DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Wed, 13 May 2026 03:17:36 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/sports/ifl-2025-26-real-kashmir-defeat-aizawl-fc-to-end-campaign-on-a-high-673336.html Hyderabad May 12 Real Kashmir FC finished their campaign on a winning note clinching a 21 win against Aizawl FC in their Indian Football League IFL 202526 Relegation Phase match at the Deccan Arena in Hyderabad on Monday Christian Moses and Junior Traore scored from the spot in the first and secondhalf respectively to guide the Snow Leopards to three points Laltlanzova scored the only goal for Aizawl The win allows Real Kashmir to finish as the topplaced team in the Relegation Phase with 14 points while Aizawl stays a place below with 11 pointsZomuansanga provided the first attacking spark of the game inside the opening 20 seconds as the Aizawl forward drove into the Real Kashmir penalty area after a bright start from his sideBoth teams approached the contest with attacking intent from the outset pressing aggressively and looking to move the ball quickly through transitions With relegation safety already secured for both sides the match was played at a high tempo with little hesitation in possessionAizawl looked to create openings through Vanlalhriatzuala K and Eric Remruatpuia Chhangte on the flanks while Real Kashmir responded with Ahteeb Ahmad Dar and Moses making repeated runs down the wings in search of early deliveries into the boxReal Kashmir continued to hold a high defensive line prompting Aizawl to target quick counters with Zomuansanga leading the transitions whenever space opened up behind the defence However the Snow Leopards managed to recover well and prevented the hosts from creating any major openingThe deadlock was finally broken deep into added time after Real Kashmir were awarded a penalty just before halftime Moses stepped up in the eighth minute of the first half injury time and calmly sent Vanlal Hriatpuia the wrong way to hand the Snow Leopards the lead heading into the breakReal Kashmir resumed the second half with renewed attacking intensity and nearly doubled their advantage immediately after the restart Issah rose highest from a corner in the 46th minute and directed a deft header towards goal but Hriatpuia reacted sharply to parry the effort awayTraore then came close in the 53rd minute after finding space inside the penalty area but Hriatpuia came to Aizawlâs rescue with a quick save at his near post to deny the Real Kashmir forwardThe sustained pressure eventually paid off on the hour mark Moments after Haokipâs header had been cleared off the goalline Aafreen was fouled inside the penalty area to hand Real Kashmir their second spotkick of the night Traore stepped up and calmly slotted his effort into the bottom corner in the 60th minute to double the Snow Leopardsâ advantageUnlike the first half where both sides competed on equal footing the second period was largely dominated by Real Kashmir Aizawl struggled to sustain possession in the attacking third with their backline forced into extended defensive spells for most of the halfAizawl finally threatened in the 67th minute when Laltlanzova showed good footwork inside the box before getting his shot away but Aafreen produced an excellent lastditch block to preserve the twogoal cushionAizawl finally managed to score after Real Kashmir failed to clear their lines from a corner Laltlanzova reacted quickest at the near post and rifled the loose ball into the net to reduce the deficitThe match produced one final dramatic moment deep into stoppage time when Aizawl were awarded a penalty after Jetli brought down an opposition player inside the box Zomuansanga stepped up with a chance to rescue a point for his side but Jetli guessed correctly and produced an excellent diving save to preserve Real Kashmirâs lead and cap off an impressive debut performance between the sticks IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ifl-2025-26-real-kashmir-defeat-aizawl-fc-to-end-campaign-on-a-high-673336.html Tue, 12 May 2026 08:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/wolfsburg-heidenheim-and-st-pauli-face-relegation-thriller-on-final-matchday-673359.html Berlin May 12 For the first time in Bundesliga history the three teams at the bottom of the table go into the final matchday level on points Sitting 16th in the standings Wolfsburg faces bottom side St Pauli while 17thplaced Heidenheim hosts Mainz All three teams are trying to secure the chance to contest a twoleg playoff against the thirdplaced side in the second divisionIn the tight race Wolfsburg holds a threegoal advantage over Heidenheim and St PauliWhile St Pauli has faded in recent weeks oncewrittenoff Heidenheim is moving toward what would be a remarkable escape reports XinhuaEight rounds ago Heidenheim had a 10point gap to 16th placeAs Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt put it the teams determined revival has now created something that couldnt be more thrilling for the fansWe had been written off and the upswing might come late but hopefully not too late he added after his side took 12 points from the past seven gamesThe 31 win over Cologne last Sunday has fueled optimism for Heidenheim In that match defender Jonas Fohrenbach played with a broken nose and wore a mask while midfielder Niklas Dorsch returned for the closing minutes after suffering a concussion shortly beforeTo give up isnt part of our DNA Heidenheim CEO Holger Sanwald saidSt Pauli coach Alexander Blessin spoke about the advantage of being the chasing side as it leaves no room for miscommunication But you have to take the pressure in a positive way he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/wolfsburg-heidenheim-and-st-pauli-face-relegation-thriller-on-final-matchday-673359.html Tue, 12 May 2026 09:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/you-have-got-to-bowl-him-in-middle-overs-mukund-on-chahals-snub-673406.html Dharamsala May 12 Former India batter Abhinav Mukund believes Punjab Kings PBKS missed a tactical opportunity by not introducing Yuzvendra Chahal during the middle overs in their defeat to Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026 Punjab Kings failed to defend 210 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on Monday as Delhi Capitals scripted the highest successful IPL chase in Dharamsala history winning by three wickets with six balls remainingOne of the biggest talking points from the contest was Punjabâs decision not to bowl a single over of spin despite having experienced legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the sideSpeaking on ESPNcricinfoâs Time Out Show Mukund said Chahal ideally should have been used during the middle phase when Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs were rebuilding the inningsâYouâve got to bowl him in overs 7 to 15 and in conditions like this when youâve got Miller and Axar going itâs very difficult for a captain to hand him the ball If he had to do that he had to do it in the seventh over when Axar and Stubbs were thereâ Mukund saidMukund added that even if Chahal had been expensive initially Punjab were in a strong enough position on the scoreboard to take that risk in search of wicketsâBut then again I wouldâve personally got out at least an over of Chahal to just see what was happeningâ he saidâTo just see because when you had the scoreboard pressure and you had the luxury of giving away even 18 or 20 runs if need be at that point but try and take the gamble to pick up a wicketâMukund felt the ideal window to test spin was between overs seven and ten before Delhiâs experienced finishers took complete control of the chaseâSo I wouldâve done that between overs 7 to 10 and if it didnât work you had Stoinis as insuranceâ he addedDespite reducing DC to 383 inside five overs PBKS could not halt the recovery led by Axar Patel 56 and David Miller 51 Debutant Madhav Tiwari later played a fearless cameo of 18 off eight balls to help Delhi complete the chase IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/you-have-got-to-bowl-him-in-middle-overs-mukund-on-chahals-snub-673406.html Tue, 12 May 2026 14:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sai-and-mybharat-launch-nationwide-engagement-initiatives-ahead-of-cwg-2030-673453.html New Delhi MAy 12 In the runup to the Commonwealth Games CWG 2030 set to be hosted in Ahmdabad Gujarat the Sports Authority of India SAI in collaboration with MyBharat has launched three nationwide engagement initiatives These initiatives aim to promote sporting spirit creativity and youth participation across the country As part of the campaign participants can take part in the âCommonwealth Games 2030 Torch Design Contestâ the âCWG Reel Challengeâ and the âCommonwealth Games 2030 QuizâAll three initiatives are free of cost and aim to encourage greater public participation especially among youth in Indiaâs sporting movement while fostering creativity national pride and collective enthusiasm for the successful hosting of the Commonwealth Games 2030 according to Sports Ministry releaseThe competitions are open to all MyBharat users and seek to build awareness and excitement around the vision of âCWG2030InBharatâThe âCommonwealth Games 2030 Torch Design Contestâ invites citizens to design a torch concept inspired by Indiaâs culture heritage innovation sustainability and sporting excellence Entries may be submitted in digital or handdrawn format along with an optional concept note of up to 200 wordsThe contest will be conducted online from May 11 to 20 Participants may submit only one entry Selected winners will receive Fit India hampers and recognition certificates while eligible participants will receive digital participation certificatesThe âCWG Reel Challengeâ encourages participants to create original reels showcasing Indiaâs evolving sporting culture local sports infrastructure fitness and enthusiasm for hosting CWG 2030Participants are also encouraged to include messages supporting Indiaâs readiness for CWG 2030 and wishing the Indian contingent success for CWG 2026 The reel duration must not exceed 60 secondsThe challenge will run from May 7 to 16 May with one entry permitted per participant The top five reel creators will receive Fit India hampers from SAIThe âCommonwealth Games 2030 Quizâ celebrates Indiaâs sporting legacy and aims to increase awareness about the countryâs journey in the Commonwealth GamesThe quiz consists of 10 multiplechoice questions to be completed within 5 minutes Participants must score at least 8 marks to qualify Only one attempt per participant is allowedThe quiz is open from May 9 to September 26 and top five winners will be announced every week Participation certificates will also be provided IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sai-and-mybharat-launch-nationwide-engagement-initiatives-ahead-of-cwg-2030-673453.html Tue, 12 May 2026 16:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-am-proud-of-the-tournament-we-had-says-head-coach-conti-after-indias-asian-cup-campaign-ends-in-qf-673469.html Suzhou May 12 Tears flowed across one dugout at the Suzhou Sports Centre Stadium after the final whistle Several Indian players dropped to the ground in disappointment others stood frozen in silence while coaches and teammates moved around trying to console one another India had come within one match of a historic FIFA U17 Womenâs World Cup qualification and the pain of seeing that dream slip away was visible on every face after the 03 quarterfinal defeat against hosts China on Monday âIt is hard for me to speak because we did not expect this resultâ said India centreback Abhista Basnett after the match as quoted by AIFF âWe came into the match with a different mentality but football is like that sometimes Still I am happy and proud of the way we performed throughout the tournament and the unity we showed as a team It is sad that we were just one step away from our dream but I am really proud of this teamâIndiaâs campaign in the AFC U17 Womenâs Asian Cup China 2026 ultimately ended in the quarterfinals but it still marked the countryâs bestever performance in the tournament India women became the firstever Indian team to make the quarterfinals at the U17 womenâs levelFor head coach Pamela Conti the disappointment after the China match stemmed not only from the result but also from the manner in which the goals were concededâIt was a match where China were superior to us They had more strength and deserved to winâ said Conti âBut what really frustrates me is that we conceded in the 45th minute and again at the 90th minute when I had reminded the players to stay focused during the final minutes of each half because concentration drops the most at this age That is what disappointed meâChina took the lead in the 38th minute before adding another through a stoppagetime penalty at the end of the first half India battled hard after the break but conceded once more in the final minute of regulation timeDespite the defeat Conti looked back at the overall tournament with immense pride especially considering the calibre of opponents India faced throughout the competition India faced Australia and Japan in the group stage both of whom made it to the semifinals and qualified for the World CupâI think we have to be proud of these players Personally I am very proud of the tournament we had We played against three of the four semifinalists including China at their home Regardless I have these girls in my heart because they made me live a truly beautiful experience here in this tournamentâIndia had returned to the AFC U17 Womenâs Asian Cup after a gap of 21 years and scripted history by qualifying for the quarterfinals with a commanding 40 victory over Lebanon in the final group match That result had left them just one win away from becoming the first Indian womenâs team to qualify for a FIFA World Cup on meritAbhista felt the disappointment after reaching such a stage also reflected how far the team had come during the campaignâYes it is a huge achievementâ the 15yearold said âAfter so many years we became the first batch to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup As I said I am very very proud of this team We worked together for a long time and our bond became like a family Now we are looking forward to our next journey and to performing even betterâConti who took charge of the team in January emphasised that the tournament had given the players a crucial understanding of the level required to compete among Asiaâs eliteâWhat I told them in the dressing room after the game was that now they know the level in Asia and what it takes to compete here They must continue working very hard because there is no other path to success apart from hard workâIndia fielded one of the youngest squads in the tournament with several players born in 2010 and 2011 in an event meant for the 2009 age group In the starting XI against China only two players â Elizabed Lakra and Divyani Linda â were born in 2009 Overall only nine of the 23 players in the squad were 2009borns and while this marked the end of their U17 journey the next step in their journey would be to compete for a spot in the U20 squadThe remaining 14 players would still be eligible for the next AFC U17 Womens Asian Cup 2027 in Suzhou again with the qualifiers scheduled for October later this yearConverting the U17 Asian Cups for both men and women from a biennial event to an annual one has been a welcome move from the Asian Football Confederation It allows younger players to be exposed to toplevel competition on the continent at their age group while also offering a chance to reach the World Cup every yearâEvery year they will have the opportunity to play against the best teams in Asia This is a very young team and they have a lot to give But the most important thing is that they now understand the level here said ContiFor many players the tournament also marked the end of a journey together that had lasted more than a year through SAFF competitions international friendlies and prolonged national campsâWe were all like one family and one group of friendsâ Abhista reflected âWe shared so many good moments together We have been together for more than a year now through the SAFF tournaments friendlies and this Asian Cup So it will be very hard for all of us to say goodbyeâRepresenting the country at such a big stage after 21 years was already a very special feeling for me I learnt a lot from every match not just from my own mistakes but also by playing with teams like Japan Australia and China Those lessons will help me in the futureâOff the pitch too I learned about discipline behaviour communication and showing respect to everyone Overall this tournament was a great experience for me We created history by reaching the quarterfinals even though we were just one step away from our dreamâAnd while the World Cup dream ended in Suzhou the Young Tigresses believe this is only the beginning of a longer journeyâYes it is not the end Right now we are focused on what comes next because we cannot change the past We just want to keep working harder so that next time we can turn the dream into reality Abhista concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/i-am-proud-of-the-tournament-we-had-says-head-coach-conti-after-indias-asian-cup-campaign-ends-in-qf-673469.html Tue, 12 May 2026 17:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/somersets-riley-meredith-to-miss-six-t20-blast-games-after-australia-call-up-673482.html New Delhi May 12 Somersets plans for the start of their T20 Blast title defence have suffered a major setback after Australia selected Riley Meredith for next monthâs whiteball tour of Pakistan and Bangladesh The fast bowler who returned to Taunton for a third straight Blast stint this season will now miss Somersetâs opening six South Group matches because of international duty with Australia between May 30 and June 14Meredith had been expected to lead Somersetâs pace attack again after playing a central role in last yearâs trophywinning campaign The 29yearold was the standout bowler of the 2025 Blast finishing as the tournamentâs leading wickettaker with 28 scalps in 14 appearancesHis callup means Somerset will be without one of their biggest matchwinners for a crucial early stretch of the competition including fixtures against Hampshire Warwickshire Glamorgan and GloucestershireMeredith is now expected to return for Somersetâs derby clash against Gloucestershire on June 26Somerset director of cricket Andy Hurry acknowledged the disruption caused by the Australia selection but said the club remained supportive of Meredithâs international commitmentsRepresenting your country is the highest honour that you can achieve in sport and we are obviously pleased for Riley The current schedule of world cricket means that this kind of situation can always arise and we will be working behind the scenes to understand all our options moving forward until Riley is available later in June said Somerset director of cricket Andy HurryThe Australia tour consists of three OneDay Internationals in Pakistan followed by three T20Is in Bangladesh with the squad set to be away from the Blast for over two weeks during the tournamentâs opening phaseWhile Meredithâs absence is the biggest blow for Somerset Australiaâs squad announcement has also affected Gloucestershire with allrounder Liam Scott unavailable for the same periodScott who had signed up for the Blast and two County Championship fixtures will miss Gloucestershireâs opening T20 matches against Warwickshire Glamorgan Northamptonshire Yorkshire Somerset and Worcestershire in addition to the Championship game against Northamptonshire beginning on June 12The 25yearold is expected to return in time for Gloucestershireâs County Championship meeting with Worcestershire on June 19 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/somersets-riley-meredith-to-miss-six-t20-blast-games-after-australia-call-up-673482.html Tue, 12 May 2026 18:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/nahid-ranas-five-for-inspires-bangladesh-to-104-run-victory-over-pakistan-673490.html Dhaka May 12 Bangladesh scripted another memorable chapter in their recent resurgence against Pakistan as pace sensation Nahid Rana produced a matchwinning spell of fast bowling to seal a dramatic 104run victory in the first Test at Mirpur on Tuesday Before 2024 Bangladesh had never beaten Pakistan in a Test match Now they have achieved three consecutive victories against their Asian rivals This latest win also marks their first home Test victory over Pakistan Rana ended with impressive figures of 5 for 40 helping the hosts dismiss Pakistan for 163 while defending a target of 268 during the final session on day fiveThe match was tense as it entered the final session Pakistan still needed 152 runs with seven wickets in hand and all three results remained possible Much of Pakistanâs resistance came from debutant Abdullah Fazal who batted maturely under pressureFazalâs steady 66 along with a critical 48run partnership with Salman Ali Agha for the fourth wicket kept Pakistans hopes alive on a challenging surface that had uneven bounce and sharp turn With bad light approaching and Bangladesh struggling for wickets even a draw seemed attainable for Pakistan at one pointHowever Bangladesh made a crucial breakthrough just after tea Veteran spinner Taijul Islam delivered when a sharply turning ball trapped Fazal in front Although umpire Richard Kettleborough initially rejected the appeal Bangladesh successfully reviewed it as balltracking showed three redsPakistanâs innings quickly fell apart after they lost their established batter In the next over Taskin Ahmed dismissed Salman Ali Agha who edged a wide delivery to the fielders placed in the slipsNahid Rana then returned to the attack and transformed the match with a fantastic spell of fast bowling After being expensive earlier in the innings Rana regained his rhythm at a critical momentHe first got an edge from Saud Shakeel with a delivery that straightened outside off stump Then he bowled a stunning nipbacker that Mohammad Rizwan completely misjudged while shouldering arms leading to his stumps being shatteredTaijul then trapped Hasan Ali lbw before Rana finished off the innings in style He removed Noman Ali following another successful review and had Shaheen Afridi caught sealing a famous win for BangladeshEarlier in the day Bangladesh strengthened their position thanks to captain Najmul Hossain Shanto whose fluent 87 guided the team to a competitive secondinnings total after they added 88 important runs in the morningPakistanâs chase started poorly when ImamulHaq edged Taskin Ahmed to the slips before lunch Fazal then launched an impressive counterattack in the afternoon session striking boundaries against both Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Rana He became only the sixth Pakistani batter to score fifties in both innings on Test debutDespite the debutantâs bravery Bangladeshâs bowlers led by Nahid Ranas speed and Taijulâs accuracy proved too strong in the end The hosts secured a memorable victory and took a 10 lead in the seriesBrief scoresBangladesh 413 amp 2409 decl Najmul Hossain Shanto 87 Mominul Haque 56 Hasan Ali 352 beat Pakistan 386 amp 163 Abdullah Fazal 66 Nahid Rana 540 by 104 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/nahid-ranas-five-for-inspires-bangladesh-to-104-run-victory-over-pakistan-673490.html Tue, 12 May 2026 19:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/shan-masood-should-step-down-himself-fans-slam-pakistan-captain-after-historic-bangladesh-defeat-673495.html Dhaka May 12 Pakistan captain Shan Masood found himself at the centre of massive social media criticism after his side suffered a crushing 104run defeat against Bangladesh in the first Test match of the twomatch series played at the ShereBangla National Stadium in Mirpur near Dhaka The defeat marked Pakistanâs third consecutive Test loss against Bangladesh It was also Bangladeshâs firstever home Test victory over PakistanWhile Bangladesh celebrated a historic win powered by Nahid Ranaâs fiery spell of 540 Pakistan fans showed their frustration online with much of the criticism directed at Shan Masoodâs captaincyOne user wrote âYet they are continuing with Shan Masood Shan Masood should step down himselfâAnother user pointed out Pakistanâs poor record under the current skipper saying âPakistan have now become only the second team after Zimbabwe to lose three consecutive Tests against Bangladesh Shan Masood already has 11 defeats in just 15 Tests as captain Thats disastrousâA different fan posted âNo Pakistan captain except Shan Masood has ever lost a Test match to Bangladesh Three straight losses now UnacceptableâPakistan were still in the contest heading into the final session while chasing 268 largely thanks to debutant Abdullah Fazal who scored a composed 66 under pressure He also shared an important partnership with Salman Ali Agha to keep Pakistanâs hopes aliveHowever Bangladesh turned the game around immediately after tea Veteran spinner Taijul Islam dismissed Fazal through a successful review before Taskin Ahmed removed Salman in the very next overNahid Rana then ripped through Pakistanâs middle and lower order with a sensational burst He dismissed Saud Shakeel before bowling Mohammad Rizwan with a sharp nipbacker that crashed into the stumpsRizwanâs dismissal sparked another wave of reactions online especially after his confident prematch comments about Pakistanâs ability to chase any targetOne user mocked âRizwan before the match âWe can chase any target easilyâ Rizwan during the chase 15 runs and bowled by Nahid Ranaâ Another fan joked âNahid Rana had Rizwan doing a full nagin dance before knocking his stumps over Absolute cinemaâFormer India cricketer Ajay Jadeja also reacted to the result taking a jibe at Pakistan by reminding them of the famous surrender of Pakistans army in the 1971 war âOnce again Pakistan surrendered in front of Bangladesh in Bangladesh IYKYKâ He wrote on X Meanwhile another social media user praised Bangladeshâs fast bowler writing âNahid Ranas spell after tea completely changed the game Pure fastbowling masterclassâBangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto had earlier laid the foundation for victory with a fluent 87 in the second innings as the hosts set Pakistan a challenging target of 268With this loss Pakistan dropped down two places in the updated WTC points table after their 104run drubbing They were in fifth place in the standings one above India but fell to seventh with this loss India went one place up while Bangladesh also moved up two spots from eighth to sixth IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/shan-masood-should-step-down-himself-fans-slam-pakistan-captain-after-historic-bangladesh-defeat-673495.html Tue, 12 May 2026 20:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-retain-top-spot-in-icc-odi-rankings-despite-reduced-lead-over-new-zealand-673332.html Dubai May 11 India has continued to hold the No 1 position in the latest ICC Menâs ODI Team Rankings following the annual update released on Monday However their advantage at the summit has narrowed Indiaâs rating slipped by one point from 119 to 118 while New Zealand gained two points moving up to 113 reducing the gap between the top two sides from eight to five Despite the marginal decline India remains the leading ODI side in world cricket and continues to dominate the whiteball rankings after also retaining the No 1 spot in the menâs T20I rankings following last weekâs updateAustralia the reigning ODI world champions stayed third with an unchanged rating of 109The biggest movement inside the top five came from South Africa which climbed above Pakistan to move into fourth place South Africa gained four rating points to reach 102 while Pakistan dropped four points to 98 and slipped to fifth in the standingsSri Lanka retained sixth place despite losing two points sitting on 96 points while Afghanistan remained seventh with 93 points after a minor drop England stayed eighth after gaining one rating point while Bangladesh held on to ninth place with 84 pointsThe gap between Bangladesh and 10thplaced West Indies widened significantly after the Caribbean side lost three rating points to fall to 74Outside the top 10 Ireland moved above Zimbabwe into 11th place after gaining two rating points Zimbabwe slipped to 12th following a onepoint declineThe United States also made progress overtaking Scotland to move into 13th position after increasing its rating to 46 Scotland dropped one place after losing a pointFurther down the table the Netherlands registered one of the strongest gains in the rankings update adding four points to move to 44 while Oman improved to 33 pointsNepal suffered a fourpoint drop to 25 while Namibia improved marginally to 23There was also movement at the bottom of the rankings as the United Arab Emirates UAE climbed above Canada into 19th position after gaining three points Canada endured the sharpest decline in the latest update dropping six points and falling to the bottom of the table with a rating of 10The ICC annual update takes into account performances over a defined ranking period with recent results carrying greater weight in determining team ratingsAlongside Indiaâs continued dominance in ODI and T20I cricket Australia currently leads the ICC menâs Test rankings and also holds the top spot in both the womenâs ODI and womenâs T20I team rankings IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-retain-top-spot-in-icc-odi-rankings-despite-reduced-lead-over-new-zealand-673332.html Mon, 11 May 2026 18:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/barca-secures-la-liga-title-with-clasico-win-673250.html Barcelona May 11 FC Barcelona crowned La Liga champion for the 202526 season after a 20 home win over Real Madrid The win leaves Barcelona 14 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table confirming its domination over the opponent for the second consecutive yearReal Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe was sidelined with a hamstring problem and with Federico Valverde also sidelined after his wellpublished fight with Aurelien Tchouameni Dean Huijsen was a late scratch as he suffered a problem in warmup reports XinhuaFerran Torres was the architect of Barcelonas best moments in the first half forcing a foul from Antonio Rudiger in the ninth minute which allowed Marcus Rashford to open the scoring with an unstoppable delivery that left goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois helplessTorres doubled Barcelonas lead in the 18th minute with a sharp finish after Dani Olmo set the striker up with a smart backheelRashford had a great chance to add a third goal before the break after Torres again set him through on goal but this time Courtois tipped the shot wide and Olmo hit his shot wide from the resulting cornerReal Madrid struggled to react at the start of the second half with Courtois cutting out a dangerous Rashford cross and saving well from TorresJude Bellingham saw a goal ruled out for offside and Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia did well to save from Vinicius as Real Madrid briefly tried to show some spiritCourtois saved from Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski in the closing minutes while Barcelona held on for the win and will celebrate its title on MondayThe team will take to the streets of Barcelona to celebrate the 202526 Liga and Super Cup titles with the fans The championsâ parade will pass through several iconic parts of the city in a huge blaugrana celebration will take to the streets of Barcelona IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/barca-secures-la-liga-title-with-clasico-win-673250.html Mon, 11 May 2026 10:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/jodar-beats-italian-wild-card-arnaldi-to-reach-fourth-round-in-rome-673256.html Rome May 11 Teenage star Rafael Jodar held off Italian wild card Matteo Arnaldi 61 46 63 to reach the fourth round of the Italian Open an ATP Masters 1000 event on debut After Arnaldi fought back to level the match Jodar regrouped impressively from 13 down in the deciding set reeling off five straight games to seal the victory in styleWith his twohour victory Jodar improved to 142 on clay in 2026 according to the ATP WinLoss Index highlighted by his maiden ATP Tour title in Marrakech followed by a semifinal run in Barcelona and a quarterfinal showing in MadridâIâm very happy Itâs never easy to play an Italian here in Romeâ Jodar was quoted by ATP Tour âI tried to play my tennis Matteo played very well in the second and third sets so I just tried to be there every point and accept whatever happened during the matchâCompeting as a seeded player on the ATP Tour for the first time this week Jodar will next face reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion Learner TienEarlier in the day Tien rallied past Alexander Bublik 46 63 75 to earn backtoback ATP Tour wins for the first time since his run to the Indian Wells quarterfinals in March The 20yearold now up to No 19 is the youngest American man to reach the fourth round in Rome since Andy Roddick in 2002Elsewhere Tmthe former world No 2 Casper Ruud comfortably defeated Czech 11th seed Jiri Lehecka 63 64 in exactly 80 minutesNow outside the Top 20 Ruud has a valuable opportunity to regain ranking points and momentum ahead of Roland Garros where he hopes to replicate the success of 2022 and 2023 when he reached the finalMeanwhile the young Croatian qualifier Dario Prizmic who stunned Novak Djokovic in the opening round continued his dream run by defeating No 31 seed Ugo Humbert of France 61 75 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/jodar-beats-italian-wild-card-arnaldi-to-reach-fourth-round-in-rome-673256.html Mon, 11 May 2026 11:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bring-back-bhuvi-ashwin-calls-for-bhuvneshwars-t20i-recall-after-thriller-against-mi-673264.html New Delhi May 11 Former India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin has called for Bhuvneshwar Kumarâs return to Indiaâs T20I setup after the veteran seamer starred in Royal Challengers Bengaluruâs dramatic twowicket victory over the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026 Bhuvneshwar produced a matchwinning allround display in Raipur finishing with exceptional figures of 423 before later smashing a crucial six in the final over to help RCB complete a tense chase on the last ball on SundayImpressed by the veteran pacerâs impact across phases of the game Ashwin said Bhuvneshwar had shown enough to merit consideration for a national comebackâHashtag BringBackBhuvi Iâd love to see him being considered for the T20I side Tick with the new ball able to complete the death overs nicely and if you need a six under pressure heâs hammering that as well in the toughest part of the groundâ Ashwin told JioStarBhuvneshwar had dismantled Mumbaiâs top order with a superb opening spell that removed Ryan Rickelton Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav on a surface offering seam movement and uneven bounce Ashwin particularly praised the veteranâs ability to quickly recognise the conditions and adapt accordinglyâThat was proper Testmatch bowling after he realised there was something in the surface He keeps testing you as an opening batter To dismiss Rohit Sharma with that peach a slower ball that just swung was quite incredibleâ Ashwin observedAshwin also highlighted Bhuvneshwarâs teamfirst approach during the death overs where the seamer chose execution over personal milestones âAnd later on he was selfless enough to execute the yorker when he could have gone for a fourth wicket Extremely happy for himâ he addedThe former India spinner reserved equally high praise for Krunal Pandya whose battling 73 anchored RCBâs difficult chase after early setbacks had reduced them to 473 in the powerplayDespite battling cramps during the latter stages of his innings Krunal counterattacked effectively against both pace and spin to keep RCB alive in the chase before Bhuvneshwarâs late heroics sealed the winâWith Krunal Pandya we know HR managers and project managers but that was proper pressure management If you need one please dial K for Krunal Pandyaâ Ashwin remarkedWhile RCB escaped with a thrilling victory Ashwin also pointed out a few areas the defending champions may still need to address as they head deeper into the tournamentâIf you look at the tournament and how itâs placed RCB have lost only two games on the bounce Theyâre not that deep in trouble But they were desperate to win this game A win in this game means RCB are on a roll yet again They can really start putting the foot to the accelerator now and move ahead strongly in the tournamentâ he saidAshwin however suggested that RCBâs management may face a dilemma over Romario Shepherd who struggled to find fluency during the chase despite the team eventually winningâI think itâs very easy to look at Romario Shepherd and wonder whether you potentially replace him with somebody else and explore other options But when you know what Romario Shepherd is capable of and when you have the luxury of defending a title while sitting pretty at the top of the table as the coaching staff I would be thinking âIf Romario Shepherd comes off and if he turns it on a big day I would have invested correctly in backing himâ So theyâve got that luxury and I think they can afford to stay a bit more patient with himâ Ashwin mentioned IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bring-back-bhuvi-ashwin-calls-for-bhuvneshwars-t20i-recall-after-thriller-against-mi-673264.html Mon, 11 May 2026 12:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/indias-world-squash-cships-campaign-ends-with-chotranis-loss-to-world-no-1-asal-673273.html Giza May 11 Indiaâs challenge at the World Squash Championships ended after Veer Chotrani went down to Egyptian world No 1 and defending champion Mostafa Asal in the menâs second round here at Golf Central Palm Hills World No 45 Chotrani lost 511 211 411 which ended the Indian challenge at the Worlds following firstround losses to compatriots Abhay Singh Ramit Tandon and Velavan SenthilkumarâVeer and I have played a lot together before and Iâm pleased to see him here playing his best squash Weâve played a lot in juniors before we played in the World Juniors as well We always train in New York together Veer is one of the players that can catch you off at any moment in time so Iâm really happy to get the win Asal told the PSA Tour website Iâm glad to have Jimbo here with me as well as Haitham Effat and my uncle in my corner itâs the biggest tournament of the year weâre taking it match by match and Iâm ready for the next match the Egyptian addedIndiaâs campaign had ended in the second round at last yearâs World Championships in Chicago too India are yet to win a medal in singles events at the World Squash Championships to dateElsewhere No 2 seed and 2019 World Championship runnerup Paul Coll is also through after he took apart Franceâs Baptiste Masotti winning in straight games 111 117 119 and his third round opponent will be Nathan Lake Englandâs Nathan Lake has returned to this stage of the tournament for the first time since 2023 after getting the better of Muhammad Ashab Irfan 30 113 1412 1210Egyptâs World No21 Kareem El Torkey also reached the third round after laiming an 117 115 117 victory over No6 seed Victor Crouin IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/indias-world-squash-cships-campaign-ends-with-chotranis-loss-to-world-no-1-asal-673273.html Mon, 11 May 2026 12:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/celta-cuts-betis-advantage-in-fifth-as-champions-league-spot-opens-up-673110.html Madrid May 10 Celta Vigo kept alive its hopes of playing in next seasons UEFA Champions League with a 10 win away to Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Saturday Atletico missed several chances while Borja Iglesias scored the only goal of the game in the 62nd minuteReal Sociedad fought back from two goals down to claim a dramatic 22 draw with Real Betis reported XinhuaTwo days after it was confirmed Spain will have five Champions League places next season Betis took a 20 lead thanks to Antony and Abde EzzalzouliHowever Orri Oskarsson pulled a goal back after an assist from the left with 11 minutes left to play and Mikel Oyarzabal made it 22 in the 91st minute from the penalty spotCelta cuts fifthplaced Betis lead to four pointsSevilla took an important step away from the bottom three with a 21 home win over EspanyolTyrhys Dolan gave Espanyol a 56thminute lead Young Sevilla defender Andres Castrin leveled in the 82nd minute after he was allowed to advance unchallenged into the Espanyol area and Akor Adams won the game in the 91st minute with a wellplaced shot from outside the areaAlaves remains in the bottom three despite a 11 draw away to Elche which saw Alvaro Rodriguezs header for the home side cancel out Toni Martinezs penalty for AlavesAlaves was inches away from a vital win after substitute Aitor Manas saw his effort bounce back off the post in the 98th minuteLevante kept its survival hopes alive with an epic fightback to edge Osasuna 32 on FridayAfter going 20 down in the early stage with an own goal and Ante Budimirs strike Levante stormed back with Victor Garcia scoring two goals in three minutes to level before halftimeLevante threw everything at Osasuna in the second half and was finally rewarded by Karl Etta Eyongs lastminute winner IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/celta-cuts-betis-advantage-in-fifth-as-champions-league-spot-opens-up-673110.html Sun, 10 May 2026 08:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/italian-open-sinner-cruises-past-ofner-with-straight-sets-win-673116.html Rome May 10 World No 1 Jannik Sinner started strong in his quest for a historic Career Golden Masters after defeating Sebastian Ofner 63 64 in the second round of the Italian Open on Saturday The Italian player who came to Rome after making history in Madrid by becoming the first to win five consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles continued his impressive run on home soil Sinnerâs recent wins in Paris Indian Wells Miami MonteCarlo and Madrid have put him just one title away from completing the Career Golden Masters winning all nine ATP Masters 1000 events Novak Djokovic is the only player to achieve this feat since the series began in 1990Supported by an enthusiastic home crowd Sinner dominated Ofner with his usual baseline consistency and precise ballstriking The 24yearold made only five unforced errors in the first set and carried that momentum into the second He produced a delicate drop shot early on to break serve and take complete control of the matchâIt is an amazing feel to be backâ Sinner said after the winâThe first match the most important thing is not to lose The level will improve day by day I am very happy to be here Since day one this has been a very special tournament for me Every year when you come here you reflect a bit about the year being Italian A lot can change in a year I am happy to be hereâThe victory which took one hour and 31 minutes extended Sinnerâs ATP Masters 1000 winning streak to 29 matches tying him with Roger Federer for the thirdlongest streak in the seriesSinner who reached the final in Rome last year now aims to be the first Italian man to win the tournament since Adriano Panatta took the title in 1976Next up for the top seed is Alexei Popyrin who overcame Jakub Mensik 63 26 64 in a twohour 11minute match to secure his place in the third roundInterestingly Ofner and Sinner had faced each other at Challenger level in Italy back in 2019 when a teenage Sinner also won with a score of 62 64 in Ortisei IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/italian-open-sinner-cruises-past-ofner-with-straight-sets-win-673116.html Sun, 10 May 2026 09:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/premier-league-manchester-city-move-two-points-close-to-arsenal-with-win-over-brentford-673119.html London May 10 Manchester City kept the Premier League title race alive with a strong 30 win over Brentford at the Etihad Stadium They moved within two points of leaders Arsenal After a dramatic 33 draw against Everton earlier in the week Pep Guardiolaâs team responded with a dominant second half This victory put pressure back on Arsenal before their match with West Ham UnitedCity had to work hard for the first goal despite controlling much of the game Jeremy Doku stood out and nearly scored within two minutes forcing goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher into a sharp low save before sending in a cross that Erling Haaland headed wideHaaland kept threatening in the first half first sending another header straight at Kelleher before a goalbound shot was bravely blocked by Kristoffer AjerThe deadlock broke on the hour mark when Doku cut in from the wing and curled a superb finish into the far corner It was strikingly similar to the late equalizer he scored against Everton earlier in the weekCitys nerves eased further with 15 minutes left when Haaland scrambled in a goal from close range doubling the lead Substitute Omar Marmoush sealed the win with a late third goalDespite the score Brentford created problems for City at times Gianluigi Donnarumma had to act after misjudging a long throw from Michael Kayode with City scrambling to clear the ball off the lineThe Italian goalkeeper also reacted quickly to push away a dangerous freekick from Mathias Jensen before making another sharp save in the second half to deny Igor Thiago at the near postHowever Cityâs defense held strong preserving a clean sheet and securing a crucial win that keeps Guardiolaâs team firmly in the race for another league title while Brentford remains eighth in the standings IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/premier-league-manchester-city-move-two-points-close-to-arsenal-with-win-over-brentford-673119.html Sun, 10 May 2026 09:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/olise-strike-leaves-wolfsburg-in-final-day-battle-to-avoid-relegation-673154.html Berlin May 10 Michael Olises secondhalf goal lifted Bayern Munich to a 10 win at Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday leaving the latter side level on points with St Pauli ahead of their survival clash in the final round Wolfsburg created several chances at the opening stages Jonas Urbig denied Vinicius Souza before Wolfsburg continued threatening and forced the Bayern goalkeeper into further saves reported XinhuaBayern then had a major chance when Olise was fouled and VAR awarded a penalty but Harry Kane slipped as he struck and sent it wideBayern began to mount pressure after the interval Olise scored in the 56th minute cutting in from the right and curling a shot in off the underside of the barWolfsburg substitute Matthias Svanberg hit the post in the 89th minuteWolfsburg will play away to St Pauli for a finalday relegation showdown with both sides locked on 26 points and Wolfsburg holding 16th place on goal difference St Pauli sits 17th while Heidenheim remains bottom on 23 points with a game in handWe saw a team that believes in itself But the danger against Bayern is that even when you play well there are phases when you must suffer and that was exactly when they scored Late on of course we had a huge chance to equalize Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking saidElsewhere RB Leipzig secured UEFA Champions League qualification with a 21 win over St Pauli Stuttgart beat Bayer Leverkusen 31 to sit in fourth place Hoffenheim edged 10man Werder Bremen 10 and Augsburg beat Borussia Monchengladbach 31 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/olise-strike-leaves-wolfsburg-in-final-day-battle-to-avoid-relegation-673154.html Sun, 10 May 2026 11:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/uttar-pradesh-clinch-5th-national-wheelchair-cricket-championship-title-673160.html Greater Noida May 10 Uttar Pradesh emerged victorious in a thrilling final against Haryana to win the 5th National Wheelchair Cricket Championship at the Shaheed Vijay Pathik Stadium Greater Noida on Saturday Under the captaincy of Somjeet Singh Uttar Pradesh lifted the national title for the third time further cementing their dominance in Indian wheelchair cricket Batting first Uttar Pradesh posted an impressive total of 1919 in their allotted 20 overs Haryana responded with a spirited chase and scored 1868 in 20 overs falling short by just 5 runs in a nailbiting finishAnil Singhaniya was named Man of the Match for his brilliant allround performance scoring a crucial 27 runs and claiming 2 wickets for Uttar PradeshThe prestigious tournament ran from May 3 to May 10 2026 features top teams from across the country competing in an exciting âSuper 5â grand finale format showcasing the highest level of wheelchair cricket in IndiaThe championship final witnessed the presence of several distinguished guests including Aman Goel BJP Yuva Neta from Faridabad Bal Kishan Sharma from Vishva Hindu Parishad Surendra Lohia President of PCCAI Ravi Kant Chauhan General Secretary of DCCI and Sqn Ldr Abhai Pratap Singh President of the Wheelchair Cricket India AssociationThe dignitaries praised the players for their determination discipline and sportsmanship while appreciating the rapid growth of wheelchair cricket across the countrySpeaking after the victory captain Somjeet Singh credited the teamâs unity hard work and fighting spirit for the historic triumphThe Wheelchair Cricket India Association continues to play a pivotal role in empowering athletes and promoting wheelchair cricket across the country with this championship serving as one of its flagship events IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/uttar-pradesh-clinch-5th-national-wheelchair-cricket-championship-title-673160.html Sun, 10 May 2026 11:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/hockey-india-announces-31-member-senior-womens-national-coaching-camp-673165.html New Delhi May 10 Hockey India announced the Senior Womenâs National Coaching Camp scheduled to be held from 11th to 20th May 2026 The preparatory camp is important as the team will travel to Australia for an exposure tour ahead of the FIH Nations Cup which will take place in Auckland New Zealand from 15th to 21st JuneThis is an important camp for the womenâs team as it will provide them with an opportunity to assess their strengths ahead of key fixtures later this year including the FIH Hockey Womenâs World Cup 2026 in Belgium and the Netherlands from 15th to 30th August and the 2026 Asian Games scheduled to be held in Japan from 19th September to 4th October 2026The camp also holds added significance as the winner of the FIH Nations Cup will earn direct qualification for the 2026â27 FIH Hockey Pro League Furthermore the winner of the 2026â27 FIH Hockey Pro League will secure direct qualification for the LA 2028 OlympicsThe upcoming camp will feature the same set of 31 players who were part of the previous national camp held in April under Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne It will serve as another important phase in the teamâs buildup with the focus expected to remain on strengthening combinations improving fitness levels and sharpening tactical aspects of the gameThe squad for the Senior Womens National Coaching Camp will comprise experienced campaigners and promising talents across all positions The goalkeeping department will include Savita Madhuri Kindo Bansari Solanki and Bichu Devi Kharibam the recipient of the Hockey India Baljit Singh Award at the Hockey India 8th Annual Awards 2025 Meanwhile Nikki Pradhan Udita Ishika Chaudhary Jyoti Singh Lalthantluangi Jyoti and Shilpi Dabas will add a blend of defensive solidity and experience to the defensive lineCaptain Salima Tete alongside Sushila Chanu Manisha Chauhan Vaishnavi Phalke Neha Sakshi Rana Sunelita Toppo and Ishika will occupy the midfield offering versatility and control in the middle of the pitch The forward line will comprise Navneet Kaur Deepika Lalremsiami Mumtaz Khan Deepika Soreng Rutaja Dadaso Pisal Baljeet Kaur Annu Beauty Dungdung Hina Bano Sonam and Sangita Kumari offering a blend of seasoned attackers along with youthful exuberanceSharing his thoughts on the upcoming camp Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne said âThis will be a short camp ahead of our upcoming tour to Australia The integral focus of the camp will be on the fitness aspects of the game and improving in those areas We want to be consistent in this regard and take the next step as a teamâIndian Womenâs Hockey Teamâs 31member Senior National Coaching CampGoalkeeper1 Savita2 Madhuri Kindo3 Bichu Devi Kharibam4 Bansari SolankiDefenders5 Nikki Pradhan6 Ishika Chaudhary7 Jyoti Singh8 Lalthantluangi9 Jyoti10 Udita11 Shilpi DabasMidfielders12 Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam13 Manisha Chauhan14 Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke15 Sakshi Rana16 Sunelita Toppo17 Salima Tete18 Neha19 IshikaForwards20 Deepika Soreng21 Rutaja Dadaso Pisal22 Baljeet Kaur23 Navneet Kaur24 Deepika25 Annu26 Beauty Dungdung27 Hina Bano28 Sonam29 Lalremsiami30 Mumtaz Khan31 Sangita Kumari IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/hockey-india-announces-31-member-senior-womens-national-coaching-camp-673165.html Sun, 10 May 2026 11:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/nigar-sultana-to-lead-15-member-bangladesh-team-in-womens-t20-wc-673183.html Dhaka May 10 Bangladesh on Sunday announced their 15member squad for the upcoming ICC Womens T20 World Cup 2026 Experienced wicketkeeperbatter Nigar Sultana Joty will lead the team once again Spinner Nahida Akter has been named vicecaptain as Bangladesh prepares for their seventh appearance in the global tournament The team enters the competition with confidence after a strong performance in the ICC Womenâs T20 World Cup 2026 Global Qualifier earlier this year They remained unbeaten during both the group stage and Super Six phase to secure qualification highlighting their growing consistency in this formatThey will also aim to build on the positives from the previous edition of the tournament in 2024 where they started their campaign with a memorable 16run victory over Scotland womens national cricket team Over the years Bangladesh has developed into a competitive T20 team with a balanced squad that includes both experienced players and promising young talentCaptain Nigar Sultana will once again lead with the bat The bowling attack will depend on Nahida Akter Rabeya Khan and Marufa Akter Young players like Shorna Akter and Dilara Akter are also expected to contribute significantly during the tournamentBefore the World Cup begins Bangladesh will travel to Edinburgh on May 25 for a triseries featuring Scotland and Netherlands They will then head to Loughborough for their official warmup matches before the main eventBangladesh will kick off their World Cup campaign against Netherlands on June 14 at Edgbaston in Birmingham They will then play against Australia on June 17 at Headingley Following that they will face Pakistan on June 20 at Hampshire BowlBangladesh will take on India at Old Trafford Cricket Ground on June 25 before concluding their groupstage matches against South Africa womens national cricket team at Lordâs Cricket Ground on June 28Bangladesh squad Nigar Sultana Joty captain Nahida Akter vice captain Sharmin Akter Supta Sobhana Mostary Shorna Akter Ritu Moni Rabeya Khan Fahima Khatun Fariha Islam Trisna Marufa Akter Shanjida Akther Maghla Sultana Khatun Dilara Akter Juairiya Ferdous and TajneharScheduleJune 14 Bangladesh v Netherlands Edgbaston BirminghamJune 17 Australia v Bangladesh Headingley LeedsJune 20 Pakistan v Bangladesh Hampshire Bowl SouthamptonJune 25 India v Bangladesh Old Trafford Cricket Ground ManchesterJune 28 South Africa v Bangladesh Lordâs Cricket Ground London IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/nigar-sultana-to-lead-15-member-bangladesh-team-in-womens-t20-wc-673183.html Sun, 10 May 2026 13:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/reilly-opelka-joins-grand-slam-prize-money-debate-questions-revenue-distribution-ahead-of-french-open-673224.html New Delhi May 10 Reilly Opelka has added his voice to the growing debate over prizemoney distribution in professional tennis publicly questioning how revenue from the sportâs biggest tournaments is allocated among players The American player weighed in on social media during ongoing discussions about financial structures in tennis ahead of the French Open responding to an Instagram post by renowned coach Patrick MouratoglouMouratoglouâs post focused on the percentage of Grand Slam revenues returned to players compared to ATP and WTA Tour events a subject that has dominated conversations among top players during the ongoing Italian Open 2026 in Rome âIf youâre not top 50 you net more as a teaching pro in South Floridaâ Opelka wrote in the comments section of Mouratoglouâs postThe 28yearold American also echoed concerns raised this week by players including Jannik Sinner Alexander Zverev and Aryna Sabalenka regarding the percentage of tournament revenues distributed to competitorsâTennis is the ultimate meritocracy We donât need government grants we need transparency The fact that the USTA LTA FFT and TA are all ânonprofitsâ should tell you everything you need to know Iâm always sceptical of organisations without direct market accountability If the players are the product and only receive 14 of revenues where is the money goingâ Opelka continuedThe comments came in response to Mouratoglouâs broader criticism of the sportâs financial structure The veteran coach argued that Grand Slam tournaments return a significantly lower share of their revenue to players than regular tour eventsâThis year the winner of Roland Garros will win 28 million euros The one who loses in the first round loses 87000 euros Itâs difficult to understand for the fans that players who make so much money want more and I can get that The real question is not how much money they make The real question is how is the money distributed What the players complain about is the fact that the governing bodies are not giving back a high percentage of the money they makeâ Mouratoglou saidHe also highlighted the challenges faced by lowerranked players trying to sustain professional careers âThe problem that I see also is that most of the money the governing bodies are giving back is going to a very very small proportion of players Itâs not normal that in a sport like tennis a guy whoâs ranked 150 in the world cannot make a living This is completely a scandalâ he addedOpelkaâs opinion carries additional significance given his involvement in the Professional Tennis Players Associationâs ongoing legal battle against the tennis governing bodies The American is among the coplaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in 2025 against the ATP WTA ITF and ITIA alleging restrictions on player earnings and other anticompetitive practicesEarlier this year Opelka testified in a Manhattan federal court that ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi had indirectly warned him about possible financial consequences if he refused to withdraw from the case According to reports Opelka claimed he was told he could lose pension benefits and face major legal costs The ATP denied those allegations though the court allowed the testimony to remain on recordThe American has previously criticised the ATP over player compensation particularly following the reported sale of the Western amp Southern Open in 2022 He has also made headlines this season after receiving multiple fines including penalties at the Indian Wells Masters and the Dallas OpenThe issue of prizemoney distribution has increasingly become a major talking point across the tour with several leading players including Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff weighing in over the past week as attention now shifts toward upcoming announcements about the Wimbledon Championships prize money IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/reilly-opelka-joins-grand-slam-prize-money-debate-questions-revenue-distribution-ahead-of-french-open-673224.html Sun, 10 May 2026 18:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/messi-backs-neymar-for-world-cup-return-673055.html Buenos Aires May 9 Lionel Messi believes Neymar still belongs among footballs elite and said he hopes the Brazil forward returns in time for next months FIFA World Cup Neymar Brazils alltime leading scorer has not played for his country since October 2023 when he suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament during a World Cup qualifier against UruguayHis injury problems have continued since returning to boyhood club Santos limiting him to 12 appearances across all competitions this year after he played 28 matches in 2025We want the best players to be there at the World Cup and Neymar no matter his form will always be one of them Messi told the Lo Del Pollo show reports XinhuaIt would be wonderful to see him at the World Cup because of what he means to Brazil and to football I hope he can be there but I cant be objective because he always has to be thereNeymar and Messi played together at Barcelona from 2013 to 2017 and were again teammates at Paris SaintGermain from 2021 to 2023Messi acknowledged that their friendship made it difficult for him to be impartialI cant be objective Neymar is a friend Obviously Id love for him to be at the World Cup for good things to happen to him because he deserves it for the kind of person he is And I hope he can be thereMessi added He has a very special charisma He doesnt put on an act he lives his life as it is according to what he feels without worrying about the repercussions Hes happy and hes very naturalThe eighttime Ballon dOr winner said Argentina would have a difficult task defending its 2022 World Cup title rating Spain France and Brazil as leading contendersWe know that the World Cup is always a complicated affair due to the caliber of the teams involved the 38yearold saidWe have to be hopeful just as every Argentine always is whenever there is an official competition whether its the Copa America or the World Cup but we must also acknowledge that there are other favorites ahead of us who are in better shape he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/messi-backs-neymar-for-world-cup-return-673055.html Sat, 09 May 2026 09:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/dortmund-secure-runner-up-spot-as-frankfurts-hopes-fade-673056.html Berlin May 9 Borussia Dortmund sealed second place in the Bundesliga with a 32 home victory over Eintracht Frankfurt whose push for a place suffered another damaging setback Frankfurt made a start as Can Uzun put the visitors ahead after only two minutes finishing into the right corner after Mahmoud Dahoud had held the ball under pressure in the Dortmund area and laid it backDortmund short of rhythm lately needed time to settle but gradually forced Frankfurt goalkeeper Michael Zetterer into action Julian Brandt captaining Borussia Dortmund in his final home appearance crossed for Samuele Inacio whose header was kept out by Zetterer The goalkeeper then denied Brandt and Jobe Bellingham in quick succession reports XinhuaThe equaliser arrived in the 42nd minute after Brandt dispossessed Arthur Theate in midfield Marcel Sabitzer released Julian Ryerson on the right and his low delivery was steered in by Serhou GuirassyDortmund struck again in firsthalf stoppage time Nico Schlotterbeck began the move and after Jobe Bellingham and Maximilian Beier combined finished into the right corner to complete the turnaroundFrankfurt saw a Fares Chaibi effort ruled out for offside after the break but Dortmund controlled long spells of the second half Ryerson missed a chance to extend the lead before the decisive third goal came in the 72nd minute when Bellingham found Beier and the forward supplied youngster Inacio for his first Bundesliga goalBrandt later departed to a standing ovation while Niklas Sule was given an emotional late appearance Frankfurt narrowed the deficit in the 87th minute through substitute Jonathan Burkardt after Ansgar Knauffs work on the left and JeanMatteo Bahoya then went closeFrankfurt must still overtake seventhplaced SC Freiburg to reach the Conference League but its hopes could be over if Freiburg wins at Hamburger SV Dortmund visits Werder Bremen on the final day while Frankfurt hosts VfB StuttgartWe are disappointed when we look at the result and the points because we had opportunities to take all three But when I look at the performance the team did everything and gave everything for the club Frankfurt coach Albert Riera said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/dortmund-secure-runner-up-spot-as-frankfurts-hopes-fade-673056.html Sat, 09 May 2026 10:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/djokovic-knocked-out-of-italian-open-by-croatian-qualifier-prizmic-673059.html Rome May 9 Sixtime Italian Open champion Novak Djokovic was eliminated in three sets by world No 79 Dario Prizmic who came back from a set down to win 26 62 64 It is the first time Djokovic has lost in his opening match in the Italian capital 181 Prizmic has now earned two Top 10 wins having beaten Ben Shelton en route to the third round at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid last monthThe 20yearold is aiming to advance to the fourth round at this level for the first time and next plays Ugo HumbertDjokovic controlled proceedings from the outset steadily increasing the pressure and securing two breaks to comfortably wrap up the first set after just 40 minutesPossibly troubled by stomach discomfort Djokovics level dropped sharply in the second set His shots lost depth his precision faded and his composition seemed to unravel Between grimaces and visible frustration he quickly found himself trailing 40 against a fearless PrizmicRather than shrinking under the moment the young Croatian continued to push relentlessly forcing more mistakes from the 24time Grand Slam champion and driving the match into a deciding third set Djokovic initially stayed competitive in the deciderâuntil he stumbled at the first real danger surrendering serve on the first break point he facedFrom that point on Djokovic was unable to create a single break opportunity of his own He tried repeatedly to pressure Prizmic into errors but the Croatian now riding a wave of confidence held firm and fittingly sealed the biggest win of his career with an aceâhis third of the matchEarlier this year Djokovic downed Jannik Sinner to reach the championship match at the Australian Open and will hope to have recovered in time for Roland Garros later this month when the World No 4 will aim to capture a recordextending 25th major title IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/djokovic-knocked-out-of-italian-open-by-croatian-qualifier-prizmic-673059.html Sat, 09 May 2026 10:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-18-years-and-it-hurts-all-three-departments-failed-admits-dcs-doc-venugopal-rao-673063.html New Delhi May 9 For Venugopal Rao the sense of deja vu must be as stifling as the scorching heat in the national capital Rao currently the director of cricket at Delhi Capitals endured two wooden spoon finishes during his time as a player with the franchise from 201113 when it used to be called Delhi Daredevils The script feels eerily familiar with Rao now presiding over another collapse A ruthless eightâwicket demolition by Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday DCâs fifth straight home defeat has snuffed out their playoffs hopes and prolonged the franchiseâs agonising pursuit of a maiden IPL crownEighteen years obviously it hurts Seriously when you look back when I played during my days I always wanted to win from Daredevils time to now Its a learning process for me Coming into the administration part a lot of things Im just learning As per what the skipper said we want to try youngsters and lets see said a dejected Rao in the postmatch press conferenceThe statistics paint a grim picture of a side that has lost its way in its own backyard After an initial victory over Mumbai Indians the Arun Jaitley Stadium has become a hunting ground for visitors rather than a stronghold for DCOn Friday thanks to Finn Allenâs unbeaten 47ball ton KKR chased down 143 with clinical ease needing just 142 overs to embarrass a DC side that appears tactically adrift DCâs campaign has been defined by wild inconsistency and a staggering inability to read local conditions which have been varied in natureMaking 264 against Punjab Kings failed to translate into a win Days later the side posted the IPLâs lowest powerplay total slumping to 136 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and handed the initiative to the defending championsA home match against Gujarat Titans slipped away by a single run after David Miller could not score two runs off two balls Chennai Super Kings also recorded a comfortable victory in Delhi as the âQila Kotlaâ mention around the franchiseâs pretournament promotions have turned a potential fortress into a liability and something which demands urgent reviewSee not one department I think all three departments failed After getting a good start after seven or eight overs we were in a good position one wicket or something down Then later on next six to seven overs we couldnt get a boundary In this big beast of a tournament you cant miss chancesâWe need to win patches and those small small areas not only batting even in bowling or fielding In the whole tournament when you see it we couldnt win those small small areas One day in batting one day in fielding one day in bowlingâ added RaoOn Friday DC were 742 in nine overs though they didnât entirely break free in powerplay due to slowness in pitch and one felt they could implode yet again They had their reasons â Pathum Nissanka was wonderful in his legside strokeplay but then the spin choke from KKR just like how they inflicted one over DC last year at this venue â began to take shapeWith five fielders patrolling the boundary Sunil Narine Varun Chakravarthy and Anukul Roy began to dictate terms and choke the scoring as between overs 1216 Delhi managed just 11 runs from 30 balls a midinnings drought which never happened in the IPLThe pressure was manufactured rather than mysterious Roy set the tone stumping Nissanka with a slower wider delivery before castling Tristan Stubbs as KKR exposed that DCâs batting lineup could not adjust to sustained and accurate spin bowling In all DC played 51 dot balls and in comparison to Allenâs brutal century they looked like a side stuck in a batting template of a bygone eraâI think in the last couple of matches where we felt that batting is the main concern When youre batting first you saw last match also we failed in the first 10 overs Somewhere in the next 10 overs we recovered I think here also when we got a good start we couldnt capitalizeâThis kind of a tournament you cant miss those patches See here we cant coach Everybody has experience and at the end of the day you need to read the situation conditions and when you can adapt only you win matches We cant keep sending messages as a batting groupâOne more thing the biggest challenge as a batting group is responsibility when things fail as a batting unit you need to take responsibility Ill do it rather than somebody does it So I think that is missing I felt Maybe lets see next couple of games how this as a batting unit how it will turn up elaborated RaoWhen pressed further Rao drew on specific matches to make his case Sorry I cannot point to just one department In different matches different departments have let us down Against Punjab we scored heavily but then dropped catches while bowling In some games the bowlers did well but the batters could not adaptâIn the last two games especially the batters struggled to adapt to the conditions Overall if you ask me yes batting has been an area where we needed to adapt better in certain conditions Even in the first few games after losing four or five wickets we still managed to win a couple of matches But sometimes I think the batting unit has let us down he saidA question about skipper Axar Patelâs horrible run with the bat and if Prithvi Shaw will be given a chance prompted Rao to address it headon People will obviously ask whom you want to drop Pathum or KL But when it comes to captains and senior players in this format you always want experienced people like them to do wellâHe has been a part of World Cupwinning squads and came into this tournament with strong reputations Somewhere along the way I think he lost form Hopefully he comes back strongly in the next three games It hurts when you look at the opposition and see that some of the senior