-of-vande-mataram-cisf-coastal-cyclothon-660075.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/hockey-india-names-33-man-core-probable-group-ahead-of-fih-pro-league-in-rourkela-660082.html New Delhi Jan 29 Hockey India on Thursday announced a 33member core probable group for the senior menâs national camp scheduled to be held in Rourkela Odisha from February 1 to 7 The camp will form part of the teamâs preparations for the upcoming phase of the FIH Menâs Pro League which is scheduled to be staged at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela from February 10 to 15The home leg will mark the start of the years first campaign for India The squad assembles following the recently concluded Hero Hockey India League which provided competitive exposure to several senior players while offering younger prospects the opportunity to play alongside some of the finest international playersThe camp will comprise Pawan Suraj Karkera Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar and Princedeep Singh as goalkeepersMeanwhile the defensive unit features Amit Rohidas Jarmanpreet Singh Sanjay Harmanpreet Singh Jugraj Singh Sumit Poovanna Chandura Boby Yashdeep Siwach Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Amandeep LakraIn midfield the group includes Rajinder Singh Manmeet Singh Hardik Singh Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh Vivek Sagar Prasad Vishnu Kant Singh Raj Kumar Pal Nilakanta Sharma and Rosan KujurRounding off the list the forward line is made up of Abhishek Sukhjeet Singh Shilanand Lakra Mandeep Singh Araijeet Singh Hundal Angad Bir Singh Uttam Singh Selvam Karthi Aditya Arjun Lalage and Maninder SinghSpeaking ahead of the camp chief coach Craig Fulton said Post the Hero Hockey India League we felt this was the right time to rotate the squad Weâve rested a few senior players to manage workload while rewarding performances from players whoâve earned their opportunity The Pro League legs in Rourkela and Hobart are an important part of the selection process as we move towards finalising the World Cup and Asian Games squad33member list for the Senior Mens CampGoalkeepers Pawan Suraj Karkera Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar Princedeep SinghDefenders Amit Rohidas Jarmanpreet Singh Sanjay Harmanpreet Singh Jugraj Singh Sumit Poovanna Chandura Boby Yashdeep Siwach Nilam Sanjeep Xess Amandeep LakraMidfielders Rajinder Singh Manmeet Singh Hardik Singh Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh Vivek Sagar Prasad Vishnu Kant Singh Raj Kumar Pal Nilakanta Sharma Rosan KujurForwards Abhishek Sukhjeet Singh Shilanand Lakra Mandeep Singh Araijeet Singh Hundal Angad Bir Singh Uttam Singh Selvam Karthi Aditya Arjun Lalage Maninder Singh IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/hockey-india-names-33-man-core-probable-group-ahead-of-fih-pro-league-in-rourkela-660082.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chennaiyin-fc-sign-morocco-international-mohammed-ali-bemammer-to-strengthen-midfield-660096.html Chennai Jan 29 Chennaiyin FC have completed the signing of experienced defensive midfielder Mohammed Ali Bemammer adding vast experience to Marina Machansâ midfield ahead of the upcoming season Bemammer 36 arrives as a proven professional with over 300 senior career appearances with more than 40 of those outings coming in the Indian Super League where he has also chipped in with four goals A former Morocco international Bemammer earned 11 caps for his country and scored twice underlining his pedigree at the highest levelUpon completing his move Bemammer said I am very happy to join this great team and I hope to help the club achieve titles I am also delighted with the return of football and am looking forward to training with the teamRenowned for his physical dominance positional discipline and game awareness Bemammer is a classic holding midfielder who offers balance and protection in front of the backline His experience and leadership are expected to play a key role in anchoring Chennaiyin FCâs midfield unitHis trophy cabinet reflects his success having won the CAF Confederation Cup CAF Super Cup and an African Nations Championship in 2020 along with several domestic honours Bemammer later moved to India in 2023 representing NorthEast and quickly adapted to the demands of Indian football He also has a Durand Cup title to his name from his time in IndiaSpeaking on Bemammerâs arrival head coach Clifford Miranda said âBemammer will help us to get solidarity amp stability in the middle His ability to hold the ball under pressure break opponent attacks amp find passes to initiate offensive transitions will add a very good dimension to our play He brings leadership amp character to our squad and has a strong personality which will help the teamâA native of Fes Bemammer began his professional journey with hometown club Maghreb Fes before moving on to represent Raja Casablanca one of Moroccoâs most storied and successful clubs Much of his career was spent in domestic football where he established himself as one of the leagueâs most reliable and consistent midfieldersBemammer will link up with his new teammates in the coming days and begin training as Chennaiyin continue building up to the new season IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chennaiyin-fc-sign-morocco-international-mohammed-ali-bemammer-to-strengthen-midfield-660096.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ponting-backs-maxwell-to-overcome-lean-run-discover-form-in-time-for-t20-wc-660097.html New Delhi Jan 29 Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has tipped Glenn Maxwell to overcome his lean run and deliver on the big stage at next monthâs T20 World Cup despite a poor Big Bash League BBL campaign Maxwell who managed just 76 runs at an average of 1520 and picked two wickets for Melbourne Stars apart from dropping a lot of catches in the BBL He has been rested from the threematch T20I series against Pakistan but will rejoin the squad in Sri Lanka ahead of their T20 World Cup opener against Ireland on February 11He can because he always has Ive coached him a lot and hes a really hard player to read whats going to happen because he can have a week of the best training youve ever seen and then come out and it does not happen And he could have the worlds worst week leading into a game and come out and do something crazy Ponting was quoted as saying by The West AustralianHe also cautioned that age may be a factor but believes the T20 World Cup stage could reignite Maxwell If the edge starts to come off its hard to find it and replace it But if anythings going to bring it out of him a World Cup will Hes had some pretty amazing moments in World Cups in the past and hopefully for Australias sake he can have a few more over the next few weeksPonting expects Maxwell to be selected for the opener against Ireland with Australia to also face Zimbabwe Sri Lanka and Oman in Group B You couldnt pick him on form at the moment because of what everyone else in that squad has done through the BBL But theyll pick him because of his experience and probably because of the conditions as wellHes probably going to be facing a lot of spin bowling and hell give the option to be able to bowl some as well Theyve got some pretty easy games and that might be just exactly what he needs to get himself into some touch A bit of soft opposition early on and some runs and wickets under his belt that might hold him in good stead for the back halfâ he addedPonting further endorsed Steve Smith as the next in line for a callup to the T20I team should injuries strike Smith scored 299 runs at an average of 5980 in six BBL matches including a century especially after hitting two fifties and a hundred in the Ashes win on home soilHis numbers stack up better than anybody elses But when youve been out and the sides had some success and Travis Head and Mitch Marsh are the incumbents its hard to push one of those two guys out of an opening slotAnd poor Steve has probably been pigeonholed as an opening batsman only in the T20 game which probably has held him back a little bit in the last few years as far as selection is concerned But hes only one little injury away Hes the next cab off the rank and hes ready to go IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ponting-backs-maxwell-to-overcome-lean-run-discover-form-in-time-for-t20-wc-660097.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-sabalenka-edges-past-svitolina-to-enter-4th-consecutive-final-660102.html Melbourne Jan 29 World No1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her golden run in the ongoing Australian Open 2026 as she registered a dominant 62 63 straightsets win against Ukraineâs Elina Svitolina in the womenâs singles semifinal at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday Sabalenka was in complete control from the start and needed just over an hour to seal her place in the final This is the fourth consecutive time she will play in the Australian Open finalThe Belarusian used her power and strong serving to keep Svitolina under constant pressure and did not give a single chance of a comeback as she marched closer towards her third Australian Open titleSabalenka won 67 per cent of her points on the first serve and also won 79 per cent on the second serve showing the onesided nature of the matchSvitolina struggled to match Sabalenkaâs pace and consistency The Ukrainian won just 56 per cent of points on her first serve and 50 per cent on her second She also committed three double faults during the matchThe top seed converted four of her seven breakpoint chances while allowing Svitolina only one break from four opportunities Sabalenka also edged her opponent in total points won The twotime champion won 65 points as compared to the 46 won by SvitolinaAn incredible achievement but the job is not done yet said Sabalenka on the court after the matchSuper happy with the win She is such a tough opponent I have been watching her game She played incredibly throughout the tournament and I felt like I had to step in and put as much pressure as I could back on her and I am glad the level was there today I played great tennis and am happy to get the win in straight sets she addedSabalenka who lost the 2023 final to Madison Keys will face either Elena Rybakina or Jessica Pegula for the title on Saturday in Melbourne IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-sabalenka-edges-past-svitolina-to-enter-4th-consecutive-final-660102.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/maharashtra-star-vaishnavi-adkar-looks-to-make-her-mark-in-mumbai-open-wta-125k-660113.html Mumbai Jan 29 Homegrown talent and Maharashtraâs No1 womenâs singles player Vaishnavi Adkar has been given a wildcard into the main draw at the upcoming Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series which will be held at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association MSLTA in Mumbai The qualifiers will be held on January 31 and February 1 followed by the main draw which is scheduled from February 2 to 8 At just 21 Vaishnavi Adkar has proven herself as the No1 womenâs singles player of her state and has impressive wins under her belt She claimed her maiden ITF Pro Singles title at the W15 Womenâs Tennis Championship in Ahmedabad in 2024 She cemented her reputation as a promising young athlete when she won the bronze medal at the World University Tennis Championship in Germany last year also becoming the firstever Indian woman to do soHailing from Pune Maharashtra the Mumbai Open is set to be a special experience for Vaishnavi Adkar as she looks to impress her local crowd She stated âItâs really enjoyable to play in front of my home fans The energy is unmatched and the atmosphere is always positive and encouraging When you hear people cheering for you it gives you that extra boost especially in tight moments I feel proud to play in Maharashtra and represent India and Iâm really thankful to everyone who comes out to support us I aim to channelise this energy and maximise my performance in the upcoming Mumbai OpenâShe went on to thank the MSLTA and Mumbai Open for giving her the platform to face elite competition when she said âPersonally my rank is not high enough to get into the WTA events directly So having the Mumbai Open here in Maharashtra really helps to get the exposure that I need against the higherranked players and for this I would really like to thank MSLTA President Prashant Sutar and Hon Secretary Sunder IyerâLooking ahead at the upcoming tournament Vaishnavi Adkar shared âI want to focus on a few important aspects like my serve and controlling the baseline This tournament is going to help me observe and better understand what the higherranked players are doing differently as I hope to pick up a few lessons and improve my game and in the process make the most out of the opportunity that Iâve been givenâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/maharashtra-star-vaishnavi-adkar-looks-to-make-her-mark-in-mumbai-open-wta-125k-660113.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/south-africa-have-a-chance-to-go-all-the-way-in-mens-t20-world-cup-says-duminy-660117.html New Delhi Jan 29 South Africa have a chance to âgo all the wayâ to winning the 2026 Menâs T20 World Cup title when the mega event begins on February 7 said former allrounder JP Duminy The Proteas are yet to win a title and their best result in the tournament has been as runnersup in the 2024 edition where they lost in the final to India by seven runs in Barbados The side is currently playing against West Indies in three T20Is before heading to India for their Menâs T20 World Cup gamesSouth Africa will begin their Group D campaign against Canada at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 9 before taking on Afghanistan New Zealand and the UAE in the group stageâWe have been playing really good cricket over the last year or so particularly in whiteball formats and the squad we have certainly gives us a chance to go all the way Thereâs always that elusive thought of when South Africa will win a whiteball competition and I think we give ourselves a good chance going into this oneâ Duminy told IANS on ThursdayThe upcoming tournament will be the first whiteball competition South Africa will play under Shukri Conradâs coaching after he took over as the allformat coach in July last year Duminy who played six T20 World Cups for South Africa pointed to the form of the captain Aiden Markram as a key factor in how the side fares in the competitionMarkram is coming on the back of making 309 runs in nine games for Durbanâs Super Giants in the recent edition of SA20 and struck an unbeaten 86 in the first T20I where South Africa beat West Indies by nine wickets in PaarlâWhat stands out for me is the form of the players especially the captain From a batting point of view the form heâs in is important and if he plays well we give ourselves a very good chance as a teamâ he addedCurrently featuring in the World Legends Pro T20 League in Goa Duminy said being in the competition has been a rewarding experience âItâs been great You get to see familiar faces youâve played with and against over the years Being part of a tournament like this playing the game we love and bringing people together is really awesomeâHe signed off by saying the competitive spirit remains strong among former players âThe competitive nature never disappears Everyone still wants to play at a level that gives them the best chance of winning games Beyond that itâs the camaraderie the change room the banter that you miss and coming together to play the game again brings all of that backâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/south-africa-have-a-chance-to-go-all-the-way-in-mens-t20-world-cup-says-duminy-660117.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-want-to-take-positives-and-carry-them-through-the-season-says-svitolina-after-semis-loss-to-sabalenka-660125.html Melbourne Jan 29 Elina Svitolina left Melbourne Park without a place in the Australian Open final but not without renewed belief in where her game is headed The Ukrainianâs run at the Australian Open 2026 came to an end on Thursday with a 62 63 semifinal loss to World No1 Aryna Sabalenka who advanced to her fourth consecutive final in Melbourne It was Svitolinaâs first appearance in the last four at the Australian Open and despite the straightsets scoreline she emerged determined to focus on progress rather than disappointmentâIâm definitely very very happy with the two weeks here and in New Zealand as wellits of course very difficult when youre playing world No1 But I just want to take positives from the past weeks and the beginning of the year and just carry them through the seasonâ Svitolina said in her postmatch press conferenceThe 31yearold acknowledged that her serve let her down against Sabalenka calling it ânot greatâ but felt other parts of her game were working âTo be fair I thought I was returning today quite well I think I was returning well but then her second shot was unbelievable She was returning well quickly and then she had another punch coming the second shot after her serveâ she saidWhile the defeat may linger in the short term Svitolinaâs semifinal showing underlined the steady upward trajectory of her form This year marked her 13th appearance at the Australian Open and she surpassed her previous best results at the tournament Prior to 2026 her deepest runs in Melbourne came in 2018 2019 and 2025 when she reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Madison KeysâOf course when you play players like Sabalenka you dont have too much time to wasteâ Svitolina reflected âI feel Im in good form I think I can definitely draw some confidence and look forward to the upcoming tournaments Were just two weeks or maybe three weeks into the yearâHer path to the semifinals was particularly impressive Svitolina knocked out World No8 Mirra Andreeva in the fourth round and then dismantled World No3 Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals conceding only three games The victories marked the first time since 2019 that she had beaten top10 opponents in backtoback matches at a Grand SlamBeyond the tennis Svitolina spoke emotionally about what the tournament meant to her personally and nationally Despite falling one match short of the final she framed her Australian Open campaign as something to be proud ofâIm still disappointed that I didnt go furtherâBut I feel like I should not be allowed to really be sad I have a great positionâI have this amazing opportunity to play on centre court here represent my country to do it in a decent way and to have the opportunity you know to use my words and just be there for my people I feel like for the past weeks they have been really carrying me through with great vibes with great emotions and for me this is something that really motivates meâ she said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-want-to-take-positives-and-carry-them-through-the-season-says-svitolina-after-semis-loss-to-sabalenka-660125.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/australian-hockey-great-and-ex-india-coach-michael-nobbs-dies-at-72-660134.html Sydney Jan 29 Former Australian hockey star and an excoach of the Indian hockey team Michael Nobbs passed away on Thursday due to prolonged illness He was 72 Nobbs was appointed head coach of the Indian menâs team in 2011 a period when Indian hockey was going through a lean patch after failing to qualify for the 2008 Beijing OlympicsUnder his guidance India showed promise in the Olympic qualifiers and earned a place at the 2012 London Games However the team finished last at the Olympics a result that eventually led to his departure from the roleDespite the disappointing outcome in London during his short tenure from June 2011 to July 2013 Nobbs played a key role in rebuilding Indian hockey during a challenging phase and worked closely with players to improve fitness standards and professional discipline Apart from India he also served as head coach of the Japanese menâs hockey teamHockey Australia paid tribute to the former international with a heartfelt messageâHockey Australia extends its deepest condolences to Michaelâs family friends former teammates players and all those whose lives and careers were shaped by his contribution to hockey He will be remembered as a proud Kookaburra a respected professional and a servant of the sportâ Hockey Australia said in a statementAs a player Nobbs represented Australia as a defender and was known for his consistency and work ethic He earned 76 international caps between 1979 and 1985 scoring one goal and was part of a successful era in Australian menâs hockeyThe 72yearold was also an integral part of the Australian teams that competed at the 1981 Hockey World Cup in Bombay and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic GamesNobbs is survived by his wife Lee Capes a former Australian womenâs hockey player and their daughter Kaitlin who currently plays for Australiaâs womenâs national team IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/australian-hockey-great-and-ex-india-coach-michael-nobbs-dies-at-72-660134.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-mertens-zhang-set-up-womens-doubles-final-against-danilina-krunic-660142.html Melbourne Jan 29 Fourth seeds Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai booked their place in the final with an authoritative straightsets victory while seventh seeds Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic survived a dramatic threeset battle to reach their second Grand Slam final together Mertens and Zhang comfortably beat Ena Shibahara and Vera Zvonareva 63 62 in under 90 minutes on Margaret Court Arena securing their second major final after Wimbledon 2022âReally great performance I think weâre really there as a team Communication was there and I felt like today everything kind of worked But you know itâs been a great tournament so far so tomorrow weâll have a day off or a day of practice and then on to the finalsâ Mertens said after the matchThe semifinal was a smooth outing for Mertens and Zhang who previously escaped elimination by saving three match points in the second round against Jovic and Mboko then came from a set down in the quarterfinals to stay in the tournamentâWe kind of were fighting at that point to stay in the tournament and now weâre in the final So you know anything can happen when you keep on fightingâ Mertens saidAgainst Shibahara and Zvonareva the No 4 seeds took control early After splitting the first two games Mertens and Zhang won four straight to lead 51 They briefly wobbled surrendering a break but quickly closed the set The second followed a similar pattern a strong start a late break while serving for the match then a quick response to win Zhang played a key role at the end setting up and converting their third match pointâThis is our second time playing together at a Grand Slam and now second final Oh my God we should keep playing together foreverâ said Zhang during her oncourt interviewEarlier on Rod Laver Arena Danilina and Krunic reached the final after a tough 76 2 36 64 win over Dabrowski and Stefani lasting nearly two and a half hours They had upset top seeds and defending champions Siniakova and Townsend in the quarterfinalsâI feel like this match had everything in it So many ups and downs Luisa and Gaby played a great match Itâs always tough to play against them and I mean obviously it was emotional We just tried to hang in there especially after a break down in the third and it worked out for us wellâ Krunic said in their oncourt interviewDanilina and Krunic led 52 but Dabrowski and Stefani fought back The No 7 seeds won the tiebreak In the second the CanadianBrazilian pair broke late to level the matchThe drama continued in the decider Dabrowski and Stefani initially led 20 but a rain delay and roof closure shifted momentum Danilina and Krunic rallied to 33 then broke again to near victory However they were broken while serving for a match point Undeterred the No 7 seeds responded immediately with a break to love sealing the contest with a spectacular rally on match pointâThey were confusing me from the first point I tried to think about my own game what Iâm supposed to do what comes from my racket but theyâre a very energetic team They move well at the net and they know how to play doubles Today was a very different match for us and Iâm happy that at the very end we found that extra energy to be in Saturdayâs finalâ Krunic addedWith both teams having already tasted heartbreak at major finals Saturdayâs showdown promises a compelling battle for the womenâs doubles crown in Melbourne IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-mertens-zhang-set-up-womens-doubles-final-against-danilina-krunic-660142.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/womens-sr-kabaddi-nationals-railways-haryana-among-teams-to-reach-quarterfinals-on-day-3-660151.html Hyderabad Jan 29 The knockout phase of the 72nd Womenâs Senior National Kabaddi Championship started at the GMC Balayogi Stadium at Gachibowli in Hyderabad on Thursday after the league stage ended with several teams securing spots in the quarterfinals through the prequarterfinal round At the conclusion of the group phase Indian Railways Karnataka Maharashtra Goa Madhya Pradesh Delhi Haryana Vidarbha Chandigarh Uttar Pradesh Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan advanced to the prequarterfinals leading to an exciting evening of knockout matchesIn the prequarterfinals Indian Railways moved forward with a 46â27 victory over Karnataka while Maharashtra narrowly defeated Goa 42â36 Madhya Pradesh secured a 41â36 win against Delhi and Haryana delivered a strong performance to beat Vidarbha 50â19Chandigarh secured their spot in the quarterfinals with a 45â39 win over Uttar Pradesh Tamil Nadu completed the list of qualifiers with a 34â30 victory against Rajasthan Punjab and Himachal Pradesh advanced to the quarterfinalsâPunjab beat hosts Telangana 42â25 in PreQuarterfinal 7 and Himachal Pradesh defeated Gujarat 67â22 in PreQuarterfinal 8Karthika R from Tamil Nadu maintained her impressive performance with steady raiding throughout the league stage Meanwhile Bhumika from Uttarakhand and Chhaya from Chhattisgarh emerged as some of the most active attackers across the matches On defense Monika from Chandigarh distinguished herself with a high success rate in tackles while Ghadhavi Sabhai of Gujarat and Muskan Sharma of Madhya Pradesh also played significant rolesDay 2 of the competition on Wednesday delivered a mix of commanding performances and tightly fought encounters across all eight pools with Indian Railways stamping their authority in Pool A through emphatic wins over Jammu amp Kashmir 88â12 and Delhi 54â21 while Pool B saw contrasting fortunes as Uttar Pradesh edged Assam 37â27 before falling to Himachal Pradesh 34â21Pool C was dominated by Telangana 50â16 and Rajasthan 76â12 against Puducherry while Pool D featured strong outings from Goa 74â20 vs Jharkhand and Haryana 52â26 vs GoaPool E saw Maharashtra register a comfortable 57â20 victory over Vidarbha Pool F produced a competitive clash with Punjab narrowly defeating Bihar 39â31 and Pool G delivered one of the closest games of the day as Gujarat edged Odisha 29â26 Pool H concluded proceedings with Madhya Pradesh securing a solid 48â23 win over Andhra PradeshThe confirmed quarterfinal lineup to be played later on Thursday isQF1 Indian Railways vs MaharashtraQF2 Madhya Pradesh vs HaryanaQF3 Chandigarh vs Tamil NaduQF4 Punjab vs Himachal PradeshThe semifinals and final of the 72nd Womenâs Senior National Kabaddi Championship will be played on January 30 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/womens-sr-kabaddi-nationals-railways-haryana-among-teams-to-reach-quarterfinals-on-day-3-660151.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 02:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ranji-trophy-dubey-picks-6-37-as-vidarbha-take-upper-hand-over-up-in-must-win-clash-660154.html Nagpur Jan 29 Vidarbha captain Harsh Dubey claimed 637 in 195 overs to bowl out Uttar Pradesh for 237 in 685 overs on the opening day of their mustwin Elite Group A clash in the Ranji Trophy 202526 at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Thursday By the time stumps were called Vidarbha reached 33 for loss in 12 overs to take early honours in a game they needed to win outright to enter the knockouts Electing to bat first UP were struggling at 1096 before Dhruv Jurel 96 and Shivam Mavi 47 added 92 runs for the seventh wicket to help UP cross the 200run markAt the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground Salem Sukirt Pandey struck an unbeaten 73 and Ninad Rathva made 66 as Baroda reached 2475 against Tamil Nadu Electing to bat Baroda were reduced to 724 after offspinner J Hemchudeshan claimed three wickets in his first four overs and captain R Sai Kishore took one scalpBut Rathva and Pandey steadied the innings once the pitch eased adding valuable runs with measured strokeplay Pandey and skipper Atit Sheth 45 not out shared an unbroken 90run stand for the sixth wicket thus ensuring Baroda ended the day in a strong position after Tamil Naduâs early strikesAt Nagaland Cricket Stadium in Sovima Chetan Bist struck a commanding unbeaten 160 as Nagaland reached 3226 in 90 overs against Andhra Nagaland were in trouble at 594 before Bist led a remarkable recovery adding 167 for the fifth wicket with Dega Nischal who made 74 from 188 ballsThe wicketkeeperbatter struck 23 fours and a six in his 217ball stay dominating the innings and keeping Nagaland in control Though Nischal was dismissed late in the day and Imliwati Lemtur fell cheaply Bist found support from Nagaho Chishi who remained unbeaten on 37At Barabati Stadium in Cuttack Odisha ended day oneâs play at 2426 in 92 overs against Jharkhand with Swastik Samal 79 and Govinda Podder 64 scoring halfcenturies Jharkhand the only side that can deny Vidarbha qualification for knockouts were kept at bay by Odishaâs gritty batters IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ranji-trophy-dubey-picks-6-37-as-vidarbha-take-upper-hand-over-up-in-must-win-clash-660154.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 02:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/indias-grandmaster-divya-deshmukh-joins-norway-chess-women-for-2026-660155.html New Delhi Jan 29 Indian Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh is set to debut at the Norway Chess Women in 2026 making history as the youngest participant since the tournaments inception in 2024 She is among the top talents in womenâs chess today arriving in Oslo after a breakthrough season that has cemented her position among the worldâs elite âIâm incredibly excited to be competing in Norway Chess Itâs my first time in the country and Iâm really looking forward to seeing what Norway is like I canât wait to experience this unique format and compete in such a prestigious tournament To all the fans rooting for me thank you for the love and encouragement See you all thereâ Divya said in a statement released by Norway ChessIn 2025 Divya won the FIDE Womenâs World Cup earning her the Grandmaster title and a spot in the 2026 Womenâs Candidates Tournament At only 19 she became the fourth Indian woman to achieve GM highlighting Indiaâs rising prominence in international chessShe has also achieved success on the international stage representing India earning both individual and team gold medals and establishing herself as one of the most promising young players of her generationSharing the news on their official X handle Norway Chess wrote âDivya Deshmukh joins Norway Chess Women A new name enters the Norway Chess Women 2026 field In 2025 Divya won the FIDE Womenâs World Cup earning the Grandmaster title and qualifying for the Womenâs Candidates 2026 At 19 she became the fourth Indian woman in history to earn the GM title Divya has won both individual and team gold with India at the latest Chess Olympiad In Oslo she will become the youngest player ever to compete at Norway Chess WomenââIndia continues to produce outstanding young chess talent and Divya is a great example of that momentum Weâre delighted to welcome her to Norway Chess Women and look forward to engaging a growing Indian chess audience as she makes her debut in Osloâ said Benedicte Westre Skog COO of Norway Chess in the statement IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/indias-grandmaster-divya-deshmukh-joins-norway-chess-women-for-2026-660155.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 02:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/virat-kohlis-instagram-account-reinstated-after-brief-disappearance-660201.html New Delhi Jan 30 Star Indian cricketer Virat Kohlis official Instagram account was reinstated on Friday morning following a brief disappearance that left fans baffled and buzzing online On Thursday night Virats official Instagram account which boasts a whopping 274 million followers suddenly became inaccessible leaving millions of fans wondering whether the profile was deleted deactivated or temporarily suspendedUsers attempting to visit Kohliâs verified handle were met with an error message stating that the page was unavailableThe unexpected development quickly triggered a wave of speculation especially given Kohliâs massive global following and his reputation as one of the most active athletes on social media His Instagram presence known for blending cricket updates brand collaborations fitness routines and family moments has long been a key connection point with fansWithin minutes of the account vanishing hashtags related to Kohli began trending across platforms Supporters flooded X and fan forums with screenshots and theories ranging from a possible voluntary break from social media to a technical issue on Instagramâs end Some even speculated about a hacking incident though there has been no evidence to support such claimsKohli one of cricketâs most recognisable figures worldwide commands one of the largest followings among athletes globally His digital influence extends far beyond the cricket field making the sudden absence of his account all the more noticeableHe recently reclaimed the No 1 ICC ODI batting ranking after a masterful 124run knock against New Zealand earlier this month his 54th ODI century before moving to second before Daryl Mitchell went past the Indian legend to be on top of the ODI chartKohli etched his name in the record books by becoming Indiaâs highest runscorer against New Zealand in ODI historyAcross 35 ODIs against the Kiwis Kohli has amassed 1773 runs at an impressive average of 554 including six centuries and 10 halfcenturies with a highest score of 154 He surpassed Sachin Tendulkar who scored 1750 runs in 42 matches at an average of 4605 with five hundreds and eight fifties IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/virat-kohlis-instagram-account-reinstated-after-brief-disappearance-660201.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pt-ushas-husband-passes-away-pm-modi-expresses-condolences-660203.html Kozhikode Jan 30 V Srinivasan husband of Rajya Sabha member and Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha passed away in the early hours of Friday Srinivasan collapsed at his residence in Payyoli in Keralas Kozhikode district and was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital However doctors declared him brought dead family sources said adding that he felt uneasy around midnight and despite being taken to the nearby hospital he breathed his lastThe sudden demise has sent shockwaves through sporting and political circles across the countryUsha was in New Delhi at the time of the incident to attend the ongoing Parliament session She is returning to her hometown and is expected to arrive shortlyPrime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Usha over the phone and expressed his condolences on the passing away of her husbandThe Prime Minister conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for strength for Usha to bear the irreparable lossSrinivasan was a native of Ponnani in Malappuram district and had a strong association with sports from an early age The two tied the knot in 1991A former kabaddi player he later joined the Central Industrial Security Force CISF where he served as an officerDespite his sporting background and professional career Srinivasan maintained a low public profile throughout his lifeHe was widely regarded as a pillar of support to Usha during her illustrious athletics career and later during her transition into public life and sports administrationAfter she was appointed president of the Indian Olympic Association and became a Rajya Sabha member Srinivasan continued to stay away from the public glare focusing on family and personal commitmentsClose associates describe him as disciplined softspoken and deeply committed to the values of sport and public serviceThe couple is survived by their son Dr Ujjwal VighneshCondolences have been pouring in from political leaders sportspersons and sports administrators across the countrySeveral sporting bodies expressed deep grief noting that Srinivasan played a quiet yet significant role in supporting one of Indiaâs most iconic athletes IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pt-ushas-husband-passes-away-pm-modi-expresses-condolences-660203.