players could not perform But we need to face the reality and accept it he saidRao also addressed the bowling groups difficulties especially around premier wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav whose lean run continued with him conceding 41 runs in three overs A major part of Kuldeep looking pedestrian has been him missing his usual lengths as batters freely send his overpitched and mostly short balls over the boundary ropesA person like him is a bundle of experience played and won two T20 World Cups Sometimes a bad season happens Everyone goes through it I think somewhere he lost the rhythm I think hell come back See by playing for more than 10 years in this circuit he knows itâSometimes you cant point and it happens in a tournament like this We are facing it and we are at receiving end of it Person like him with Axar and all if these two continue in good form one is doing well one is not doing it hurts in the bowling group especially in the middle of those So we are facing that failure he saidLooking back across the full campaign Rao traced a consistent thread of momentum losses that he believes has defined the season and was emphatic that DC have no one to blame but themselvesNo it is not only about the Punjab game Even in the Gujarat game here and in several other matches we needed to win we lost important phases That is what I keep saying To win matches you need to win key patches during the game We have not done that consistentlyâIf you look back not just against Punjab but also against Gujarat there were moments where two balls or two runs shifted the momentum away from us Then we lost the Chennai game as well We did win against RCB but after that against Punjab we also had issues like injuries and concussion substitute for NgidiâBut we cannot keep giving excuses We need to face the situation as it is In a tournament like this you cannot point to just one match If you look back from the Gujarat game to this match in almost every game we have not managed to win the small moments and key phases That is why we are in this position on the points table right now he saidEighteen years on Delhi Capitals remain a side unable to break shackles formidable on paper yet unable to break free from their reputation for flattering to deceive even as their contemporaries RCB current IPL trophy holders and PBKS runnersup last year have upped their game as per the demands of modernday T20 cricketRao opened his press conference by lamenting the unbroken trophy drought and closed it with the only stance left to him cautious pragmatism and no guarantees Obviously in the next three games we will see how it goes One game at a time and obviously we will try to use bench players When the skipper says something like that it is something we definitely want to try he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-18-years-and-it-hurts-all-three-departments-failed-admits-dcs-doc-venugopal-rao-673063.html Sat, 09 May 2026 11:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/no-dressing-room-crisis-at-real-madrid-after-valverde-and-tchouameni-fight-arbeola-673074.html Madrid May 9 Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa denied there were tensions in the clubs dressing room when he spoke to the press ahead of Sundays visit to play FC Barcelona in the El Clasico The game in which Barcelona can seal this seasons La Liga title with a draw comes just three days after a wellpublicized dressing room fight between Aurelien Tchouameni and Fede Valverde ended with Valverde needing stitches and diagnosed with cranioencephalic trauma which means he is likely to miss the next two weeks and both players were handed fines of 500000 eurosThe fight between Tchouameni and Valverde came just days after defender Alvaro Carreras admitted to another incident with Antonio Rudiger while Kylian Mbappe has been criticized for traveling to Italy last weekend while recovering from a hamstring injury reported XinhuaIts a healthy dressing room insisted Arbeloa in his press conference saying it was not easy to accept two seasons without a trophy and to be a Real Madrid player you have to have a lot of ambitionOf course we have to do things better change reflect but I see a healthy dressing room he insistedThe coach denied responsibility for allowing the tension between Valverde and Tchouameni to boil overI dont have my office inside the Real Madrid dressing room I wish I could be responsible for everything that happens and control everything he saidThis should serve as an example for everyone We need to turn the page learn from it and not forget that tomorrow theres a BarcelonaReal Madrid match continued ArbeloaArbeloa insisted the club had handled the incident well saying he was very proud of the clubs decisiveness speed and transparency and happy that the players have acknowledged their mistake expressed their regret and apologizedIm not going to publicly crucify them because they dont deserve it Theyve shown me what it means to be a Real Madrid playerValverde and Tchouameni deserve for us to move on to give them a chance to keep fighting for this club Im very proud of them I wont allow this to be used to question their professionalism he commented before insisting that Tchouameni would be in the squad for Sundays game IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/no-dressing-room-crisis-at-real-madrid-after-valverde-and-tchouameni-fight-arbeola-673074.html Sat, 09 May 2026 19:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/archery-world-cup-sahil-jadhav-clinches-bronze-in-shanghai-673076.html Shanghai May 9 Sahil Jadhav earned a bronze medal in the menâs individual compound competition at the Archery World Cup 2026 Stage 2 on Saturday securing his first career World Cup medal The 25yearold Indian athlete defeated Denmarkâs Martin Damsbo 147144 in the bronze medal match After losing the first set 3029 Sahil rallied by winning the next four sets to ensure a spot on the podium Earlier the eighthseeded Indian narrowly defeated Austriaâs Nico Wiener the 2021 world champion in a shootoff after both finished with a score of 147 in the quarterfinals His journey concluded in the semifinals where reigning world champion Nicolas Girard of France beat him 147145 leading Sahil to compete in the bronze medal matchSahilâs campaign featured victories against Indian veteran Abhishek Verma in the third round and Germanyâs Ruven Fluss with a score of 149146 in the round of 16His bronze was Indiaâs only medal in the compound events at this yearâs Shanghai World Cup a stark difference from the five compound medals India won at the same venue last yearKushal Dalal was eliminated in the quarterfinals and former world champion Ojas Deotale exited in the round of 16 Indiaâs menâs compound team which won gold in Shanghai last year also did not make it to the podium after losing in the quarterfinalsIn the womenâs compound team event India was ousted in the quarterfinals with a score of 233227 against Turkiye Madhura Dhamangaonkar the defending champion from Shanghai was eliminated in the round of 32 by top seed Alexis Ruiz of the USAFormer world champion Aditi Swami was Indiaâs top performer in the womenâs individual compound event but was eliminated in a quarterfinal shootoff by Estoniaâs Lisell Jaatma Jaatma had previously defeated Indiaâs leading compound archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam 148147 in the round of 16In the mixed compound team event which will debut at the LA 2028 Olympics Aditi Swami and Ojas Deotale lost in the quarterfinals to the American pair of Alexis Ruiz and James LutzIndia still has a chance at medals in the recurve events on Sunday Simranjeet Kaur reached the womenâs individual semifinals and the Indian womenâs recurve team will compete against China in the gold medal match IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/archery-world-cup-sahil-jadhav-clinches-bronze-in-shanghai-673076.html Sat, 09 May 2026 19:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/title-on-the-line-in-el-clasico-but-real-madrid-dressing-room-makes-the-headlines-673077.html Madrid May 9 FC Barcelona entertains Real Madrid in the Camp Nou on Sunday night in a game that could decide this seasons title race but where a great deal more is on the agenda Barcelona welcomes its historical rival with an 11point lead over Real Madrid and with just 12 points left to play for this season so a draw in front of its own fans would see Hansi Flicks side confirmed as La Liga winners for the second consecutive yearHowever recent events at Real Madrid have almost served to push the title into the background after the story broke on Thursday that midfielders Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni had a dressing room fight that ended with Valverde taken to the hospital in need of stitches reported XinhuaValverde has been diagnosed with cranioencephalic trauma which could sideline him until the end of the season and the club has fined the players 500000 euros each for the incident but not suspended them which means Tchouameni could play at the Camp NouThe fight comes amid rumors of divisions in the Real Madrid dressing room and probably ends any hope coach Alvaro Arbeloa had of continuing as coach past the end of the seasonArbeloa has also got to deal with a long injury list with Ferland Mendy Rodrygo Eder Militao Dani Carvajal and Arda Guler all out meaning that losing Valverde is also a big setback in sporting termsKylian Mbappe is also a doubt as he struggles to recover from a hamstring injury amid suspicions that he is trying to avoid taking any risks ahead of the World Cup finalsMorale is completely different at Barcelona where Andreas Christensen and Lamine Yamal are the only two injuries for FlickYamal is obviously a major loss but so far Barcelona has responded well without him with Ferran Torres Fermin Lopez and Marcus Rashford all offering alternatives in attackPedri seems to have benefited from seeing his workload reduced to just one game a week while Marc Bernal offers another option in central midfieldBarcelona will go into the game as clear favorites although Flick will be anxious to avoid overconfidence against a team that has the players to cause problems for his high defensive lineSome Real Madrid players such as Vinicius Jr and Antonio Rudiger are certain to give everything to try and salvage something from a disappointing season but this game will be a tough test of morale at Real Madrid which at the moment seems to be at its lowest point in a very long time IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/title-on-the-line-in-el-clasico-but-real-madrid-dressing-room-makes-the-headlines-673077.html Sat, 09 May 2026 19:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/italian-open-gauff-survives-sierra-scare-to-reach-last-16-673080.html Rome May 9 Coco Gauff recovered from a sluggish start and a thirdset scare to defeat Argentinaâs Solana Sierra 57 60 64 and book her place in the Round of 16 at the Italian Open 2026 in Rome on Saturday The thirdseeded American was pushed hard by the world No 72 in a tense thirdround clash that lasted two hours and 10 minutes on the clay courts of the Foro Italico After dropping the opening set Gauff responded emphatically by blanking Sierra in the second before producing a stirring comeback in the decider to keep her Rome campaign aliveGauff had started brightly racing to a 20 lead in the first set but struggled to maintain consistency as Sierra fought back strongly The Argentine earned a crucial break in the 11th game and then held serve to close out the opener 75 leaving the American visibly frustrated In a moment that quickly made the rounds on social media Gauff tapped herself on the head with her racket after conceding the setThe reset proved immediate and effective Gauff dominated the second set from start to finish not dropping a single game as she rediscovered her rhythm and overwhelmed Sierra with aggressive returningThe deciding set however brought fresh drama Sierra surged into a 30 lead with backtoback breaks and looked poised for a major upset But Gauff the reigning French Open champion raised her level at the perfect time reeling off five consecutive games to turn the match on its head and move within touching distance of victoryAlthough Sierra broke back when Gauff failed to convert a match point while serving at 53 the American immediately regained control breaking once more and sealing the contest on her third match pointDespite committing five double faults and saving only four of the 10 break points she faced Gauffâs return game proved decisive She created 22 breakpoint opportunities and converted eight repeatedly exposing Sierraâs serve under pressureThe victory marked Gauffâs 19th career match win in Rome more than at any other nonGrand Slam event and moved last yearâs finalist one step closer to another deep run in the Italian capital where she finished runnerup to Jasmine Paolini in 2025Gauff will next face the winner of the clash between 16th seed Iva Jovic and fellow American Taylor Townsend for a place in the quarterfinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/italian-open-gauff-survives-sierra-scare-to-reach-last-16-673080.html Sat, 09 May 2026 19:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-raipur-welcomes-rcb-with-celebration-of-chhattisgarhs-culture-and-heritage-ahead-of-home-fixtures-673081.html Raipur May 9 Ahead of their muchanticipated home fixtures in Raipur the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad took time away from the field to immerse themselves in the rich culture and traditions of Chhattisgarh experiencing the regionâs local food music art and heritage in an expo that brought the team closer to the spirit of the state As part of the cultural experience the players were welcomed with traditional music and dance performances before exploring local handicrafts tribal art forms and regional cuisine that showcased the diversity and heritage of ChhattisgarhâI really liked it especially when we entered and they played traditional music with drums while people were dancing We also got to learn about the tribal communities here and their history which was really specialâ said captain Rajat PatidarOne of the highlights of the evening for the players was discovering the famed Godna art form a traditional tattoo practice deeply rooted in tribal culture that has now evolved into textile and clothing designs to preserve the art across generationsKrunal Pandya was particularly fascinated by the craftsmanship and storytelling behind the artworkâThis is the first time I am coming to Raipur and itâs been pretty amazing I explored the rich heritage and culture that Chhattisgarh and Raipur offer us People are so skillful over here the handicraft the l art and how they have preserved it was something really unique to learn about Itâs amazing to see how culture and traditions are being carried forwardâ he saidThe RCB players also sampled a wide range of local delicacies from the region including Charota Bhaji Kanda Bhaji Tikur Sherbet and traditional ragibased dishes giving them a taste of the local flavours of Bastar and ChhattisgarhâCricket has always created opportunities to connect beyond the game and for our players experiences like these make every visit even more meaningful From experiencing the local cuisine to learning about the Godna art form and the communities preserving it it was an authentic and enriching experience for the team Raipur has welcomed us with tremendous warmth and support and weâre excited to bring RCB to a city that has truly made us feel at homeâ said Rajesh Menon CEO Royal Challengers Bengaluru IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-raipur-welcomes-rcb-with-celebration-of-chhattisgarhs-culture-and-heritage-ahead-of-home-fixtures-673081.html Sat, 09 May 2026 19:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/its-just-you-the-batter-and-the-ball-rrs-yash-raj-punja-on-handling-ipl-pressure-673083.html Jaipur May 9 Rajasthan Royals RR bowler Yash Raj Punja said staying calm and focusing on one ball at a time has helped him deal with the pressure of playing in the Indian Premier League adding that performing in crunch situations gives you a much bigger reward âThereâs always a reward on the other side of pressure The bigger the pressure the bigger the reward And the thing we do to combat the pressure is just to stay in the moment and take it ball by ballâ Punja said in a video released by IPL on XThe youngster also described the unique feeling of bowling in front of packed IPL crowds saying the atmosphere strangely helps him concentrate better once he steps into his runupâThere were nerves leading up to my over But maybe itâs a thing of the IPL where the moment youâre in the middle and youâre bowling and youâre in your runup itâs like the outside world just shuts down You canât hear the noise you canât hear the music you canât hear anything else Itâs just you the batsman and the ballâ he explainedPunja who comes from the UAE cricket system said playing in the IPL had always been a major dream for aspiring cricketers back homeâNo surprise to say that the IPL is the biggest cricket league in the world And coming from the UAE where a few kids would dream of being in the IPL as cricketers in the UAE I just wanted to do whatever it takes to be a part of the best league in the worldâ he saidThe spinner also spoke about the benefits of moving from being a net bowler to becoming part of the Rajasthan Royals squad highlighting the support he has received from senior players in the dressing roomâComing from being a net bowler to a player in the team thereâs obviously a lot more perks Being able to talk oneonone with Sanju sir Jaddu bhai Yash bhai and Riyan bhai has been great whether it is spin bowling with Jaddu bhai or fieldingâ he saidPunja also praised teammate Ravi Bishnoi for bringing energy and humour to the squad atmosphereâRavi bhai is a really funny guy He knows how to lighten up the dressing room Just from nowhere heâll say something or do something and heâll have the whole dressing room cracking upâ Punja saidThe youngster also spoke about Rajasthan Royalsâ Pink Promise initiative match which supports womenled transformation programmes across RajasthanâTomorrow weâve got the Pink Promise match coming up where once a year we support Pink during a match to support a womanled transformation all across Rajasthanâ he saidPunja signed off by reiterating his commitment towards Rajasthan Royals and his ambition to one day play for IndiaâI just want to keep doing well for my franchise and repay the support theyâve given me throughout And obviously for any Indian cricketer the ultimate goal is to represent Indiaâ he addedAcquired for â¹30 lakh at the IPL 2026 Auction the 66 legspinner from Karnataka born in the UAE quickly earned praise for his high release point and lethal googly He has played two matches and taken three wickets at a good economy of 825 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/its-just-you-the-batter-and-the-ball-rrs-yash-raj-punja-on-handling-ipl-pressure-673083.html Sat, 09 May 2026 21:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/italian-open-medvedev-advances-via-walkover-after-machac-pulls-out-with-illness-673088.html Rome May 9 Daniil Medvedev received an early boost in his campaign at the Italian Open after Czech player Tomas Machac withdrew from the tournament due to illness on Saturday The withdrawal confirmed by the ATP ahead of the dayâs play in Rome handed former champion Medvedev a walkover into the third round without the Russian needing to step onto court Machac currently ranked world No 53 had been scheduled to face Medvedev in one of the headline secondround contests at the Foro Italico Instead the 2023 Rome champion now advances directly and will face the winner of the clash between Franceâs Corentin Moutet and Spainâs Pablo Llamas RuizThe late withdrawal also forced organisers to make several changes to Saturdayâs schedule Andrey Rublevâs encounter against Serbiaâs Miomir Kecmanovic was moved to Centre Court while the MoutetLlamas Ruiz fixture was shifted to the Supertennis ArenaMeanwhile action on Court 1 was rescheduled to begin at midday with the match between Chileâs Christian Garin and Spainâs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina set for no earlier than 200 PM local timeFor Medvedev the walkover comes at a useful moment in an otherwise inconsistent claycourt season The former world No 1 has struggled to find rhythm on the surface in recent weeks suffering a shocking firstround exit at the MonteCarlo Masters after a onesided defeat to Matteo BerrettiniThe Russian showed some improvement at the Madrid Open 2026 winning two matches before losing to home favourite Flavio Cobolli in the fourth round Medvedev however has previously enjoyed success in Rome lifting the title in 2023 Since then he has endured backtoback fourthround exits losing to Tommy Paul in 2024 and Lorenzo Musetti last yearThe Russian still faces a difficult route if he hopes to reclaim the title this season He is projected to meet world No 1 Jannik Sinner in the semifinals with dangerous opponents such as Felix AugerAliassime and rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca also lurking in his section of the drawElsewhere in Sinnerâs quarter young stars Jakub Mensik Arthur Fils and Ben Shelton are among the players aiming to shake up the tournament Should Medvedev reach the championship match second seed Alexander Zverev is considered the most likely finalist from the opposite half of the draw IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/italian-open-medvedev-advances-via-walkover-after-machac-pulls-out-with-illness-673088.html Sat, 09 May 2026 21:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/it-happens-all-over-the-world-flick-unfazed-by-real-madrid-dressing-room-turmoil-ahead-of-el-clasico-673093.html Barcelona May 9 Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has brushed aside the growing turmoil at archrivals Real Madrid ahead of Sundayâs crucial El ClÃsico insisting his side remains fully focused on securing the result that could seal the La Liga title Barcelona hosts Madrid with an 11point advantage at the top of the table and only 12 points left to play for this season A draw at home would be enough for Flickâs side to clinch the league crown for the second successive yearThe buildup to the highvoltage clash however has been overshadowed by reports of unrest inside the Real Madrid dressing room after midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni were allegedly involved in a fight earlier this weekAccording to reports Valverde suffered cranioencephalic trauma and required stitches after the altercation while the club reportedly fined both players 500000 euros each without handing out suspensionsDespite the controversy surrounding Madrid Flick made it clear he is not interested in events unfolding inside the opposition campâWe have to play and perform Thatâs what I want to see Weâve had a fantastic season as a team and thatâs what I want to see tomorrowâ Flick told reporters ahead of the matchâEveryone wants to see the best match La Liga has to offer The world will be watching but ultimately itâs down to us I want to see a team thatâs what I want to see tomorrow Weâre focusedâ he addedThe Barcelona coach also dismissed suggestions that Madridâs internal issues could make the contest easier for his sideâWe want to win at home We have a fantastic team and the fans are behind usâ he saidâItâs a Clasico for them too and theyâll want to win Thatâs only natural At the end of the day El ClÃsico is important for everyone â for them and for us Weâre playing at home and we want to winâ he addedWhen asked directly about the reported dressingroom tensions at Madrid Flick refused to be drawn into the controversyâIt happens all over the world Not just at Real I was a bit surprised but I donât mind Itâs not my club Itâs not my team I donât think about itâ he addedFlick also reserved praise for French superstar Kylian Mbappe calling him one of the best players in world football despite reports that the forward may miss the matchâMbappe is one of the best in the world He has an incredible quality Heâs a real threat in any situation In front of the goal with his quality heâs the best in my opinionâ Flick said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/it-happens-all-over-the-world-flick-unfazed-by-real-madrid-dressing-room-turmoil-ahead-of-el-clasico-673093.html Sat, 09 May 2026 21:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aiff-condoles-the-death-of-former-india-midfielder-mohan-singh-672874.html New Delhi May 7 The All India Football Federation has condoled the death of former India midfielder Mohan Singh who passed away on Thursday A skilful midfielder of his generation Mohan Singh represented India at the international level in the early 1970s He made his senior national team debut against Burma on March 22 1972 in Rangoon during the PreOlympic Tournament Mohan Singh went on to earn three caps for the national team all during the 1972 PreOlympic campaignAIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said âMohan Singh was a gifted midfielder who served Indian football with distinction during his playing days His performances for both the national team and some of the countryâs most iconic clubs reflected his passion and commitment to the sport On behalf of the Indian football fraternity I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family friends and loved ones May his soul rest in peaceâAt the domestic level Mohan Singh represented Bengal in the Santosh Trophy in 1972 and played a key role in the teamâs successful campaign scoring two goals as Bengal lifted the title At the club level Mohan Singh enjoyed successful spells with East Bengal and Mohun BaganWith East Bengal whom he represented in 1972 and 1975 Mohan Singh scored 11 goals across competitions including strikes in the Calcutta Football League IFA Shield Bordoloi Trophy Durand Cup and Rovers Cup During his time with the Red and Gold brigade he won the Calcutta Football League 1972 1975 IFA Shield 1972 1975 Durand Cup 1972 Rovers Cup 1972 1975 and the Bordoloi Trophy 1972He later turned out for Mohun Bagan in 1973 and 1974 scoring three goals and winning the Durand Cup in 1974 Mohan Singh also represented Mohammedan Sporting Club in 1976 continuing a distinguished career in Indian club footballThe All India Football Federation joins the Indian football fraternity in mourning the loss of Mohan Singh and honours his contributions to Indian football IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aiff-condoles-the-death-of-former-india-midfielder-mohan-singh-672874.html Fri, 08 May 2026 09:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ismaila-sarr-secures-conference-league-final-berth-for-crystal-palace-672911.html London May 8 Ismaila Sarr netted for the fifth Conference League match running to ensure Crystal Palace clinched a spot in their first European final with a 52 aggregate victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the semifinals triumphing 31 away in Krakow before a 21 win over the Ukrainian team at Selhurst Park Palace will now face La Liga outfit Rayo Vallecano in the final which will be held at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig on May 27 Palace are just one step away from more history as they travel to Leipzig seeking to win a third piece of silverware in the last year â and firstever on the continent Shakhtar needing to overturn the 31 firstleg deficit began brightly but the Eagles showed their ability to attack with pace and purpose when Adam Whartons ingenuity enabled him to ease away from an opponent before hitting an awkward shot towards Dmytro Riznyks lefthand post UEFA reportsThe visiting keeper did well to push the effort away from danger but Daniel MuÃoz was quickest to the rebound and his cross was deflected past Riznyk by the unfortunate Pedro HenriqueThe Ukrainian Premier League leaders were level soon after that setback responding with an expert Eguinaldo finish from just inside the box the Shakhtar No 7 controlling a pass with his back to goal on his right foot then effortlessly picking out the top corner with his left on the turnPalace almost responded in similar fashion with halftime approach but JeanPhilippe Matetas acrobatic scissorkick volley thumped the uprightOliver Glasners men put the tie out of Shakhtars reach seven minutes into the second period when IsmaÃla Sarr darted between two defenders to reach Tyrick Mitchells low delivery guiding the ball into the net with a deft touch via the woodworkThe Pitmen stuck to their task crafting a couple of shots to test Dean Henderson but the Eagles largely kept them at bay for the remainder of the contest to have the Selhurst Park faithful looking forward to the 27 May showpieceMeanwhile Rayo Vallecano booked their ticket to the final in Leipzig triumphing over Strasbourg with a20 aggregate win in a dramatic semifinal tie They have reached their first European final in their 102year history in only their second season of UEFA competition Their previous participation came in the 200001 UEFA Cup where they were beaten 42 on aggregate by Alaves in the last eight IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ismaila-sarr-secures-conference-league-final-berth-for-crystal-palace-672911.html Fri, 08 May 2026 11:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/not-about-fame-or-money-satwik-hits-back-at-misinterpretation-of-his-remark-on-silent-reception-after-thomas-cup-672925.html New Delhi May 8 Indian star shuttler and Khel Ratna awardee Satwiksairaj Rankireddy has hit back to those who had misinterpreted his recent comments on the lack of public reception for the Thomas Cup bronze medalwinning team saying his disappointment did not come from a desire for personal glory or financial gain but was about the emotional impact of silence following major international milestones The 2022 champions India returned to the podium in 2026 Thomas Cup and returned with a bronze medal But when the team returned to India the lack of a celebratory homecoming said a lot more than the medal itself Satiwk had shared two pictures of the squad that travelled to Horsens to compete for the Thomas Cup and their return to home with a cryptic caption How it started how its going It was seen that there was no grand departure or welcome for the team Taking to social media Satwik clarified that his intent was to foster a culture that encourages and celebrates rather than seek personal fameThe last few days have brought a lot of attention to my recent comments regarding the lack of a reception for our Thomas Cup bronze medal While I am grateful for the overwhelming support and encouragement I want to clarify my intent because I see many people deviating from the original point My words did not come from a place of wanting personal fame or taking credit away from anyone elses achievements I have the utmost respect for every athlete who brings glory to India regardless of the sport Satwik wrote in a lengthy social media postMy message was simple we need to foster a culture that encourages and celebrate every win big or small Whether it is a World Cup medal or a podium finish in global championship like the Thomas Cup these moments represent years of sacrifice and hard work When such milestones are met with silence it feels disheartening not just for us but for the future generations of Indian athletes who are watching he addedThe world no 3 doubles players pointed out that while athletes dont necessarily crave financial rewards the silence following such global achievements can be dishearteningWe dont want money or grand parades we just want to know that our country is watching and that our efforts are seen Lets come together to support all sports with the same passion and angle Next time let it not be about who won more or less but about celebrating everyone who wears the India jersey Thank you for standing by me Lets keep playing for India he saidEarlier in a press conference felicitated by SAI Satwiks doubles partner Chirag Shetty had said I feel the way it should have been celebrated Indias Thomas Cup bronze it didnât get celebrated as much The fans who actually follow badminton and understand the sport knew how big the tournament was but the general public still didnât really know the magnitude of the result That sometimes makes me sad IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/not-about-fame-or-money-satwik-hits-back-at-misinterpretation-of-his-remark-on-silent-reception-after-thomas-cup-672925.html Fri, 08 May 2026 13:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/nahid-jatinder-among-mens-player-of-the-year-nominees-for-april-672938.html Dubai May 8 Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana Oman captain Jatinder Singh and leftarm seamer Ajay Kumar of the United Arab Emirates have been nominated for the ICC Menâs Player of the Month award for April Rana has made the menâs shortlist following his Player of the Series effort in three ODIs at home against New Zealand Singhâs performances in the ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup League 2 in Nepal see him make the cut while Kumar made it after a notable start to his ODI career in the same seriesThe 23yearold pace sensation Rana took eight wickets at an economy of 446 and was named the Player of the Series as Bangladesh defeated New Zealand 21 in a home ODI seriesThe highlight for Rana was a haul of five for 32 in the second match in Mirpur that Bangladesh won by 55 runs and finished the series with two wickets in the final match in ChattogramOn the other hand Oman skipper Jatinder amassed 266 runs across five ODIs at an average of 5320 and a strike rate above 115 in Omanâs Cricket World Cup League 2 campaignHe struck 51 against Scotland early in the month and finished off with a superb 139 off 91 balls against Nepal in the ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup League 2 which is the highest ODI score by an Oman batterRounding out the shortlist is UAEâs emerging bowling star Kumar who grabbed nine wickets at an economy of 366 He returned superb figures of three for 34 against Nepal and six for 35 against Oman in his first two career ODIs that came in the ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup League 2The three nominees are shortlisted based on performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month The shortlist is then voted on by the independent ICC Voting Academy and fans around the world IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/nahid-jatinder-among-mens-player-of-the-year-nominees-for-april-672938.html Fri, 08 May 2026 15:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/nahid-jatinder-among-mens-player-of-the-month-nominees-for-april-672942.html Dubai May 8 Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana Oman captain Jatinder Singh and leftarm seamer Ajay Kumar of the United Arab Emirates have been nominated for the ICC Menâs Player of the Month award for April Rana has made the menâs shortlist following his Player of the Series effort in three ODIs at home against New Zealand Singhâs performances in the ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup League 2 in Nepal see him make the cut while Kumar made it after a notable start to his ODI career in the same seriesThe 23yearold pace sensation Rana took eight wickets at an economy of 446 and was named the Player of the Series as Bangladesh defeated New Zealand 21 in a home ODI seriesThe highlight for Rana was a haul of five for 32 in the second match in Mirpur that Bangladesh won by 55 runs and finished the series with two wickets in the final match in ChattogramOn the other hand Oman skipper Jatinder amassed 266 runs across five ODIs at an average of 5320 and a strike rate above 115 in Omanâs Cricket World Cup League 2 campaignHe struck 51 against Scotland early in the month and finished off with a superb 139 off 91 balls against Nepal in the ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup League 2 which is the highest ODI score by an Oman batterRounding out the shortlist is UAEâs emerging bowling star Kumar who grabbed nine wickets at an economy of 366 He returned superb figures of three for 34 against Nepal and six for 35 against Oman in his first two career ODIs that came in the ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup League 2The three nominees are shortlisted based on performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month The shortlist is then voted on by the independent ICC Voting Academy and fans around the world IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/nahid-jatinder-among-mens-player-of-the-month-nominees-for-april-672942.html Fri, 08 May 2026 15:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/wolvaardt-leads-icc-womens-player-of-the-month-shortlist-672943.html Dubai May 8 South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt Sri Lanka batter Imesha Dulani and Brazil allrounder Laura Cardosa are the nominees for the ICC Womens Player of the Month honour Wolvaardt who recently won two awards in the space of three months is in line once again after fine performances in an ODI series against New Zealand and a T20I series versus IndiaDulani stood out on an ODI and T20I tour of Bangladesh while Cardosa came into reckoning after a purple patch that saw her become the first player ever to take nine wickets in a T20IThe South Africa captain scored 138 runs in two ODIs at an average of 6900 including backtoback innings of 69 against New Zealand She then carried that momentum into the T20I leg piling up 330 runs in five matches at an average of 8250 and a strike rate of 16836Her crowning moment in the month of April was in the third T20I against India when she smashed 115 off 53 balls to guide South Africa to a ninewicket victory chasing down 192 Her knock was laced with 14 fours and five sixes striking at 21698 as she took charge for the ProteasThe Sri Lanka opener Dulani was named the Player of the Series in a 21 win over Bangladesh in their ICC Womenâs Championship series for scoring 116 runs She followed it with 82 runs in two T20Is including a brisk 55 off 40 balls in the first match of the seriesShe also made her presence felt in the T20I series adding 82 runs in two matches including a wellcompiled 55 in the opening game which Sri Lanka won by 25 runsBrazils Laura had a memorable run in T20Is that saw her score 203 runs at a strikerate of over 130 in seven matches which included halfcenturies against Botswana and Zambia She finished with 17 wickets at an economy rate of just 224 recording astonishing figures of nine for four against Lesotho IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/wolvaardt-leads-icc-womens-player-of-the-month-shortlist-672943.html Fri, 08 May 2026 15:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/nahid-jatinder-among-icc-mens-player-of-the-month-nominees-for-april-672944.html Dubai May 8 Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana Oman captain Jatinder Singh and leftarm seamer Ajay Kumar of the United Arab Emirates have been nominated for the ICC Menâs Player of the Month award for April Rana has made the menâs shortlist following his Player of the Series effort in three ODIs at home against New Zealand Singhâs performances in the ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup League 2 in Nepal see him make the cut while Kumar made it after a notable start to his ODI career in the same seriesThe 23yearold pace sensation Rana took eight wickets at an economy of 446 and was named the Player of the Series as Bangladesh defeated New Zealand 21 in a home ODI seriesThe highlight for Rana was a haul of five for 32 in the second match in Mirpur that Bangladesh won by 55 runs and finished the series with two wickets in the final match in ChattogramOn the other hand Oman skipper Jatinder amassed 266 runs across five ODIs at an average of 5320 and a strike rate above 115 in Omanâs Cricket World Cup League 2 campaignHe struck 51 against Scotland early in the month and finished off with a superb 139 off 91 balls against Nepal in the ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup League 2 which is the highest ODI score by an Oman batterRounding out the shortlist is UAEâs emerging bowling star Kumar who grabbed nine wickets at an economy of 366 He returned superb figures of three for 34 against Nepal and six for 35 against Oman in his first two career ODIs that came in the ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup League 2The three nominees are shortlisted based on performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month The shortlist is then voted on by the independent ICC Voting Academy and fans around the world IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/nahid-jatinder-among-icc-mens-player-of-the-month-nominees-for-april-672944.html Fri, 08 May 2026 15:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/global-chess-league-returns-to-india-for-season-4-672973.html New Delhi May 8 The Global Chess League GCL and FIDE on Friday announced that season 4 will take place in India a country where chess is not just played but lived followed and celebrated like never before with the host city to be announced in the coming days The last edition of the Global Chess League took place in Mumbai in December 2025 Alpine SG Pipers won the title after a strong campaign Since it started the league has aimed to change the game with a fastpaced franchisebased format It features rapid matches and mixedgender teams hoping to make chess a popular spectator sport worldwide Across previous seasons India has delivered packed arenas electric fan zones and a surge of digital engagement that has reshaped how chess connects with audiences Season 4 will once again bring together the worldâs leading players in a teambased format that blends elite competition with highintensity storytellingArkady Dvorkovich president FIDE said âIndia continues to play a defining role in the global growth of chess both through its exceptional talent and the passion of its fans The Global Chess League has introduced a new energy to the sport by combining worldclass competition with an engaging team format that appeals to new and existing audiences alike We are excited to bring Season 4 to India and look forward to celebrating the game with millions of fans who are helping shape the future of chess worldwideâ Gourav Rakshit Commissioner Tech Mahindra Global Chess League said âThe Global Chess League has played a pivotal role in transforming chess into a more dynamic and spectatorfriendly sport Indiaâs passion for the game and its rapidly growing chess ecosystem make it a natural destination for the league We look forward to another exciting season that brings together the worldâs best players and a global fanbaseâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/global-chess-league-returns-to-india-for-season-4-672973.html Fri, 08 May 2026 17:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/archery-wc-stage-2-simranjeet-kaur-storms-into-recurve-womens-sf-in-shanghai--672977.html Shanghai May 8 Indias Simranjeet Kaur advanced to the final four of the womens recurve individual event at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 here at the Yuanshen Sports Centre on Friday On her first time on a World Cup final stage Simranjeet doubled Fong You Jhuâs 10 count of two in the quarterfinal dropping an impressive 27 28 29 threeend score to sweep aside her Chinese Taipei counterpart 60She was highly emotional once the result was confirmed wiping away tears before quickly going on her phone to call her beloved father âI just called my dad after the match and I cried because it actually is a big deal for me and it was longawaitedâ the 27yearold archer was quoted by World Archery I feel like this is the best thing that can ever happen to an archer who is preparing for each and every World Cup the bigger events and all the competitions I think 1000 times today I have just told myself to detach and shoot Detach from the result detach from the emotions and everything else â detach from each and every thing just shoot she saidSimranjeet actually finished bottom of the fourwoman Indian recurve contingent in Wednesdayâs qualification with Ankita Bhakat 10th Kumkum Anil Mohod 11th and regular stalwart Deepika Kumari 14th However Ankits Kumkums and Deepikas campaigns ended in the third and fourth rounds respectively Interestingly Ankita lost 65 to Fong You whom Simranjeet defeated in the quarterfinal in the third round after a shootoff Meanwhile Deepika suffered a 46 loss at the hands of Korean archer Kang Chaeyoung and Kumkum fell to Alejandra Valencia Trujillo 37 of Mexico The 2024 Asia Cup silver medallist Simranjeet is seeded 15th overall and therefore will not feature in Indiaâs recurve womenâs team gold medal match against China although all four athletes could still leave Shanghai with medals on SundayIn the mens individual recurve Indias campaign ended with Dhiraj Bommadevaras 06 loss to Frenchman JeanCharles Valladont in the fourth round IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/archery-wc-stage-2-simranjeet-kaur-storms-into-recurve-womens-sf-in-shanghai--672977.html Fri, 08 May 2026 17:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/icc-education-programme-boosts-global-cricket-growth-ahead-of-la-olympics-2028-672994.html Dubai May 8 The International Cricket Council ICC Training and Education TampE Programme is continuing to strengthen cricket development around the world with more than 63000 registered users completing over 43000 courses in the last five years Launched in 2021 the programme has become the ICCâs main platform for cricket education and accreditation Courses are available in 14 languages and participants have come from 110 ICC member nations and 69 nonmember countries According to the ICC 109 of its 110 members have completed at least one ICCcertified courseThe programme covers coaching umpiring pitch curation and other areas aimed at improving the standard of cricket globally The ICC said the initiative is helping both elite and grassroots cricket including the growth of womenâs cricketOne example of the programmeâs impact was seen during the ICC Menâs T20 World Cup 2026 when former Namibia cricketer Craig Williams completed the ICC Coaching Level 3 pathway before taking over as head coach of the national teamThe ICC also highlighted the success of its cricket Programme which focuses on introducing cricket in schools and communities More than 2200 teachers and facilitators from over 1400 schools have been trained under the initiative while over 725000 participants have taken part globally Women and girls made up 49 per cent of participantsThe governing body added that women now account for 44 per cent of ICC Global Master Educators who help deliver training programmes around the worldTo further improve the programme the ICC is introducing a new Learning Management System LMS accessible through web and mobile applications The upgraded platform will provide Members with better access to data monitoring and reporting tools to help them track progress and improve domestic cricket strategiesICC General Manager of Development Will Glenwright said strengthening cricketâs workforce and development systems will be key to the sportâs future growthâThe continued growth of cricket globally depends on the strength of our people systems and pathways Through the ICC Training and Education Programme we are committed to equipping our Members with the tools and knowledge needed to build sustainable and highperforming cricket environments that not only improve the competitiveness of international cricket but also improve the playing experience for all he said in an ICC press releaseâThe introduction of the enhanced Learning Management System is an important part of this journey enabling better access to education and more effective use of data and insights at the Member level As we look ahead to key milestones including the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 strengthening our global workforce and supporting Member development will remain central to our ambitions for the gameâ he addedAccording to ICC 21 Member nations secured funding through their National Olympic Committees in 2025 supported further by the ICCâs partnership with Olympic SolidarityLooking ahead the ICC aims to achieve 100 per cent Member adoption and active programme delivery by 2028 along with more than 200000 course completions and at least 25 per cent female participation across all pathways IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/icc-education-programme-boosts-global-cricket-growth-ahead-of-la-olympics-2028-672994.html Fri, 08 May 2026 19:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/golf-bhatia-shines-with-bogey-free-opening-round-673001.html Charlotte May 8 Akshay Bhatia produced a confident and composed performance in the opening round of the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte finishing tied for 13th after posting a 3under 68 Weather interruptions affected the first dayâs play but Bhatia managed to stay focused and deliver one of the cleaner rounds in the field Starting from the back nine the IndianAmerican golfer kept his card spotless with no bogeys throughout the round He picked up three birdies showing excellent control with his approach shots and putting Bhatiaâs birdies came on the second 15th and 18th holes helping him remain within touching distance of the leaders His iron game stood out as one of the strongest aspects of his performance with him ranking second in Greens in Regulation statistics after the opening dayFellow IndianAmerican Sahith Theegala was also in action and sat tied for 30th at 1under par when play was suspended because of adverse weather conditions Theegala had completed 15 holes and still had three left to finish his first roundTheegala began positively with an early birdie on the third hole but lost momentum with backtoback bogeys on the eighth and ninth However he recovered impressively on the back nine with birdies on the 10th and 12th holes before heavy rain forced officials to suspend play for the dayMeanwhile Sudarshan Yellamaraju carded an evenpar 71 to be placed tied for 33rd Beginning his round on the back nine he mixed two birdies with two bogeys in a steady performanceAmerican golfer Matt McCarty emerged as the clubhouse leader after firing a sensational 8under 63 His round featured nine birdies and just one bogey as he adapted brilliantly to the challenging conditionsMcCarty made a fast start on the back nine with five birdies before adding more gains on the front side A brief setback with a bogey on the sixth hole did little to slow him down as he closed strongly with three consecutive birdiesSungjae Im was close behind at 7under through 17 holes before play was halted He had earlier raced through the opening stretch with five birdies in his first six holesRory McIlroy returned to competition after a short break and posted a steady 1under 70 The reigning Masters champion recorded 17 straight pars before finally birdieing his last hole to move into a tie for 30th placeMatt Fitzpatrick struggled with a 3over 74 while his brother Alex Fitzpatrick impressed with a 67 that placed him inside the top 10 Cameron Young and Tommy Fleetwood also stayed in contention after strong opening rounds despite the weather disruptions IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/golf-bhatia-shines-with-bogey-free-opening-round-673001.html Fri, 08 May 2026 19:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/lawyer-says-warner-accepts-reckless-foolish-drink-driving-decision-case-adjourned-till-june-24-672770.html New Delhi May 6 Former Australian Test cricketer David Warner will accept responsibility for a reckless foolish decision to get in his car after sharing a few glasses of wine which resulted in a midrange drinkdriving charge his lawyer said The former Test opener was charged with midrange drink driving after allegedly blowing more than twice the legal limit in a random breath test after he stopped short of a roadside test in Sydneys east on April 5He was not required to appear in Waverley Local Court on Thursday when his matter was first mentioned His lawyer Bobby Hill told the court representations had been made to police and requested the case be adjourned until late June for police to consider them and respond His matter will return to court on June 24He knows what he did was wrong He accepts that was a reckless decision a foolish decision to get in his car instead of taking an Uber He had enjoyed three glasses of wine at a friends apartment before making that decision Hill was quoted by cricketcomauIts not a crime to have a glass of wine on the day of the lords resurrection In fact some would consider that completely appropriate His crime is â choosing a foolish plan A instead of a plan B he told reportersHill further mentioned that Warners last drink had been 11 minutes before he was pulled over by police who are accused of taking 52 minutes to administer the second breathalyser The cricket star is remorseful which is why he will ask for leniency but expects to be punished as any other NSW citizen would be Hill explainedWarners furure as captain of Sydney Thunder came under scrutiny after the veteran opener was charged with a drinkdriving offence Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon after his arrest had said whether Warner remains as Thunder captain following the charge will be worked through at a later dateWarner was arrested while he was on an Easter trip home from the subcontinent where he captained the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League However the former returned to Pakistan after being charged to resume his PSl campaign IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/lawyer-says-warner-accepts-reckless-foolish-drink-driving-decision-case-adjourned-till-june-24-672770.html Thu, 07 May 2026 12:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-inconsistent-dc-look-to-arrest-slide-against-surging-kkr-672809.html New Delhi May 7 As the race for the IPL 2026 playoffs intensifies time is fast evaporating for a stuttering Delhi Capitals To keep their hopes alive Axar Patelâs men must arrest a prolonged slide in form and a dismal home record when they host a surging Kolkata Knight Riders at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday evening While DC has managed a solitary win from five home games this season threetime winners KKR arrive on the back of a threematch winning streak after a torrid start that saw them be winless in their first six matches History also favours the visitors KKR holds a 30 headtohead advantage over DC since 2024 and a win on Friday would see them leapfrog the hosts on the points tableDCâs struggles have been punctuated by a chronic lack of stability The side has fielded 20 players in ten games the secondmost for a side in the tournament mirroring the unsettled approach that marred their 2025 season This âselection rouletteâ was evident in their eightwicket loss to CSK where Karun Nair replaced Sameer Rizvi in the playing eleven only for the latter to be summoned as an Impact Player following yet another toporder collapseThis instability is largely a selfinflicted byproduct of an imbalanced playing roster By exhausting three overseas slots on batters while relying on an alldomestic seam bowling attack DCâs strategic gamble backfired The rigidity of this structure was exposed when Pathum Nissankaâs recall in Jaipur came at the expense of veteran finisher David MillerWhile Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs have staged rescue acts the fact that an Impact Player has been Delhis top scorer in the last two home games highlights a toporder in crisis The hometurf hoodoo remains a significant psychological barrier DC has managed just two wins in their last ten home outings since 2025 The varied nature of the surfaces has left the side secondguessing their own home conditions Interestingly DC have lost every time when batting first and found success while chasingKL Rahul has been the constant pillar of DCâs batting amassing 445 runs at a strike rate of 181 His strike rate of 211 between overs 716 is the secondbest in the league and accounts for a staggering 26 percent of his teams runs in this season a figure that underlines the fragility around him and the need for other batters to be more consistent in batting returnsThe bowling metrics are equally concerning for DC â they have picked 41 wickets â the lowest for any side at an economy rate of 102 T Natarajanâs form has dipped sharply with just one wicket in his last seven games while Kuldeep Yadav is enduring his most expensive season â conceding at 102 runs per over while going wicketless five times Compounding these issues is a leagueworst catch efficiency of 646 percent for DC who have grassed 17 catchesMeanwhile for KKR the spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy will again be the key Narine who became only the third bowler to take 200 IPL wickets in the sideâs win over Sunrisers Hyderabad is conceding just 68 an over the best economy rate for a bowler in the competitionChakaravarthy has taken ten wickets in his last four matches after a slow start and the numbers are unambiguous KKR have lost every match in which he has gone wicketless and won three of four when he has taken two or more With Tuesdayâs game dishing out a surface favouring spinners it plays right into their handsIn the batting department Angkrish Raghuvanshis composed 59 against SRH in the last game and Rinku Singhs 158 runs without dismissal in his last three innings along with Cameron Green looking sharp with the bat are signals of a team finding its rhythmWhat will also delight KKR is their pacers have also provided ample support to the spin attack and have been economical too with young Kartik Tyagi in delightful form The toss as much as the playing eleven could prove to be decisive for an inconsistent DC who must fix their broken blueprint if they are to halt KKRs charge before the gate to entering the playoffs shuts for themWhen Friday May 8 730PM ISTWhere Arun Jaitley Stadium New DelhiWhere to watch Star Sports Network for live TV broadcast and JioHotstar for live streamingSquadsDelhi Capitals Axar Patel captain KL Rahul Kuldeep Yadav Karun Nair David Miller Pathum Nissanka Tristan Stubbs Sameer Rizvi Nitish Rana T Natarajan Mukesh Kumar Ashutosh Sharma Dushmantha Chameera Lungi Ngidi Vipraj Nigam Sahil Parakh Prithvi Shaw Abishek Porel Ajay Mandal Tripurana Vijay Madhav Tiwari Auqib Nabi Dar Mitchell Starc Kyle Jamieson and Rehan AhmedKolkata Knight Riders Ajinkya Rahane captain Rinku Singh Sunil Narine Varun Chakaravarthy Anukul Roy Angkrish Raghuvanshi wk Cameron Green Ramandeep Singh Finn Allen Vaibhav Arora Kartik Tyagi Manish Pandey Rovman Powell Umran Malik Matheesha Pathirana Rahul Tripathi Tim Seifert Tejasvi Dahiya Rachin Ravindra Blessing Muzarabani Navdeep Saini Prashant Solanki Daksh Kamra Sarthak Ranjan and Saurabh Dubey IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-inconsistent-dc-look-to-arrest-slide-against-surging-kkr-672809.html Thu, 07 May 2026 14:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/fai-planning-to-launch-franchise-based-fencing-league-invites-expressions-of-interest-672831.html Jammu May 7 The Fencing Association of India FAI is planning to launch the countryâs firstever auctionbased Indian Fencing League to promote the overall development of the sport and provide elite athletes with a competitive platform Under the banner of One Sport One League One Nation the FAI has officially launched its Expression of Interest EOI phase presenting an opportunity for individuals corporations and institutions to secure franchise ownership and help shape the leagueâs foundational chapter The last date to submit an EOI is May 30 2026 The franchisebased competition is initially to be conducted in the Senior Mens category in all three events Epee Foil and Sabre on the FAI rules The FAI has invited individuals companies institutions and foundations to come forward and become a part of the upcoming league Through the EOI process interested parties can own a franchise invest in fencing and build the future of the sport while becoming a part of the Premier League a senior FAI official said adding âThe federation reserves the right to accept and reject any applicationâ The official further stated that the league offers a structured platform for athletes to transition from grassroots levels to global competition The idea behind the league is the overall development of the sport across the country The league will change the sport by providing our emerging athletes with a professional platform to showcase their skills and compete at various levels By attracting sponsorship media attention and public interest the league could significantly boost the popularity of fencing he addedâOverall the Indian Fencing League is a crucial step toward developing a strong sporting ecosystem that can eventually improve Indiaâs performances at global events and pave the way for a brighter future for fencing in the countryâ the official saidAnother senior FAI official shed light on the process saying While the current phase involves inviting EOIs to identify interested franchise owners all prescribed norms will be followed during the shortlisting processHe added âSimilar platforms will also be introduced in other categories and age groups with a broader perspective of bringing Indian fencing to the international stage and expanding its reach to untapped pockets in the country to make the sport more accessible and appealing to the younger generation IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/fai-planning-to-launch-franchise-based-fencing-league-invites-expressions-of-interest-672831.html Thu, 07 May 2026 18:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/football-liverpool-scraps-controversial-ticket-pricing-plans-after-fans-protest-672835.html Liverpool May 7 English football club Liverpool has bowed down to the fans and made a Uturn on their controversial plan to increase the ticket prices for the next three seasons following widespread protest from the supporters who were seen carrying banners and placards and chanting against the club in their recent matches at the Anfield Stadium The former Premier League champions have announced that fixed ticket prices will increase over the next three years citing inflation and rising fixed operating costs but the move was not well received by fans who took a united front and protested against the clubs decisionFollowing the backlash Liverpool has cut the size of their planned rise in ticket prices for the next couple of seasonsFollowing further dialogue with its Supporters Board the club can now confirm an inflationary increase of three per cent to general admission tickets for season 202627 followed by a price freeze for season 202728 Further discussions will take place with the Supporters Board for future seasons the club said in a statement released on ThursdayThe club and Supporters Board will use the certainty of these seasons to seek longerterm alternative solutions across the game and explore commercial ideas with the Supporters Board in an attempt to avoid future ticket price increases and address issues around affordability and accessibility for future generations the statement addedHowever the club believes that alternative solutions are needed as costs are increasing and it will actively engage with all parties to find a solution in everyones best interestLFC believes that without wider progress on alternative solutions future inflationary increases may still be required including season 202829 and will continue to engage with its supporters Both the club and the Supporters Board are committed to exploring a longerterm solution that works in the interests of all the club saidThe club also remains committed to managing its cost challenges responsibly giving advance notice to supporters and certainty to its own financial planning to remain competitive at the highest levels of football it addedMeanwhile Liverpool are currently placed in fourth position in the Premier League points table They will next face Chelsea on Saturday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/football-liverpool-scraps-controversial-ticket-pricing-plans-after-fans-protest-672835.html Thu, 07 May 2026 18:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/former-cricketer-shikhar-dhawan-registers-marriage-with-sophie-shine-in-gurugram-672712.html New Delhi May 7 Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan registered his marriage with Sophie Shine with whom he tied the knot in February 2026 at the registrars office in Gurugram on Wednesday Dhawan who hails from Delhi completed the formalities at the marriage registrarâs office along with his wife Sophie Shine signing the marriage documents in the presence of family members and a priest according to news reports on WednesdayThe 46yearold Dhawan had tied the knot with Sophie in an intimate ceremony in the DelhiNCR region on February 21 2026 The couple who met in Dubai and dated for over a year made their relationship public in 2025Sophie an Irish professional product consultant currently leads the Shikhar Dhawan Foundation The couple had earlier got engaged on January 12 this yearThis is Dhawans second marriage He was earlier married to Melbournebased Aesha Mukerji in 2012 Dhawan was granted a divorce on October 5 2023 on grounds of mental cruelty by his estranged wife Aesha Mukerji with whom he has a son named ZoravarThe 46yearold lefthanded batter played for India in all three formats between 2010 and 2022 making his Test debut against Australia on March 14 2013 He scored 2315 in 34 Tests at an average of 4061 scoring seven hundreds and five fifties He had a top score of 190In the 50over format Dhawan scored 6793 runs in 167 matches at an average of 4411 scoring 11 centuries and 39 fifties He has represented the country in 68 T20Is and he has scored 1759 runs at 2792 with a top score of 92 He also had a successful career in the Indian Premier League IPL from 2008 to 2024 playing for Delhi Daredevils Mumbai Indians Deccan Chargers Sunrisers Hyderabad Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings He had represented Delhi at the domestic level from 2004 to 2024 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/former-cricketer-shikhar-dhawan-registers-marriage-with-sophie-shine-in-gurugram-672712.html Thu, 07 May 2026 08:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/australia-to-tour-pakistan-for-threematch-odi-series-from-may-30-672755.html Lahore May 7 The Australiaâs menâs cricket team will arrive in Pakistan later this month for playing a threeâmatch ODI series said the Pakistan Cricket Board PCB on Thursday The series marks Australiaâs first ODI assignment in Pakistan since their tour in MarchâApril 2022 where the hosts won by 21 Earlier this year Australia toured Pakistan for a threematch T20I series where the hosts completed a 30 clean sweep in LahoreAs per a PCB statement the touring Australian side are scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on May 23 with the opening ODI to be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on May 30 The action will then shift to Lahore where the Gaddafi Stadium will host the second and third matches on June 2 and June 4 respectivelyAll three fixtures are set to begin at 430 pm local time with the toss scheduled for 4 pm The series will also clash with the playoffs stage of 2026 Indian Premier League IPL with the opening game to happen a day before the final takes place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in AhmedabadWith several of Australiaâs leading whiteâball players involved in IPL 2026 the squad may arrive in Pakistan without many frontline names The players whose franchises fail to reach the playoffs could still make it in time for the opening ODI â like ODI captain Mitch Marsh wicketkeeper Josh Inglis and Cameron GreenThe likes of Pat Cummins Josh Hazlewood Mitchell Starc and Travis Head may be given rest to focus on the Test series in Bangladesh in August while Cooper Connolly Xavier Bartlett Ben Dwarshuis and Matthew Short could be handed some breather with an eye on playing in the whiteball series in Bangladesh in JuneAlex Carey Adam Zampa and Marnus Labuschagne who recently played in the Pakistan Super League PSL are expected to line up in the 50âover format while Nathan Ellis has returned to bowling after a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the IPL and Matthew Renshaw may also land a spot in the team after good showing in his debut ODI series against India last yearAustralia the current Menâs ODI World Cup holders also played in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 registering a fiveâwicket win against England at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 22 With the next edition of the Menâs ODI World Cup set to happen next year the series presents both teams with another chance to finetune their combinations and gain momentum in the 50over formatSeries scheduleMay 23 Australia arrive in IslamabadMay 30 1st ODI Rawalpindi Cricket StadiumJune 2 2nd ODI Gaddafi Stadium LahoreJune 4 3rd ODI Gaddafi Stadium Lahore IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/australia-to-tour-pakistan-for-threematch-odi-series-from-may-30-672755.html Thu, 07 May 2026 11:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/saka-seals-arsenals-place-in-champions-league-final-672561.html London May 6 Bukayo Sakas finish on the stroke of halftime helped Arsenal reach the Champions League final for the first time since 2006 following a tense evening in north London Sakas 44thminute goal claimed 10 win for the Gunners in the semifinal secondleg against Atletico Madrid and moved into the final with an aggregate 21 winMikel Artetas men dominated the early passages of play but it was the visitors who carved out the opening opportunity with JuliÃn Alvarez sweeping wide from a Giuliano Simeone cross via a swift attack eight minutes inWith the Gunners forced to resort to longrange efforts for much of the first half the hosts found a breakthrough with the interval approaching Viktor GyÃkeres expertly picked out Leandro Trossard in space to the left of the penalty spot and the Belgian attacker somehow created the angle to get his shot away in the crowded area When Jan Oblak could only parry the strike Bukayo Saka was quickest to turn in the rebound UEFA reportsAtleti began the second period in purposeful fashion Antoine Griezmann forcing David Raya into a smart stop with a crisp drive 11 minutes after the restartBoth teams made triple substitutions shortly before the hour and it was Arsenals changes that almost put the game beyond doubt Captain Martin Odegaard curled over almost immediately after his introduction and fellow replacement Piero Hincapià set up GyÃkeres with a pinpoint delivery but the striker was unable to keep his firsttime effort downThe Londoners aiming to register a 30th clean sheet of the campaign across all competitions restricted their opponents to few clearcut openings in the closing stages to ensure they claimed their place in the Budapest final later this monthSaka told Amazon Prime after the win Its so beautiful you can see what it means to us what it means to the fans Were all so happy This was a highpressure game It meant a lot to both sides we managed it well and take ourselves to the final IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/saka-seals-arsenals-place-in-champions-league-final-672561.html Wed, 06 May 2026 10:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/samson-is-the-superstar-csk-have-been-crying-out-for-finch-672570.html New Delhi May 6 Former Australian skipper Aaron Finch impressed how Samson Sanju settled into his new team and said the wicketkeeperbatter is the superstar Chennai Super Kings have been waiting for to be in their arsenal Samson who was traded in from Rajasthan Royals at the cost of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran started IPL 2026 with three singledigit scores all of which were part of losses for his new franchiseThe wicketkeeperbatter then turned things around and has three fiftyplus scores in seven innings since including a matchwinning 87 not out off 52 balls against Delhi Capitals DC on a tricky pitch on TuesdayHe missed out the first couple of games didnt he All of a sudden there was a massive panic What has CSK done Finch said on ESPNcricinfo Theyve got Sanju Samson and hes not performing Two games in T20 is nothing To go right through a season ultraconsistent is so difficult You probably cant underestimate the pressure on somebody going into a team like CSK Being a huge marquee signing particularly when you have traded someone like Jadeja out of the side as wellSamson who was adjudged Player of the tournament in the T20 World Cup currently has 402 runs in ten innings at an average of 5742 and strike rate of 16750Although he Samson had a dream run at the end of the T20 World Cup and then hes come in at CSK and missed out a couple of times there will still be some pride and pressure and almost some feeling that you can tend to overplay it slightly in your own head that you want to get to a new franchise and really lay down a marker and say Im hereThis is what youre traded for and the superstar that youve been crying out for So the fact that hes batting on a different level is great to see he addedAfter the win against DC CSK remained in sixth place in the standings only two points behind the four teams ranked from second to fifth IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/samson-is-the-superstar-csk-have-been-crying-out-for-finch-672570.html Wed, 06 May 2026 11:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-how-akeal-amp-noor-deconstructed-dcs-batting-order-672575.html New Delhi May 6 For a long time a key marker for Chennai Super Kings CSK having a good time in the IPL has been tied to their spinners making merry with the ball At the Arun Jaitley Stadium where yellow easily outnumbered blue jerseys in stands Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad provided for that merry making with the ball to help the fivetime champions get a decisive win In IPL 2025 Ahmad lacked support as Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were far off from their prime With the veteran spinners exiting CSK setup ahead of IPL 2026 Hoseinâs acquisition at the auction was the ideal way to fill in that huge voidHence itâs no surprise that Hoseinâs inclusion from April 11 after three early defeats has coincided with a sharp turnaround in CSKâs fortunes â the latest of which got them a clinical eightwicket win over DCOn a sticky pitch there was ample turn and grip for spinners in the first half Add to it the ball was coming slower off the pitch with low bounce which meant pacers could benefit from employing slower balls and hard lengths In that scenario Hoseinâs control in powerplay and Ahmadâs middleâovers strikes reduced DC to 615 and that went a long way in CSK getting two crucial pointsWhile the scorecard reflected a comprehensive win Hosein said dismantling DCâs toporder was no accident and credited meticulous homework for the same âI think homework is very important You want to have that head start when you come up against whichever batter youre going to faceâIts just about making assessments as quickly as possible You might come up on a pitch that is spinning and then the one that isnt spinning Thankfully I can spin and swing the ball So its just about picking which deliveries will give you the most success on a particular day and against a particular batter he said in the postmatch press conferenceWith two righthanded openers at the crease CSK wasted no time in deploying Hosein from the get go Despite conceding a first ball boundary to Pathum Nissanka Hosein found turn to beat Nissanka and went up for a loud lbw appeal on the fourth ball Though CSK didnât go for the review due to the ball going over stumps CSK persisted with Hosein especially with DC batters not being too proactiveWith Nitish Rana coming to the middle after Nissankaâs fall it was a bid by the hosts to deny Hosein a return to the crease due to the leftarmspinner versus lefthanded batter matchup being amongst crickets most rigid conventions But then switching Hoseinâs end from Willingdon Pavilion to the North Stand paid immediate rewards as he got grip and beat a lofting KL Rahul in flight to get his scalpWith Karun Nair facing four balls Rana could only play a dot ball as DC closed the powerplay at 372 Hoseins final figures would read as 119 in four overs with it made sharper by the fact that only one of his four overs came outside the fielding restrictionsAs per CricViz Hosein is the most economical bowler in the powerplay this season with a dotâball percentage of 648 and economy rate of 644 which further highlights that his control with the new ball has been unmatched Noor would then come over to knock off Nair and Rana and finish with 222 in three oversI think Ill speak from a match perspective Getting the opportunity to bowl first for me is just about again making that assessment as quickly as possible and then passing on that information to Noor or even to the seamers as well if it was a bit of spin or if its gripping or whatever the case isSo conversations with myself and Noor have been fantastic Really happy for him that hes getting some success and like I say its just about passing on that information to your fellow teammates so that when they come on they can do even better than you and put the team in a winning positionChanging ends wasnt my call It was the skippers call But with that being said you have to be open minded and ready for any challenge or any specific end Sometimes you may come up against a big and small side but sometimes you try to stick to the planâSo dont change the plan and again its about getting hit where your boundary fielders are I had long off and mid wicket so I know if he had to score boundaries I want to force him to those guys and luckily he got caught trying to go over long off which was good for me elaborated HoseinHosein also noted that the âmentalâ aspect is just as vital as skill in stemming the runflow in powerplay I think you need both of them You need to have that mental and you also need to have that skill especially when you come upon pitches that arent conducive to spin and its just about being disciplined as wellâHaving two fielders out in the power play its not a job where you can go searching for wickets or you can be too greedy Its just about sticking to the plan Yes its a bit descriptive because you only have two guys out so its just about being disciplined and trying to do the job for the team At the end of the day if you dont get wickets and you bowl economically in the power play thats a damn good job youve done for the teamThe dismantling of DC wasnt just about the starters Hosein pointed to the readiness of Jamie Overton who bowled just one over in the death overs but took out Tristan Stubbs who neutralised Anshul Kamboj with his usage of the creaseI bowled my fourth over outside the powerplay so it wasnt too bad But Jamie hes been in great form with the bat and ball but sometimes its just the way the cookie crumbles He didnt bowl much but it just goes to show that its very important to stay in tack with the game and stay in tune with the game and understand when youre called upon you have a plan and youre ready to executeSeeing Jamie come and bowl such a brilliant over in the death overs under pressure to guys set and to execute like that for the team was fantastic Even though he could have easily felt that he was out of the game because he hadnt bowled an over it was very good and I must applaud Jamie for staying in tack with the game and understanding what was his role and function at that time and he executed brilliantlyItâs still a mystery over why CSK would bench Hosein at times including in their eightwicket loss to Gujarat Titans at home For starters Hosein featured in the Delhi tie only after CSK had to rejig their combination post Ramakrishna Ghosh being ruled out due to right foot fracture But with Hosein and Ahmad in sync CSK can look to continue with their new spin twins and bring themselves back in the race for playoffsI think it can be difficult but at the end of the day you have to be openminded and for me its whatever the team requires and for us as players its whichever player is required on that given day So were very open to whatever decisions is made We know the staff are doing whats best for our team and putting the best eleven on the park for that particular opposition on that particular day signed off Hosein after playing a vital hand on a night when the sea of yellow was elated on seeing CSKâs victory making huge noise in New Delhi IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-how-akeal-amp-noor-deconstructed-dcs-batting-order-672575.html Wed, 06 May 2026 11:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/nzs-domestic-stars-named-in-squad-for-womens-a-tour-to-sri-lanka--672584.html Auckland May 6 New Zealand Cricket has announced a squad comprising a host of emerging talent for the Womens A tour to Sri Lanka The tour includes three oneday matches and three T20s starting from May 12 in Dambulla Canterbury menâs assistant coach Brendon Donkers will lead the coaching unit alongside Northern Brave Womenâs head coach Peter Borren and NZC pathway coach Sara McGlashanThe squad features seven players with international experience in Kayley Knight Jess Watkin Bella Armstrong Fran Jonas Hannah Rowe Kate Anderson and Bella JamesToporder batter Anderson was recently awarded the Ruth Martin Cup for domestic batting at the NZC Awards after making 776 runs across the season including 560 at an average of 70 in the Hallyburton Johnstone HBJ Shield Prue Catton will join Anderson in the batting department after playing a crucial role in the Hearts Super Smash campaign and finishing the competition as one of the top run scorersOffspinner Xara Jetly the secondhighest wickettaker in both the domestic oneday and T20 competitions has earned her maiden New Zealand A call up after claiming 35 wickets for the Blaze this summer including careerbest List A figures of 639Pace bowler Marama Downes finished second equal to Jetly in the Super Smash leading wickettaking chart also earning herself a maiden New Zealand A call upSeamer Emma Black adds her domestic experience to the pace bowling ranks off the back of another memorable season where she led the HBJ Shield wickettaking charts with 21 wicketsThe squad depart to Sri Lanka on May 7 ahead of their first One Day match in DambullaThis will be the first womenâs New Zealand A tour to Asia providing the opportunity to test the next best womenâs cricketers in subcontinent conditionsNZC head of womenâs high performance Liz Green said it was a busy winter for New Zealandâs top female talentâSri Lankaâs going to be a really exciting tour for this group of talented athletes said Green âWe know playing opportunities are crucial for player development so itâs really pleasing to know weâll have 15 players in England with the white Ferns and 15 players in Sri Lanka with New Zealand A all at the same timeGreen said selecting the New Zealand A squad wasnât easy âThe selection process was one of the most competitive to date There were a number of impressive performers we saw this summer which gave us a lot to think aboutThereâs varying levels of experience in this squad and theyâve all shown skills consistent with whatâs needed at the international level so it should make for an exciting series IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/nzs-domestic-stars-named-in-squad-for-womens-a-tour-to-sri-lanka--672584.html Wed, 06 May 2026 12:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ahmedabad-to-host-ipl-2026-finale-on-may-31-as-bcci-unveils-playoffs-schedule-672614.html Mumbai May 6 Ahmedabad will host the IPL 2026 final as the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI on Wednesday announced the schedule for playoffs marking the culmination of another exhilarating season After 70 leaguestage matches the playoffs begin with Qualifier 1 featuring the top two teams in the standings on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala with a direct berth in the final at stakeThe action will then move to the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh which will host the Eliminator on May 27 between the third and fourthplaced teams The same venue will also stage Qualifier 2 on May 29 where the loser of Qualifier 1 will face the winner of the Eliminator to determine the second finalistThe season will conclude with the grand final on May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad â the worldâs largest cricket stadium â setting the stage for a spectacular finale Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations the TATA IPL 2026 Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case the BCCI said in a releaseThe IPL final usually takes places at the home ground of the reigning champion and in this case with Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB winning the previous edition M Chinnaswamy wouldve hosted the summit clash However the BCCI stated that due to requirements from local authorities that fell beyond the scope of BCCIs established guidelines and protocols it would not be possible to hold the final in Bengaluru Bengaluru was originally designated to host the final However owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCIs established guidelines and protocols the venue has been shifted and reassigned the BCCI saidPlayoffs ScheduleQualifier 1 May 26 â HPCA Stadium DharamshalaEliminator May 27 â New International Cricket Stadium New ChandigarhQualifier 2 May 29 â New International Cricket Stadium New ChandigarhFinal May 31 â Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ahmedabad-to-host-ipl-2026-finale-on-may-31-as-bcci-unveils-playoffs-schedule-672614.html Wed, 06 May 2026 13:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/golf-guntas-kaur-sandhu-to-lead-three-member-team-for-2026-queen-sirikit-cup-672673.html New Delhi May 6 The Indian Golf Union IGU will send a threemember Indian team to compete in the prestigious Queen Sirikit Cup next month at the Sentul Highlands Golf Club in Bogor Indonesia The event is scheduled from May 12 to 15 The team will be led by 2025 Ladies Order of Merit champion Guntas Kaur Sandhu who has been consistent in 2026 as well The other members of the team are Haryanas Ceerat Kang and Keya Badugu of Delhi Vandana Aggarwal will be accompanying the team as managerOrganised by the AsiaPacific Golf Confederation APGC in association with The RampA world golf rules governing body a total of 15 countries including defending champions South Korea will be competing in the tournament â Australia China Chinese Taipei Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Myanmar New Zealand Philippines Singapore Thailand and Vietnam2025 Ladies Order of Merit champion Guntas who has been consistent in 2026 as well has six wins under her belt and 17 top10 finishes from 20 starts in the 202526 IGU season She recently won the Ladies and Combined AampB category titles of the IGU West Bengal Ladies amp Junior Girls Championship in April Guntas expressed her excitement about competing in the prestigious tournament saying Representing the country is a huge honour The Queen Sirikit Cup is a prestigious team event in amateur golf It is a major event in my career as it gives me international exposure and opportunity to compete with the best players work harder stay focused and enhance my game IGU has been extremely supportive in helping me improve my gameThe Queen Sirikit Cup officially known as the Amateur Ladies AsiaPacific Invitational Golf Team Championship and named after Thailandâs erstwhile queen was inaugurated in 1979 and India has competed in this tournament ever since the inaugural edition that featured nine nations In 2023 Avani Prashanth won the individual title in the Queen Sirikit Cup ending a 43year title drought Avani Prashanthâs victory in 2023 is a big source of inspiration for me Watching an Indian golfer achieve success at international stage gives me motivation and the belief that I can do it tooâ the 15yearold saidPlayed over 54 holes the event is made up of teams of three players with the best two daily scores being counted The winning team receives an exemption into The RampA Girls AmateurCeerat said that such events help her get out of her âcomfort zoneâ and express herself on different layouts âI am excited to be participating in the Queen Sirikit Cup It is something I have always looked forward to It really helps me come out of my comfort zone in different conditions different courses and against the best international players I would like to thank the IGU as they have guided me throughout my golfing journey and helped me improve my gameâ said the 19yearoldTerming the event a âspecialâ one in her career Keya 19 said âIt is the second time I am travelling with the Indian team It is a special feeling to wear the Indian blazer and represent your country as a team in an event which has a rich history I am really grateful to IGU for sending me to these international trips and giving me the necessary exposure to different events and conditionsâThe Queen Sirikit Cup has been the launchpad for many top international professional golfers like Minjee Lee Hannah Green Sarah Kemp Fiona Xu Atthaya Thitikul Seo Kyorim Anna Parsons among others IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/golf-guntas-kaur-sandhu-to-lead-three-member-team-for-2026-queen-sirikit-cup-672673.html Wed, 06 May 2026 18:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/govt-maintains-no-bilateral-sports-ties-with-pakistan-opens-doors-for-multilateral-events-672675.html New Delhi May 6 The Sports Ministry on Wednesday said Indiaâs ban on bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan will continue while also maintaining that Pakistan players and teams will be able to participate in multilateral events hosted by India In an official circular issued to the National Sports Federations the Indian Olympic Association and the Sports Authority of India Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs the ministry stated that Insofar as bilateral sports events in each otherâs country are concerned Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India With regard to international and multilateral events in India or abroad we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interests of our own sportspersons It is also relevant to take into account Indias emergence as a credible venue to host international sports eventsThe development came at a time when India will host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and has made a pitch for the 2036 Olympics India will also host the ICC Champions Trophy in 2029 and the Mens ODI World Cup in 2031 Moreover India is looking to bring the Asian Games back to home soil for the first time since 1982 as the country expressed interest in hosting the Asian Games 2038 with the proposal discussed at the Olympic Council of Asia OCA executive board meeting last monthThe ministry stressed that visa procedures for athletes technical staff and international sports officials will be simplified to make India a preferred destination for international sporting events To position India as a preferred destination for hosting international sporting events the visa process for sportspersons team officials technical personnel and officebearers of International Sports Governing Bodies shall be simplified In respect of officebearers of International Sports Governing Bodies a multientry visa shall be granted on a priority basis for the duration of their official tenure subject to a maximum period of five years it said This shall facilitate their smooth movement into and within the country in accordance with international norms Due protocol and courtesies as per established practice shall be extended to the Heads of International Sports Governing Bodies during their visits to India the ministry added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/govt-maintains-no-bilateral-sports-ties-with-pakistan-opens-doors-for-multilateral-events-672675.html Wed, 06 May 2026 18:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-few-demands-of-ksca-were-considered-unacceptable-say-sources-672677.html New Delhi May 6 Bengalurus M Chinnaswamy Stadium lost the hosting rights of the Indian Premier League IPL 2026 final scheduled on May 31 after a series of contentious demands and organisational concerns from local authorities and stakeholders According to sources IPL officials remained in constant touch with the Karnataka State Cricket Association KSCA but negotiations broke down due to what were deemed âtoo high and unacceptableâ demands including requests for passes for members and politiciansThe situation was further complicated by reports of ticket black marketing which raised serious integrity and logistical concerns As a result the decision was taken to shift the marquee final to Ahmedabad ensuring smoother operations and tighter control over arrangements for one of the tournamentâs biggest fixtures IPL officials were in constant touch with the KSCA officials However their demands â including passes for members and politicians â were considered too high and unacceptable There were also reports of ticket black marketing These were the reasons why the IPL final venue was shifted from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad sources told IANSThe IPL final usually takes places at the home ground of the reigning champion and in this case with Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB winning the previous edition M Chinnaswamy wouldve hosted the summit clash However the BCCI in its statement stated that due to requirements from local authorities that fell beyond the scope of BCCIs established guidelines and protocols it would not be possible to hold the final in Bengaluru The season will conclude with the grand final on May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad â the worldâs largest cricket stadium â setting the stage for a spectacular finale Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations the IPL 2026 Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case the BCCI said in a releaseEarlier on Wednesday the BCCI announced the schedule for the knockout stage of IPL 2026 Ahmedabads Narendra Modi Stadium set to host IPL finalAfter 70 leaguestage matches the playoffs begins with Qualifier 1 featuring the top two teams in the standings on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala with a direct berth in thefinal at stakeThe action will then move to the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh which will host the Eliminator on May 27 between the third and fourthplaced teams The same venue will also stage Qualifier 2 on May 29 where the loser of Qualifier 1 will face the winner of the Eliminator to determine the second finalist IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-few-demands-of-ksca-were-considered-unacceptable-say-sources-672677.html Wed, 06 May 2026 18:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/babette-de-leede-to-lead-as-netherlands-unveil-squad-for-debut-womens-t20-wc-672679.html Amsterdam May 6 The Netherlands Cricket Board has unveiled a 15member squad for the upcoming ICC Womens T20 World Cup 2026 which will commence on June 12 in England and Wales The team is making its debut in the multinational tournament which will include 12 teams for the first time Babette de Leede will lead the team in their first major T20 tournament and she is looking forward to showcasing the skills of the team on the world stage and some crowd support as wellWe are super excited for our firstever appearance in the ICC T20 World Cup It will be a great opportunity to compete with the best teams in the world and to show the talent that we have in the Netherlands on the big stage Babette said in a statement released by Netherlands Cricket Board Because the T20 World Cup is played close to our home in England we expect a big orange crowd and a lot of support It will be an experience of a lifetime not just for us as a team but also for our families friends and everyone who has Dutch womenâs cricket at heartâ she addedThe Netherlands secured their maiden qualification to the Womens T20 World Cup after three wins in three matches during the Super Six stage of the ICC Womens T20 World Cup Global Qualifiers held in Nepal last year The Dutch team is placed in a tough group A in the T20 World Cup where they will clash with Australia Bangladesh India Pakistan and South Africa in the group stage for the top two spots in the points table which will take them through to the semifinalsThey will open their campaign against Bangladesh at Edgbaston on Sunday June 14 This will be followed by highprofile matchups against India at Headingley on June 17 and defending champions Australia at the Utilita Bowl on June 20The team captained by Babette de Leede will conclude their group stage fixtures at the County Ground in Bristol facing South Africa on June 25 and Pakistan on June 27Prior to the World Cup the Netherlands will play a T20I TriSeries in Scotland against Bangladesh and the host countryNetherlands Squad Babette de Leede c Caroline de Lange FrÃdÃrique Overdijk Hannah Landheer Heather Siegers Iris Zwilling Isabel van der Woning Lara Leemhuis Myrthe van den Raad Phebe Molkenboer Robine Rijke Rosalie Lawrence Sanya Khurana Silver Siegers Sterre Kalis IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/babette-de-leede-to-lead-as-netherlands-unveil-squad-for-debut-womens-t20-wc-672679.html Wed, 06 May 2026 18:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/premier-league-a-dream-start-cut-short-says-chelseas-derry-after-a-scary-head-injury-on-debut-672522.html London May 5 Winger Jesse Derry has reassured fans following a concerning onfield collision during his first full Premier League start for Chelsea which resulted in the teenager being taken to hospital for treatment The 18yearold was stretchered off just before halftime in Chelseaâs 31 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge after a heavy clash of heads with defender Zach Abbott The incident brought immediate concern among players and supporters with medical staff rushing onto the pitch to provide urgent care before Derry was transported to St Maryâs HospitalDespite the frightening nature of the collision Derry later shared a positive update expressing gratitude for the support he received Taking to social media he described the moment as special despite the unfortunate endâIt was a dream come true to start at Stamford Bridge for my Premier League debutâ he wrote âIâd like to thank all the Chelsea medical staff everyone at St Maryâs Hospital my teammates and all the fans for their incredible support Iâm looking forward to being back out there very soonâ he wrote in a post on InstagramJesse became the 33rd player to follow in his fatherâs footsteps by playing in the Premier League Jesseâs father Shaun played 53 times in the Premier League mostly for Queens Park Rangers between 2011 and 2013 He featured against Chelsea on three occasions winning two of those matches 10 and losing the other 61Meanwhile Chelsea slumped to a sixth straight Premier League defeat and saw their Champions League qualification hopes virtually disappear after losing to Nottingham Forest 31 on Monday They are now placed at the 9th spot in the Points table with 48 points in 35 matches The west London club is now ten points behind fifthplace Aston Villa and with very few games remaining their chance to finish in the top five and confirm their place seems dicey IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/premier-league-a-dream-start-cut-short-says-chelseas-derry-after-a-scary-head-injury-on-debut-672522.html Tue, 05 May 2026 21:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/premier-league-man-city-slip-up-in-title-race-with-3-3-draw-at-everton-672376.html Liverpool May 5 Manchester City suffered a costly setback in the Premier League title race after a thrilling 33 draw at Everton City are five points behind Arsenal with only one match in hand and the Gunners will be crowned champions if they win their final three gamesEverton meanwhile remain in the race for European qualification climbing to 10th place with 48 pointsMan City led at halftime through Jeremy Doku but then had a hugely damaging 13minute spell in which they conceded three times to fall 31 behind Thierno Barry scoring twice from the bench either side of a Jake OâBrien goalPep Guardiolas side managed a late comeback with Erling Haaland scoring immediately after kickoff in the 83rd minute and Doku then curling in his second goal of the match deep into stoppage timeEverton had to weather an early storm with Man City recording 864 per cent possession across the opening 20 minutesBut the hosts eventually gained a foothold and midfielder Merlin Rohl â playing in an unfamiliar wide role â burst in behind Man Cityâs defence just after the halfhour mark though his cross was palmed out of Betos path by Gianluigi DonnarummaEvertonâs resolve was punctured in the 43rd minute by a moment of magic from Doku who created a yard of space on the edge of the box and curled an unstoppable effort into the topleft corner Premier League reportsNdiaye forced Donnarumma into a save but a huge chance went begging for the Toffeesâ No 10 soon after as the chaos startedA long punt forward caused havoc for Man Cityâs defence but oneonone with Donnarumma Ndiaye sent a tame effort straight at the goalkeeperEverton striker Barry not long on as a substitute made no such mistake and gratefully slotted home when Man City centreback Marc Guehi underplayed a simple back pass in the 68th minuteGuehi atoned somewhat when he thwarted Ndiaye with a lastditch challenge but from the resulting corner Everton defender OâBrien headed in from James Garnerâs 73rdminute inswingerEvertons incredible turnaround yielded a third goal in the 81st minute when Barry finished from Rohls wayward shot but straight from the restart Man City hit back as Haaland surged through an inexplicable gap in the home sides defenceThat error proved costly for Everton when they failed to clear their lines from a corner in the seventh minute of stoppage time and Doku was once again given too much space to slam in a wonderful finish IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/premier-league-man-city-slip-up-in-title-race-with-3-3-draw-at-everton-672376.html Tue, 05 May 2026 10:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sevilla-beat-real-sociedad-to-escape-la-liga-relegation-zone-672378.html Seville May 5 Real Sociedad suffered a narrow 10 defeat against Sevilla FC An early secondhalf strike from Alexis proved decisive leaving the txuri urdin with only the slimmest of chances of securing fifth place La Real began brightly but found it difficult to turn possession into clear opportunities Sevilla spurred on by the urgency of their situation and the backing of their home crowd looked more threatening before the break although their chances were distance that Remiro dealt with comfortably The second half began with a good opportunity for Real Sociedad as Oskarsson delivered a cross that Oyarzabal just failed to reach But Sevilla made the most of their first real chance with Alexis putting the hosts ahead From that point on Real Sociedad were flat in attack and never managed to create the kind of openings that might have brought an equaliser A defeat that all but ends their hopes of finishing fifth Four matches remain as they aim to close the season as strongly as possibleSevilla coach Luis Garcia Plaza assessed the win saying The team hit rock bottom in the first half against Levante Since then weve played five games and I think we havent played too badly considering the points weve earned The team is improving and the first half was very good in terms of pressing scoring opportunities and attacking play It should have ended 30 but were going to suffer a lot Sevilla striker Alexis Sanchez said after the win I stayed calm to finish with composure Thats why they brought me here for my experience and I continue to demonstrate it because Im physically fit This is what Ive been dealt here which is the most difficult thing of my career but this group is united You saw it after the last match when we saw Suazo crying The Chilean also explained that I came here because Sevilla is a big club with a great fanbase and a great stadium Not just anyone plays here those who play here have to have passion and talent IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sevilla-beat-real-sociedad-to-escape-la-liga-relegation-zone-672378.html Tue, 05 May 2026 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chess-van-foreest-stuns-world-no1-carlsens-at-tepe-sigeman-672384.html Malmo May 5 World No 1 Magnus Carlsen suffered a rare defeat in classical chess going down to Jorden van Foreest in a dramatic Round 4 clash at the TePe Sigeman amp Co tournament ending his unbeaten run in the format that had stretched for nearly a year Carlsen who had not lost a classical game since his highprofile defeat to D Gukesh at Norway Chess 2025 appeared wellplaced to salvage a draw in what turned out to be a tense and fluctuating encounter However sustained pressure and time trouble proved decisive as Van Foreest capitalised on late inaccuracies to seal a memorable victoryThe contest saw both players navigate a complex middlegame before entering a tricky endgame featuring imbalanced material With engines suggesting a drawn position and Carlsen known for his defensive resilience the Norwegian looked set to extend his streak But as the clock ticked down the balance shiftedVan Foreest gradually increased the pressure repeatedly posing practical problems In a critical phase Carlsen faltered allowing his knight to be trapped in a decisive sequence that forced resignation bringing an end to his longstanding dominance in classical playReflecting on the win and the turning point Van Foreest said âI never thought it would happen I was already resigned to making a draw and I was OK with it and then suddenly I got this moment out of nowhere and things spiralled out of control once again It was a fascinating game and I think he also thought so Thatâs why we discussed a lotâThe result gains further significance given Carlsenâs limited appearances in classical chess since stepping away from the world title cycle in 2022 His return to Malmo his first such outing since Norway Chess 2025 was seen as part of his buildup to Norway Chess 2026Elsewhere 14yearold Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus defeated Nils Grandelius to take the sole lead Zhu Jiner notched her first win against Andy Woodward while Indiaâs Arjun Erigaisi played out a draw with Nodirbek Abdusattorov IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chess-van-foreest-stuns-world-no1-carlsens-at-tepe-sigeman-672384.html Tue, 05 May 2026 10:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/its-better-to-have-a-point-than-a-nil-gaurdiola-on-man-citys-draw-with-everton--672390.html Liverpool May 5 Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said hos team will keep fighting for the Premier League despite losing control of the title race after a 33 draw with Everton City are now five points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand and the Gunners will be crowned champions if they win their final three gamesâItâs better to have a point than no point It would be better to win the game than have the point Many things happened We know the difficulty of the opponent they are incredibly aggressive Guardiola was quoted by Manchester City websiteMan City led at halftime through Jeremy Doku but then had a hugely damaging 13minute spell in which they conceded three times to fall 31 behind Thierno Barry scoring twice from the bench either side of a Jake OâBrien goalGuardiolas side managed a late comeback with Erling Haaland scoring immediately after kickoff in the 83rd minute and Doku then curling in his second goal of the match deep into stoppage timeâWe were there in the first half and exceptional then in the second half they make a step up We played with good process but maybe not the intention we had in the first half We gave away the first goal then from the corner they are so good David Moyes always is with setpieces It was open to transition and we had chancesWe had momentum and two goals the third was outstanding We take a point It was in our hands before this game but now itâs not Prepare for Brentford We will continue and see what happens he addedAfter a strong first half Guardiola felt that his side lost momentum but praised the neversaydie attitude of the playersâWhen you score and have the momentum you have to win the game given the situation and how many games we have left With the long balls they are better they win freekicks and throwinsâYou make some decisions a little rushed which is normal because of the emotions but at the same time without that emotion you cannot come back If you give up you cannot do what we have done said Guardiola IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/its-better-to-have-a-point-than-a-nil-gaurdiola-on-man-citys-draw-with-everton--672390.html Tue, 05 May 2026 11:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/from-world-cup-highs-to-ipl-woes-mumbai-indians-slide-exposes-cracks-in-star-core-672409.html Mumbai May 5 Not too long ago the Mumbai Indians were the benchmark every franchise aspired to match a side that defined consistency built dynasties and turned big moments into routine triumphs Five titles in eight years had cemented their status as the undisputed heavyweights of the Indian Premier League But in IPL 2026 that aura has faded into uncertainty A campaign that promised revival has instead exposed deeper cracks in leadership team balance and most notably in the form of the very players who not long ago stood at the summit of world cricketJust weeks after lifting the ICC Mens T20 World Cup Suryakumar Yadav Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya have found themselves at the centre of a season that has unravelled alarmingly for the fivetime championsAt the heart of Mumbaiâs struggles lies a familiar yet unresolved question â what changedThe answer traces back to a pivotal shift in leadership The decision to move on from Rohit Sharma as captain and reinstall Hardik Pandya at the helm was meant to usher in a new era Instead it disrupted a structure that had long thrived on stability and clarity Rohitâs tenure was defined by calm authority and tactical assurance qualities that had become synonymous with Mumbaiâs identityThe transition however has been anything but seamlessPandyaâs return was expected to bring dynamism and allround impact But this season he has struggled to influence games either with the bat or the ball while also grappling with the demands of leadership His inability to close out matches or provide breakthroughs in crucial phases has compounded Mumbaiâs problems leaving the side without a clear onfield driverIf leadership has been one fault line form has been anotherSuryakumar Yadav Indiaâs T20I captain and once the most feared batter in the format has shown glimpses of fluency but has repeatedly failed to convert starts into matchdefining innings The intent remains the range of strokeplay intact but the outcomes have not followed a reflection of a season where fine margins have consistently gone against MumbaiSimilarly Jasprit Bumrahâs campaign has mirrored the teamâs collective dip Long regarded as the gold standard of T20 bowling Bumrah has struggled to assert his usual control In a season dominated by highscoring contests his lack of wickets and inability to dictate phases has exposed a broader issue a bowling unit that has failed to function as a cohesive forceHead coach Mahela Jayawardene stressed that the issues are collective rather than individual citing a lack of consistency across departmentsThat inconsistency has defined Mumbaiâs seasonThe batting order despite its firepower has oscillated between promise and collapse On some nights the top order has faltered early leaving the middle order to rebuild under pressure On others strong starts have not translated into matchwinning totals Even when the side has managed to post or chase big scores defensive frailties have undone the effortTheir bowling once a pillar of their success has lacked penetration and control Opponents have repeatedly capitalised in key phases while Mumbai have struggled to find reliable wickettaking optionsAmid this churn one storyline has stood in contrastRohit Sharma now featuring only in the ODI format for India after stepping away from T20Is and Tests has quietly continued to meet expectations despite limited game time and injury setbacks Having missed several matches this season due to an injury the former captain returned with a statement performance a fluent 44ball 84 while chasing a daunting 229 reminding everyone of the class that underpinned Mumbaiâs most successful eraHis comeback knock stitched alongside Ryan Rickelton briefly revived belief and offered a glimpse of stability at the top something Mumbai have sorely lacked Even in a campaign dominated by inconsistency Rohitâs ability to deliver under pressure has stood outYet those moments have been exceptionsTeam construction has also played its part in the decline In attempting to rebuild their bowling after earlier shortcomings Mumbai compromised on batting depth a tradeoff that has not yielded the desired balance The absence of consistent domestic breakthroughs once a hallmark of their scouting system has further widened the gap between reputation and performanceEven the familiar comforts have disappearedThe Wankhede Stadium once a fortress has offered little respite this season Heavy defeats and highscoring contests have turned home advantage into yet another uncertainty symbolising the broader erosion of Mumbaiâs dominanceFor now the Mumbai Indians remain in a precarious position their playoff hopes hanging by a thread and their identity under scrutinyMore than results however IPL 2026 has become a test of transitionFor a franchise built on certainty the challenge now lies in rediscovering rhythm from a captain seeking authority a batting mainstay searching for sustained impact and a bowling spearhead striving to regain controlThe echoes of World Cup glory still linger around Mumbaiâs Indian core But in the unforgiving churn of the IPL past success offers little protectionAnd for Mumbai Indians the fall from trendsetters to strugglers has been as stark as it has been suddenWith playoff hopes hanging on a thin thread MI will look to carry the winning momentum in the remaining games as they face defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru after a fourday gap on May 10 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/from-world-cup-highs-to-ipl-woes-mumbai-indians-slide-exposes-cracks-in-star-core-672409.html Tue, 05 May 2026 12:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/fatherhood-helped-my-cricket-over-the-last-year-kl-rahul-672412.html New Delhi May 5 KL Rahul has credited fatherhood for bringing a renewed sense of calmness and perspective to both his life and cricket saying the experience has helped him rediscover joy in his game One of Delhi Capitals most consistent performers this season Rahul spoke about how becoming a father has transformed his outlook both on and off the fieldFatherhood has been the most beautiful thing for me I always felt I had calmness and happiness in my life but I was so wrong You donât truly know happiness peace or joy until you hold your babyâ Rahul told JioStarCalling it the most special phase of his life the righthander admitted that balancing professional commitments with family time has not been easy as he said âThis is the most beautiful phase of my life and Iâm enjoying every bit of it Itâs hard leaving her behind I thought it would get easier as she grows up but I was wrong itâs only getting harder now that sheâs running and trying to talkâRahul revealed that while his daughter has travelled with him for a few games the demands of the schedule often make it difficult to spend as much time together as he would likeâSheâs travelled for a few games and ideally Iâd love to play come back to my daughter spend time with her and then go out again But thatâs not always possibleâ he saidHowever he added that those moments of reunion have become even more meaningful and have helped him cope with the pressures of professional cricket noting When I see her smile when she gives me a hug and a kiss everything is forgotten all my injuries pain and worries That has helped my cricket as well over the last year I donât overthink the game anymore which has made it exciting again When Iâm out there for those 45 hours Iâm completely switched on and I just go out enjoy the game and try to do my bestâ he mentioned IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/fatherhood-helped-my-cricket-over-the-last-year-kl-rahul-672412.html Tue, 05 May 2026 12:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-no-1-nurjahan-noorali-part-of-crucial-campaign-for-asian-para-games-qualification-672431.html Ahmedabad May 5 Adani Sportsline Garv Haisupported Indias top para table tennis player Nurjahan Noorali is participating in an important international series featuring four tournaments in Europe and Asia These events are key to her efforts to qualify for the 2026 Asian Para Games scheduled in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya Japan this October Nurjahan ranked World No 27 in Class 7 according to the International Table Tennis Federation ITTF World Para Table Tennis rankings approaches this stage with a definite goalHer campaign started at the ITTF World Para Challenger Podgorica in Montenegro from April 29 to May 2 She then participates in the ITTF World Para Challenger LaÅko in Slovenia from May 5 to 9 followed by the ITTF World Para Elite Lasko from May 11 to 15 She will finish her campaign at the ITTF World Para Elite Taipei City Taiwan from May 17 to 21Currently ranked eighth in Asia she aims for a top 6 finish to qualify marking a crucial milestone in her career After being diagnosed with polio at five Nurjahan returned to competitive table tennis in 2022 and has progressed quickly She secured gold at the Ultimate Table Tennis UTT National Para Table Tennis Championships and retained her title at the UTT Para Senior National Championship 2025â26 in Indore earlier this year which earned her the top spot in India in her categoryNurjahan based in Ahmedabad is a Junior Officer at Adani Airport Holdings Limited AAHL The company has provided her with flexibility and leave allowing her to focus on training and international competitionsHer preparation has been bolstered by structured support including guidance on choosing tournaments access to recommended coaching ongoing performance monitoring and financial assistance for international events This comprehensive support allows her to compete consistently at the top levelâThis phase is crucial for my qualification With consistent support and the right training environment I am focused on breaking into the Top 6 in Asiaâ said NurjahanPranav Adani Director Adani Enterprises Limited AEL said âNurjahanâs journey reflects grit resilience and discipline Her ability to balance professional responsibilities with sporting excellence makes her stand out We are proud to support her as she prepares for this important phase and aims to make the country proudâThrough its âGarv Haiâ initiative Adani Sportsline continues to support emerging athletes by providing resources exposure and the ecosystem they need to excel at the highest level With qualification at stake the ongoing international circuit represents a crucial phase in Nurjahanâs development on the global stage IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-no-1-nurjahan-noorali-part-of-crucial-campaign-for-asian-para-games-qualification-672431.html Tue, 05 May 2026 14:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-u-18-men-amp-women-to-play-4-match-series-against-australia-ahead-of-hockey-asia-cup-672434.html Bhopal May 5 The Indian menâs and womenâs U18 hockey teams will each take on Australiaâs U18 teams in a fourmatch series from May 15 to 20 at the Udhav Das Mehta Bhai Ji Central Centre here The exposure series follows the U18 National Coaching Camp which began at SAI Bhopal on April 19 2026 and will serve as vital preparation for the U18 Asia Cup in Kakamigahara beginning later this month For the womenâs team the fourmatch series against Australia will begin on May 15 followed by the second match on May 17 The third game is scheduled for May 18 while the final encounter will be played on May 20 The menâs team will begin their series on May 15 followed by their second match on May 17 The third game will be played on May 18 while the series concludes with the last fixture on May 20Menâs coach Sardar Singh highlighted the progress made during the camp and the importance of the upcoming matches saying âWeâve had a very productive phase here at SAI Bhopal and the players have responded well to the intensity and expectations A key focus during this camp has been to strengthen their fundamentals and basics across all positions so they are better prepared for the demands of modern hockey and can steadily progress towards the senior level The upcoming exposure matches against Australiaâs U18 teams are an important step in our preparation Itâs a valuable opportunity for the group to experience highquality international competition test combinations and build match temperament With the U18 Asia Cup on the horizon these fixtures will play a key role in helping us identify the best possible squad to represent Indiaâ Womenâs Coach Rani Rampal echoed a similar sentiment adding âThe camp at SAI Bhopal has been a good phase for us to work with the players and weâre happy with how theyâve approached it The matches against Australiaâs U18 team will give them a great chance to play at a higher level and prepare for the U18 Asia Cup Itâs an opportunity for each player to showcase their ability and what they have learnedâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-u-18-men-amp-women-to-play-4-match-series-against-australia-ahead-of-hockey-asia-cup-672434.html Tue, 05 May 2026 15:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/athapaththu-among-big-movers-enters-top-three-in-t20i-all-rounders-rankings-672443.html Dubai May 5 Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu has been richly rewarded for her outstanding recent performances making notable gains in the latest ICC Womenâs T20I Player Rankings Athapaththu was named Player of the Series in Sri Lankaâs dominant 30 clean sweep over Bangladesh delivering an allround performance that underlined her importance to the side The experienced campaigner scored 115 runs across three innings and also picked up four wickets showcasing her versatility ahead of the ICC Womenâs T20 World Cup which is set to begin on June 12Her efforts have resulted in a rise of three places to 41st in the T20I bowlersâ rankings Additionally she has climbed two spots in the allroundersâ list to secure the third position overall In doing so Athapaththu has moved ahead of Indiaâs Deepti Sharma and Australiaâs Ash Gardner Only New Zealand captain Melie Kerr and West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews remain ahead of her in the allroundersâ standingsSri Lankaâs success in the series has also been reflected in the rankings of several other players Harshita Samarawickrama climbed five places to joint 20th in the T20I batting rankings while Imesha Dulani made a significant leap of 23 spots to reach 49th On the bowling charts Kavisha Dilhari advanced two places to 17th and Malki Madara moved up 11 positions to 44th joining Athapaththu among the teamâs notable risersDespite suffering a series defeat Bangladesh saw several players register encouraging gains Sharmin Akhter Supta improved by 10 places to 37th among T20I batters while Dilara Akter and Shorna Akter rose to 55th and joint 62nd respectively In the bowling rankings Sultana Khatun registered one of the biggest jumps climbing 48 places to 38thMeanwhile the latest ODI rankings also witnessed movement following Pakistanâs emphatic start to their threematch series against Zimbabwe in Karachi Pakistan secured a comprehensive 168run victory to take a 10 lead and their players benefited in the updated standingsSidra Amin moved up three places to 11th in the ODI batting rankings while Sadaf Shamas gained 12 spots to reach 72nd after her impressive knock of 98 at the top of the orderAmong bowlers Nashra Sandhu inched up one place to 11th while captain Fatima Sana rose two spots to equal 26th Sana also made progress in the ODI allroundersâ rankings climbing two places to 15th capping off a positive update for Pakistanâs contingent IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/athapaththu-among-big-movers-enters-top-three-in-t20i-all-rounders-rankings-672443.html Tue, 05 May 2026 15:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/mi-wouldve-been-alive-had-rohit-healed-a-little-earlier-harbhajan-672458.html New Delhi May 5 Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh believes Mumbai Indiansâ campaign in IPL 2026 might have unfolded very differently had Rohit Sharma returned from injury earlier pointing to the veteran batterâs matchwinning impact in the recent victory over Lucknow Super Giants Rohit marked his comeback in style at the Wankhede Stadium producing a commanding knock that laid the platform for a successful chase underlining his value to a struggling side Harbhajan stressed that Rohitâs presence in the middle rather than on the sidelines makes a decisive differenceâItâs important to be in the middle You can do only so much sitting in the dugout But you can make a difference by being in the middle and Rohit Sharma did exactly that You needed that foundation to chase down that many runs and he didnât just lay the foundation but built a couple of floors on it as well leaving very little for the rest to doâ Harbhajan told JioStarThe former offspinner felt Rohitâs innings not only anchored the chase but also ensured that the rest of the batting unit had minimal pressure in closing out the gameâIt would have been even better if he had got his hundred but for the time he was there he played exceptionally wellâ he addedMumbai Indians have endured an inconsistent season with injuries and misfiring key players affecting their campaign Harbhajan reflected on how Rohitâs absence during a crucial phase may have cost the team valuable pointsâI wish his injury had healed a little earlier who knows they might have won a game or two during that losing streak and would have still been alive in the competitionâ he notedDespite their precarious position on the points table Harbhajan believes the fivetime champions still have an outside chance of staying in contention if results go their wayâThey will give themselves a chance if they win every game from here and get to 14 points Who knows if other teams start losing there could be a net runrate situation at 14 points anything can happenâ he saidWith momentum finally on their side MI will now look to build on Rohitâs return as they attempt to keep their slim playoff hopes alive IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/mi-wouldve-been-alive-had-rohit-healed-a-little-earlier-harbhajan-672458.html Tue, 05 May 2026 16:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/australia-extend-lead-at-top-of-icc-womens-t20i-team-rankings-ahead-of-t20-wc-672488.html Dubai May 5 Australia has strengthened its hold at the summit of the ICC Womenâs T20I Team Rankings following the latest annual update extending its advantage and reaffirming its status as the team to beat ahead of the ICC Womenâs T20 World Cup 2026 The updated rankings which assign full weightage 100 per cent to matches played since May 2025 and 50 per cent to results from the preceding two years see Australia remain at No 1 with 287 rating points They now enjoy a 12point lead over the secondplaced England womens cricket team while India remains firmly in third position with 264 pointsThe top 16 teams in the rankings remain unchanged underlining the consistency among the leading sides in womenâs T20I cricket Reigning T20 World Cup champions New Zealand occupy fourth place with 253 points while South Africa round off the top five with 243 pointsThe midtable remains tightly contested with the West Indies 238 and Sri Lanka 237 placed sixth and seventh respectively separated by just a single point Pakistan holds on to eighth position with 216 points while Ireland 200 and Bangladesh 199 complete the top 10 once again divided by the narrowest of marginsAmong the notable movers the United States has climbed two places to 20th after reaching a rating of 98 continuing its steady rise in international cricket Germany also enjoyed a significant boost gaining 10 rating points to move up six places and break into the top 30 at 29thA total of 78 teams feature in the latest rankings all having played at least eight T20Is over the past three years Cambodia has dropped out of the list and will need to play additional matches to regain its ranking status while Peru is no longer ranked after a prolonged absence from international fixturesMeanwhile preparations are underway for the upcoming ICC Womens T20 World Cup 2026 scheduled to be held in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5 The tournament will feature 12 teams marking an expansion from previous editions Alongside host England the qualified teams include Australia Bangladesh India the Netherlands New Zealand Pakistan South Africa Sri Lanka West Indies Ireland and Scotland setting the stage for a highly competitive global event IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/australia-extend-lead-at-top-of-icc-womens-t20i-team-rankings-ahead-of-t20-wc-672488.html Tue, 05 May 2026 18:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/phil-foden-set-to-sign-long-term-contract-with-manchester-city-672496.html Manchester May 5 25yearold Phil Foden is set to commit his longterm future with English Premier League football club Manchester City as he has reached an agreement for an extended contract at the club The England footballers current deal with the Carabao Cup winners is set to expire next summer and according to the report by the BBC he will commit to a fouryear deal which will extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium till 2030Fodens new deal comes at a time when the midfielder is struggling for form in the ongoing season with the crucial Man City player not scoring a single goal since December 14th last year Despite his form slump the former Premier League champions have shown great faith in the talented player and offered him a new contract which will be officially announced soonFoden has already built an extraordinary career at Manchester City amassing 365 appearances and finding the net 110 times for the club Remarkably by the age of just 25 he has played a key role in one of the most successful eras in the clubâs history collecting an impressive haul of silverware that includes six Premier League titles five League Cups two FA Cups and the coveted UEFA Champions League trophy in 2023His individual brilliance has also been widely recognised During the 2023â24 campaign Foden enjoyed the most prolific season of his career scoring 27 goals across competitions His outstanding performances not only underlined his importance to City but also earned him top individual honours including both the Footballer of the Year award and the PFA Player of the YearMeanwhile City is facing tough competition from Arsenal in the Premier League they have given a chance to the Gunners to win the title after a draw with Everton on Monday They will next face Crystal Palace on May 14 as they look for another Premier League title IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/phil-foden-set-to-sign-long-term-contract-with-manchester-city-672496.html Tue, 05 May 2026 19:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/indian-chess-prodigy-apaar-saxena-becomes-international-master-after-remarkable-five-week-surge-672274.html New Delhi May 4 Fourteenyearold Indian prodigy Apaar Saxena has earned the prestigious International Master IM title after a remarkable run of performances across Europe achieving all three required norms in just five weeks Born in 2012 the young talent from Bengaluru made his mark on the international circuit with a dominant showing at the IM Renome 2 tournament in Bosnia on March 30 where he scored 79 to clinch the title and secure his maiden IM norm He quickly followed it up with another impressive outing at the San Vicente Open in Spain on April 6 once again scoring 79 in a highly competitive field featuring over 500 players from 54 countries Saxena sealed his second norm with two rounds to spare underlining his consistency and composureHis strong run continued at the Menorca Open later in April where he posted a performance rating of 2404 and earned significant rating points narrowly missing a third consecutive norm despite remaining in contentionThe decisive breakthrough came at the IM Putnik 114 tournament in Serbia on May 3 where Saxena delivered yet another 79 performance securing his final norm and officially attaining the IM title During the event he also surpassed a live rating of 2450 marking a rapid rise from his previous rating of 2185 to an official rating of 2362 as of May 1Achieving all norms and rating requirements within such a short timeframe highlights an extraordinary surge in form and places Saxena among the most exciting young talents in Indian chessâHis development has been strongly supported by his school Silicon City Academy of Secondary Education Bangalore with encouragement from Principal Sumalini Mam and School Coordinator Shenoy Mam Apaar did not have any personal coach in the last two years Prior to that his coach was Jayaram Ramana He was taking some courses assistance from different academies like Killer Chess Training and Yuri Vovk coursesâ Apaars father Prashant told ChessBase IndiaSaxenaâs father has played a key role in overseeing his training preparation and tournament planning while his mother Ruchi Saxena has been a constant source of support throughout his journeyWith this achievement Saxena adds another milestone to Indiaâs growing reputation as a powerhouse in world chess and his rapid progress suggests even bigger accomplishments may lie ahead IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/indian-chess-prodigy-apaar-saxena-becomes-international-master-after-remarkable-five-week-surge-672274.html Mon, 04 May 2026 18:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/inter-seal-serie-a-title-as-top-four-race-tightens-672131.html Rome May 4 Inter Milan clinched its 21st Serie A title with three rounds to spare after a 20 win over Parma at San Siro Romanian coach Cristian Chivu achieved the feat of winning the Scudetto in his first year in charge of Serie A since the start of the season The last person to do so was Sacchi at AC Milan Goals from Marcus Thuram and Henrikh Mkhitaryan secured the victory sealing Inters second league title in three seasonsInter entered the match with a ninepoint lead over secondplaced Napoli which had been held to a 00 draw by Como on Saturday meaning a single point was enough to confirm the titleThe home side dominated early but struggled to break down Parma until firsthalf stoppage time when Piotr Zielinskis pass found Thuram who fired homeInter maintained the pressure after the break and doubled its lead in the 80th minute as Lautaro Martinez set up fellow substitute Mkhitaryan for a closerange finishIm happy for these players for the club and for the fans because they had to put up with the narrative and the teasing from those who always tried to downplay the work they had done said coach Cristian Chivu The team did well to roll up their sleeves rebuild and find the right motivation to have a competitive seasonMartinez added âIâm very happy We always said this was our objective and now we have to enjoy this moment because it wasnât easy to achieve such an important goal In football and in life you go through difficult moments Last season is the example when we came close to winning everything but in the end didnât lift a trophy This season however shows that in football and in life you have to get back up give everything and never give upElsewhere AC Milan lost 20 to Sassuolo despite playing more than an hour with 10 men while Juventus was held 11 at home by alreadyrelegated Hellas VeronaThe results leave the race for Champions League places wide open with just nine points separating Napoli and sixthplaced Roma which has a game in handAlso on Sunday Bologna and Cagliari drew 00 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/inter-seal-serie-a-title-as-top-four-race-tightens-672131.html Mon, 04 May 2026 14:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/vinicius-double-keeps-madrid-alive-as-barca-made-to-wait-for-la-liga-title-672142.html Madrid May 4 Vinicius Junior scored twice as Real Madrid won 20 away to Espanyol delaying FC Barcelonas La Liga title celebrations Anything other than a Madrid win at the RCDE Stadium would have confirmed Barcelona as champion with four games remaining but the title race now looks set to be decided in next weekends ClasicoMadrid remains 11 points behind Barcelona with 12 points still to play for meaning a draw for Barcelona at Camp Nou next week would secure a second title in two seasonsVinicius went close early on with a deflected effort onto the woodwork while Madrid lost left back Ferland Mendy to another muscle injuryReferee Jesus Gil Manzano initially sent off Espanyol defender Omar El Hilali for a foul on Vinicius but downgraded the decision to a yellow card after a VAR reviewMadrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin made a key save at the end of the first half keeping out Leandro Cabreras header from a cornerVinicius broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half with a nearpost finish after an assist from Fede Valverde before adding a second with an angled shot following a backheel from Jude BellinghamThe win keeps Madrids slim title hopes alive against an Espanyol side still searching for its first victory of 2026Barcelona had earlier beaten Osasuna 21 away on Saturday with late goals from Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres after Raul Garcia had pulled one back in the 88th minute Both Barcelona goals came from crosses by Marcus RashfordReal Betis strengthened its grip on fifth place which could be enough for Champions League qualification with a 30 home win over Oviedo thanks to two goals from Cucho Hernandez and one from Abde EzzalzouliCelta Vigo defeated Elche 31 at home through goals from Hugo Alvarez Iago Aspas and Borja Iglesias who added a late third after Andre Silva had given Elche hope from the penalty spot in the 82nd minuteRayo Vallecano moved closer to securing its topflight status with a 20 win away to Getafe Sergio Camello scoring early before Randy Nteka sealed the result after goalkeeper Augusto Batalla saved a penaltyVillarreal secured a place in next seasons Champions League with a 51 win over Levante with Georges Mikautadze scoring twice and Alberto Moleiro Tajon Buchanan and Nicolas Pepe also on targetAtletico Madrid with coach Diego Simeone resting most regular starters still won 20 away to Valencia through goals from Iker Luque and CuboAthletic Club came from behind twice to beat Alaves 42 away with Nico Williams scoring twice as coach Ernesto Valverde marked his 500th game in charge IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/vinicius-double-keeps-madrid-alive-as-barca-made-to-wait-for-la-liga-title-672142.html Mon, 04 May 2026 14:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/these-last-few-days-hard-to-put-into-words-says-prannoy-on-bronze-medal-run-at-thomas-cup--672155.html New Delhi May 4 Ace shuttler HS Prannoy reflected on Indiaâs bronze medal finish at the Thomas Cup campaign saying it will stay with him for a long time India made their firstever Thomas Cup final appearance in 2022 and clinched a historic gold medal But in the 2026 edition the former champions fell to France who made their firstever Thomas Cup final 30 in the semifinal to take the bronze medal home âThis one stays with me For a long long time Not just the medal but everything around it The build up the energy in the group the belief we kept feeding each other Those last few daysâ hard to put into words Just pure emotion Grateful for this Trulyâ Prannoy who was part of 2022 winning team wrote on XAt this yearâs tournament Indiaâs run came to an abrupt halt at the Forum Horsens where a depleted side struggled to match a clinical French unit that scripted history by reaching their maiden final The absence of Lakshya Sen who was ruled out with an elbow injury ahead of the semifinal proved a significant blow to Indiaâs chancesAyush Shetty stepping up as the first singles player went down to world No 4 Christo Popov 1121 921 as France took an early lead Srikanth Kidambi then battled hard against World No 10 Alex Lanier but fell short 1621 1821 leaving India on the brinkPrannoy entrusted with keeping Indiaâs hopes alive fought valiantly in the third singles against World No 17 Toma Junior Popov Despite a spirited effort he lost 1921 1621 as France sealed a comprehensive 30 victoryIndiaâs journey to the semifinals had already secured them a podium finish marking only the second time they reached the last four in Thomas Cup history after their historic title triumph in 2022 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/these-last-few-days-hard-to-put-into-words-says-prannoy-on-bronze-medal-run-at-thomas-cup--672155.html Mon, 04 May 2026 14:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/if-we-take-the-positives-we-can-achieve-a-good-result-against-oman-says-nepals-airee-ahead-of-cwc-league-2-clash-672181.html Kirtipur May 4 Nepal vicecaptain Dipendra Singh Airee has called for a positive and attacking approach as his team prepares for a key ICC Menâs Cricket World Cup League 2 encounter against Oman expressing confidence that recent improvements can help them bounce back Nepal head into Tuesdayâs contest with mixed form in the ongoing triseries at home While they have registered two wins over the UAE their campaign has been dented by an earlier underwhelming performance against Oman leaving them eager to respond stronglyAcknowledging the teamâs fluctuating displays Airee underlined the importance of building on recent progressâWe couldnât play well in the first two matches of the triseries Now the partnerships are getting better If we can play by taking that positively we can achieve a good result against Omanâ he was quoted by the ICCThe allrounder also reflected on his own performances amid the teamâs struggles with consistency in batting âOther players are not scoring runs Perhaps because I am a bit more focused on my own performance I am doing well Earlier I wasnât scoring runs eitherâ he noted pointing to a shift in his mindsetNepal currently find themselves placed seventh in the League 2 standings with their hopes of direct qualification for the Cricket World Cup Qualifier hinging on a topfour finish by the end of the cycle With only seven wins so far every remaining fixture carries added significanceCaptain Rohit Paudel echoed the sentiment backing his side to respond under pressure âIt is our nature to play under pressure Therefore we are hopeful that we will secure a winâ he said expressing belief in the teamâs ability to deliver in crunch situationsPaudel also drew confidence from the squadâs past experiences âThe same players who played a role in winning 11 matches in the previous cycle are still in the team today We have already endured that level of pressure Therefore the upcoming matches will be even more importantâ he addedWith qualification ambitions still alive Nepal will be aiming to combine resilience with a proactive approach as they look to turn their campaign around in the crucial clash against Oman IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/if-we-take-the-positives-we-can-achieve-a-good-result-against-oman-says-nepals-airee-ahead-of-cwc-league-2-clash-672181.html Mon, 04 May 2026 15:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-rcb-opener-phil-salt-returns-to-england-for-scans-after-finger-injury-672184.html New Delhi May 4 Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB opener Phil Salt has flown back to England for scans on his injured finger which has sidelined him for the sideâs last three IPL 2026 matches In Saltâs absence RCB have got his England compatriot Jacob Bethell to partner with Virat Kohli at the top of the order Salt 29 damaged a finger on his left hand while diving to save a boundary during RCBs defeat to Delhi Capitals at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18 As per a report in ESPNCricinfo Salt who holds a central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board ECB returned home at the request of the national teams management to undergo further assessmentâBoth player and franchise remain hopeful that the finger will heal soon enough for Salt to return to India this month with RCB aiming to defend the title that they won for the