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ioa-chief-pt-ushas-husband-v-srinivasan-dies-at-64-pm-modi-expresses-condolences-660208.html New Delhi Jan 30 V Srinivasan husband of Indian Olympic Association president and Rajya Sabha MP PT Usha passed away on Friday at the age on 64 Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the athlete and expressed his condolences on the passing away of her husband Sreenivasan who had served as an inspector in the CISF married PT Usha in 1991 They have a son named Ujjwal VigneshSrinivasan collapsed at his residence in Thikkodi Perumalpuram in Kerala in the wee hours of Friday He was rushed to a nearby private hospital but could not be savedUsha was not at home at the time of the incident She is on the way home after attending the parliamentary sessionUnion Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju also expressed his condolences via an X postDeeply saddened to learn about the passing away of Shri V Srinivasan ji husband of Rajya Sabha MP amp President of the Indian Olympic Association PTUshaOfficial ji My heartfelt condolences to Usha ji amp the bereaved family Prayers for strength in this difficult time Rijiju shared on XSrinivasan was a kabaddi player in his younger years He played a pivotal role in the establishment and management of the Usha School of Athletics in Koyilandy helping nurture the next generation of Indian track starsHe was treasurer of the school and also the backbone of the activities of the school His encouragement support consolation and love made PT Usha march forward with courage to materialise her dream IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ioa-chief-pt-ushas-husband-v-srinivasan-dies-at-64-pm-modi-expresses-condolences-660208.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ioa-chief-pt-ushas-husband-v-srinivasan-dies-at-64-pm-modi-expresses-condolences--660212.html New Delhi Jan 30 V Srinivasan husband of Indian Olympic Association president and Rajya Sabha MP PT Usha passed away on Friday at the age on 64 Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the athlete and expressed his condolences on the passing away of her husband Sreenivasan who had served as an inspector in the CISF married PT Usha in 1991 They have a son named Ujjwal VigneshSrinivasan collapsed at his residence in Thikkodi Perumalpuram in Kerala in the wee hours of Friday He was rushed to a nearby private hospital but could not be savedUsha was not at home at the time of the incident She is on the way home after attending the parliamentary sessionUnion Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju also expressed his condolences via an X postDeeply saddened to learn about the passing away of Shri V Srinivasan ji husband of Rajya Sabha MP amp President of the Indian Olympic Association PTUshaOfficial ji My heartfelt condolences to Usha ji amp the bereaved family Prayers for strength in this difficult time Rijiju shared on XSrinivasan was a kabaddi player in his younger years He played a pivotal role in the establishment and management of the Usha School of Athletics in Koyilandy helping nurture the next generation of Indian track starsHe was treasurer of the school and also the backbone of the activities of the school His encouragement support consolation and love made PT Usha march forward with courage to materialise her dreamDespite his sporting background and professional career Srinivasan maintained a low public profile throughout his lifeHe was widely regarded as a pillar of support to Usha during her illustrious athletics career and later during her transition into public life and sports administrationAfter she was appointed president of the Indian Olympic Association and became a Rajya Sabha member Srinivasan continued to stay away from the public glare focusing on family and personal commitmentsClose associates describe him as disciplined softspoken and deeply committed to the values of sport and public service IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ioa-chief-pt-ushas-husband-v-srinivasan-dies-at-64-pm-modi-expresses-condolences--660212.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pakistan-skipper-salman-agha-confirms-he-will-bat-no-3-in-t20-wc-660214.html New Delhi Jan 30 As Pakistan provided hints to a newlook top six during the first T20I against Australia captain Salman Ali Agha has confirmed he will bat at No 3 for the side during the upcoming ICC Mens T20 World Cup Ali Agha has predominantly batted later in Pakistans top six across his T20I career but most recently has taken it upon himself to move up to the crucial No 3 position in order to provide a more attacking option for his sideThe righthander appeared in good touch at first drop against Australia in the opening T20I of their threematch series in Lahore on Thursday when contributing a quickfire innings of 39 as Pakistan recorded an impressive 22run triumph just days out from the start of the T20 World CupYes Ill be batting at No 3 in the future We expect to face a lot of spin and I believe I can dominate spin during the Powerplay Thats why I moved up and that is where Ill stay Ali Agha was quoted by ICCAli Aghas promotion up the order means Babar Azam will most likely also face a new role with the former Pakistan skipper managing 24 runs from 20 deliveries against the Aussies after coming into bat at No 4Pakistan successfully defended their 168run total in the first of the three T20Is against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday eveningIn reply the Aussies lost six wickets to spin in reply as their run chase fell 22 runs short of the targetSpeaking about the game Ali Agha said We started well with the bat but couldnt finish the way we wanted It became challenging after the first 10 overs as the ball stopped coming onto the bat but I think we were outstanding with the ballTo be honest I felt 170 was enough Given how we were placed after 10 overs we probably could have scored 15 more but I knew 170 would be plenty on this pitch because our spin bowling is outstandingThe second and third matches of the series will be played on Saturday and Sunday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pakistan-skipper-salman-agha-confirms-he-will-bat-no-3-in-t20-wc-660214.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chennaiyin-fc-sign-spanish-forward-inigo-martin-ahead-of-the-new-season-660216.html Chennai Jan 30 Chennaiyin FC have completed the signing of Spanish attacker Inigo Martin with the 26yearold set to embark on his first stint in Indian football The Bilbaoborn forward adds further firepower to the Marina Machansâ attacking unit ahead of the upcoming seasonMartin arrives in Chennai following spells across Spain Andorra and Georgia bringing with him valuable experience from different footballing environments A centre forward by trade Martin is comfortable operating anywhere across the frontline offering tactical flexibility and movement in the final thirdHe joined compatriot Alberto Noguera Moroccan defensive midfielder Mohammed Ali Bemammer and Indian winger Imran Khan as the clubâs newest arrivalsSpeaking upon his arrival Martin said âIâm very happy and excited to join Chennaiyin FC Itâs a big opportunity for me and a new challenge in my career I am really proud to be part of this family and I canât wait to get started I have a very good feeling about the Head Coach and the teamI believe he can help me improve as a player Iâm ready to learn work hard and adapt quickly Playing in India is a new experience for me and Iâm approaching it with a lot of respect and motivation I want to make the fans happyâHailing from Bilbao Martin began his footballing journey with local side Arenas where he progressed through the ranks before gaining experience in Spainâs lower divisions Seeking new challenges he went on to build a solid professional career abroad making his mark in Andorran and Georgian footballThe Spaniard enjoyed a productive spell with FC Santa Coloma in Andorra He later featured in Georgia with FC Samtredia and FC Telavi further developing his game across varied tactical systems and competitive landscapesAddressing the newest addition to the team head coach Clifford Miranda said IÃigo is just the profile of player we were looking for in the position He will bring a lot of dynamism to our final third in the way we want to go forward His movements off the ball will bring us solutions in tight spaces He comes with experience of playing in tougher leagues which will be valuableMartinâs signing adds another dimension to Chennaiyin FCâs forward options with his work rate positional awareness and adaptability expected to complement the squadâs attacking structureMartin will link up with his new teammates in the coming days and begin training under the Chennaiyin FC coaching staff as the Marina Machans continue their preparations for the season ahead IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chennaiyin-fc-sign-spanish-forward-inigo-martin-ahead-of-the-new-season-660216.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/gadecki-and-peers-become-first-pair-in-37-years-to-defend-aus-open-mixed-doubles-title-660222.html Melbourne Jan 30 Hometown wildcards Olivia Gadecki and John Peers became the first pairing in 37year to defend their Australian Open mixed doubles crown here on Friday The home favourites edged French duo Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard 46 63 108 inside Rod Laver ArenaGadecki and Peers became the first duo to win consecutive AO mixed doubles titles since Jana Novotna and Jim Pugh in 198889 They also became the first Australians to go backtoback at their home Slam since Margaret Court and Ken Fletcher achieved the feat in 196364âI donât quite know where to start I canât believe we are in this positon right now âI knew we could do it but I didnât think we could really do it if you know what I mean said Gadecki at the trophy ceremonyIt was Peers third Grand Slam mixed doubles title after also winning the US Open 2022 with Storm Sanders He won the Australian Open 2017 mens doubles with Finlands Henri Kontinen and clinched a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics partnering Matthew EbdenMeanwhile it was a second Grand Slam title for WTA star Gadecki after her 2025 Melbourne Park triumph alongside PeersGadecki and Peers looked in trouble when they fell behind 57 in the match tiebreak before they peeled off five of the last six points Gadecki was particularly strong from the ground in the clutch while the French pair tightened with the finish line in sightThe Aussies moved ahead 87 when Mladenovic sprayed a long return before Peers crushing return made it 97 for two championship points The French duo saved one of them before the backtoback triumph was sealed when firsttime Grand Slam finalist Guinards return of Peers second serve crashed into the net Aus Open reports IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/gadecki-and-peers-become-first-pair-in-37-years-to-defend-aus-open-mixed-doubles-title-660222.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sophie-molineux-named-australian-womens-all-format-captain-660032.html Melbourne Jan 29 Sophie Molineux has been appointed captain of the Australian Womenâs Team taking the reins from Alyssa Healy who will retire from all formats in March Cricket Australia said on Thursday Having made her international debut in March 2018 the Molineux has been vital to Australiaâs whiteball success She was part of the ICC Womens T20 World Cup winning squads in 2018 and 2020 Over the last eight years she has played three Tests 17 ODIs and 38 T20Is for AustraliaThe 28yearold leftarm spinner will make her national captaincy debut in three T20Is as part of the upcoming multiformat Womenâs International Series against India starting on February 15âItâs a real honour to be named Australian captain and something Iâm incredibly proud of especiallyfollowing on from Alyssa whoâs had such a huge impact on this team and the gameâWeâve got a really strong group with plenty of natural leaders alongside a lot of exciting talent coming through and Iâm really looking forward to working together as we keep evolving and pushing ourselves to the next level while staying true to the identity that makes this team so special Molineux saidIâm incredibly grateful for the trust thatâs been shown in me and Iâm excited to grow alongside this group of players and see what we can achieve together with Tahlia Ash and the rest of the team she addedMeanwhile Healy will captain Australia for the last time during the three ODIs and Test match with Molineux her deputy Allrounder Ashleigh Gardner has been elevated to vicecaptain alongside Tahlia McGrath across all formatsâSophie is an outstanding leader and we are thrilled for her to take on the role Sophie is highly respected within Australian cricket and her resilience composure and proven domestic leadership makes her the right person to lead the team into a new eraâWe will continue to manage Sophieâs workload prioritising key tournaments and major international series following injury challenges in recent seasons National Selector Shawn Flegler saidâTahlia McGrath remains vicecaptain recognising her significant leadership contribution under Alyssa Healy Tahlia has acted as standin captain on 16 occasions across formats providing consistency and stabilityâAsh Gardner has been elevated to vicecaptain alongside Tahlia strengthening the teamâs leadership group Ash and Tahlia provide complimentary skills in support of Sophie and are also both capable of leading the team as standin captain if required he addedAustralia also announced the squads to face India next month including a GovernorGeneralâs XI to take on the visitors ahead of the seriesAllrounder Nicola Carey is in line to play her first international match since 2022 while leftarm quick Lucy Hamilton has been named in her first Australian squadâNicola has had an impressive past couple of years in domestic cricket and has also performed well overseas in both England and India She is an experienced player with a strong skill set and she will get an opportunity to test those skills as we build towards the T20 World CupâLucy is an exciting leftarm fast bowler who offers something different with the ball She has worked hardon her game over the past few years and is someone we believe has a big future while also benefiting from being around the group at this level Flegler saidLegspinner Alana King has been omitted from Australiaâs T20 squad with Megan Schutt missing out on selection in the ODI sideâIt was also a tough call with Megan but at her best she remains an important part of the side particularly with the T20 World Cup on the horizon Flegler saidHiwever Phoebe Litchfield has been named in all three squads despite being ruled out of the remainder of the Womens Premier League season with a quad injuryThe GovernorGeneralâs XI match will see some of Australiaâs most promising domestic stars face the oneday World Champions in a T20 fixture under lights at North Sydney OvalThe team will be led by Queenslandâs Charli Knott and features Australian Defence Force cricketer Corporal Frances Whittaker alongside Australian players Tess Flintoff Kim Garth Alana King and Georgia VollA member of the Royal Australian Air Force Whittaker is a wicketkeeper and toporder batter with her selection continuing a longstanding association with the Australian Defence Force that provides the opportunity for eligible serving personnel to participate in the annual fixtureâThis multiformat series will be an important test across all three formats and a crucial part of ourpreparation as we look ahead to the ICC Womenâs T20 World Cup in England in June Flegler addedAustralia ODI squad Alyssa Healy c Sophie Molineux vc Darcie Brown Nicola Carey Ashleigh Gardner Kim Garth Alana King Phoebe Litchfield Beth Mooney Tahlia McGrath Ellyse Perry Annabel Sutherland Georgia Voll Georgia WarehamAustralia Test squad Alyssa Healy c Sophie Molineux vc Darcie Brown Ashleigh Gardner Kim Garth Lucy Hamilton Alana King Phoebe Litchfield Beth Mooney Tahlia McGrath Ellyse Perry Annabel Sutherland Georgia Voll Georgia Wareham IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sophie-molineux-named-australian-womens-all-format-captain-660032.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 23:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/champions-league-madrid-drop-to-play-offs-five-english-clubs-move-into-round-of-16-660043.html New Delhi Jan 29 Real Madrid were defeated in Lisbon by Benfica to finish ninth and will have to face a playoff to reach the last 16 of the Champions League against Benfica or BodoGlimt Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubins sensational 98thminute header earned Benfica a place in the knockout phase playoffsThe Eagles looked set to miss out despite recovering from 10 down to open up a 31 lead thanks to two goals from Andreas Schjelderup either side of Vangelis Pavlidis penaltyKylian Mbappes second of the game â his 13th league phase goal setting a new record â pushed them out of the top 24 and there they remained until Jose Mourinho ordered Trubin forward and against opponents suddenly down to nine men the Ukrainian delivered the telling blowThe league phase concluded in thrilling style with 18 simultaneous kickoffs as Barcelona and Sporting CP secured topeight positions alongside Bayern and five English teamsMeanwhile goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubins lastgasp header sensationally earned Benfica a place in the knockout phase playoffsSporting secured a topeight finish following Alisson Santos dramatic winner in BilbaoThe visitors twice pegged back their opponents at San Mames where Ousmane Diomande and Francisco Trincao cancelled out efforts from Oihan Sancet and Gorka Guruzeta respectivelyThen in the fourth minute of stoppage time Santos drilled a lastgasp winner beyond Unai Simon who had kept out Luis Suarezs initial attemptBarcelona came from behind to secure a topeight spot thanks to four secondhalf goals in 41 win over Copenhagen Seventeenyearold Viktor Dadason put Copenhagen ahead in the fourth minute running onto a pass from Mohamed Elyounoussi to slot inBarcelona pushed for an equaliser and broke through early in the second half when a superb long ball from Dani Olmo found Lamine Yamal to set up Robert Lewandowski to levelYamal scored a goal of his own on the hour through a deflected strike that looped in and Raphinha extended the hosts advantage from the penalty spot before Marcus Rashfords late freekick wrapped up the victoryArsenal beat Kairat Almaty 32 to record their eighth victory to become the first team to finish the league phase with a 100 recordThe Gunners flew out of the blocks Viktor Gyokeres charging through and curling in a low finish within three minutesThe visitors responded quickly Jorginho stroking in a confident penalty four minutes later but Arsenal had reasserted themselves by halftime â Kai Havertz cutting in from the right to curl in and Gabriel Martinelli finishing a fine team moveThe home side continued to dominate in the secondhalf but Kairat concluded their campaign on a positive note when Ricardinho headed in with the final touch of the matchLiverpool secured a comfortable 60 win over Qarabag at Anfield to confirm their place in the round of 16 The hosts dominated from the outset and opened the scoring through Alexis Mac Allisters closerange header doubling their advantage courtesy of Florian Wirtzs low drive into the bottom cornerMohamed Salah made it 30 with a sweetlystruck freekick before Hugo EkitikÃs deft finish added a fourth seven minutes later Mac Allister bundled in before Federico Chiesa completed the scoring in the final minute to secure Liverpool a topeight finish for the second season runningTottenham sealed a place in the top eight by winning in Frankfurt 20 for the second consecutive season Meanwhile firsthalf masterclass from Jeremy Doku secured Man City a comfortable win to finish the league phase and earn a topeight spotElsewhere Joao Pedro scored a fine double as Chelsea came from behind to progress directly to the last 16 and eliminate NapoliLast seasons finalists Inter Milan soaked up pressure from Dortmund but struck with precision to win 20The Italian side grew into the game and broke the deadlock when Federico Dimarco curled a sublime free kick past Gregor KobelSerhou Guirassy had a great chance for the hosts in the firsthalf but Andy Diouf was on hand to wrap it up in added time with a deflected second IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/champions-league-madrid-drop-to-play-offs-five-english-clubs-move-into-round-of-16-660043.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 23:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/wpl-2026-beth-mooneys-fifty-and-tanuja-kanwars-late-blitz-lift-gujarat-giants-to-1749-against-dc-659970.html Vadodara Jan 27 Beth Mooneyâs composed halfcentury and N Shree Charaniâs timely strikes shaped an eventful first innings as Gujarat Giants posted a competitive 174 for 9 against Delhi Capitals in the 17th match of the Womens Premier League WPL 2026 at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Tuesday Batting first for the first time the Giants took advantage of Mooneys composure at the top of the order until the last set of the innings when Tanuja Kanwar came out to bat The opening pair for Gujarat was Sophie Devine and Mooney but Devine only faced the third over before getting out to Marizanne Kapp for 13 runs Anushka Sharma batting at No 3 struck a couple of boundaries within the first 20 balls of the game showing early aggressionMooney hit out a few singles to get used to the pitch By the end of the Powerplay the Giants had built themselves solidly to 53 runs for the loss of one wicketAnushka Sharma kept the Giants scoring towards the middle of the game had one chance in the eighth over on 39 runs and had it taken from her almost immediately as Shree Charani took her wicket in the very next delivery swinging the momentum back to DelhiAfter that the Giants had another success when captain Ashleigh Gardner hit the ball towards deep midwicket only to get out for 2Mooney remained calm through everything that happened and reached her fifty runs during her innings with just 39 deliveries holding the entire innings together while losing wickets all around herCharani claimed her second wicket when she bowled Georgia Wareham out for 11 in the 15th over Delhi increased the pressure on the Giants in the next over when Chinelle Henry dismissed Bharti Fulmali for 3 leaving the Giants in a precarious position And when she finished her innings at 58 from 46 balls in the 17th over the Giants chances for a strong finish seemed bleakThe Giants poor finish continued as Delhi shut them down during the final overs of the match Just when Gujarat appeared to be limping to the end of their innings Tanuja Kanwar added an important contribution as a No 9 batter scoring 21 runs off 11 balls just before the end of the inningsKanwars effort raised the Giants total to 174 runs for 9 wickets from 20 overs giving the Delhi Capitals a competitive target despite Delhi not being at their best during the final phase of the inningsBrief scoresGujarat Giants 1749 in 20 overs Beth Mooney 58 Anushka Sharma 39 Sree Charani 431 Chinelle Henry 238 against Delhi Capitals IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/wpl-2026-beth-mooneys-fifty-and-tanuja-kanwars-late-blitz-lift-gujarat-giants-to-1749-against-dc-659970.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 02:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/u19-world-cup-india-pakistan-set-for-key-clash-after-big-wins-remain-on-course-for-semis-spots-659983.html Bulawayo Jan 27 India moved to the top of the Group 2 points table with a convincing win over Zimbabwe in the ICC Under19 Mens Cricket World Cup Meanwhile Pakistan also took a step towards the semifinals with a solid win over New Zealand The Group 2 standings after the recent fixtures have set up an enticing contest between India and Pakistan on Sunday Pakistan proved they are a force to be reckoned with at the ICC Under19 Menâs Cricket World Cup with a comprehensive eightwicket win over New ZealandIn a dominant allround display Pakistan chased down a modest target of 111 inside 171 overs The big win kept Pakistan in the hunt for a semifinal spot Though they are currently third in the standings behind England and India they have notched a healthy net run rate of 1484 which may come in handy if thereâs a logjam at the top of the tableElecting to field first Pakistan pacers made the most of the seaming conditions at the Harare Sports Club Ali Raza got the ball rolling as he trapped Marco Alpes leg before the wicket While Raza claimed three wickets for 36 runs in seven overs Abdul Subhan produced a matchwinning spell of 411 from his quota of 63 oversFor New Zealand opener Hugo Bogue notched the highest score a quickfire innings of 36 which included six fours and two maximums However the Pakistan bowling attack ensured that the Black Caps didnt have any partnerships goingIn the second innings rising star Sameer Minhas led the chase with a second straight halfcentury in the competition Minhas scored an unbeaten 76 and took Pakistan over the finish line with an emphatic six down the groundIndia rode on a splendid century from Vihaan Malhotra to register a whopping 204run victory over Zimbabwe to reclaim their top spot in Group 2 standingsAfter being asked to bat first Indian openers Aaron George and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stitched together a quickfire 44run opening stand Georges departure didnt deter Sooryavanshi as he continued with the onslaught to bring up his halfcenturyZimbabwe clawed back some initiative sending the 14yearold and Vedant Trivedi back in the hut within the space of five oversMalhotra and Abhigyan Kundu then settled into a fine batting rhythm to steer India clear of any potential danger The former fired Indias first century at the tournament while Kundus 61 off 62 deliveries set India on the course for a big score Khilan A Patels 12ball 30 added to the late fireworks as India finished with 3528 from their 50 oversChasing a daunting total Zimbabwe lost their openers Nathaniel Hlabangana Dhruv Patel and Brendon Senzere early in the chase Kian Blignaut and Leeroy Chiwaula attempted to rebuild the Zimbabwean innings with the latter also bringing up a resilient halfcenturyBut Ayush Mhatre and Udhav Mohan snapped up three wickets each helping India curtail the Zimbabwe challenge to 148 after a lowerorder collapseThe victory means only three teams from Group 2 India England and Pakistan remain in the hunt for the semifinals spots with a huge bearing on Sundays blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/u19-world-cup-india-pakistan-set-for-key-clash-after-big-wins-remain-on-course-for-semis-spots-659983.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 02:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/svitolina-stuns-gauff-for-maiden-australian-open-sf-659906.html Melbourne Jan 27 Elina Svitolina staged the major upset of Australian Open on Tuesday night as she stunned the third seed Coco Gauff in just 59 minutes and advanced to her fourth career Grand Slam semifinal and first at the Australian Open here on Tuesday While Gauff struggled with her serve unforced error count and early on even her string tension Svitolina did everything right to close out a 61 62 victory that puts her first Grand Slam semifinal since the summer of 2023 and her first in Australia at the age of 31Gauffs serving struggles reached a breaking point in this crucial seventh game as she committed two devastating double faults that handed Svitolina easy points Svitolinas penetrating baseline play proved decisive as she claimed the opening set 61 in dominant fashionGauff fought desperately to stay alive opening with a strong wide serve but couldnt sustain her level under pressure Svitolinas clinical performance throughout the match breaking serve five times total secured her place in the final fourWith a win over Gauff Svitolina extended her winning streak to 10 straight matches the thirdlongest tourlevel streak of her career In 2017 she won 15 matches in a row and in 2025 she won 11 straightThe world No12 supported courtside by husband Gael Monfils collected a 19th tour title in Auckland during her Australian Open buildup and hasnât dropped a set so far at Melbourne Park Shes now guaranteed to return to the Top 10 in the WTA Rankings for the first time since October 2021 in next Mondays rankingsSvitolinas win over Gauff is her 24th career Top 5 win Four of those have come at Grand Slams all since her return from maternity leaveShe will bid to reach her first Grand Slam final when she faces No 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka who leads their headtohead 51 on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/svitolina-stuns-gauff-for-maiden-australian-open-sf-659906.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-alcaraz-clears-de-minaur-challenge-to-make-first-semifinal-659931.html Melbourne Jan 27 World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz advanced to his first semifinal at Melbourne Park moving within two wins of achieving the career Grand Slam as he sealed a statement 75 62 61 victory against Alex de Minaur in front of a vibrant Rod Laver Arena crowd The Spaniard absorbed the pressure and ultimately neutralised the full impact of Alex de Minaurâs newly refined attacking style aiming for his seventh major title and his first in Melbourne to arrange a semifinal matchup against last yearâs runnerup Alexander ZverevâIâm just really happy with the level that Iâm playing every match since the first round Iâve been increasing my level each match I was talking with my team about being patient because I want all the things right now But they told me to be patient that the level will come Today I felt really comfortable playing great tennis which Iâm really proud aboutâ Alcaraz said in his oncourt interviewDe Minaur showed a hint of what it takes to challenge the top players like Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner but the match ultimately highlighted the distance still to be bridged at the highest level Alcaraz played powerfully from the baseline confidently controlling the game and advancing to the semifinals without losing a setThe 22yearold who became only the eighth Spanish man in history to reach the Australian Open semifinals is looking to become only the sixth man in the Open Era to complete a career Grand Slam joining Andre Agassi Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic and Rod Laver ATP reportsAfter his fourthround victory over Alexander Bublik De Minaur openly discussed his drive to avoid being a âpunching bagâ for top players and to improve his ability to shift opponents out of position His quickness and persistent defence have propelled him to a careerhigh No 6 in the ATP Rankings However his remarks highlight the need for evolution to compete with a new wave that has won the last eight major titlesDe Minaur fulfilled that goal in the match The quarterfinals first set saw five breaks of serve with the Australian recovering from deficits of 03 and 35 to advance and dominate play However that resilience was ultimately insufficient and temporaryâItâs really difficult I started the match really well hitting the ball really well But Alex puts you in a rush all the time so you want to hit the ball as hard as you can which is impossible against him So from 30 until 43 44 I wanted everything in a rush so I took a moment took a break mentally I was more patient until the end of the matchâ Alcaraz said when asked about playing De MinaurAlcaraz shifted gears confidently controlling the match with ruthless shotmaking to secure a twohour 15minute win This extended his lead to 60 against De Minaur who has only taken two sets in their rivalry which began in 2022After exiting in the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park in 2024 and 2025 Alcaraz has now achieved a 164 record at the tournament He will face Zverev in the semifinals a rematch of their 2024 quarterfinal which the German won in four sets IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-alcaraz-clears-de-minaur-challenge-to-make-first-semifinal-659931.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bangladesh-players-make-significant-strides-in-rankings-amid-womens-t20-wc-qualifier-659934.html Dubai Jan 27 Bangladeshâs women cricketers have emerged as the major beneficiaries of the latest T20I rankings following a string of impressive performances at the Womenâs T20 World Cup Qualifier in Nepal The Asian side remains unbeaten in the tournament and is edging closer to securing qualification for the Womenâs T20 World Cup set to be held in England and Wales later this year Their dominant run at the qualifier has been underpinned by strong contributions across departments reflected in notable climbs in the individual rankingsAt the forefront is toporder batter Sharmin Akhter who has enjoyed a prolific tournament With 156 runs from four innings Sharmin is currently the secondhighest runscorer at the qualifier Her tally includes two halfcenturies coming against the USA and Ireland and those performances have propelled her 22 places up the T20I batting rankings to joint 35thShe is not the only Bangladeshi batter to make progress Sobhana Mostary has also reaped rewards for her consistency climbing 11 places to joint 52nd after producing four solid innings during the eventElsewhere in the batting rankings Ireland captain Gaby Lewis has moved up one place to joint 15th while the Netherlandsâ batter Sterre Kalis has jumped six positions to 48th following her own strong showingBangladeshâs bowlers have also made significant strides Offspinner Rabeya Khan has inched up to 14th in the T20I bowling rankings after claiming seven wickets in her sideâs first four matches Fellow spinner Fahima Khatun has risen six spots to 30th on the same listThe rankings update also reflects standout performances from other teams at the qualifier Scotlandâs 20yearold allrounder Katherine Fraser has surged 17 places to joint 44th among bowlers and leapt an impressive 39 spots to 25th in the allroundersâ rankings after contributing with both bat and ball Thailand spinner Sunida Chaturongrattana has also made gains moving up nine places to joint 46thAs the qualifier progresses Bangladeshâs upward momentum on both the field and the rankings table underlines their growing stature in womenâs T20 cricket IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bangladesh-players-make-significant-strides-in-rankings-amid-womens-t20-wc-qualifier-659934.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-feel-like-they-dont-need-to-broadcast-gauff-speaks-out-on-privacy-after-australian-open-loss-659937.html Melbourne Jan 27 Coco Gauff urged for more privacy for players saying that some moments should not be shared publicly after behindthescenes footage captured her breaking a racquet following a tough loss in the Australian Open quarterfinals against Elina Svitolina âI tried to go somewhere where there was no camerasâ Gauff said expressing discomfort at the incident being aired on television and shared across social media âCertain moments â the same thing happened to Aryna after I played her in the US Open final â I feel like they donât need to broadcast Maybe some conversations can be had because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker roomâAfter losing 61 62 to Elina Svitolina in 59 minutes in the Australian Open Coco Gauff displayed frustration The Americans match was marred by five double faults and 26 unforced errors and only recorded three winners to Svitolinas dominating performance which sent her through to the Australian Open semifinals for the first time in her careerAfter the match Gauff took out her frustrations on her racquet in the players area and not on the court which she thought she was safe from the publicExplaining why she felt the need to release her emotions Gauff said âI donât want to lash out at my team They donât deserve that I donât think itâs a bad thing I try not to do it on court in front of kids and things like that but I do know I need to let out that emotionâGauffs loss was a stark contrast to her performance earlier in the tournament when she fought through backtoback threeset matches to make it to the quarterfinals Unfortunately she never had a chance against 12thseeded SvitolinaSvitolina took full advantage of her opponents weak serve breaking Gauff six times in seven attempts and completing the match in an efficient mannerOnce again service was a major problem for Gauff Last season she led the WTA in double faults with 431 numbers As a result she hired biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan who has previously worked with Aryna Sabalenka to help correct her movement when serving Despite this effort Gauff committed five double faults including one on a break point and one on set point during the first set which made it impossible for her to overcome SvitolinaSvitolina will now face world number one and title favourite Sabalenka in the semifinals The Belarusian easily defeated the teenager Iva Jovic 63 60 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-feel-like-they-dont-need-to-broadcast-gauff-speaks-out-on-privacy-after-australian-open-loss-659937.