first time last seasonâRCB would be eligible to sign a replacement for Salt under IPL regulations in the event that the injury is deemed seasonending but they are expected to give him every opportunity to recoverâ further said the report Salt had provided a significant spark at the top of the order for RCB by amassing 202 runs across six innings at an impressive strike rate of 16833 before the finger injury forced him out of the lineupThe timing of Saltâs injury is a blow for defending champions RCB who are at second place in the IPL 2026 points table only behind the Punjab KingsRCB are on a sixday break and are scheduled to face Lucknow Super Giants LSG in their next match at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-rcb-opener-phil-salt-returns-to-england-for-scans-after-finger-injury-672184.html Mon, 04 May 2026 15:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-sundars-innings-addressed-a-key-question-around-gts-middle-order-says-ashwin-672191.html New Delhi May 4 Former India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin has lauded Washington Sundars unbeaten 40 leading the side to a fourwicket victory over Punjab Kings adding that the allrounders composed knock has effectively answered lingering questions regarding the sideâs middleorder depth Washington walked out to bat when GT were 943 and remained unbeaten on 40 off just 23 balls striking at 17391 to help the 2022 IPL winners get over the line in a chase of 164 With his calm and composed demeanour Washington ensured the required rate never went out of control and fittingly sealed the chase in style with a maximumâWashington Sundarâs innings was extremely important because it addressed a key question around Gujarat Titansâ middle order While a lot of their runs come from the top three contributions like this show the depth they haveâSundar has often been used as a flexible option but he stepped up handled the pressure well and ensured the chase was completed It might not have looked flashy but it was a very composed and clinical effort to get the team over the lineâ Ashwin said on JioHotstarHe further highlighted GTâs methodical approach to run chases which has become a hallmark of the franchises success over recent seasons âGujarat Titans were once again incredibly composed in the way they approached the chase Their batting may not always look explosive but itâs highly methodical and built around understanding conditionsâOn pitches like these where 160â170 is a competitive score itâs about controlling the game and executing your plans rather than chasing big numbers Theyâve shown remarkable consistency over the years with this approach and credit goes to both the management and the players for sticking to their process and getting the job done under pressureâWith a hattrick of victories in the bag Shubman Gillled will now head to Jaipur where they go up against Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on May 9 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-sundars-innings-addressed-a-key-question-around-gts-middle-order-says-ashwin-672191.html Mon, 04 May 2026 15:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bangladesh-skipper-nigar-sultana-reprimanded-for-breaching-icc-code-of-conduct-672211.html Dubai May 4 Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty has been handed an official reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third womenâs T20I against Sri Lanka in Sylhet on Saturday The International Cricket Council ICC stated that the Bangladesh skipper was found to have breached Article 22 which relates to the âabuse of cricket equipment or clothing ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international matchThe incident took place during the Bangladesh innings when Nigar visibly frustrated after being dismissed threw her bat onto the ground before leaving the field In addition to the formal reprimand one demerit point has been added to Nigarâs disciplinary recordThis marks her first offence within a 24month period âNigar admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Supriya Rani Das of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees so there was no need for a formal hearingâ said the ICC in its statement on MondayThe charges were levelled by onfield umpires Eloise Sheridan and Shathira Jakir Jesy along with third umpire Rokeya Sultana and fourth umpire Champa Chakma Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a playerâs match fee along with one or two demerit pointsUnder ICC regulations demerit points remain on a playerâs disciplinary record for 24 months from the date of imposition If a player reaches four or more demerit points within that period they are converted into suspension points leading to a ban Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test two ODIs or two T20Is depending on the players scheduleComing to the match Sri Lanka completed a clinical 30 series sweep of Bangladesh after clinching a rainshortened third T20I by three runs Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu spearheaded the victory with a stellar allround performance topscoring with 41 runs before returning to claim 215 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bangladesh-skipper-nigar-sultana-reprimanded-for-breaching-icc-code-of-conduct-672211.html Mon, 04 May 2026 16:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chennaiyin-fc-aim-for-run-in-momentum-in-crucial-away-clash-against-punjab-fc-672224.html Chennai May 4 Chennaiyin FC will be aiming to build momentum in the closing stages of their Indian Super League 2026 campaign when they travel to take on Punjab FC on Wednesday With just three matches left in the season the Marina Machans are focused on finishing strongly and carrying that impetus forward With two of their final three fixtures coming away from home the clash against Punjab presents an important opportunity to set the tone for the runin The two sides have shared a closely contested record in recent meetings Chennaiyin registered a 21 win in their last meeting while across the last five encounters the Marina Machans have won two and drawn one underlining the competitive nature of this fixtureLooking ahead to the match head coach Clifford Rayes Miranda emphasised the need to defend well against a challenging side âAbout Punjab everyone knows they are a very good team going forward Their strongest players are in the offensive third They also have some very good Indian players We know itâs going to be difficult and we know they are a threat especially when they play direct They move the ball quickly trying to split teams open and find their attackers early From there they rely on strong powerful individuals So we need to defend wellâreally defend well as a groupâ he said in his prematch press conference on MondayAmid a difficult season Chennaiyin have remained focused on building a clear identity under Miranda Reflecting on that process the head coach said âWe know exactly what we are trying to build and I believe we are on the right path This isnât a normal season where you have a long preseason and more time to implement ideas When you try to do something different from what the team has been used to it takes time But I can already see the progress We are clear about what we are trying to doâJoining Miranda at the prematch press conference was defender Klusner Pereira who addressed his debut and the difference between the top and the lower tiers of Indian footballâIâm happy with my debut although I had to come off with a small injury Iâm giving my best every day in training and itâs been good working with this team There are so many quality players so the competition is strong That pushes me to work hard every day and get back into the teamâ Klusner said âAt this level there is naturally more pressure but football is always the same No matter the level winning requires the same mentality That doesnât changeâWith the season approaching its conclusion Chennaiyin will look to make the most of their remaining fixtures as they continue to build towards the future Miranda highlighted the same while underlining his and the teamâs goals for the immediate and the longterm futureâThe most important thing is to understand the way we want to play and that will not change until the last game Of course results matter we want to win the remaining three matches It wonât be easy but we have to keep working hard stay dedicated and give 100 percent We need to stay positive step onto the pitch with the right mindset while staying together as a unit regardless of the result Ultimately we want to finish as high as possibleâ the head coach said Lastly Miranda confirmed he will have the whole team barring Elsinho available for selection including the nowrecovered Farukh Choudhary IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chennaiyin-fc-aim-for-run-in-momentum-in-crucial-away-clash-against-punjab-fc-672224.html Mon, 04 May 2026 17:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/kostyuk-races-to-career-high-no-15-after-maiden-wta-1000-title-andreeva-siniakova-among-big-movers-672230.html Madrid May 4 Ukraineâs Marta Kostyuk scripted the biggest moment of her career by clinching her maiden WTA 1000 title capping a dominant run on clay and surging to a new careerhigh ranking of World No 15 in the latest WTA Rankings Kostyuk who dropped just one set through the tournament continues a strong 2026 season after earlier reaching the Brisbane final Her Madrid triumph marks her third career title and second consecutive crown underlining a resurgence following an injurydisrupted start to the year Notably she now boasts five Top 10 wins this season putting her level with Aryna Sabalenka and just behind Elena Rybakina in that metricTeen sensation Mirra Andreeva also enjoyed a significant boost rising to World No 7 after finishing runnerup in Madrid her third WTA 1000 final and first on clay Meanwhile Iga Swiatek climbed back into the Top 3 despite an early exit due to illnessSeveral players broke new ground with careerbest rankings following impressive performances American Hailey Baptiste climbed to No 25 after reaching the semifinals highlighted by a stunning upset of World No 1 Sabalenka in which she saved six match points Romaniaâs Jaqueline Cristian rose to No 29 while Ann Li entered the Top 30 at No 30 after a strong showing that included a win over Swiatek via retirementAmong the standout stories was Anastasia Potapova who became the first lucky loser to reach a WTA 1000 semifinal in decades jumping to No 38 after defeating Rybakina en route Fellow Americans Caty McNally and Argentinaâs Solana Sierra also made notable gains while former World No 1 Karolina Pliskova continued her comeback from injury climbing sharply in the rankings after a quarterfinal appearanceElsewhere Thailandâs Lanlana Tararudee broke into the Top 100 for the first time becoming only the fourth player from her country to achieve the featOn the WTA 125 circuit former Top 10 player Daria Kasatkina lifted the title in La Bisbal dâEmporda while Moyuka Uchijima Katarzyna Kawa and Fiona Ferro also emerged victorious in their respective eventsIn doubles Katerina Siniakova reclaimed the World No 1 ranking after winning the Madrid title alongside Taylor Townsend marking their third successive WTA 1000 crown as a pairThe Madrid Open has thus reshaped the rankings landscape with emerging talents and experienced names alike making strong statements ahead of the remainder of the claycourt season IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/kostyuk-races-to-career-high-no-15-after-maiden-wta-1000-title-andreeva-siniakova-among-big-movers-672230.html Mon, 04 May 2026 17:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/theegala-finishes-strong-with-final-round-surge-as-young-dominates-at-doral-672237.html Doral Florida May 4 Sahith Theegala ended his week on a high note with a brilliant closing performance climbing the leaderboard and regaining confidence despite an otherwise inconsistent outing at the Cadillac Championship While Theegalaâs late push drew attention it was Cameron Young who delivered a commanding performance from start to finish securing a convincing victoryTheegala carded a flawless 8under 64 in the final round matching his best score of the season After opening with a steady 69 he struggled in the middle rounds with scores of 76 and 74 which pushed him down the standingsHowever his strong finish propelled him up 33 spots to a tie for 30th place The round not only improved his position but also offered a muchneeded boost as he continues working his way back toward the top tier of world rankingsStarting on the back nine Theegala picked up early momentum with birdies on the 12th and 16th holes He found the rhythm on the front nine which was his second nine where he added six birdies He birdied the first second and the fifth and then added an impressive stretch of three consecutive gains to close his round The bogeyfree effort highlighted his potential when in full controlSudarshan Yellamaraju also made a notable move finishing alongside Theegala at tied30th after a clean round of 68 that included four birdies and no dropped shotsMeanwhile Akshay Bhatia experienced a mixed day Despite recording an eagle on the par4 16th and adding four birdies two double bogeys and three other bogeys resulted in a 1over 73 dropping him to tied23rd after starting the day inside the top 10At the top of the leaderboard Cameron Young showcased consistency and composure throughout the tournament Even after calling a onestroke penalty on himself early in the final round he remained unfazedHis closing 4under 68 brought him to 19under for the week giving him a comfortable sixshot victory World No 1 Scottie Scheffler finished second once again marking his third consecutive runnerup resultThe tournament conditions were impacted by early morning rain which softened the notoriously challenging Blue Monster course and led to a delayed start Preferred lies were in effect making scoring slightly easier than usualElsewhere Ben Griffin secured third place while Si Woo Kim Sepp Straka and Adam Scott shared fourth Scottâs strong weekend performance may have helped him secure a place in the upcoming US Open potentially marking his 100th consecutive appearance in a major championship IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/theegala-finishes-strong-with-final-round-surge-as-young-dominates-at-doral-672237.html Mon, 04 May 2026 17:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/afc-u17-womens-asian-cup-we-have-two-matches-left-will-work-harder-to-win-says-indian-midfielder-thandamoni-after-aus-loss-672028.html Suzhou China May 3 India midfielder Thandamoni Baskey reflected a mix of realism and determination following the teamâs 02 loss to the Australian under17 team in their opening clash of the AFC U17 Womenâs Asian Cup acknowledging missed moments while expressing belief in the teamâs ability to bounce back in the remaining fixtures Having played 89 minutes Thandamoni emphasised that while India showed discipline against a physically dominant side small errors proved costlyâThis was our first match in the Asian Cup I feel we did well but we could have done even better They didnât manage to take many shots and even the one they scored came from our mistakeâ Thandamoni who was crucial in the qualifiers with a goal and an assist told aiffcomIndia had entered the match with a clear tactical plan to counter Australiaâs physical advantage a point Thandamoni highlighted while underscoring the teamâs mindsetâThe coach had given us clear instructions about our roles They were taller than us so we had to think about how to deal with that Our mentality was to believe in ourselves and know that we can do itâ she saidDespite the setback the midfielder stressed that the focus within the camp remains firmly on the road ahead with two crucial groupstage matches still to come against Japan and LebanonâWe still have two matches left so we will keep working harder and try to win Thereâs a bit of disappointment after the loss but also a strong feeling from within that we must lift ourselves upâ Thandamoni addedSubstitute Anushka Kumari who came on in the second half pointed to the need for sharper attacking output as India pushed forward after the breakâWe werenât able to attack much so we needed to create more attacking positions and keep more shots on targetâ she saidIndia showed greater intent in the second half registering two shots on target while restricting Australia but Kumari noted that execution in front of goal remains an area to improveâAs for the result the match was very tough but we gave our best Our finishing wasnât good They were physically stronger than us and that affected our game a littleâ Anushka addedShe also elaborated on Indiaâs tactical approach to neutralise Australiaâs physicality focusing on keeping the ball on the ground rather than engaging in aerial contestsâOur plan was to deal with their physicality We knew that if we played long balls in the air we wouldnât be able to compete so we focused more on playing on the ground That would benefit us moreâ Anushka statedWith two matches remaining in the group stage India will now shift attention to their next challenge against Japan IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/afc-u17-womens-asian-cup-we-have-two-matches-left-will-work-harder-to-win-says-indian-midfielder-thandamoni-after-aus-loss-672028.html Sun, 03 May 2026 17:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/thomas-amp-uber-cup-laksya-sen-out-of-semis-clash-due-to-injured-elbow-672000.html Horsens Denmark May 2 Mens singles player Lakshya Sen will not be participating in Saturdays semifinal tie against France in the Thomas amp Uber Cup Finals 2026 after sustaining an impact to his elbow following an intense quarterfinal match that involved multiple dives Following a thorough evaluation by the teamâs medical staff the decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to allow Lakshya adequate recovery time and ensure he is in optimal condition for the final should India progress He is currently under close medical observation and receiving all necessary support The team remains confident and optimistic about his swift recovery and return to peak form Sanjay Mishra general secretary said in a statementWorld no 6 Lakshya Sen gave India the winning start in quarterfinals as he saved two match points in the second game to beat Chou Tien Chen 1821 2220 2117 in an hour and 28 minutesThe opening match between Sen and Chou who had a 44 headtohead record before this clash was a topsyturvy affair as both the players overcame a sizeable deficit in the first twogames to take the match to a deciderWhile Chou fought back from 1015 in the first Sen trailed 1417 in the second before saving two match pointsSen the twotime All England finalist then kept his nose ahead in the third with a strong attacking play to hand India the first pointThe former Asian champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty then made it 20 for India with a clinical showing in the deciderAyush Shetty who had remained unbeaten throughout the group stage outmuscled reigning All England champion Lin ChunYi 2116 2117 in 48 minutes to kick off celebrations in the Indian campShetty had overturned a 1012 deficit in the opening game by bagging seven straight points and never looked back from there on He always looked in control in the second game underlining his development as a top class shuttler in the last few monthsIndia the 2022 champions defeated a strong Taipei outfit 30 in the menâs quarterfinals and will now face the winner of the match between Japan and France for a spot in the final IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/thomas-amp-uber-cup-laksya-sen-out-of-semis-clash-due-to-injured-elbow-672000.html Sat, 02 May 2026 17:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bfi-updates-elite-national-coaching-camp-assessment-schedule-to-ensure-a-transparent-selection-process-672003.html New Delhi May 2 The Boxing Federation of India BFI has established the assessment framework for the Elite National Coaching Camp a crucial process that will influence national rankings and guide selections for upcoming international events The assessment results will play a key role in finalising Indiaâs participation in major international events including the Commonwealth Games Asian Games World Boxing Cup 2 and other tournaments The rankings will stay valid until the next assessment cycleDuring its structured selection process BFI published the assessment schedule in late April A corrigendum was later released on May 1 to update some timelines and provide athletes with sufficient preparation time due to the delayed approval for the campThe assessment will occur in two phases under the new schedule Strength amp Conditioning tests are set for May 6 and 7 with sparring bouts taking place from May 11 to 15 in a knockout format to establish final rankings across different weight categoriesThe evaluation totals 200 marks covering both technical and nontechnical aspects Nontechnical componentsâsuch as attendance weight management health maintenance international potential and strength amp conditioningâwill be factored into the overall score alongside technical evaluations by a panel of judgesThe framework considers recent performances such as results from the COAS Cup 2026 to create a meritbased system that recognises consistency and competitive success Within each weight class rankings will be established through a structured knockout format offering a fair and competitive environment for all competitorsCol Arun Malik Executive Director Boxing Federation of India said âOur assessment framework is built on the principles of transparency objectivity and performance The schedule was communicated in advance as part of a structured process and the recent refinements were made solely to ensure that athletes have adequate time to prepare following the delay in camp sanction This system ensures that selection remains fair consistent and aligned with international highperformance standards as we prepare for major global competitionsâOnly the highestperforming boxers will advance in the National Coaching Camp specifically the top four in Olympic weight classes and the top two in nonOlympic divisions further bolstering a highperformance atmosphere within the national programAdditionally BFI has established rigorous protocols for weight management attendance and discipline with specific scoring criteria and penalties to ensure compliance with elite training standards and accountability among all participants IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bfi-updates-elite-national-coaching-camp-assessment-schedule-to-ensure-a-transparent-selection-process-672003.html Sat, 02 May 2026 17:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/former-f1-driver-and-paralympic-champion-zanardi-dies-at-59-672005.html New Delhi May 2 Former Formula 1 driver and Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi has passed away at the age of 59 on Saturday Zanardis family confirmed the news in a statement They informed that the former champion passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of his family and friends Zanardi is known for his great comeback after losing both legs in a horrific crash in 2001 which ended his racing career After the accident he rebuilt his career and became a global icon in Para cycling He competed for Italy in the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics winning four gold and two silver medalsThe racing icon suffered severe injuries in a road accident in Italy in 2020 while riding his hand bike in Siena in northern ItalyIt is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Alessandro Zanardi which occurred suddenly yesterday evening 1 May Zanardis family announcedAlex passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of his family and friends The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to all those who are showing their support at this time and asks that their grief and privacy be respected during this period of mourningThe Italian was one of motorsports most popular characters competing in Formula 1 in the 1990s with Jordan Minardi Lotus and Williams across 41 Grands PrixHis strongest stint was with Lotus in 1993 and 1994 with Zanardi scoring a careerbest sixthplace finish in Brazil âI am deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend Alex Zanardi He was truly an inspirational person as a human and as an athlete I will always carry with me his extraordinary strength He faced challenges that would have stopped anyone yet he continued to look forward always with a smile and a stubborn determination that inspired us all While his loss is profoundly felt his legacy remains strong Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said in a statementAt this time my heartfelt thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his wife Daniela his son Niccolò the rest of the family and all those who had the privilege of knowing himâ he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/former-f1-driver-and-paralympic-champion-zanardi-dies-at-59-672005.html Sat, 02 May 2026 18:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/spain-confirms-warm-up-against-iraq-for-fifa-world-cup-2026-preparation-672010.html Madrid May 2 The Spanish football federation has confirmed on Saturday that the team will play an extra warmup match against Iraq ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 which will commence on June 12 Spains clash against Iraq will happen at the iconic Deportivo La Corunas Riazor Stadium on June 4 and will serve as Spains final match before traveling to Mexico where they will face Peru in another preparatory fixture in Puebla as reported by XinhuaSpain and Iraq have met only once before That came at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup where Spain earned a 10 victory thanks to a goal from David VillaThe reigning European champion heads into this summers World Cup as one of the favorites However head coach Luis de la Fuente faces several injury concerns as he prepares to name his squad following the conclusion of the La Liga season on May 24Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has been ruled out for the rest of the domestic season with a hamstring injury and is also expected to miss the warmups Meanwhile Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams continues to struggle for form after being sidelined for much of the season with a pelvic problem Key midfielder Mikel Merino is also a doubt after undergoing foot surgery in FebruarySpain have been drawn to play in Group H alongside Cape Verde Saudi Arabia and Uruguay at the World Cup 2026 They will start their campaign on June 15 against Cape Verde The former champions will then face Saudi Arabia on June 21 before playing their final group stage match on June 26 against UruguaySpain is a major FIFA World Cup force having appeared in 16 of 22 tournaments and winning their only title in 2010 Known for their possessionbased style their best performances include winning in 2010 fourth place in 1950 and numerous quarterfinal appearances IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/spain-confirms-warm-up-against-iraq-for-fifa-world-cup-2026-preparation-672010.html Sat, 02 May 2026 18:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-just-to-get-89-an-over-off-spinners-says-parag-on-jadeja-call-671939.html Jaipur May 2 Riyan Parag defended Rajasthan Royalsâ tactical call to promote Ravindra Jadeja up the order explaining it was a calculated move aimed at maximising their finish against Delhi Capitals even as the decision came under scrutiny following a sevenwicket defeat âIt was actually leftyrighty as wellâ Parag said outlining the thinking behind sending Jadeja ahead of Donovan Ferreira âThere was what eightnine overs to go We wanted to delay it entry point a little bit and just get a few eightnine runs an over from the spinners and then go from ball one when the seamers started to bowl So I feel that was the planâThis was after RR had slipped to 114 for 3 in the 12th over after the dismissal of Dhruv Jurel Jadeja replied with a quickfire 20 off 14 balls and helped Parag stitch a 53run partnership to steady the innings That platform allowed Ferreira to go on the attack at the death hammering 47 off 14 balls as RR plundered 78 runs in the last five overs to post 225Parag believed the total was well above par âI think it was a good score I honestly felt 200 was somewhere on par It was going to slow down a bitâ he said However he admitted that RRâs bowling let them down particularly in the middle overs where Delhi seized controlâI think we could have bowled way better in the middle overs we let them get away a little too much and then a lot of boundaries in one single over and that repeated So I felt we missed the trick with that but no harm with the decision we made at the tossâ he added stressing that the defeat was not down to their call to bat firstRR leaked 114 runs in the middle overs including three overs of 18 or more and the Delhi Capitals chased down 226 comfortably to inflict a heavy defeat on the RoyalsThere was a brief injury scare for Parag during the chase when it looked like he had cramps and walked off the field But the RR skipper shrugged away the worryâYeah hopefully its not too seriousâ Parag said âBut a little bit on the hamstring Thankfully weve got like a week break so hopefully I recoverâRajasthan Royals will look to regroup quickly as they prepare to face Gujarat Titans in Jaipur on May 9 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-just-to-get-89-an-over-off-spinners-says-parag-on-jadeja-call-671939.html Sat, 02 May 2026 11:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-pujara-believes-this-season-feels-different-because-of-evolution-in-batting-671949.html New Delhi May 2 Former India cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara and Sanjay Bangar believe IPL 2026 has redefined T20 batting with unprecedented scoring rates and fearless intent turning it into the most explosive season in the tournamentâs history The numbers back that claim emphatically After 35 matches teams have scored at an overall run rate of 979 while the Powerplay scoring rate has surged to 10 â the highest ever in an IPL season Batters are no longer easing into innings with the likes of Abhishek Sharma Priyansh Arya Vaibhav Suryavanshi Prabhsimran Singh Ishan Kishan and Devdutt Padikkal attacking from ball onePujara believes this is more than just a statistical spike â it reflects a fundamental shift in batting philosophy âThis season feels different because itâs not just one phase itâs the entire batting approach thatâs evolved Yes the Impact Player rule has given teams the freedom to go harder for longer but the sheer volume of 200plus totals and more importantly how often theyâre being chased down is outstandingâ he told JioStarThe overall increase in high scores has been emphasised by the large number of high scores recorded so far this season with 29 scores of over 200 already in 2022 compared to the same time four years ago when there were only 15 scores of over 200 and the frequency at which teams are chasing down these high targets from the first 35 games played there have been 7 successful chases of over 200 including the remarkable chase of 265 by Punjab Kings in their win against DelhiThere have been so many successful chases of over 200 in this edition of the IPL that the record for the most successful chases of over 200 in any season has already been broken we currently have 10 successful 200 chases by the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royal with more than half of the tournament still to goThe increased aggression being seen this season is also borne out by other ways the balls per boundary rate has been reduced to an alltime low of 45 for the entire duration of play this reduces the number of balls per boundary to an incredible low of 38 during the powerplay period 64 of the total runs scored this season have come from boundaries also an alltime high and FCs have already scored 10 sub 20ball fiftys so far this seasonOne of the players who has stood out due to his performance and has made an impact on the game is Vaibhav Suryavanshi who has shared the record for the fastest fifty of the season 15 balls with Abhishek Sharma and he has achieved that record on three occasions Also at 15 years of age Vaibhav is the fastest striker of the ball strike rate 23809 of all the players that have played 8 or more innings in this season of the IPL showing that he possesses the ability to play with the same level of fearlessnessHighlighting the role of young batters he added âPlayers like Vaibhav Suryavanshi Abhishek Sharma Priyansh Arya and Devdutt Padikkal are setting the tone with fearless intent but itâs the collective mindset across teams that stands out In todayâs game itâs not about building an innings anymore itâs about scoring as many runs in the least number of balls possible and hitting as many boundaries while doing thatâBangar echoed the sentiment pointing to a clear change in approach right from the start of an innings âThis has easily been the most explosive TATA IPL season weâve seen The intent from ball one is on another level especially in the Powerplay where teams are no longer feeling their way in but going flat outâ he saidHe also emphasised how strike rate has become the defining metric in modern T20 cricket âYou look at players like Abhishek Sharma or Vaibhav Suryavanshi theyâre setting the tone straightaway and forcing bowlers onto the back foot Strike rate is everything now itâs the currency of T20 batting and thatâs why averages have almost become irrelevant in T20 cricketâ Bangar notedCrediting conditions as well he added âAll this is possible because of great batting surfaces and great work by BCCI curators across the countryâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-pujara-believes-this-season-feels-different-because-of-evolution-in-batting-671949.html Sat, 02 May 2026 12:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/france-storm-into-maiden-thomas-cup-semis-to-set-up-india-clash-671955.html Denmark May 2 France scripted a landmark moment in Thomas Cup history storming into the semifinals for the first time after a commanding 30 victory over Japan while Denmark ensured a rare double European presence in the last four The French side continued their impressive run in the tournament with a clinical display built entirely on singles success Despite facing stiff resistance in patches Christo Popov Alex Lanier and Toma Junior Popov each delivered in straight games to seal the tie without the need for doublesChristo set the tone in a gruelling opening contest against Kodai Naraoka eventually prevailing after a physically demanding battle that tested his patience and enduranceâWhen you play Kodai you know itâs going to be long and you know heâs not going to make easy mistakes Heâs going to make you run make you sweat a lot and heâs really good at that I was prepared for thatâ Christo was quoted as saying by BWFLanier then extended Franceâs advantage with a composed win over Yushi Tanaka putting the team on the brink of a historic result The decisive third rubber saw Toma Junior Popov hold his nerve in a tense finish against Koki Watanabe edging through 2119 2321 to confirm the clean sweepâI wanted to cry but I cannot because Iâm too happy and too joyful and thereâs no more energy left in my body I gave everything on the court Itâs just incredible We wrote history on Tuesday to win against Indonesia and qualify and now we write it again a first medal in the team championships And now I think we put a great stamp on the French Badminton Federation and France itself for the badminton that we are coming and we are ready to fightâ said Toma JuniorThe victory not only guaranteed France a maiden medal in the competition but also set up a semifinal clash with India who had earlier secured their place with a 30 win over Chinese TaipeiIndiaâs progress was powered by strong performances from Lakshya Sen Ayush Shetty and the doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty each contributing to a dominant quarterfinal resultMeanwhile Denmark ensured the hosts remained in contention with a 31 win over Thailand Anders Antonsen overcame Kunlavut Vitidsarn in a threegame battle before Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen added the second point in doublesThailand briefly threatened a comeback through Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul who defeated Magnus Johannesen but Denmarkâs makeshift pairing of Mathias Christiansen and Daniel Lundgaard sealed the tie in straight gamesWith China also advancing the semifinals now promise a compelling mix of traditional powerhouses and emerging contenders with Franceâs breakthrough run adding a fresh dimension to the competition IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/france-storm-into-maiden-thomas-cup-semis-to-set-up-india-clash-671955.html Sat, 02 May 2026 12:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/mi-need-accountability-from-the-very-top-their-room-is-full-of-alphas-simon-doull-671967.html New Delhi May 2 Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull has urged for accountability among the top management of the Mumbai Indians after their sixwicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026 This defeat further impacted their campaign at the Wankhede Stadium Mumbai scored a competitive 2435 highlighted by Ryan Rickeltonâs recordbreaking century and solid contributions from Will Jacks and Hardik Pandya Nevertheless the total was not enough as SRH led by Travis Head Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasens unbeaten innings successfully chased the target in the highest successful chase at the venueThe defeat highlighted a concerning pattern for Mumbai who have struggled with consistency this season They are currently close to the bottom of the table with only two wins from eight matches Doull indicated that these issues go beyond just onfield performance pointing to deeper structural problems within the franchise and suggesting that leadership decisions made in recent years have contributed to the situationâWhen they were in their pomp before the new teams came in it was like a pride of lions and Hardik was like a cub He was a cub who played the role in the pride of lions that went away and did a great job at GT with a franchise which he could own and control He came back basically tried to fight the king of the pride for the reigning jobâfor the kingâs job and it did not workâ Doull told CricbuzzMumbaiâs leadership change especially replacing Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya as captain initially sparked strong reactions from fans Although the public debate has waned the teamâs results still fall short of expectationsDoull pointed out that managing a dressing room with senior players and several leaders is complex which he thinks has made it more difficult for the current captain to assert authorityâThere has to be some accountability from the very top they made that decision They made that call they allowed him back into what was a very successful team And now in that dressing roomâin that environment youâve got four blokes who could all be the king Four guys have captained their country at different stages It is a very difficult room it is full of alphas Everybody will be looking around I wonder if he would do a better jobâI could do a better job It becomes a hard environment to controlâ he addedDespite a starstudded lineup and a successful history with five IPL titles Mumbai have experienced a fluctuating performance over the past three seasons After finishing last in 2024 and losing in Qualifier 2 in 2025 their current season has again struggled to gain momentumDoull emphasized that this decline cannot be solely blamed on the players or the captain highlighting that the franchiseâs leadership must also be accountable for the decisions that have influenced the teamâs present stateâOwnership manager they have to take responsibility for what has happened over three years One year can be a blip but this has been the side that has won five titles in the 20 19 years of the tournament They have won a quarterâ Doull concludedMumbai now gear up to face their archrivals Chennai Super Kings on Saturday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium This will be the second meeting between the two sides with CSK beating MI by 103 runs at the Wankhede Stadium earlier this season IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/mi-need-accountability-from-the-very-top-their-room-is-full-of-alphas-simon-doull-671967.html Sat, 02 May 2026 14:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/josh-inglis-links-up-with-lsg-for-ipl-2026-671981.html New Delhi May 2 Lucknow Super Giants have received a timely boost with Australian wicketkeeperbatter Josh Inglis joining the squad ahead of their crucial IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday The 31yearold whose availability had been a topic of discussion since the auction has now reached India and started training with the team Inglis had previously told franchises that he would miss part of the season due to personal commitments such as his wedding in Western Australia on April 18 which caused some uncertainty about his participationDespite initial doubts Lucknow signed him for Rs 86 crore after his release from Punjab Kings where he had played for a much lower fee His delayed arrival raised questions but now his inclusion is crucial for LSG who are struggling at the bottom of the standings with only two wins in eight matchesInglisâ addition is anticipated to bolster a batting lineup that has struggled with consistency this season especially among the overseas players Given the limited contributions from key individuals the Australianâs aggressive style of play might provide the boost the team needsConfirming the news across social media platforms LSG shared a picture that said âExplosives from Down UnderâHe comes with strong credentials from the last edition having scored 278 runs in 11 innings with a strike rate over 160 His skill to handle topquality pace could be crucial particularly against a Mumbai attack led by Jasprit Bumrah Inglis has previously performed well against the Indian fast bowler especially during a key moment last season when he faced BumrahMondayâs clash at the Wankhede will feature two teams trying to boost their campaigns as Mumbai Indians also face a challenging season This game being the ninth match for each team could significantly influence their chances of reaching the playoffsWith a busy schedule ahead featuring matches against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings later this week Lucknow are counting on Inglis to make an immediate impact as they aim to turn their season around IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/josh-inglis-links-up-with-lsg-for-ipl-2026-671981.html Sat, 02 May 2026 15:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/she-gives-freedom-to-players-karthik-draws-comparison-between-mandhana-and-dhoni-671987.html New Delhi May 2 Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has heaped rich praise on Indias charismatic batter and Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women captain Smriti Mandhana praising her leadership qualities and composure while drawing comparisons with former India captain MS Dhoni Speaking about Mandhana Karthik described her as one of his favourite players highlighting not just her batting ability but also the calm authority and freedom she brings as a leader âThe way she carries herself and the clarity she has with what she is doing Shes very selfassuredâ he said in a video released by RCB on XKarthik emphasised Mandhanaâs intuitive understanding of match situations noting that her ability to read the game sets her apart He also praised her leadership style pointing out how she empowers teammates by giving them the freedom to express themselves while remaining a dependable presence in moments of uncertainty He also admitted that all these leadership traits are often associated with Dhoni as he drew comparisons between the twoShe knows what she is doing Her ability to grasp situations very intuitively She gives us the freedom to what we do to allow us to do what we want At the same time if youre in any doubt shes there he saidAnd guess what The last person I heard who players had a similar attribute about was MS Dhoni he addedUnder the leadership of Mandhana RCBW dominated the WPL 2026 season winning their second title by defeating Delhi Capitals in the final Mandhana topped the runscoring charts again as RCB achieved the highest successful run chase in WPL history during the final to win by 6 wicketsMandhana was also vicecaptain of the Indian team that won the ICC Womens World Cup last year She scored 434 runs and played a crucial role in helping the team win their first title IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/she-gives-freedom-to-players-karthik-draws-comparison-between-mandhana-and-dhoni-671987.html Sat, 02 May 2026 16:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/wood-gives-forest-first-leg-advantage-in-europa-league-sf-671818.html Nottinghamshire May 1 Chris Woodâs 200th career goal was enough for Nottingham Forest to take a 10 lead into the UEFA Europa League semifinal second leg After a cautious start Forest began to make the better chances as Morgan GibbsWhite put one header wide and another on to the roof of the net Elliot Anderson also firing overAlthough Villa responded with a smart curling effort from Morgan Rogers that needed Stefan Ortegas intervention to stop it from sneaking inside the far post the hosts continued to press and Emiliano MartÃnez had to react swiftly to keep out an Igor Jesus attempt on the lineAfter the restart Ortega also showed sharp reactions as he saved from Ollie Watkins at pointblank range after good buildup play involving John McGinn and RogersBut then as the match moved into the closing stages Forest claimed the winner Omari Hutchinson managed to keep the ball in play and Lucas Digne with his arms up in the air handled to concede a penalty Up stepped Wood whose emphatic finish gives his side a narrow advantage to take into next weeks returnIts one leg of a twoleg tie Its nice to have the advantage but we know going to Villa Park its going to be a tough game Theyre good at their place We did the job here at home and hopefully we can take it into next week Wood said after the matchVitor Pereira Nottingham Forest head coach added Theyre a very tough team but we competed with them It was a good game I have the honour and the privilege to be the manager of these boys they are fantastic Their spirit four managers in a season and finishing at this level and competing together â it makes it an honour for meNext Thursdayâs second leg in Birmingham will decide which club will progress to the final later inMay IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/wood-gives-forest-first-leg-advantage-in-europa-league-sf-671818.html Fri, 01 May 2026 09:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/zverev-joins-federer-nadal-amp-sinner-feat-with-madrid-qf-win-671829.html Madrid May 1 Alexander Zverev maintained his impressive consistency at the ATP Masters 1000 level at the Madrid Open where he eased past Flavio Cobolli 61 64 inside Manolo Santana Stadium to book his place in the semifinals With his 90minute victory the German became just the fourth man to reach the semifinals at each of the first four Masters 1000 events of the season since the series began in 1990 joining Roger Federer 2006 Rafael Nadal 2010 2011 and Jannik Sinner 2026 Moreover with his win over Cobolli with which he improved to 31 in the pairâs ATP headtohead series Zverev also moved to 179 tourlevel victories on clay breaking his tie with Philipp Kohlschreiber for the most by a German man in the Open Era The world number three did not give Cobolli a lookin on the Caja Magicaâs centre court With some impressive serving Zverev was only truly challenged one time in the match when it came to crossing the line At 54 up and serving for the second set the Hamburg native suddenly found himself having to fend off two break points something he did with aplomb As if he had ice flowing through his veins he produced two huge serves and finished off the jobLooking to extend his perfect 30 record in Madrid semifinals Zverev will next face 21yearold Belgian Alexander Blockx in Fridayâs evening session Blockx the World No 69 earlier defeated defending champion Casper Ruud 64 64 to reach his maiden Masters 1000 semifinalBlockxZverev will be a clash of contrasts this is the first venture into the last four of an ATP tournament for Blockx while Zverev will be playing in his seventh semifinal in the last eight Masters 1000s The German has stayed true to form at the Mutua Madrid Open a tournament he has already conquered twice 2018 2021 He is now just two steps from the title once again IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/zverev-joins-federer-nadal-amp-sinner-feat-with-madrid-qf-win-671829.html Fri, 01 May 2026 12:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-opening-for-delhi-capitals-gives-me-clarity-and-comfort-says-kl-rahul-671884.html New Delhi May 1 Delhi Capitals wicketkeeperbatter KL Rahul said batting at the top of the order has given him clarity and comfort adding that the role suits his game and preparation In IPL 2026 Rahul has been DCâs batting lynchpin scoring 358 runs in eight games at an average of 5114 and strikerate of 18549 including hitting an unbeaten 152 and two fifties Playing as an opening batter for Delhi Capitals makes my life a bit easier Knowing that this is where I am going to bat and that it is a permanent position helps me prepare better Of course nothing is truly permanent in a team sportâSometimes you have to shift up or down the order and be flexible in your mindset But walking into the season knowing that this is where I will mostly start helps me find a clear game plan It gives me clarity on what I need to do this season and that has really helped meâI have always batted at the top of the order at least in T20 cricket and the IPL It is a position where I have spent a lot of time so I know how to manage my game I understand what kind of process I need to follow to help the team It is a very comfortable role for me I am happy that I am at the top Rahul said on JioStarâs âSuperstarsâ showThe righthander who has been an opener in T20 cricket for a long time further said stepping out of his comfort zone in the past has helped him grow as a cricketer I enjoy the role of an opener in all formats Thats what I have always done as a youngster growing upâIn my younger days playing junior cricket and even when I started playing international cricket I was always opening the batting So it is a position that I am very used to It feels like known territory and a comfortable place But yes I have been shifted up and down the orderâThat has also helped me understand my game a lot better It has helped me grow as a cricketer and as a person When you are challenged when you are put in difficult conditions and when you are forced to get out of your comfort zone you either come out a much better person or you crumble In my case I found a way to always come out stronger and do what is required for the teamâ he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-opening-for-delhi-capitals-gives-me-clarity-and-comfort-says-kl-rahul-671884.html Fri, 01 May 2026 17:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-sunrisers-hyderabad-sign-ambrish-as-replacement-for-injured-mavi-671885.html New Delhi May 1 Sunrisers Hyderabad SRH have roped in promising seambowling allrounder RS Ambrish as an injury replacement for Shivam Mavi for the remainder of IPL 2026 Rightarm medium pacer Mavi has been ruled out of the ongoing season due to a groin injury forcing SRH to sign Ambrish as his replacement âAmbrish who is a rightarm medium pacer and a lefthanded batter will join SRH for INR 30 Lakhâ said a statement from the IPL on FridayChennaibased Ambrish was part of Indiaâs triumphant ICC Menâs Under19 World Cupwinning campaign earlier this year in Zimbabwe and Namibia where he emerged as one of the standout performers in the tournamentHe finished as the jointhighest wickettaker for India by claiming 11 wickets and played a crucial role in guiding the team to the title His ability to contribute with both bat and ball has marked him out as one of the brightest young prospects in the Indian cricket talent poolPreviously SRH brought in Gerald Coetzee and Dilshan Madushanka as replacement players to strengthen their pace attack South African pacer Coetzee joined the squad in April as a replacement for David Payne who was ruled out with an ankle injuryPayne the fast bowler from England himself had been signed as a replacement for Australia allrounder Jack Edwards who has been sidelined due to a foot injury Sri Lankan leftarm quick Dilshan Madushanka was added to the SRH roster after Brydon Carse was ruled out due to suffering a hand injury in the netsThe 2016 champions are on a fivematch winning streak and sit at third spot on the points table The Pat Cumminsled side will next host threetime winners Kolkata Knight Riders in an afternoon clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-sunrisers-hyderabad-sign-ambrish-as-replacement-for-injured-mavi-671885.html Fri, 01 May 2026 17:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pole-vaulter-dev-meena-eyes-personal-best-at-domestic-competition-in-bhubaneswar-671890.html Bhubaneswar May 1 Madhya Pradesh rising pole vaulter Dev Kumar Meena has chalked out his plans for the inaugural Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition The twoday competition will start on Saturday here at Bhubaneswarâs Indoor Stadium Fourteen pole vaulters will compete in the menâs event scheduled for opening day of the Indoor meet Other prominent competitors in fray are Kuldeep Kumar from Madhya Pradesh Reegan G from Tamil NaduâMy goal here in Bhubaneswar is to do my personal bestâ the 20yearold international pole vaulter said of his immediate plansDev has an impressive performance graph this season In March the pole vaulter from Madhya Pradesh equalled his national record 540m during an invitational meet in Taiwan His performance in the two domestic competitions earlier in March and April was 525mTo pursue his goal to scale new heights the national record holder arrived in Bhubaneswar earlier this week âI enjoyed my practice sessions at Kalinga Stadium Indoorâ he added Im ready to do my bestLast year in July he improved the national record to 540m Excelling at Indoor competition on Saturday is one of Dev Kumar Meenaâs goals this season His other two goals are to compete at Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Japan Asian GamesThe mens pole vault qualification criteria set by Athletics Federation of India AFI for CWG is 525m The qualification mark for women is 445mThe menâs qualification standard for the Japan Asian Games is 545m While 410m is the qualification mark for the womenSeven athletes have confirmed their participation in the menâs U20 pole vault eventThe womenâs pole vault final will be held on Sunday Eleven athletes have registered for the eventThe main focus will be on national record holder Baranica Elangovan Her season and personal best of 422m is also a national recordCompetition will also be conducted in womenâs U20Overall more than 80 athletes have confirmed their participation in the First Indian Indoor Open Combined Events and Pole Vault Competition being held under the aegis of AFI in coordination with the Government of Odisha and Odisha Athletics AssociationCompetition in heptathlon men and pentathlon women will be organised in senior and U20 groupsHeptathlon events 60m long jump shot put high jump 60m hurdles pole vault and 1000mPentathlon events 60m hurdles high jump shot put long jump and 800m IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pole-vaulter-dev-meena-eyes-personal-best-at-domestic-competition-in-bhubaneswar-671890.html Fri, 01 May 2026 18:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/afghan-pacer-zadrans-brother-expresses-gratitude-for-blood-donation-appeals-for-prayers-671895.html New Delhi May 1 Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran who is battling a rare immune disorder at a hospital in New Delhi continues to receive support from family and fans as his brother Ghamai Zadran expressed gratitude for blood donors and appealed for more prayers Shapoor who represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is from 2009 to 2020 is in the intensive care unit ICU with stage four Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis HLH a lifethreatening condition that causes hyperinflammation and damages tissues including the bone marrow liver spleen and lymph nodesWith Sincere Gratitude I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the friends who took part in organizing the blood donation campaign for Shapoor Zadran Special appreciation also goes to the Afghan brothers and sisters as well as the Indian youths who personally came to the hospital and supported Shapoor with genuine care kindness and compassionâIf there is any urgent need for fresh blood platelets in the future we will certainly keep you all informed Our brother Shapoor still needs your prayers Please continue to keep him in your thoughts With respect Ghamai wrote on his Instagram account on FridayShapoor first became unwell in October last year and was advised to seek treatment in India With support from Rashid Khan and Afghanistan Cricket Board ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf his visa was fasttracked and he was admitted to a hospital in New Delhi on January 18A bone marrow test in late March confirmed stage four HLH for Zadran prompting Ghamai to appeal for Apositive blood donors to assist in his treatment earlier this week Apart from Rashid Mohammad Nabi Asghar Afghan Gulbadin Naib and AM Ghazanfar have met Shapoor during his treatment in New Delhi IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/afghan-pacer-zadrans-brother-expresses-gratitude-for-blood-donation-appeals-for-prayers-671895.html Fri, 01 May 2026 20:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/thomas-amp-uber-cup-india-men-seal-semis-berth-with-unbeatable-3-0-lead-over-chinese-taipei-671899.html Horsens Denmark May 1 Former champions India sealed a place in the semifinals of the Thomas Cup badminton team tournament grabbing an unbeatable 30 lead in their quarterfinal clash against Chinese Taipei in the Thomas amp Uber Cup Finals 2026 at Forum Horsens in Horsens Denmark on Friday The Indian mens team which finished second behind China in their group surged to an unbeatable lead with Lakshya Sen beating Chou Tien Chen 1821 2220 2117 coming back from losing the first game to win in 88 minutesIn the mens double the former World No 1 pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Sherry defeated Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang ChiLin of Chinese Taipei winning a threegame encounter 2321 1921 2112 Aiyush Shetty then sealed a 30 lead by beating Lin ChunYi in the second singles winning in straight games 2116 2117 India will meet the winner of the match between France and Japan in the semifinals which will take place on Saturday before the tournament culminates with the final the following dayIn 2022 India made it to the Thomas Cup semifinal for the first time in 43 years Previously Indian men had reached the Thomas Cup semifinal in 1952 1955 and 1979Sen pulled off a stunning comefrombehind victory against Chou Tien Chen handing India a vital lead in their Thomas Cup knockout tieThe match appeared to be slipping away from the Indian ace as he faced three match points in the second game but he held the nerve to save all three forcing the match into a deciderThe third game saw a complete shift in momentum Sen outmanoeuvred Chen mixing deceptive net play with crosscourt smashes He raced to a commanding lead early in the set leaving Chen struggling to find answers to his pace Despite a late surge from the Chinese Taipei star to narrow the gap Sen closed out the match to secure a winIn the second tie Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty overcame an 1820 deficit to take the opening game 2321 The second game remained tight with both pairs locked at 88 in the early exchanges The Indians appeared to be in a prime position to wrap up the match in straight games holding a comfortable 1411 lead but the Taipei refused to buckle under the pressure and clawed their way back into the contest by taking the second game and taking the match into a decider In the deciding game the Indian pair raced to an early 93 lead and maintained a commanding sixpoint cushion at the midgame interval After the break SatwikChirag surged ahead to 136 and quickly extended the gap to 157 before sealing the match and extending Indias lead to 20 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/thomas-amp-uber-cup-india-men-seal-semis-berth-with-unbeatable-3-0-lead-over-chinese-taipei-671899.html Fri, 01 May 2026 20:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/when-he-wants-to-pull-the-trigger-hes-able-to-hit-the-ball-anywhere-steyn-lauds-klaasens-blitzkrieg-vs-mi-671761.html New Delhi April 30 Former South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn heaped praise on Sunrisers Hyderabadâs middleorder batter Heinrich Klaasen for his scintillating knock against Mumbai Indians and pointed out that the batter is still right up there as an Orange Cap contender despite coming out to bat in the middle order After openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head added 129 runs for the frist wicket Klaasen thrashed an unbeaten 65 off 30 while Salil Arora smoked 30 not out off ten balls to hand SRH the fourthhighest successful chase in the IPL and their fifth straight win of the seasonSteyn pointed out that Klaasenâs numbers are even more impressive considering he does not open the batting and often comes in after the top order has already faced a significant portion of the inningsâThe numbers are just insane because heâs competing with the guys at the top of the order the opening batters If you look at the opening batters from Sunrisers Hyderabad in particular they get off to incredible starts and do the bulk of the runscoring He comes out later and yet heâs still right up there as an Orange Cap contender Itâs an exceptional effort by himâ Steyn told JioStarâEvery time he comes out he looks in total control He looks steady hits the ball down the ground nicely and gets himself in When he wants to pull the trigger heâs able to hit the ball anywhere That six where he went reverse off the spinner how He just pulls it out in the middle of a game Incredible handeye coordination skill and then obviously the mental side to back his ability to do it under pressureâ he addedKlaasenâs ability to accelerate at will and maintain composure under pressure has been central to Hyderabadâs strong performances this season particularly in highstakes run chases where his finishing has stood outSRHâs chase briefly wavered after a cluster of wickets but Klaasenâs unbeaten knock ensured no further setbacks as the visitors secured a memorable winEarlier MI posted a formidable 2435 powered by Ryan Rickeltonâs blazing century but it proved insufficient against SRHâs relentless batting on a highscoring night at the Wankhede IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/when-he-wants-to-pull-the-trigger-hes-able-to-hit-the-ball-anywhere-steyn-lauds-klaasens-blitzkrieg-vs-mi-671761.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/atletico-madrid-arsenal-draw-as-penalties-rule-at-metropolitano-671731.html Madrid April 30 Atletico Madrid and Arsenal drew 11 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal at the Metropolitano leaving everything to be decided in next weeks return leg in London Both goals came from the penalty spot and Arsenal was left aggrieved after a late VAR intervention overturned what had looked a strong claim for a second spotkick that could have tilted the tie in its favour reports XinhuaAtletico started with Ademola Lookman on the left and Jan Oblak in goal with Johnny Cardoso deputizing for the injured Pablo Barrios in midfield For Arsenal Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka were fit enough only for the benchAnyone expecting a repeat of Tuesdays 54 thriller between Paris SaintGermain and Bayern Munich was always likely to be disappointed as these were two disciplined tactically astute sides intent on minimizing riskNoni Madueke posed the first threat for Arsenal with a powerful run down the right while Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya saved well from Giuliano SimeoneBoth sides looked intent on staying compact and avoiding defensive errors with Madueke going close from outside the penalty area while at the other end Arsenal was able to close down Atleticos attacksArsenal took the lead from the penalty spot in the final minute of the first half when Viktor Gyokeres was barged over by David Hancko with the Swede picking himself up and smashing the ball past OblakJulian Alvarez leveled with another penalty 11 minutes after the break after Ben White handled a shot from Marcos Llorente with the referee confirming the decision following a VAR reviewAntoine Griezmann hit the bar for Atletico in the 62nd minute and Raya had to be alert to keep out Alvarezs venomous corner as Atletico enjoyed its best spell of the matchMikel Arteta made a triple substitution bringing on Gabriel Jesus Saka and Leandro Trossard for Gyokeres Madueke and Martinelli but Lookman should have put Atletico ahead after a break ended with him shooting tamely at RayaArsenal thought it had another penalty in the 78th minute when Hancko arrived late on Eze after a pass from Saka but despite clear contact from the defender VAR overturned the onfield decisionArsenal took the initiative after the decision with Declan shooting just wide and Cristhian Mosquera firing at Oblak but the score remained unchanged until the final whistle IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/atletico-madrid-arsenal-draw-as-penalties-rule-at-metropolitano-671731.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/kostyuk-extends-winning-streak-in-madrid-enters-second-career-wta-1000-semi-final-671738.html Madrid April 30 Marta Kostyuk extended the best stretch of her career and stormed into her second career WTA 1000 semifinal and first in the Spanish capital with a 761 60 performance against Czech 13th seed Linda Noskova on Wednesday The Ukrainian will next face lucky loser Anastasia Potapova for a spot in her first WTA 1000 final Kostyuk is 22 against Potapova at the WTA Tour level but she has won their last two meetings in straight sets including their most recent encounter last year in Madrid Mirra Andreeva and Hailey Baptiste will meet in the other semifinalThe first set featured a combined eight breaks of serve â four from each player â and saw both players struggle on serve in cooler temperatures on Manolo Santana Stadium But Kostyuk caught fire in the breaker and never looked back from then on sweeping the second set in commanding fashionThe 23yearold Kostyuk created 23 break point opportunities on Noskovaâs serve throughout the match converting seven of themContrary to the opening set Kostyuk faced zero break points and dropped just one point on serve throughout the entire second frameKostyuk made her tournament debut in 2018 and won just one match in her first five main draw appearances before she finally found her footing and reached the quarterfinals at the Caja Magica last yearThis season she is doing even better as she has yet to drop a set this fortnight which saw her notch some impressive victories including one over fifthseeded Jessica Pegula in the round of 32The victory against Noskova was Kostyukâs 10th consecutive victory building on a win at the Billie Jean King Cup followed by a title run in Rouen on the eve of the Mutua Madrid OpenUndefeated on clay so far this season Kostyuk admits this streak has taken her by surpriseâIt sounds unbelievable If someone told me a few weeks ago that it would happen I probably wouldnât believe it but Iâm very thankful for itâ she said after punching her ticket to a semifinal meeting with Anastasia Potapova IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/kostyuk-extends-winning-streak-in-madrid-enters-second-career-wta-1000-semi-final-671738.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-the-unsung-speed-merchants-meet-the-throwdown-specialists-supporting-delhi-capitals-671741.html New Delhi April 30 Before the Delhi Capitals begin their practice sessions in IPL 2026 three men are already at the stadium and quietly set up the practice nets In their kit bags they carry no bats caps gloves or pads What they carry instead are a variety of balls and sidearm throwers with which they make the batters practice relentlessly ahead of every match day Aniket Berde Darshan Singh and Sai Pendum arm themselves with their sidearm throwers and hurl a cricket ball at velocities that would make most firstclass bowlers blinkAniket tops out around 150 kph while Pendum has clocked 155 kph They can swing the new ball reverse the old one replicate a leftarmers angle as well as bowl the skiddy deliveries or the toecrushing yorker in Lasith Malinga or Matheesha Pathirana style from 18 yardsThey do it ball after ball until a batter in the middle says enough They enter before anyone else leave after their work is done and spend the hours in between quietly keeping the players world in motion The throwdown specialist was barely a whisper in Indian cricket until Raghavendra Dvgi widely known as Raghu made the craft visibleNow the Indian teams most celebrated throwdown specialist Raghuâs sharp deliveries earned acknowledgement from every Indian batter from Virat Kohli to Suryakumar Yadav Apart from Raghu Dayananda Garani and Nuwan Seneviratne have been salient fixtures in Indias support setupWord travels fast in Indian crickets ecosystem â in 2013 Aniket was an assistant coach working under Pravin Amre the former India Test batter who also served as DCs batting coach when he first encountered the possibilities of being a throwdown specialist A cricketer from Kalyan Aniket took to coaching early and the scale of what he saw Raghu doing altered the course of his careerI was with Ajinkya sir in a practice session when I saw Raghu give him throwdowns After that I asked him how he did it He told me that you can do it like this or that In 2013 there was no trend of throwing with a sidearm Since 201516 the trend has increased I started learning it and then slowly I started throwing with a sidearm recalls Aniket in an exclusive conversation with IANSWithin years Aniket who previously bowled to the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Robin Uthappa had not only mastered the sidearm with his right hand but drawn on his background as an ambidextrous cricketer bowling and batting rightarm while throwing with his leftAfter three years with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 he is now proficient in sending throwdowns with both hands for DC in the IPL an ability that in the hyperspecialised ecosystem of T20 franchise cricket is a genuinely valuable assetBecause I used to throw balls with my left hand it was also strong Gradually I started throwing with my left hand As I practiced I was able to send down balls with my left hand Initially I used to throw along the line and length Now I am able to throw in a normal way he saidHaving someone like Darshan the seniormost throwdown specialist in DC has made for a huge learning experience for Aniket Darshan bhai is like a senior to me as he has been in DC for 78 years We try to learn as much as we can from him The camaraderie is good Darshan bowls to the main batters in the centre while me and Sai handle the nets besides himDarshans journey to being a throwdown specialist began after injury cut short his playing life He grew up in Ramban district in Jammu and Kashmir nursing ambitions of playing for India He played agegroup cricket for the state as a pacer until a stress fracture in 2014 took a year or two out of his playing life The door on playing was effectively closed but Darshan found another one openingIn 2013 watching a throwdown specialist at work during a Ranji Trophy practice session something clicked His first significant break came when he delivered throwdowns to thenIndia opener and current head coach Gautam Gambhir at the Roshanara Club in New Delhi in 2016He spent four years with DDCA had a twoyear stint with the JampK team and in 2018 earned his place in the IPL with DC a relationship that has endured ever since including stints with the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 What strikes Darshan even now is how intimate the craft really isThrowdowns are not generic batting practice they are bespoke simulations tailored to each batters position in the order and the specific problems they are solving Nissanka and Rahul are openers So they have a different way of preparation they would prefer facing good length balls a little bit of swing with the new ballâThey tell us that we have to do this and we deliver balls as per their requirement Now Tristan Stubbs is a middle order batter and what we have to do for him is we have to bowl with the old ball and then deliver yorkers as they are bowled the most in death overs he saidThe sidearm can replicate a bowlers height and angles coming from wide of the crease or over the wicket and even generate the scrambled seam reverse swing balls Darshan Aniket and Sai switch between these variables with the unhurried expertise of skilled craftsmen who have spent years learning their tradeYes we do switch between bowling with an old ball and a new ball For the red ball games we send it down with the old ball We have to get the old ball to reverse When we are with a Ranji Trophy team we bowl reverse swing and make them play on the good length balls more said DarshanThough at peace with where he is Darshan dreams quietly of the next step I do now think that when will our time to be in the Indian team as a sidearmer will come through If something materialises over there in future then talks can happen for the sameSai meanwhile carries perhaps the most improbable story of being a throwdowns specialist He grew up in Mahabubnagar district in Telangana where his father cut trees in forests and his mother worked in others agricultural fieldsHe played districtlevel cricket as an offspinner but seeing the politics in Hyderabad cricket convinced him early that the conventional route was closed He worked odd jobs as a painter and construction foreman until his first encounter with a sidearm came in 2018 through a friend named GaneshWith zero knowledge of how the tool worked Ganesh offered Sai a simple piece of advice go to Hyderabad and bowl with a bigger roboarm and you will get paid The connection that changed his trajectory came in 2021 through a message on Instagram to coach Adnan Bafana who runs his academy in HyderabadHe had a camp in Hyderabad and I asked him to inform me if there were any vacancies or requirements and I even told him that I didnt need a salary His instant response was Come and join me At that time I didnt even know how to bowl with a side armâWhen I went to him he observed me for a week and told me one thing You have a lot of talent and you will reach great heights He asked me to continue my good work It is because of that trust and assurance that I am here right now recalled SaiThe early months were physically brutal After a month I started feeling pain in my shoulders At one time I thought that I will quit sidearm He told me that if I start like this I will get used to it and there will be no problem After that I made the players practice I didnt want money as I just wanted a chance I waited for that chance and kept doing thisFrom Hyderabad Sais path took him to the Legends League Cricket with India Capitals where he was spotted by DC strategist Ruchir Grandhi head coach Hemang Badani director of cricket Venugopal Rao and former India wicketkeeperbatter Wriddhiman Saha He then travelled with Dubai Capitals before getting attached with DC in the IPLIt is completely playerspecific Whatever shots they want to practice they tell us and we facilitate according to their needs whether its pace inswing cutters or outswing everything is done as per the players requirement he saidHis bowling shoulder currently carrying a mild tear is being managed through injections and a targeted strengthening programme I feel very happy when players perform well and it gives me great satisfaction knowing that I helped them practice with specific speeds and variationsSince taking up throwdown work all three have found that the game has begun to reciprocate in varying degrees Aniket is philosophical about the demands of being a throwdowns specialist in his personal lifeMy family does get a bit angry because I am married and have a six year old daughter But they like that I am growing in it as a career So they keep adjusting for us They do know that I am doing something good They feel if you are liking something you can do it and I have full support from my familyDarshan speaks about the financial side where pay scales vary by experience and geography state associations offer contracts ranging from monthly salaries to tournamentspecific deals while franchise T20 cricket contracts differ widely across leagues and seasonsOur finances are good We dont lack anything Everyone has a dream to play for India If its not written in someones destiny then we have to do something to be around that sportFor Sai the emotional arithmetic is different shaped entirely by where he comes from I have been very passionate about cricket since childhood and always wanted to play But my mom and dad used to scold me and never really supported me Still I was motivated to do something specialâEven though I didnt play much I had a dream to work with wellknown cricketers Now when I am doing what I wanted to do they still dont understand cricket I do tell them that I am at this stage and they are happy for meIn crickets rewarding yet unforgiving ecosystem there are no weekends off holidays break or even the option to skip an optional practice session for the throwdown specialists The names of Aniket Darshan and Sai dont appear in the teamâs promotional reels or matchday graphics while the broadcast cameras never catch themWhen DCâs batters stride out honed by 155 kmph throwdowns the grind of three unsung men finds its echo in every run scored They are the first to slip in leave after everyone is done for the day and remain the invisible hands shaping the sideâs batting fortunes IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-the-unsung-speed-merchants-meet-the-throwdown-specialists-supporting-delhi-capitals-671741.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/slc-chief-silva-executive-committee-members-resign-with-immediate-effect-671636.html Colombo April 29 Sri Lanka Cricket SLC President Shammi Silva has resigned with immediate effect along with the boardâs executive committee The resignations have been formally communicated to Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake âThe President of Sri Lanka Cricket Mr Shammi Silva has tendered his resignation from the post effective today Along with him the office bearers and members of the Executive Committee of the SLC have also submitted their resignationsâThis decision has been formally communicated to His Excellency President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Honorable Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mr Sunil Kumara Gamageâ said a statement from SLC on WednesdaySilva 65 had been SLC President since 2019 and his resignation comes amid mounting criticism of the national menâs teamâs decline and allegations of mismanagement He was reelected as SLC President unopposed in 2021 2023 and 2025Silva also served as the President of the Asian Cricket Council ACC in 2025 where he succeeded Jay Shah for being in the top role Sri Lankaâs failure to reach the Super Eights stage of this yearâs T20 World Cup which they cohosted with India has been cited as a trigger for change in the SLC administrationSri Lankaâs Sports Law of 1973 empowers the minister to dissolve sports federations though such intervention in elected bodies runs counter to the International Cricket Councilâs ICC charter It is understood the ICC has been briefed on the developments though a timeline on fresh elections is yet to be clearSilva was previously ousted as SLC chief in 2023 after the national team had a poor ODI World Cup campaign in 2023 prompting a suspension of the board by the ICC It also led to relocation of the 2024 Menâs Underâ19 World Cup from Sri Lanka to South Africa Silva returned as SLC chief in 2025 but his sevenâyear reign now appears to have ended for the good IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/slc-chief-silva-executive-committee-members-resign-with-immediate-effect-671636.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/used-nail-to-fix-a-broken-stick-u18-hockey-striker-opens-up-on-journey-from-seoni-to-national-stage-671642.html Bhopal April 29 In the recently concluded 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2026 one name stood out on the scoring charts Nausheen Naz The 15yearold striker from Seoni Madhya Pradesh was the tournaments most clinical finisher ending the campaign as the top scorer with an incredible nine goals Currently attending the U18 National Coaching Camp at SAI Bhopal Nausheenâs rise to the national stage is a testament to her resilience Her journey is defined by a fierce determination to overcome financial hardship and deepseated social prejudicesFor Nausheen starting hockey was about resourcefulness rather than having the best gear Inspired by her elder sister Tahoor Naz a 10yearold Nausheen was desperate to play but lacked a hockey stickâI told my sister I wanted to play but we didnt have the money for a stick I found a broken one at the ground and brought it home I took it to a local blacksmith and used a nail to fix the pieces together so that I could play I practiced with that repaired stick for a whole year before I finally received a proper one from a dayboarding programâ Nausheen recallsComing from a humble background Nausheenâs journey was further challenged by financial instability Her father has worked as a vegetable seller and a truck driver and currently helps transfer cartons to support the family Beyond the finances Nausheen had to fight a social battle in her hometownâI come from a very poor family and in my community few people encouraged girls to play sports People would say that girls shouldnt step out to play It became so difficult that I actually stopped playing for two years and helped my father sell vegetablesâ she sharesIt was her motherâs unwavering support that eventually brought her back to the field âMy mother stood by me She told my father that he should support his daughters passion and not listen to what others say Because of her I was able to join the Gwalior Womens Hockey Academy and eventually make it to this campâHighlighting the importance of the tournament which is supported by Anandana the CocaCola India Foundation Nausheen added âThis competition is a vital platform for young players like us It gives us the opportunity to showcase our talent and grow in the sport Playing on this stage has given me the belief that I can achieve my dreams if I keep working hardâ Now training under the guidance of former Indian Captain Rani Rampal at the Bhopal camp Nausheen is focused on perfecting the basics For a girl who has often had to borrow shoes from teammates when her own wore out training with her idol is a lifechanging experienceâI have learned so much from Rani maâam She explains things so clearlyâlike how to stop the ball properly while on the run and how to keep it hard on the move I want to become like her she has played at the highest level and knows exactly what we need to reach the next stepâ says the young strikerDespite the challenges of living in a rented house and managing with limited resources Nausheenâs focus remains unshaken as she eyes a spot in the team for the U18 Asia Cup Kakamigahara 2026âMy goal is to play for India so that I can support my parents and make sure my father doesnt have to work this hard anymore I want to show everyone that if you have the heart to play no obstacle can stop youâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/used-nail-to-fix-a-broken-stick-u18-hockey-striker-opens-up-on-journey-from-seoni-to-national-stage-671642.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/nomvelo-sibanda-to-lead-as-zimbabwe-announce-squad-for-pakistan-tour-671655.html Harare April 29 Nomvelo Sibanda will lead the side as Zimbabwe Cricket ZC unveiled a newlook womens squad for their upcoming whiteball tour of Pakistan The 15player squad features 10 new faces with only five players retained from the previous tour against New Zealand in March The sixmatch tour marks a historic milestone as it will be Zimbabwe Womenâs firstever visit to Pakistan with all matches set to be played at the National Bank Stadium in KarachiThe ODI series scheduled for May 3 6 and 9 forms part of the ICC Womens Championship 20252029 while the T20I matches will follow on May 12 14 and 15 Nombelo is taking up the responsibility of leading the group after longstanding skipper MaryAnne Musonda called time on her international career on Monday She will be supported by experienced allrounder Precious Marange whose presence provides guidance to a relatively inexperienced squadPromising allrounder Kelis Ndhlovu who suffered a concussion during last monthâs tour of New Zealand has fully recovered and retains her place in the side She is joined by fellow emerging talents Beloved Biza and Adel ZimunuZimbabwe Womenâs technical director for the tour Steve Mangongo who is also in charge of ZCâs Womenâs High Performance Programme said the changes were both deliberate and necessary as the team transitions into the demands of the Future Tours Programme FTP cricketâZimbabwe has taken a significant step into FTP cricket and itâs important that we expose young talent to the international stage while broadening our player base We took a hard honest look at where we are after missing out on qualification in Nepal for the Womenâs T20 World Cup Mangongo said in an official statementDue to the new strategy Zimbabwe will be without several experienced names Josephine Nkomo and Nyasha Gwanzura miss out due to injury while Chipo MugeriTiripano is unavailable due to personal commitmentsAdditionally Modester Mupachikwa Chiedza Dhururu Loreen Tshuma Loryn Phiri and Tendai Makusha â all part of the New Zealand tour â have not been selected for the Pakistan tripChristabel Chatonzwa and Audrey Mazvishaya are among the nontravelling reserves together with Passionate MonorweiZimbabwe women will tour Pakistan for the first time for a whiteball series The visitors will arrive in Karachi towards the end of April and will undergo a preparatory training camp before the matchesZimbabwe Womenâs squad for Pakistan tourNomvelo Sibanda captain Beloved Biza Olinder Chare Kudzai Chigora Melinda Kachingwe Lindokuhle Mabhera Precious Marange Michelle Mavunga Natasha Mtomba Christina Mutasa Vimbai Mutungwindu Kelis Ndhlovu Kelly Ndiraya Runyararo Pasipanodya Adel Zimunu IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/nomvelo-sibanda-to-lead-as-zimbabwe-announce-squad-for-pakistan-tour-671655.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/watch-the-ball-and-back-your-skills-ferreira-reveals-message-to-dubey-in-rrs-thrilling-chase-671658.html New Chandigarh April 29 Rajasthan Royals RR finisher Donovan Ferreira opened up on his onfield conversation with Shubham Dubey revealing how a simple message of watching the ball properly helped power their matchwinning partnership against Punjab Kings PBKS at the PCA New International Stadium on Tuesday Chasing a daunting 223 RR were under pressure with the required rate hovering between 10 and 12 However Ferreira and Dubey stitched together an unbeaten 77run stand off just 32 balls dismantling the Punjab Kings bowling attack to seal a sixwicket win in 192 overs and hand PBKS their first defeat of the seasonâEspecially with Shubham I just said to him you know heâs really talented and really skilful and it just amazes me how simply he just keeps it out there So I just kept on telling him to just watch the ball and just back his skills because his boundaryhitting ability is amazingâ Ferreira said in a video released by Rajasthan Royals on XFerreira also revealed there was little time to prepare mentally before walking in to bat âTo be fair there was no discussion because I just padded up and then came down and Sango said Iâm in next and then I think like two minutes later Yashasvi Jaiswal lost his wicket so there wasnât much time to reflect or to think about it But yeah I just know for myselfâ I just need to give myself a bit of time and the game dictates what needs to happenâ he explainedEarlier in the chase 15yearold sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gave RR a flying start with 43 off 16 balls while Jaiswal added a brisk 51 Despite a brief slowdown triggered by Yuzvendra Chahal the Royals stayed within touching distance of the targetFerreira emphasised that the chase never felt out of control despite the steep target âNo to be honest I didnât because we kept the rate at around 10 to 12â it wasnât like the rate was climbing and climbing and didnât ever get higher than 12 so for us we didnât really feel like we were behind the ballâI just saidâ we need to keep our intent up make sure if itâs a good ball we could run a two as well Dont undervalue that because sometimes in that situation you lose your shape when you just try and hit sixes the whole timeâ Ferreira addedReflecting on the team effort Ferreira credited the collective mindset in the middle which never let the pressure build in the chase despite a big targetâAs I say I think it was really controlled it never felt like we were under pressureâ that was because the guys were putting the team first And I think itâs important that we just keep the momentum going and you know when itâs your day make sure you put up your hand and win the game for the teamâ he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/watch-the-ball-and-back-your-skills-ferreira-reveals-message-to-dubey-in-rrs-thrilling-chase-671658.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chelsea-captain-millie-bright-announces-retirement-from-football-671672.html London April 29 Premier League club Chelsea have suffered a big blow amid the ongoing season as their womens team captain Millie Bright announced a shock retirement on Wednesday Bright ends her career as Chelseas longestserving player having been part of the clubâs first trophy win in 2015 and the 19 that have followed sinceRepresenting Chelsea over the last 12 years has been everything to me but Im now ready to say goodbye to playing football Iâve given all I can and I never wanted to fight for any other badge It is now time and Im ready to go into a new era Iâm always going to be Chelsea but just in a different way Bright said in a statement shared by ChelseaThe Premier League club said she will be staying on at the club as a trustee of our foundation It added that Bright will also be continuing to represent the club in a new role as club ambassador reflecting her intrinsic link with Chelsea Football ClubSigned from Doncaster Belles Millie began her Chelsea career in the 2015 season and went on to play more Womenâs Super League matches than any other player breaking Jordan Nobbsâ record of 210 during our match against Liverpool in November 2025 and now sits in top spot with 216She also holds our clubs alltime appearance record 314 and has scored 19 total goals on the way to winning all eight of our WSL titles since our first in 2015 She has added six Womenâs FA Cup trophies to that list as well as four Womenâs League Cups earning two domestic Trebles one in 2021 and the other in 2025On the international stage Millie made her debut for England in September 2016 before going on to earn 88 caps and score six goals for her countryOne of the key members of Englandâs win at Euro 2022 on home soil she went on to captain the Lionesses as they reached the World Cup final in 2023 She was awarded an OBE in the Kingâs New Yearâs Honours List of 2024 acknowledging her leadership and impact on the game IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chelsea-captain-millie-bright-announces-retirement-from-football-671672.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/table-tennis-team-backed-with-over-rs-90-lakh-support-overseas-camp-by-sai-for-centenary-world-cships-671513.html New Delhi April 28 The Sports Authority of India SAI put in place a comprehensive support worth over Rs 90 lakh to ensure the Indian table tennis team put their best foot forward at the centenary ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships WTTC which gets underway in London on Tuesday The event is scheduled from April 28 to May 10 at the OVO Arena in WembleyA 19member Indian contingent comprising 10 players three coaches three support staff and three sparring partners are representing the country at the prestigious global event with leading names such as Manika Batra Gnanasekaran Sathiyan Manav Thakkar and Harmeet Desai spearheading the challenge across menâs and womenâs competitionsThe Indian mens are drawn alongside Slovakia Tunisia and Guatemala while the womenâs team will take on Ukraine Uganda and Rwanda in the group stages The group stage matches are scheduled between April 28 and May 1 The Indian teams will be looking to go further this time around both the menâs and womenâs teams advanced to the knockout stages but exited in the Round of 32 in the 2024 edition of the competition in BusanTable Tennis will not feature in the Commonwealth Games 2026 but the WTTC London will provide a good litmus test ahead of the Asian Games 2026 in Japan and also determine Indiaâs preparation and bench strength as the games are set to return at the centenary Commonwealth Games 2030 in BharatIn the leadup to the 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships Sports Authority of India sanctioned a series of preparatory camps to finetune the teamâs performance A national coaching camp was held at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports Centre in Bengaluru from April 13 to 19 at a cost of Rs 1326 lakh followed by an overseas training stint in Sheffield from April 21 to 26 backed with Rs 2092 lakh according to SAI releaseThis phased preparation combining domestic conditioning with international exposure was done with the aim of sharpening match readiness and adapting Massimo Constantiniâs players to the European playing conditionsSAI also released a total fund of approximately Rs 601 lakh to the Table Tennis Federation of India to ensure the teamâs participation including airfare boarding and lodging outofpocket allowances and entry fees for our athletes and officials in the event Indian Teams for ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships 2026Menâs team Manav Thakkar Manush Shah G Sathiyan Harmeet Desai Payas Jain Womenâs team Manika Batra Yashaswini Ghorpade Diya Chitale Sutirtha Mukherjee Syndrela DasCoaches Massimo Costantini Foreign Expert Sourav Chakraborty Somnath Ghosh IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/table-tennis-team-backed-with-over-rs-90-lakh-support-overseas-camp-by-sai-for-centenary-world-cships-671513.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/inspired-by-vandana-katariya-akshra-duttas-journey-from-poonch-to-national-camp-gathers-pace-671514.html Bhopal April 28 Originally from Poonch a distant district in Jammu and Kashmir only 8 kilometres from the Line of Control and with limited sporting opportunities 16yearold Akshra Dutta has earned her spot in Hockey Indiaâs U18 National Coaching Camp at SAI Bhopal Akshra received this opportunity thanks to her outstanding performance at the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2026 Division âCâ Playing for Hockey Jammu and Kashmir she netted four field goals and was the secondhighest scorer in her division Her efforts were instrumental in her team finishing first in Pool B and earning promotion to Division âBâ for the following seasonBehind her rise is a strong sporting environment at home Her father Santosh Kumar Dutta a professional gymnast introduced her to sports and remains her biggest supporter Her mother is a government school teacher her grandfather is a retired army officer and her sisters are also engaged in sports fostering a culture of discipline ambition and patriotism in the familyReflecting on her journey Akshra said âWhen I was around seven years old my father took me to the ground and asked me which sport I wanted to play That day I chose hockey and since then I have been playing the sport regularly My father has always been my biggest support and motivationâAkshra was raised in a community where participating in sports was frequently met with skepticism leading to social challenges early on âIn the beginning people around me used to say that playing sports is a waste of time and that nothing would come out of it But my parents always believed in me Their support gave me the confidence to continue and work harder towards my dream of playing for Indiaâ she sharedâI played the Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship for the first time in 2022 in Manipur and although my performance wasnât the best at the time that tournament gave me confidence that I can pursue hockey professionally and give my best and play for India in the futureâ she addedAs a forward herself Akshra finds inspiration in former Indian forward Vandana Katariya whom she has looked up to as a role model growing up âI remember watching a match with my father on TV where India was playing against Argentina Vandana maâam was playing My father told me to observe her skills and learn from her Since then I have followed her closely and tried to improve my game by watching her play I really enjoy her game and some day wants to score goals for my country the way she didâSpeaking about her experience in the camp so far training under coach Rani she said âBefore coming here I did not realise how important it is to enjoy the game while playing Training under Rani maâam has been an amazing experience She has taught me discipline and how to play with confidence but most importantly she has taught me to enjoy my hockey and play freelyâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/inspired-by-vandana-katariya-akshra-duttas-journey-from-poonch-to-national-camp-gathers-pace-671514.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pm-modi-virtually-inaugurates-indoor-cricket-academies-in-manipur-arunachal-671519.html Gangtok April 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday virtually inaugurated indoor cricket academies in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh from Gangtok marking a major boost for sports infrastructure in the Northeast The Manipur Cricket Associationâs Indoor Cricket Academy funded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI was inaugurated at Luwangpokpa Cricket Stadium in Luwangsangbam Imphal as part of the launch of indoor cricket academies for northeastern state associationsSpeaking to IANS Manipur Cricket Association secretary Lairenjam Geetranjan Singh described the occasion as a historic moment for cricket in the state and thanked Jay Shah for extending support to the project during his tenure as BCCI Secretary He said the academy is a worldclass facility equipped with three indoor practice pitches a gymnasium an administrative office and a swimming poolLairenjam added that the BCCI will bear the maintenance and operational expenses of the academy for the next two years According to Singh the indoor facility will significantly benefit players in Manipur especially during the rainy season as training camps and coaching sessions can now continue throughout the year without the need to send players outside the stateHighlighting recent achievements he said Manipur reached the finals of five BCCI domestic tournaments during the 2025 season and won two Under19 titles âAll players representing Manipur are local cricketers groomed by the association over the last several yearsâ he said expressing confidence that the new academy would further strengthen both boysâ and girlsâ cricket in the statePrime Minister Modi also virtually inaugurated the Indoor Cricket Academy at Doimukh in Arunachal Pradesh developed jointly by the BCCI and the Arunachal Cricket Association The facility includes modern practice nets and fitness centres aimed at ensuring yearround training despite the regionâs heavy monsoon conditionsDuring the virtual event PM Modi said such infrastructure would help nurture local sporting talent provide young players better training opportunities and strengthen the Northeastâs growing sports ecosystem The Prime Minister is currently in Gangtok on an official visit from where he launched several development and infrastructure projects for the region earlier in the day IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pm-modi-virtually-inaugurates-indoor-cricket-academies-in-manipur-arunachal-671519.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/5th-t20i-wolvaardts-unbeaten-92-helps-south-africa-beat-india-win-series-4-1-671403.html Benoni April 28 Laura Wolvaardt continued her recordbreaking form with an unbeaten 92 off 56 balls to help South Africa women hand India Women a 23run defeat in the fifth T20I and completed a 41 victory in the fivematch series at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Monday Electing to bat first Wolvaardt hammered 11 boundaries and two sixes as she came up with another brilliant performance raising 75 runs for the partnership for the opening wicket with Sune Luus who contributed a runaball 23 hitting two boundaries and one six in the fifth and final match of the seriesChasing a modest total India lost early wickets and despite a fighting 40 by Bharti Fulmali could manage only 132 losing the match by 32 runsWolvaardt kept one end going for South Africa Women scoring runs at a brisk pace even though she lost partners at the other end Her knock of 92 took her series tally to 330 runs â the most by any batter in a womenâs T20I series India fought back after the opening partnership between Wolvaardt and Luus claiming wickets in a heap to restrict them to a modest 1558 in 20 overs For India Renuka Singh Shree Charani and Arundhati Reddy claimed two wickets apiece as India Women halted the rampaging South African Women from putting up a The hosts then came back and prevented India Women who had won the fourth ODI riding on a fine allround performance and had a great chance of making it 23 in the series from winning the fifth and final matchIndia lost Shafali Verma their best batter in the series for four runs off five balls handing a sharp catch to Chloe Tyson off ElizMari Marx From 121 it became 383 in the eighth over as Jemimah Rodrigues 1 and Anushka Sharma 17 fell to Ayabonga Khaka Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur 22 and Bharti Fulmali 40 fought a lone battle to keep Indias hopes alive But neither could guide the team to victory and they were both out as India slumped to 995 They eventually managed only 1328 in their 20 overs and lost by 23 runs Brief scoresSouth Africa Women 1556 in 20 overs Laura Wolvaardt 92 not out Sune Luus 23 Renuka Singh 221 Shree Charani 222 beat India Women 1328 in 20 overs Bharti Fulmali 40 Richa Ghosh 25 not out Nonkululeko Mlaba 218 Nadine de Klerk 226 by 23 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/5th-t20i-wolvaardts-unbeaten-92-helps-south-africa-beat-india-win-series-4-1-671403.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/man-utd-edge-closer-to-ucl-return-with-2-1-win-over-brentford-671423.html Manchester April 28 Manchester United edged closer to sealing a return to the UEFA Champions League after a 21 victory over Brentford at Old Trafford United are now 11 points clear of sixthplaced Brighton and Hove Albion with four Premier League games remaining and their Champions League qualification could be rubberstamped this coming weekend when they host fourthplaced Liverpool at Old Trafford Brentford remain ninth one point off the European placesA frantic first half saw plenty of chances at both ends and Michael Carrickâs side found the breakthrough thanks to Casemiroâs 11thminute headerBenjamin Sesko doubled the Red Devilsâ lead in the 43rd minute finishing well after being picked out by Bruno Fernandes who registered his 19th Premier League assist of the season Premier League reportsAfter spurning several glorious chances Brentford got themselves on the scoresheet late on when Mathias Jensen lashed a wonderful strike in off the post with Mikkel Damsgaard then seeing a header saved by Senne LammensHarry Maguire then went close from Fernandesâ corner but that duo soon combined for Unitedâs openerFernandesâ delivery was met by Maguire who headed to the back post where Casemiro nodded in for his ninth Premier League goal of the seasonBrentford had their chances to equalise with top scorer Igor Thiago squandering three great chances and the Bees were made to pay when Fernandes â who is now just one shy of matching the singleseason record for Premier League assists â picked out Sesko The striker sat down Nathan Collins before rifling home to cap a brilliant counterattackA tactical change from Carrick stalled Brentford after the break but the visitors went close when Dango Ouattara headed against the woodwork from pointblank rangeJensen did however provide a nervy finish when he spectacularly finished from 25 yards out in the 87th minute but United were able to see out the victory despite a late wave of Brentford pressure IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/man-utd-edge-closer-to-ucl-return-with-2-1-win-over-brentford-671423.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/nzc-name-former-pacer-geoff-allott-as-new-ceo-671446.html Auckland April 28 New Zealand Cricket NZC has named former international pacer Geoff Allott as its new Chief Executive Officer with his tenure set to begin on July 1 A former BlackCaps seamer who featured in 10 Tests and 31 ODIs between 1996 and 2000 Allott steps into the role with close to 20 years of experience in cricket administration along with extensive business expertise and strong ties across India and the broader South Asian regionHaving worn the silver fern as a player served as General Manager of Cricket and contributed for over eight years as a board director I have a deep connection to this organisation and our game I look forward to working collaboratively with the board players staff member associations and our commercial partners to build strong relationships foster a positive and constructive culture and deliver outstanding results both on and off the fieldAllott qas quoted by NZC in a releaseAllottâs association with cricket governance runs deep He was among the founding members of the New Zealand Cricket Players Association in 2002 later served on the Canterbury Cricket board from 2011 to 2013 and joined the NZC board in 2013Over an eightyear stint as a director he contributed significantly before stepping down in 2021 as part of board rotation His contributions were recognised with NZC Life Membership in 2022He becomes the sixth CEO in NZCâs history succeeding Scott Weenink who stepped down in December Previous occupants of the role include Chris Doig Martin Snedden Justin Vaughan and David White Notably Allott has prior executive experience at NZC having served as General Manager of Cricket from 2008 to 2010During his time as a director Allott also played a supporting role in Sarah Beamanâs influential 2016 Women and Cricket Report and he continues to advocate strongly for the advancement of womenâs and girlsâ cricket both in New Zealand and globallyHis broad understanding of the sport spans formats from Test cricket to limitedovers and franchise leagues while his strong international connections position him well to meet the demands of the roleHe emphasised that unity and collaboration would be central to his leadership approach stating âBy strengthening relationships through all levels of the game here we can ensure New Zealand cricket remains competitive sustainable and thriving at every levelâNZC Chair Diana PuketapuLyndon praised the appointment highlighting Allottâs unique blend of skills and experienceâGeoff brings a rare and highlyrelevant combination of attributes to the role deep cricket expertise as a former New Zealand representative invaluable experience within NZC as former General Manager of Cricket and Board member and strong commercial leadership as Executive Director of his company QualityNZâ she saidâWere confident his playing background institutional knowledge business acumen and international outlook make him exceptionally well placed to lead NZC through the next phase of growth and development On behalf of the Board I welcome Geoff and wish him every success Were confident hell be a strong collaborative leader who will work closely with all stakeholders to deliver an exciting future for New Zealand cricketâ she added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/nzc-name-former-pacer-geoff-allott-as-new-ceo-671446.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/not-the-right-time-to-panic-chawla-encourages-dc-to-stay-together-after-heavy-loss-to-rcb-671467.html New Delhi April 28 Veteran legspinner Piyush Chawla has urged Delhi Capitals to stay composed and avoid panic despite their crushing defeat to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru where they were bowled out for just 75 at their home ground the Arun Jaitley Stadium The heavy loss on Monday came as a major setback for Delhi especially after they had recently registered their highest total of the season What followed however was a dramatic collapse that resulted in one of their lowest scores in IPL history highlighting their inconsistency after a promising start to the campaignThere will be some panic around for sure knowing the history of Delhi Capitals But thats not the right time for it now They need to sit together discuss about it and they have to start fresh because they started off pretty well in the tournament and its not like in three weeks the team has changed or the way of playing has changedâ Chawla told ESPNCricinfoDelhi began their IPL 2026 journey with backtoback wins but have since struggled to maintain momentum managing just one victory in their last six outings Fielding lapses have compounded their problems with crucial dropped chances proving costly In a recent highscoring clash Karun Nair put down Shreyas Iyer twice as Punjab Kings went on to complete a recordbreaking chase the highest successful run pursuit in menâs T20 cricketLater in the business end of the tournament when they look back at it those two points will definitely come to haunt them if they are not qualifying for the playoffs So right now is the time when they just have to forget everything and move on start playing some positive cricket and just make sure theres a very positive environment in the dressing room because that plays a huge roleWhen things are not going your way its very very easy for any team to just scatter and just talk behind the back that this guy would have done this this guy would have done that he would have taken that single this guy would have taken that catchChawla statedDrawing parallels with the previous season Chawla pointed out how inconsistency had similarly cost Delhi a playoff spot Despite a strong phase where they strung together multiple wins they faded in the latter half and ultimately finished fifth narrowly missing qualification for the knockouts a stage they last reached in 2021The most difficult thing for DC is to just come together sit together and talk about it and just say Okay now that is gone These things are not in our control and still we are in it We are not out of the tournament and we are the same team who has done well in the past we have won fourfive games on the trot last year as well and still we didnt qualify But this year we have to change the history and just go out there express yourself and play with positive intentThats all you can say because its not about the skill level here right now because everyone is very skillful thats why they are playing here its just about being positive and the leader needs to take that initiative and make sure everyone is held togetherChawla addedWith the league entering a crucial phase Delhi Capitals will next travel to Jaipur to face Rajasthan Royals on May 1 a fixture that could prove pivotal in reviving their playoff hopes IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/not-the-right-time-to-panic-chawla-encourages-dc-to-stay-together-after-heavy-loss-to-rcb-671467.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/theres-a-genuine-fear-among-batters-steyn-on-pacers-dominating-ipl-2026-671477.html New Delhi April 28 Former South African bowler Dale Steyn believes the ongoing season IPL season has tilted in favour of fast bowlers pointing out that batters are facing a genuine fear because of technical changes and execution from the seamers Observing the impact of premier quicks like Bhuvneshwar Kumar Josh Hazlewood Kagiso Rabada and Jofra Archer who are dominating the season with wickets and testmatchlength bowling Steyn said their consistency in hitting the right areas has left batters short of answersWatching Bhuvi Hazlewood throw KG and Archer in there too thereâs a genuine fear from batters Not because theyâre scared but they know exactly where these greats are going to bowl and donât practice enough in that area to have answers Steyn wrote in a post on XHe explained that the batters struggle is largely technical with players unable to adapt midtournament âThe fear is technical skill Itâs too deep into the tournament to change now Watch these bowlers continue to dominateâ he addedSteyn also highlighted the importance of disciplined length a hallmark of successful fast bowling in the format âItâs called a hard length for a reasonâ he addedSteyns remarks come at a time when Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB fast bowling due to Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood completely dominated against Delhi Capitals DC at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday Hazlewood finished with great figures of 412 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar also ended with 35 which ensured RCB bowled out DC for 75 the lowest total of this season The 2025 champions chased down the total in just 63 overs while losing a single wicketPacers are leading the charts for most wickets in IPL 2026 as all the top five players are seamers which points out their influence in the current season Bhuvneshwar currently holds the purple cap with 14 wickets in 8 matches While CSKs Anshul Kamboj and SRHs Eshan Malinga are placed at second and third with 14 wickets each Meanwhile Archer has taken 13 wickets and is positioned at fourth place followed by Prince Yadav who also took 13 scalps IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/theres-a-genuine-fear-among-batters-steyn-on-pacers-dominating-ipl-2026-671477.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/denmark-rajasthan-in-talks-for-friendly-cricket-match-exchange-progamme-671485.html Jaipur April 28 The Rajasthan Cricket Association RCA is set to take a significant step towards international grassroots collaboration with plans underway for a player exchange programme and friendly cricket match with Denmark following the recent highlevel discussions with Danish ambassador Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen on Tuesday Kristensen said the proposal would now be taken up formally with the Danish Cricket Association We have discussed the possibility of exploring an exchange of players between the Danish cricket teams the Danish Cricket Association and the RCA here in Rajasthan I will go back and discuss this with the Danish Cricket Association and hopefully we can make a more formal agreement after this he told IANSRCA official Ashish Tiwary said the talks with the visiting Danish delegation were highly encouraging and could pave the way for longterm cooperation aimed at developing the sportâWe had very positive discussions with them and their support towards taking cricket forward in Rajasthan has been extremely encouraging They are keen that we work together to grow the sportâ Tiwary told reportersHe added that a key highlight of the proposed collaboration is a structured exchange programme involving young cricketers from both regionsâAs part of this initiative our children will travel to Denmark while young players from Denmark will come to Rajasthan This will be a historic step and in my view perhaps the first such initiative in Indiaâs cricketing landscapeâ he saidTiwary further confirmed that both sides have agreed in principle to organise a friendly cricket series between Rajasthan and Denmark with discussions already establishing a mutual understandingâThe discussions have taken place and there is a mutual understanding in place His Excellency is taking this very seriously and we are optimistic about taking things forward soonâ he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/denmark-rajasthan-in-talks-for-friendly-cricket-match-exchange-progamme-671485.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/dortmund-turns-landmark-fixture-into-champions-league-ticket-671296.html Berlin April 27 Secondplaced Borussia Dortmund celebrated its 1000th Bundesliga home match in style sweeping aside a rotated Freiburg side to secure qualification for next seasons Champions League Needing a response after consecutive league defeats to Bayer Leverkusen and TSG Hoffenheim Niko Kovacs team settled the contest early Maximilian Beier opened the scoring in the eighth minute running onto Ramy Bensebainis long pass before beating Noah Atubolu in his 100th Bundesliga appearanceSix minutes later Dortmund struck again Samuele Inacio making his first start at the age of 18 carried the ball forward after a turnover and fed Julian Brandt whose cross from the right found Serhou Guirassy unmarked in the center to make it 20 as Freiburg struggled to escape the pressureThe visitors who made seven changes from their cup defeat in Stuttgart and were without Yuito Suzuki Yohan Manzambi and Matthias Ginter in the squad offered little before the interval Nicolas Hofler and Lucas Holer had harmless efforts while Bensebaini underlined Dortmunds superiority in the 32nd minute by heading in Julian Ryersons corner to make it 30Freiburgs clearest firsthalf chance came only after Dortmund eased off with Holer forcing Gregor Kobel into a quick save from a throwin By halftime the hosts had registered 11 shots to Freiburgs threeThe second half was played at a lower tempo Freiburg improved briefly and thought it had reduced the deficit in the 55th minute through Lukas Kubler but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review for offside Bensebaini then headed against the post from another Ryerson cornerKovac used the closing stages to rotate with Fabio Silva replacing Guirassy before finishing a move involving Beier Carney Chukwuemeka and Daniel Svensson in the 87th minuteThe victory also marked Dortmunds 600th Bundesliga home win Freiburg dropped to eighth missing the chance to pull away from Frankfurt in the race for seventh place which already guarantees at least Conference League qualificationWe are of course delighted to have won our 1000th home game I think the team played very well over the full 90 minutes Compliments and congratulations to the players for already securing Champions League qualification said Dortmund coach KovacElsewhere fourthplaced VfB Stuttgart was held to a 11 draw by Werder Bremen but remains fourth IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/dortmund-turns-landmark-fixture-into-champions-league-ticket-671296.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/devonshire-mcleod-patel-amp-sharp-set-for-maiden-away-tour-as-nz-name-squad-for-england-odis-671307.html Christchurch April 27 Spinbowling allrounders Flora Devonshire Nensi Patel and batters Emma McLeod and Izzy Sharp have been named in the New Zealand Womens ODI squad for the threematch series in England and Wales starting from May 10 The series will mark the quartets first senior overseas tour for New Zealand The newcomers have featured in the ODI series victories against Zimbabwe and South Africa at home earlier this yearDevonshire was selected in the teamâs 2025 ICC Womenâs Cricket World Cup squad but returned home without getting a game after she sustained a finger injury during training The leftarmer went on to make her ODI debut in Christchurch against South Africa in March NZC said in a releaseMelie Kerr who took on fulltime captaincy in February will lead the 15strong squad alongside senior players Suzie Bates Maddy Green and Brooke HallidayBates will close the chapter on her storied 181match ODI career during the tour after her announcement last week that she will be retiring from international cricket at the conclusion of the upcoming ICC Womens T20 World CupHead coach Ben Sawyer said it was a wellbalanced squad âWeâve got some exciting young talent in this squad with the likes of Emma Izzy Nensi and Flora alongside our core group of seasoned campaignersâOur younger players are finding their feet in international cricket but theyâve proved they have what it takes to succeed at this level he saidSawyer anticipated that the ICC Womenâs Cricket World Cup semifinalists would be a challenging opponentâEngland is a tough side to beat in their home conditions so itâs a good chance to test ourselves Weâve made some great gains as a group recently and are coming off the back of a successful home summer so hopefully that gives the team a lot of confidence heading into this series he addedThe squad departs to England later this week ahead of their warmup match against ECB development XI on May 6NZC said the squad for the T20 leg of the series and the ICC Womenâs T20 World Cup will be named this Wednesday April 29Squad Melie Kerr c Suzie Bates Flora Devonshire Izzy Gaze Maddy Green Brooke Halliday Bree Illing Polly Inglis Jess Kerr Emma McLeod Rosemary Mair Nensi Patel Molly Penfold Georgia Plimmer Izzy SharpSeries scheduleFirst ODI May 10 DurhamSecond ODI May 13 NorthamptonThird ODI May 16 Cardiff IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/devonshire-mcleod-patel-amp-sharp-set-for-maiden-away-tour-as-nz-name-squad-for-england-odis-671307.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/womens-kabaddi-team-bags-gold-at-asian-beach-games-in-china-mens-team-in-final-671337.html Sanya China April 27 Indian womens beach kabaddi team clinched the gold after defeating Sri Lanka comfortably in the final at the Asian Beach Games here on Monday India women registered a comfortable 4731 win over Asian Beach Games champion Sri Lanka to win their sixth consecutive title This is Indias first Gold at this edition of the Asian Beach Games Earlier the Indian women defeated Bangaldesh 5031 in the semifinals to confirm the first medalHistory made in Sanya China The Indian Womenâs Kabaddi team secures GOLD at the 6th Asian Beach Games China defeating Sri Lanka 4731 This marks Indiaâs first medal of the games The hard work put in at the SAI RC Gandhinagar national coaching camp has truly paid off SAI Gandhinagar shared in XMeanwhile the mens team also stormed into the finals after a commanding 50â27 victory over Pakistan and confirmed Indias second medal Organised by the Olympic Council of Asia OCA the Asian Beach Games is a multisport event focused on beach and coastal disciplines First held in Bali Indonesia in 2008 the Games showcase sports not always featured at the Asian GamesThe Asian Beach Games were last held in 2016 in Da Nang Vietnam and were initially scheduled to return in 2020 However the Covid19 pandemic led to a prolonged delay with the event now resumed after a decadeThe 2026 edition is being staged entirely in the resort city of Sanya and India sent a 31member contingentAt the 2016 edition India won 24 medals including two gold four silver and 18 bronze The womenâs kabaddi team clinched gold while the menâs team settled for silver Indiaâs other gold medal came in vocotruyen where Shweta More triumphed in the womenâs 52kg event IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/womens-kabaddi-team-bags-gold-at-asian-beach-games-in-china-mens-team-in-final-671337.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/major-security-sabotage-at-chinnaswamy-during-rcb-gt-match-2-held-for-sabotaging-240-cctv-cameras-671343.html Bengaluru April 27 In a major security lapse reported during the IPL scheduled match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium around 240 CCTV feeds were allegedly disabled during the match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB and Gujarat Titans GT The Cubbon Park police have filed an FIR in this regard and launched a hunt for two accused persons The police have taken the case seriously as the sabotage was intended to cause dysfunction of cameras operating in all entrances the perimeter camera the corporate stand and all concoursesAccording to preliminary investigation findings two individuals were identified as 37yearold Manjunatha E a resident of Hiriyur in the Chitradurga district and 19yearold Abdul Kalam a resident of Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh the employees of subcontractor IVS Digital Solutions are suspected to have tampered with the surveillance systemThe duo allegedly gained entry into the stadium using a deactivated access card and proceeded to the CCTV server room where they cut connections to the Network Video Recorder NVR and fibre cablesThe disruption resulted in a temporary loss of surveillance coverage across several critical areas of the stadium including entry gates concourses and the D Corporate StandAuthorities said that alternative security arrangements were swiftly put in place to ensure the safety of spectators and players Despite the breach the match concluded without any untoward incidentsThe Cubbon Park police have taken up further investigation is underway to determine the motive and assess lapses in access control and security protocolsThe case has been registered under BNS Sections 324 4 The complaint in this regard has been lodged by Aditya Bhat an employee with Staqu Technologies Gurgaon in HaryanaAccording to the FIR the accused persons have entered the stadium in the morning without pass by using deactivated card The accused persons have intentionally damaged the NVR and fibre cables The CCTV footage has shown the accused moving into the CCTV camera section and later moving towards the connection box near the parking areaThe accused later got shifted from the server room to the junction box and cut the optical fibre cables As the incident had taken place on the day of the match the complainant was not able to provide necessary evidence to the policeFurther investigation is underway IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/major-security-sabotage-at-chinnaswamy-during-rcb-gt-match-2-held-for-sabotaging-240-cctv-cameras-671343.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/rugby-india-introduces-womens-franchises-in-season-2-of-rugby-premier-league-671348.html New Delhi April 27 Rugby India on Monday announced the introduction of womenâs franchises in the second season of Rugby Premier League RPL The Rugby Premier League scheduled to be held from June 16â28 at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad builds on the strong foundation of its debut season held in Mumbai last year which featured six menâs franchisesThe player draft and auction for the four womenâs teams and six menâs teams including Hyderabad Heroes and Bengaluru Bravehearts will take place in Hyderabad on April 30Four of the existing six menâs teams Chennai Bulls owned by Avid Sys Sports Delhi Redz owned by RMZ Corp Mumbai Dreamers owned by Dream Sports and Kolkata Banga Tigers owned by Hunch Ventures formerly Kalinga Black Tigers and now relocated from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata will also field womenâs teamsThe addition of womenâs teams underscores the leagueâs commitment to fostering a robust and sustainable rugby ecosystem while providing a premier platform for female athletes to showcase their talent at the highest levelThe league has rapidly emerged as a key driver in popularising rugby across the country The introduction of womenâs teams is expected to further elevate the leagueâs profile and inspire the next generation of playersSpeaking on the development Rahul Bose President Rugby India said It has always been our dream at Rugby India to have an RPL Women edition This year that dream comes to fruition We have our partners GMR Sports and our wonderful franchises to thank Womenâs 7s rugby across the world is as exciting as Menâs 7s rugby And our Indian women are superb Come and witness the action in HyderabadâSujoy Ganguly CMO GMR Sports added âThe inclusion of womenâs teams in the Rugby Premier League is a natural and important progression for the league It reflects our commitment to nurturing talent across genders while continuing to elevate the overall standard and appeal of rugby in the country IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/rugby-india-introduces-womens-franchises-in-season-2-of-rugby-premier-league-671348.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pranavi-finishes-t-24th-diksha-is-t-37th-in-cape-town-671355.html Cape Town April 27 The final day in Cape Town brought challenging conditions and shifting fortunes as Pranavi Urs emerged as the leading Indian performer at T24th SA Womenâs Open Diksha Dagar was T37 and Avani Prashanth ended T57 Pranavi signed off with a steady 1under 72 finishing as the top Indian at T24 despite a closing bogey Diksha Dagar who had been in contention earlier slipped on the final day with a round of 76 to end at T37Avani Prashanth carded a 77 to finish T57 The remaining Indian trioâVani Kapoor Tvesa Malik and Hitaashee Bakshiâmissed the cutAt the top of the leaderboard Englandâs Esme Hamilton claimed her maiden Ladies European Tour title with a composed finalround 71 sealing a twoshot victoryShe held off strong challenges from Cara Gainer and Pia Babnik after an intense battle in testing weather at Royal Cape Golf ClubDiksha began her round steadily with five consecutive pars but dropped shots on the sixth and ninth holes Although she recovered briefly with a birdie on the 11th a costly double bogey on the 15th ended her hopes of a higher finishPranavi started from the back nine mixing two bogeys with a birdie She surged briefly on her second nine with three birdies between the first and fifth holes but slipped out of the top 20 after dropping a shot on the eighthAvaniâs round featured two birdies two bogeys and two double bogeysHamiltonâs victory was hardearned Starting the final day tied with Babnik and narrowly ahead of Gainer she endured an early bogey before building momentum with birdies on the fifth and sixth A double bogey on the ninth combined with Gainerâs birdie saw the lead tighten dramatically at the turnHowever Hamilton showed remarkable composure on the back nine birdieing the 11th 14th and 16th to regain control She closed with a calm par on the 18th to finish at 15under and secure the win in just her 23rd start on tourGainer finished second at 13under after a round of 72 while Babnik placed third at 12under A group including Anna Morgan Brianna Navarrosa and Emma Spitz shared fourth place at nineunderIn the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit standings Agathe Laisne continues to lead followed by Casandra Alexander and Kelsey Bennett with Hamiltonâs win lifting her into fourth place IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pranavi-finishes-t-24th-diksha-is-t-37th-in-cape-town-671355.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sindhu-assumes-full-voting-position-on-bwf-council-671363.html Horsens April 27 One of the most accomplished athletes in the history of badminton now steps into the global governance of the sport Olympic medallist and World Champion P V Sindhu has assumed a full voting position on the Council of the Badminton World Federation BWF following her election as chair of the BWF Athletesâ Commission The Indian badminton ace has been a part of BWF Athletes Commission since 2017 and has been a BWF Integrity Ambassador since 2020 Last December the Indian ace was elected Chair of the BWF Athletesâ Commission for the 2026â2029 termAfter completing the formal votting process Sindhu officially entered the BWF Council at the end of 2025 She made her first appearance before the global badminton membership during the BWF Annual General Meeting in Horsens marking the beginning of her tenure within the sportâs highest governing bodyIt is a true honour and privilege to take on this responsibility within the Badminton World Federation and to represent the voices of athletes from around the world Badminton has given me so much and I feel deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the sport in this capacityI am especially grateful to BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul for her warmth and encouragement and I look forward to working closely with the Council and the wider BWF community as we continue to strengthen and grow this wonderful sport across the world Sindhu said in a statementAs a voting member of the Council the twotime Olympic medallist will participate in discussions and decisions on matters that shape the future of the sport bringing the perspectives and experiences of elite athletes directly into the heart of global badminton leadershipHer presence within the council is particularly significant as it remains rare for an active athlete competing at the highest level of the sport to simultaneously hold a voting position within badmintonâs global governance structure In this role Sindhu will help ensure that the voices experiences and priorities of players are represented at the highest levels of decisionmaking BWG stated in a releaseOver the past decade Sindhu has established herself not only as one of badmintonâs most successful players but also as one of its most respected global ambassadors Her elevation to the BWF Council reflects the trust placed in her leadership experience and understanding of the sport at its highest levelSindhuâs presence on the BWF Council represents an important step in ensuring that the insights experiences and perspectives of athletes remain central to the evolution of badminton helping shape a stronger and more inclusive future for the sport globallyOver many years P V Sindhu has demonstrated exceptional skill grace and spirit on the court and it is wonderful to now have such an outstanding role model representing the voice of our athletes Athletes are the heart of our sport and their voices must remain central to every decision we makeThrough the BWF Athletesâ Commission our global badminton community continues to be shaped by those who live and breathe the game We very much look forward to working closely with Sindhu in the years ahead as we continue our efforts to grow badminton and strengthen its place among the worldâs leading sports BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sindhu-assumes-full-voting-position-on-bwf-council-671363.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/indian-u17-team-reaches-suzhou-for-afc-u17-womens-asian-cup-671376.html New Delhi April 27 After a brief camp in Gurugram the India U17 womenâs national team reached Suzhou on Monday ahead of the AFC U17 Womenâs Asian Cup China 2026 India qualifying for the tournament after 21 years will start their campaign against Australia on May 2 at 500 PM IST on Pitch 8 then face Japan on May 5 at 500 PM IST on Pitch 4 and Lebanon on May 8 at 100 PM IST on Pitch 8 with all matches held at the Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre pitchesThe top two teams from each group along with the two best thirdplaced teams across all groups will advance to the quarterfinals The four quarterfinal winners will then qualify for the FIFA U17 Womens World Cup Morocco 2026 The AFC U17 Womens Asian Cup China 2026 will be broadcast live on the AFC Asian Cup YouTube ChannelThe Young Tigresses arrived in Suzhou early Monday morning April 27 and will have their first training session in the eveningUnder Italian head coach Pamela Conti appointed in January India has been conducting a continuous training camp for over three months mostly in Bengaluru As a U17 team they won the SAFF U19 Womens Championship in February and secured two friendly victories against Myanmar in Yangon in March Earlier this month they played three friendly matches against Russia in Sochi although they lost all three these games provided valuable experience against strong opponents ahead of the Asian competitionFollowing their return from Russia the Young Tigresses extended their training camp in Gurugram from April 20 to 26 before heading to ChinaIndias 23member squad for AFC U17 Womens Asian Cup China 2026Goalkeepers Munni Surajmuni Kumari Tamphasana Devi KonjengbamDefenders Abhista Basnett Alena Devi Sarangthem Alisha Lyngdoh Divyani Linda Elizabed Lakra Joyshini Chanu Huidrom Ritu Badaik Taniya Devi TonambamMidfielders Alva Devi Senjam Bonifilia Shullai Julan Nongmaithem Olivia Chanu Ningthoujam Pritika Barman Redima Devi Chingkhamayum Thandamoni BaskeyForwards Anushka Kumari Anwita Raghuraman Joya Pearl Fernandes Valaina FernandesHead coach Pamela ContiAssistant coaches Vincenzo Conti and Nivetha RamadossGoalkeeping coach Mario AguiarStrength and conditioning coach Amit YadavIndias schedule at AFC U17 Womens Asian Cup China 2026May 2 Australia vs India Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre Pitch 8May 5 India vs Japan Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre Pitch 4May 8 India vs Lebanon Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre Pitch 8 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/indian-u17-team-reaches-suzhou-for-afc-u17-womens-asian-cup-671376.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/england-sri-lanka-to-play-odi-tri-series-in-pakistan-671380.html New Delhi April 27 Pakistan will tune up for the 2027 World Cup with a home triseries with England and Sri Lanka this year according to a report on Monday There will be four matches with each team facing the other once with the top two teams playing the final The PCB has plans for the national team as the results in the ICC events have not been encouraging Pakistan have not qualified for the semis of the ODI World Cup since their 2011 defeat to India in Mohali They crashed out in the quarterfinals of the 2015 World Cup followed by a firstround exit in the next two in 2019 and 2023The Pakistan Cricket Board has extensive plans for the national team to prepare for the ODI World Cup in 2027 with a triseries with England and Sri Lanka in OctoberNovember this year The England and Wales Cricket Board have agreed to the triseries with dates due to be finalised in the next few days Sri Lanka will be on a Test tour to Pakistan so the ODI triseries will be after the Tests said the reportâThe PCB management will sit down with whiteball head coach Mike Hesson and ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi to chalk out preparation plans in Juneâ a source was quoted in the reportAustralia is also scheduled to tour Pakistan for a threematch ODI series in MayJune this yearPakistan tried six uncapped players in their series in Bangladesh in March which they lost 21 âShaheen is determined to lead Pakistan to good results in ODIs and to prepare for the World Cup he is ready to try out young playersâSouth Africa Zimbabwe and Namibia are cohosts of the 2027 World Cup IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/england-sri-lanka-to-play-odi-tri-series-in-pakistan-671380.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/momina-earns-maiden-call-up-as-pakistan-name-squad-for-zimbabwe-odis-671233.html Karachi April 26 Pakistan cricket board PCB have announced a 15member squad for the upcoming threematch Womens ODI series against Zimbabwe which will commence on May 3 The squad sees a notable inclusion in Momina Riasat who has received her maiden ODI callup The series holds added significance as it forms part of the ICC Womenâs Championship 2025â2029 cycleAllrounder Fatima Sana will captain the side aiming to guide Pakistan to improved results following their recent tour of South Africa where they suffered 21 defeats in both the ODI and T20I seriesThe squad features a mix of experience and fresh faces including Aliya Riaz Ayesha Zafar Diana Baig and Sidra Amin alongside wicketkeeping options Muneeba Ali and Najiha Alvi Bowlers Nashra Sundhu Rameen Shamim and Tasmia Rubab have also been included in the lineupPakistan currently occupy fifth place in the ICC Womenâs Championship standings with two points having registered a win in their ODI series against South Africa earlier this yearZimbabwe meanwhile are set to tour Pakistan for the first time for a whiteball series The visitors will arrive in Karachi towards the end of April and will undergo a preparatory training camp before the matchesThe ODI series will be followed by a threematch T20I series with all games scheduled to take place at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi The ODIs will be held on May 3 6 and 9 in the afternoon while the T20Is are slated for May 12 14 and 15 in the evening providing both teams with crucial match practice ahead of upcoming global assignmentsPakistan women ODI squad for Zimbabwe series Fatima Sana captain Aliya Riaz Ayesha Zafar Diana Baig Gull Feroza Momina Riasat Muneeba Ali wk Najiha Alvi wk Nashra Sundhu Natalia Parvaiz Rameen Shamim Sadaf Shamas Sidra Amin Syeda Aroob Shah and Tasmia Rubab IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/momina-earns-maiden-call-up-as-pakistan-name-squad-for-zimbabwe-odis-671233.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 15:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/4th-wt20i-deepti-sharmas-all-round-brilliance-helps-india-clinch-14-run-win-over-sa-671191.html Johannesburg April 26 India rode on an allround masterclass from Deepti Sharma to register a 14run win over the South Africa in the fourth Womens T20I in Johannesburg on Sunday While the hosts still hold an unassailable 31 lead in the fivematch series the Women in Blue managed to avoid a whitewash Deepti delivered a matchwinning spell of 519 after contributing an unbeaten 36 with the bat earning the Player of the Match honours Earlier useful knocks from Jemimah Rodrigues 43 and Sharma powered India to a competitive 1855 in 20 oversOpting to bowl first after winning the toss South Africa struck early through ElizMari Marx who removed Shafali Verma for 9 Tumi Sekhukhune then dismissed Anushka Sharma 27 towards the end of the powerplay leaving India at 472India rebuilt through Rodrigues and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur 22 who stitched a 55run stand to take the visitors past the 100run mark in the 11th over The partnership was eventually broken by Kayla Reyneke who dismissed Rodrigues 43 Marx then trapped Bharti Fulmali lbw for 2 while Reyneke removed Kaur soon after reducing India to 1225 in 14 oversHowever Deepti and Richa Ghosh 34 ensured a strong finish with an unbeaten 65run stand for the sixth wicket guiding India to 1855Chasing 186 South Africa got off to a brisk start through Laura Wolvaardt 18 and Sune Luus 40 racing to 32 without loss in just three overs Kranti Gaud provided the breakthrough by dismissing the Proteas skipper as the visitors took a sigh of reliefLuus and Tazmin Brits 30 added 44 runs for the second wicket before Deepti struck to remove the former in the ninth over Thereafter wickets fell at regular intervals as South Africa struggled to keep pace with the rising required rateDeepti led the charge with the ball while Shree Charani Kashvee Gautam and Shafali chipped in with a wicket each to restrict the hosts to 1719 Marxâs unbeaten 21 provided some late resistance but proved insufficient and India clinched the winThe fifth and final T20I will be played on Monday at Willowmoore Park in BenoniBrief Scores IndiaW 1855 in 20 overs Jemimah Rodrigues 43 Deepti Sharma 36 Kayla Reyneke 210 Elozmari Marx 228 beat South AfricaW 1719 in 20 overs Sune Luus 40 Tazmin Brits 30 Deepti Sharma 519 Shree Charani 128 by 14 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/4th-wt20i-deepti-sharmas-all-round-brilliance-helps-india-clinch-14-run-win-over-sa-671191.