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pwl-2026-yui-susaki-sets-tone-as-captain-drives-haryana-thunders-charge-this-season-659940.html Noida UP Jan 27 For Yui Susaki playing for Haryana Thunders in the Pro Wrestling League PWL 2026 has been more than just another tournament it has been a stage to lead inspire and deliver under pressure The Japanese star has emerged as the heartbeat of Haryana Thunders guiding the franchise with composure and consistency as they sit atop the PWL standings Captaining Haryana Thunders who are known for their intensity in the league and fast turnarounds Susaki has embraced the rhythm of regular competition The opportunity to step onto the mat repeatedly has helped her build momentum something she believes has been central to her strong run this seasonPro Wrestling League PWL has been a good experience for me because I can fight a lot of times during this leagueâ Susaki said reflecting on her journey so farHer performances have mirrored her mindset clinical efficient and teamoriented In one of the standout moments of the season Susaki wrapped up her bout in under a minute a display that underlined her dominance while also setting the tone for her teammates Yet for the captain individual success remains secondary to the collective causeâIâm so excited to participate in this League Iâm playing for our team our owners our coach so this is not just for me this is for usâ she saidThat sense of unity has defined Haryana Thunders campaign After opening the season with two convincing wins the team faced a brief setback in their third match before responding strongly to reclaim momentum and climb back to the top of the table Throughout the highs and the challenge of a narrow loss Susakiâs calm presence has been a constantThe Japanese ace credits the environment within the camp as a key reason behind Haryana Thundersâ resilience and consistencyâOur team is very powerful cheerful and friendly so we have a very good team environmentâ Susaki said highlighting the chemistry she shares with her teammatesOff the mat Susaki has also enjoyed embracing life in India during the league taking in the culture with the same enthusiasm she brings to competition âIn India Iâm enjoying my stay I love Indian food especially curryâ she addedAs the Pro Wrestling League 2026 moves into its decisive phase Haryana Thunders remain firmly placed with their captain continuing to lead by example With Susaki at the forefront Haryana Thunders looks wellpositioned to sustain its title challenge and carry its strong leaguestage form into the business end of the tournament IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pwl-2026-yui-susaki-sets-tone-as-captain-drives-haryana-thunders-charge-this-season-659940.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/4th-t20i-everybody-has-got-a-certain-x-factor-about-them-says-morne-morkel--659967.html Visakhapatnam Jan 27 India bowling coach Morne Morkel has emphasized the depth flexibility and matchwinning ability of the national team He stated that clear communication and understanding of roles are key to the teams strategy as they prepare for major tournaments Speaking about the squadâs strength Morkel stressed that selection is driven by conditions and balance rather than fixed roles âWith the 11 that we can pick on match day weâve got 11 match winners Everybody has got a certain âXâ factor about them They know that thereâs no guarantee of being the 11 Itâs about whoâs suited best for the conditions and how we can help the team win at the end of the dayâ he saidMorkel expressed great appreciation for fast bowler Jasprit Bumrahs talent calling him the best in the worldâJasprit is the best bowler in the world But at the end of the day everybody needs somebody to talk to Thereâs always a lot of expectation on him to go and bowl that magical spell and win the game for us Sometimes that burden can take its tollâ Morkel explainedMorkel highlighted that the bowlers need more than just technical advice to help them be successful they also need to communicate frequently with experienced playersâHaving played the game and knowing a lot of the greats in the past that I played with we all just need somebody to communicate with I always check in with Bumrah to make sure heâs comfortable and if he agrees with the plans weâve madeâ he saidMorkel used his own career as an example of how helpful it is to talk frequently with senior bowlers âHeâs like a Ferrari car If you can get the engine the oil and all of that running well the car will performâMorkel recognised that a variety of approaches would give India an advantage on the field in important tournaments âItâs a luxury that we have a handful of bowlers that can bowl in every situationâ he said âPart of the thinking for us leading into the World Cup was to look at different sorts of combinations We donât want teams to have set plans against usâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/4th-t20i-everybody-has-got-a-certain-x-factor-about-them-says-morne-morkel--659967.html Wed, 28 Jan 2026 02:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sabalenka-ends-jovics-dream-run-reaches-fourth-straight-aus-open-semifinal-659834.html Melbourne Jan 27 World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka ended the 18yearold American Iva Jovics dream run securing a 63 60 win to reach her fourth consecutive Australian Open semifinal on Tuesday Sabalenka is the only player still standing in the womenâs field to have previously lifted the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup With her place in a fourth consecutive Melbourne semifinal the top seed has reached the last four at a major for the 14th timeIn a dominant display the top seed struck 31 winners to Jovicâs 12 and won 61 per cent of points on the 29th seedâs second serveJovic at 18 was the youngest player to reach the last eight at the Australian Open without dropping a set since Venus Williams in 1998Sabalenka who is yet to drop a set will face either No 3 seed Coco Gauff or No 12 seed Elina Svitolina nextIn the pairâs firstever meeting Sabalenka immediately exerted her authority by pouncing on Jovicâs second serves to break and quickly consolidated for a 30 leadJovic prevented herself from falling to an even bigger deficit Her stunning ballstriking troubled SabalenkaServing for the set at 53 the top seed saved one break point before Jovic fended off a first set point The fourtime major champion saved another two break points with her trusty serve and set up a second set point with a cracking forehand winner down the line only to be denied when Jovic returned her serve the Australian Open reportsSabalenka then struck a brilliant backhand to earn a third set point and pummelled another backhand down the line to claim the setIn the second set Sabalenka surged to an early lead placing yet another backhand winner leading her to break in the 29th seedâs opening service gameSabalenka then gained an insurance break and a 30 lead then held to love to put the match within two games of its conclusion The 29th seed Jovic benefited from a double fault donation from Sabalenka and produced winners off both wings to earn a pair of break points as the topseeded rival served for the matchSabalenka saved the two serves and seconds later claimed victory and a semifinal berth with an ace out wide on match point IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sabalenka-ends-jovics-dream-run-reaches-fourth-straight-aus-open-semifinal-659834.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bbl-maxwell-re-signs-with-melbourne-stars-for-another-two-years-659839.html Melbourne Jan 27 Australian star allrounder Glenn Maxwell has re signed with Melbourne Stars with another two years the Big Bash League BBL club said on Tuesday Since joining the Stars in BBL 2 Maxwell has played 123 matches and made 3193 runs in green establishing himself as one the leagueâs greatest ever playersMaxwell who is the thirdhighest runscorer in BBL history endured a poor season where he made just 76 runs in eight innings and claimed two wicketsWhile the 37yearold was out of contract at the end of BBL15 he said it was an easy decision to continue his career in greenâThe Melbourne Stars have been a massive part of my cricket career and Iâm really passionate about this team having successâ Maxwell saidâI think this current group is building towards something special and Iâm confident weâre in a place to contend for the title in the next two seasons he addedâWeâre really happy with how our list is coming together for BBL 16 We felt like the group took some big steps forward this season so weâre excited to have that core coming together againâGlenn has obviously been one of the best T20 players in the world for a long period of time and his commitment to the Stars is really valuable to us Melbourne Starsâ T20 High Performance Manager Clint McKay saidThe Stars have also extended young gun Campbell Kellaway for another two years The lefthanded batter played all 11 games this season and showed a glimpse of the future for Stars fansâSigning Campbell was just as important as he adds some great stability to our top orderâHe proved himself at the level this season and Iâve got no doubt he will make a lot of runs for us for many years to comeâWeâre also excited to see another year of development in Austinâs gameâHeâs a bright young talent who will benefit greatly from another year in our programâPrior to the BBL Player Movement Window opening on Wednesday 20yearold Austin Anlezark has added one more year to his contract with the Stars as wellBBL clubs will be able to trade players and sign eligible free agents from January 28 to February 5 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bbl-maxwell-re-signs-with-melbourne-stars-for-another-two-years-659839.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 10:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aussie-pacer-kane-richardson-retires-from-professional-cricket-659851.html New Delhi Jan 27 Australian fast bowler Kane Richardson has called time on his professional cricket career drawing the curtain on a 17year journey that spanned international success domestic titles and franchise leagues around the world A member of Australiaâs victorious 2021 T20 World Cup squad Richardson departs the game as one of the most accomplished bowlers in Big Bash League history Across 15 BBL seasons he claimed 142 wickets placing him fifth on the competitionâs alltime menâs wickettaking listHe represented three clubs during that time Adelaide Strikers Melbourne Renegades and Sydney Sixers leaving a lasting imprint at each stopRichardson earned 25 oneday international and 36 T20 international caps for Australia while domestically he played a key role in the Renegadesâ championship triumph in BBL08His impact in Melbourne was particularly significant with 104 wickets in 80 matches he remains the Renegadesâ leading menâs wickettaker in the competitionâs historyThe Victorian productâs T20 journey began in 2009 with South Australia during the original statebased Big Bash competition When the BBL was launched Richardson featured in the Strikersâ inaugural match in BBL 1 and went on to play 36 games for the club across six seasons A move to the Renegades followed in the BBL 7 where he enjoyed the most productive period of his domestic T20 careerIn recent seasons injuries took an increasing toll The 34yearold finished his playing days with the Sydney Sixers in BBL 15 appearing in two matches during his final campaignRichardson announced his retirement on Instagram on Monday prompting tributes from across the cricketing community Close friend and longtime teammate Adam Zampa reacted to the news writing on his Instagram story âMy friend has played his last game of professional cricket 18 years in the game wouldnt be the person I am without himâBeyond the shortest format Richardson also carved out a solid red and whiteball rÃsumà He played 34 firstclass matches taking 102 wickets and featured in 98 List A games for 153 dismissalsHis 201match T20 career took him well beyond Australiaâs shores Richardson played in the Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bengaluru Rajasthan Royals and Pune Warriors featured in England with Kent and Birmingham Phoenix and turned out for Dubai Capitals in the UAE IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aussie-pacer-kane-richardson-retires-from-professional-cricket-659851.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sri-lanka-to-play-six-match-white-ball-series-in-west-indies-from-feb-20-659857.html Colombo Jan 27 Sri Lankaâs womenâs team is set to travel to the West Indies for a sixmatch whiteball tour spanning late February to early March The itinerary features three OneDay Internationals and three T20 Internationals scheduled between February 20 and March 3 All fixtures will take place at the Grenada National Stadium in Grenada The ODI leg begins on February 20 with the remaining matches on February 22 and 25 Attention then shifts to the T20Is starting on February 28 followed by games on March 1 and 3The T20I contests carry added significance as both sides step up their preparations for the 2026 Womenâs T20 World Cup to be held in the UK later this year The West Indies and Sri Lanka are grouped together in Group 2 alongside England New Zealand and two teams yet to qualifyâThe Sri Lanka National Womenâs Team will tour the West Indies during FebruaryâMarch 2026 to play a threematch ODI series and a threematch T20I series The tour will begin with the ODI series followed by the T20I series which will be played in Grenadaâ the SLC said in their official statementSri Lanka will be eager to end a T20I series drought that stretches back to their Asia Cup success in 2024 Meanwhile the West Indies enter the series with strong home form having secured T20I series victories against Bangladesh and South Africa in their most recent outingsThe two teams last met in the Caribbean in 2024 when Sri Lanka dominated the ODI series with a 3â0 sweep while West Indies responded by winning the T20I series 2â1Sri Lanka are currently the sixthranked ODI team in the Womens Rankings with the West Indies in ninth In the T20I Rankings the Windies occupy sixth place while the Lankans are placed seventh IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sri-lanka-to-play-six-match-white-ball-series-in-west-indies-from-feb-20-659857.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-pegula-ends-keys-title-defence-in-straight-sets-659712.html Melbourne Jan 26 Jessica Pegula ended Madison Keys title defense at the Australian Open with a 63 64 victory and sailed into the quarterfinals on Monday The sixth seed prevailed over her countrywoman friend in one hour and 18 minutes on Monday and improved to 82 in Grand Slam fourthround matches overallPegulaâs triumph in the first allAmerican womenâs singles fourth round battle at Melbourne Park since Australian Open 2020 champion Sofia Kenin defeated Coco Gauff grants her entry to a fourth AO quarterfinal and first since 2023In Wednesdayâs quarterfinal Pegula will face either compatriot and fourth seed Amanda Anisimova or Wang XinyuPegula began proceedings by holding to love and surged to a 20 lead by breaking in Keysâ opening service game Keys earned her first break point opportunities of the match in the seventh game and although Pegula did her best to keep her opponent offbalance by mixing up the pace of her serves and groundstrokeslTwo minutes later thanks to four consecutive unforced errors from Keys Pegula regained the break and successfully served for the setIn the opening game of the second set Keys served a pair of backtoback double faults to give her rival a break point only to fend it off with a much needed ace But another double fault from the ninth seed gifted Pegula an early break Australian Open reportsThough Pegula gained a socalled insurance break edging ahead for a 41 lead her compatriot snatched one break back by punishing second serve with a forehand return winnerThe defending champion held serve to stay in the tournament at 35 putting the match on Pegulaâs racquetBut Pegula accustomed to big occasions executed one of the drop shots that Keys had been rightfully wary of enroute to setting up a pair of match points On the first Keys misfired a forehand into the net to hand Pegula the win before the duo shared a warm embrace IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-pegula-ends-keys-title-defence-in-straight-sets-659712.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/as-india-celebrates-77th-republic-day-ladakh-scouts-out-there-to-make-a-difference-in-ice-hockey-659716.html Leh Jan 26 There is an ice hockey revolution going on in the country to be sure with Ladakh Scouts a specialised mountain infantry regiment of the Indian Army being at the forefront of it As India celebrates its 77th Republic Day there is no better time than this to highlight their exemplary work in the field of ice hockey The first leg of the sixth edition of the 2026 Khelo India Winter Games KIWG is underway in Leh Ladakh with ice hockey and ice skating on display and once again Army Ladakh Scoutsâ representatives in the Games are proving to be indomitable in the event Army will play surprise entrants Chandigarh in the menâs final on Republic Day on MondayBut actually itâs their performance and efforts off the ice rink that matters a lot more transcending a mere win or even a gold medal which they have won on multiple occasions in the Khelo India Winter Games Its their desire to popularise ice hockey in India to take it beyond the snowy icy and mountainous Leh Ladakh into the plains and coastsWhile there is no accurate record per se word has it that the Ladakh Scouts started playing ice hockey in the late 1970s There was no real surface or equipment they did it just for funIt was only in the late 1980s that they got a bit serious about the sport as they made natural ice rinks and imported expensive equipment it may be noted that today ice hockey gear per player can cost up to Rs 4 lakhIn 2000 they were raised as a full infantry and with that increased their efforts and seriousness in ice hockeyRight now in India there are just two Olympicsize artificial ice rinks one in Dehradun and one in Leh at the indoor Nawang Dorjay Stobdan StadiumâTo make ice hockey truly a popular sport we need more such rinks all over the country For now the sport is largely confined to Leh Ladakh We need to spread the sport to the other corners of the country and thatâs only how we can help the sport growâ captain Parth Jagtap part of the Army team playing in the 2026 KIWG saidCaptain Jagtap who was honoured with Distinguished Award for Outstanding Sports and Academic Achievements last year in Mumbai also hailed Khelo Indiaâs efforts over the yearsâThe involvement of Khelo India has helped in many ways There is much more awareness about ice hockey through the media coverage Also the awareness about what all needs to be done to truly make it a popular sport in the countryâ he saidThe construction of an ice rink can be a very expensive affair Just a basic rink can cost up to Rs 15 crore or so An indoor stadium not a big one but that can seat up to 5000 spectators can cost up to Rs 4050 croreThese are big amounts and need corporate backing Once the likes of Reliance Adani Tata decide to pitch in the ice hockey landscape can quicky change in India can spread beyond Leh LadakhAnd Ladakh Scoutsâ representatives reportedly have floated this idea about the involvement of the corporate houses Soldiers are there to keep the borders safe but sometimes they take certain responsibilities upon themselves they otherwise no business with they go beyond the call of dutyIce hockey is a great example Last year Ladakh Scoutsâ lastminute funding for the national womenâs team went a long way the Indian women national team secured its first ever bronze at the IIHF Womenâs Asia Cup in the United Arab EmiratesThese are clearcut indications Ladakh Scouts nicknamed Snow Leopards or Snow Warriors mean business They are hopeful their efforts sooner rather than later will take them to making India a recognisable face in the global ice hockey landscape IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/as-india-celebrates-77th-republic-day-ladakh-scouts-out-there-to-make-a-difference-in-ice-hockey-659716.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/yuvraj-harbhajan-members-of-cricket-fraternity-mourn-the-demise-of-ex-bcci-chief-is-bindra-659727.html New Delhi Jan 26 Former India allrounder Yuvraj Singh former spinner Harbhajan Singh and members of the Indian cricket fraternity paid tribute to former Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI president Inderjit Singh Bindra who passed away at his residence on Sunday at the age of 84 Bindra served as BCCI president from 1993 to 1996 He was a key figure in Indian cricket administration and led the Punjab Cricket Association for many years His association with the PCA spanned over three decades from 1978 to 2014âSaddened to hear about the passing of IS Bindra sir A great administrator of the game whose influence I witnessed from a very young age His vision and contribution to Indian cricket will always be remembered My condolences to his familyâ Yuvraj wrote on XâA stalwart of Indian cricket administration Our deepest condolences on the passing of former BCCI and PCA President IS Bindraâ IPL franchise Punjab Kings wrote on their social mediaâI S Bindra sir was a remarkable administrator who served with distinction in the Indian government and earned respect across every sphere of society He was a massive pillar of Punjab cricket â without his vision guidance and unwavering support Punjab cricket would never have reached where it is today His contribution to Indian cricket as a whole was just as significant He was always there for his players â ready to help to support and to guide them at every stepOn a personal level he was like a father figure to me someone who constantly encouraged me to do the right thing in life His wisdom and kindness shaped not just careers but lives This is a deeply personal loss There will never be anyone who can truly replace you sir You may be gone but the impact you have left on all of us will last forever Rest in peace sirâ former India and Punjab cricketer Harbhajan Singh penned on XFormer India and Karnataka cricketer Dodda Ganesh wrote âDeeply saddened by the passing of Shri IS Bindra A visionary cricket administrator whose leadership and dedication played a vital role in shaping Indian cricket His contributions to the game will always be remembered Heartfelt condolences to his family Om ShantiâFormer BCCI President and current ICC chair Jay Shah had confirmed the news on Sunday writing âDeepest condolences on the passing of Mr I S Bindra former BCCI president and a stalwart of Indian cricket administration May his legacy inspire future generations Om ShantiâPunjab Cricket Association PCA mourned Bindraâs passing as they wrote âThe Punjab Cricket Association mourns the passing of I S Bindra a visionary administrator and former president of the BCCI and PCA His leadership foresight and unwavering commitment played a pivotal role in shaping the growth and governance of Indian cricket His legacy will continue to inspire generations within the cricketing fraternity Our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones May his soul rest in peaceDuring his tenure as an administrator Bindra significantly impacted cricket management and infrastructure locally and beyond In 2015 he was honoured by having the PCA Stadium in Mohali renamed the IS Bindra Stadium in acknowledgement of his contributions to cricketBesides his administrative responsibilities Bindra gained recognition for his outspoken opinions on governance in Indian cricket He was especially critical of the handling of the IPL 2013 corruption scandal by N Srinivasan and the BCCI raising concerns about the transparency and accountability of that processAs a senior bureaucrat Bindra played a key role in establishing Indiaâs position in world cricket during the 1990s Alongside Jagmohan Dalmiya he identified commercial opportunities in television rights leading to private broadcasters entering the scene This shift transformed the games financial structure and boosted Indiaâs global presenceInternationally Bindra was instrumental in securing ICC rights to host major events in India Subsequently he served as a key adviser to the ICC President showcasing his importance in cricket governance IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/yuvraj-harbhajan-members-of-cricket-fraternity-mourn-the-demise-of-ex-bcci-chief-is-bindra-659727.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-musetti-beats-fritz-to-book-qf-clash-with-djokovic-659731.html Melbourne Jan 26 Italian tennis star Lorenzo Musetti registered a convincing 62 75 64 victory against the ninthseeded American Taylor Fritz in the fourth round of the Australian Open prevailing into his fourth major quarterfinal and first here in Melbourne The Italian was in control for most of the contest using his variety and consistency to keep Fritz under pressure Musetti served efficiently throughout the match winning 84 per cent of points on his first serve and 74 per cent on his second while also striking 13 acesMusetti made a strong start by breaking Fritz early in the opening set and went on to take it comfortably The second set proved more competitive but Musetti raised his level at crucial moments converting break points to seal the set 75 In the third set the 21yearold maintained his momentum and closed out the match without facing any major threatâI think today my serve was really working well I think I made one of my best performances in aces in my career so far so Iâm really really happy When I finished last season pretty late the goals were to start well this year because Iâd never surpassed the first week here Making the final in Hong Kong winning doubles in Hong Kong with Lorenzo Sonego and now being in the quarterfinals for me itâs really a dream said MusettiWith this win the fifthseed Italian has earned a clash against record 10time champion Novak Djokovic who reached the last eight after Czech Jakub Mensik withdrew due to an abdominal muscle injuryNovak we played many many times and every time its a lesson first of all Musetti said after the match Its such an honour to share the court against him Every time I leave the court with something and thats something of course that I really think is helping me to try to win against him he addedDjokovic leads Musetti 91 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series and will enter Wednesdays meeting on a sixmatch winning streak against the Italian Last week the Serbian great collected his win No100 at the Australian Open became the first player to reach 400 wins at Grand Slams and overtook Roger Federer for the most menâs quarterfinals in tournament history IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-musetti-beats-fritz-to-book-qf-clash-with-djokovic-659731.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/young-players-have-become-more-mature-says-pbks-shashank-ahead-of-ipl-2026-659732.html Mumbai Jan 26 Punjab Kings PBKS officially started their preparations for the upcoming Indian Premier League IPL season with their first preseason camp in Udaipur held from January 16 to 20 The fiveday session featured a blend of experienced players and promising young talent Key squad members attended the camp including IPLâs top wickettaker Yuzvendra Chahal and middleorder batter Shashank Singh They were joined by promising young players such as Priyansh Arya Pyla Avinash Suryansh Shedge Vishal Nishad and Pravin Dubey The management emphasised team bonding and clarified roles in preparation for the upcoming seasonShashank recently recovered from a minor injury highlighted the camps importance for reconnecting with teammates and welcoming new membersThe core focus was mostly on the bonding because obviously we met after so long Shashank said The energy was superb We were all very positive just like last year The place where we had the camp was lovely perfect weather conditions and a perfect ground setup We really enjoyed it and got exactly what we wanted from this campShashank became a vital contributor to the team last season scoring 350 runs in 14 matches with an average of 50 and a strike rate of 1535 With 21 players retained from the previous season the franchise aims to capitalise on their momentum from last yearDuring the camp the aggressive batter was especially impressed by the progress demonstrated by the teamâs emerging starsThere are so many young players in our teamâSuryansh Priyansh Pyla and Vishal It was so good to be with them he shared They young players have become more eager more mature and more excited for this year It helps to share my experience with them because they keep asking questions Getting to know their thoughts and talking about our strengths has been amazingOn a personal note Shashank utilised the sessions to restore his rhythm and acknowledged the franchiseâs medical team for their unwavering support throughout his rehabilitationFor me this game is more about the mental setup This camp really helped me get into a better mental space said Shashank I am just getting into the groove and trying to be fitter I feel Iâll be matchfit in a week or twoShashank concluded with a message for the loyal âSher Squadâ promising a season full of entertainment and fighting spiritI want to thank our fans for always supporting us I feel our fans are the best fans I am pretty sure that this year in all the games that red and golden vibe will be there on the ground he concluded We will make sure that we entertain you and when you leave the ground you will have a smile on your face IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/young-players-have-become-more-mature-says-pbks-shashank-ahead-of-ipl-2026-659732.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/return-to-indian-t20i-team-is-what-i-had-been-waiting-for-says-ggs-bharti-fulmali-659734.html New Delhi Jan 26 Seven years is a long time in cricket For Bharti Fulmali it felt even longer The bighitting middleorder batter from Amravati had made her India T20I debut against England in Guwahati in 2019 She impressed early by charging down the pitch to hit Laura Marsh for a boundary on her third ball in international cricket but managed only 18 and 5 in two outings before being left out As the years rolled by Bharti who holds a job with the Income Tax Department resigned herself to the fact that her international career might be over before it had truly begun But on January 17 when the Gujarat Giants landed in Vadodara after wrapping up their Navi Mumbai leg of WPL 2026 the BCCI named Bharti in Indiaâs squad for the T20I series in Australia in February a development which took her by surpriseWe just boarded the bus after landing in Vadodara and thats when my teammates came and shouted behind me Congratulations and then I got to know that this happened I actually didnt even know before that such a team was to be announced or that I had been selectedI am feeling very good because this has come after a very long period of seven years This is what I had been waiting for and has happened now So I am very grateful and this feels stupendous Bharti recalled in an exclusive conversation with IANS ahead of the franchise facing Delhi Capitals in a decisive clash on TuesdayThe current version of Bharti who will board the plane to Australia is a vastly different player from the one who played briefly for India in 2019 Her national comeback has arrived on the back of exceptional performances in the ongoing WPL where she has scored 111 runs in six innings at a blistering strike rate of 16323 for GGLast season was equally impressive â 133 runs in four innings at 17272 â a significant leap from her 2024 seasons numbers of 64 runs at a strikerate of 12075 India after unsuccessful trials with Kiran Navgire and Sajeevan Sajana will bank on Bhartiâs WPL form so that she can join Richa Ghosh as a reliable finisher ahead of this yearâs T20 World Cup in EnglandThere are a lot of changes now from what I played in 2019 to now The role that the team has given me as a finisher I try to contribute in that and how to finish the game and help my team to get into a good position So this is my priority added BhartiThis evolution didnt happen by accident Bharti made a conscious decision to reinvent herself after recognising that the pathway back to international cricket required someone who has serious lowerorder batting muscleI also wanted to bat as a batter in the top order But as I saw the lot of changes happening in cricket I started to think on top of that â like what is the need Like if I want to play internationally the WPL and be at a higher level then what is the need there So there mostly I saw middleorder and lowerorder batters are neededThere I saw the state team struggling a little So I decided from there that if I want to play then this place will be perfect for me I will have to work a little hard and there will be a little different skills but I was okay to do all of thatI worked on that because you need power hitting there for the finisher â because you will only get 5 or 10 balls you have to perform in that margin only and I started training in that way It happened just 45 years ago when I started to apply those changes to my role in the Vidarbha team elaborated BhartiItâs no surprise that Bharti credits the WPL for her career resurgence Unsold in the first WPL auction she joined GG in 2024 as Harleen Deolâs injury replacement â a move that proved pivotal My cricket has transformed a lot after WPL came into the picture It has played a very big role and especially Gujarat Giants have a big role in it because they have given me an opportunity to play on this platformâThey showed that confidence and gave me chances to play and then I put out great performances So GG and WPL have a very big role in upping my game for the next level she saidWorking with GG head coach Michael Klinger and batting coach Dan Marsh has proved crucial to her development as a powerhitter When I came here in the first year I discussed with them about what I can and cant do So I went back to the ground level and practiced mostly hard hitting I used to practice on center wickets and open grounds I did a lot of match simulations because I have put a lot of emphasis on myself to get the team out of tough situationsKlinger also told me to practice against a tennis ball Its like if you clear the boundary while batting against a tennis ball then you will be able to play in the same way against the leather ball in a match So I practiced against that and did those drills and I am getting the fruitful results now added BhartiHer performances this season after GG used her RTM card to get her for Rs 70 lakh have included knocks that showcased her finishing abilities â 36 not out and 39 against Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are evidence of it In last yearâs season Bharti left everyone stunned by smashing her maiden WPL fifty off just 22 balls to give MI an almighty scareHer approach as a finisher and being unflustered comes from her admiration for the legendary MS Dhoni I have definitely imbibed a lot of qualities of him in myself because my natural nature is very calm When I used to watch Dhoni sir play on TV he used to come in the same situation as a finisher just like how I am doing right nowâHe has played a very good role there and won us the ODI World Cup as a finisher by scoring a six So he inspires me a lot I try to follow him a little bit and thats where all of this has come from said BhartiThat calmness under pressure by observing Dhoni has become Bhartiâs trademark too That is handled well because I always focus on my process I have put myself in these situations even in practice sessions Even when I play for the state I play under the same pressure Obviously there is no crowd thereBut if you think so much about the crowd and all these things then you will not be able to play well So when you play all these things get out of your mind Your focus is on the ball and what you have to do is on you So thinking all these things helps things become a little easier when your focus is on that one thing to play wellBhartiâs support system starts at home in Amravati where her father first introduced her to cricket His pride in her achievements remains a driving force for her I started playing cricket because of him in my childhood So he is very happy and he feels very proud that our daughter is playing and performing at this big level He feels really good on seeing me in action she saidBharti stays connected to her roots in Amravati through regular talks with childhood coach Sandeep Gawande at Sant Gajanan Cricket Academy while training at Nagpur Cricket Academy when away from homeWhenever I go to Amravati I still go to that ground and practice We have a very good bond We talk to each other daily If I have any doubts we still talk on the phone Their guidance is very important He my father and my family are the main pillars for meTheres even a nickname that has stuck with Bharti by her friends from Amravati â âLady Gayleâ Itâs a moniker which reflects in the bighitting prowess she has become known for now They still like calling me this a lot Whenever I go to Amravati they give me the centre wicket for practiceâBefore that they used to tell me that we will bowl and you hit the ball for six They would say bas tu maar You just hit the ball They have encouraged me a lot They have a lot of love for me and this is a way of expressing that They have supported me a lotSeven years away from the national team setup taught Fulmali invaluable lessons about discipline and perseverance I have realised discipline is very important I have worked with a lot of patience and discipline in the seven years I was away from the Indian team setupâYour diet is very important as are workouts on a regular basis It is very important to practise all these things daily I have maintained it and thats what is helping me she saidFor now Bhartiâs immediate focus will be to get GG into the playoffs The table is completely open now So we will try to play good cricket and I will also try to give my best I will fully try to fulfill the teams needs We will definitely try to display good cricket on the field and I am hopeful that we will win in the remaining games and definitely look to qualify for the playoffsHer advice to young cricketers stems from her own perseverance in the last seven years to get a chance at playing for India again I just want to say do what you like As a woman no doubt there are a lot of difficulties and challenges but you have to face it Dont look at it as a struggle accept it as a challenge and learn from it Do what you like work hard and you will definitely get the result IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/return-to-indian-t20i-team-is-what-i-had-been-waiting-for-says-ggs-bharti-fulmali-659734.