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/arsenal-back-on-top-with-narrow-win-west-ham-and-tottenham-take-big-wins-671196.html London April 26 Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League on Saturday with a nervy 10 win at home to Newcastle United Arsenal took the lead after just nine minutes when Eberechi Eze unleashed a stunning strike that curled into the top cornerPerhaps affected by recent performances Arsenal was content to try and manage its lead a strategy also shaped by injuries to both Kai Havertz and Eze who went off with knocks that cast doubt over their availability for Wednesdays Champions League semifinal first leg away to Atletico Madrid reported XinhuaArsenal now sits three points clear of Manchester City who on Saturday reached the FA Cup final after coming from behind to edge secondtier SouthamptonCallum Wilson scored a 92ndminute winner to give West Ham a dramatic 21 home victory over Everton and keep them out of the bottom three Tomas Soucek put West Ham ahead in the 51st minute but Kiernan DewsburyHall silenced the home crowd by levelling in the 89th minuteWith Tottenham Hotspur having just gone in front away to Wolverhampton Wanderers in a simultaneous fixture DewsburyHalls goal briefly dropped West Ham into the relegation zone before Wilsons late strike lifted them back above SpursTottenham however claimed its first win under Roberto De Zerbi thanks to Joao Palhinhas 82ndminute goal in a tense match against alreadyrelegated WolvesNottingham Forest took a huge stride towards safety on Friday night with a stunning 50 win away to Sunderland scoring four times before halftime Trai Humes own goal opened the floodgates with Chris Wood Morgan GibbsWhite and Igor Jesus adding three more in a sixminute blitz Elliot Anderson capped an extraordinary night with a fifth in the 95th minute although West Ham and Tottenhams victories mean Forest still have work to doRyan Sessegnons 43rdminute goal earned Fulham a 10 home win over Aston Villa who nonetheless remain wellplaced to secure Champions League qualification for next seasonLiverpool strengthened its chances of returning to the Champions League next season with a 31 win at home to Crystal Palace thanks to goals from fitagain Alexander Isak Andy Robertson and an injury time finish from Florian Wirtz IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/arsenal-back-on-top-with-narrow-win-west-ham-and-tottenham-take-big-wins-671196.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bayern-escapes-mainz-scare-before-paris-showdown-671198.html Berlin April 26 Bayern Munich overturned a threegoal halftime deficit to beat Mainz 43 on Saturday extending its winning run ahead of the Champions League semifinal first leg away to Paris SaintGermain Vincent Kompany made eight changes from the lineup that beat Bayer Leverkusen 20 to reach the German Cup final resting Joshua Kimmich and Dayot Upamecano for load management and handing Bara Sapoko Ndiaye his first startMainz who had won four of its previous five home meetings with Bayern pressed aggressively and turned Bayern mistakes into quick attacks The opener came from a set piece in the 15th minute when Kaishu Sano collected the ball after a Nadiem Amiri corner and Jonas Urbigs punch then crossed for Dominik Kohr to volley in reported XinhuaUrbig kept Bayern alive with saves from Sheraldo Becker and Amiri but he could not prevent the second Sano won possession from Raphael Guerreiro Amiris shot was parried and Paul Nebel drove the rebound under the bar in the 29th minuteBayern toothless apart from an Alphonso Davies effort into the sidenetting conceded again in firsthalf stoppage time when Urbig tipped another Amiri shot onto the bar and Becker finished from close rangeKompany responded at the interval by sending on Harry Kane and Michael Olise and Bayern emerged with far greater purpose Nicolas Jackson volleyed in from a Konrad Laimer cross in the 53rd minute after good work from OliseMainz held on until the 73rd minute when Olise cut in from the right and curled into the far corner Jamal Musiala then leveled from a crowded area after Olises delivery in the 80th minuteTwo minutes later Daniel Batz pushed Musialas cross into Kanes path and the forward finished from close rangeNewly crowned Bundesliga champion Bayern remained unbeaten in 25 away matches and recorded a ninth straight win while 10thplaced Mainz stayed eight points above the relegation playoff spot with three games remainingThe first half was below the standards that have made us so strong this season We were not there and at the break we said we had to bring more energy and intensity Kane said We knew we had the quality to hurt them and that is what happened Once the first goal went in everyone believed this comeback was possibleElsewhere Hoffenheim edged relegationthreatened Hamburger 21 to climb into fourth place while Bayer Leverkusen stayed sixth after a 21 win over Cologne Wolfsburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach played out a goalless draw Eintracht Frankfurt was held 11 by Augsburg and bottom side Heidenheim beat St Pauli 20 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bayern-escapes-mainz-scare-before-paris-showdown-671198.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/tuc-2026-indian-women-beat-ukraine-4-1-671202.html New Delhi April 26 The young Indian womenâs team registered their first win of the Thomas amp Uber Cup 2026 by defeating European Championships bronze medallist Ukraine 41 in their second Group A clash in Horsens Denmark on Sunday The team opted to rest former world champion PV Sindhu in singles and gave an opportunity to 2026 Thailand Masters champion Devika Sihag in the third singlesUnnati Hooda began the proceedings for India with a 2119 2220 win over Polina Buhrova before junior world championships silver medallist Tanvi Sharma doubled the lead by beating Yevheniia Kantemyr 2112 1721 2110Devika then put the result beyond doubt beating Mariia Stoliarenko 2321 2113Indiaâs only reversal came in the first womenâs doubles where Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi lost 1121 1721 against Buhrova and Kantemyr before Sindhu and Tanisha Crasto completed the scoreline with a 2118 2115 win over Stoliarenko and Sofiia LavrovaThe womenâs team now faces the formidable China in their last group match on Monday and will have to beat the defending champions to have any chance of advancing to the quarterfinalsEarlier former champions Indian menâs team kicked off their campaign with a convincing 41 win over Canada while the women went down against European silver medallist Denmark 23 in their opening Group clashPutting behind Lakshya Senâs loss against world championships bronze medallist Victor Lai in the first match all the other Indian players won their respective matches in straight games to get the team one step closer to the quarterfinal spotThe opening menâs singles between Lakshya Sen and Victor Lai was obviously the match to watch out for as the two had played a marathon encounter in the recently concluded All England Championships where the Indian had come out on topOn Saturday Sen started strong as he opened up a 115 lead in the opening game and then staved off his opponent to draw first blood But Lai then grabbed the initiative in the second before the Indian drew level first at 1212 and then at 1919However Sen could not wrap things up in two games and Lai then dominated the third to win 1821 2119 2110 in an hour and 11 minutes to give Canada the leadFormer world no 1 menâs doubles combination of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty then drew level for India with a clinical 2110 2111 win over Jonathan Lai and Kevin LeeAsian Championships runnersup Ayush Shetty then put his team ahead by quelling a second game fight back from Brian Yang to win 2113 2117The menâs doubles combination of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun then sealed the tie for India with a comfortable 217 2115 win over Ty Alexander Lindeman and Nyl YakuraKidambi Srikanth then completed the scoreline beating Joshua Nguyen 2117 2112ResultWomenIndia beat Ukraine 41 Unnati Hooda bt Polina Buhrova 2119 2220 Tanvi Sharma bt Yevheniia Kantemyr 2112 1721 2110 Devika Sihag bt Mariia Stoliarenko 2321 2113 Kavipriya SelvamSimran Singhi lost to BuhrovaKantemyr 1121 1721 Tanisha CrastoSindhu bt Sofiia LavrovaStoliarenko 2118 2115 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/tuc-2026-indian-women-beat-ukraine-4-1-671202.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/brathwaite-urges-caution-in-handling-suryavanshis-meteoric-rise-671204.html New Delhi April 26 Former West Indies cricketer Carlos Brathwaite has called for a careful approach in managing teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi He believes the young player should be developed gradually instead of being rushed into international cricket especially after his impressive performances in the IPL âI apologize Vaibhav but if you look at how West Indies handled Brian Lara he was a generational talent Everyone knew thatâ Brathwaite said on ESPNCricinfo TimeOut show following Suryavanshiâs stunning 37ball 103 for Rajasthan Royals against Sunrisers Hyderabad marking his second IPL century with this one made off just 36 ballsBrathwaite pointed out how Lara was nurtured within the system before taking on international competition âSo what did West Indies do They put him with top players like Viv Richards but he didnt play international cricket That was a different time with many tour games and he developed his skills alongside senior players before making his debut We all know how his career turned out after thatâ he explainedBrathwaite recommended a similar path for Suryavanshi allowing him to learn in the Indian setup without the immediate pressure of international cricket âSo maybe there is a way to combine both worlds where he can be part of the Indian team learn from players like Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav There are other young players close to his age that he can learn from before just throwing him into the deep endâFormer India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta supported the call for caution emphasizing that while Suryavanshis talent is clear itâs important to manage his mental growth âWeve seen some really good talents struggleâ Dasgupta said âPeople say he should be in the Indian side and thats fair But there are two sides to this story You need technical skills and mental strengthâTechnically hes thereâweve seen how he plays against top bowlers So we know he can handle that side But on the mental side he will face challenges We have to be careful about how we handle thatâDasgupta noted Suryavanshiâs growth from his debut season to his second year in the IPL âThe first year could have been a flash in the pan an unknown player But the second year is always tougher because bowlers have plans Weve seen what has happened in this second year He is a very very special talentâDespite the calls for patience Brathwaite believes Suryavanshi could soon become a defining player in the league âThis is what the IPL is all about With a population of 18 billion people a 15yearold Suryavanshi could very well be the face of the league next year He has a lot of potential Words canât really describe it You just have to appreciate what youre witnessing and enjoy itâSuryavanshiâs statistics show why he is generating so much buzzâ357 runs in seven matches during IPL 2026 at an impressive strike rate of 23486 For a brief time he held the Orange Cap before Abhishek Sharma passed him IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/brathwaite-urges-caution-in-handling-suryavanshis-meteoric-rise-671204.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 11:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-win-or-lose-delhi-fans-have-just-one-hero-virat-kohli-671214.html New Delhi April 26 Results may matter on the points table but for thousands expected to pour into Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday evening there is only one reason to be there â Virat Kohli Whether Delhi Capitals win or lose seems secondary for many supporters ahead of their highvoltage IPL clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru The capital is ready to welcome home its favourite cricketing icon with fans eager to witness Kohli in action once again on familiar turfDelhi Capitals enter the contest after being outplayed by Punjab Kings on Saturday but that setback is unlikely to affect the turnout If anything anticipation has only grown stronger with Kohliâs arrival in the cityOutside the stadium and across the streets of Delhi one emotion dominates â Kohli feverYoung fans speaking ahead of the match made it clear that the evening is less about teams and more about the man who has inspired a generationâDelhi Capitals is our team but Virat Kohli is our emotionâ said one college student proudly wearing a DC jerseyAnother fan added âWe just want to see him bat live Even one cover drive from Virat is worth coming to the stadiumâSuch is Kohliâs pull that loyalties may be divided in the stands with blue and red jerseys mixing with chants reserved for the batting superstar Whenever Kohli walks out to bat the noise is expected to rise several decibelsThe former RCB captain continues to command unmatched fan following wherever he plays but Delhi remains special It is the city where his cricketing journey began and every return feels like a homecomingFor Delhi Capitals Mondayâs clash could be crucial in their campaign For the fans however it is a chance to watch a modern legend up closeAs the sun sets over Arun Jaitley Stadium one thing appears certain â the loudest cheers may not depend on the scoreboard but on the arrival of Virat Kohli at the crease IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-win-or-lose-delhi-fans-have-just-one-hero-virat-kohli-671214.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 13:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/premier-league-forest-thrash-sunderland-5-0-to-go-eight-points-clear-of-relegation-671085.html Sunderland April 25 Nottingham Forest moved eight points clear of the Premier League relegation zone after thrashing Sunderland 50 at the Stadium of Light A stunning firsthalf rout sparked by Trai Humes own goal in the 17th minute was enough to get Forest over the line and dent the Black Catsâ European hopesChris Wood added a second following a costly error from Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs while Morgan GibbsWhite and Igor Jesus both got in on the act before halftime Premier League reportsDan Ballard saw a goal disallowed for the hosts as they sought to regain pride in the second half but Vitor Pereiras side wrapped up victory as Elliot Anderson swept in a fifth goal in stoppage timeSunderland remain four points behind sixthplaced Brighton amp Hove Albion while Forest move eight clear of thirdbottom Tottenham Hotspur and six ahead of West Ham United ahead of the weekends actionThe first clear chance fell the way of Sunderland after eight minutes but Chris Rigg shot straight at Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels despite having plenty of space and time in the boxThe teenager was made to rue that miss when Forests wellworked short corner was crossed to Jesus at the back post and the strikers header was inadvertently turned in by HumeRoefs then had a moment to forget in the 31st minute as his pass was deflected to GibbsWhite by Wood with the latter then calmly tucking the ball past the Sunderland keeper to make it 20GibbsWhite got on the scoresheet himself drilling past Roefs from Jesus knockdown before the Brazilian volleyed in from close range as Forest scored their third goal in the space of just six minutes to put themselves in a commanding positionBallard thought he had pulled a goal back for Sunderland when he headed past Sels just after the hour mark but his effort was disallowed when a VAR review found Nordi Mukiele had fouled the Forest keeperForest had just one shot in the second half but it still ended up in the back of the net as former Newcastle United midfielder Andersons firsttime finish from Taiwo Awoniyis pass made it 50 completing Sunderlands biggestever home defeat in the Premier League IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/premier-league-forest-thrash-sunderland-5-0-to-go-eight-points-clear-of-relegation-671085.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 09:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/leipzig-tightens-grip-on-champions-league-berth-671097.html Berlin April 25 RB Leipzig tightened their grip on a Champions League place with a controlled 31 home victory over Union Berlin as Max Finkgrafe Romulo and Ridle Baku scored before Danilho Doekhis late consolation Already assured of at least sixth place and a return to European competition after a oneyear absence Leipzig moved to 62 points in third Ole Werners side began the round five points clear of fifthplaced TSG Hoffenheim and quickly showed why their momentum has put them on course for Europes elite competitionUnion still seeking a first win under new head coach MarieLouise Eta arrived winless in four league matches After creating 27 shots in defeat against Wolfsburg in Etas debut they were again pushed back early at the Red Bull Arena reports XinhuaThe pressure told in the 22nd minute Yan Diomandes raid down the right led to a loose clearance Leopold Querfeld could only head the ball into Finkgrafes path and the defender drove in a low shot from distance Three minutes later Querfeld was involved again misjudging a long ball and then sending a poor header back toward Frederik Ronnow allowing Romulo to lift the ball over the goalkeeper for 20Ronnow Unions busiest player early on departed injured on the halfhour and was replaced by Carl Klaus for his Bundesliga debut Klaus was immediately tested tipping a Christoph Baumgartner header onto the bar before Unions Oliver Burke wasted a rare chance in firsthalf stoppage timeLeipzig retained control after the interval Union made a triple substitution around the hour mark but Diomande soon burst through traffic and slipped the ball to Baku who finished for 30 in the 63rd minuteDoekhi headed in Josip Juranovics corner in the 78th minute but Union could not turn build sustained pressure and Leipzig continued to look the more dangerous side Klaus tipped a Johan Bakayoko effort onto the woodwork late on while the defeat left Union 11th on 32 points and still glancing over their shoulder in the relegation fightThese points are hugely important especially to set the pace on Friday evening But we still have some work to do to reach our objective Werner saidYou can see where RB Leipzig are They are up there and fighting for the Champions League for a reason We knew what was coming but we are still disappointed Eta said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/leipzig-tightens-grip-on-champions-league-berth-671097.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 11:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/abhay-singh-goes-down-to-former-world-no-1-gawad-in-zurich-671100.html Zurich April 25 Indiaâs Abhay Singh lost to Karim Gawad an Egyptian former world No 1 and world champion in a thrilling menâs quarterfinal match at the Grasshopper Cup squash a PSA Goldlevel event World No 24 Singh recovered from a 60 deficit to force a tiebreak in the first game The second game was fiercely contested against world No 4 Gawad but the Egyptian second seed ultimately won the match with scores of 1210 119Former World Champion Gawad produced some highquality enterprising squash throughout his 32minute tussle with Singh The world No3 came firing out of the blocks in the first charging into a 60 lead with some scintillating finishes Singh who was appearing in his firstever Gold quarterfinal stormed back to level proceedings while some errors from Gawad helped him get back levelAfter seeing one of his game balls saved Gawad converted in the tiebreak to go 10 up Singh was applying plenty of pressure on Gawad which helped him open up a 52 lead in the second Singh stood toetotoe with Gawad as he looked to find a foothold back in the contest but the Egyptian held firm to take the second and progress to the last four âIâm really happy The pace was really fast weâve only played twice but I feel like weâve played more than that In Qatar he beat me in four and today I got on court and thought I donât want to lose againâ Gawad was quoted by PSA TourâIn best of three with one of the smartest and talented players on Tour you can never see what heâs thinking with the next shot or the next rally He can come back with crazy points as you saw in the first game when I was 70 up and he came back out of nowhere in less than three minutes we were tied You can never underestimate whatâs going to happen next to finish to the very end of the matchâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/abhay-singh-goes-down-to-former-world-no-1-gawad-in-zurich-671100.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/drop-kohli-on-the-first-ball-he-will-definitely-make-you-pay-gavaskar-671107.html New Delhi April 25 Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes Gujarat Titans paid a heavy price for dropping Virat Kohli early in the chase that helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB seal a fivewicket win After being put in to bat GT posted a competitive 2053 but a crucial moment unfolded in the very first over of RCBâs chase when Kohli was dropped on zero by Washington Sundar off the bowling of Mohammed Siraj The missed opportunity proved decisive as Kohli went on to anchor the chase with a brilliant 81 off 44 balls guiding the defending champions towards victoryâThat dropped catch of Virat Kohli off Sirajâs bowling definitely cost Gujarat Titans a lot We all know he is not just known as a king He is known as a chase master as well He loves these kinds of situations where he comes in to bat knows the target and can play according to the situationâ Gavaskar told JioStar reacting to the âturning pointâ of the gameSpeaking about the impact of the early reprieve he added âYou drop him on the first ball then he will definitely make you pay That is exactly what he did After that dropped catch what a knock he has playedâKohliâs innings not only laid the foundation for the chase but also saw him achieve milestones becoming the first player to reach 800 fours in IPL history and only the third to hit 300 sixes in the tournamentGavaskar further highlighted Kohliâs mastery in run chases stating âChasing down huge totals with ease has been Viratâs trademark batting style throughout his career GT must be thinking about that dropped catch At one point in the run chase when the spinners were bowling the ball was gripping a bit It would not have been that easy once the ball got a little older But this man is one of the greatest in the game He made it look easyâIn addition to Kohliâs brilliance Gavaskar also praised Devdutt Padikkal for his aggressive approach in the middle overs where he scored a quickfire 55 to keep RCB ahead of the required rateâDevdutt Padikkal played an excellent innings Virat Kohli rightly pointed out after the match that Padikkal has been hitting some very clean cricketing shots Earlier he was seen as an offside player His main scoring areas were cover and midoff He used to struggle on the onside But now he has overcome that limitation He is hitting sixes and boundaries behind square as wellâ Gavaskar saidHe also underlined the significance of Padikkalâs evolution for RCBâs batting depth âThis adds to RCBâs batting strength They have Devdutt at number three and captain Rajat Patidar at number four Both can hit sixes from the first ball That is making a big difference for RCB right nowâ he mentionedWith contributions from both Kohli and Padikkal proving vital RCB continued their strong run in the tournament capitalising on key moments to outplay GT in a highscoring encounter IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/drop-kohli-on-the-first-ball-he-will-definitely-make-you-pay-gavaskar-671107.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/utt-auction-sathiyan-manika-retained-manav-manush-diya-return-to-pool-671114.html New Delhi April 25 Experienced Indian paddlers Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Manika Batra have been retained ahead of the Ultimate Table Tennis UTT Season 7 auction with Indian standout players Manav Thakkar Manush Shah and Diya Chitale returning to the player roster UTT Auction Sathiyan Manika retained Manav Manush Diya return to poolNew Delhi April 25 Experienced Indian paddlers Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Manika Batra have been retained ahead of the Ultimate Table Tennis UTT Season 7 auction with Indian standout players Manav Thakkar Manush Shah and Diya Chitale returing to player rosterThe seventh edition of the UTT kicks off on July 9 and runs through July 26 at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in GoaThe player pool for the upcoming season features a strong mix of established Indian names emerging talent and top international paddlers with franchises set to shape their squads at the auction scheduled for April 28 at Mumbaiâs Sahara StarThakkar and Shah return to the auction pool after a yearlong hiatus due to international commitments with the duo currently ranked World No 5 in menâs doubles and a regular presence on the international circuit Shah also pairs with Chitale in mixed doubles with the duo ranked World No 6 and having created history as the first Indians to qualify for the WTT FinalsChitale the most expensive pick in last seasonâs auction returns to the pool after Dabang Delhi TTC opted to retain Sathiyan extending his association with the franchise into a record seventh successive season Batra meanwhile returns to the league after missing the previous edition due to injury having been retained by Ahmedabad APL PipersAhead of the auction teams have also exercised their retention options Alongside Batra and Gnanasekaran Ankur Bhattacharjee and doubles specialist Akash Pal were retained by Kolkata Thunderblades and U Mumba TT respectively Dempo Goa Challengers and PBG Pune Jaguars opted against using their retention and will start the auction with a full purse alongside newly inducted UP PrometheansThe franchisebased league promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India TTFI will once again see teams build their rosters through the auction system with each franchise allocated a purse of 1 crore tokensCommenting on the player pool UTT CoPromoter Niraj Bajaj said âItâs exciting to see such a strong and diverse player pool for Season 7 The return of top Indian players like Manav Manush and Manika combined with a competitive international field reflects the growing depth and quality of table tennis associated with Butterfly UTT The mix of experienced names and emerging talent will make for a highly competitive auction and an exciting season aheadâThe auction will follow a structured format with revised base prices across four poolsâ20 lakhs 12 lakhs 7 lakhs and 3 lakhs tokensâwith bidding increments set at 20000 tokensAmong the international names Welsh paddler Anna Hursey could become the first player from her country to feature in Butterfly UTT if picked while Franceâs Prithika Pavade adds further depth to the womenâs poolThe menâs field sees fresh international entrants including Adrien Rassenfosse Eduard Ionescu Nicholas Lum and Youssef Abdelaziz Returning names include Bernadette Szocs Quadri Aruna Alvaro Robles and Yangzi Liu bringing a blend of experience and global pedigree to the auctionThe Indian contingent also features rising stars headlined by prodigy Divyanshi Bhowmick who enters the auction pool for the first time Bhowmick made history by winning gold in the U15 girlsâ singles at the 2025 Asian Cadet Championships the first Indian to do so in 36 yearsâand followed it up with a bronze medal at the 2025 World Youth ChampionshipsWith a balanced mix of proven performers and nextgeneration talent across categories the Butterfly UTT Season 7 auction promises strategic battles as teams look to assemble wellrounded squads for the upcoming edition IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/utt-auction-sathiyan-manika-retained-manav-manush-diya-return-to-pool-671114.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 13:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/your-discipline-humility-set-the-standard-for-all-of-us-cricket-fraternity-shares-heartfelt-wishes-as-god-of-cricket-sachin-turns-53-670976.html New Delhi April 24 As Indias batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is celebrating his 53rd birthday on Friday the cricket fraternity took to social media to extend heartfelt wishes Conferred the Bharat Ratna in 2014 Tendulkar is a veteran of 15921 runs in 200 Tests besides amassing 18426 runs in 463 ODIs He had been a part of the Indian team at ODI World Cups since 1992 but had to wait till 2011 to fulfil his ultimate dream of clinching the World Cup after missing out on five previous occasionsTendulkar is the only cricketer to have scored 100 centuries Of his 100 international tons 51 came in Tests and 49 in ODIs He retired from ODI cricket in 2012 and a year later in November 2013 he bid adieu to the game by retiring from all forms of cricket after playing his 200th TestHis retirement marked the end of an era in Indian cricket leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire aspiring cricketers around the globeOn the occasion of his 53rd birthday the sports fraternity showered him with love and wished Tendulkar good health and happinessICC chairman Jay Shah hailed Tendulkars contribution to the development of cricket Sharing a post on X the ICC Chairman wrote Wishing our sports icon sachinrt a very happy birthday Your amazing contribution to cricket continues to inspire generations across the world to play and watch our great game while your empathy and humanity has an ongoing and significant impact on societyThe Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI shared a post on X on Tendulkars birthday and wrote 664 international matches 34357 international runs Only cricketer to score 100 international hundreds Member of TeamIndias ICC Mens ODI World Cup 2011 winning campaign Wishing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar a very happy birthdayGujarat Titans batting coach and Aussie legend Matthew Hayden wished Sachin Tendulkar on his 53rd birthday through a heartfelt video posted on the franchiseâs social media handlesâI have seen God He used to bat at number four for India Happy birthday Sachinâ Hayden said in a video released by GT on InstagramSachins son Arjun who is playing for the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League IPL 2026 season had a sweet short and simple birthday wish for his father the Master Blaster But refused to eat cake even on his birthday as he is off sugarIn a video posted by his IPL team Lucknow Super Giants Arjun was seen pointing towards a cake âHappy Birthday But Im not going to eat this because I dont have sugar very often Ill see you soonâFormer India allrounder Yuvraj Singh posted on X Happy Birthday Paaji sharing the field with you was an honour but learning from you was even bigger Your discipline humility and love set the standard for all of us Thank you for the memories and the inspiration you continue to be Lots of loveExIndia spin master Harbhajan Singh said Happy Birthday paaji May Waheguru continue to bless you with good health wealth happiness amp peace True legend Master not just on the field but off the field too Love AlwaysWhile Irfan Pathan wrote When you say GOAT I hear Sachin Tendulkar When you say Master Blaster I hear Sachin Tendulkar When you say university of Cricket I hear sachinrtYour forever a student wishing you a very happy birthday PaajiFormer Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan wrote Happy Birthday sachinrt paajiAn inspiration to generations on and off the field Wishing you great health and happiness alwaysSachins IPL franchise Mumbai Indians wrote The little boy who became every cricket loverâs heartbeat Happy Birthday sachinrtChennai Super Kings wrote100100 every time you stepped on the field Every inning a story defines the game for decades Happy Birthday to the God of CricketTendulkar celebrated his birthday with his family members and fans at his Mumbai residenceTendulkar shared a post on X with a photo of his wife mother and pet dog and wrote Perfect start to my day with Aai Anjali and the trouble maker What more could a man ask for IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/your-discipline-humility-set-the-standard-for-all-of-us-cricket-fraternity-shares-heartfelt-wishes-as-god-of-cricket-sachin-turns-53-670976.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-u18-ice-hockey-team-reaches-bishkek-for-the-asia-cup-670984.html New Delhi April 24 Indian ice hockey team has touchdown in Bishkek Kyrgyzstan for the IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Asia Cup The sixteam tournament is scheduled to be held from April 27 to May 3 The Indian side will be led by Gurtej Singh Bhatti with Devansh Sharma and Iftiqar Hussain as alternate captains The squad has its strongest representation from Chandigarh and Ladakh with players also coming in from several other states across the country For this group Bishkek is not just another tournament stop but an important test in the junior international circuit The U18 campaign also comes at a point when Indian ice hockey is carrying stronger momentum than before In 2025 the Indian womenâs team won bronze at the IIHF Womenâs Asia Cup in Al Ain securing the countryâs first international medal in the sport and pushing ice hockey into the national conversation including through the teamâs appearance on Kaun Banega Crorepati The menâs team had earlier claimed silver at the 2017 IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia Division I and more recently represented India at the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin Alongside that the reopening of Himadri Ice Rink and the launch of the India Ice Hockey League have added fresh structure and visibility to the sportâs growth in the country âThe last year has been a big one for Indian ice hockey Our womenâs team won bronze at the Asia Cup the menâs team competed at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin Himadri Ice Rink reopened and we launched the India Ice Hockey League That has created real momentum around the sport Now the U18 boys have their opportunity and that makes this a very exciting moment for us The fact that this team has players from different states shows the game is growing and the IIHF U18 Asia Cup gives them the kind of exposure that can shape the futureâ said Harjinder Singh General Secretary Ice Hockey Association of IndiaFor the Asia Cup campaign DelhiNCRbased real estate developer SS Group has partnered with IHAI as the team takes the ice in Bishkek Ashok Singh Jaunapuria MD amp CEO SS Group said the association reflects the growing momentum around Indian ice hockey and the promise of its next generation of players IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-u18-ice-hockey-team-reaches-bishkek-for-the-asia-cup-670984.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/road-to-2027-world-cup-samsons-red-hot-form-puts-pants-odi-spot-under-serious-threat-671026.html New Delhi April 24 Sanju Samsonâs stunning form in the whiteball games has once again sparked a major selection debate in Indian cricket After impressive performances during the T20 World Cup earlier this year the stylish wicketkeeperbatter has carried that momentum into the Indian Premier League IPL 2026 forcing fans and experts alike to ask one big question â should he now replace Rishabh Pant in Indiaâs ODI setup While Pant continues to search for rhythm Samson has been in blistering touch Pant has managed 147 runs in seven matches this season averaging 2450 with a strike rate of 13243 His best score remains 68 against Hyderabad but overall consistency has been missingSamson meanwhile has looked unstoppable In seven matches he has smashed 293 runs at an average of 5860 and a strike rate of 17865 Most notably he has already struck two centuries for Chennai this season underlining his ability to dominate attacks and play matchwinning knocksThe contrast in numbers has only added fuel to the growing conversation around Indiaâs wicketkeeper choice ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup in South AfricaThe Kerala batterâs ODI record is equally impressive In 16 matches Samson has scored 510 runs at a superb average of 5666 including one century and three fifties His numbers in South Africa are even more eyecatching â 120 runs in just two innings an important factor considering the 2027 World Cup will be played therePant on the other hand has featured in 31 ODIs and scored 871 runs at an average of 3350 with one century and five halfcenturies In South Africa he has made 101 runs in three ODIsWith conditions in South Africa likely to test technique and temperament many fans believe Samson deserves an extended runMeanwhile social media has been buzzing with opinion since Samsonâs latest IPL heroics One fan wrote âHow long can you ignore these numbers Samson deserves a proper ODI run nowâAnother said âPant is a matchwinner but maybe itâs time to let him focus on Tests and bring Samson into ODIsâA third supporter posted âGive Samson consistencyâMeanwhile Pant still has his loyal supporters âPeople forget what Pant can do under pressure Class is permanentâ wrote one fan Another added âOne rough IPL patch shouldnât decide international careersâIndiaâs selectors now face a catch22 situation Pant remains one of the most explosive wicketkeeperbatters in world cricket and has delivered in highpressure moments before But Samsonâs current form stronger ODI average and success in South African conditions make his case impossible to ignoreWith the road to the 2027 World Cup already underway every ODI opportunity will matter And right now Sanju Samson is doing everything possible to make sure his name stays in the conversation IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/road-to-2027-world-cup-samsons-red-hot-form-puts-pants-odi-spot-under-serious-threat-671026.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aaron-rai-sahith-theegala-are-13th-after-day-1-in-zurich-classic-671027.html Avondale US April 24 Sahith Theegala and Aaron Rai close friends with Indian roots began their campaign at the Zurich Classic in Avondale Louisiana with a steady but modest performance Competing in the PGA Tourâs only official team event the pair combined effectively to post a 10underpar score in the opening round which was played in the fourball best ball formatWhile their start was solid it left them tied for 13th place some distance behind the leadersBoth players had moments of brilliance during the round each contributing an eagle Rai delivered a standout shot on the par4 13th hole spinning in an approach from 106 yards for an impressive eagle Earlier in the round Theegala showcased his own skill by eagling the par5 second hole helping the duo build early momentumDespite these highlights the competitive nature of the field meant that their score was not enough to place them among the top contenders after day oneLeading the tournament were Americans Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer who produced a remarkable 14underpar round of 58 matching the tournament record Their performance set a high benchmark for the rest of the field Close behind them were Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat who finished one shot back after an impressive stretch that included an eagle followed by eight consecutive birdiesAnother player of Indian origin Sudarshan Yellamaraju paired with Ryan Gerard carded a 7under round to sit tied for 42nd place Meanwhile the English brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick who have both enjoyed recent individual success combined for an 8under 64 This left them six shots off the lead but still within reach of contentionAmong the more highprofile pairings Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka struggled to make a strong impact They recorded a 6under 66 placing them outside the top 40 and at risk of missing the cut if they fail to improve in subsequent roundsThe tournament continues with alternating formats returning to fourball play before concluding with the more challenging foursomes format With several rounds remaining Theegala and Rai will look to build on their promising start and climb the leaderboard in this unique team competition IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aaron-rai-sahith-theegala-are-13th-after-day-1-in-zurich-classic-671027.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/golf-diksha-dagar-off-to-fine-start-with-5-under-in-south-africa-671032.html Cape Town April 24 Indiaâs challenge at the South African Womenâs Open got off to a good start as Diksha Dagar produced a sparkling backnine performance to emerge as the leading Indian contender in Cape Town The lefthanded golfer who famously won this title in 2019 and has finished third in her own Womenâs Indian Open carded an impressive fiveunder 68 at the Par73 Royal Cape Golf Club to be placed tied 11th after the opening roundWhat stood out was her remarkable surge on the back nine where she fired five birdies showcasing both composure and attacking intent After a mixed front nine that included two birdies and two bogeys following an opening bogey Diksha found her rhythm from the 11th hole onwards Birdies on the 11th and 12th set the tone before she added further gains on the 15th and 16th underlining her growing confidenceAmong the Indian contingent even as Diksha led the charge reinforcing her status as one of the countryâs most consistent performers on the LET Pranavi Urs also put up a solid effort returning a twounder 70 to be tied 20thPranaviâs round featured a steady mix of recovery and resilience including three birdies on the front nine and additional gains on the 11th and 17th though a bogey on the 15th prevented a higher climb up the leaderboardFurther down Hitaashee Bakshi 72 and Avani Prashanth 73 were tied 64th while Tvesa Malik 74 and Vani Kapoor 75 faced an uphill task placed tied 82nd and 92nd respectively With the cut looming the latter group will need significantly improved rounds to stay in contentionWhile the spotlight for Indian fans remained on Dikshaâs resurgence the overall leaderboard was dominated by Germanyâs Patricia Schmidt who delivered a stunning careerbest 10under 63 to take a twoshot lead Her round included an eagle and a flurry of birdies on the back nine marking one of the finest performances of her LET careerFor India however the bigger narrative is the encouraging form of its golfers on the international stage Dikshaâs strong start not only boosts her chances in South Africa but also adds momentum to her larger ambition of winning the Hero Womenâs Indian Open on home soil With several rounds still to play Indian hopes will hinge on whether Diksha can sustain her form and convert this promising start into a serious title challenge IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/golf-diksha-dagar-off-to-fine-start-with-5-under-in-south-africa-671032.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pgti-tour-akshay-sharma-fires-64-to-end-five-year-title-drought-at-players-championship-671044.html Nuh Haryana April 24 Akshay Sharma carded an errorfree eightunder 64 to claim his third PGTI title at the Rs 1 crore Players Championship played at the Classic Golf amp Country Club in Nuh Haryana on Friday The 35yearold Chandigarhbased golfer 70657064 emerged victorious by a slender oneshot margin at 19under 269 The win earned Sharma Rs 15 lakh and lifted him to fifth on the 2026 PGTI Order of Merit with season earnings of Rs 3712575 The victory marked his first title in over five years since his last win at Panchkula Golf Club in November 2020 capping a period of consistent performancesOvernight leader Dhruv Sheoran 69666669 of Gurugram finished runnerup at 18under 270 after starting the final round with a threeshot advantageSharma began the day four shots behind in tied third but surged into contention with a flawless round that featured eight birdies He steadily built momentum and moved into the lead by the back nine before sealing the win with backtoback birdies on the closing two holesSheoran meanwhile struggled to maintain his advantage early in the round playing his front nine at evenpar with two bogeys and two birdies Sharma overtook him by the 10th hole and extended his lead with further gainsSheoran staged a late fightback with an eagle on the par5 14th followed by a birdie on the 16th to close the gap to one shot with two holes remaining However Akshayâs strong finish left Sheoran needing an eagle on the final hole to force a playoff He managed only a birdie to settle for second place With the runnerup finish Sheoran earned Rs 10 lakh and climbed from 13th to eighth on the Order of Merit with total earnings of Rs 2874583Reflecting on his round Akshay said âIâve been working hard and had a lot of consistent finishes recently so it feels great to finally get the win My focus today was simple â hit fairways and greens and stay patientââI started well and built momentum around the turn with a long birdie putt on the 10th From there I felt in control and kept giving myself chances I knew I needed a strong finish and the birdies on the last two holes made the differenceâ he addedSharma also acknowledged the support system behind his comeback âThis win after a long gap means a lot Iâm grateful to my sponsors and everyone who has supported me through this phase Mr Jeev Milkha Singh has been a huge inspiration and my hero I thought of him while making that crucial soft putt on the 17th because that is how he puttsâ he saidJamal Hossain 67706869 a coleader after the first round finished third at 14under 274 after carding a 69 on day four Karnalâs Mani Ram 69687068 secured fourth place at 13under 275 with another steady round of 68PGTI Order of Merit leader Saptak Talwar a winner earlier this season finished tied 13th at sevenunder 281 Talwar earned Rs 151367 to take his season earnings to Rs 7903067 and extend his lead in the merit list by over Rs 14 lakh IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pgti-tour-akshay-sharma-fires-64-to-end-five-year-title-drought-at-players-championship-671044.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/issf-jr-world-cup-shambhavi-divyanshu-clinch-mixed-team-air-rifle-gold-with-junior-world-record-score-671052.html New Delhi Apr 24 Indiaâs 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team pairing of Shambhavi Kshirsagar and Divyanshu Dewangan won the competition with a junior world record score of 4999 as India claimed a fourth gold in the International Shooting Sport Federation ISSF Junior World Cup RiflePistolShotgun in Cairo Egypt on Friday The pair had earlier topped the qualification round with a combined 6320 Chinese Taipeiâs Tsai ChiehYing and Chen YouAn won silver with 4983 while the French pairing of Tifenn Pomes and Gaspard Lesieur won bronze with 4344In the junior mens 25m RapidFire Pistol event Sameer made the cut to the final with an effort of 573 in qualifying which gave him the second spot Franceâs Arnaud Gamaleri posted a tabletopping 589 which equalled the junior world record Sameer finished seventh eventually scoring seven hits in the first three fiveshot series of the eightseries final Gamaleri took gold with 29 hits India now has 12 medals from the Cairo Junior World Cup and leads the medal tally with four gold five silver and three bronze with two days of the competition left and six gold medals still to be decidedEarlier on Thursday Prachi Gaikwad struck gold winning the junior womenâs 50m Rifle 3 Positions 3P eventAnother AIN shooter Elena Kretinina won bronze with a score of 3433 exiting the 35shot final after the 34th shot Naraen Pranav also won bronze in the junior menâs 10m air rifle with a score of 2295 in the finalThis was Indiaâs second gold of the competition after Shiva Narwal had won the menâs 10m Air Pistol event on the opening day of competitions on Tuesday April 21 and with four silver and three bronze medals also in their kitty takes them back to the top of the medal tallyPrachi was the only Indian to qualify for the Junior Womenâs 3P final at the Olympic International City Shooting range She took sixth spot with a score of 578 and then began the final placing fifth after the first 10 shots in the Kneeling position IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/issf-jr-world-cup-shambhavi-divyanshu-clinch-mixed-team-air-rifle-gold-with-junior-world-record-score-671052.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 20:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/la-liga-villarreal-held-levante-and-rayo-earn-key-wins-670933.html Madrid April 24 Villarreal strengthened its hold on third place in La Liga with a 11 draw away to bottom side Oviedo which produced another battling display but remains six points from safety Nicolas Pepe put Villarreal ahead with a retaken penalty after Oviedo goalkeeper Aaron Escandell had saved his first effort but Ilyas Chaira leveled in the 68th minute after a smart assist from Alberto ReinaAyoze Perez hit the woodwork for Villarreal in the closing minutes but the draw still left the eastcoast side five points ahead of fourthplace Atletico Madrid reports XinhuaIvan Romero scored twice as Levante beat Sevilla 20 at home in a key game in the relegation battleRomeros first goal was a powerful shot and his second finished off a counterattack in injury time to end Sevillas hopes after the visitors failed to register a shot on targetSergio Camellos 86thminute goal gave Rayo Vallecano three vital points in a 10 home win over Espanyol which still has not won a game in 2026The Barcelonabased side had a chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot but Rayo goalkeeper Sergio Cardenas saved Kike Garcias powerful 72ndminute spot kickOn Tuesday Real Madrid beat Deportivo Alaves 21 Athletic Club won 10 at home to Osasuna Real Betis triumphed 32 away to Girona and Mallorca and Valencia drew 11Wednesdays three games saw FC Barcelona win 10 at home to Celta Vigo to stay nine points clear at the top of La Liga Elche defeat Atletico Madrid 32 and Getafe take advantage of Real Sociedads Copa del Rey hangover to claim a 10 win in San Sebastian That match was decided by an own goal with Getafe failing to register a shot on target IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/la-liga-villarreal-held-levante-and-rayo-earn-key-wins-670933.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/happy-birthday-sachin-cricket-fraternity-extends-heartfelt-wishes-as-god-of-cricket-celebrates-53rd-birthday-670968.html New Delhi April 24 As Indias batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is celebrating his 53rd birthday on Friday the cricket fraternity took to social media to extend heartfelt wishes Happy Birthday Sachin Cricket fraternity extends heartfelt wishes as God of Cricket celebrates 53rd birthdayNew Delhi April 24 As Indias batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is celebrating his 53rd birthday on Friday the cricket fraternity took to social media to extend heartfelt wishesConferred the Bharat Ratna in 2014 Tendulkar is a veteran of 15921 runs in 200 Tests besides amassing 18426 runs in 463 ODIs He had been a part of the Indian team at ODI World Cups since 1992 but had to wait till 2011 to fulfil his ultimate dream of clinching the World Cup after missing out on five previous occasionsTendulkar is the only cricketer to have scored 100 centuries Of his 100 international tons 51 came in Tests and 49 in ODIs He retired from ODI cricket in 2012 and a year later in November 2013 he bid adieu to the game by retiring from all forms of cricket after playing his 200th TestHis retirement marked the end of an era in Indian cricket leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire aspiring cricketers around the globeOn the occasion of his 53rd birthday the sports fraternity showered him with love and wished Tendulkar good health and happinessICC chairman Jay Shah hailed Tendulkars contribution to the development of cricket Sharing a post on X the ICC Chairman wrote Wishing our sports icon sachinrt a very happy birthday Your amazing contribution to cricket continues to inspire generations across the world to play and watch our great game while your empathy and humanity has an ongoing and significant impact on societyThe Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI shared a post on X on Tendulkars birthday and wrote 664 international matches 34357 international runs Only cricketer to score 100 international hundreds Member of TeamIndias ICC Mens ODI World Cup 2011 winning campaign Wishing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar a very happy birthdayGujarat Titans batting coach and Aussie legend Matthew Hayden wished Sachin Tendulkar on his 53rd birthday through a heartfelt video posted on the franchiseâs social media handlesâI have seen God He used to bat at number four for India Happy birthday Sachinâ Hayden said in a video released by GT on InstagramSachins son Arjun who is playing for the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League IPL 2026 season had a sweet short and simple birthday wish for his father the Master Blaster But refused to eat cake even on his birthday as he is off sugarIn a video posted by his IPL team Lucknow Super Giants Arjun was seen pointing towards a cake âHappy Birthday But Im not going to eat this because I dont have sugar very often Ill see you soonâFormer India allrounder Yuvraj Singh posted on X Happy Birthday Paaji sharing the field with you was an honour but learning from you was even bigger Your discipline humility and love set the standard for all of us Thank you for the memories and the inspiration you continue to be Lots of loveExIndia spin master Harbhajan Singh said Happy Birthday paaji May Waheguru continue to bless you with good health wealth happiness amp peace True legend Master not just on the field but off the field too Love AlwaysWhile Irfan Pathan wrote When you say GOAT I hear Sachin Tendulkar When you say Master Blaster I hear Sachin Tendulkar When you say university of Cricket I hear sachinrtYour forever a student wishing you a very happy birthday PaajiFormer Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan wrote Happy Birthday sachinrt paajiAn inspiration to generations on and off the field Wishing you great health and happiness alwaysSachins IPL franchise Mumbai Indians wrote The little boy who became every cricket loverâs heartbeat Happy Birthday sachinrtChennai Super Kings wrote100100 every time you stepped on the field Every inning a story defines the game for decades Happy Birthday to the God of CricketTendulkar celebrated his birthday with his family members and fans at his Mumbai residenceTendulkar shared a post on X with a photo of his wife mother and pet dog and wrote Perfect start to my day with Aai Anjali and the trouble maker What more could a man ask for IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/happy-birthday-sachin-cricket-fraternity-extends-heartfelt-wishes-as-god-of-cricket-celebrates-53rd-birthday-670968.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bayern-reach-dfb-pokal-final-to-keep-treble-dream-alive-670778.html Berlin April 23 Bayern Munich reached the DFB Pokal final for the first time since 2020 after a 20 win at Bayer Leverkusen keeping them on course to win three major trophies this season Vincent Kompanys side which sealed the Bundesliga title with victory against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday took control early and stayed in command before Luis Diaz wrapped up the tie in stoppage timeHarry Kane put Bayern ahead in the 21st minute after a quickly taken throwin sent play down the right Michael Olise backheeled the ball onto Jamal Musiala who found Kane in the middle and the striker drove his finish under the bar reports XinhuaThe visitors had already threatened through Dayot Upamecano and Diaz while Bayer Leverkusen struggled to play through Bayerns high press and barely reached the Bayern area before the break Kane went close again before halftime and Bayerns 100 edge in shots reflected their controlLeverkusen improved after the interval Robert Andrich made a clearance to deny Musiala shortly after the restart then Nathan Tella forced Manuel Neuer into a diving save from the edge of the areaBayern responded by pushing the game back into Leverkusens half Mark Flekken kept the deficit down with another stop from Kane but Leverkusen remained within reach and Schick headed over from a promising position in the 70th minuteDiaz missed chances before finally finishing a counterattack in the third minute of added time after an assist from Goretzka The goal stood after a VAR check for offsideBayern will meet either VfB Stuttgart or SC Freiburg in the Berlin final on May 23 The club is also through to a Champions League semifinal against Paris SaintGermain while sixthplaced Leverkusen remains in the fight for a place in Europes top club competition next seasonWe are very happy for the club to be back in the final In football you cannot enjoy success because the next game is always on your mind The most important thing is that we are through The first half was very good from usWe allowed nothing and created chances Leverkusen were better in the second half but even then we allowed little said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bayern-reach-dfb-pokal-final-to-keep-treble-dream-alive-670778.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/la-liga-barca-beat-celta-to-keep-nine-point-lead-yamal-suffers-hamstring-injury-670786.html Madrid April 23 FC Barcelona beat Celta Vigo 10 at home to restore a ninepoint lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga but was forced to work hard for the win and lost Lamine Yamal to a hamstring injury With just six games to go Barca are brilliantly poised to win a 29th Liga title but nothing is decided yet There are still games to be won before that becomes sureCelta caused problems on the counterattack in the first half but Barcelona took the lead when Yamal weaved through the defense and was brought down in the area The forward converted the resulting penalty but injured his hamstring as he struck the ball and was forced offThe match was halted for 15 minutes due to a medical emergency in the stands In the second half Ferran Torres had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside reports XinhuaElsewhere Diego Simeone made sweeping changes to his Atletico Madrid side following its Copa del Rey final defeat but his team lost 32 away to Elche which climbed out of the relegation zone with the winNico Gonzalez scored twice for Atletico while goals from David Affengruber and a penalty from Andre Silva made it 22 at halftime with Atleticos Thiago Almada sent off for the foul that led to the spot kick Silva struck again in the second half to secure victory for Elche and push Alaves into the bottom threeGetafe beat Real Sociedad 10 at the Anoeta Stadium to move up to sixth in the standings Real Madrid defeated Alaves 21 at home Real Betis edged Girona 32 Athletic Club drew 11 with Osasuna and Mallorca and Valencia also played out a 11 draw IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/la-liga-barca-beat-celta-to-keep-nine-point-lead-yamal-suffers-hamstring-injury-670786.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-nandre-burger-fined-for-code-of-conduct-breach-670794.html Mumbai April 23 Rajasthan Royals fast bowler Nandre Burger was fined 10 per cent of his match fees and received one demerit point for violating the IPL Code of Conduct during the teamâs recent match against Lucknow Super Giants RR clinched a 40run victory after restricting the Rishabh Pantled side to 119 in 18 overs in their chase of 160 runs The South Africa international admitted to a Level 1 offence under Article 25 which relates to using language actions or gestures that could disparage or provoke an aggressive response from another player during the match During the match on Wednesday Burger was gestured aggressively and was seen using abusive language towards LSG kipper Pant after dismissing him for a duck He took two key wickets including that of Mitchell Marsh in a lowscoring match helping RR clinch a crucial winâNandre Burger Bowler Rajasthan Royals RR has been fined 10 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated One Demerit Point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his teamâs match against Lucknow Super Giants LSG at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium Lucknow on Wednesdayâ the IPL said in a statementâNandre Burger admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 25 pertaining to using language actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a another player in the Match and accepted the Match Refereeâs sanction For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct the Match Refereeâs decision is final and bindingâ it stated furtherAs per the IPL Code of Conduct the accumulation of four demerit points converts into a suspension point resulting in a onematch ban once that threshold is reached With these points staying on a playerâs record for 36 months Burger will have to tread carefully going forward While the governing body did not specify the exact offence it is understood that his actions likely involved abusive language and animated gestures particularly following Pantâs dismissalRavindra Jadejas late 43 off 29 balls and a strong bowling effort by Jofra Archer helped RR secure an important win on Wednesday RR scored 1596 struggling at 1106 after early setbacks from Mohammed Shami and Mohsin Khan Jadeja formed a key late stand with Shubham Dubey 19 boosting the innings in the final overIn reply LSG had a disastrous start losing three wickets for 16 runs including captain Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram for ducks Archerâs 320 set the tone while Nandre and Brijesh Sharma took two wickets each Marsh scored 55 but lacked support as wickets fell regularly Nicholas Pooran made 22 but the chase faltered after the early collapse and LSG could never get back in the game IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-nandre-burger-fined-for-code-of-conduct-breach-670794.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/inter-miami-beat-salt-lake-to-extend-unbeaten-streak-to-eight-670802.html Utah April 23 Inter Miami CF sealed a valuable 20 victory on the road over Real Salt Lake here at America First Field with stunners from midfielder Rodrigo De Paul and striker Luis Suarez securing the result With the win Inter Miami extended its current unbeaten run this regular season to eight and improved its record on the road to five wins a draw and a loss for a total 16 points the best record on the road this season in MLSThe first 45 minutes presented a close matchup Messi generated the best chance during the first half in the 22nd minute with a leftfooted hit from the left end of the box that forced a save from RSLâs keeper The match ultimately remained scoreless entering half time The start of the second half presented a key intervention in goal from St Clair in the 59th minute The Canadian international stood tall to deny Alexandros Katranisâs attempt from the center of the box Inter Miami reportsMiami broke the deadlock through a stunner from De Paul in the 82nd minute Segovia played a pass to De Paul outside the box down the left side of the pitch directly from a corner kick where El Motorcito set up before curling the ball to the topright corner from long range as he tallied his second strike this regular season The assist meanwhile was Segoviaâs fifth as he remains our top assist provider this league campaignSecondhalfsubstitute Suarez added a second for Inter Miami in the 83rd minute burying the ball in the topright corner with a powerful leftfooted half volley from just inside the box The goal took El Pistoleroâs tally to two this regular seasonThe 02 scoreline held through the final whistle for Inter Miami to pick up a second consecutive victory on the road and extend its unbeaten run to eight in MLS regular season action IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/inter-miami-beat-salt-lake-to-extend-unbeaten-streak-to-eight-670802.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/aryan-breaks-through-for-maiden-igpl-title-in-congo-670844.html Lubumbashi April 23 Aryan Roopa Anand had been striving for victory for so long that it was only a matter of time before he succeeded That moment arrived at the IGPL Invitational Congo held at the Par73 Golf de Lubumbashi course in Africa The 25yearold from Mysore aspiring to become a professional global golfer finally reached the winnerâs circle overcoming some tense moments along the way Aryan finished at 16under after a final bogey tying with Udayan Mane who was aiming for consecutive wins After two suddendeath holes that were shared Aryan ultimately pulled ahead in the third and won the TrophyAryan playing for RVR Delhi scored an impressive 8under 65 on a Par73 course His round featured a remarkable streak of five birdies starting from the 11th hole on the back nine which put him at 16under with three holes remaining An additional birdie on the 17th brought him to 17under seeming to secure his lead However a bogey on the 18th hole resulted in a final score of 16underAnother contender Shaurya Binu 68 from Honer Gurugram finished alongside Aryan at 15under finishing thirdHowever moments afterward Udayan Mane of Atri Mumbai known for his resilience eagled the Par5 17th and birdied the 18th hole tying with Aryan at 16under and forcing a playoffIn the playoff Aryan outperformed Mane a seasoned Olympian and multipletime winner in India just prior to his first IGPL victory in Joburg South Africa seven days earlier It took three playoff holes to decide the outcome and Aryan rose to the challengeHe exhaled a deep sigh of relief after the landmark moment âThat was a big one and an awesome moment I played superbly all week and have been doing so for some timeâ said Aryan who shot 716765 for 16under for three daysAryan began the day two strokes behind his playing partner Shaurya Binu who was 10under after two rounds Both Aryan and Binu birdied three times with Aryan maintaining his lead The crucial moment came on the back nine when Aryan birdied five consecutive holes from the From the 11th to the 15th he scored points and he added another on the 17th Although a bogey on the 18th stopped his full comeback he stayed competitive even after Maneâs eagle and birdie finishAfter completing the final day with a closing bogey Aryan took three playoff holes to triumph over senior player Udayan Mane who had previously won the IGPL Trophy in Joburg South Africa a week earlierMannat Brar who played the final round with a shotgun start was the top woman finisher shooting 5under 68 and finishing tied for fourth at 13under overall alongside the seasoned Aman Raj 66 and early leader Tushar Pannu 68Kartik Sharma 65 and Indian American Manav Shah 69 were tied for seventh place at 8under par while rookies Kanav Chauhan 69 and Danish Verma 70 finished tied for ninth to complete the Top10Aryan the son of a telecom specialist and a homemaker was born in Mysore and began his golf journey at the JWGC in Mysore He took up the game at age eight inspired by watching his father play Although he also played tennis initially golf ultimately captured his passion leading him to win amateur events from a young ageHe then relocated to Bangalore to pursue golf more seriously training at the Tarun Sardesai Golf Academy in Kolar and represented India on the National amateur squad Turning professional in 2023 he competed on the Indian tour and recognised for his great potential became part of the inaugural IGPL team which is now his homeAfter travelling extensively with the IGPL last year and coming close to his first title several times he finished T8 in Mauritius Now in a distant African country Congo and on the picturesque historic course in Lubumbashi Aryan Roopa Anand finally achieved a major milestone by winning Rs 2250000 marking his largest earnings as a professional golferAtri Mumbai was strongly supported by Udayan Mane 706865 Tushar Pannu 677168 and Aman Raj 697166 each of whom scored on two of the three days They ended with an impressive 32under par 13 shots clear of Leander Paesâ team Flyingman Kolkata which included Kartik Sharma and Syed Saqib AhmedRVR Delhi received another finalday boost from Aryan Roopa Anand whose scores contributed each day with support from former Asian Tour winner Chiragh KumarOverall Atri Mumbai leads the standings with 270 points followed by Green Fuels Vizag in second place with 220 and RVR Delhi in third with 210 The two best cards are considered each day during each event to determine the tournament winners and the overall team champions are decided at the seasons end IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/aryan-breaks-through-for-maiden-igpl-title-in-congo-670844.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/3rd-wt20i-wolvaardt-happy-with-balance-in-power-hitting-after-unbeaten-ton-against-india-670850.html Johannesburg April 23 South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt said she was happy in finding the right balance between traditional strokeplay and power hitting something which she admitted to working on for the last few years while hitting a sizzling 15 against India in the third T20I at the Wanderers Stadium Laura made 115 from just 53 balls as South Africa chased down Indias total of 1924 in 163 overs and took an unassailable 30 lead in the fivegame series âI am striking it pretty nicely Something Iâve been working on quite a lot the last couple of years is my power hitting but Iâm also trying to find the balance between trying to whack it and still keeping my strokes and the way that I playâIâm obviously known for more traditional cricket and sometimes I lose it a bit try to hit it a bit too hard and lose my game But I feel like I found the balance nicely to still keep my shape and hit some big shotsâ said Laura at the conclusion of the gameWhile smashing 14 fours and five sixes Laura brought up her century in just 47 deliveries and equal the record for the fourth fastest hundred ever in womens T20I cricketâObviously worked on a lot of different stuff But then I felt sometimes I lose my cover drive and I sort of just look at that sort of power hitting muscling kind of thing But I think the key thing for me is still my positionsâLike yesterday in my training session I literally just hit cover drives on the floor because I feel like if my positioning is good in that then the rest of the game will take care of itself So technically Im just trying to be in really strong positions Just trying to hit long through the ballâIt has been a work in progress sort of finding the balance between trying to whack it in the power play and trying to play my game and to my strengths But yeah happy with how it wentâ she addedLaura also put on a whopping 183 for the opening stand with fellow opener Sune Luus the second time the pair have combined for a century partnership in the ongoing series âIt was an excellent innings from Luus I thought she was a little scratchy in the powerplay but she didnât get a lot of strike because I was facing a lotâIt was really impressive to see how she hung in there and I think she has a lot of different options which makes it quite hard to bowl to her especially the spinners in the powerplay because she sweeps so well and she can hit down the groundâI think we complement each other pretty well and it was nice to bat together It was lovely to play here Itâs such an amazing groundâ and it was lots of fun playing at such a big stadiumâ she addedSouth Africa will next take on India in the fourth T20I at the Wanderers on Saturday before the series concludes in Benoni on Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/3rd-wt20i-wolvaardt-happy-with-balance-in-power-hitting-after-unbeaten-ton-against-india-670850.