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ind-vs-nz-shreyas-to-continue-as-varmas-replacement-for-remaining-two-t20is-659749.html Mumbai Jan 26 Shreyas Iyer a temporary pick for the ongoing T20 series against New Zealand due to Tilak Varmas fitness problems has been kept in the squad for the remaining matches He will accompany the team to Visakhapatnam and later to Thiruvananthapuram for the final two games of the fivematch seriesIyer was named as a replacement for Tilak for the first three matches but the youngster wont be returning for this series now The 23yearold needed surgery in Rajkot earlier this month during a Vijay Hazare match He is currently at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru has begun rehab and will join the squad in Mumbai for the T20 World Cup starting on February 7 once he is fully fitâIndia batter Tilak Varma has resumed physical training and is making steady progress with his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence However he will require additional time to regain full match fitness and will not be available for the final two T20Is of the ongoing fivematch T20I seriesâ the BCCI said in a statementâTilak will link up with the squad in Mumbai once he has regained full match fitness on 3rd February ahead of Indiaâs warmup match for the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 The Menâs Selection Committee has recommended that Shreyas Iyer will continue as Tilak Varmaâs replacement for the remaining matchesâ the statement further readIyer the vicecaptain in ODIs has not secured a spot in the playing XI for the current series which India won by taking an unassailable 30 lead on Sunday He has not appeared in a T20I since December 2023Indiaâs updated T20I squad Suryakumar Yadav C Abhishek Sharma Sanju Samson WK Shreyas Iyer Hardik Pandya Shivam Dube Axar Patel VC Rinku Singh Jasprit Bumrah Harshit Rana Arshdeep Singh Kuldeep Yadav Varun Chakaravarthy Ishan Kishan WK Ravi Bishnoi IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ind-vs-nz-shreyas-to-continue-as-varmas-replacement-for-remaining-two-t20is-659749.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bcci-mourns-demise-of-former-president-is-bindra-659753.html New Delhi Jan 26 The Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI on Sunday expressed deep sorrow at the passing of former BCCI President Inderjit Singh Bindra who died in New Delhi on Sunday at the age of 84 One of the most influential figures in Indian cricket administration Bindraâs vision and leadership played a defining role in shaping the governance of the sport in the country and strengthening Indiaâs standing on the international stage His association with cricket administration spanned more than four decades during which he served the game with distinction at both the national and state levelsDuring his tenure as BCCI president from 1993 to 1996 Bindra played a key role in consolidating Indiaâs position within the international cricketing fraternityHe also served as president of the Punjab Cricket Association for an extended period from 1978 to 2014 where his focus on infrastructure development and grassroots growth left a lasting legacy In recognition of his immense contribution the PCA Stadium in Mohali was renamed the IS Bindra Stadium in 2015Bindra along with former BCCI presidents the late NKP Salve and the late Jagmohan Dalmiya played a pivotal role in bringing the 1987 ICC Cricket World Cup to the subcontinent marking the first time the tournament was hosted outside EnglandThe DalmiyaBindra era later ensured that India hosted the 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup further cementing the countryâs central role in world cricketTogether they laid the foundation for Indian cricketâs commercial growth and unlocked the full potential of broadcast rights during the rise of the satellite television era a transformation that reshaped the media and broadcasting landscape across the countryBCCI president Mithun Manhas described Bindra as a visionary leader who played a defining role in shaping Indiaâs stature in world cricket and building enduring institutions for the gameâIS Bindra was a visionary administrator whose leadership helped redefine Indiaâs role in world cricket His contributions went far beyond governance as he helped build systems and institutions that continue to serve players administrators and the game itself to this day The BCCI mourns the loss of a true stalwart of Indian cricket administrationâ he said in a release by the BCCI on SundayBCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said Indian cricket had lost one of its most influential architects and expressed condolences to Bindraâs family and the wider cricketing fraternityâIndian cricket has lost one of its most influential architects Bindraâs commitment to the game his administrative foresight and his passion for creating enduring infrastructure have left a legacy that will be remembered with deep respect across the cricketing fraternity On behalf of the BCCI I extend our deepest sympathies to Bindraâs family friends and the entire cricketing fraternity during this time of profound griefâ he saidBCCI vicepresident Rajeev Shukla highlighted Bindraâs role in strengthening Indian cricket financially through sound governance and forwardlooking commercial strategiesâBindra had a clear understanding of what it would take to make Indian cricket financially strong and sustainable His focus on sound governance and smarter commercial structures helped lay the foundation for the gameâs longterm growth He set a high benchmark for administrators through a forwardlooking approach that continues to benefit the sportâ he saidBCCI joint secretary Prabhtej Bhatia underlined Bindraâs belief in building strong systems across all levels of the gameIS Bindraâs impact on Indian cricket went well beyond the roles he held He believed in building strong systems from the grassroots to the highest level and his work continues to shape how the game is run and experienced across the countryâ The joint secretary saidBCCI treasurer A Raghuram Bhat recalled Bindraâs emphasis on professionalism balance and high administrative standardsâIS Bindra brought clarity balance and a steady hand to every position he held His legacy lives on not just in the milestones achieved but in the professional standards he helped establish within Indian cricket Those values continue to guide the way the game is administered at every levelâ A Raghuram said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bcci-mourns-demise-of-former-president-is-bindra-659753.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/jannik-sinner-reaches-third-consecutive-aus-open-qf-659760.html Melbourne Jan 26 Jannik Sinner experienced a short dip in performance but quickly regained control to secure his spot in the Australian Open quarterfinals on Monday defeating fellow Italian Luciano Darderi here at the Margaret Court Arena Sinner who suffered cramp in Saturdayâs conditions during that fourset victory over the American Eliot Spizzirri raised his game when it mattered to beat fellow Italian Luciano Darderi 61 63 762 The 2024 and 2025 champion has now won 18 Australian Open matches in a row and took his overall win streak to 19 contests since his most recent defeat in Shanghai last OctoberIn their first tourlevel meeting Sinner established an early lead with powerful serving and continuous pressure winning the first two sets quickly Darderi however did not give up easily The 22yearold intensified his play late in the third set attacking the baseline aggressively to create four break points at 44 and then taking control with a strong performance in the tiebreak leading 20The moment hinted at a change in momentum but Sinner responded with determination He raised his performance when it mattered most winning seven straight points to conclude the match and dispel any remaining doubts about his physical healthSinner completed the twohour nineminute match with 46 winners including 19 aces highlighting a display of power and efficiency This win also kept his perfect tourlevel record against fellow Italians intact at 180 ATP reportsThe reigning champion advanced to his fourth Australian Open quarterfinal matching players like Grigor Dimitrov Kei Nishikori and Stefanos Tsitsipas for the fourth most appearances at this stage among active players He will face either Ben Shelton or Casper Ruud next chasing his third consecutive Australian Open title a milestone only Novak Djokovic has reached once before in the Open EraThe result put the fourtime major champion into his fourth successive Melbourne quarterfinal where heâll play American Ben Shelton or Norwayâs Casper Ruud on Wednesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/jannik-sinner-reaches-third-consecutive-aus-open-qf-659760.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-swiatek-eliminates-inglis-to-reach-14th-career-grand-slam-qf-659761.html Melbourne Jan 26 World No 2 Iga Swiatek defeated qualifier Maddison Inglis on Monday and reached her 14th career Grand Slam quarterfinal and third at the Australian Open The second seed dropped just three games in her  60 63 win This was the first time that Swiatek has played an Aussie at the Australian Open She has faced Inglis on her home turf before though winning 61 62 in the 2021 Adelaide second round en route to her first hardcourt titleSwiatek broke serve to claim the opening set 60 delivering a dominant performance on Rod Laver Arena Despite Inglis showing flashes of resistance with powerful serves and winning some early points the secondseed Poles baseline power proved overwhelmingThe game featured several extended rallies including an 11shot exchange where Swiateks aggressive groundstrokes forced Inglis into errors Inglis fought hard winning spectacular points through effective serving and court positioning but Swiateks clinical shotmaking shone through at crucial moments The Polish star sealed the set with a spectacular backhand overhead winner from a defensive position showcasing her exceptional athleticismServing for the match for the second time the second seed dropped no points in a dominant display She constructed each point efficiently finishing with aggressive forehands After losing the opening set 60 Inglis showed tremendous fighting spirit in the second set but ultimately couldnt overcome Swiateks superior power and consistency Swiatek holds serve to love clinching the second set 63 and winning the match in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals of the Australian OpenSwiatek set up a quarterfinal clash against No 5 seed Elena Rybakina Swiatek leads their headtohead 65 but Rybakina won their only previous Australian Open meeting 64 64 in the 2023 fourth roundA sixtime Grand Slam champion Swiatek who has won the French Open four times plus Wimbledon and the US Open once each is just three wins away from completing a career Grand Slam IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-swiatek-eliminates-inglis-to-reach-14th-career-grand-slam-qf-659761.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/isl-2026-kerala-blasters-rope-in-french-player-kevin-yoke-on-free-transfer-659767.html Kochi Jan 26 Threetime finalists Kerala Blasters roped in French star player Kevin Yoke on Monday ahead of the upcoming Indian Super League 202526 ISL which will commence on February 14 Yoke was plying his trade in Super League 2 in Greece where he made nine appearances for PAE Chania The 29yearold French international attacker born 23 June 1996 in Clamart France primarily operates as a left winger but is equally capable on the right flank offering versatility across the front lineThe left winger has joined the Blasters on a free transfer for the 202526 season He is the second addition to the team ahead of the new season The club has previously signed German attacking midfielder Marlon Roos Trujillo for the whole season These two signings will strengthen the team which will eye a comeback in the tournamentâKevin is a player with qualities that suit the way we want to play His ability to take on defenders his movement in wide areas and his experience at the professional level will add strength to our attacking unit Kerala Blasters CEO Abhik Chatterjee said in a release by the clubYoke also reacted to joining the Indian club I am very happy to join Kerala Blasters and canât wait to meet the squad and get started I am ready to give everything to meet the challenge that awaits us he saidBlasters FC has established itself as one of the most supported clubs in the ISL famously reaching the finals three times 2014 2016 and 2021â22 but failing to secure the title on each occasionIn the 2024â25 season the team endured a particularly difficult campaign finishing in 8th place with 29 points from 24 matches Despite flashes of brilliance such as a recordbreaking 8â0 win over Mumbai City in the Durand Cup they managed only 8 wins in the league and ultimately failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/isl-2026-kerala-blasters-rope-in-french-player-kevin-yoke-on-free-transfer-659767.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/theegala-breaks-top-10-drought-as-scheffler-maintains-dominant-streak-at-the-american-express-659770.html La Quinta California Jan 26 Sahith Theegala finished a solid week with a perfect final round earning his first Top10 finish in over a year Meanwhile World No 1 Scottie Scheffler reaffirmed his dominance by winning The American Express by four shots Theegala carded a bogeyfree 7under 65 on the final day steadily climbing the leaderboard to finish tied for eighth at 21under par This was his first Top10 finish on the PGA TOUR since the 2024 Tour Championship and provided a muchneeded boost following a challenging 2025 season affected by injuriesThe Indianorigin Americanâs performance was especially impressive considering his slow beginning to the week After shooting a 1under 71 in the first round he was tied for 118th place However he made a strong comeback over the next three days with rounds of 64 67 and 65 During this streak Theegala recorded two bogeyfree rounds showcasing a remarkable rallyOn Sunday Theegala dominated the game securing three birdies on the front nine and four more on the back He wrapped up his round by birdieing two of his last three holes showcasing his regained confidence and steady play Although he finished six shots behind the winner the week marked a promising comeback to formMeanwhile Akshay Bhatia and Sudarshan Yellamaraju the other players of Indian origin did not make the cutMeanwhile at the top of the leaderboard Scheffler continued his dominant streak Starting the final round two shots behind the world No 1 made an impressive run of birdies totalling nine and finished with a 6under 66 This secured him a fourshot win with a total score of 27under parSchefflerâs round had some setbacks â an early bogey and a late double bogey briefly interrupted his rhythm â but his consistent scoring kept him in control A streak of four birdies in six holes on the front nine allowed him to surpass overnight leader Si Woo Kim and young star Blades Brown extending his lead to six shots by the end of the roundHe ultimately finished four strokes ahead of Jason Day 64 Ryan Gerard 65 Matt McCarty 68 and Andrew Putnam 68 maintaining a pattern of decisive victories Nine out of Schefflerâs 20 PGA TOUR wins have now been by four or more shotsSchefflers 20th PGA Tour victory achieved in just four years secured him lifetime Tour membership He became one of the select few alongside Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to win 20 PGA Tour titles and four major championships before turning 30Teenager Blades Brown who garnered significant attention all week briefly made a threat on Sunday but quickly faded as Scheffler shifted into overdriveScheffler will take a brief break before heading back to the WM Phoenix Open where his impressive streak on the PGA Tour started four years ago IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/theegala-breaks-top-10-drought-as-scheffler-maintains-dominant-streak-at-the-american-express-659770.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-pakistan-will-play-india-match-but-sources-after-naqvi-meets-pm-sharif-659780.html New Delhi Jan 26 The Pakistan Government has given a goahead to the National team to play against India in the ICC Mens T20 World Cup in Colombo Sources said the decision was arrived at after a meeting between Pakistan Cricket Board PCB chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday Though PCB chairman Naqvi wrote in a social media post that a final decision on this matter will be announced by Friday or Monday sources told IANS that Pakistan will play India in the T20 World CupPakistan Cricket Board Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi met with Prime Minister Mohsin Naqvi briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ICC T20 World Cup and the current situation regarding the Bangladesh Cricket Board a source told IANS on MondayThere were reports that Pakistan are likely to boycott their match against India if not the entire tournament to show solidarity with Bangladesh who have been replaced by Scotland in the T20 World Cup schedule after they refused to travel to India for their matches citing security fearsHad a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Briefed him on the ICC Matter and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday Naqvi wrote in a post on X after his meetingThough the Pakistan government has given its nod to play the ICC T20 World Cup and India match reports said they could make some form of protest before thatThe team could wear black armbands in the match or issue a statement in support of Bangladesh before it sources told Telecom Asia Sport wwwtelecomasianetNaqvi is also the Interior Minister in the Pakistan government thus the secondincommand after PM Sharif and by leaving the decision to him and the PCB the Pakistan government is hoping to pile on the pressure on the ICCSources also told IANS that PM Sharif has also directed the PCB to write a letter to the ICC on the Bangladesh issue Pakistan is the only board among the top affiliated national associations to come out in support of the Bangladesh Cricket Board BCB during the ICC board meeting at which the global governing body for cricket decided to reject Bangladeshs request for a venue change IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-pakistan-will-play-india-match-but-sources-after-naqvi-meets-pm-sharif-659780.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 21:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/don-bradmans-1947-baggy-green-fetches-460000-dollars-at-gold-coast-auction-659783.html Gold Coast Jan 26 A prized Baggy Green cap once worn by Australian cricket icon Sir Don Bradman has been sold for an extraordinary 460000 Australian dollars approx Rs 292 crore at an auction on the Gold Coast on Monday setting a new benchmark for a cap belonging to one of the most celebrated batters of the game The cap dates back to the 1947â48 Test series against India and carries a special story beyond its sporting significance Bradman had personally gifted the cap to Indian cricketer Sriranga Wasudev Sohoni a gesture that added emotional and historical value to the rare itemSohoniâs family safeguarded the cap with remarkable care for more than seven decades preserving it across three generationsDespite its age the cap is in notably good condition This played a major role in pushing its value well beyond another Bradman cap sold in 2024 for AUD 311000 which showed visible signs of wear including fading and insect damage The newly auctioned cap bears the handwritten names âDG Bradmanâ and âSW Sohoniâ on the inside further enhancing its authenticity and appealThe winning bidder has chosen to remain anonymous Still Australian media reports suggest the cap will eventually be displayed at a museum allowing cricket fans to view one of the sportâs most treasured artefactsBradmanâs legacy in cricket remains unmatched Often described as the finest Test batter the game has ever known he played 52 Tests and finished with a staggering career average of 9994He scored 29 Test centuries including a record 19 against England in Ashes contests and registered 12 double hundreds another milestone that still standsIn one of cricketâs most famous moments Bradman needed just four runs in his final Test innings at The Oval in 1948 to retire with a batting average above 100 However he was dismissed without scoring ending his career just short of the threefigure markSir Don Bradman passed away in 2001 at the age of 92 but his memories remain in the minds of Australian fans IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/don-bradmans-1947-baggy-green-fetches-460000-dollars-at-gold-coast-auction-659783.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 21:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-pakistan-will-play-india-match-but-sources-after-pcb-chief-naqvi-meets-pm-sharif--659784.html New Delhi Jan 26 The Pakistan government has given a goahead to the national team to play against India in the ICC Mens T20 World Cup in Colombo sources said adding that the decision was arrived at after a meeting between Pakistan Cricket Board PCB Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday Though PCB Chairman Naqvi wrote in a social media post that a final decision on this matter will be announced by Friday or Monday sources told IANS that Pakistan will play India in the T20 World CupPakistan Cricket Board Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and briefed him in detail about the ICC T20 World Cup and the current situation regarding the Bangladesh Cricket Board a source told IANSThere were reports that Pakistan are likely to boycott their match against India if not the entire tournament to show solidarity with Bangladesh who have been replaced by Scotland in the T20 World Cup schedule after they refused to travel to India for their matches citing security fearsIn a post on X the PCB Chairman said that he had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Briefed him on the ICC Matter and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday Naqvi wrote in the post on XThough the Pakistan government has given its nod to play the ICC T20 World Cup and India match reports said they could make some form of protest before thatThe team could wear black armbands in the match or issue a statement in support of Bangladesh before it sources told Telecom Asia Sport wwwtelecomasianetNaqvi is also Pakistans Interior Minister and thus the secondincommand after PM Sharif and by leaving the decision to him and the PCB the Pakistan government is hoping to pile on the pressure on the ICCSources also told IANS that PM Shehbaz Sharif has also directed the PCB to write a letter to the ICC on the Bangladesh issue Pakistan is the only board among the top affiliated national associations to come out in support of the Bangladesh Cricket Board BCB during the ICC board meeting at which the global governing body for cricket decided to reject Bangladeshs request for a venue change IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-pakistan-will-play-india-match-but-sources-after-pcb-chief-naqvi-meets-pm-sharif--659784.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 21:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/don-bradmans-1947-baggy-green-fetches-460-000-dollars-at-gold-coast-auction-659785.html Gold Coast Jan 26 A prized Baggy Green cap once worn by Australian cricket icon Sir Don Bradman has been sold for an extraordinary 460000 Australian dollars approx Rs 292 crore at an auction on the Gold Coast on Monday setting a new benchmark for a cap belonging to one of the most celebrated batters of the game The cap dates back to the 1947â48 Test series against India and carries a special story beyond its sporting significance Bradman had personally gifted the cap to Indian cricketer Sriranga Wasudev Sohoni a gesture that added emotional and historical value to the rare itemSohoniâs family safeguarded the cap with remarkable care for more than seven decades preserving it across three generationsDespite its age the cap is in notably good condition This played a major role in pushing its value well beyond another Bradman cap sold in 2024 for AUD 311000 which showed visible signs of wear including fading and insect damage The newly auctioned cap bears the handwritten names âDG Bradmanâ and âSW Sohoniâ on the inside further enhancing its authenticity and appealThe winning bidder has chosen to remain anonymous Still Australian media reports suggest the cap will eventually be displayed at a museum allowing cricket fans to view one of the sportâs most treasured artefactsBradmanâs legacy in cricket remains unmatched Often described as the finest Test batter the game has ever known he played 52 Tests and finished with a staggering career average of 9994He scored 29 Test centuries including a record 19 against England in Ashes contests and registered 12 double hundreds another milestone that still standsIn one of cricketâs most famous moments Bradman needed just four runs in his final Test innings at The Oval in 1948 to retire with a batting average above 100 However he was dismissed without scoring ending his career just short of the threefigure markSir Don Bradman passed away in 2001 at the age of 92 but his memories remain in the minds of Australian fans IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/don-bradmans-1947-baggy-green-fetches-460-000-dollars-at-gold-coast-auction-659785.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 21:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/wpl-2026-can-take-a-lot-of-confidence-from-how-i-have-gone-in-whole-tournament-says-bell-659789.html Vadodara Jan 26 Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB fast bowler Lauren Bell said she is focused on taking a lot of confidence in terms of how she has gone in the entire tournament so far Lauren has taken nine wickets in six games so far at an economy rate of 575 and has been a force to reckon with in powerplay âI think sometimes maybe I get a bit angry But even the other day my coach called me and was like âYouâre at your best when youâre smilingâ and I maybe lost my smile in the last game Iâm at my best when Im smiling I think obviously itâs very differentâIt might be a different opening partnership tonight and itâs a different pitch So thereâs a lot to assess and probably a lot of differences from the first game I guess I can take confidence from the whole tournament really with how Iâve been going Hopefully weâll put on a good performance tonightâ said Lauren in a pregame chat with broadcastersAsked on her preparation to bowl to Hayley Matthews Nat SciverBrunt and Harmanpreet Kaur Lauren said âIâm not massive on the whole analytics and stuff I obviously know these players Iâve bowled at Hayley lots Harman lots Nat lots Iâm big on backing my own strengths and what I do well and hopefully thatâs good enoughâQuizzed about her assessment of the nature of Vadodara pitch and her growing repertoire Lauren said âOn this pitch youâve just got to hit the stumps and try to be as straight as possible Thatâs a common theme for the batters as well Iâm not massive on that stuff but I know their strengths It was hard Obviously at the time I was playing international cricket so I was on the biggest stage while going through quite a big changeâIt was really tough but I had some of the best coaches around me and Iâve still got great support Technically I think weâre there but Iâm still grooving it I still want more consistency and there are still things to addâ she saidLauren also revealed she will bowl the inswinger when she feels confident about unleashing it âI havenât bowled an inswinger in about two years now so hopefully at some point that will come back Thereâs still so much to work on and I love training so hopefully Iâll just keep getting betterâI want my best ball to be as consistent as possible first thatâs the outswinger The inswinger is just another thing to add to the armoury when I feel ready and in the right place to push that onâThere are so many parts of bowling which is why itâs so exciting There are always different things to learn When I have time and a proper training period maybe Iâll get back to itâ she concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/wpl-2026-can-take-a-lot-of-confidence-from-how-i-have-gone-in-whole-tournament-says-bell-659789.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sainyam-gaurav-win-10m-air-pistol-trial-2-finals-659647.html New Delhi Jan 25 Sainyam of Chandigarh and Gaurav Kumar of Uttar Pradesh came out on top in the womenâs and menâs 10m Air Pistol Trail 2 finals respectively as the National Selection Trials 1 amp 2 concluded here at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range World Cup Final silver medallist Sainyam continued her good run of form finishing on top in the finals with a dominant final score of 2431 which is 54 points more than Rhythm Sangwan who finished second on 2377 Meenu Pathak once again finished in the top three in the finals finishing with 2185 pointsEarlier in qualification Suruchi Singh finished on top with an impressive 58731x but could only finish in eighth place in the finals Palak shot 57916x to finish second in qualification and shot 1782 in the finals to finish fifthThe experienced Shwetha Singh took the third spot in qualification with a score of 57818x and came back in the finals to finish in sixth place Meenu Pathak shot 57712x in qualification while Priya Muralidhar hit 57616x Rhythm Sangwan and Sainyam scored 57615x and 57613x while Divya T S completed the top eight with a score of 57519xGaurav Kumar improved on his secondplace finish in Trial 1 finishing on top in T2 in a tightly contested final Gaurav who qualified third for the finals with a score of 58421x shot 2455 in the finals to take the top spot ahead of Yogesh Kumar who finished second with a final score of 2446 after qualifying for the finals in fifth spot with a score of 58325xHarsh Swami of Uttar Pradesh took the third spot with a final score of 2219 after qualifying for the finals in second place with a score of 58526xEarlier in qualification Armyâs Ajendra Singh Chauhan shot an impressive 58821x to qualify in the top spot Udhayveer Singh of Punjab 58326x Kamaljeet Choudhary of Haryana 58320x Olympic medallist Sarabjot Singh 58223x and Armyâs Kedarling Balakrishna Uchaganve 58128x completed the top eight IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sainyam-gaurav-win-10m-air-pistol-trial-2-finals-659647.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/how-mothers-advice-helped-sohan-tarkar-beat-depression-and-return-to-competitive-ice-skating-659651.html Leh Jan 25 Often getting up after biting the dust is the most difficult thing in life and Sohan Tarkar should be proud of himself for having pulled it off The Maharashtra shorttrack ice skater had significant successes to speak of before depression pulled him down almost six years ago Tarkar started doing ice skating in 2010 and reached the 1500 m semifinal of the Asian Winter Games in Sapporo Japan in 2017 He has also qualified multiple times for the Junior World Championships Twice he has qualified for the Senior World Cups Germany and Italy being the venues but unfortunately on both occasions he couldnât obtain the Schengen visaDespondency and grief consumed him as a result This was in the months before the Covid19 outbreak happened Then the pandemic made his situation worse A lack of physical activity led to his gaining 20 kg in weight which mind you could be very counterproductive in the sportFrom having a ripped physique Tarkar turned into a totally outofshape unrecognisable person A lack of motivation to boot made him sort of a depressive Things were so bad in his mind that he had made up the decision of not ice skating ever againTarkarâs mother Sonali came to his rescue and after a lot of effort succeeded in persuading him to give it another shot The motherly words worked and he decided to change his life at last towards the end of 2023 âI was really going down I used to practise six hours every day to keep in shape Precovid I weighed 58 kg and just like that I got up to 78 kg I had totally shut myself off in additionâFollowing my motherâs words I went to Pune to get trained under Sameer Gole This was 2023end After that I went to the trials for the Asian Games and I qualified for the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin China I weigh 65 kg now and I am still at it I should get back to my preCovid weight soon I am proud of myself for having come back from a world of despairâ he saidIn the 2026 Khelo India Winter Games the 29yearold Tarkar has been a bit of a downer for one reason or another In the 3000m relay his team was disqualified and in the 500m final he was pushed from behind in an unfortunate incident leading to a âDid Not Finishâ status for himHowever itâs not so much his medals and successes that one needs to learn from Itâs actually his resilience after the bout of depression that one can learn a lot fromâI have realised that no matter how fast you are it doesnât necessarily always translate to medals One also requires a lot of luck to win I have reconciled with that It doesnât bother me anymore I am happy to be back on the rink and I am thankful to God for thatâ the Mumbaikar concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/how-mothers-advice-helped-sohan-tarkar-beat-depression-and-return-to-competitive-ice-skating-659651.