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/if-county-cricket-was-as-strong-as-pietersen-hits-back-at-cook-over-bethells-ipl-stint-670851.html New Delhi April 23 England great Kevin Pietersen hit back at former teammate Alastair Cook for advising Jacob Bethell to leave the IPL due to no game time and return home to play County cricket saying the exEngland skipper has no idea what its like to be in the IPL RCB acquired Bethell for Rs 260 crore ahead of IPL 2025 and retained him for the 2026 season The allrounder who played two games and impressed with a 33ball 55 against Chennai Super Kings last year is yet to play a match in the IPL 2026 Bethell had scored a century against Australia in an Ashes Test in Sydney recorded his maiden ODI century against South Africa and was Englands highest rungetter at the 2026 T20 World Cup scoring 280 runs in eight innings striking at 15217 Cook earlier suggested that Bethell should turn to county cricket with his place at stake for this summerâs Test series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka rather than sitting and not doing anything at the IPL Its not ideal is it Hes sitting at the IPL not doing anything Ideally he could come back and open for Warwickshire to help England Cook had said on the Stick to Cricket podcastHowever Pietersen expressed strong disagreement with Cooks opinion stating that Cook has no idea what its like to be around the best players in the world and supported Bethells stay in IndiaAlastair Cook has absolutely NO IDEA what its like to be in the IPL Whats it like to always be around the best players in the world So his opinion on Jacob Bethell doesnt matter at all Stay in India Jacob I know even though youre not playing youre learning and will be a way better player Pieterson shared on XIn another post Pietersen argued that county cricket is not strong as it was in 90s and with Bethell being in India for the IPL it will benefit England If county cricket was as strong as it was in the late 90s and early 2000s Id also want Bethell back playing it now But its NOT Itll benefit England more by him being in India and hes already shown that he shared in another X post IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/if-county-cricket-was-as-strong-as-pietersen-hits-back-at-cook-over-bethells-ipl-stint-670851.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/if-county-cricket-was-as-strong-as-pietersen-hits-back-at-cook-over-bethells-ipl-stint-670852.html New Delhi April 23 England great Kevin Pietersen hit back at former teammate Alastair Cook for advising Jacob Bethell to leave the IPL due to no game time and return home to play County cricket saying the exEngland skipper has no idea what its like to be in the IPL RCB acquired Bethell for Rs 260 crore ahead of IPL 2025 and retained him for the 2026 season The allrounder who played two games and impressed with a 33ball 55 against Chennai Super Kings last year is yet to play a match in the IPL 2026Bethell had scored a century against Australia in an Ashes Test in Sydney recorded his maiden ODI century against South Africa and was Englands highest rungetter at the 2026 T20 World Cup scoring 280 runs in eight innings striking at 15217Cook earlier suggested that Bethell should turn to county cricket with his place at stake for this summerâs Test series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka rather than sitting and not doing anything at the IPLIts not ideal is it Hes sitting at the IPL not doing anything Ideally he could come back and open for Warwickshire to help England Cook had said on the Stick to Cricket podcastHowever Pietersen expressed strong disagreement with Cooks opinion stating that Cook has no idea what its like to be around the best players in the world and supported Bethells stay in IndiaAlastair Cook has absolutely NO IDEA what its like to be in the IPL Whats it like to always be around the best players in the world So his opinion on Jacob Bethell doesnt matter at all Stay in India Jacob I know even though youre not playing youre learning and will be a way better player Pieterson shared on XIn another post Pietersen argued that county cricket is not strong as it was in 90s and with Bethell being in India for the IPL it will benefit EnglandIf county cricket was as strong as it was in the late 90s and early 2000s Id also want Bethell back playing it now But its NOT Itll benefit England more by him being in India and hes already shown that he shared in another X post IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/if-county-cricket-was-as-strong-as-pietersen-hits-back-at-cook-over-bethells-ipl-stint-670852.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pakistan-withdraw-from-saff-womens-championship-in-india-670860.html Lahore April 23 Pakistan national football has officially withdrawn from the 2026 SAFF Womenâs Championship amid the worsening relations between the two nations the Pakistan Football Federation PFF said on Thursday The decision rooted in the persistent political tensions between India and Pakistan leaves the South Asian Football Federation SAFF to move forward with a reduced sixteam lineup for the tournament scheduled to take place at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao Goa from May 25 to June 6 This will mark the second time India will host the SAFF Womens Championship after the 2016 edition in Siliguri West Bengal where India won their fourth title It will also be the second time that Goa will stage a SAFF tournament The mens championship of 1999 was also held at the PJN Stadium where India won the title defeating Bangladesh in the final With Pakistanâs exit the tournament organisers have finalised a sixnation format The official draw held recently at the SAFF Secretariat in Dhaka divided the remaining teams into two competitive groups Nepal India Hosts Sri Lanka Bangladesh Defending Champions Bhutan and Maldives have been divided into two groups The withdrawal comes as a blow to the momentum of Pakistan womens football After years of administrative hurdles and limited international exposure the national side had been expected to use this platform to showcase its evolving talent Instead the team becomes the latest casualty of the geopolitical friction that frequently disrupts bilateral and regional sporting engagements in South AsiaPakistan had earlier pulled out of the menâs junior hockey World Cup in November last year when it was held in Tamil Nadu India They also did not send their senior mens team to the Asia Cup in RajgirNitably India are the record fivetime champions of the SAFF Womens Championship having won titles in 2010 2012 2014 2016 and 2019 Bangladesh have won the last two editions in 2022 and 2024 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pakistan-withdraw-from-saff-womens-championship-in-india-670860.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/deepika-tarundeep-aim-for-bigger-better-2030-cwg-hopeful-of-archerys-return-670865.html New Delhi April 23 India will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad Gujarat The event will have a larger program than the 2026 Glasgow edition held from July 23 to August 2 which included 10 sports and six para sports Traditional medalwinning sports like shooting wrestling badminton and archery are anticipated to be part of the competition again Elite Indian recurve archers Deepika Kumari and Tarundeep Rai are optimistic about archeryâs inclusion when India hosts the Games again In 2010 during Indiaâs last hosting 17 disciplines were featured with the host nation earning a notable number of medals 30 in shooting 19 in wrestling 8 in archery and 4 in badmintonDeepika who secured Indiaâs inaugural womenâs individual recurve gold at the 2010 Delhi Games reflected on how this milestone influenced her career and boosted the sportâs popularityâ2010 Commonwealth Games was a huge kick in my career as a 16yearold became a champion in a discipline not so popular I didnât understand the value of the achievement at that time but in my opinion archery received a huge boost due to that A lot of Indians got to know about the sport of archery after my accomplishments in the Commonwealth Games Apart from that Indian citizens also got educated about many disciplines which they could witness from close quarters as the country staged the Commonwealth Games in New Delhiâ Deepika told SAI Media on the sidelines of the NTPC National Ranking Archery TournamentDeepika is confident that the upcoming Games will exceed past standards âThe way we had organised CWG in 2010 I believe it will be bigger and better in 2030 and archery makes a return then We archers havenât competed in the multination event since the Delhi edition and hopefully archery makes a comebackâ the 31yearold addedTarundeep Rai who won bronze in the menâs recurve team event at CWG 2010 emphasized how hosting major events can boost grassroots participation and improve infrastructure over the long term As a threetime Olympian aiming for a medal at Los Angeles 2028 he also pointed out the rapid growth of archery in Indiaâ2010 Commonwealth Games was a very exciting moment for me I witnessed a huge transformation in the archery community thereafter There were changes in terms of infrastructure and individual strength in terms of skills and knowledge At that time we had around 400 archers in the country now the number has swelled to more than 30000 active archers There are 100 archers who can make it to the Indian team on any given day due to their consistency and form which is a huge difference after 2010 CWGâ Tarundeep saidâIndia is set to host the CWG in 2030 which is a very happy moment for all Indian sportspersons like me I feel if India could host an event of this magnitude or stature every five or 10 years that will make a huge difference to the sports ecosystem Due to the staging of CWG in 2030 a lot of new talent new kids will pick up sports as a careerâ he addedOlympian and Asian and Commonwealth Games medallist Jayanta Talukdar also shared his optimism about Indiaâs prospects in future performancesâA lot of new academies and players got added after 2010 CWG as parents saw that we had won a lot of medals in archery The Archery Association of India and players started getting a lot of sponsors So the graph of Indian archery only improved after that We will be hosting the 2030 CWG and I am confident that our performance will be great whether it is recurve or compound as there is a lot of motivation when you are competing in front of your home crowd Also many top archers like me are already mentoring or coaching a lot of young archers who will be ready to take on the world by thenâ Talukdar said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/deepika-tarundeep-aim-for-bigger-better-2030-cwg-hopeful-of-archerys-return-670865.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bangladesh-namibia-and-scotland-players-gain-big-in-t20i-rankings-670720.html New Delhi April 22 Bangladeshâs standout players featured prominently in the latest update to the ICC Menâs ODI Player Rankings after their strong performance against New Zealand in Mirpur The hosts sixwicket victory in the second ODI not only tied the series but also led to notable individual improvements across formats Opener Tanzid Hasan was one of the biggest movers rising 14 spots to 40th in the ODI batter rankings after scoring a steady 76 in the chase The bowling unit also saw benefits with spinner Rishad Hossain climbing 10 places to joint 58th and fast bowler Nahid Rana jumping 32 spots to 64th after taking six wickets in the match Leftarm seamer Shoriful Islam marked his return to ODI cricket by reentering the rankings at 39th following consistent wickettaking performances in the seriesEven though he is not playing in the current matches Daryl Mitchell kept his spot at the top of the ODI batter rankings highlighting his reliability in the formatIn T20Is Scotlandâs series win over Namibia led to some significant ranking changes Veteran opener George Munsey moved up seven spots to joint 21st after scoring a matchwinning century in the final game Contributions from Towhid Hridoy who climbed five places to joint 26th further emphasised the impact of important middleorder performancesNamibia captain Gerhard Erasmus had a particularly successful series scoring 145 runs to rise 24 spots to 73rd among T20I batters while also moving up to 10th in the allrounder rankings Scotlandâs Mark Watt made progress too rising 10 spots to 47th among T20I bowlersShafali Verma continued her steady rise in the ICC Womenâs T20I Rankings climbing closer to the top five while India captain Harmanpreet Kaur edged nearer to a return to the top 10 following the latest rankings update on Tuesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bangladesh-namibia-and-scotland-players-gain-big-in-t20i-rankings-670720.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/lanka-premier-league-2026-to-be-held-from-july-10-to-aug-5-670727.html Colombo April 22 Sri Lanka Cricket SLC has announced on Wednesday that the 2026 edition of the Lanka Premier League LPL will be held from July 10 to August 5 SLC said that the online portal for foreign player registration will open on May 4The sixth edition of LPL was originally scheduled to be held in December 2025 but due to the 2026 ICC Menâs T20 World Cup which Sri Lanka will cohost with India in FebruaryâMarch SLC postponed the leagueThe postponement was made considering the broader requirement of preparing the âHost Venuesâ well in advance for the T20 World Cup 2026The league comprising 24 matches including 20 league games and four knockout fixtures will be played across four venues Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy and Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in DambullaFive franchises would compete against each other twice during the league phase following which the top four teams would move to the playoffsThe tournament format involves all five franchises facing each other twice during the league phase After the roundrobin stage the top four teams will advance to the playoffs The first playoff match Qualifier 1 will be played between the top two teams with the winner securing a direct spot in the final The teams finishing third and fourth will compete in the Eliminator and the winner of that match will face the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2 which will decide the second finalistLaunched in 2020 the LPL has grown into a major domestic T20 tournament with an international presence Samantha Dodanwela an executive committee member of Sri Lanka Cricket will continue in his role as tournament director IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/lanka-premier-league-2026-to-be-held-from-july-10-to-aug-5-670727.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pcb-to-investigate-nawaz-after-positive-test-for-recreational-drug-report-670730.html New Delhi April 22 Pakistan Cricket Board PCB has reportedly started an investigation into allrounder Mohammad Nawaz after he tested positive for recreational drug use The positive result comes from testing during the T20 World Cup earlier this year As a result his proposed move to Surrey for Englandâs T20 Blast has collapsed as per ESPNcricnfo reportThe International Cricket Council ICC has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board PCB about this matter and PCB has begun the due process The results of this process will be communicated to the ICC today a PCB spokesperson was quoted in the reportNawaz was part of Pakistans squad for T20 World Cup earlier this year He played seven matches for the team in the World Cup but failed to impress either with the ball or bat scoring just 15 runs and took only seven wickets as Pakistan was eliminated from the Super Eight stage in the tournament The allrounder was expected to be available for the entirety of the T20 Blast which runs from 26 May to 18 July representing Surrey The PCB had issued him a NoObjection Certificate NOC for the competition just two weeks ago and Surrey had been preparing to formally announce his signingHowever the agreement has now been cancelled and Nawaz will not join the English county side this summer the report said Nawaz boasts a strong record in T20Is He is the fourthhighest wickettaker for Pakistan in T20Is The leg spinner has taken 101 wickets in 98 matches for the team He also took two fivewicket hauls in the shortest format He has scored 911 runs in T20IsThe 32yearold is currently playing for Multan Sultans in the ongoing Pakistan Super League PSL season He went wickeless in their sixwicket victory over Rawalpindiz in Karachi on Tuesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pcb-to-investigate-nawaz-after-positive-test-for-recreational-drug-report-670730.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/relegation-on-agenda-in-thursdays-la-liga-games-670735.html Madrid April 22 La Liga closes its midweek round of matches on Thursday with three games that are vital for the struggle to avoid relegation Bottom side Oviedo hosts thirdplaced Villarreal whose coach Marcelino Garca Toral is yet to extend his contract despite an excellent season in La Liga Oviedos survival hopes remain intact after consecutive wins against Sevilla and Celta Vigo but the club is still six points from safety with just seven games to play and is reaching the point where any slipup could be fatalFede Vinas will lead the Oviedo attack but the home side needs to be wary of Villarreals threat on the break reports XinhuaSevilla won their last game at home to a muchchanged Atletico Madrid but goes into the clash with secondfrombottom Levante just five points ahead of their rival with a fivepoint cushion above the relegation zoneLevante are another team making a late charge to avoid the drop with three wins and two draws from their last six matches thanks partly to young striker Carlos Espi who has become a hero with seven goals in that sixgame run to keep Levante afloatRayo Vallecano also need points as they go into their match at home to Espanyol just three points ahead of the 18thplaced Elche who play on Wednesday night and two more than Deportivo Alaves in 17thRayos efforts in the Conference League have drained their players but Inigo Perezs side will be optimistic against a rival that has not won in 2026 and whose coach Manolo Gonzalez is coming in for increasing criticismIn Tuesdays games Real Madrid won 21 at home to Alaves while Real Betis beat Girona 32 Athletic Club defeated Osasuna 10 and Mallorca and Valencia drew 11Meanwhile Barcelona return to Camp Nou aiming to take another step toward this seasons La Liga title against a Celta Vigo side seeking to halt a recent slide in formThis will be Barcelonas first game since their Champions League quarterfinal defeat to Atletico Madrid after their ninepoint lead at the top of the table was cut to six as Real Madrid beat Alaves at home on Tuesday nightBarcelona have been flawless in La Liga since returning to Camp Nou at the end of 2025 winning all 11 of its league games at the stadium and scoring 35 goals But they face one of the leagues strongest away sides with Celta having suffered only two defeats on the roadHowever Claudio Giraldezs side has endured a recent dip in form with a painful Europa League exit to Freiburg and only one win from its last five league matchesRaphinha remain sidelined with a hamstring injury while Marc Bernals twisted ankle appears to be taking longer to heal than expected Players such as Pedri and Lamine Yamal however will have benefited from not having a weekend game IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/relegation-on-agenda-in-thursdays-la-liga-games-670735.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/venus-williams-loses-10-matches-in-a-row-with-defeat-at-the-madrid-open-670617.html Madrid April 22 Former World No1 Venus Williamss struggles continued on her return to the circuit as the veteran American star who has won seven Grand Slam titles in her career lost her 10th singles match in a row at the Madrid Open on Tuesday The 45yearold Williams lost her 62 64 to Kaitlin Quevedo in the first round at the Madrid Open and became the first former number one to lose 10 matches in a row since the rankings were first published in 1975According to the WTA Tour records the veteran last won a match in July 2025 when she defeated fellow American Peyton Stearns at the Washington OpenThe American star has won the Wimbledon title five times triumphing on the hallowed grass courts in 2000 2001 2005 2007 and 2008 Besides that she won the US Open in 2000 and 2001 She holds the record for most appearances at a Grand Slam with this years Australian Open her 95th tournamentThe 20yearold Quevedo of Spain is ranked 140 in the world and was playing in her first WTS 1000 matchThe wildcard came from 30 down in the second set to defeat 2010 finalist Williams who had won six of her eight Grand Slam titles before her opponent was bornWilliams was granted a wild card entry into this yearâs Indian Wells tournament organisers confirmed The 45yearold American is scheduled to compete in doubles too at the prestigious event in the Southern California desertMeanwhile fresh off a Sunshine Double sweep and Miami Open title defense World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka will now begin her claycourt season eyeing to defend her 2025 Madrid crownThe Spanish capital has been a historically successful city for Sabalenka whoâs reached the final four out of the past five editions with three championships in 2021 2023 and 2025 She dropped only one set all tournament last yearIâm always excited to come back to Madrid to feel the atmosphere in the stadium and I think thats the key Sabalenka said during Tuesdays media day And the food is incredible So thats all I care about Support and foodâ Sabalenka laughed IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/venus-williams-loses-10-matches-in-a-row-with-defeat-at-the-madrid-open-670617.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/real-madrid-betis-athletic-club-win-in-la-liga-670638.html Madrid April 22 Real Madrid closed Barcelonas lead at the top of La Liga to six points with a 21 win at home against Alaves Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a powerful shot from the edge of the Alaves penalty areaEder Militao hit the bar two minutes from halftime with a header but pulled up immediately afterwards and had to be substituted with a muscle injury with Toni Martinez hitting the post for a battling Alaves in first half injury time reports Xinhua Vinicius Jr who had previously been booed by the fans in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium doubled Real Madrids lead with a powerful rightfoot shot after good work from Fede ValverdeMartinez finally got his goal in injury time but although it was too late to save a point it was enough to provoke the fans in the Bernabeu to boo and whistle Real Madrid off the pitch despite the winReal Betis ended a run of seven games without a win with an entertaining 32 win at Girona The visitors fell behind after Viktor Tsygankovs seventhminute goal but turned the score around thanks to strikes from Marc Roca and Abde EzzalzouliAzzedine Ounahi made it 22 from the penalty spot after Joel Roca was fouled inside the box but Rodrigo Riquelme won the game in the closing moments with a cool finish after another assist from AbdeAthletic Club won 10 at home to Osasuna to end its relegation fears in a tense game decided by Gorka Guruzetas 16thminute goal after Nico Williams shot was blocked by Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio HerreraOsasuna improved after the break but were denied by an immense Unai Simon with the Spain international goalkeeper saving Ante Budimirs penalty and then producing a reflex stop to save a header that looked destined for the bottom cornerAthletic ended with 10 men after midfielder Mikel Jauregizar was sent off in the 80th minutes and had defender Yeray Alvarez struggling with cramp but held on for a win that should end its relegation worriesMallorca and Valencia both edged a point closer to salvation with a 11 draw with Mallorca taking the lead through Samu Costas header before Umar Sadiq salvaged a point for the visitorsBarcelona plays Celta Vigo on Wednesday while Atletico Madrid travels to Elche IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/real-madrid-betis-athletic-club-win-in-la-liga-670638.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sobo-giants-claim-top-honours-as-shooting-league-of-maharashtra-concludes-thrilling-debut-670646.html Pune April 22 The first edition of the Shooting League of Maharashtra SLM wrapped up successfully with Sobo Giants clinching the inaugural title In a tightly fought Mixed Team final Sobo Giants took the victory with a decisive 177 win against Palghar Golden Finger Aamhi Punekar earned third place narrowly defeating Sangli Alpha Lions 1614The league marks an important milestone in the development of the Shooting League of India SLI helping establish a structured competitive pathway for the sportThe SLM is now the second statelevel league in India following the successful launch of the Shooting League of Karnataka earlier this year This marks the start of a broader structured ecosystem for the sport across the country These statelevel leagues are key to the longterm vision of the Shooting League of India aiming to enhance the sportâs visibility and attract a larger fan base By making shooting more accessible engaging and relatable they seek to promote the sport to a wider audienceThe league united emerging and established shooters from across Maharashtra with particular emphasis on participants from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities It also showcased how a teambased league format can connect grassroots involvement with elite performanceBy combining competition and entertainment the SLM created a platform that highlights talent and inspires aspiration This is essential as Indian shooting advances toward a franchisedriven ecosystem with SLIAnjali Bhagwat former World No 1 Olympian and one of Indiaâs most decorated rifle shooters said This format and experience will definitely help in shaping the Shooting League of India It is the best way to nurture talent and prepare shooters for the demands of the sport especially by exposing them to match pressure in front of a live audienceDeepali Deshpande former Olympian in the air rifle category as well as Arjuna Awardee and Dronacharya Awardee said This was a collective effort by the entire Maharashtra Rifle Association ecosystem â players coaches officials and organisers To see it come together so successfully in its first year is extremely satisfying and it gives us confidence to come back even stronger next yearRonak Pandit another prominent Indian shooter who also serves as an Indian National Shooting Team Coach High Performance Manager and coowner of Mumbai X Caliber stated Leagues like this are important to make shooting more engaging and accessible The idea is to move beyond the perception of the sport being purely technical and bring it closer to people Maharashtra already has tremendous depth of talent and initiatives like this will only strengthen that ecosystem furtherPanditâs SLI team Mumbai X Caliber has a notable presence within the SLM ecosystem with coowner Zahir Hawa acting as the Air Pistol Coach for the Sobo Giants winners of the title This highlights the increasing links between statelevel leagues and the emerging national franchise system in the SLIBeyond team success the league also celebrated individual and squad excellenceBest Rifle Shooter Gojiri Amravati Dhurandhar â 55 hitsBest Pistol Shooter Jaj Sobo Giants â 42 hitsBest Rifle Team Amravati Dhurandhar â 89 total rifle hitsBest Pistol Team Sobo Giants â 72 total pistol hits IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sobo-giants-claim-top-honours-as-shooting-league-of-maharashtra-concludes-thrilling-debut-670646.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/world-snooker-cships-trump-pulls-away-to-down-wilson-osullivan-starts-well-670664.html Sheffield April 22 World number one Judd Trump won five of the last six frames to surge to a comfortable 105 win over Gary Wilson at the World Snooker Championship The 31time ranking event winner is aiming to capture snookers biggest prize for just the second time in his career having beaten John Higgins in the 2019 title match Trump held a 54 advantage coming into this evenings session having rallied from 41 down this morning Wilson crafted contributions of 58 and 33 in the opener to regain parity but Trump responded by taking two on the bounce to open up a 75 cushion He continued his momentum in the next making 71 to lead 85 at the midsession When play resumed Trump extended his advantage further and then made a 69 break in the 15th to get over the line and secure victory The Ace in the Pack progresses to the second round for the 14th time in his career A meeting with either Hossein Vafaei or Si Jiahui awaits him World Snooker Tour reportsGary is a great player hes won three ranking events and was always going to be tricky I just tried to keep my composure I knew if I played my best Id have a great chance of winning He started off well and all the long pots were going in there I just had to try and stick in there in the first session said Trump Elsewhere Shaun Murphy escaped a huge Crucible shock as he made a marvellous clearance in the deciding frame to beat Fan Zhengyi 109 in the first roundTrailing by 36 points at 99 with four reds left and two of them close to the top cushion Murphy was in danger of becoming the first seeded player to exit this years tournament at the hands of world number 63 Fan But he fashioned a tremendous break of 50 then celebrated with multiple fist pumps as an enthralled crowd applauded at the end of the most dramatic contest of the Championship so farWorld number eight Murphy is into the last 16 for the 16th time and will meet Xiao Guodong on Thursday and Friday With Judd Trump also into the second round all 11 completed matches so far have gone in favour of the seeded player Champion in 2005 Murphy is looking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2021 when he was runnerup to Mark SelbyEarlier Ronnie OSullivan built a commanding 72 advantage over He Guoqiang after the first session of their opening round tie The Rocket is embarking on his 34th Crucible campaign and is gunning for history OSullivan knows that an eighth World Championship victory this year would move him clear of Stephen Hendrys seven Crucible crowns Breaks of 72 97 and 113 helped OSullivan to a flying start and the first five frames this afternoon He dug deep and clawed back the next two frames including a break of 77 to trail 52 OSullivan responded by taking the last two of the sessions with contributions of 52 and 86 to end 72 ahead The Englishman will require three more frames for victory when the game resumes on Wednesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/world-snooker-cships-trump-pulls-away-to-down-wilson-osullivan-starts-well-670664.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/binu-rockets-to-top-with-four-challengers-in-hot-chase-at-igpl-congo-670680.html Lubumbashi April 22 Shaurya Binu a rare player who has combined his academics with golf very well has been having fine stretch on the African Swing with Top10 finishes over the last two weeks He continued that run with a stunning 9under64 that carried him right tothe top after two rounds in the IGPL Invitational Congo Binu who turns 22 only in June and is pursuing a BBADegree in Kalinga University carded 1under 72 in the first round at the Par73 Golf Club Lubumbashi He exploded in the second round with a 9under card and is now 10under for 36 holes He holds a twoshot lead over four playersThe fourplayerpack behind him includes firstround coleaders Mannat Brar 6771 and Tushar Pannu 6771 last weekâs winner Udayan Mane 7068 and Aryan Roopa Anand 7167 who are all 8under after two days Binuâs first name âShauryaâ means âBraveâ and it was chosen as his father is a decorated Army officer He has displayed an aggressive brand of golf and shown great progress since turning pro in 2023 He has already tasted success as a pro win on the Indian Tour This year Binu has been trending well with a seventhplace finish in Mauritius and T4 in Joburg and was confident that he was in with a great chance to pull off his first IGPL win Last season his best was T3 in ChandigarhTeeing off from the first tee Binu took time to get his first birdie on the Par4 fourth but flowed smoothly from the sixth for three successive birdies and capped that run with an eagle on the ninth He was 6under at the turn Finding majority of the fairways and most of the greens he followed a series of five pars on the back nine with birdies on three of the last four holesIt has been a stretch that has been generous to the golfers this week and Binu did not miss that opportunityWhile Binu who moved 15 places up from the first round is in great form and has a twoshot advantage the four players chasing him could making things tough They all have a point to proveMane who carried himself into the winnerâs circle for the first time in four years moved up four places with a 5under card The bighitting and goodhumoured Mane closed the day with three birdies in last four holes after having three birdies and one bogey in the first nineThe 21yearold Pannu whose best finish in the past three starts has been T19 added 2under 71 despite an eagle on Par5 sixth He had three other birdies but also gave away three bogeys and must have been disappointed with his finish On Day 1 he was fourunder for the stretch between the 15th to the 18th but in the second round he was 1over for the same four holesTwotime former All India Amateur champion Aryan Roopa Anand who showed signs of hitting good form with a T8 in Mauritius had a modest finish of T38 in Joburg but his 6under 67 on the second day with five birdies and an eagle against one bogey indicated he is ready to strike againAs for Mannat who turned pro after a stellar amateur career the goal is to try and become only the second Indian woman to win a mixed gender pro event after Pranaviâs success last season After a fine 67 she had a sedate 2under 71 with three birdies and one bogey but is very much in contentionAman Raj who is yet to get into the winning mode this season carded 4under 69 to get to sole sixth while IndianAmerican Varun Chopra made up for his modest par first round with a 5under 68 to be Tiedseventh alongside Harendra Gupta 6972 and veteran Ranjit Singh 7368 at 5under totalCompleting the Top10 were four players rookies Danish Verma 7171 and Sukhman Singh 6874 Ridhima Dilawari 7270 and Manav Shah 7072 at 4under totalWith Binu being hunted by four motivated stars chasing their maiden IGPL win the final round at Lubumbashi is going to be an intense affairAtri Mumbai were on the top after two rounds in the team competition With Pannuâs round being one of the two counting cards Mane added more power with his 5under effort and the team was 17under and six shots ahead of Honer GurugramFor Honer Binu has been the star with his efforts being counted on both day and in the second round Digraj Singh Gillâs 74 was the next best and at 11under they were secondAuro Realty Goa powered by Varun Chopraâs 68 moved to third and the second counting card in Round 2 came from young Kanav Chauhan for the second day running At 8under they were thirdThere are 10 teams with four players each at every event and the competition runs alongside the individual Rs 15 crore stroke play competition The team winners will be decided at the end of the season IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/binu-rockets-to-top-with-four-challengers-in-hot-chase-at-igpl-congo-670680.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-i-waited-for-the-right-matchups-says-abhishek-after-blistering-135-vs-dc-670687.html Hyderabad April 22 No1 T20I batter and Sunrisers Hyderabads SRH promising opener Abhishek Sharma revealed his plan after playing a blistering knock of 135 runs against Delhi Capitals saying that his approach was largely driven by matchups and built around patience and game awareness SRH rode on a sensational unbeaten 135 from Abhishek Sharma to post a daunting 2422 before producing a disciplined effort with the ball to seal their third consecutive win and climb to third on the points tableâWeâve been preparing for this for a long time So obviously there was a little wicket today I had to go to the last in one of the top three So that was the plan And I think it was good The total was good I was talking to our batting coach Frankie for a long time I talked to him And I told him Frankie itâs been a while that I havenât reached the second strategic timeout So I want to try that somedayâ Abhishek said in a video released by the Indian Premier League IPL on XâWe were talking about it in practice yesterday So then we had a plan that weâll talk about the situation in the first strategic timeout And when he came in the plan was to keep playing as it was And I personally felt that it was difficult to hit every ball here So you have to be waiting for your matchups Thatâs what I was doing And thatâs what I was waiting for And it actually went well So that was the planâ he addedAbhishek further elaborated on his approach of hitting spinners especially in the power play âIf the spinners come obviously weâve been practicing for so long Even if the ball is stopping or moving itâs a very obvious plan for me that I have to plan and play according to the feel So for spinners and powerplay the way they are on the field and I can dominate them just to make them in some pressure Thatâs the planâSpeaking about partnerships Abhishek highlighted the importance of maintaining momentum with fellow batters âAnd whoever is batting with me especially Hadi or Ishaan I know how they hit So itâs just a simple plan Whoever is on strike if thereâs a boundary on the first two or three balls then we try to make it a boundary If itâs a long over in power play then obviously the ball comes under pressureâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-i-waited-for-the-right-matchups-says-abhishek-after-blistering-135-vs-dc-670687.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bangladesh-fined-for-slow-over-rate-in-2nd-odi-against-new-zealand-670707.html Dhaka April 22 Bangladesh cricket team have been fined 10 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow overrate during the second menâs ODI against New Zealand at Shere Bangla National Stadium According to the ICC press release as quoted by the Daily Star match referee Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel imposed the sanction after determining that Mehidy Hasan Mirazâs side fell two overs short of the required rate once time allowances were taken into considerationAs per Article 222 of the ICC Code of Conduct which governs minimum overrate offences players are fined five per cent of their match fee for each over not completed within the stipulated time The twoover shortfall resulted in the 10 per cent penaltyMehidy admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction meaning no formal hearing was necessary The charge was brought forward by onfield umpires Richard Illingworth and Gazi Sohel along with third umpire Nitin Menon and fourth umpire Masudur Rahman MukulDespite the penalty Bangladesh delivered a strong onfield performance to secure a sixwicket victory at the ShereBangla National Cricket StadiumOpting to bat first New Zealand struggled to build momentum and were bowled out for 198 in 484 overs Opener Nick Kelly stood out with a determined 83 off 102 balls while Muhammad Abbas added 19Bangladeshâs bowling effort was spearheaded by Nahid Rana who claimed an impressive 532 in his 10 overs to earn Player of the Match honours Support came from Shoriful Islam with two wickets while Taskin Ahmed Soumya Sarkar and Rishad Hossain chipped in with one eachIn reply Bangladesh comfortably chased down the 199run target finishing with six wickets in hand and 87 balls remaining Early setbacks saw Saif Hassan and Sarkar dismissed cheaply but a crucial 120run stand between Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto steadied the inningsTanzid led the scoring with a brisk 76 off 58 deliveries while Shanto contributed a composed 50 before retiring hurt Towhid Hridoy then guided the team home with an unbeaten 30For New Zealand Jayden Lennox picked up two wickets while Will ORourke and Nathan Smith claimed one eachThe win helped Bangladesh level the threematch series 11 with the deciding game set to take place in Chattogram on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bangladesh-fined-for-slow-over-rate-in-2nd-odi-against-new-zealand-670707.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/saff-womens-cship-hosts-india-grouped-with-bangladesh-and-maldives--670714.html New Delhi April 22 Hosts India have been clubbed with Bangladesh and Maldives in Group B of the SAFF Womens Championship 2026 following the official draw conducted at the SAFF Secretariat in Dhaka The regional showpiece is scheduled to be held from May 25 to June 6 in Margao with all matches to be played at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru StadiumGroup A features Nepal Sri Lanka and Bhutan with the top two sides from each group progressing to the semifinalsThis edition marks only the second time that India will host the SAFF Womenâs Championship having previously staged it in 2016 in Siliguri where the hosts lifted the trophy It will also be a return of SAFF action to Goa which earlier hosted the menâs championship in 1999 at the same venueThe draw was conducted based on the latest FIFA Womenâs World Rankings released on April 21 with India 69th and Nepal 87th placed in Pot 1 Bangladesh 112th and Sri Lanka 162nd were in Pot 2 while Bhutan 164th and the Maldives 167th completed Pot 3India enter the tournament as the most successful side in its history having clinched five titles â in 2010 2012 2014 2016 and 2019 However Bangladesh will arrive as the defending champions having secured backtoback titles in 2022 and 2024The Blue Tigresses will also take confidence from recent success at the youth level Earlier this year Indiaâs U17 side competing in the U19 category defeated Bangladesh 40 in the final of the SAFF U19 Womenâs Championship in Pokhara underlining the growing depth in the countryâs womenâs football pipelineLast week the Indian womenâs national team secured a thrilling 32 victory over Malawi in the thirdplace playoff of the FIFA Series 2026 at the Nyayo National Stadium in NairobiWith a competitive field and home advantage India will look to reclaim the continental crown when the tournament kicks off in Goa later next month IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/saff-womens-cship-hosts-india-grouped-with-bangladesh-and-maldives--670714.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/west-ham-go-two-points-clear-of-bottom-three-after-goalless-draw-at-palace-670520.html London April 21 West Ham United inched two points clear of the Premier Leagues bottom three after a goalless draw at Crystal Palace as Wolverhampton Wanderers relegation was confirmed West Ham sit 17th on 33 points and bottom club Wolves are now mathematically certain to drop to the Championship while Palace are 13th on 43 pointsNuno Espirito Santos side knew a victory would open up a fourpoint buffer to rivals Tottenham Hotspur but they had to settle for a draw after a tight contest at Selhurst ParkBoth sides passed up decent chances in the first half with Brennan Johnson wayward on two occasions for Palace and Dean Henderson making one excellent save to deny Konstantinos Mavropanos at the other end Premier League reportsPalace thought they had opened the scoring when Ismaila Sarr finished on the swivel in the 82nd minute but that goal was disallowed due to a handball by fellow substitute JeanPhilippe Mateta in the buildupJohnson should have done better when he planted a header wide from Jefferson Lermas cross and the former Spurs man curled wide from distance soon afterwardsAxel Disasis blushes were spared by the offside flag when he skewed over then West Ham squandered two big chances to take a lead into halftimeMaxence Lacroix made a vital block in front of his own line after Hendersons mistimed punch set up Valentin Castellanos for an overhead kick before the Palace goalkeeper repelled a thumping header from MavropanosWest Ham continued to do most of the attacking after the interval but they saw muted claims for a penalty waved away when Castellanos bustled his way past Jaydee Canvot and went down easilyMateta and Sarr were introduced from the bench as Oliver Glasner shuffled his pack and it looked as though they had combined for a late winnerHowever referee Darren England ruled Mateta had diverted the ball towards his teammate using his arm and the decision to disallow the goal stood after a VAR review IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/west-ham-go-two-points-clear-of-bottom-three-after-goalless-draw-at-palace-670520.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/focus-is-now-on-strengthening-the-club-wolves-ceo-nathan-shi-after-premier-league-relegation-670528.html Wolverhampton April 21 Wolverhampton Wanderers have been relegated to the Championship after an eightyear spell in the Premier League following West Ham Uniteds goalless draw at Crystal Palace Rob Edwards side slipped to a 30 defeat at Leeds United on Saturday and that result coupled with 17thplaced West Hams draw at Selhurst Park means they can no longer move out of the bottom threeWolves can only claim a maximum of 15 points from their remaining five fixtures which would leave them with a total of 32 pointsWest Hams result on Monday night has moved them up to 33 points so Wolves can no longer catch themAfter the clubâs relegation from the Premier League was confirmed Wolves CEO Nathan Shi shared a message to supportersConfirmation of our relegation is a difficult moment for everyone connected to Wolves While this is a deeply disappointing outcome work has been underway since my arrival in December to ensure we are ready to respond with clarity and conviction Shi said in a statementWolves were promoted as Championship winners under current West Ham head coach Nuno Espirito Santo in 201718Under Nuno Wolves achieved backtoback seventhplaced finishes in the Premier League and also played in Europe in the 201920 campaign reaching the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals The club secured a third tophalf finish in 202122 finishing 10th under Bruno LageWe are clear on what needs to improve and ourfocus is now on strengthening the club building momentum and creating a team our supporters can believe in We know what is required and will approach the months ahead with purposeWe know this season has tested your loyalty and patience Your backing home and away has not been taken for granted You deserve better and giving you a club you can genuinely be proud of is what drives everything we do from this point forward he addedTaking their place in the Premier League will be Coventry City who secured their return to the top flight last Friday after a 25year absence with a 11 draw at Blackburn Rovers IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/focus-is-now-on-strengthening-the-club-wolves-ceo-nathan-shi-after-premier-league-relegation-670528.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/wilsons-comeback-ends-teenager-stan-moody-crucible-debut-in-first-round-670531.html Sheffield April 21 Stan Moodys Crucible debut ended in defeat as the teenager made critical errors in the closing stages of a 107 defeat against Kyren Wilson in the first round of the World Snooker Championship The 19yearold British teen was on course to become the youngest player to win a match at the Crucible since Ronnie OSullivan in 1995 when he led 73 but crucially he passed up a chance to go 83 ahead and later another to make it 86 Wilson showed the resolve which won him the title in 2024 as he stormed back to take the last seven frames and punched the air in relief as he celebrated victory Having avoided a seismic Sheffield shock the world number two is into the last 16 and will face Mark Allen on Thursday Friday and Saturday World Snooker reportsThe first British teenager to make a Crucible debut since Judd Trump in 2007 Moody looked in his element for much of the day exuding confidence as he showed the full range of his potting and breakbuilding skills He was dominating the tie at 73 but perhaps tightened up as the winning line drew close and the lost momentumIm gutted I lost too many bad frames I had the match won at 73 then it turned around I felt comfortable out there it was still a great experience and I have to learn from it Moody saidTrailing 63 after the first session Wilson had chances in the opening frame but missed the green to a baulk corner when he led 4428 and Moody converted a doubled red to a centre pocket to set up a 48 clearance Moody might have gone 83 up but missed the last red along the top cushion when he led by 35 points in frame 11 Wilson cleared the table to force a respotted black then potted it from distance to spark his fight backA break of 63 from Wilson helped make it 75 and in frame 13 Moody missed a risky yellow to a centre pocket when he trailed 5215 and soon the gap was just one Moody looked sure to go 86 ahead until he broke down on 68 in the 14th with four reds left and Wilson replied with 24 before gaining the three snookers he needed on the last red and cleared to level the tieEarly in the next frame Moody missed an awkward black to a top corner on 7 and Wilsons run of 46 gave him the lead for the first time then he dominated the 16th with 35 and 34 for 97 Moody might have kept the match alive if he had cleared the colours in frame 17 but he missed a tough final black which was close to the top cushion and Wilson slotted it home IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/wilsons-comeback-ends-teenager-stan-moody-crucible-debut-in-first-round-670531.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/indias-anudeep-reddy-eyes-la28-olympic-dream-as-lacrosse-team-prepares-for-2026-asiad-670567.html New Delhi April 21 Indiaâs Anudeep Reddy is not only pursuing an Olympic dream but also actively contributing to the development of lacrosse in the country As the national team prepares for the 2026 Asian Games he mentioned that he is working to establish a system that will elevate India into a lacrosse powerhouse within a few years India delivered a commanding performance at the Asian Lacrosse Games in Riyadh Saudi Arabia this February winning gold medals in both the menâs and womenâs Sixes events Indiaâs upcoming key events include the 3rd Asian Lacrosse Games in Chengdu China in April and the AsiaPacific Sixes Lacrosse Championships in Australia this October These tournaments will also act as qualification events for LA 2028A law student and former hockey player Reddy stumbled upon lacrosse while exploring lesserknown disciplines associated with global multisport events such as the Olympic Games and the Commonwealth GamesâI was bored one day and began searching for new sports that are part of multisporting events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games Thatâs when I came across lacrosse The Olympics are the biggest stage for any athlete That was one of the main motivations for me to take up the sportâ Reddy told OlympicscomWith his hockey background aiding a smooth transition Reddy quickly rose through the ranks and earned a spot in the national setup within months Just three years later he led India to a historic triumph at the Asian Lacrosse Games marking a major milestone for a sport still in its infancy in the countryLooking beyond personal milestones Reddy sees lacrosse as a platform to create longterm impactâSo if you get into an emerging sport like lacrosse you can actually build the system from the ground up and bring players in from the grassroots level You can make a much larger impact compared to trying to get into an already established system Were trying to build a system wherein India actually becomes a powerhouse in a couple of yearsâ he saidIntroduced in India in 2008 and gaining momentum only in recent years the sport continues to face structural challenges With limited infrastructure and awareness players often take on multiple responsibilities to grow the gameâBecause itâs all new the players have to wear multiple hats We spend on average five to seven days every month trying to promote the sportâ Reddy saidDespite logistical hurdles including players being spread across different states the team has built strong unity through shared purpose and regular communicationOn the field Indiaâs rapid rise has already turned heads After a learning experience in early international outings the team clinched gold at the Asian Lacrosse Games a moment Reddy described as unforgettableâHearing the national anthem play after we won waving the national flag â those moments I donât think any player whether a captain or not can fully describe it Itâs something you have to experienceâ he statedWith the 2026 Asian Games approaching Reddy expects a tougher challenge but remains optimisticIn the Asian scene some of the stronger teams include China Hong Kong and the Philippinesâ Australia is very strong and New Zealand is an emerging nation in lacrosseâ he expressedBeyond continental ambitions the longterm focus remains on Olympic qualification particularly with lacrosse set to feature at the Los Angeles 2028 OlympicsWe definitely have belief The time is short but whatever is in our control weâre trying to improve and work on it Thatâs the shortterm goal If not LA28 then Brisbane 2032 or even 2036 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/indias-anudeep-reddy-eyes-la28-olympic-dream-as-lacrosse-team-prepares-for-2026-asiad-670567.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/winning-3-golds-at-us-open-would-not-be-possible-without-maharashtra-pickleball-assoc-support-say-arjun-and-aditya-singh-670580.html Mumbai April 21 Arjun amp Aditya Singh won 3 gold medals at the recently concluded US Open Pickleball Championship held at Naples Florida Backed by the Maharashtra Pickleball Association and Indian Pickleball Association the brothers have announced their place on the global pickleball stage and are one of the foremost talents from India The newly crowned US Open champions will next compete at the Maharashtra Open 2026 held under the aegis of the Maharashtra Pickleball Association and the IPAâArjun and I have been training extremely hard and the results have been very satisfying The belief that Rahool Kanal Sir and the Maharashtra Pickleball Association have shown in us cannot be mentioned enough and this would not have been possible without their backing We are looking forward to continuing the work and to get the results for Indiaâ Aditya Winner US Open Pickleball Championship 2026Aditya and Arjun Singh won 2 golds in the Menâs Doubles 50 category and the U18 Boys Doubles respectively toppling top seeds and favourites in both the events Arjun Singh added the 3rd gold medal to the Indian tally after winning the Menâs Singles 50 event at the US OpenâWinning 3 gold medals for India at the US Open Pickleball Championship would not be possible without the support of the Maharashtra Pickleball Association and the Indian Pickleball Association A special mention to Rahool Kanal Sir who did not hesitate to make sure we had everything an athlete needs to succeed at the highest level We are hoping to continue this momentum all the way to the Maharashtra Open as wellâIndiaâs final tally at the US Open Pickleball Championship came up to a final of 8 medals with 4 golds 2 silvers and 2 bronze medals across multiple categories IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/winning-3-golds-at-us-open-would-not-be-possible-without-maharashtra-pickleball-assoc-support-say-arjun-and-aditya-singh-670580.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/tushar-mannat-share-lead-in-igpl-congo-670581.html Lubumbashi April 21 Tushar Pannu who has less than a yearâs experience as a professional showed that he is a fast learner and registered a round of 6under 67 at the Par73 Golf Club Lubumbashi as AM Green IGPL made its debut in Congo Pannu 21 who turned pro last year and came through the Qualifying School had five birdies an eagle and one bogey in his superb roundHe was sharing the lead with Mannat Brar 19 the newly minted Womenâs Golf Association pro who also carded 6under 67 but was bogeyfree for the dayThe IGPL Invitational Congo is the fourth leg of the IGPL Tour 2026 and this week is the third event in African Swing After the opening leg in Chandigarh the IGPL travelled to Mauritius and Joburg South Africa The event this week is being played at the Par73 Golf Club de Lubumbashi a wellknown ecofriendly golf facility in CongoAs Pannu and Mannat shared the top spot rookie pro Sukhman Singh also gave an indication of the upcoming talent on the AM Green IGPL Tour The tall strapping Sukhman son of former top amateur Simarjeet Singh shot 5under 68 was sole thirdThe pedigreed Aman Raj a multiple AM Green IGPL winner in 2025 shared the fourth place with Harendra Gupta as they all shot 4under 69 Hot on their heels was last weekâs winner Udayan Mane the inform IndoAmerican Manav Shah and Syed Saqib Ahmed all of who shot 3under 70 and were tiedsixthA big bunch of seven players including Saarthak Chhibber Sunhit Bishnoi rookie pros Danish Verma and Kanav Chauhan Digraj Singh Gill IL Aalaap and Aryan Roopa Anand were all tied for the ninth place with scores of 2under 71 eachHaryana golfer Pannu a long hitting youngster seemed to have taken the cue from Atri Mumbai teammate Udayan Mane this week He started from the tenth but had an early bogey on the 11th his second hole He recovered and never looked back as he parred the next three holes before going on a birdie spree from the 15th to the 18th A string of pars followed on the front nine and then he added another birdie and ended the day with a stunning eagle for a 67Mannat Brar who created history by becoming the first Indian to reach the semifinals of British Girls Amateur Championship in England in Oct 2024 turned pro earlier this year Mannat who has played a lot of international golf for the National team has played three pro events on the Hero Womenâs Pro Golf Tour and finished in Top10 twice After modest performances Mauritius and Joburg Mannat was in full flow in Congo She started from the first and birdied second fourth sixth and the seventh and turned in 4under Two more birdies followed on the 15th and the 17th and then came a closing par for a dayâs work of 6under 67 and a share of the top spotMannat is attempting to become only the second Indian woman golfer to win a mixed gender pro event Last year Pranavi Urs became the first one to do so at AM Green IGPL MumbaiSukhman Singh too impressed with two eagles in a span of four holes as he picked two shots each on Par5 sixth and the Par5 ninth Overall he had two eagles three birdies against two bogeys for a solid start as he trailed the leaders by just oneHarendra Gupta who had a Top10 in the seasonopener in Chandigarh eagled the 18th besides which he had four birdies and two bogeys in a round of 69 Aman Raj a Top5 finisher in Chandigarh and Mauritius had a dip in Joburg but showed he is back as he dropped an early bogey on the third but made up with five birdies three between the sixth and the ninth and two more on the back nineIn the team competition Atri Mumbai who did well last week were once again in great form as Pannu 67 and Aman Raj 69 carried them to the first dayâs lead at 10under and two ahead of Leander Paesâ team Flying Man Kolkata for whom the stars were Sukhman Singh 68 and Syed Saqib Ahmed 70Green Fuels Vizag powered by Manav Shah 70 who was third last week and young Danish Verma 71 were third at 5under IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/tushar-mannat-share-lead-in-igpl-congo-670581.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/tennis-sabalenka-stays-clear-at-no-1-rybakina-kostyuk-make-moves-in-wta-rankings-670469.html New Delhi April 20 Belarusian star Aryna Sabalenka continues to dominate the WTA Rankings extending her stay at World No 1 despite skipping the Stuttgart Open while Elena Rybakina strengthened her position in second with another titlewinning run Sabalenka began her 79th consecutive week at the top and 90th overall maintaining a commanding 2395point lead over Rybakina even after opting not to defend her points from last yearâs runnerup finish in Stuttgart However the gap narrowed slightly after Rybakina lifted the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title defeating Karolina Muchova in the final to secure her second title of the season and 13th of her careerThe Kazakhâs Stuttgart triumph was particularly notable as she saved match points en route including two against Leylah Fernandez and claimed her fifth career clay title She will have another opportunity to close the gap at the upcoming Madrid Open where Sabalenka has significant points to defendBehind the top two both Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek missed chances to gain ground after exiting in the Stuttgart quarterfinals Swiatek in particular was unable to overtake Gauff after falling to teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva who advanced to the semifinals and moved up to World No 8Muchovaâs run to the final lifted her to No 11 putting her on the brink of a Top 10 return after registering key wins over Gauff and Elina Svitolina during the tournamentIn Rouen Ukraineâs Marta Kostyuk claimed her second career title by defeating compatriot Veronika Podrez in the first allUkrainian WTA final Kostyuk returning strongly after an injury layoff earlier this season climbed five places to No 23Podrez competing in her first WTA main draw emerged as one of the biggest stories of the week The 19yearold ranked No 209 entering the tournament defeated Sloane Stephens and recorded her first Top 100 wins before reaching the final She surged 62 places to a careerhigh No 147 becoming one of the youngest rising prospects on tourAmong other notable movers Germanyâs Tatjana Maria climbed to No 54 after a semifinal run in Rouen while Turkeyâs Zeynep Sonmez reached a careerhigh No 67 following a landmark Top 10 win over Jasmine Paolini in Stuttgart American Alycia Parks also advanced to No 84Further down the rankings Austriaâs Sinja Kraus edged closer to the Top 100 while Polandâs Maja Chwalinska climbed to a careerhigh No 118 after a dominant WTA 125 title run Italyâs Tyra Caterina Grant and American Robin Montgomery also made significant gains following strong returns from the ITF and WTA circuitsSpainâs Sara Sorribes Tormo continued her comeback with a titlewinning run while Czech teenager Alena Kovackova achieved a new career high after reaching an ITF finalMeanwhile Latviaâs Jelena Ostapenko endured a sharp drop falling to No 40 after an early exit in Stuttgart ended her title defenceAs the clay season intensifies ahead of Roland Garros the rankings reflect both Sabalenkaâs continued supremacy and the growing challenge from a resurgent and ambitious chasing pack IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/tennis-sabalenka-stays-clear-at-no-1-rybakina-kostyuk-make-moves-in-wta-rankings-670469.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/football-man-city-beats-arsenal-in-title-showdown-liverpool-edges-merseyside-derby-670327.html London April 20 Manchester City moved to within three points of the top of the Premier League on Sunday with a 21 win at home to topof the table Arsenal after a tense encounter in the Etihad Stadium Goals from Rayan Cherki after 16 minutes and Erling Haaland after 65 minutes leave Pep Guardiolas side three points behind Arsenal but with an extra game to play and City will go top with a win away to secondfrombottom Burnley on Wednesday reports XinhuaCherki scored a wonderful individual goal to open the scoring beating two defenders and slotting a rightfoot shot past David Raya However barely a minute later a dreadful mistake from Gianluigi Donnarumma gifted Kai Havertz an equalizer as the City goalkeeper dwelt on the ball and allow Havertz to block his clearance into the goalThe first half was an even affair but City controlled things better after the break with Haaland scoring the winner after a swift break and holding off a strong challenge from Gabriel who later saw a header deflected on the postVirgil van Dijks late header gave Liverpool a dramatic 21 win away to Everton in the first derby to be played in Evertons new Hill Dickinson StadiumPlaying in his last Merseyside derby Mohamed Salah scored his ninth goal against Everton after 29 minutes to put Liverpool ahead and equal Steve Gerrards record of goals against EvertonBeto pulled Everton back into the game in the 54th minute but Liverpool was the better team in the closing stages although it wasnt until the 10th minute of injury time that Van Dijk scored a goal that could help give his side a place in next seasons Champions LeagueAston Villa remains strong in fourth after a late flurry of goals in a 43 win at home to Sunderland with Ollie Watkins scoring twice and Morgan Rogers also on target before Tammy Abraham netted a 93rd minute winnerSunderland had trailed 31 but strikes from Trai Hume and Wilson Isidor after 85 and 86 minutes looked as if they had rescued a late point before Abrahams winnerMorgan GibbsWhite scored a hattrick as Nottingham Forest won 41 at home to hapless Burnley with Igor Jesus scoring Forests fourthThe win moves Forest five points clear of Tottenham in the relegation battle and four clear of West Ham which plays Crystal Palace on MondayOn Saturday Matheus Cunhas 43rdminute effort from Bruno Fernandes 18th assist of the season gave Manchester United a 10 win away to Chelsea to consolidate its third place in the league while inflicting a fourth consecutive defeat on a rival that hit the bar twice through Liam Delap and Wesley FofanaTottenham remains in the bottom three after Georgino Rutters injurytime equalizer earned Brighton a 22 draw when it looked as if Xavi Simons had earned a vital win with his 77th minute goalSpurs draw allowed Leeds United to climb eight points clear of the bottom three with goals from James Justin Noah Okafor and Dominic CalvertLewins late penalty in a 30 win at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers who would have been relegated if Tottenham had wonBrentford and Fulham drew 00 with Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno making some excellent saves while Bournemouth showed no illeffects from coach Andoni Iraolas announcement that he would leave the club at the end of the season with a 21 win away to Newcastle leaving the Cherries level on 48 points with Chelsea and Brentford in the battle to qualify for Europe IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/football-man-city-beats-arsenal-in-title-showdown-liverpool-edges-merseyside-derby-670327.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/the-premier-league-starts-again-almost-says-arteta-after-defeat-vs-manchester-city-670335.html London April 20 Arsenal FC manager Mikel Arteta stayed strong after the 12 loss to title rivals Manchester City FC He insisted that the Premier League title race is far from over especially with five games still ahead A win would have given Arsenal a ninepoint lead and put them in control of the title race However a secondhalf goal from Erling Haaland changed the outcome Now City has the chance to surpass Arsenal for the first time since October if they win their game in hand against Burnley FCDespite the setback Arteta chose not to focus on the disappointment and framed the match as a new starting point for the season âThe Premier League starts again almost They have a game in hand we are three points ahead five games to play so game onâ he said after the matchArteta recognized the disappointment among the players but emphasized the need to move forward quickly âObviously the players were very disappointed not to get a result from the game in the way it happened Thatâs the feeling They said âokay we lost an opportunity today but we have the biggest one now in the next five games so letâs do itââEven with Cityâs strong performance Arsenalâs upcoming matches look relatively favorable They have home games against Newcastle United FC Fulham FC and Burnley along with away matches against West Ham United FC and Crystal Palace FC On the other hand City has a tough schedule ahead with games against Everton FC AFC Bournemouth Brentford FC and Aston Villa FCArteta also noted the added challenge of an upcoming UEFA Champions League semifinal against AtlÃtico Madrid He admitted that the physical and mental pressure is starting to take a toll Arsenal who lost just three of their first 49 matches this season have now faced four defeats in their last six games with their last league win coming over a month agoStill the Arsenal manager believes the title race has more surprises in store âLetâs see what happens Itâs the Premier League First of all winning a game in this league is extremely toughâ he said âLook at the fixtures that we both have Itâs going to be tough for both of usâHe added âIf not we would already have 80 points or 85 points like in other seasons but thatâs not the case So we will prepare game by game learn from what happened today and do better Everything is still to play for Weâre not going to stop and weâre going to go again thatâs for sureâWith Arsenal still in first place with 70 points from 33 games the title race remains tight setting the stage for an exciting end to the season IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/the-premier-league-starts-again-almost-says-arteta-after-defeat-vs-manchester-city-670335.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/mohammad-rizwan-vows-comeback-amid-form-slump-eyes-return-to-t20i-setup-670346.html New Delhi April 20 Mohammad Rizwan has talked about his recent slump in form He is determined to overcome this tough period and reclaim his spot in all formats for the Pakistan national cricket team The 33yearold is an important player in Tests and ODIs but he has not been in Pakistanâs T20I team since the end of 2024 He was also left out of the ICC Mens T20 World Cup squad earlier this year His struggles have continued in the ongoing Pakistan Super League where he has only scored 107 runs in seven innings for Rawalpindi including five scores below 20In response to criticism and his poor performance Rizwan spoke honestly and with determination Players are human beings and go through tough times in their careers and it is no different for me But I still love playing cricket in all formats and I have no intentions of giving up because of criticism directed at me he saidThe wicketkeeperbatter emphasized that retirement is not on his mind I believe a player should only think about retirement when he knows he has lost the ability to compete with others and has lost interest in cricket I can still compete with othersDespite these challenges Rizwan has been selected for Pakistanâs upcoming Test series against Bangladesh as part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship where Pakistan is currently ranked fifth With more challenges ahead including a Test tour of England later this year and the ICC Mens Cricket World Cup in 2027 Rizwan is focused on regaining his best formReinforcing his love for the game he added For me cricket is a passion I play T20 Test and ODI I love cricket That is why I play it I donât know anything else in my life I donât have a business I donât play any other sport I only play cricketAcknowledging his struggles Rizwan is still determined to make a comeback Yes I am losing now My performance is not good But with Godâs will my hard work is never less I have worked hard With Godâs will I will stand in front of you again after my hard work IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/mohammad-rizwan-vows-comeback-amid-form-slump-eyes-return-to-t20i-setup-670346.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/etpl-announces-glasgow-franchise-gayle-acquires-team-ownership-670365.html Mumbai April 20 The European T20 Premier League ETPL Europeâs inaugural ICCapproved T20 franchise competition has unveiled the âGlasgow Mugafians its Glasgowbased team representing Scotland The franchise is owned by Tansha Batra with West Indies icon Chris Gayle serving as coowner and Global Brand Ambassador The first edition of the ETPL is scheduled from August 26 to September 20 2026 It will feature six franchises from Glasgow Amsterdam Edinburgh Dublin Belfast and Rotterdam competing in 33 matchesSpeaking about the Glasgow franchise Abhishek Bachchan Bollywood actor and coowner of ETPL said âWe are delighted to welcome the Mugafi Group and Chris Gayle to this journey Europe represents one of the most exciting frontiers for cricket a region rich in sporting culture diversity and untapped potential With the ETPL we are not just building a league but creating a platform that can unlock talent unite markets and establish Europe as a powerful new centre of the global gameâTansha Batra owner of Glasgow Mugafians said âThis is not about bringing cricket to Scotland Cricket has been here for a very long time â in the parks in the clubs in the communities What weâre building is a franchise that finally gives all of that a professional home Glasgow Mugafians is where Scotlandâs cricket story stops being a secret and starts being told to the worldâChris Gayle coowner and Global Brand Ambassador of Glasgow Mugafians said âStepping into the role of coowner of Glasgow Mugafians marks an exciting new chapter for me The ETPL is already creating waves globally and having played in franchise leagues around the world Iâm confident this will be something special Europe represents cricketâs final frontier and the ETPL has the potential to unravel promising local talent and nurture future heroes who will strengthen the sport in that region I canât wait to get started on this new journeyâThe ETPL has drawn some of the most reputable names in global cricket and sports as franchise owners The Amsterdam team is supported by Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh and hockey star Jamie Dwyer with Mitchell Marsh serving as captain Belfast is coowned by Australian allrounder Glenn Maxwell while Edinburgh is led by New Zealand internationals Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum with Mitchell Santner as captain Glasgow now joins this prestigious group with Chris Gayle and Tansha Batra of the Mugafi Group at the helmThe European T20 Premier League ETPL is being developed in partnership with Cricket Ireland Cricket Scotland and Royal Dutch Cricket Association IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/etpl-announces-glasgow-franchise-gayle-acquires-team-ownership-670365.