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-medvedev-crashes-out-de-minaur-prevails-into-qf-659652.html Melbourne Jan 25 Daniil Medvedevâs Australian Open campaign came to a shocking end on Sunday as the world No 11 was knocked out in the fourth round by 25th seed Learner Tien in straight sets The Russian struggled to find his rhythm throughout the contest and went down 46 06 36 in a onesided encounter that lasted just over an hour It marked one of Medvedevâs earliest exits at the seasonâs first Grand Slam in recent yearsAfter posing some challenge to Tien in the first set the second one proved particularly disastrous for Medvedev who failed to win a single game as Tien reeled off 11 games in a row at one stage Despite a brief resistance in the third set Medvedev could not halt the momentum as the American closed out the match with authorityMedvedev was unable to cope with Tienâs aggressive play and consistency on return While the Russian managed six aces his overall effectiveness on serve was well below par winning just 58 per cent of points on his first serve and a poor 33 per cent on his secondWith this defeat Medvedev exits the tournament far earlier than expected while Tien continues his impressive run in Melbourne reaching the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career He will now face world No3 Alexander Zverev in semi finalMeanwhile home favourite Alex de Minaur played another watertight match to get a top10 win over Alexander Bublik on his way to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the second successive yearDe Minaur made the most of Bublikâs struggles on first serve early on before cruising through a surprisingly onesided match 64 61 61The world No6 who could become the first Australian menâs singles champion at the Melbourne major since Mark Edmondson in 1976 next faces world No1 Carlos Alcaraz who beat Tommy Paul earlier on Sunday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-medvedev-crashes-out-de-minaur-prevails-into-qf-659652.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/dharmendra-achuthanandan-awarded-padma-vibhushan-harmanpreet-rohit-sharma-get-padma-shris-659666.html New Delhi Jan 25 Veteran actor Dharmendra and Left stalwart and former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan have been awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously on the occasion of the Republic Day 2026 while late JMM founder and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren singer Alka Yagnik tennis maestro Vijay Amritraj and Malayalam superstar Mammottty are among the recipients of the Padma Bhushan President Droupadi Murmu has approved the conferment of 131 Padma Awards including 2 duo cases where the Award is counted as one an official statement saidAs per the list announced on the eve of the Republic Day there are 5 Padma Vibhushans 13 Padma Bhushans and 113 Padma Shri AwardsAs many as 19 of the awardees are women while the list also includes six foreignersNRIPIO OCI recipients Sixteen awards are posthumousThe other awardees of the Padma Vibhushan the secondhighest national award are KT Thomas Public Affairs classical violinist N Rajam Art and P Narayanan Literature and EducationThe Padma Bhushan awardees include former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari USbased Dr Nori Dattatreyudu late advertising maestro Piyush Pandey businessman Uday Kotak veteran BJP leader and former MP VK Malhotra and influential Kerala community leader and SNDP Yogam supremo Vellappally NatesanAmong the recipients of the Padma Shri are India womens cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar former Indian mens cricket team captain Rohit Sharma former UGC Chairman JNU Vice Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar veteran actor Satish Shah posthumous womens hockey player Savita Punia Tollywood legend Prosenjit Chatterjee among othersThe Padma Awards are conferred in three categories namely Padma Vibhushan Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri The Awards are given in various disciplinesfields of activities viz art social work public affairs science and engineering trade and industry medicine literature and education sports civil service etc âPadma Vibhushanâ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service âPadma Bhushanâ for distinguished service of high order and âPadma Shriâ for distinguished service in any field IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/dharmendra-achuthanandan-awarded-padma-vibhushan-harmanpreet-rohit-sharma-get-padma-shris-659666.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/rohit-sharma-harmanpreet-kaur-praveen-kumar-set-to-be-awarded-padma-shri-659671.html New Delhi Jan 25 Former India captain Rohit Sharma Indian women team captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Paraathlete Praveen Kumar are set to be honoured with the Padma Shri as the Padma Awards 2026 were announced on Sunday This recognition marks their significant contributions to Indian sports across different formats and generationsWhile the Padma Shri awards celebrated both current and former stars Indiaâs tennis icon Vijay Amritraj received the Padma Bhushan He is the only sportsperson to earn the countryâs thirdhighest civilian honor this yearAmritrajâs recognition adds to a notable career that has lasted for decades both on and off the courtHe had previously been awarded the Padma Shri in 1983 and the Arjuna Award in 1974 highlighting his lasting influence on Indian tennis and sports administrationRohit Sharma the former captain of Indian mens cricket team is a key figure in modern Indian cricket He is known for his leadership and impressive runscoring at the highest level and led India to second T20 World Cup trophy in 2024Harmanpreet Kaur captain of the womenâs team lead India to maoden womens ICC title after hosts India clinched Womens ODI World Cup 2025 has also played a vital role leading India to new successes and inspiring a generation of young cricketers with her bold batting and leadershipThe list of honored sports figures included Savita Punia the goalkeeper of the Indian womenâs hockey team whose consistency and leadership have helped India regain its place on the international stageBaldev Singh Bhagwandas Raikwar and K Pajanivel also received the Padma Shri for their achievements in sportsThe Padma Awards are among Indiaâs highest civilian honors and celebrate excellence and service in various fields With honorees from cricket tennis and hockey this year the 2026 awards showcased the growing strength and influence of Indian sports on the global stage IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/rohit-sharma-harmanpreet-kaur-praveen-kumar-set-to-be-awarded-padma-shri-659671.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-2026-all-teams-are-challenging-but-beating-australia-would-be-a-big-deal-says-omans-vc-vinayak-shukla--659674.html New Delhi Jan 25 Vinayak Shuklaâs rise in international cricket has been anything but conventional Growing up in the busy lanes of Kanpur in the early 2000s Shukla learned the game the way many Indian cricketers do on the streets where adaptability sharp reflexes and instinct matter more than textbook technique That streethoned style would later define him even as it led to him being overlooked in agegroup cricket echoing the early struggles once faced by the legendary Mahendra Singh DhoniDespite early promise spotted at the PAC Cricket Academy by coach Laikchand Rajput Shukla found himself repeatedly ignored at higher junior levels due to perceptions around his technical limitations A severe hamstring injury in 2018 sidelined him for nearly seven months becoming a defining moment in his careerAfter a brief overseas opportunity in Kenya was cut short by the COVID19 pandemic Shukla eventually found his footing in Oman Today he stands as one of the teamâs most reliable performers a clinical wicketkeeper instinctive batter and the vicecaptain of the national side heading into the World CupIn an exclusive conversation with IANS Shukla reflected on his journey learnings from Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya and Omanâs T20 World Cup ambitionsIANS From the streets of Kanpur to a near move to Kenya and eventually representing Oman how would you describe your journeyVS My journey has been filled with ups and downs I started playing in Kanpur and like any athlete I wanted to represent my country but the challenges I faced in India made it difficult Fortunately I got the opportunity to represent Oman and I thank God for it Itâs truly an incredible honour to represent a country like Oman and I feel proud and privileged to wear that red jerseyIANS Is it true that when you started wicketkeeping in Oman you were not handed the gloves immediatelyVS When I came to Oman there were about four keepers in the same team and since everyone is a good batter and contributes their part we typically have only one wicketkeeper My captain was also a wicketkeeper so I didnt get many chances to keep during matches or practice because if I kept the captain wouldnt sit out of the eleven I prefer fielding and doing my part that way For the first two years it was really tough to get out of those gloves because I didnt have the opportunity to keep Its a similar story to Dhonis I had to wait a long time before getting the gloves I spent quite a long time just fielding for my team but I must say the credit goes to the Oman coaching staff who finally gave me one opportunity and trusted me with the glovesIANS How has Omanâs preparation for the World Cup been so farVS This time our preparation has been quite focused with a strong leadup camp at our home base Our main emphasis has been on fitness and mental readiness Over the past few months weve been thoroughly preparing for the World Cup and itâs a significant tournament for us Our focus remains on refining technical skills and strengthening mental resilienceIANS How do you assess the squad heading into the tournamentVS I believe this squad is an ideal blend of experience and youth with three players having participated in numerous international events while the younger players are getting their first opportunity The experienced players will bring calmness to the team while the youngsters will add fearlessness Itâs great to have this mix of youth and experience I also think our main focus is on bowling which we see as our strengthIANS During the Asia Cup you had interactions with several Indian players including a long conversation with Suryakumar Yadav What stood outVS It was a great opportunity for all of us to interact with Suryakumar Yadav and other team members When we talk about Surya hes been really polite with us and has taught us that the conversation is only about the mental aspect how to take the game deep understand the game well and perform well under pressure Surya is not just a good batter but also the captain of the Indian team so he knows every aspect of the team The way he guided us and motivated us has been really amazing We have also been to the Indian dressing room to interact with a few players and we asked some of them how they understand the game how they handle pressure and how they perform in clinical situationsIANS Did you receive any specific advice from other Indian playersVS I talked with Hardik Pandya Hes such a polite guy and he helped me understand the game because he plays at the same spot where I play So we talked about him and how he sees the game He was pretty clear about it saying never to look for the opponent or the bowler but always keep an eye on the scoreboard Whenever you see a scoreboard it will give you a clear picture of the match and what you need to do in the coming overs That will help you make a plan that will be really helpful for you and the teamIANS What were the biggest learnings from the Asia CupVS For most of our team members this was their first global event as we are quite young aside from a few experienced players Participating in such a largescale event has been truly amazing Now the players are wellprepared understanding how to handle pressure and execute key movements that can turn the game Our current focus is on smaller details where we can make a difference and influence the outcome This mainly involves planning and strategising for matches against stronger opponents While mistakes can be overlooked when playing against lesserknown or associate countries they are unforgivable against Testplaying nations like India and Pakistan This experience has been a valuable learning opportunity boosting our confidence as we transition from the Asia Cup to the World CupIANS As vicecaptain how do you view your leadership roleVS I believe leadership always involves responsibility but to me its more of a privilege than pressure My role is clearly to support the captain and mentor the younger players I aim to ensure everyone is in a good mindset and wellprepared before they step onto the ground If someone has thoughts or strategies about the game I want them to feel comfortable sharing them with me My goal is to create an environment of openness and support that helps my team secure victoriesIANS This will be your fourth World Cup What changes this time aroundVS I believe experience plays a significant role and this time were smarter with our matchups clearer with our game plans and more adaptable to conditions during play Its not just about tactics but also about focusing on the mental aspect and paying attention to small details such as game awareness finishing and recognising moments to shift the momentum Ultimately its about combining our intensity experience and fearlessness to support the teamIANS How do you think that the experienced players on the side help the youngsters cope with losses and move aheadVS Winning and losing are part of the game When we win its a reason to celebrate everyoneâs success but losing can be difficult For seniors the key is how they communicate with juniors to improve outcomes We aimed to create an environment where everyone especially youth feels comfortable approaching us with suggestions on how to enhance resultsIANS Who do you see as Omanâs toughest opponent in the groupVS Honestly I feel every team in our group is challenging because everyone is a Testplaying nation and we are the only associate country But I feel its a blessing in disguise for us If we are going to win I hope we are going to win a couple of games from here and then its going to be like we beat a Testplaying nation which is going to be a big thing for the boys because its our first World Cup If we are going to beat some Testplaying nations then it will be really amazing In a T20 game its a pretty fast game and you know every team has their chance to win the game so you cant just say everyone is out of your hands to win a game But it will be within reach if you play well put in all the effort and click all the boxes You will definitely win We would like to win every game we are going to play but if we win a game against Australia it would be a big deal because Australia is a very big team and everyone knows the kind of cricket they bring to the world so it would be really amazing if we beat AustraliaIANS Youâre returning from injury just before the World Cup How important was rehab in this phaseVS When you get injured its a tough time because you are out of the ground and you cant move your body to get back into the ground and do the things you love most Rehab obviously tests my patience but it took me about 2 months to get back on the ground All credit goes to the medical staff especially our physio and our trainer Shiva These guys put a lot of effort into getting me back onto the ground and they make sure not just physically but also mentally that I am fit before I move out of that rehab phase and get back onto the ground Right now I am feeling pretty well and pretty fit with clarity about my plans and I am in a good mental state to go to the World Cup IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-2026-all-teams-are-challenging-but-beating-australia-would-be-a-big-deal-says-omans-vc-vinayak-shukla--659674.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/theegala-improves-to-24th-place-at-american-express-on-pga-659679.html La Quinta California Jan 25 Sahith Theegala continued his steady climb up the leaderboard with another composed round at the American Express firing a 5under 67 on the third day to move into the Top25 The Indianorigin American seeking early momentum in a season after a disappointing 2025 is now 14under par and tied 24th after three rounds of 716468 a dramatic turnaround from his openinground position of tied 118thAt the top of the leaderboard Koreaâs Si Woo Kim surged into the lead after a 6under 66 at La Quinta Country Club to reach 22under 194 He holds a oneshot advantage over world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and 18yearold Blades Brown who are tied secondBrown closed his round in spectacular fashion with three consecutive birdies while Scheffler battled tougher conditions on the Pete Dye Stadium Course to card a 68 that included two bogeysTheegala who had two eagles in the second round produced another eagle in the third He began brightly with birdies on the second and fourth holes before dropping a shot on the fifthA birdie on the ninth steadied the round and for the second consecutive day he picked up an eagle on the par5 11th Though he gave one back with a bogey on the 12th birdies on the 14th and 16th ensured he signed for a solid 67 and was well placed heading into the final dayIt was a mixed day for other players of Indian origin Akshay Bhatia endured a difficult round of 78 and missed the 54hole cut finishing at 1under for the weekBhatia started promisingly with three birdies and a bogey in his first eight holes but his round unravelled with a triple bogey on the ninth followed by a quadruple bogey on the 10thFurther trouble came with a double bogey on the par3 13thIndoCanadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju also fell just short of the cut line despite a round of 68He finished the week at 10under par one shot outside the cut after failing to find the extra birdie he needed over the final five holesKim Scheffler and Brown will form the final group for Sundayâs closing round on the Stadium Course widely regarded as the most demanding of the three venues used during the opening daysFormer US Open champion Wyndham Clark and Eric Cole sit two shots back after rounds of 66 while Tom Hoge is another stroke behind following a 65 With nine players separated by just four shots the tournament is set for a tightly contested finish IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/theegala-improves-to-24th-place-at-american-express-on-pga-659679.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/kiwg-2026-itbp-win-womens-ice-hockey-gold-haryana-remain-on-top--659684.html Leh Ladakh Jan 25 Ladakh ran out of luck as ITBP women reclaimed the Khelo India Winter Games icehockey gold at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan NDS Stadium on Sunday evening In a thrilling match ITBP scored in the opening seconds of extra time after regulation time ended 11There was a small consolation for the hosts on the penultimate day of the 6th Khelo India Winter Games Ladakhâs men redeemed themselves by winning the menâs icehockey bronze after a dramatic Saturday when unfancied Chandigarh stunned the home team 32 in the menâs icehockey semifinals But on Sunday Ladakh men looked more purposeful carving out a fighting 32 win for a podium finish Ladakh had beaten ITBP 31 in the league stage as wellIn a lowscoring thriller Ladakh looked on course to defend their icehockey gold In what was a repeat of last yearâs Khelo India Winter Games final Ladakh rode a 17th minute Shamina Khatoon goal but then ITBPâs India player Stanzin Dolkar nicknamed Tani scored a sensational equaliser in the third period to force the match into extra time Within nine seconds Dolkar was at it again scoring the golden goal from a goalmouth melee to leave Ladakh stunnedThe womenâs win against Ladakh means ITBP will not go empty handed from these Games With a day remaining in KIWG 2026 Haryana keep their lead with 4 golds while Ladakh stay at No 2 with two golds Telangana also have two golds but lesser number of silvers that the hostsOn Sunday morning Telanganaâs Nayana Sri Talluri won her second straight gold medal from the shortcourse skating rink at NDS The Calgarybased teenager started comfortably and then shifted gears midway through the 1000m short track One of Nayanaâs chief rivals Ladakhâs skating star Skarma Tsultim trying to accelerate crashed out of the competition Tactically better Nayana warded off a stiff challenge from Maharashtraâs Anvayee Deshpande to clinch the gold medal with a timing of 14332 seconds Anvayee won silver with 14343 with teammate Schaleen Fernandes winning bronze 14641Nayana thus became the third ice skater in KIWG 2026 to win two gold medals both individual medals With one day to go Haryanaâs Sachin Singh and Ladakhâs Skarma Tsultim both have two golds each individual and relay Late on Saturday Ladakh were awarded the womenâs 1000m long track gold an event that was marred by snowstorm at the Gupukhâs Pond Skarma had led a Ladakh 123 in that raceMaharashtra won their first gold medal on Sunday Ishaan Darvekar 13557 seconds won the menâs 1000m short track at NDS Stadium It was Ishaanâs second medal in KIWG 2026 Earlier he had won silver in the menâs 500m short track race Telangana won both silver and bronze in this eventIn more pristine conditions at Gupukhâs Pond Sunday afternoon Karnatakaâs 18yearold Srivatsa S Rao stunned the field as he raced away to menâs gold in the 1000m long track ice skating event It was Karnatakaâs first gold of KIWG 2026 Srivatsa winner of gold in the junior event of the same category at the 2024 Khelo India Winter Games finished ahead of Tamil Naduâs duo of Avikshith Vijay 13773 and Selva Kumar M 13941 with a time of 13664âI am very happy to win this gold medal Some of my idols were participating in the race and to finish ahead of them is a very happy moment for me I hope one day I win an Olympic medal for my country Thatâs my ultimate aimâ Srivatsa told SAI Media IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/kiwg-2026-itbp-win-womens-ice-hockey-gold-haryana-remain-on-top--659684.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pakistan-players-to-back-pcb-governments-decision-on-t20-world-cup-participation-659690.html New Delhi Jan 25 Pakistan players showed solidarity with their government and cricket board on any decision they take regarding the teams participation in next months World Cup a report said All the top players met PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi in Lahore Sunday afternoon and assured him that any decision taken by the government and PCB will have their support sources told TelecomasianetWe are all with our government and cricket board and back their stance of protesting what happened to BangladeshNaqvi met the players of the World Cup squad announced on Sunday to brief them on the teams participation in the T20I World Cup amid uncertainty following Bangladeshs elimination from the World Cup in an unjust decisionPakistans selector Aaqib Javed was questioned during the media briefing on the squad announcement about the teams chances of featuring in the mega event As players and management we are preparing for the World Cup and it is up to the PCB and government to take a final callSources said players were also discussing the chances of a pullout Players including skipper Salman Agha have discussed this and were slightly uncertain whether they should keep preparing for the World Cup or not and in this regard chairmans briefing will help themAfter Scotland was announced as a replacement following the rejection of Bangladeshs request to relocate its matches from India to Sri Lanka Naqvi caused a sensation in the cricketing world by saying that Pakistans participation hinges on government clearanceWhether we play in the T20 World Cup or not the decision will be taken by the government Naqvi said on SaturdayOur PM Shahbaz Sharif is out of the country when he comes we will take advice from him The decision by the government will be final and binding and if they say no then they ICC may invite any other teamNaqvi said PCB has alternate plans We have alternate plans A B C which we cane use when the times comes We have done this before during the Champions Trophy so nothing new for us and we know how to deal with such mattersPakistans withdrawal will be a crucial blow to the International Cricket Council as the match between Pakistan and India generates huge revenue reportedly amounting to 500 million dollarsBut Pakistan may face financial consequences in the event of a pullout as the ICC will deem their reason invalid since they are already playing at a neutral venue without any security concernsLast year the ICC decided that matches between India and Pakistan hosted by either country at ICC events during the 20242027 cycle will be played at a neutral venue a decision reached after months of a standoff ahead of last years Champions Trophy when India refused to travel to Pakistan over security fearsThe agreement extended to the ICC Womenâs Cricket World Cup 2025 hosted by India and the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 hosted by India and Sri LankaFormer Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has also urged the PCB to take a firm decisionIf Pakistan and India match dont happen 50 per cent of your World Cup is gone This is a great opportunity to challenge the existing cricket order Pakistan should say they stand with Bangladesh and refuse to play the T20 World Cup This is the time to take a stand You need a strong heart to do it Latif saidFormer PCB chairman Najam Sethi also backed any decision related to a withdrawal âIt would be a tough decision but I will back it Mohsin Naqvi understands the game and has a good grasp of all aspects Whatever decision he makes will be right and he should stick to itâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pakistan-players-to-back-pcb-governments-decision-on-t20-world-cup-participation-659690.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/former-bcci-president-is-bindra-passes-away-aged-84-659696.html New Delhi Jan 25 The International Cricket Council ICC chairman Jay Shah paid tribute to former Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI president Inderjit Singh Bindra popularly known as IS Bindra who passed away at his residence on Sunday at the age of 84 Bindra served as BCCI president from 1993 to 1996 He was a key figure in Indian cricket administration and led the Punjab Cricket Association for many years His association with the PCA spanned over three decades from 1978 to 2014While serving in administrative roles Bindra made significant contributions to cricket management and infrastructure in the region and beyond ultimately being honoured in 2015 with the renaming of the PCA Stadium in Mohali to the IS Bindra Stadium in recognition of his contributions to cricketIn addition to his role as an administrator Bindra became known for his outspoken views on governance in Indian cricket and particularly was critical of the way N Srinivasan and the BCCI managed the IPL 2013 corruption scandal and questioned the lack of transparency and accountability in that processIn his role as a senior bureaucrat Bindra contributed to the establishment of Indiaâs place in world cricket during the 1990s along with Jagmohan Dalmiya by recognising the commercial opportunities for television rights that ultimately resulted in the entry of private broadcasters which transformed the financial structure of the game and increased Indiaâs global influenceInternationally Bindra played a major role in obtaining the rights for the ICC to hold major events in India later he was one of the primary advisers to the President of the ICC and demonstrated his significance within cricket administration IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/former-bcci-president-is-bindra-passes-away-aged-84-659696.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/its-a-very-big-moment-for-me-harmanpreet-kaur-on-being-honoured-with-padma-shri-659699.html New Delhi Jan 26 Indian womenâs team captain Harmanpreet Kaur described her Padma Shri honour as a âvery big momentâ in her career Kaur was announced as a Padma Shri awardee on Sunday joining eight other current and former sportspersons on the 2026 Padma Awards listKaur also revealed that her father was the first to receive the call from the Presidentâs House informing the family of the prestigious award in a video shared by Mumbai Indians on social mediaâMy dad got a call from the Presidentâs House that this year I am going to receive the Padma Shri Award So I think itâs a very big moment for me and I am happy that before me my parents got to know Kaur saud in a video posted by Mumbai Indians on InstagramFormer India captain Rohit Sharma too was named in the list of Padma Shri awardeeRohit known for his leadership and impressive run has scored runs at highest level and led India to second T20 World Cup trophy in 2024 along with ICC Champions Trophy triumph in 2025Congratulating him Kaur said Many many congratulations to him as well â we have seen how hard he has been working and I think itâs a great moment for him From the moment I started playing cricket I have dreamed of winning the World Cup the Arjuna Award and then the Padma Shri This is a very big achievement for meâThe list of honored sports figures included Savita Punia the goalkeeper of the Indian womenâs hockey team whose consistency and leadership have helped India regain its place on the international stageBaldev Singh Bhagwandas Raikwar and K Pajanivel also received the Padma Shri for their achievements in sportsThe Padma Awards are among Indiaâs highest civilian honors and celebrate excellence and service in various fields With honorees from cricket tennis and hockey this year the 2026 awards showcased the growing strength and influence of Indian sports on the global stage IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/its-a-very-big-moment-for-me-harmanpreet-kaur-on-being-honoured-with-padma-shri-659699.html Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ms-dhoni-starts-net-practice-in-ranchi-ahead-of-ipl-2026-659574.html Ranchi Jan 24 Former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has begun preparations for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season The 44yearold will represent Chennai Super Kings for the 17th time and was seen padded up and batting in the nets in a video shared by the Jharkhand State Cricket Association on their social media platforms JSCA called Dhoni their pride and wrote âLook who is back Pride of JSCA Mahendra Singh Dhoniâ in the caption of their post on InstagramIn the clip Dhoni can be seen chatting with former JSCA secretary Saurabh Tiwary while gearing up for the netsDhoni retired from international cricket in 2020 except for the IPL where he continues to represent his beloved CSKDhoni is one of the most influential players in the CSK ranks and is a core member of the leadership group He has won five titles for the team during his captaincy stintCSK had a poor run last season The team finished last in the points table The fivetime champions were only able to win four matches out of fourteenDhoniâs performance was also disappointing throughout the season CSKâs finisher scored just 196 runs in 13 innings at an average of 2450 and a strike rate of 13517 with a best score of 30 and even captained CSK in Gaikwadâs absence due to injuryDhoni is still one of the finest batters in IPL history with 5439 runs in 278 matches and 242 innings at an average of 3880 a strike rate of 13745 and 24 fifties with a best score of 84A modernday legend of Indian cricket wicketkeeperbatter Dhoni has led India in all three formats of the game A recipient of the Padma Bhushan 2018 Padma Shri 2009 and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2008 Dhoni represented India from 2004 to 2019 leading the country to the T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ODI World Cup in 2011 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ms-dhoni-starts-net-practice-in-ranchi-ahead-of-ipl-2026-659574.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/harmanpreet-kaur-calls-mardaani-3-trailer-insane-asks-for-example-setting-punishments-659578.html Mumbai Jan 24 Indian womenâs cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur is the latest admirer of Rani Mukerjiâs impeccable acting skills after witnessing the gripping trailer of her forthcoming crime drama Mardaani 3 Moved by the trailer Harmanpreet has called swift and example setting punishment as the need of the hour for crimes against womenHarmanpreet further thanked the police force of the country for constantly trying to protect girls and women of India âLove our police force who are always there to protect us every day Mardaani3 trailer is insanecanât wait to watch the filmâ her Instagram post readThe latest instalment in the popular franchise will focus on the issue of young girls aged 89 years from lowincome groups who are kidnapped for a specific reason from across our countryBefore this Mardaani exposed the grim realities of human trafficking and Mardaani 2 explored the disturbing psyche of a serial rapist who challenged the systemEarlier several members from the film fraternity were also in awe of the Mardaani 3 trailerActress Kareena Kapoor Khan who shared screen space with Rani in Mujhse Dosti Karoge called her a âDynamiteâBebo wrote on the photosharing app âRani meri jaan love you always Killing it RaniMukerji AdityaChopra AkshayeWidhani abhiraj88 30YearsOfRaniMukerjiâActress Katrina Kaif also lauded Rani calling her a âQueenââCelebrating 30 years of Queen ranimukerji Irreplaceable Unstoppable Undefinableâ Katrinas social media post readActress Kiara Advani claimed that Rani continues to rule the screen even after 3 decades in the industryKiara penned â30 years One Rani Endless power From timeless grace to fearless Mardaani she still rules the screen Canât wait to watch Mardaani3yrf AdityaChopra RaniMukherjeeabhiraj88Made under the direction of Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Aditya Chopra Mardaani 3 will reach the cinema halls on January 30 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/harmanpreet-kaur-calls-mardaani-3-trailer-insane-asks-for-example-setting-punishments-659578.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-osaka-withdraws-before-third-round-due-to-physical-issue-as-inglis-receives-walkover-659583.html Melbourne Jan 24 Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis is through to the fourth round at Melbourne Park after fourtime major winner Naomi Osaka withdrew from the tournament Only hours before their scheduled match on Saturday night twotime AO champion Osaka announced she was withdrawing because of a physical issueIve had to make the difficult decision to withdraw to address something my body needs attention for after my last match the 28yearold wrote on her Instagram story I was so excited to keep going and this run meant the most to me so having to stop here breaks my heart but I cant risk doing any further damage so I can get back on the court Thanks for all the love and supportIm so grateful everyone embraced me so much And thank you to my whole team for always having my back and the tournament organisers for being so kindâ the 28yearold wrote on her Instagram storyInglis in her first main draw at a Grand Slam in four years has advanced to the round of 16 for the first time She joins Alex de Minaur as the only other Australian remaining in the tournament The West Australian will play against World No2 Iga Swiatek in the fourth round on Monday the Australian Open reportedInglis one of two qualifiers to reach the last 32 spent 13 hours and 24 minutes over 14 sets to advance to the third round With Osakas withdrawal she wont need to play more on Saturday night By reaching the fourth round Inglis is assured of earning 480000Osaka drew worldwide attention from both fashion and tennis fans with her memorable grand entrance before her first match against Antonia RuzicThe twotime Australian Open champion wore a striking white widebrimmed hat with a long veil obscuring her face along with ruffled white pants that swayed as she moved and a white parasol resting over one shoulder Backlit by the stadium lights Osaka appeared as a striking figure in sportsinspired fashionThe Japanese revealed that the inspiration for the outfit was nature not pop culture Created with Robert Wun it was modeled after a jellyfish The butterfly decorations referenced Osakas 2021 Australian Open victory when a butterfly landed on her during her thirdround match against Ons JabeurThe 28yearold also shared that the grand entrance was carefully planned in advance and involved some logistical effort to make sure it was executed properly IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-osaka-withdraws-before-third-round-due-to-physical-issue-as-inglis-receives-walkover-659583.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-americans-shelton-fritz-secure-a-spot-in-last-16-659586.html Melbourne Jan 24 World No 8 Ben Shelton and No 9 Taylor Fritz secured victories in their respective thirdround matches on the seventh day of the Australian Open to confirm their place in the last 16 at the first Grand Slam of the season While Shelton defeated Monacoâs Valentin Vacherot 64 64 765 in two hours and 17 minutes at the Margaret Court Arena Fritz beat Swiss wildcard entrant Stan Wawrinka 76 26 64 64 in a game that lasted two hours and 46 minutes at the John Cain ArenaSheltonâs Australian Open campaign continued to gather momentum on Saturday as he marched into the fourth round without dropping a setThe No 8 who has brushed aside all three opponents with authority again showcased the power and composure that have marked his rise at Melbourne Park The American struck 48 winners blasted 15 aces and won an imposing 81 per cent of points behind his first serve reinforcing his status as a looming threat for either Casper Ruud or Marin Cilic in the last 16Shelton seized control at the key moments breaking serve late in both the first and second sets to claim matching 64 scorelines as his aggressive returning repeatedly pressured Vacherot The third set went the distance but Sheltonâs superior serving and composure in the tiebreak proved decisive allowing him to close out a straightsets winYet to lose a set and brimming with confidence Shelton continues to look increasingly comfortable on the Melbourne stage whether or not as he insists this is even close to his best tennisMeanwhile Fritz defeated Wawrinka in four sets as the Swiss player who plans to retire from professional tennis at the end of this year was eliminated from the first Grand Slam of the seasonWawrinkas Australian Open run concluded with a 4519 winloss record having made his mens singles debut at this event in 2006 and winning his sole title in 2014 He is also a twotime semifinalist here in Melbourne 2015 and 2017 and this marks his fifth thirdround exit at the AOWawrinka a threetime Grand Slam champion and once a runnerup is next scheduled to appear at a Grand Slam at the French Open IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-americans-shelton-fritz-secure-a-spot-in-last-16-659586.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-swiatek-brushes-past-kalinskaya-to-reach-round-of-16-659588.html Melbourne Jan 24 Russian Anna Kalinskaya challenged World No 2 Iga Swiatek significantly before the latter secured a 61 16 61 victory at the Margaret Court Arena on Saturday moving into the fourth round of the Australian Open Swiatek rebounded strongly from her uncertain second set to secure the victory in 1 hour and 44 minutes maintaining her momentum in pursuit of a career Grand SlamThe secondseeded Pole was in â her ruthless form quickly building a 51 âlead with a double break and winning the âopening set in just 24 minutes to dominate an offcolour Kalinskaya who received treatment for her lower back during the breakHowever a role reversal in the second set saw sixtime Grand Slam champion Swiatek give up her serve three times as Kalinskaya took control and exploited several errors from the PoleSwiatek took a medical timeout between the second and third sets before returning with a vengeance winning five straight games to stamp out Kalinskayas resistanceTo her credit the 31st seed held serve and made Swiatek defend three break points but it was too little too late as the Pole held serve for the winSwiatek a sixtime Grand Slam champion is striving to achieve a career Slam by winning the Australian Open The twotime semifinalist has a 257 record at the happy slam and this is the sixth time shes reached at least the fourth round at the Australian Grand Slam Overall in Grand Slam tournaments the Poleâs winloss record is now 10721The Polish star dominated the opening set with a flawless service game but Kalinskaya responded with an emphatic 61 second set of her own serving confidently and dictating with aggressive forehands In the decider Swiatek reasserted control winning six straight games with blistering serves and relentless pressure to seal the match Despite Kalinskayaâs resistance and saved match points the No 2âs firepower and composure proved decisiveShe will next compete against Maddison Inglis the final home favourite and remaining qualifier Inglis ranked World No 168 and having saved two match points in her first qualifying match against Leyre Romero Gormaz moved forward after Naomi Osaka withdrew due to a left abdominal injury IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-swiatek-brushes-past-kalinskaya-to-reach-round-of-16-659588.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/gujarat-titans-conclude-morbi-leg-of-third-edition-of-junior-titans-659590.html Morbi Jan 24 Gujarat Titans completed the Morbi leg of the third edition of Junior Titans on Saturday continuing the franchiseâs communitydriven initiative focused on promoting outdoor sport physical activity and active lifestyles among children from an early age Held at Om Shanti English Medium School the oneday programme brought together over 1000 children under the age of 14 from 24 private and government schools across Morbi and the surrounding areas The event featured a series of fun and inclusive activities designed to help children experience the joy of outdoor playJunior Titans has engaged over 10000 children across Gujarat through its first two editions Embodying the spirit of âLetâs Sport Outâ the initiative focuses on participation and inclusion while strengthening Gujarat Titansâ connection with communities beyond AhmedabadSpeaking after the event Colonel Arvinder Singh Chief Operating Officer of Gujarat Titans said âJunior Titans is focused on encouraging children to embrace outdoor play and physical activity through a positive and inclusive experience with sport The participation we witnessed in Morbi highlights the growing enthusiasm for such programmes and reinforces our intent to take Junior Titans to more cities strengthening our connection with communitiesâThe third edition of Junior Titans will now move to Amreli January 31 followed by Anand February 7 before concluding in Ahmedabad on February 14Gujarat Titans began the third edition of Junior Titans their grassroots initiative aimed at encouraging children under the age of 14 to engage in outdoor sports and physical activity with the opening leg held in Surendranagar on January 17Hosted at the Cambridge School of Excellence the oneday community sports event witnessed participation from over 900 children representing 20 schools including both private and government institutions The activation featured a range of fun and inclusive games and activities designed to promote active lifestyles and the joy of outdoor playOver the first two editions Junior Titans has engaged over 10000 children across multiple cities in Gujarat thereby strengthening its connections with schools families and local communities The initiative focuses on participation over competition using sport as a medium to encourage teamwork confidence and healthy habits among young children IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/gujarat-titans-conclude-morbi-leg-of-third-edition-of-junior-titans-659590.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/la-liga-mbappes-brace-take-real-madrid-on-top-osasuna-end-away-jinx-659599.html Madrid Jan 25 Real Madrid moved to the top of La Liga with a 20 away win over thirdplaced Villarreal Kylian Mbappe scored both goals in the second half opening the scoring after Villarreal failed to deal with a cross from Vinicius Jr before converting a penalty deep into stoppage time after being fouledThe first half failed to live up to expectations but Real Madrid was the better side as Villarreal once again struggled against one of Spains big three Real Madrid Atletico Madrid and FC BarcelonaAtletico can extend the lead in third with a home win over Mallorca on SundayFC Barcelona is also in action on Sunday and would return on the top with a win at home against bottomside Oviedo reports XinhuaOsasuna claimed its first away win of the season with a 31 victory at Rayo Vallecano who lacked presence in attack Ante Budimir reacted smartly to put Osasuna ahead in the first half and although Pathe Ciss headed an equalizer in the 59th minute Victor Munoz inspired Osasunas late surge His 91stminute shot was deflected in by Jozhua Vertrouwd and Asier Osambela slotted home the third goal three minutes later to finish a counterattackAkor Adams 56thminute penalty gave Sevilla a 21 home win over Athletic Club Bilbao who looked flat after Wednesdays Champions League win away to AtalantaRobert Navarro had put Athletic ahead from close range in the 40th minute but Peque leveled just two minutes later and a handball by Yuri Berchiche allowed Adams to beat Unai Simon from the penalty spotLargie Ramazanis 94thminute penalty gave Valencia a second straight win with a 32 home victory over EspanyolHugo Duro and Eray Comert twice put Valencia ahead but Ramon Terrats closerange finish and Copetes unfortunate own goal looked to have salvaged a point for Espanyol before Ruben Sanchezs clumsy foul on Ramazani gifted the hosts the winThere was late drama on Friday night as Levante snatched a 32 win at home against Elche who thought they had taken a draw after Adam Boyars spectacular 92ndminute overhead kickAlvaro Rodriguez put Elche ahead before goals from Pablo Martinez and Adrian de la Fuente made it 21 for Levante who then snatched victory in the 96th minute thanks to Alan Matturros nearpost flick from a lastgasp corner IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/la-liga-mbappes-brace-take-real-madrid-on-top-osasuna-end-away-jinx-659599.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-sabalenka-eliminates-mboko-to-reach-13th-consecutive-grand-slam-qf-659601.html Melbourne Jan 25 World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka beat Victoria Mboko with a 61 76 1 victory at the Australian Open to reach the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive year She booked her 13th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal and has taken a crucial step towards having her name engraved on the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup for a third timeSabalenka won her 20th consecutive tiebreak at the Grand Slam level eclipsing an almost twodecadeold record owned by Novak Djokovic who won 19 straight tiebreaks at majors between Wimbledon 2005 and 2007Sabalenka started off the match in punishing form and stormed out to a 61 41 lead in just over 45 minutes But the tip seeds serve was broken twice in the second set including at 54 after failing to convert three match pointsLater she found herself two points away from being pushed to a third set when Mboko pulled the 12th game to deuce But in the end Sabalenka found herself in a situation shes thrived in over the last 18 months a tiebreak set at a Grand Slam and improved her unbeaten streak in such sets to 20 to finally see off Mbokos challenge in 1 hour and 26 minutes reports WTAâWhat an incredible player for such a young age itâs incredible to see these kids coming up on tour She pushed me really hard today super happy with the win It was quite a fight Im super happy that I was able to close this match in straight sets said the twotime champion who is yet to drop a setIn Tuesdayâs quarterfinal Sabalenka will face off against 29th seed Iva Jovic for a place in the final four after the American earned an emphatic 60 61 win over Yulia Putintseva to secure her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal berth IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-sabalenka-eliminates-mboko-to-reach-13th-consecutive-grand-slam-qf-659601.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ranji-trophy-shami-picks-five-as-bengal-beat-services-to-enter-knockouts-659612.html Kalyani Jan 25 Bengal stormed into the quarterfinals of 202526 Ranji Trophy after thrashing Services by an innings and 46 runs in their Elite Group C clash at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground on Sunday Resuming the proceedings on the final dayâs play Bengal needed barely 20 minutes to complete the formalities as Mohammed Shami returned with figures of 551 to hasten Servicesâ collapse on Saturday Services who folded for 166 in the first innings managed 349 in their second essay but still fell well shortAditya Kumar tried to put in some resistance but fell for 26 to Shahbaz Ahmed while Amarjeet Singh was dismissed for a 19ball duck by Akash Deep Jayant Goyat was left stranded on 68 not out as Services were bowled out for 287 in 75 oversBengal had piled up a commanding 519 thanks to veteran batter Sudip Chatterjee making 209 Their bowlers then sent down 129 overs across both innings to secure the 20 wickets required for a win with a bonus pointWith this emphatic win Bengal collected seven points to move to 30 from six matches ensuring a place in the knockouts as Group C toppers for now The race for the second spot now rests between Services Haryana and UttarakhandElsewhere at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow Jharkhand recorded one of the biggest wins of the season after thrashing Uttar Pradesh by an innings and 301 runsUP were bundled out for just 84 in their second innings with seamer Saurabh Shekhar returning dream figures of 516 in 74 overs The result has lifted Jharkhand to number two in Group A behind leaders VidarbhaBrief Scores Bengal 519 beat Services 186 amp 287 in 75 overs Rajat Paliwal 83 Jayant Goyat 68 not out Mohammed 551 Mukesh 256 by an innings and 46 runsJharkhand 5616 declared beat Uttar Pradesh 176 and 84 in 274 overs Aryan Juyal 24 Saurabh Shekhar 516 by an innings and 301 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ranji-trophy-shami-picks-five-as-bengal-beat-services-to-enter-knockouts-659612.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/alcaraz-battles-past-paul-to-book-australian-open-qf-spot-659613.html Melbourne Jan 25 World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz overcame the stern test of Tommy Paul to maintain his commanding start and reach his third consecutive Australian Open quarterfinal here on Sunday Alcaraz registered a 766 64 75 win over 19th seed Paul in two hours and 44 minutes to maintain his commanding start to the hardcourt major in MelbourneAt just 22 years old Alcaraz is a sixtime major champion and is chasing more history Should he claim his maiden Australian Open title Alcaraz would complete his Career Grand Slam and become the youngest player to achieve that feat The current holder of that record is his countryman Rafael NadalThe 22yearold top seed who fired 35 winners and is yet to drop a set will next play home favourite Alex de Minaur or Alexander Bublik at Melbourne Park for a place in the semifinalsIn a tight first set Alcaraz had to fight back from the early break deficit as Paul went toetotoe with the powerful Spaniard from the baseline Alcaraz broke serve in a dramatic tiebreak to claim the opening set 76 86 completing a remarkable comeback on Rod Laver ArenaAlcaraz rode a purple patch to clinch a break of serve in the third game of the second set Serving for the set for the second time the top seed delivered under pressure with a composed performance He held serve to claim the second set 64 taking a commanding twoset leadServing for the match after his crucial break in game eleven Alcaraz delivered a masterclass in clutch serving under pressure After dropping the opening point the Spaniard responded by firing three consecutive powerful serves that repeatedly forced errors from PaulAlcaraz then sealed the match with a thunderous 214 kmph service winner his fastest delivery of the game taking the third set 75 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/alcaraz-battles-past-paul-to-book-australian-open-qf-spot-659613.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/wpl-2026-learning-from-defeats-key-to-dcs-turnaround-says-katey-martin-659622.html New Delhi Jan 25 The impressive ability of Delhi Capitals DC to adapt after losses and avoid repeat defeats has been central to their resurgence in the 2026 WPL said former New Zealand wicketkeeperbatter Katey Martin The franchises strategic shift since not having an ideal Navi Mumbai leg of the tournament has seen them climb to second place on the points table Their bowling unit has spearheaded the transformation as a disciplined performance led them to end the winning streak of an already qualified Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCBDelhi Capitals know what they must do to bounce back They have shifted their mindset after the Navi Mumbai leg of the WPL 2026 understanding what works here in Vadodara I think their bowlers have led this change Nandni Sharma the way she takes wickets at the death is key to their planThey played carefully and gave up chances in the chase against RCB but they wanted to finish within 18 overs to move into second place They have also not lost to the same team twice this season That shows they learn and adapt when they face an opponent again said Katey on JioStarShe also lauded DC skipper Jemimah Rodrigues for her proactive captaincy noting her tactical flexibility and effective communication with the bowling group to bowl out RCB for 109 on a slow pitchâIt was an interesting move by Delhi to open with mediumpacer Chinelle Henry instead of Marizanne Kapp who usually bowls the first over The bowling changes at certain moments were very good by captain Jemimah RodriguesâShe was constantly moving around the field and talking to her bowlers For a captain to keep the team balanced while doing that can be challenging but she kept things clear She backed the bowlers and they backed her plansâWe saw her energy in the celebrations too She kept thanking the bowlers even for helping with DRS calls I think there is more calmness clarity and comfort now in how she uses her different bowlersâ she concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/wpl-2026-learning-from-defeats-key-to-dcs-turnaround-says-katey-martin-659622.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/u19-wc-boys-are-mature-enough-to-adapt-to-different-situations-says-mhatre-659624.html Bulawayo Jan 25 India captain Ayush Mhatre said his team is growing in confidence with each outing and have shown they are mature enough to adapt to different situations in the ICC Under19 Menâs Cricket World Cup India the fivetime champions extended their unbeaten run with a commanding sevenwicket win over New Zealand in a rainhit group stage clash on Saturday The result ensured they carried maximum points into the Super Six phase of the tournamentThe whole tournament has been really nice and the boys have really played well and shown the character that shows strong attitude also Because it was not easy for us also because the rain was interrupting the game against New Zealand but credit goes to the boys that they held to the game plan and bowled really nicelyThe boys are really mature enough to adapt to the different situations and they have played more cricket like this They are mature enough to take the situation and just back their basics Mhatre was quoted as saying by ICC on SundayIndia will face tougher tests during the Super Six stage when they take on cohosts Zimbabwe January 27 and archrivals Pakistan February 1 India will also take heart from skipper Mhatreâs timely return to form as the righthander topscored with 53 in the chase against New ZealandHis knock came after opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smacked a fluent 40 as the duo along with Vihaan Malhotra and Vedant Trivedi guided the fivetime champions to their target of 130 with authorityFor Mhatre it was his first significant innings of the tournament following modest returns of 19 and six against the USA and Bangladesh Just watch the ball closely and just play as a merit of the ball That was simple plan he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/u19-wc-boys-are-mature-enough-to-adapt-to-different-situations-says-mhatre-659624.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-gauff-beats-baptiste-jovic-upsets-paolini-to-surge-to-last-16-659468.html Melbourne Jan 23 World No 3 American Coco Gauff was forced to raise her level in her thirdround meeting with compatriot Hailey Baptiste before securing a 36 60 63 win to enter the fourth round of the Australian Open here on Friday This is her 77th Grand Slam match win which came in her 100th Major match Only Venus Williams 85 and Iga Swiatek 83 have more wins in their first 100 Grand Slam matches among active players while Aryna Sabalenka also had 77 when reaching this milestoneGauff is the ninth player in the Open Era to appear in their 100th womenâs singles Grand Slam maindraw match before turning 22 joining the elite company of Mary Joe Fernandez Steffi Graf Martina Hingis Gabriela Sabatini Arantxa Sanchez Vicario Maria Sharapova Serena Williams and Venus WilliamsBaptistes forehand was an early problem for Gauff producing six of 12 winners from her right side to take the first set 63 However the 21yearold American quickly wrestled back momentum with a second set bagel to force a decider the 11th 60 set of her Grand Slam career Only Swiatek 32 has more since Gauffâs debut in 2019 while Sabalenka is level with her at 11In the decider Gauff and Baptiste traded holds through five games before Gauff broke for 42 As she had throughout the last two sets she leaned on her forehand to carry her across the finish line and into the Round of 16As she aims to maintain her strong record at the Australian Open Gauff will battle the No 19 seed and AO 2021 semifinalist Muchova for a place in her third straight AO quarterfinalMeanwhile 18yearold Iva Jovic caused the major upset of the tournament so far with a 62 763 thirdround defeat of No 7 seed Jasmine Paolini The win put No 29 seed Jovic into the second week of a major for the first time at just her sixth attempt Its also her first win over a Top 10 player in four meetings IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-gauff-beats-baptiste-jovic-upsets-paolini-to-surge-to-last-16-659468.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 00:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/babar-shaheen-return-as-pakistan-announce-squad-for-australia-t20i-659475.html Lahore Jan 23 The Pakistan Cricket Board PCB announced its 16member squad for the threematch T20I series against Australia on Friday which will commence on January 29 at Gaddafi Stadium Allrounder Salman Ali Agha will continue to lead the team in the important bilateral series ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 which will start on February 7 Former captains Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi have returned to the T20I squad after missing the threematch away series against Sri Lanka in JanuaryBabar was struggling for runs in the ongoing BBL season He scored just 202 runs in 11 games His low strike rate of 10306 was an area of concern for the team He left his franchise before the playoffs to join his national side He hopes to turn his fortunes playing at homePakistan boasts a strong batting lineup which includes the likes of Fakhar Zaman Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan who are in good form While wicketkeeperbatter Mohammed Rizwan has again been overlooked his T20I future remains uncertainShadab Khan will continue to build on his comeback in the previous T20I series and will form part of a strong spinbowling contingent along with Abrar Ahmed Mohammad Nawaz and Usman Tariq While Shaheen Naseem Shah and Mohammad Wasim Junior will lead the fast bowling attackPakistans premier T20I bowler Harris Rauf is also missing from the squad Rauf has performed well in the ongoing Big Bash League He has taken 20 wickets in just 11 matches and is also the leading wickettaker of the current seasonPakistan squadSalman Ali Agha captain Abrar Ahmed Babar Azam Faheem Ashraf Fakhar Zaman Khawaja Mohammad Nafay wk Mohammad Nawaz Mohammad Salman Mirza Mohammad Wasim Jnr Naseem Shah Sahibzada Farhan wk Saim Ayub Shaheen Shah Afridi Shadab Khan Usman Khan wk and Usman TariqPakistan will start their campaign in the T20 WC on February 7 against the Netherlands The team will play all its group stage matches in Colombo IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/babar-shaheen-return-as-pakistan-announce-squad-for-australia-t20i-659475.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 00:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/u19-wc-japans-kato-stafford-reflects-on-unbelievable-experience-of-being-in-competition-659476.html Windhoek Jan 23 Japan may have finished their second ICC Under19 Menâs Cricket World Cup group stage campaign without a win but skipper Kazuma KatoStafford chose to reflect on an âunbelievable experienceâ of featuring in the competition saying that itâs not everyday one gets to face higherranked nations Though Japan lost to Ireland Australia and Sri Lanka they had some standout performances to take positives from Hugo TaniKelly became the first Japan player to score a century at this level by making 101 not out against Sri Lanka while Timothy Moore claimed three wickets in the same matchAgainst defending champions Australia TaniKelly made 79 not out while KatoStafford returned with figures of 242 from nine overs Its not every day an Associate nation gets to come up against three full Test level nations and three of the best in the worldIt was absolutely huge An unbelievable experience Weve got a number of guys I think more than half the squad available for the next World Cup so its a really good experience for them especially playing under pressure playing against some world class players who I have no doubt will go onto big things KatoStafford was quoted as saying by ICC on FridayHe further expressed pride on how his side had handled pressure of being in a mega event Just being able to put Japan Cricket on the world stage is just a really good honour and hopefully its onto bigger and better things from here Weve learned how to handle a lot of pressure against usâA few teams got off to really good starts against us so being able to bounce back from that being able to use our different options Normally weve been reliant on a few bowlers through the middle but this time around weve been able to rely on a few other guysâWith the bat especially Ive been really happy that Ive been able to rely on a number of players who have really stood up for us so Ive been really happy with that Happy overall with the experience the fight weve shown and being able to play our Japan way elaborated KatoStaffordJapan will next face U19 Menâs Cricket World Cup debutants Tanzania on Saturday in a grading fixture with both teams seeking their first win of the tournament and sign off on a high IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/u19-wc-japans-kato-stafford-reflects-on-unbelievable-experience-of-being-in-competition-659476.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 00:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/fifa-to-award-record-prize-money-to-womens-champions-cup-participants-659532.html Geneva Jan 24 A recordbreaking prize money will be awarded to the inaugural FIFA Womens Champions Cup winner the world football governing body announced on Saturday The final champion of the Womens Champions Cup will receive 23 million US dollars while the runnerup will earn one million FIFA saidThe champions from every confederation will compete for the intercontinental club title The two semifinals are scheduled at Brentford Stadium Gtech Community Stadium in London Britain on January 28 The final will be played at Arsenal Stadium Emirates Stadium on February 1Gotham FC of the United States the CONCACAF champion will face SC Corinthians of Brazil the CONMEBOL champion in the first semifinal while European champion Arsenal of England will take on CAF champion ASFAR of Morocco in the otherIn addition to the prize money awarded to the finalists the other two losing teams will also receive 200000 US dollars each The two teams eliminated in Round 1 and Round 2 OFC representative Auckland United of New Zealand and AFC representative Wuhan Jiangda of China will receive 100000 dollars eachA total payout of close to USD 4 million distributed among the six participants based on their performance is a clear statement of the belief in womens club football and the players teams and competitions driving its continued rise said FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/fifa-to-award-record-prize-money-to-womens-champions-cup-participants-659532.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 12:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-keys-pegula-storm-into-fourth-round-659535.html Melbourne Jan 24 American stars Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula set up an allUSA Round of 16 clash at the Australian Open after cruising through their thirdround matches in straight sets on Saturday Keys run toward successfully defending her title continued with an emphatic straightsets victoryâ63 63 against former World No 1 KarolÃna Pliskovaâextending her winning streak to ten matches at Melbourne Park with each match played in under three hoursThe American served unrelenting power from the baseline and although the temperature outside was over 31 degrees Celsius 88 degrees Fahrenheit prior to noon she experienced no problems calling the heat âgreatâ because she is âa FloridianâKeys isnt the only American to achieve success in Melbourne this week No 6 seed Jessica Pegula was through to the Round of 32 after her impressive 63 62 win against Russian qualifier Oksana Selekhmeteva using her outstanding play aggressive movement and consistent shotmaking to dominate her opponent throughout their match Pegula closed the match out quickly and decisivelyâI was excited about the heat being Floridianâ Keys said on court brushing aside concerns over the challenging conditionsThe last time Keys and Pegula met in competition was on January 19 2022 at the Adelaide International where Keys edged Pegula 63 46 61 in the final of the Adelaide InternationalThus their meetings will continue into the next round of the tournament where Keys holds a twotoone series lead over Pegula While the pair share a strong bond off court that friendship will be put on hold when they face each other for a place in the quarterfinalsKeys and Pegula are regular collaborators away from competition producing a tennis podcast alongside fellow Americans Jennifer Brady and Desirae KrawczykKeys revealed that the group were even scheduled to record an episode before their upcoming clash highlighting the unique dynamic between the two playersDespite the heat and the stakes both Americans appeared relaxed and focused underlining their comfort in Melbourne conditionsWith Keysâ powerful shotmaking and Pegulaâs relentless consistency set to collide the allAmerican showdown promises to be one of the highlights of the Round of 16 at this yearâs Australian Open IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-keys-pegula-storm-into-fourth-round-659535.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 12:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-musetti-anisimova-storm-past-rivals-to-enter-round-four-659541.html Melbourne Jan 24 Amanda Anisimova and Lorenzo Musetti secured wins in their respective thirdround games at the Australian Open against Peyton Stearns and Tomas Machac While the former played at the Margaret Court Arena the latter competed at the John Cain Arena on Day 7 of the first Grand Slam of the season Anisimova secured her place in the Australian Open fourth round for the second year in a row defeating American compatriot Peyton Stearns 61 64 in just one hour and 11 minutes The World No 4 came out strong saving a break point in the opening game before breaking Stearns twice to race to a 51 lead in the first set She comfortably served out the set in just over 30 minutes showing little sign of troubleIn the second set Anisimova was in control at 52 but Stearns mounted a late comeback The former University of Texas player fought off a match point and broke back to close the gap to 54 Despite the momentum shift Anisimova remained focused and clinched the win with a forehand winner on her third match pointAlthough Anisimova hit 30 unforced errors more than double Stearns 14 she was the more aggressive player producing 14 winners compared to Stearnsâ six This victory marks her fourth career appearance in the Round of 16 at Melbourne Park In her next match Anisimova will face the winner of the thirdround clash between No 13 seed Linda Noskova and Wang Xinyu Anisimova has a 21 headtohead advantage over Noskova which includes a win in last yearâs Beijing final but has never faced Wang beforeMusetti completed a thrilling comeback to defeat Machac 26 64 62 57 62 in a captivating thirdround battle at the Australian Open Machac took the opening set 75 dominating with relentless baseline play and powerful groundstrokes Despite Musettis fighting spirit which included saving two set points with brilliant serves Machacs pressure proved too muchMusetti responded in the second set winning 64 with precise serving and powerful groundstrokes After breaking Machac in Game 9 the Italian clinched the set to level the match He then powered through the third set 62 relying on his strong serving and baseline consistency to take a 21 leadMachac fought back in the fourth set breaking Musettiâs serve to win 75 and force a deciding fifth set But the Italianâs composure and serve proved decisive in the final set where he broke away early clinching the match 62 His 205 kmh ace and clinical forehand winners sealed the win completing a remarkable comeback after being down two sets to oneMusetti advances to the fourth round after four hours and 27 minutes of intense tennis IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-musetti-anisimova-storm-past-rivals-to-enter-round-four-659541.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 12:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-outdoor-matches-suspended-as-temperatures-hit-36c-659547.html Melbourne Jan 24 The Australian Opens main showcourts at Melbourne Park had their roofs closed and outdoorcourt matches were suspended on Saturday under the tournaments extreme heat policy With temperatures soaring to 36ÂC 968ÂF tournament officials prioritized player safety due to the intense heat during Saturdays eventsThe Australian Open has a strict policy for extreme heat that grades four weather factors air temperature radiant heat wind speed and humidity When conditions reach level 5 officials suspend play and close the roofs To assist fans during these extremes the tournament advises staying hydrated wearing hats and using misting fans inside the stadiumThe defending mens champion Jannik Sinner was visibly affected by the heat while playing on Rod Laver Arena While trailing unseeded American Eliot Spizzirri Sinner experienced noticeable cramping and other mobility issues Sinner won the first set 64 lost the second 36 and was down 31 in the deciding third set when the heat stress index reached 50 the upper end of the scale This caused the match to be suspended for eight minutes to give Sinner time to cool off before play resumed under the closed roofThe match between Valentin Vacherot and Ben Shelton on Margaret Court Arena began shortly after the roof was closed The tournaments referee later announced that no further outdoor matches would be held until after 530 pm local time 0630 GMTDue to the forecast of extreme heat becoming typical during the tournament organisers decided to schedule matches earlier than usual By 1030 am when Madison Keys defending Womens Singles Champion began her match temperatures and humidity levels had already risen significantly Although her Florida upbringing had prepared her for hot weather Keys showed no signs of discomfort as she finished her match 75 minutes later defeating former World No 1 Karolina PliskovaOther players from Florida are Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova both of whom also enjoyed success in this extreme climateJessica Pegula defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 63 62 and noted that the high temperature helped her conserve energy and reduce effort during her match Amanda Anisimova beat Peyton Stearns 61 64 in 71 minutes and mentioned that her early training in hot weather prepares her well for such conditions saying âIt is wonderful to be out on the court even when it is 90 degrees and I find it very enjoyable to be challenged under such conditions IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-outdoor-matches-suspended-as-temperatures-hit-36c-659547.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 13:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/squash-anahat-singh-advances-to-second-round-in-new-york-abhay-singh-loses-659559.html New York Jan 24 Indiaâs leading womenâs player Anahat Singh advanced to the second round of the Sprott Tournament of Champions a PSA Platinum event in New York Meanwhile Abhay Singh was narrowly defeated in a fiveset match in his opening game World No 31 Anahat defeated Englandâs Lucy Turmel with scores of 113 116 911 1311 and will next face Japanese sixth seed Satomi WatanabeMeanwhile menâs World No 29 Abhay was defeated by Spainâs Iker Pajares with scores of 411 114 711 113 311Earlier this month Anahat was defeated in four tightly contested matches in the womenâs Under19 final of the esteemed British Junior Open squash tournament held at the University of BirminghamAnahat lost the final to French second seed Lauren Baltayan with scores of 911 117 311 911 in what was her ninth BJO final across various age groupsShe reached her firstever womenâs under19 final at the prestigious squash event by defeating Egyptâs Malika El Karaksy 34 118 117 119 in just 28 minutes in the semifinalAnahat defeated Malika in last years BJO U17 final and in the World Junior Championships quarterfinals repeatedly targeting the front corners and converting those chances into winners winning the match in straight games during the tournaments 100thanniversary editionThe Delhi player had a breakout year in 2025 reaching her highest world ranking of 28 in just her second season on the Professional Squash Association PSA Tour and defeating two top20 players Recently the top seed and world No 29 narrowly defeated former World No 10 Joshna Chinappa 118 1113 1113 116 118 in the final of the HCL Squash Indian Tour 4 at the Indian Squash Academy in ChennaiIn November Anahat demonstrated her skill by narrowly defeating the seasoned Chinappa 32 in a thrilling allIndian womenâs final at the Daly College SRFI Indian Open squash in Indore As the top seed and thenranked 33rd worldwide Anahat triumphed in a 55minute match with scores of 118 1113 119 611 119 to claim her 13th PSA titleAbhay Singh earlier helped India win the maiden Squash World Cup after registering a commanding 3â0 victory over top seeds Hong Kong China in the final at Express Avenue Mall in ChennaiThe victory marked a significant moment for Indian squash as the team became only the fifth nation to win a major World Squash team eventThe mixedteam World Cup featured 12 teams from around the world with India entering the final eager to move past their disappointment from the 2023 semifinal exit which had also taken place on the same court With support from a lively home crowd the hosts delivered an excellent performance to secure the title IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/squash-anahat-singh-advances-to-second-round-in-new-york-abhay-singh-loses-659559.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 13:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/golf-bhatia-theegala-way-behind-as-scheffler-cards-63-at-american-express-659458.html La Quinta US Jan 23 Indianorigin players Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala endured mixed starts amid exceptionally low scoring conditions on the opening day of The American Express where World No 1 Scottie Scheffler produced a flawless bogeyfree 9under 63 to finish just one shot off the lead Bhatia teeing it up at La Quinta Country Club opened his campaign with a steady 4under 68 while Theegala faced the sternest test of the threecourse rotation at the Pete Dye Stadium Course and signed for a 1under 71IndoCanadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju coming off an impressive tied13th finish last week carded a 2under 70 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course but found himself well down the leader board due to the extremely low scores across the fieldIdeal weather conditions led to a barrage of birdies as players took advantage of the tournamentâs unique threecourse format which sees the 156player field rotate between La Quinta Country Club the Nicklaus Tournament Course and the Pete Dye Stadium Course over the first three rounds before the cutAt the top of the leaderboard Min Woo Lee and Pierceson Coody set the pace with matching 10under 62s on the Nicklaus Tournament Course the easiest of the three layouts The Nicklaus Course played nearly four shots easier than the Pete Dye Stadium CourseSchefflerâs 63 at La Quinta marked his lowest 18hole score in 19 career rounds at The American Express Despite hitting only five of 14 fairways the American showed superb iron play and missed just one green at the 17th where he chipped in for birdie It was also his first fullfield start with a 36hole cut since his victory in Napa last SeptemberNine players ended the day at 9under 63 tied one stroke behind the leaders Among them were Vince Whaley and SH Kim both in search of their maiden PGA TOUR titles along with Ben Griffin Patrick Cantlay and Jason Day Griffinâs effort marked his seventh straight event opening inside the top eight after 18 holes a run dating back to the 2025 Wyndham ChampionshipDefending champion Sepp Straka struggled to find momentum and finished the day at even par hampered by a costly double bogey IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/golf-bhatia-theegala-way-behind-as-scheffler-cards-63-at-american-express-659458.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 23:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-djokovic-musetti-shelton-cruise-into-third-round-with-easy-wins-659275.html Melbourne Jan 22 Former world No 1 Novak Djokovic Lorenzo Musetti and Ben Shelton all clinched easy straightsets victories in their second round match of the Australian Open on the fifth day of the first Grand Slam of the season While Djokovic defeated qualifier Francesco Maestrelli 63 62 62 at the Rod Laver Arena Musetti overcame Lorenzo Sonego 63 63 64 in the opening session at the Margaret Court Arena Shelton also facing a qualifier in Dane Sweeny registered a victory at the John Cain Arena with a scoreline exactly similar to DjokovicsThe 10time champion Djokovic defeated his Italian opponent in 2 hours and 15 minutes showing efficient movement and clean ball strikes throughout the match indicating good form early in the tournamentThe Serbian now stands one victory away from reaching 400 career wins at the Grand Slam level A win against either Botic van de Zandschulp or Shang Juncheng in the next round would see him become the first player in history to achieve the milestoneWhile Van de Zandschulp famously upset Djokovic last year at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells Djokovic has yet to face ShangCompeting at Melbourne Park for the 21st time Djokovic is projected to face Musetti in the quarterfinals with a potential semifinal clash against twotime defending champion Jannik SinnerMusetti defeated his fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego with scores of 63 63 64 achieving his best result at the seasonâs first major tournament The fifth seed generated 23 break opportunities converting six of themThe 23yearold Italian will now face either the 31st seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or the Czech player Tomas MachacShelton meanwhile handled the pressure of favouritism with ease producing a dominant performance against World No 182 Sweeny He took early control to win the opening set 63 then delivered a nearflawless second set striking nine aces and winning every point on serve in a rapid 26minute 62 routAlthough Sweeny briefly competed in the third set Shelton raised his level again winning five straight games to close out a 63 62 62 victory The American finished with 19 aces and 38 winners and will next face 30th seed Valentin Vacherot IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-djokovic-musetti-shelton-cruise-into-third-round-with-easy-wins-659275.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sindhu-lakshya-enter-indonesia-masters-quarterfinals-659291.html Jakarta Jan 22 Former world champion PV Sindhu and Paris Olympic semifinalist Lakshya Sen reached the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Masters after securing easy wins in their respective secondround matches here on Thursday While Sindhu clinched a 2119 2118 win over Line Kjaerfeldt of Denmark in her prequarterfinal in 43 minutes Lakshya secured a 2110 2111 win over Hong Kongâs Jason Gunawan in a match that lasted over half an hourThis was Sindhus sixth win over Kjaerfeldt in seven meetings with the only loss coming in last years Sudirman CupSindhu will next face tournament top seed and world No 4 Chen Yu Fei of China The duo have met 13 times so far with the Chinese holding a slight edge at 76 in the overall recordOn Wednesday twotime Olympic medallist Sindhu Indiaâs highestranked womenâs singles player at 13th beat Japanâs world No 35 Manami Suizu 2220 2118 in 53 minutes to reach the prequarterfinalsOn the other hand Lakshya who registered a 2113 1621 2114 win over world No 23 Wang Tzu Wei of Chinese Taipei in his openinground match on Wednesday will next face Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul of Thailand who upset 2024 Paris Olympics Lee Zii Jia 1521 2117 218 in the quarterfinals on FridayFormer world No 1 Kidambi Srikanth who reached the round of 16 with a 2115 2123 2422 victory over Japans Koki Watanabe will be in action later in the day against Chou Tien Chen of Taipie Anmol Kharb meanwhile takes on Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the womens singles second roundWorld Championships bronze medallist HS Prannoy and rising star Tanvi Sharma crashed out of the BWF Super tournament after losing their firstround matches on WednesdayKiran George also lost his mens singles opener in straight games to Indonesiaâs Moh Zaki Ubaidillah 2117 2114 Indiaâs mixed doubles pairs Dhruv KapilaTanisha Crasto and Rohan KapoorRuthvika Shivani Gadde also lost their openinground matches IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sindhu-lakshya-enter-indonesia-masters-quarterfinals-659291.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/jaipur-polo-edge-past-optiemus-achievers-in-rajmata-gayatri-devi-memorial-cup-659298.html Jaipur Jan 22 The home season for Jaipur Polo Team kicked off in style as the team secured a narrow yet wellearned 757 victory over Optiemus Achievers in a keenly contested encounter at the Rajmata Gayatri Devi Memorial Cup Showcasing attacking intent and smart game management across all four chukkers Jaipur held their nerve to clinch the match in a dramatic finishAfter an initial setback in their opening encounter against Suhana All Stars where the hosts lost by the margin of half a goal the win against Optiemus Achievers provided Jaipur Polo with the momentum needed to push forward in the tournamentJaipur asserted early control in the opening chukker capitalising on their handicap advantage and fluid attacking play to race to a 35â0 lead Lance Watson was clinical in front of goal while Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur played a key role in linking defence and attack keeping Optiemus Achievers under sustained pressureOptiemus Achievers mounted a strong response in the second chukker with Shamsheer Ali leading the charge to register three goals and bring his side back into contention Jaipur however maintained their composure and added to their tally ensuring they retained a slender advantage at 35â3 by halftimeThe third chukker saw the contest intensify as Optiemus Achievers continued their comeback through goals from Ali and Daniel Otamendi Jaipur matched them stride for stride with Watson once again finding the mark to extend the scoreline to 55â4 keeping the match finely balanced heading into the final chukkerThe closing chukker delivered high drama with Optiemus Achievers drawing level at seven goals following determined efforts from Savir Mehraj Goda and Shamsheer Ali Jaipur however held their nerve in the decisive moments adding the crucial halfgoal to finish at 75â7 and seal the win in a thrilling encounterThe victory marks one of many expected for the home side during the Jaipur Polo Season which runs from February 19 to March 15 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/jaipur-polo-edge-past-optiemus-achievers-in-rajmata-gayatri-devi-memorial-cup-659298.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/athletes-getting-high-quality-infrastructure-says-haryana-cm-659299.html Kurukshetra Jan 22 Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday said the state government is providing highquality infrastructure to athletes to help win medals in the Olympics To nurture the hidden sporting talent in the state the government has established sports nurseries along with other sports centresThe government has also ensured worldclass facilities for athletes as a result of which Haryana players are bringing the highest number of medals for the country he saidThe Chief Minister was interacting with athletes at a programme organised by the Kurukshetra University administration at the sports complex of the university hereEarlier CM Saini and Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam inaugurated a synthetic hockey ground constructed at a cost of about Rs 550 crore under the Khelo India Scheme of the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and SportsThe Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of an allweather swimming pool project to be constructed at a cost of Rs 8 crore under the Khelo India SchemeAfter the inauguration CM Saini and Sports Minister Gautam played hockey on the new synthetic turfThe Chief Minister said the synthetic hockey ground would now provide emerging hockey players with worldclass facilities to hone their skillsEncouraging the athletes he said the government is committed to promoting sports and strengthening sports infrastructureInteracting with university officials the Chief Minister said that through the Union governments Khelo India Scheme the states athletes would win even more medals at the Olympics and on international platforms thereby bringing greater glory to the countryViceChancellor of Kurukshetra University Somnath Sachdeva while welcoming the Chief Minister shared details of the synthetic hockey astroturf built under the Khelo India SchemeHe said that a budget of Rs 10 crore was provided by the Union Ministry of SportsOf this Rs 550 crore has been spent on the hockey ground and a multipurpose indoor sports hall will be constructed at a cost of Rs 450 crore IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/athletes-getting-high-quality-infrastructure-says-haryana-cm-659299.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/he-faced-some-discomfort-injured-his-leg-childhood-coach-dinesh-lad-on-shardul-missing-mumbais-ranji-game-vs-hyderabad-659305.html Mumbai Jan 22 Shardul Thakurâs childhood coach Dinesh Lad revealed that the Mumbai captain sustained a minor leg injury leading him to skip the Ranji Trophy match against Hyderabad on Thursday Thakur has been Mumbais captain since the start of the tournament guiding the team to three wins in five games with the remaining two ending in stalemates Nonetheless he was unable to participate in the ongoing match against Hyderabad with Siddhesh Lad donning the captain hatâShardul faced some physical discomfort and injured his leg Heâs recovering now and getting fit and will mostly be available for the next match I spoke to him and heâll be available when they play Delhi in Mumbaiâ Dinesh told IANS when asked why Shardul wasnât participatingDinesh Lad Siddheshâs father and an experienced coach who mentored former India captain Rohit Sharma in his childhood expressed pride in his sonâs Ranji Trophy performances for Mumbai after he was named the captain of the side for the Hyderabad encounter at the Rajiv Gandhi International StadiumHe also mentioned that Thakur believes the 33yearold might soon earn his maiden India callup if he keeps performing similarlyI spoke to Shardul a while back and he feels that if Siddhesh keeps performing the way he does he might soon receive an India callup and Iâm hopeful if he scores a couple of centuries in the next 34 games he can get an India callâ Lad statedReflecting on Siddhesh taking over the leadership role from Thakur while he recovers from the injury Dinesh expressed his pride and shared a simple message for his sonIt feels good that Shardul led the team first and now Siddhesh is leading I feel really proud My only message to Siddhesh will be play good cricket and make the team proudâ he saidSiddhesh comes into the Hyderabad fixture in fine form In Mumbaiâs previous Ranji Trophy encounter against Puducherry the righthanded batter was named Player of the Match after scoring a commanding 170 off 285 balls in the first innings as Mumbai went on to register a massive inningsand222run victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/he-faced-some-discomfort-injured-his-leg-childhood-coach-dinesh-lad-on-shardul-missing-mumbais-ranji-game-vs-hyderabad-659305.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-swiatek-reaches-24th-straight-major-third-round-selekhmeteva-stuns-badosa-659308.html Melbourne Jan 22 World No 2 Iga Swiatek registered a 62 63 straightset victory at the Australian Open on Thursday reaching the third round in her 24th consecutive Grand Slam On Monday Swiatek became the first woman to reach the second round in 25 consecutive Grand Slams since Svetlana Kuznetsova 26 from 200612 She is now the only woman in the Open Era to advance to the third round of any decadeâs first 24 majors Her previous secondround exit came at the 2019 US Open where she lost to Anastasija SevastovaSwiatek broke serve to claim the opening set 62 Swiateks aggressive baseline play proved too powerful with her groundstrokes reaching speeds of up to 140 kmph consistently forcing Bouzkova into defensive positions and wrapping up a dominant performance on John Cain ArenaThe firstset win gave Swiatek complete control and she closed out the match with a composed hold of serve securing a 63 win in the second set to complete a straightsets triumph 62 63Serving for the match the second seed showed nerves of steel despite some early tension After dropping the opening point with an unforced error Swiatek regained control with powerful serving and aggressive baseline playThough Bouzkova saved two match points with gutsy shotmaking Swiateks quality proved decisive A clinical nineshot rally ended with a forehand winner sealing her progression to the third round of the Australian OpenLater Oksana Selekhmeteva recorded the first Top 30 win of her career and reached the third round at a Grand Slam for the first time after upsetting last years semifinalist Paula Badosa at the Australian OpenSelekhmeteva will next face a Top 20 player for the first time in her career when she takes on No 6 seed Jessica Pegula in the third roundElsewhere local qualifier Maddison Inglis also advanced to the third round after defeating Laura Siegemund 64 673 76 7 in 3 hours and 20 minutes the secondlongest match of the tournament so far IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-swiatek-reaches-24th-straight-major-third-round-selekhmeteva-stuns-badosa-659308.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-sinner-fritz-through-to-third-round-osaka-survives-another-three-set-scare-659346.html Melbourne Jan 22 World No 2 Jannik Sinner No 9 Taylor Fritz and Japanese star Naomi Osaka secured victories in their secondround matches on the fifth day of the Australian Open to storm into the third round of the first Grand Slam of the season While Sinner defeated wildcard entrant James Duckworth 61 64 62 in an hour and 49 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena Fritz beat the Czech Republicâs Vit Kopriva 61 64 764 in an hour and 58 minutes at the John Cain Arena in the night sessionOsaka who stunned her fans with a headturning entry onto the court wearing a veil and carrying a white umbrella in her campaign opener overcame Romaniaâs Sorana Cirstea in a close threesetterSinner maintained his steady progress towards a possible third consecutive Australian Open title on Thursday demonstrating precise and efficient play The second seed was unstoppable extending his perfect 90 record against Australian players at Grand Slam tournamentsThe Italian encountered minimal difficulty on his serve successfully nullifying all three break points he faced and confirmed a thirdround match against American Eliot SpizzirriAlthough the beginning of the year hasnt been very convincing for the former world number four Fritz demonstrated his skill on the court He started aggressively quickly securing the first set and faced a bit more resistance in the second Throughout the match he remained in control even as his Czech opponents intensity increased and approached Fritzs levelThe former quarterfinalist was all in to secure his spot in the third round for the third year in a row Fritz recognised for his powerful serve hit 15 aces compared to Koprivas three He successfully converted 79 of his first serves and efficiently broke his opponent four times out of seven opportunitiesIn the womenâs game Osaka demonstrated that timing was crucial for her success For the second consecutive match she was pushed to three sets Each time she raised her level at the right moments ultimately defeating Sorana Cirstea 63 46 62 in exactly two hoursThe outcome was a revenge years in the making In 2015 a 17yearold from Osaka debuted in Grand Slam qualifying at Wimbledon facing Cirstea a former Top 30 player returning from injury Cirstea won that match 26 61 64 Interestingly they did not face each other again until this weekThe World No 16 will next encounter the only remaining home player in the womens draw Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis as she aims to reach the Australian Open fourth round for the first time since winning the title in 2021 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-sinner-fritz-through-to-third-round-osaka-survives-another-three-set-scare-659346.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/football-former-india-and-east-bengal-defender-ilyas-pasha-passes-away-aged-61-659348.html New Delhi Jan 22 Former India defender Ilyas Pasha died on Thursday following a long illness the AllIndia Football Federation AIFF informed expressing condolences on his passing He was 61 and is survived by his wife two daughters and two sons Pasha a dedicated and softspoken footballer built a notable career in the defensive position that requires resilience and composure Mainly playing as a right wingback he was known for his precise timing calm attitude and sharp game awareness Unfazed under pressure Pashaâs disciplined positioning and careful tackles made life difficult for opposing left wingers giving his goalkeepers more confidenceAt the international level Ilyas Pasha made his senior India debut on January 27 1987 against Bulgaria in the Nehru Cup at Kozhikode He earned a total of eight international caps participating in two Nehru Cup tournaments 1987 and 1991 the 1991 SAF Games and the 1992 Asian Cup qualifiersPasha started his football career at Vinayaka Football Club in Vyalikaval north Bengaluru where he lived His strong performances led to a transfer to Indian Telephone Industries in the mid1980s marking his rise to the national stage From 1987 he regularly played for Karnataka in the Santosh Trophy participating in tournaments in Kolkata in 1987 Quilon now Kollam in 1988 and Guwahati in 1989 His standout performance in Guwahati was notable although Karnataka narrowly missed reaching the final Additionally he secured two Santosh Trophy titles with Bengal in 1993 and 1995Building on his domestic successes Pasha was signed by Mohammedan Sporting where he further boosted his reputation by winning the Sait Nagjee Trophy and the Nizam Gold Cup in 1989 He later transferred to East Bengal marking the most significant phase of his club careerAs a key player for the iconic red and gold from the early 1990s until the end of the decade Pasha was central to one of the clubâs most successful periods He served as captain during the 199394 season and was a trusted figure under the late coach Subhas BhowmickWith the Red and Gold Brigade he secured the Calcutta Football League title five times 1991 1993 1995 1996 1998 the IFA Shield five times 1990 1991 1994 1995 1997 and the Durand Cup four times 1990 1991 1993 1995 His collection of trophies also includes two Rovers Cups 1990 1994 the Federation Cup 1996 the historic Wai Wai Cup in Kathmandu 1993 Airlines Trophy titles in 1990 1992 1995 1997 the Bordoloi Trophy 1992 ATPA Shield 1992 Kalinga Cup 1993 McDowell Trophy 1995 1997 and the Super Cup in 199697 seasonHe was part of East Bengalâs renowned triple crownwinning team in 1990 and served as captain when they won their first international title at the Wai Wai Cup in 1993 He also captained East Bengal during their impressive 62 win against Iraqs Al Zawraa SC in the 199394 Asian Cup Winners Cup In 2012 he received a special Lifetime Achievement Award from East BengalThe AIFF expressed its condolences to the Indian football community over the passing of Pasha a defender known for his calmness and reliability and recognised his enduring impact on the sport IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/football-former-india-and-east-bengal-defender-ilyas-pasha-passes-away-aged-61-659348.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/norway-chess-women-2026-anna-muzychuk-returns-for-title-defence-659353.html Stavanger Norway Jan 22 Reigning champion Anna Muzychuk is set to return to defend her Norway Chess Womenâs title and possibly win for the second time in a row Since the tournament started in 2024 Muzychuk has participated in both editions and has emerged as a key figure in the competition Muzychuk a threetime world champion in fast chess secured the Womenâs World Rapid Championship title in 2016 and the Womenâs World Blitz Championship twice in 2014 and 2016 She has also been a Womenâs World Championship finalist and is one of just six women in chess history to have surpassed a rating of 2600âNorway Chess is a truly special event that combines a prestigious and challenging tournament with memorable friendly activities Iâm really looking forward to the new editionâ says MuzychukDuring her victory speech in 2025 Muzychuk emphasised the significance of Norway Chess Women for female players and firmly supported the tournaments continuation calling it âreally very importantâ for womenâs chessMuzychuk has rapidly established herself at Norway Chess She was the runnerup in the first Norway Chess Womens event in 2024 and then won the title in 2025 solidifying her position at the top Her steady participation and impressive results have made her a key competitor in the tournamentâAnna has been a key part of Norway Chess Women since the very beginning and her level of play continues to set the standard Having the reigning champion return adds both sporting quality and continuity to the tournament and weâre excited to welcome her back to Osloâ said Benedicte Westre Skog COO of Norway ChessNorway Chess Women was introduced in 2024 as the worldâs first fully inclusive super tournament for women in chess Held alongside Norway Chess it used the same format number of players playing conditions and prize fund as the main event This initiative represented a significant advance for gender equality in professional chess and has now become a regular feature on the international calendarWith Anna Muzychuk back as the defending champion the stage is ready for another thrilling chapter in the growing history of the womenâs tournament The question is whether she can win her second consecutive Norway Chess Womens titleNorway Chess is a premier international tournament that gathers the best male and female players It features a unique 6player double roundrobin format and will run from May 25 to June 5 at Deichman BjÃrvika in Oslo IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/norway-chess-women-2026-anna-muzychuk-returns-for-title-defence-659353.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/injured-nz-quick-adam-milne-ruled-out-of-t20-wc-jamieson-named-replacement-659400.html Wellington Jan 23 Rightarm fast bowler Adam Milne has been ruled out of the ICC T20 World Cup with a torn left hamstring and will be replaced in the squad by Kyle Jamieson New Zealand Cricket NZC said on Friday Milne suffered the injury while bowling in the SA20 on Sunday with subsequent scans revealing the extent of the injuryâWeâre all gutted for Adam Heâd worked so hard to get himself ready for the tournament and was looking back to his best in his eight games for the Eastern Cape Sunrisers Its unfortunate timing for Adam and we wish him a speedy recovery said head coach Rob WalterJamieson who is currently part of the whiteball tour of India has been added to the T20 World Cup squad after originally being named as the travelling reserve for the mega event in India and Sri LankaWalter said Jamieson was a worthy replacementâItâs great that Kyle is already with us here in India Heâs an integral member of our pacebowling group and has hit the ground running on this tourâHeâs a hard worker with a good set of skills and experiences that will hold him good stead for the tournament he saidMilne has been a part of New Zealandâs squad at multiple T20 World Cups including the 2012 2016 2021 and 2022 editions of the tournamentHe has played 11 matches at T20 World Cups and has taken six wickets for New ZealandThe 33yearold pacer has 65 wickets in 56 matches ever since his T20I debut for the Kiwis in 2010 Overall Milne has 258 scalps from 226 T20 matches at an average of 2323 and an economy of 789 in T20 cricketNew Zealand have been placed in Group D alongside South Africa Afghanistan UAE and Canada in the T20 World CupNew Zealand will begin their campaign on February 8 with a clash against Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/injured-nz-quick-adam-milne-ruled-out-of-t20-wc-jamieson-named-replacement-659400.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/europa-league-villa-edge-fenerbahce-to-seal-round-of-16-spot-roma-earn-vital-win-659406.html New Delhi Jan 23 Aston Villa secured a place in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 with a game to spare after a 10 victory over Fenerbahce Jadon Sanchoâs first goal in Villa colours was enough to tie up all three points for Unai Emeryâs men on Matchday Seven as he headed Matty Cashâs cross home on 25 minutesVilla almost doubled their advantage shortly after the hour Cashs longrange effort smacking the upright The hosts stepped up their efforts to level the contest with Marco Bizot forced into a number of saves the pick of them denying substitute TaliscaThe win coupled with results elsewhere means that only a maximum of five teams can now overtake the secondplaced Villans in the league phase table ensuring the lowest they can mathematically finish is seventhA top eight spot sends Emeryâs charges straight through to the round of 16 skipping the last 32 playoff round which will be contested in FebruaryIt is the second season running that the Villans have secured a top eight finish in European competition and progressed straight through to the last 16 after finishing eighth in last seasonâs Champions League table before eventually reaching the quarterfinalsElsewhere level on points coming into Matchday 7 Roma edged out Stuttgart at the Stadio Olimpico thanks to Niccolò Pisillis goals late in each halfIn a highenergy game Stuttgart came closest first through Jamie Leweling before Roma youth product Pisilli struck after a defencesplitting pass from Matias Soule UEFA reportsDeniz Undav was unable to convert the best of Stuttgarts opportunities in the second half before Pisilli made sure of the result in added time The result ensures both teams will at least contest the knockout phase playoffsIn another action Ryan Yates scored an own goal less than a minute after Morgan GibbsWhite missed a penalty for Nottingham Forest as Braga secured a vital win in PortugalChances were few and far between in the first half but the game came to life with GibbsWhites missed spot kick followed by Yates inadvertently turning the ball into his own net less than 60 seconds laterOla Ainas powerful longrange strike rattled the bar before Pau Victor struck the post for the hosts and Elliot Anderson was dismissed late on for Forest IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/europa-league-villa-edge-fenerbahce-to-seal-round-of-16-spot-roma-earn-vital-win-659406.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-sabalenka-survives-potapova-scare-mboko-beats-tauson-659409.html Melbourne Jan 23 World No1 Aryna Sabalenka battled her way into the fourth round of Australian Open 2026 after surviving her biggest test at Melbourne Park overcoming Anastasia Potapova 764 767 at Rod Laver Arenaon Friday The fourtime major champion who hasnât lost a Grand Slam third round match since Roland Garros 2022 was stretched in Fridayâs twohour twominute bout her longest outing at AO 2026 so farSabalenka found herself reeled in from a 764 40 lead and eventually saved four set points in the secondset tiebreak to wrap up the winShe played incredible tennis I was always on the back foot and to be honest there are days where you just have to be there to fight and try your best to put the ball back Even though emotionally I was all over the place I was able to still fight for every point and Im just super happy that I was able to get this win It was such a fight and I really enjoyed it Sabalenka said in her in court interviewPotapova was eyeing to be the first Austrian to reach the fourth round at Melbourne Park since Barbara Schett in 2000Sabalenka who clinched the 22nd title of her career at this monthâs Brisbane International is hoping to build upon the eightmatch winning streak that sheâs on in 2026She has now made the fourthround or better at the last 13 Grand Slam events she has contested dating back to a thirdround loss at Roland Garros in 2022In the fourth round the 27yearold Sabalenka meets her first seeded opponent at this year Australian Open in the form of Canadaâs Victoria Mboko who she has never facedIn her Australian Open debut the 17th seed Mboko was made to work for her 765 57 63 win over 14th seed Clara TausonAfter edging out an opening set tiebreak after being ahead by a break of serve twice Mboko came from an early break down to build a 765 53 leadBut Tauson found her best tennis in the next games when serving down 54 Five games in a row went to the Dane to not just earn her the second set but an early break in the thirdMboko then broke back immediately and hammered backtoback backhand winners to clinch the match from 3030 in the final game IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-sabalenka-survives-potapova-scare-mboko-beats-tauson-659409.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/warner-signs-extension-with-bbl-club-sydney-thunder-659413.html Sydney Jan 23 Former Australian opener David Warner has signed a oneyear extension with Sydney Thunder the Big Bash League BBL club said on Friday After leading the Thunder to the BBL Final last season Warners side crashed back to earth in BBL 15 as they finished bottom of the table with just two winsThe 39yearold finished BBL 15 as leagues leading runâscorer with 433 runs at a strike rate of 154 despite missing two matches due to injury His standout season also earned him a second consecutive Team of the Tournament selection once again named captainThe former Australian Test opener has 1139 BBL career runs to his name and eager to add to that tally next seasonâIâm really excited to commit to another season with Thunderâ Warner saidâIt was certainly a challenging year for us we are a much better team than what we put on the field this season and were unable to put a consistent game together But the support from our fans â turning up in numbers every game â it played a massive role in my decision to stay Warner said in a statement shared by ThundersâI feel Ive got plenty more to give to this team and to this game I felt pretty comfortable with my performance and was proud to give the team a fighting chance Weâve already begun reviewing the season and putting the right plans in place to ensure we deliver a much stronger campaign in BBL 16 he addedThunder General Manager Trent Copeland said it was a no brainer to extend Warner after another huge seasonâWeâre stoked that Davey is staying on for another season Heâs had an incredible year not only is he one of the greatest T20 players in the world over the last 15 years but still very clearly one of the best batters in the BBL and his fitness levels are eliteâHis hunger and his drive as a leader to improve upon a disappointing season for the squad is as strong as everâMeanwhile Melbourne Stars have resigned experienced trio Hilton Cartwright Sam Harper and Peter Siddle for BBL 16Cartwright and Harper have both agreed to twoyear extensions with the Stars while Siddle will have at least one more season in greenHarperâs contract comes after a careerbest season where he won the BBL Player of the Tournament awardAlongside Harper Siddle made the BBL Team of the Tournament recognising the 41yearoldâs outstanding campaign with the ball IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/warner-signs-extension-with-bbl-club-sydney-thunder-659413.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 11:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-alcaraz-rolls-into-rd-4-with-record-breaking-win-in-his-100th-grand-slam-match-659416.html Melbourne Jan 23 World No1 Carlos Alcaraz earned a 62 64 61 victory against Corentin Moutet in his 100th Grand Slam match to reach the Australian Open fourth round here on Friday With his win Alcaraz improved to 8713 at Slam level tying Bjorn Borg for the best major record in 100 matches The 22yearold Spaniard has twice reached the quarterfinals in MelbourneThe sixtime Major winner has also surpassed legends including Rafael Nadal and fellow ATP No 1 Club member John McEnroe who both went 8614 across their first 100 major matches as per ATP statsNovak Djokovic a record 24time major titlist and 10time champion in Melbourne went 7921 across his first 100 Slam matches while Swiss Roger Federer went 8020 Alcarazâs great rival Jannik Sinner played his 100th major match 8119 last year at Wimbledon coincidentally against the Spaniard in the championship match The Italian won that clash ATP reportsâIt wasnât easy When you play someone like Corentin you donât know whatâs going to be next Thatâs really difficult to approach the match but I had so much fun with it on the court I think we both pulled off great shots great points I think there were a few highlights in the match Iâm grateful to play this kind of match against him Alcaraz saidAfter leading 30 in the second set Alcaraz dropped four consecutive games but quickly regrouped and earned a crucial break at 44 to serve for a twosetstolove lead He then raced to a doublebreak lead in the third set and applied the finishing touches to advance after two hours and five minutesAlcaraz who is yet to drop a set will next play 19th seed Tommy Paul who advanced after Alejandro Davidovich Fokina retired with the American leading 61 61At just 22 years old Alcaraz is a sixtime major champion and is chasing more history Should he claim his maiden Australian Open title Alcaraz would complete his Career Grand Slam and become the youngest player to achieve that feat IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-alcaraz-rolls-into-rd-4-with-record-breaking-win-in-his-100th-grand-slam-match-659416.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/wpl-2026-asked-girls-to-go-out-and-fight-hard-says-gg-coach-klinger-659422.html Vadodara Jan 23 Gujarat Giants head coach Michael Klinger said his message for the team during the drinks break in their WPL 2026 clash against UP Warriorz was to really go out and fight hard something which spurred them to secure a 45run win at the BCA Stadium and move to second place in the points table The black soil doesnt bounce as much but it came onto the bat quite nicely So if Im being honest I thought we were probably 20 short with a bat even just a couple of sort of mistakes through the innings that we made that could have helped us get thereBut one thing we spoke about in the break was just asking the girls to really go out and fight hard We know theyve got two or three really key batters who have made the majority of their runs I think theyve made something around 75 to 80 of their runs for the tournamentSo we knew that if we get those key wickets we will be massively in the game Then some of the batters who hadnt batted as long throughout the tournament the pressure would have been on them and Im extremely proud of the group Our fielding has been a bit of a rollercoaster throughout the tournament but they were fantastic said Klinger in the postgame press conferenceThe move to bring in leftarm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad in place of Tanuja Kanwer paid off when she picked 316 to run through UPWs middle overs It was a really tough call TK has been a big part of our team for a few years now We felt like we definitely wanted to go in with an extra quick as an option In the end we didnt use it because our spinners bowled really wellâSo we went in with Happy Kumari but shell get an opportunity down the track in the next game to get some overs in But I think Raj probably gave us an option in the power play We felt maybe slightly more than TK not that TK isnt good at that in the power plays more so just Raj has bowled a few good overs for us already this seasonâIn the end we didnt use her in the power play but she did fantastically well through the middle to bowl four over straight from one end 316 that unbelievable effort and match winning spell that was So Im really happy for her I thought she filled it well too Shes been working really hard at training and shes done fantastically wellâ added KlingerReflecting on conditions and the slowness of the pitch where GG made 1538 Klinger said âI think it was under par The wicket was good felt it was probably a 170 to 180 par wicket We just probably didnt bat as well as we could have and then we obviously put a lot of pressure on the opposition with our bowling and fielding So I thought the groundsmen got the wicket quite niceâAsked if this will be the pattern seen in rest of the games at the venue Klinger said he hoped there were enough fresh wickets prepared for the business end of the competition âTough one I think its going to depend a little bit whether you play on the wicket the first time or the second timeâLike I felt two nights ago the match the second time it was played on was a bit lower So itd be interesting to see tomorrow Saturday night how this one plays whether it plays as well as it was here or whether its a bit lower than this game So thats going to be interestingâIm not sure if theyve got three or four wickets prepared but I think the more wickets they have here prepared the better for the rest of the competition because Im not sure you want to be playing third time on these wickets So maybe they can prepare four or five for the tournament to make sure we have good wickets right throughâOn the dew factor Klinger noted it was less disruptive than last season âWell it was but I think its a little bit different to last year I think it was here in Lucknow when there was dewâThe bowlers seemed to struggle to hold it and it was a little bit slippery whereas I think this year maybe its the spray theyre using Im not sure but it seems to be wet definitely when fielding but the bowlers seem to be able to get a good grip on it So maybe its not as bad as it was here last yearâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/wpl-2026-asked-girls-to-go-out-and-fight-hard-says-gg-coach-klinger-659422.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ranji-trophy-sarfaraz-khan-smashes-double-ton-for-mumbai-against-hyderabad-659434.html Hyderabad Jan 23 India batter Sarfaraz Khan struck a fluent double century off 206 balls for Mumbai against Hyderabad in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday Sarfaraz registered the fifth firstclass double hundred of his career as he was eventually dismissed for 227 off 219 deliveries His knock featured 19 fours and nine sixes at a strike rate of 10365 including 45 runs taken off India pacer and Hyderabad skipper Mohammed Siraj in just 39 ballsHe also shared a 249run stand with standin skipper Siddhesh Lad 104 for the fourth wicket steering Mumbai past 500 after the side had slipped to 823 His innings has helped turn the match firmly in Mumbaiâs favour as Sarfaraz also went past 5000 firstclass runs tallyThe righthander has been in prolific form of late He recently lit up the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a record 15ball halfcentury against Punjab â the fastest by an Indian male batter in List A cricket â breaking the record of reaching the mark in 16 deliveries previously held by Abhijit Kale and Atit ShethSarfaraz eventually finished as Mumbaiâs top scorer in the 50over tournament with 303 runs coming at a strike rate of 19056 Sarfaraz last featured for India in a Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in November 2024 but has continued to press his case for a recall into the national setup with consistent domestic performancesHe was Mumbaiâs secondhighest rungetter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this season with 329 runs in seven matches at an average of 6580 and a strike rate of 20380 Sarfaraz also earned an IPL 2026 contract with fivetime champions Chennai Super Kings CSK at his base price of Rs 75 lakh IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ranji-trophy-sarfaraz-khan-smashes-double-ton-for-mumbai-against-hyderabad-659434.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/when-you-think-of-the-team-you-have-to-swallow-bitter-pills-kaneria-on-babar-being-denied-strike-in-bbl-659442.html New Delhi Jan 23 Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria whilereacting to Babar Azamâs early exit from the Big Bash League and an onfield incident with Steve Smith where the former Pakistan captain was denied a strike stated that when a player thinks of the team he must sometimes be prepared to âswallow bitter pills Babar was struggling for runs in the ongoing BBL season He scored just 202 runs in 11 games He left BBL midway and returned to Pakistan to join his national team to commence preparations for upcoming international matchesReacting to reports suggesting that Babar felt disrespected during the Sydney Sixers match Kaneria said such situations are part and parcel of professional cricket and should not be viewed emotionallyâSocial media creates unnecessary chaos Babar was denied a strike and Rizwan was also recalled earlier These things happen in team sports No one does these things intentionally Even in the IPL when players donât perform or when team balance is needed decisions are taken That doesnât mean something dramatic has happened Even Tilak Varma was called back in a game Kaneria told IANSCricket is a team game You donât play individually this is not tennis or golf All eleven players share responsibility If the captain feels runs are not coming or the team needs a player back he can call him There is nothing wrong with that he addedAdvising Babar to look beyond the noise Kaneria added that professionalism lies in accepting tough calls with maturity âBabar doesnât need to be upset If the team needs him he should come back respectfully When you think of the team sometimes you have to swallow bitter pills and thatâs okay The team should always come firstâ he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/when-you-think-of-the-team-you-have-to-swallow-bitter-pills-kaneria-on-babar-being-denied-strike-in-bbl-659442.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bangladesh-cricket-board-seeks-48-hours-to-consult-govt-and-decide-on-t20-world-cup-participation-659233.html Mumbai Jan 22 Bangladesh Cricket Board has requested the International Cricket Council ICC for 48 hours time to convey their decision to the government regarding playing their matches of the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and take a decision a news report said BCB officials on request not to be named told Telecom Asia Sport on Wednesday hours after the ICC rejected Bangladeshâs plea to relocate their matches from India after the BCB failed to provide much support except from the Pakistan Cricket Board during the voting in the virtual meeting that was attended by 16 membersThe ICC issued a final deadline to Bangladesh as the BCB has 24 hours to decide whether they will travel to India to play their matches in India during the T20 World Cup to be played from February 7 to March 8 If they fail to do so Bangladesh are likely to be replaced by Scotland in the competitionâThe Bangladesh players want to play the World Cup The Bangladesh government wants Bangladesh to play in the World Cup But we donât think India is safe for our players We asked them to shift the matches to Sri Lanka We said that we can switch with Ireland or Zimbabwe It would have been the easiest way but Sri Lanka said that they donât want a new team in their groupâ a BCB official told wwwtelecomasianet regarding the discussion in the ICC Board meeting held virtuallyââWe told them that after the vote we want one last chance to tell our government and that they insisted itâs a valid point and gave me 24 or 48 hours to get back to themââWe donât want to put pressure on the government We know the ICC denied us but we will talk to the government one more time and later will inform the government of the feedback to the ICCâ the official told wwwtelecomasianetThe report quoted the official as saying the government will take all options into consideration before reaching a final decision âYou must remember that a government doesnât only consider the wellbeing of the players but they take into consideration everything before making a decisionâ the source saidBangladesh officials held talks with ICC officials in Dhaka over the impasse over the weekend but no agreement was reached after BCB requested the ICC to shift their matches out of India after BCCI directed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for the upcoming Indian Premier League IPL 2026 amid prevailing political tensions between the two countriesThe website claimed that BCB officials had already got in touch with highups in their government to inform them about the latest updates after the ICC meeting and take their directives before making the final call IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bangladesh-cricket-board-seeks-48-hours-to-consult-govt-and-decide-on-t20-world-cup-participation-659233.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/kanes-double-sends-bayern-through-in-champions-league-659260.html Berlin Jan 22 Harry Kane scored twice in the second half as Bayern Munich beat Royale Union SaintGilloise 20 to qualify early for the Champions League last 16 despite playing the final halfhour with 10 men The win lifted Bayern to second in the Champions League leaguephase table and secured a topeight finish sealing qualification for the last 16Bayern started brightly and nearly took the lead in the second minute when Luis Diaz burst into the area and squared for Kane but Union goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen intervened The early tempo soon faded as the Belgian visitors sat in a compact shape and disrupted Bayern through the middle third reports XinhuaUnion grew in confidence as the half went on Kevin Mac Allister sent a free kick wide while Promise David missed the clearest chance of the first period when he headed straight at goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from close range Bayern created little with Raphael Guerreiro glancing a header over from a corner as the sides went in scoreless at halftimeBayern returned with more purpose after the break and the breakthrough came from a set piece Kane headed in from close range after a corner in the 52nd minute and he doubled the lead three minutes later converting a penalty after he was brought down by ScherpenBayerns control was tested when Kim Minjae was sent off in the 63rd minute for a second yellow cardUnion pushed forward but struggled to create clear chances while Bayern remained dangerous on the counterKane nearly completed a hat trick but struck the crossbar with a late penalty Michael Olise also fired over when through on goalSecond half was better said Kane The first half was a bit sloppy with the ball but after the break we wanted to show more intensity and I think we did that We scored at the right timesThe red card was a bit unlucky but overall Im happy with the three points and proud of the boys for the way we finished qualification IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/kanes-double-sends-bayern-through-in-champions-league-659260.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/barca-win-in-prague-to-set-up-thrilling-last-group-games-in-champions-league-659263.html Madrid Jan 22 FC Barcelona won 42 away to Slavia Prague on Wednesday to keep its hopes of finishing in the Champions League top eight alive ahead of next weeks final round of matches Barcelona is one of eight teams on 13 points from sixthplaced Paris SaintGermain down to 13thplaced Atalanta setting up a decisive final round next WednesdaySlavia opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Vasil Kusej bundled home from close rangeFermin Lopez scored in the 34th and 42nd minutes to put Barcelona ahead but Robert Lewandowski headed into his own net two minutes later and it was 22 at halftime reports XinhuaBarcelona pulled clear after the break as Dani Olmo and Lewandowski scored to seal the win The result was tempered by an injury to Pedri who limped off with a hamstring problemElsewhere Dominik Szoboszlais free kick on the stroke of halftime put Liverpool ahead away to Olympique de Marseille before an own goal by Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli doubled the lead and Cody Gakpo added a third in stoppage timeAtalanta led Athletic Bilbao through Gianluca Scamaccas 16thminute header but Gorka Guruzeta equalized in the 58th minute Nico Serrano made it 21 in the 70th and Robert Navarro added a third in the 74th Nikola Krstovic pulled one back in the 88th minute but Athletic held on for a 32 winKhephren Thuram and Weston McKennie scored secondhalf goals as Juventus beat Benfica 20 at home leaving Benfica needing a win over Real Madrid next week to keep its hopes of reaching the playoffs aliveNewcastle United took a step toward a topeight finish with a 30 home win over PSV Eindhoven with Yoane Wissa and Anthony Gordon giving Eddie Howes side a 20 halftime lead before Harvey Barnes scored after the breakChelsea finished the round in eighth after Moises Caicedo scored the only goal in a 10 home win over PafosAtletico Madrid has work to do after drawing 11 away to Galatasaray while Qarabag came from behind late to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 32 at home IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/barca-win-in-prague-to-set-up-thrilling-last-group-games-in-champions-league-659263.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/kostoulass-stoppage-time-stunner-helps-brighton-hold-bournemouth-659097.html Brighton and Hove Jan 20 Charalampos Kostoulas scored a spectacular overhead kick in secondhalf stoppage time to salvage a point for Brighton amp Hove Albion in a 11 draw with AFC Bournemouth The Cherries had looked set to leave the Amex Stadium with three points having defended resolutely after Marcus Tavernier scored a 32ndminute penaltyTavernier slotted into the bottomleft corner from the spot after Amine Adli went down under Bart Verbruggens challenge with referee Paul Tierney reversing his initial decision to book the Bournemouth man for simulation following a VAR review and awarding a penalty insteadBrighton bossed possession throughout the second half without truly testing Djordje Petrovic until 18yearold substitute Kostoulas gave the goalkeeper no chance with his stunning acrobatic effortIn the second half we had big opportunities We wanted to win this game in the end we have to accept the point but I think we definitely deserved to win this gameWe wasted 20 minutes in the first half after the goal and we could use them much more effectively In the second half we were better in positioning and then I think that we had the game under control and we could score more than one goal Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler saidFollowing a winless December Brighton had quietly bolstered their European hopes with an unbeaten start to 2026 and an FA Cup victory at Manchester United last time out continued their positive momentumBournemouth boss Andoni Iraola added It is very harsh very harsh for us because we were so close to getting the three points We played a really good first half and had our chances we scored one and we were controlling the gameIn the second half we didnt have the energy to keep these intensity levels and we had to defend a little bit lower especially after the Brighton subs but we were doing well At the end it is an incredible goal from Kostoulas IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/kostoulass-stoppage-time-stunner-helps-brighton-hold-bournemouth-659097.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 09:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-musetti-receives-first-round-walkover-after-collignon-retires-with-injury-659132.html Melbourne Jan 20 World no 5 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy advanced to the second round after his Belgian opponent Raphael Collignon retired due to injury The match was a gruelling threehour marathon with Musetti leading 46 763 75 32 when Collignon had to stopThe match marked Musettis Grand Slam debut shortly after he attained his careerhigh ranking of No 5 on January 12 2026 following his final appearance in Hong Kong He is only the third Italian man in history to reach this ranking milestoneThe Italianâs start to the first Grand Slam of the season was shaky as he handed an early advantage to Collignon who clinched the first set 64 The fifth seed missed a break point early in the set and couldnt recover against his Belgian opponent leading to a poor start to his tournamentHowever after being pushed to the brink by the World No 72 the Italian battled through a fierce tiebreak in the second set and ultimately won it 76 73Musetti appeared well on his way to advancing to the second round leaving Collignon to require something exceptional to turn the match aroundJust when Musetti seemed the favourite to advance holding a lead in the fourth set with the score at 46 76 73 75 32 Collignon retired hurt granting his Italian opponent a walkoverMusetti asked the crowd to give a standing ovation to Collignon as he walked off the court exhaustedThe World No 72 showed clear signs of physical distress in the third set and was forced to retire despite receiving oncourt medical treatment Collignon has a track record of physical issues in demanding matches most notably severe cramping during a Davis Cup victory over de Minaur in late 2025Musetti now advances to face Italian rival Lorenzo Sonego in the second roundSonego who beat Musetti at the Paris Masters in late 2025 won his latest match in four sets earlier in the day IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-musetti-receives-first-round-walkover-after-collignon-retires-with-injury-659132.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-rybakina-through-to-second-round-with-win-over-slovenian-rival-kaja-juvan-659166.html Melbourne Jan 20 Kazakhstanâs Elena Rybakina seeded No 5 defeated Slovenian Kaja Juvan 64 63 to advance to the second round of the Australian Open in the second match of the day at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne Park on Tuesday Rybakina matched the performance of other Top 10 players who have played so far at this yearâs Australian Open moving on to the second round She is set to play against Frances Varvara Gracheva nextKaja Juva ranked No 100 in the world fought valiantly but Rybakina was too strong winning 64 63 in 1 hour and 12 minutes at Margaret Court ArenaThe 2023 finalist has now secured seven consecutive victories in the first round in Melbourne marking the start of her career Interestingly she also defeated Juvan in the second round during her run to the final that year creating a sense of deja vu WTA reportsRybakina accumulated 64 points and hit 22 winners during the match She served five aces whereas Juvan had two Her first serve win percentage was 83 per cent dropping to 62 per cent on the second serve She successfully converted both break points Although Rybakina made more unforced errors 24 than Juvan 20 Juvan committed two double faultsThe Kazakh started to falter late in the first set when Juvans serve failed under pressure and Rybakina capitalised at the last moment to win the set 64 Until then both players maintained their service games without breakingIn the second set Rybakina improved her returning slightly and secured an early break Although her serve for the match was somewhat tentative she finished with a downtheline ace highlighting a largely dominant performance Juvan had only one break point which was essentially the last point of the game and she failed to convert it enabling Rybakina to smoothly advance to the next roundHer serve in particular appeared more polished than ever making a strong statement to the rest of the field She along with Anisimova Gauff Swiatek and Sabalenka all demonstrated varying degrees of dominance in their early wins However with Rybakina who did secure the last major title of 2025 at the WTA Finals a detail we shouldnt overlook she is arguably the most in form outside of the expected favourites for the title IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-rybakina-through-to-second-round-with-win-over-slovenian-rival-kaja-juvan-659166.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-sabalenka-eases-past-rajaonah-in-straight-sets-signs-off-with-iconic-selfie-with-rod-laver-federer-658970.html Melbourne Jan 18 World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka began her bid for a fourth consecutive Australian Open final positively on Sunday overcoming Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah who gave Sabalenka a tough challenge in the first set here at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park The wild card certainly challenged herself against the highestranked opponent in her WTA Tour career but the twotime Australian Open championâs experience ultimately led to a 64 61 victory starting the night sessionI think I didnt really start at my best and was struggling to find my rhythm But then I feel like in the last two games of the first set I found my rhythm and I was able to step in and play a little bit better tennisâ Sabalenka was quoted as saying by the WTASabalenka capitalised on her momentum and the confidence gained from winning the first set By breaking Rakotomanga Rajaonahâs serve to close out the first set Sabalenka gained a key advantage and served for a 10 lead She quickly extended her lead in the second set to 30 It was clear that Sabalenkaâs powerful shots overwhelmed Rakotomanga Rajaonah who frequently hit returns into the net or out of boundsIn the second set Sabalenkas skill in controlling Rakotomanga Rajaonahs movement allowed her to create easy winners at the net as she approached 22 times or caused errors from her opponent For comparison Sabalenkas first serve averaged 167 kmh while Rakotomanga Rajaonahs was 149 kmh On the return Sabalenka won 42 of points on her opponents first serve and 64 on her secondSabalenka concluded the match by securing three of the final four games finishing after one hour and 16 minutesShe had two distinguished guests in attendance as she began her 2026 Australian Open campaign 20time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer and legendary Rod Laver Sabalenka understood the importance of delivering a strong performance in front of these tennis icons especially the Australian legend after whom the building is named She was aware they were present as they made it to the video screens and sat in the front rowIm a huge fan The whole match I was telling myself Dont look there please Do not look Its incredible I never thought that Roger Federer and Rod Laver are going to be sitting in the first row of my match Thats unbelievableâ she told reporters after the gameI just wanted to impress Roger with my game I just couldnt do tweener but its OK Next timeDuring her oncourt postmatch interview Sabalenka who couldnât hold her excitement made a straightforward request saying Im a huge fan guys can I take a picture with you pleaseâ The two icons obliged to her request and clicked a selfie with her IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-sabalenka-eases-past-rajaonah-in-straight-sets-signs-off-with-iconic-selfie-with-rod-laver-federer-658970.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-emma-raducanu-dispatches-thailands-sawangkaew-in-first-round-658985.html Melbourne Jan 18 Emma Raducanu shook off an unsteady opening to assert her authority in the first round of the Australian Open powering past Thailandâs Mananchaya Sawangkaew with a 64 61 victory and extending her flawless record in Melbourne openers The British No1 seeded 28th was made to work early by the World No196 who played with freedom and precision in her Grand Slam debut Sawangkaew struck the ball cleanly from the outset repeatedly finding the baseline and unsettling Raducanu with depth and pace An early break put the underdog 31 ahead exposing some early nerves in Raducanuâs service gamesFor a stretch Sawangkaew looked anything but overawed by the occasion She served confidently stepped inside the court at every opportunity and forced Raducanu to defend under sustained pressure The former US Open champion was twice pushed to a break point as the set wore on but crucially held firm to stay in touchThat resistance proved the turning point From 43 down Raducanu raised her intensity finding greater penetration off both wings and pinning her opponent deeper behind the baselineA timely break brought the set back on serve before Raducanu surged ahead closing out the opener with a second break after Sawangkaewâs firstserve accuracy dippedMomentum swung decisively at the start of the second set Sawangkaewâs earlier fluency gave way to a string of forehand errors as Raducanu dictated rallies with increasing confidenceApart from a brief interruption following a disagreement with the chair umpire the Brit was largely untroubled as she reeled off seven consecutive games to establish a commanding 30 leadWith the pressure lifted Raducanu played with freedom and authority her aggression matched by visible emotion on court Her coaching team led by Francisco Roig echoed her celebrations from the stands as she continued to stretch her opponent across the baseline and close in on victoryAfter sealing the win Raducanu was quick to acknowledge the challenge posed by her opponent âShe played at a really high level and hit the ball extremely well Iâm very happy with how I managed to turn it aroundâ Raducanu told reporters after the winRaducanu moves into the second round with confidence restored having weathered an early test before delivering a statement finish under the Melbourne sun IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-emma-raducanu-dispatches-thailands-sawangkaew-in-first-round-658985.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-alcaraz-begins-career-grand-slam-quest-with-win-against-walton-in-first-round-658988.html Melbourne Jan 18 World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz opened his Australian Open campaign in commanding fashion defeating Australiaâs Adam Walton 63 76 62 in a firstround match at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Sunday The topseeded Spaniard needed just under two hours to outperform the home favourite displaying his trademark blend of power precision and court coverage to take control of the contest Alcaraz struck eight aces and committed only one double fault underlining his efficiency on serve throughout the matchAlcaraz dominated the opening set breaking Walton early to establish a strong lead The Australian raised his level in the second set pushing the Spaniard into a tiebreak but Alcaraz responded with authority winning seven of the nine points to claim the breaker and move two sets aheadThe third set followed a similar pattern to the first with Alcaraz breaking serve at key moments to seal the match comfortably He finished with 101 points won compared to Waltonâs 73 and claimed 19 games to his opponentâs 11The Spaniard was particularly effective on serve winning 76 per cent of points on his first delivery and 70 per cent on his second Walton struggled to capitalise on his chances converting just one of his breakpoint opportunities while Alcaraz broke serve four times from 10 chancesAlcaraz also outperformed Walton in receiving points winning 40 compared to the Australianâs 22 and maintained control during longer rallies highlighted by his ability to string together a maximum of eight consecutive pointsCarlos Alcaraz is chasing the historic Career Grand Slam at the 2026 Australian Open which would make him the youngest man ever to win all four majors Australian Open French Open Wimbledon US Open Hes also looking to solidify his place among the alltime greats by continuing his dominance at the big events IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aus-open-alcaraz-begins-career-grand-slam-quest-with-win-against-walton-in-first-round-658988.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pune-grand-tour-2026-worlds-elite-cyclists-compete-for-historic-la-olympic-qualifier-658996.html Pune Jan 18 Some of the top road racers of the circuit will be in action when the Pune Grand Tour 2026 is flagged off in Pune on Monday India stands on the threshold of a historic moment as the event marks the countryâs firstever Continental multistage Road Race for men and is classified as a Union Cycliste Internationale UCI 22 international competition With its inclusion under the UCI framework the Pune Grand Tour 2026 marks Indiaâs official entry into the global professional cycling calendarFor Indian cyclists the Pune Grand Tour represents a rare opportunity to compete against top international teams on home soil Exposure to elite race dynamics professional team tactics and UCIlevel competition is expected to play a critical role in bridging the gap between domestic racing and the global circuitThe inclusion of the Pune Grand Tour in the UCI calendar comes at a time when Asia is emerging as a key growth market for professional cycling With increasing investment in infrastructure talent development and international competition exposure Indiaâs entry into elitestage racing signals a longterm vision for the professionalisation of the sport in the countryOwing to its UCI classification the Pune Grand Tour 2026 will offer riders the opportunity to earn valuable ranking points that count toward qualification for the LA 2028 Summer Olympics The competition is scheduled to begin on Monday with Prologue â to record the riders individual time travel which will decide the pole positions ahead of the opening Stage 1 race dayMoroccoâs team Sidi Ali Unlocks Sports Team UCI world ranked 157 has pulled out of the event due to unforeseen reasons leaving the field of riders to 164 from 28 teams representing 35 countries across five continents who will take to the start line Despite Moroccos absence India still holds a rare milestone of having the largest field of riders unprecedented for a UCI 22 category race seen before globallyTypically this classification race features around 125 riders For the inaugural year of Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 Asia will have the largest representation of 78 riders followed by 69 from Europe along with strong representation from Oceania the Americas and Africa underscoring the global stature of the eventSpainâs Burgos Burpellet BH enters the Pune Grand Tour 2026 as the crowd favourites Ranked 29th in the world they are the only ProTeamlevel squad in the field and regularly compete at cyclingâs hightier races including the prestigious Vuelta a EspaÃa Challenging for the top spot will be Chinaâs Li Ning Star world ranking 33 and Malaysiaâs Terengganu Cycling Team world ranking 38 expecting a photofinish to claim the inaugural Pune TrophyThe top Six UCI World Ranking teams that will be participating in the Pune Grand Tour are Burgos Burpellet BH Spain World UCI Ranking 29 Li Ning Star China World UCI Ranking 33 Terengganu Cycling Team World UCI Ranking 38 Rojai Insurance Winspace World UCI Ranking 44 Quick Pro Team Estonia World UCI Ranking 68 and TartelettoIsorex Belgium World UCI Ranking 78Indias challenge will be led by the peloton of the national team having experienced riders including Sahil Kumar Haryana Dinesh Kumar Haryana Surya Thathu Maharashtra Vishwajeet Singh Punjab Harshveer Singh Sikhon Punjab and M Naveen John Karnataka The inclusion of the Indian Development Team has come as a welcome step by the Pune Grand Tour as it will allow Indiaâs second team to gain experience and grow in confidence for future progressive racesAt the conclusion of the tour the winners will be presented with a handcrafted copper trophy sculpted by Puneâs renowned Tambat Aali coppersmiths Inspired by the eight historic forts that line the race route and the enduring legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj the trophy reflects the regionâs rich heritage and craftsmanshipAs the countdown begins the 85Pune Grand Tour 2026 is poised to become more than just a race It stands as a powerful statement of Indiaâs readiness to host worldclass cycling events and make a lasting impression on the global sporting stageThe Pune Grand Tour 2026 is Indiaâs firstever UCI 22 category multistage fiveday Continental Cycling Race for Men marking a watershed moment for Indiaâs presence in the global professional circuit A gruelling 437km route passes through the diverse terrains of the Deccan Plateau and Sahyadri Ranges The event has received an unprecedented field of 171 elite riders from 29 teams representing five continents and 35 countries Organised by Pune District Administration IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pune-grand-tour-2026-worlds-elite-cyclists-compete-for-historic-la-olympic-qualifier-658996.html Mon, 19 Jan 2026 02:15:00 +0530