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/arsenal-have-been-brilliant-all-season-their-fans-need-to-be-better-wayne-rooney-670398.html New Delhi April 20 Wayne Rooney former captain of England and Manchester United has urged Arsenal fans to intensify their support as the club faces a challenging period in the Premier League title race Arsenalâs effort to win their first league title in 22 years faced a setback after losing 21 to Manchester City This result has increased pressure as the defending champions are closing the gap and have a game in hand The defeat follows inconsistent performances such as a disappointing home loss to Bournemouth earlier this month which was met with jeers from part of the crowdReflecting on the situation Rooney emphasised how crucial fan support is during challenging times especially considering the teamâs solid performance throughout the seasonI think the Arsenal fans need to be better I saw them booing the team off the other day against Bournemouth Arsenal have been brilliant all season and theyve hit a little bad run of formâ Rooney said on the Wayne Rooney Show With only five matches left Arsenal still have a chance but must contend with a tough challenge to resist Cityâs late push Rooney thinks the crowds response could be crucial in boosting the playersâ confidence during the final momentsThey need to understand how much the fan support means to the players and how much it can help you The players will have put so much work in day in and day out on the training pitch to be in the position theyre in now so when you lose a game and you get booed off that can affect players I think for Arsenal to win the league the Arsenal fans need to play their partâ he saidHaving experienced similar title heartbreak in recent years including narrowly missing out after leading for much of the 202223 campaign doubts may be creeping in among the fanbase However Rooney emphasised that unwavering backing from supporters could prove vital in helping the team overcome those psychological hurdlesOf course they want to win the league and theyre desperate to win the league but I think they need to understand theyve got a role to play he addedDrawing comparisons with his former club Manchester United Rooney highlighted how consistent fan support can uplift a team even during challenging periodsIf you look at Manchester United for instance when over the last few years they have been going through a tough time with Eric ten Hag and Ruben Amorim the fans were right behind the manager and backed the manager at the stadium They were constantly singing and getting behind the team and very rarely booed the team offâ he notedRooney also questioned the reaction of Arsenal supporters in light of the clubâs achievements this season including their strong league position and progress in EuropeArsenal have been top of the league all season theyre in the Champions League semifinals and they lose against Bournemouth and they get booed off The fans need to be better for the players and back the players a little bit more because that will have hurt the Arsenal players hundred per centâ he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/arsenal-have-been-brilliant-all-season-their-fans-need-to-be-better-wayne-rooney-670398.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-my-goal-is-to-now-play-for-india-across-formats-says-rcb-pacer-rasikh-670431.html New Delhi April 20 Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB fast bowler Rasikh Salam Dar said his ultimate ambition is to represent India across formats and is open to representing the country in any form In IPL 2026 Rasikh has picked five wickets in three games including a matchwinning effort of 424 âI didnât start playing cricket thinking about the IPL or India I had no idea where this journey would take me But now my goal is to play for India across formats in any formatâ Rasikh said in a release by the franchise on MondayHis persistence was evident when he made his first appearance of the season at the Wankhede Stadium returning with figures of 123 against Mumbai Indians despite battling crampsâWhen I came on to bowl I got a cramp something I had never experienced before After almost every ball I was cramping I was falling over while delivering and I couldnât even bend properly My only thought was that I had to complete the over If I could do that the team would be in a better positionâ he saidThose efforts earned Rasikh praise from RCB assistant coach Omkar Salvi âThere is a character in him Staying in the hills of Jammu and Kashmir that hard life travelling long hours to go and play cricket you can see the way he has grown as a playerâThe first thing I saw was that he was competitive At the same time he was creative in his approach Apart from swinging the ball both ways he had a slower one and a different perspective on how to approach T20 cricketâ he saidRasikh recalled the early doubts around his career before he got encouragement from his mother âWhen I started playing professionally my family and relatives used to say that no one can take cricket as a profession because very few people were playing from our region But my mother always believed in me Since childhood she used to say that my son will become a cricketerâHis journey included long travel to attend trials guidance from Irfan Pathan and later setbacks with injuries after being picked by Kolkata Knight Riders amidst a twoyear break from the sport âWhen I first went for the Under19 trials I didnât even know the process properly I wasnât selected that year The next year when I went again Irfan Pathan was thereâAfter watching me bowl a few deliveries he stopped me and started guiding me Thatâs when I felt that maybe he saw something in me I got a back injury after playing two matches Then I got injured again during recovery At that time I realised I shouldnât rush I had to follow the process no matter how long it tookâRCB showed faith in him at the mega auction securing his services for INR 6 crore Though he didnât have many appearances in the 2025 title winning season Rasikh is relishing the time to learn from senior RCB bowlers âWorking with players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar I used to ask a lot of questions why he bowled a certain delivery at a certain time I just wanted to learnâThe effort behind the scenes was evident to Salvi âHe always kept working hard for himself He was always trying to learn from every game he watched while sitting out And then he had his own opinions which we used to discuss later after the game during practice With Rasikh he has the ability to move the ball both waysâ he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-my-goal-is-to-now-play-for-india-across-formats-says-rcb-pacer-rasikh-670431.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/madrid-open-main-draw-unveiled-as-sinner-eyes-fifth-straight-masters-1000-title-670433.html Madrid April 20 World No 1 Jannik Sinner will headline the Madrid Open as he sets his sights on a fifth consecutive ATP Masters 1000 title with the draw for the prestigious claycourt event unveiled on Monday The Italian who has been in dominant form across the Masters circuit will open his campaign against a qualifier If he progresses as expected he could run into Canadaâs Gabriel Diallo in the third round Further challenges may come from Tommy Paul in the fourth round while Alex de Minaur looms as a potential quarterfinal opponentDe Minaurâs section however features a mix of emerging and experienced players Brazilâs Joao Fonseca and Spainâs rising prospect Rafael Jodar are both placed in the same quarter Jodar just 19 arrives in Madrid on the back of strong performances including a title in Marrakech and a semifinal showing in Barcelona and could face De Minaur in the second round if he gets past Jesper de Jong Fonseca meanwhile begins against either Zizou Bergs or former US Open champion Marin CilicLooking deeper into Sinnerâs potential route the semifinal stage could pit him against a formidable trio comprising Ben Shelton Lorenzo Musetti or Arthur Fils Shelton and Fils both arrive in redhot form after titlewinning runs in Munich and Barcelona respectively and are projected to meet as early as the fourth round Musetti last yearâs semifinalist in Madrid opens against either Hubert Hurkacz or a qualifier with possible later clashes against Jiri Lehecka or Jack DraperSinnerâs recent dominance has been remarkable having lifted Masters titles in Paris Indian Wells Miami and MonteCarlo Across those four tournaments he has dropped just a single set underlining his consistency and control on tour Notably the Italian has yet to advance beyond the quarterfinal stage in Madrid a record he will be eager to improveIn the bottom half of the draw second seed Alexander Zverev is on course for a potential quarterfinal showdown with Daniil Medvedev who holds a 148 advantage in their headtohead record Zverev a twotime champion in Madrid begins against either Nuno Borges or Mariano Navone and could later face Ugo Humbert and Jakub Mensik in the early rounds Medvedev meanwhile is projected to meet either Flavio Cobolli or Learner Tien in the last 16Elsewhere third seed Felix AugerAliassime will begin against Sebastian Baez or a qualifier while eighth seed Alexander Bublik could be set for a clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas Defending champion Casper Ruud is also in this section and opens his campaign against either Jaume Munar or Alexander ShevchenkoThe tournament however will be without two of its biggest draws Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic both of whom have withdrawn due to fitness concernsThere are some news that are incredibly hard to share Madrid is home one of the most special places on my calendar and thats why it hurts so much not to be able to play here for the second year in a row It hurts especially not to be in front of my people in a tournament that means so much Thank you for the unwavering affection and I hope we see each other soonâ Alcaraz had written on social mediaMeanwhile Djokovic who pulled out as he continues his recovery posted on X âMadrid unfortunately I wont be able to compete this year I am continuing my recovery in order to be back soon Hasta prontoâThe fourth ATP Masters 1000 event of the season gets underway on Wednesday with the final scheduled for May 3 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/madrid-open-main-draw-unveiled-as-sinner-eyes-fifth-straight-masters-1000-title-670433.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/messi-scores-brace-as-inter-miami-beat-colorado-rapids-3-2-670213.html Denver April 19 A brace by captain Lionel Messi and a goal from striker German Berterame led Inter Miami to 23 victory against the Colorado Rapids at a packed Empower Field with 75824 the second highest attendance in MLS history The win saw Miami extend its unbeaten run to seven this regular season Additionally Miami have the best record on the road so far this regular season picking up 13 points while recording three wins a draw and a lossMessi struck from the penalty spot to place Inter Miami in the lead in the 18th minute The goal raised his tally to six this regular seasonMiami doubled its advantage at the brink of halftime in the fifth minute of stoppage time with a towering header from Berterame from the center of the box finding the back of the net following a precise cross from Silvetti from the right flank to cap off a fantastic passing sequenceThe goal was the second for the Mexican international this league campaign and his second in the past two games while the assist was the third for Silvetti this regular seasonColorado equalised in the second half with Rafael Navarro and Darren Yapi scoring for Colorado in the 58th and 62nd minutes respectivelyMessi restored Inter Miamiâs lead in the 79th minute The Argentine ace received a pass from De Paul down the right before making his way into the right end box and curling the ball into the topleft corner The goal was Messiâs seventh and the assist De Paulâs third this regular seasonThe 23 scoreline held through the final whistle for Inter Miami to claim a valuable three points on the road in ColoradoNext Inter Miami will hit the road to visit the Colorado Rapids at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver Colorado next Saturday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/messi-scores-brace-as-inter-miami-beat-colorado-rapids-3-2-670213.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/real-sociedad-beat-atletico-madrid-on-penalties-to-win-copa-del-rey-title-670218.html Seville April 19 Real Sociedad defeated Atletico Madrid on penalties to seal their fourth Copa del Rey triumph Pellegrino Matarazzo becomes the firstever US born manager to win a trophy in a topfive European leagueSociedad last âwon the Cup in 2021 when the delayed 2020 final was also âplayed at the La Cartuja stadium in âSevilleThe match had the dream start Just sixteen seconds were enough for Barrene to head home from a Guedes cross The San Sebastian striker tried his luck again minutes later with a shot from the edge of the box forcing Musso into action The Atletico side levelled on the quarterhour through Lookman their most dangerous manMarrero had no chance against his precise shot into the side of the post It was time to start again Guedes and Soler with two fine efforts put the team back in the driving seatThe Portuguese forward in another swift move sent the ball over the bar with his left foot after a pass from Oyarzabal And just as halftime was approaching Musso coming to claim a cross conceded a penalty on Guedes and Mikel Oyarzabal who else stepped up to convert from the spot and put the txuri urdin back in frontThe second half began without incident which suited Real Sociedad just fine The minutes ticked by slowly and although the Madrid side pressed in search of an equaliser the realistas held firm through grit and defensive commitmentJust seven minutes remained and the dream was within reach when JuliÃn curled in a leftfooted effort from the edge of the box to make it level The blow shook Real Sociedad and Baena almost immediately fired over from close range Cardoso with another clear chance shot wide The match went to extra timeIn the first half of added time the txuri urdin had a golden opportunity a clear chance for Orri that Musso somehow managed to claw away That chance was goldThe Madrid side responded with a rightfooted strike from Julian that rattled the woodwork The match hung by a threadAs the game agonised to its conclusion everything came down to a penalty shootout And there once again Marrero was the hero saving the first two Atletico penalties in decisive fashion The winning goal was scored by Marin IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/real-sociedad-beat-atletico-madrid-on-penalties-to-win-copa-del-rey-title-670218.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/adani-international-school-emerge-overall-champion-at-isso-gujarat-region-jr-swimming-cship-670221.html Ahmedabad April 19 The International Schools Sports Organisation ISSO successfully conducted the Gujarat Region Junior Swimming Championship at the Adani International School in Ahmedabad bringing together 140 young swimmers from leading international schools across the state The event highlighted the growing momentum of swimming at the grassroots level and reinforced ISSOâs commitment to building structured sporting pathways for young athletesIn the overall championship standings Adani International School emerged as champions with 253 points while The Riverside School secured the runnersup position with 147 pointsAhmedabad International School finished third with 104 points followed by Anand Niketan International School 84 points GEMS Genesis International School 55 points Navrachana International School 35 points and Calorx Olive International School 13 pointsThe championship featured competitions across the Under9 and Under11 categories with participants displaying impressive technique enthusiasm and sportsmanship Such events continue to serve as a vital platform for early exposure talent identification and competitive development in aquatic sportsThe championship was graced by the presence of Venikha Parekh as the Guest of Honour An accomplished swimmer with notable achievements at the national level she represents a new generation of athletes emerging from Indiaâs evolving sports ecosystemHer presence had inspired the young participants as she engaged with swimmers and shared insights from her own competitive experiencesAakanksha Thapak Director ISSO India said âThe Gujarat Region Junior Swimming Championship is a reflection of the growing depth and enthusiasm for swimming at the grassroots level It is encouraging to see young athletes display such discipline skill and competitive spirit at an early ageAt ISSO our focus remains on creating structured and meaningful platforms that not only nurture talent at a young age but also instill values of sportsmanship and perseverance We are grateful to all participating schools coaches and parents for their continued support in building a strong foundation for the future of Indian sportâAmong individual group champions several young swimmers delivered standout performances by clinching three gold medals eachIn the Under9 category Kaveer Kapadia and Aaren Gandhi of The Riverside School dominated the boysâ events while Meera Patel of Anand Niketan International School and Naina Bhagchandani of Ahmedabad International School led the girlsâ categoryIn the Under11 category Agastya Kabra and Anay Patel of Adani International School along with Yohan Pandya and Aariv Shah of Anand Niketan International School excelled in the boysâ eventsIn the girlsâ category Aarushi Shah of Ahmedabad International School and Shanaya Patel of The Riverside School also secured three gold medals each marking an impressive showing across categories IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/adani-international-school-emerge-overall-champion-at-isso-gujarat-region-jr-swimming-cship-670221.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/selva-prabhu-clinches-triple-jump-title-at-oregon-team-invitational-670281.html Eugene April 19 Indiaâs Selva Prabhu continued his impressive run in the 2026 athletics season by securing the menâs triple jump title at the Oregon Team Invitational 2026 athletics meet Competing at the iconic Hayward Field the 21yearold produced a winning jump of 1661m to finish at the top of the standings He showed remarkable consistency across his attempts also registering jumps of 1657m and 1637m during the competitionApalos Edwards finished second with a best effort of 1653m while Jhavor Bennett claimed third place after recording 1611mSelva Prabhu who had earlier won a silver medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2022 has been steadily building momentum this season His personal best of 1705m achieved at the NCAA Indoor Championships 2026 in Fayetteville remains the Indian indoor national record in the eventAt the national level the overall record in menâs triple jump is held by Praveen Chithravel who has cleared 1737m on two occasionsThe victory in Oregon marked Selva Prabhuâs third title of the ongoing season He had begun the year on a strong note by winning the Thane Baker athletics meet in Manhattan Kansas in January with a 1649m effort That performance also helped him surpass the Athletics Federation of Indiaâs qualifying standard of 1628m for the Asian Games 2026However meeting the qualification mark alone does not ensure selection for the Indian squad As per the Athletics Federation of Indiaâs guidelines athletes must participate in at least three domestic competitions including mandatory appearances at statelevel meets to be eligible for selectionEarlier this month Selva Prabhu also claimed top honours at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto with a jump of 1576m Across his other appearances this season he has finished runnerup in three events reflecting his consistent performancesThe Oregon Team Invitational is classified as a Category E meet on the World Athletics calendar IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/selva-prabhu-clinches-triple-jump-title-at-oregon-team-invitational-670281.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 15:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-i-play-according-to-the-teams-requirements-says-jadeja-on-balancing-dual-roles-as-all-rounder-670301.html Kolkata April 19 Rajasthan Royals allrounder Ravindra Jadeja shed light on the demands of his dual role emphasising the importance of workload management and adaptability He also backed young teammate Vaibhav Sooryavanshiâs potential ahead of the teamâs IPL 2026 clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens Jadeja explained how he approaches training as an allrounder highlighting the need to strike the right balance between batting and bowlingâAs an allrounder you have to decide whether to focus on bowling or batting during training sessions You must keep the workload in mind and cant do everything in a single session I make the decision to split into half so that my workload is balancedâ Jadeja said before the KKR vs RR contestJadeja who was traded to Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2026 auction also reserved praise for young batter Vaibhav Sooryvanshi underlining the promise he brings to the sideâI think were lucky to have him Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on our team He bats well and possesses immense confidence for his young age My opinion hasnt changed from the first time I saw him he continues to hit big sixes Hell improve skillwise and talent wise as time goes on which is a good thing for India in the futureâ he saidReflecting on his role within the team Jadeja reiterated that flexibility remains central to his approach with team requirements dictating his contributions in both departmentsâI play according to the teams requirements I think as a batter when were batting and the same applies to bowling As an allrounder my job isnt easy because the team expects me to do well with both bat and ballâ Jadeja mentionedWith a strong record against Kolkata Knight Riders Jadeja expressed confidence in delivering once again âMy record against KKR is good and I hope to do well today as wellâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-i-play-according-to-the-teams-requirements-says-jadeja-on-balancing-dual-roles-as-all-rounder-670301.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 17:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pci-sacks-dronacharya-awardee-coach-naval-singh-over-harassment-allegations-670302.html New Delhi April 19 The Paralympic Committee of India  PCI has sacked Dronacharya awardee coach Naval Singh after harassment allegations made by Paralympic champion Sumit Antil the PCI chief Devendra Jhajharia told IANS on Sunday Twotime Paralympic Games medallist Sumit Antil have alleged harassment and use of abusive language by coach Naval Singh and have complained to the Sports Authority of India SAI He had also received support from Tokyo Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Neeraj ChopraPCI Chief Jhajhariya who confirmed to IANS on Sunday that board has decided to terminate him Naval SinghCountrys top athletes had made a written complaint to SAI alleging mental harassment and repetitive use of abusive language by Naval Singh who trains Sachin Yadav had finished fourth at 2025 World Championships ahead of NeerajThe written complaint was submitted to SAI on April 10 after the matter was raised with officials from SAI and the Paralympic Committee of India PCIAntil a gold medallist at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympics was the first to raise the issue with SAI He had said he approached SAI Deputy Director Arunlal and the CEO of TOPS Nash Johal about the coachs behaviour Antil claimed that the SAI officials sat the two parties down for a compromise but the Paralympic Games gold medallist rejected the approachHe alleged that he had experienced many incidents of verbal abuse humiliation and mental harassment by the veteran coach and eventually decided to take actionNaval Singh who was conferred the Dronacharya award in 2015 has played a key role in training nationallevel javelin athletes mentoring young coaches IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pci-sacks-dronacharya-awardee-coach-naval-singh-over-harassment-allegations-670302.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 17:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-thrash-australia-to-reach-womens-t20-world-cup-for-the-blind-final-669976.html Colombo Nov 22 India delivered a powerhouse performance at the iconic P Sara Oval on Saturday storming into the finals of the 1st Womenâs T20 World Cup Cricket for the Blind with a dominant ninewicket win over Australia The innings was anchored by Player of the Match Basanti Hansda whose composure and class defined Indiaâs chase With a damp outfield after overnight showers Indiaâs decision to field first proved decisive The bowling and fielding unit held Australia under tight control â highlighted by skipper Deepikaâs brilliant runout that shifted the momentum Indiaâs wayAustraliaâs B2 batter Julie Neumann battled for 25 28 while B3 players Chanakan Buakhao 34 33 and Courtney Lewis 14 14 kept the scoreboard moving aided by 20 extrasChasing with confidence and clarity India turned the semifinal into a show of dominanceB3 spark Ganga Kadam set the rhythm with a fluent 41 31 B2 star Basanti Hansda who earned Player of the Match honours anchored the innings with a superb 45 39B1 striker Karuna finished the job in style with an explosive 16 off just 5 balls India sailed to 112 sealing a resounding ninewicket win and booking their spot in Sundayâs grand finaleThe second semifinal between Nepal and Pakistan will decide Indiaâs opponent for the historic final on Sunday With form fire and fearless intent India stride into the finale looking unstoppableThe tournament features six teams that played each other in a single roundrobin format India won all five of their matches and became the first team to secure a spot in the semifinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-thrash-australia-to-reach-womens-t20-world-cup-for-the-blind-final-669976.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/1st-wt20i-wolvaardt-khaka-shine-as-sa-clinch-6-wicket-win-over-india-669979.html Durban April 18 South Africa outclassed India by six wickets in the opening Womenâs T20I riding on a clinical allround effort to take a 10 lead in the fivematch series Put in to bat the Women in Blue made a brisk start with Shafali Verma setting the tone through a quickfire 34 off 20 balls while Smriti Mandhana chipped in with 13 The visitors raced to 46 inside five overs before South Africa struck back with quick wickets to derail the momentumThe innings was then steadied by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues who stitched together a crucial 71run partnership for the third wicket Rodrigues played fluently for her 36 off 29 deliveries while Harmanpreet anchored the innings with a 33ball 47 At 1192 in the 14th over India looked set for a total well beyond 165However South Africaâs bowlers staged a strong comeback at the death Tumi Sekhukhune and Ayabonga Khaka mixed their pace cleverly and executed their slower balls to perfection triggering a collapse India managed just 38 runs in the last 34 balls losing wickets at regular intervals finishing at 1577 Khaka was particularly impressive returning figures of 316In response the Proteas approached the chase with composure and clarity After an early setback Laura Wolvaardt took control of proceedings with a classy knock bringing up a wellpaced halfcentury She found support from Annerie Dercksen who played a vital hand in the middle overs to keep the scoreboard tickingIndiaâs bowlers struggled to maintain discipline conceding several extras that eased the pressure on the hosts Despite picking up a few wickets through Shreyanka Patil and Shree Charani India failed to build sustained pressure as missed chances and erratic lines proved costlyWolvaardtâs dismissal for 51 in the 14th over briefly opened a window for India but Dercksen 44 off 34 and Chloe Tryon ensured there were no further hiccups The duo calmly guided South Africa towards the target before Tryon sealed the win in style with a towering six on the first delivery of the final overSouth Africa eventually reached the target with five balls to spare underlining their dominance in all three departments While India showed promise in patches particularly through their middleorder partnership their inability to capitalise at the death and lack of discipline with the ball proved decisiveThe visitors will now look to regroup quickly and address their shortcomings ahead of the second T20I on SundayBrief scores India Women 1577 in 20 overs Harmanpreet Kaur 47 Jemimah Rodrigues 36 Ayabonga Khaka 316 Tumi Sekhukhune 227 lost to South Africa Women 1584 in 191 overs Laura Wolvaardt 51 Annerie Dercksen 44 Shreyanka Patil 226 Shree Charani 126 by six wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/1st-wt20i-wolvaardt-khaka-shine-as-sa-clinch-6-wicket-win-over-india-669979.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/brazil-basketball-great-oscar-schmidt-dies-at-68-669996.html Rio de Janeiro April 18 Brazils Oscar Schmidt one of the most prolific scorers in basketball history died on Friday at the age of 68 Schmidt who had been hospitalized in the Sao Paulo metropolitan area after feeling ill built a 30year professional career across Brazil and Europe and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 reported XinhuaIn a statement Schmidts family said he had fought a brain tumor for 15 years with courage dignity and resilience while remaining a role model of determination generosity and love of lifeOscar leaves a legacy that transcends sport and inspires generations of athletes and admirers in Brazil and worldwide it saidKnown as one of the finest longrange shooters in the sport Schmidt played in a recordtying five Olympics and four World CupsHe remains the alltime leading scorer in both tournaments and holds the singlegame records for points scored in the Olympics 55 vs Spain in 1988 and World Cup 52 vs Australia in 1990Schmidt began his career at SE Palmeiras in 1974 later representing European clubs JuveCaserta Pavia and Valladolid before returning to his homeland to play with SC Corinthians in 1995He retired at the age of 45 in 2003 after a professional career spanning three decades His unofficial world record of 49737 points for club and country was surpassed by LeBron James in 2024Schmidt was nicknamed the Holy Hand but often played down the label in interviews attributing his feats on the court to practiceThe biggest player of Brazilian basketball history bids farewell as an absolute symbol of sport the holder of a trajectory that redefined the boundaries of what was possible in a court the Brazil Basketball Confederation said in a statement His death closes an era But his greatness remains IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/brazil-basketball-great-oscar-schmidt-dies-at-68-669996.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sarfaraz-ahmed-named-head-coach-as-pakistan-announce-squad-for-bangladesh-tests-670005.html New Delhi April 18 Pakistans have announced a 16member squad for their upcoming Test series against Bangladesh Captain Shan Masood will lead a refreshed team in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle Currently Pakistan is in fifth place on the WTC table with a 50 percent points tally They aim to improve their standing against a Bangladesh side sitting in eighth place This twomatch series starting May 8 also represents a shift in strategy as selectors have included four uncapped players in the squadAbdullah Fazal Amad Butt Azan Awais and Ghazi Ghori have all received their first Test callups Fazal and Awais both lefthanded batters have earned this opportunity through consistent performances in domestic cricket Butt brings valuable experience as a bowling allrounder since his firstclass debut in 2015 Wicketkeeperbatter Ghori also adds international exposure as he recently made his ODI debut against BangladeshThe squad includes a strong core of experienced players like Babar Azam Mohammad Rizwan Shaheen Shah Afridi Noman Ali Sajid Khan and Salman Ali Agha ensuring a mix of youth and experienceBefore the tour players not participating in the ongoing Pakistan Super League will gather in Karachi for a redball training camp from April 27 to May 1 to prepareThe Pakistan Cricket Board has also announced a new coaching setup for the tourFormer captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been named head coach Asad Shafiq will serve as batting coach and Umar Gul will take on the role of bowling coachThe first Test will take place from May 8 to 12 at ShereBangla National Cricket Stadium followed by the second Test from May 16 to 20 at Sylhet International Cricket StadiumSquad Shan Masood captain Abdullah Fazal Amad Butt Azan Awais Babar Azam Hasan Ali ImamulHaq Khurram Shahzad Mohammad Abbas Mohammad Rizwan Ghazi Ghori Noman Ali Sajid Khan Salman Ali Agha Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah AfridiScheduleFirst Test May 812 ShereBangla National Cricket StadiumSecond Test May 1620 Sylhet International Cricket IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sarfaraz-ahmed-named-head-coach-as-pakistan-announce-squad-for-bangladesh-tests-670005.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chotrani-goes-down-to-world-no-19-masotti-in-hamburg-thriller-670020.html Hamburg April 18 Indian world No 47 Veer Chotrani went down to French fourth seed Baptiste Masotti in a fivegame thriller in the menâs quarterfinals of the Hamburg Open a PSA Bronzelevel event in Hamburg on Friday Chotrani recovered twice to take the contest down to the wire before the French world No 19 clinched the decider for a 1210 911 1412 911 116 victory in 69 minutesEarlier Chotrani pulled off a major upset by defeating the 8th seed and home favourite Kandra in straight games The Indian dominated the match from start to finish requiring just 30 minutes to secure an 118 117 117 victory and advance to the latseightHowever his compatriots fifth seed Abhay Singh seventh seed Ramit Tandon bowed out in the second roundSingh lost to Sam Todd England 911 117 411 211 Tandon fell to Balazs Farkas Hungary 1012 114 511 911Todd will make their debut in the quarter finals of a bronzelevel event Todd whoâs scooped two copperlevel titles already this season produced some of his best squash to see off Singh â who recently landed the JSW Indian Open crown â to earn himself a quarterfinal showdown with the tournamentâs No3 seed Fares Dessouky on FridayâI know Abhay has been in good form recently as he had some decent results in El Gouna and won the Indian Open I knew it was going to be a tough match today and Iâve trained with him at Pontefract which is my club a few times so I know his game quite well as weâve hit together a few times said ToddIn the womens section former womenâs world No 10 Joshna Chinappa was beaten by eighth seed Joelle King the Kiwi winning 119 117 911 114Meanwhile Spains Marta Dominguez will also feature in the last eight of a Bronze event for the first time after overcoming No6 seed MalliffDominguez who had never beaten the Englishwoman on Tour prior to their round two clash ended a run of six straight defeats to advance to her maiden Bronze quarterfinal by triumphing 117 911 115 113 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chotrani-goes-down-to-world-no-19-masotti-in-hamburg-thriller-670020.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/1st-wt20i-we-came-back-really-well-speaks-a-lot-about-players-says-mandhana-after-indias-final-over-loss-to-sa-670026.html Durban April 18 Team Indiaâs vicecaptain Smriti Mandhana admitted that her side failed to capitalise on a strong start with the bat but drew positives from their late fightback despite going down by six wickets in the opening T20I against South Africa at Kingsmead The hosts secured a sixwicket victory taking a 10 lead in the fivematch series to start the important home series on a high This series also acts as a preparation for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup which begins on June 12 in EnglandâWe definitely started well with the bat Shafali really got going We could not capitalise as a batting unitâ Mandhana said after the match reflecting on Indiaâs inability to convert a promising powerplay into a bigger totalIndia raced away early thanks to an aggressive start from Shafali Verma but a slowdown in the latter half of the innings saw them finish below par which proved costly in the context of the game Despite the defeat Mandhana highlighted the teamâs resilience with the ball especially their effort to push the contest deep into the final overâBut positives for us is that even though we lost our way in the bowling innings we came back really well to take this match to the last over speaks a lot about the playersâ she addedIndiaâs bowlers struggled for consistency through large parts of South Africaâs chase conceding extras and missing key opportunities but managed to claw back towards the end to keep the contest alive Mandhana also pointed to the teams learning curve especially after a relatively long break following their previous international assignmentâA lot of learnings Weve had one month almost after the Australia series Everyones getting into the groove so Im sure this match well all go back and think about what we have to work on and come back strongerâ she notedWith the series continuing Mandhana expressed confidence that the team would be better prepared for the upcoming fixture particularly with more familiarity with conditionsâNext match is a day match we had two sessions in the afternoon here when we came So Im sure that all the girls will be wellpreppedâ she saidOn a personal note the opener acknowledged her own disappointment with the bat but remained optimistic about bouncing back strongerâBeen batting well in the nets but couldnt come up today got out unfortunately but if you get out in a low score youre always pumped to go out in the next match and again get a big one and win the match for the countryâ Mandhana concludedIndia will look to address their shortcomings and level the series in the next match IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/1st-wt20i-we-came-back-really-well-speaks-a-lot-about-players-says-mandhana-after-indias-final-over-loss-to-sa-670026.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ashish-nehra-is-like-a-football-coach-never-sits-still-harbhajan-670077.html New Delhi April 18 Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has heaped praise on Ashish Nehra lauding the Gujarat Titans head coach for his infectious energy manmanagement skills and unique handson approach during matches Drawing a comparison with footballstyle coaching Harbhajan highlighted how Nehraâs constant engagement with players has played a key role in shaping the teamâs environment and performances in the IPLâAshish Nehra is the only person who makes the atmosphere comfortable anywhere anytime Wherever he goes he makes everyone around him feel at ease Not just himself but everyone who works with him One of the finest human beings you will ever meet If you are with him you are guaranteed to have a good timeâ Harbhajan told JioStarHis biggest contribution to Gujarat Titans is keeping everyone united That is Ashish Nehra He is like a football coach He never sits still Throughout the entirety of a match he will find a player and keep talking to him Nehra ji has a great understanding of the game The work he has done with Gujarat Titans is commendableâ he addedNehra who has been at the helm of the Gujarat Titans since their inception in 2022 has earned widespread recognition for fostering a strong team culture and maintaining a relaxed yet focused dressing room atmosphere The team also won the IPL title in their maiden season IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ashish-nehra-is-like-a-football-coach-never-sits-still-harbhajan-670077.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/rachana-bahadur-appointed-as-advisor-of-pgti-670079.html New Delhi April 18 The DP World Professional Golf Tour of India DP World PGTI today announced the appointment of Ms Rachana Bahadur senior vice president and country head â India at Synchrony Financial as an Advisor to the organization A seasoned global leader Rachana Bahadur brings over three decades of experience across banking operations and risk management Currently serving as Senior Vice President and Country Head for Synchrony India she leads a dynamic workforce driving strategic growth digital transformation and operational excellenceHaving held senior leadership roles at Goldman Sachs JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley and with over 18 years of global leadership experience spanning the US Asia and Europe Rachana brings a truly international perspective to the tableHer peoplefirst philosophyâcentered on trust wellbeing and fostering a collaborative cultureâperfectly aligns with DP World PGTIâs vision for the future of Indian golfExpressing her thoughts on the appointment Rachana Bahadur said âI am honored to join the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India as an Advisor The DP World PGTI has played a pivotal role in developing and promoting professional golf in India and I deeply admire its commitment to nurturing talent and creating opportunities for players I look forward to contributing to its mission of elevating Indian golf on the global stageâCommenting on this major development Kapil Dev President Professional Golf Tour of India PGTI said âWe are delighted to welcome Rachana Bahadur to the Advisory Board of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India Her extensive global leadership experience and deep expertise in building highperforming organizations will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen the ecosystem of professional golf in India We look forward to her strategic insights in shaping the next phase of DP World PGTIâs growthâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/rachana-bahadur-appointed-as-advisor-of-pgti-670079.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/indian-womens-hockey-team-stages-solid-comeback-to-level-series-against-argentina-670084.html Buenos Aires April 18  The Indian Womenâs Hockey Team showed immense grit to finish their fourmatch tour of Argentina with a 22 draw After a difficult start to the series the Indian side fought back brilliantly winning their final two matches to finish the tour on a highThe tour began with a competitive opening match on April 13 where Navneet Kaur 22â and Annu 29â found the net for India While Argentina eventually won 4â2âwith Maria Emilia Larsen 11â Victoria Granato 18â and Julieta Jankunas 42â 55â among the scorersâIndia showed strong attacking intent throughoutIn the second match played on April 14 Ishika 22â gave India an early lead before the hosts secured a narrow 2â1 win behind a brace from Agustina Gorzelany 34â 48âIndia found their rhythm in the third match on April 16 securing a 21 victory to stay alive in the series Navneet Kaur 26â and Neha 37â both scored from penalty corners to give India a comfortable 20 lead Despite a late goal from Argentinas Agustina Gorzelany 52â the Indian side stayed composed to secure the win and set up the final day dramaOn April 17 the series finale was a hardfought encounter that ended 00 in regulation time Both teams had chances to score but the Indian defenders stood tall to keep a clean sheet throughout the match In the shootout India held their nerve to win 32 and ensure the series ended levelThe team will now return home to continue their training camp and build on these positive results This tour has been a vital part of their preparation providing the squad with important experience against a toptier opponent on away soilReflecting on the tour standin captain Navneet Kaur said I am incredibly proud of how the team responded after the first two matches It isnt easy to trail 02 against a worldclass team like Argentina but we showed the heart and character needed to fight back These backtoback wins prove that we are moving in the right direction and can handle pressure on the big stage IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/indian-womens-hockey-team-stages-solid-comeback-to-level-series-against-argentina-670084.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/no-niggle-purely-a-match-up-based-decision-gts-assistant-coach-parthiv-on-washingtons-limited-role-in-ipl-2026-670090.html New Delhi April 18 Gujarat Titansâ assistant coach Pathiv Patel has thrown weight behind Washington Sundar despite his limited bowling opportunities this season stressing that tactical factors rather than fitness concerns are shaping his role The allrounder has had a fluctuating run in recent years particularly with the Impact Player rule allowing teams to lean towards specialists Often shuffled up and down the batting order Sundar has struggled to build consistency managing modest returns with the bat across seasonsHowever this year Gujarat Titans have shown greater faith in him by slotting him in the top four a move aimed at giving him stability and clarity in his role Parthiv the teamâs assistant coach clarified that Sundarâs reduced bowling workload is purely a tactical callâThereâs no niggle Washington Sundar is bowling really well Itâs purely a conditions and matchupbased decision On a surface like Ahmedabad where there isnât much turn it becomes difficult to use him effectively If there were more lefthanders at the crease we would have definitely gone to him Itâs just about finding the right situation to bring him into the gameâ he told JioStarParthiv also downplayed any concerns around the teamâs middle order which has seen limited game time due to the toporderâs dominanceâThereâs no real concern around our middle order Our approach has been to rely on the top three to take the game deep and finish it and thatâs something we continue to aim for Naturally that means the middle order doesnât always get enough deliveries but players like Glenn Phillips and Shahrukh Khan are ready when needed Ideally we would like a set batter to finish games but overall thereâs no concern around that unitâWith defined roles and a strong toporder strategy Gujarat Titans appear focused on maintaining balance even if it means some players have to wait longer for their opportunities They have been on a threematch winning streak and will look to extend it when they face Mumbai Indians next on Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/no-niggle-purely-a-match-up-based-decision-gts-assistant-coach-parthiv-on-washingtons-limited-role-in-ipl-2026-670090.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/treesa-gaytari-pulls-out-of-uber-cup-due-to-injury-bai-names-shruti-priya-as-replacements-669955.html New Delhi April 17 India suffered a blow ahead of the Thomas amp Cup Finals as the womens doubles pair of Treesa Joly and Gayatri Gopichand have withdrawn from the prestigious tournament due to Treesas injury The Badminton Federation of India BAI however named Shruti Mishra and Priya Konjengbam as replacements in the squadThe prestigious tournament will be held in Horsens Denmark from April 24 to May 3 The upcoming Thomas Cup will mark the 34th edition of the tournament while the Uber Cup returns for its 31st editionTreesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will not partake in the Thomas amp Uber Cup Finals 2026 due to the formers injury Shruti Mishra and Priya Konjengbam have replaced the pair in the Indian womens team BAI said in a statementThe pair had also withdrawn from the Badminton Asia Championships earlier this month They had also pulled out of the Swiss Open 2026 badminton tournament after Treesas injury during their opening round womenâs doubles match in last month Treesa and Gayatri were trailing 713 against Chinese Taipeis Hu Ling Fang and Jheng Yu Chieh in the opening game when they had to pull outMeanwhile the Uber Cup team features a blend of eras with double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu providing leadership for a rising generation led by the promising Unnati Hooda as India looks to better its previous semifinal finishesIndia women have got a slightly tricky draw as they have been drawn alongside European team championship runnersup Denmark and bronze medallists Ukraine and defending champions ChinaIn the last edition of the Thomas amp Uber Cup hosted in Chengdu in 2024 the Indian women who won the bronze medal in the 2014 and 2016 editions were ousted in the quarters by JapanIndian womenâs teamPV Sindhu Unnati Hooda Tanvi Sharma Devika Sihag Isharani Baruah Kavipriya Selvam Simran Singhi Tanisha Crasto Shruti Mishra and Priya Konjengbam IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/treesa-gaytari-pulls-out-of-uber-cup-due-to-injury-bai-names-shruti-priya-as-replacements-669955.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/atletico-real-sociedad-ready-for-1987-repeat-in-copa-del-rey-final-669960.html Madrid April 17 Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad meet in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday with the trophy becoming the second major title to be decided in Spain this season after the Super Cup Atletico travels to the Estadio de la Cartuja after qualifying for the semifinal of the UEFA Champions League while Real Sociedad has had a week to prepare for the match following its 33 home draw with Deportivo Alaves last weekendReal Sociedad won the 2020 Copa del Rey final 10 against Athletic Bilbao This will be the first Cup final attended by its supporters since 1987 when it beat Atletico Madrid on penalties after the match ended 22 following extra timeAtleticos last Copa del Rey triumph came in 2013 when it beat Real Madrid 21 at the Santiago BernabeuAtletico reached the final after a thrilling 43 aggregate win over FC Barcelona while Real Sociedad knocked out local rival Athletic Bilbao with 10 wins in both legsA win for Real Sociedad would secure a place in next seasons Europa League While Atletico is close to assuring that through its position in La Liga victory on Saturday would also keep alive its hopes of a domestic and European cup doubleFor Atletico de Madrid this final represents the chance to lift an official trophy five years after their 11th La Liga title 2021 and thirteen years after their 10th Copa del Rey 2013To expand their trophy cabinet the Argentine manager will almost certainly be without Hancko and Gimenez in defense Pablo Barrios and Johnny Cardoso in midfield and Oblak between the posts The Slovenian has been sidelined for several weeks but his absence has been covered with full confidence by MussoConsequently the Rojiblanco starting eleven at La Cartuja could consist of Musso in goal with Nahuel Molina Pubill Le Normand and Ruggeri in defense The double pivot will once again feature Koke the sole survivor of the 2013 Cup win and Marcos Llorente with Lookman and Giuliano on the wings Griezmann would act as the playmaker behind the main attacking reference Julian AlvarezAs for Real Sociedad Odriozola and Yangel Herrera are confirmed absentees while Gorrotxategi remains a major doubt Additionally GonÃalo Guedes and Oyarzabal are nursing discomfortâthough their presence seems likelyâand Take Kubo arrives at the match with very few minutes of recent playing time Zubeldia is also dealing with various physical issuesThus the defense appears destined to be formed by Aramburu and Sergio Gómez as fullbacks with Jon Martin and CaletaCar as the centerback pairing The double pivot would be occupied by Carlos Soler and Turrientes with Guedes on one wing and Oyarzabal as the striker This leaves two spots to be filled in the attacking midfield line Brais MÃndez Barrenetxea and Sucic are competing for them with the Croatian being a strong candidate due to his versatility and recent form IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/atletico-real-sociedad-ready-for-1987-repeat-in-copa-del-rey-final-669960.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/theegala-starts-with-69-bhatia-way-behind-at-rbc-heritage-669961.html Hilton Head Island USA April 17 Sahith Theegala opened his campaign at the RBC Heritage with a 2under 69 leaving him tied for 27th in the USD 20 million Signature event While he trails leader Ludvig Ãberg of Sweden by six shots the round began on a strong note with Theegala picking up three birdies in his first four holes and four in the opening seven The other two players of Indian origin in the field Akshay Bhatia and Sudarshan Yellamaraju had slower starts Bhatia posted a 2over 73 to sit tied for 65th while Yellamaraju carded a 3over 74 placing him tied for 70thTheegala began with backtoback birdies on the first two holes but dropped a shot on the third He responded quickly with another birdie on the fourth and added further gains on the seventh and ninth reaching 4under at the turn in a strong positionThe back nine proved more challenging Bogeys on the 10th 11th and 18th holes offset a lone birdie on the 15th brought him back to a 2under finish for the dayBhatiaâs round featured three bogeys and a single birdie continuing a difficult stretch following The Players Championship with missed cuts at both the Hero Indian Open and The MastersYellamaraju had a tough start with a triple bogey on his opening hole Though he managed one birdie soon after a bogey on the 14th saw him slip further ending the round at 3overAt the top of the leaderboard Ludvig Ãberg continued his consistent run of form chasing a third PGA Tour title He fired a bogeyfree 8under 63 to take a oneshot lead Harris English and Viktor Hovland are close behind after both shot 7under 64Scottie Scheffler coming off a runnerup finish at The Masters returned a 3under 68 to sit tied for 20th FedEx Cup leader Cameron Young opened with an evenpar 71 placing him tied for 54thDefending champion Justin Thomas struggled in his first round carding a 5over 76 to fall to tied 80th on the leaderboard IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/theegala-starts-with-69-bhatia-way-behind-at-rbc-heritage-669961.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/golf-pranavi-best-placed-among-indians-in-joburg-ladies-open-669962.html Johannesburg April 16 Pranavi Urs carded a bogeyfree 3under 70 in the first round of the Joburg Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour and was best placed to make the cut among the five Indians at the event At the end of Day 1 she was Tied21st at the Par73 Randpark Golf Club Tvesa Malik and Diksha Dagar ended the first round at 1under 72 and were tied54th while Avani Prashanth shot 2over 75 and Hitaashee Bakshi also had a disappointing day with 4over 77 Avani and Hitaashee will need to shoot very low rounds to make the cutTvesa playing her first LET event of the season was 4under at one stage through the front nine but finished at 1under 72 as he gave away a double bogey and a bogey on the 15th and the 16th holesDiksha ninth on the LET Order of Merit had five birdies three bogeys and a double in her round of 72The lead was shared by Agathe Laisne of France Brianna Navarossa of the US and Ariane Klotz of France all of whom carded 7under 66 eachLaura Beveridge of Scotland and Justice Bosio of Australia were tied for fourth at 6under 67 each Sloveniaâs Pia Babnik Walesâ Lydia Hall and Franceâs Celine Herbin round off the top10 in a tie for seventh on fiveunder parElsewhere on day one home favourite Casandra Alexander carded a round of 69 4 despite bogeying her opening hole the par4 10th The Joburg local is the highestranked player in the field sitting 41st in the Womenâs World Golf RankingsâIt wasnât a solid roundâ Alexander said âIt was a bit of a rollercoaster but a tidy rollercoaster Itâs still early days but itâs nice to shoot an underpar round on day one I had a disappointing bogey finish with a threeputt but thatâs golf and it happens Iâve hopefully got three days of good golf to comeâA total of 73 players went under par on day one at Randpark Golf Club This included five South African players IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/golf-pranavi-best-placed-among-indians-in-joburg-ladies-open-669962.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/chotrani-enters-hamburg-squash-quarters-abhay-ramit-joshna-bow-out-669900.html Hamburg April 17 Indias world No 47 Veer Chotrani defeated German eighthseed Raphael Kandra 30 in the menâs second round to move into the quarterfinals of the Hamburg Open squash a PSA Bronzelevel event Chotrani pulled off a major upset by defeating home favourite Kandra in straight games The Indian dominated the match from start to finish requiring just 30 minutes to secure an 118 117 117 victory and advance to the last eightHowever his compatriots fifth seed Abhay Singh and seventh seed Ramit Tandon bowed out in the second round Singh lost to Sam Todd England 911 117 411 211 Tandon fell to Balazs Farkas Hungary 1012 114 511 911Todd will make their debut in the quarter finals of a bronzelevel event Todd whoâs scooped two copperlevel titles already this season produced some of his best squash to see off Singh â who recently landed the JSW Indian Open crown â to earn himself a quarterfinal showdown with the tournamentâs No3 seed Fares Dessouky on Friday âI know Abhay has been in good form recently as he had some decent results in El Gouna and won the Indian Open I knew it was going to be a tough match today and Iâve trained with him at Pontefract which is my club a few times so I know his game quite well as weâve hit together a few times said ToddIn the womens section former womenâs world No 10 Joshna Chinappa was beaten by eighth seed Joelle King the Kiwi winning 119 117 911 114Meanwhile Spains Marta Dominguez will also feature in the last eight of a Bronze event for the first time after overcoming No6 seed Malliff Dominguez who had never beaten the Englishwoman on Tour prior to their round two clash ended a run of six straight defeats to advance to her maiden Bronze quarterfinal by triumphing 117 911 115 113 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/chotrani-enters-hamburg-squash-quarters-abhay-ramit-joshna-bow-out-669900.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/world-squash-mourns-the-demise-of-former-chief-narayana-ramachandran-669909.html New Delhi April 17 World Squash Federation extended its condolences on the demise of its former president and its first honorary life member Narayana Ramachandran who passed at the age of 77 after a prolonged illness Ramachandranâs cremation will be held on Friday at the Beasant Nagar crematorium in ChennaiRamachandran served as WSF President between 2008 and 2016 the first Indian to lead an IOCrecognised international federation He also served as president of the Indian Olympic Association IOA between 2014 and 2017 when he immediately led the IOA to Olympic reinstatement following a 14month IOC banRamiâs personal dedication and impact on squash from national to global levels over the last 25 years is remarkable His legacy will live on in many guises and we will remember him fondly as we witness the firstever Olympic qualifying event for our sport happening at the Asian Games squash competition later this year an event Rami was pivotal in establishing World Squash president Zena Wooldridge saidIn his earlier role as president of the Asian Squash Federation 20012009 Brother of former BCCI president N Srinivasan Ramachandran ensured squashâs inclusion as a core medal sport in the Asian Games and in subsequently expanding the sportâs medal disciplines He also hosted and funded many Asian Championships in IndiaAs President of World Squash Ramachandran invested significant time and personal resources into two Olympic bids and in 2016 was awarded an Olympic Order Silver by the International Olympic Committee and an OCA Award of Merit by the Olympic Council of Asia for his outstanding services to those movementsHe also played a pivotal role in the advancement of squash in India where he transformed Chennai into the âSquash Capitalâ of India with his investment in the India Squash Academy and the hosting of ten world championships between 2002 and 2025The Squash Racket Federation of India also mourned the passing of Ramachandran saying A visionary leader who played a pivotal role in shaping the growth of squash both in India and globally We extend our deepest condolences to his family friends May his soul rest in peace Former Secretary General of IOA Rajeev Mehta who worked alongside Ramachandran during his tenure also extended the condolences on the passing of fomrer IOA chief Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of N Ramachandran Rami former President of the Indian Olympic Association I worked alongside him during his tenure from 2014 to 2017 and remember him as a composed clearheaded and principled leader He brought a sense of stability and structure to the IOA at a time when it was much needed and approached every responsibility with quiet authority and fairness Mehta shared on Facebook Beyond the IOA his contribution to Indian sport was wideranging from his leadership in squash administration to his role in strengthening sports governance in the country His ability to balance institutional discipline with approachability set him apart He will be remembered with deep respect not just for the positions he held but for the way he carried them My sincere condolences to his family and loved ones he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/world-squash-mourns-the-demise-of-former-chief-narayana-ramachandran-669909.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-prabhsimran-has-been-a-key-reason-behind-consistent-run-scoring-says-pbks-coach-bahutule-669942.html Mumbai April 17 Punjab Kings PBKS bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule heaped praise on Prabhsimran Singh for his sensational batting efforts and said the wicketkeeperbatter has been a key reason behind teams consistent runscoring over the past couple of years Chasing a competitive target of 196 PBKS comfortably reached 1983 in just 163 overs to continue their unbeaten run and move to the top of the points table with nine points from five matchesPrabhsimran continued his rich vein of form anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 80 off just 39 deliveries registering his second consecutive halfcentury Bahutule lauded the 25yearoldâs impact and consistency At the other end skipper Shreyas Iyer complemented him perfectly with a composed fifty guiding the innings with assuranceâPrabhsimran is a sensational player He has shown great consistency at the top and adapts well to match situations ensuring we get strong starts He has been a key reason behind our consistent runscoring over the past couple of yearsâ Bahutule saidHe also credited head coach Ricky Ponting for fostering a positive environment within the squad which has helped players thriveâA lot of the success comes from Rickyâs presence in the dressing room His positivity spreads across the squad and players like Shreyas and Prabhsimran have benefited from that Ricky and Shreyas together make a fantastic combination for the franchiseâ he addedIyer meanwhile impressed both with the bat and in the field pulling off a stunning catch that turned heads Bahutule did not hold back in his admirationâItâs one of the best catches Iâve ever seen and will be remembered as one of the finest in IPL history Shreyas is a special presence in the dressing roomâa gamechanger with the bat and an excellent leader He has worked hard on all aspects of his game which allows him to handle any plans bowlers come up withâ he saidWith the ball Arshdeep delivered a matchwinning spell picking up three wickets while maintaining tight control with an economy rate of 55 Bahutule praised the pacerâs execution and disciplineâHe bowled the right lines and lengths with both the new and old ball His ability to generate swing at Wankhede where others struggled stood out It reflects his action pace and commitment to basicsâ Bahutule saidPBKS will next face Lucknow Super Giants on April 19 at the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh as they look to extend their winning streak in the tournament IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-prabhsimran-has-been-a-key-reason-behind-consistent-run-scoring-says-pbks-coach-bahutule-669942.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/indian-high-commission-in-cyprus-lauds-vaishalis-candidates-triumph-669706.html New Delhi April 16 High Commission of India in Cyprus has lauded Indian GM Vaishali Rameshbabu for conquering FIDE Womenâs Candidates R Vaishali became the first Indian to win the FIDE Womenâs Candidates title after she beat Russiaâs Kateryna Lagno in the final round on WednesdayA proud moment for India in Cyprus Heartiest congratulations to GM R Vaishali chessvaishali on her historic victory at the FideChess Womenâs Candidates 2026 High Commission of India in Cyprus shared on X High Commissioner Mr Manish ManishGIfs and the entire team of IndiainCyprus extend their warmest congratulations on this outstanding achievement Finishing first with 8514 Vaishali has once again showcased Indiaâs growing strength in world chess and secured her place in the upcoming Womenâs World Championship matchHer performance was a remarkable display of grit composure and excellence This success is a matter of great pride for India and a special moment for Cyprus as host of this prestigious global event We wish her every success in the title match ahead it added Vaishali will challenge Ju Wenjun for the Womenâs World Championship after winning the 2026 FIDE Womenâs Candidates outright with a score of 8514 In an exciting final round Vaishali defeated Kateryna Lagno in a magnificent display of technique while Bibisara Assaubayeva managed only a draw in her game against Divya DeshmukhSpeaking at the postgame press conference Vaishali expressed her delight âItâs amazing a dream come true for me When I lost to Zhu Jiner everything suddenly opened up and Iâm happy I was able to stay focused in the last two rounds and give my bestâIn 2024 Gukesh D emerged as the Winner of the Candidates Tournament 2024 to become the youngest World Chess Championship challenger ever He was rhe first ever Indian to win the Candidates He then became the 18th world chess champion when he defeated Chinaâs Ding Liren in the 2024 World Chess Championship match in SingaporeGukesh will be challenged by newlycrowned FIDE Candidates 2026 winner Javokhir Sindarov IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/indian-high-commission-in-cyprus-lauds-vaishalis-candidates-triumph-669706.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-mi-name-krish-bhagat-as-replacement-for-injured-atharva-ankolekar-669764.html New Delhi April 16 Fivetime champions Mumbai Indians MI have announced Krish Bhagat as a replacement for spin allrounder Atharva Ankolekar who has been ruled out of the IPL 2026 due to injury The 21yearold rightarm medium pacer who has played seven firstclass matches and nine List A matches for Punjab will join the team for a base price of Rs 30 lakhMumbai Indians MI have signed Krish Bhagat as a replacement for Atharva Ankolekar who has been ruled out of the TATA Indian Premier League IPL 2026 due to injury Bhagat 21 has played seven firstclass matches and nine List A matches for Punjab He is a rightarm medium pacer and has also registered a halfcentury in List A cricket the IPL wrote in a statementKrish brings versatility as a rightarm fast bowler and can contribute with the bat as a lower order batsman He was part of Mumbai Indians trials for the past two years having played for the Reliance Team in the DY Patil T20 Cup in 2026 and has been a support bowler with the team since the preseasonAnkolekar meanwhile was part of Indias U19 World Cup team in 2020 and was also the Player of the Match in the final of the ACC U19 Asia Cup against Bangladesh in 2019MI started their IPL 2026 season with a win against the Kolkata Knight Riders KKR However they couldnt maintain that momentum and lost their next three matches against Delhi Capitals DC Rajasthan Royals RR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB This early setback puts them under pressure to find their rhythm again as that initial victory now feels less significant due to their struggling performanceRohit Sharmaâs injury adds an intriguing angle to the match as he walked off the field due to a hamstring injury in MIâs clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB MI will next face IPL 2026 runner ups Punjab Kings PBKS at their home ground Wankhede Stadium on Thursday The fivetime champions have not won a trophy since IPL 2020 They were eliminated from the second qualifiers in the last season after losing to the Punjab Kings by five wickets IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-mi-name-krish-bhagat-as-replacement-for-injured-atharva-ankolekar-669764.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/smriti-always-scores-truckload-of-runs-against-us-itd-be-nice-to-keep-her-quiet-sa-allrounder-dercksen-669780.html New Delhi April 16 Annerie Dercksen speaks with an ease that belies the steeliness in the South African seambowling allrounder In the last few years Annerie has gone from a fresh face to a regular figure including winning the ICC Emerging Player of the Year award in 2024 and being a vital figure in the Proteas run to the T20 World Cup final Now as South Africa take on India in a fivematch T20I series starting in Durban on Friday Annerieâs dual role will be under sharper focus For the Proteas back home after a difficult tour of New Zealand the series doubles as a highstakes rehearsal for the T20 World Cup in EnglandWith memories of defeat to India in the 2025 ODI World Cup final still raw Annerie whoâs played two Tests 24 ODIs and 31 T20Is feels a rivalry is brewing between the tourists and hosts âIts awesome to be back home and see our people again after quite a long time away in New Zealand But we know that India obviously poses a big threat to us We still remember that ODI World Cup not too long ago although its a different formatâI dont know but it feels like there might be a little bit of a rivalry happening there So we obviously know that this is great preparation for the World Cup coming up and we are really looking forward to the series and do know that its going to be a fiercely contested oneâ Annerie tells IANS in an exclusive conversationIn the ODI World Cup South Africa stunned India in the league stage in Visakhapatnam powered by a Nadine de Klerk blinder But when the lights were brightest in Navi Mumbai India managed to edge the Proteas and lift the trophy on home soil For Annerie the challenge from India in T20Is is multifaceted starting from the topI think Smriti Mandhana always scores a truckload of runs against us So itd be nice to try and keep her quiet or contain her a bit Shes always a nice challenge for a bowler you miss your mark by an inch and youre probably going away she notesThe danger doesnt end there as India also possesses Richa and Shafali Verma They are obviously big hitters of the ball and you do know that as a bowler Their whole bowling lineup is very good as well and obviously got a lot of experience now coming through Its going to be a nice challenge from an allrounders point of view she saidWhile Annerie grows as a vital cog in the Proteas bowling lineup after having started out as a spinner her recent time as a batter has caught attention With an illness to her idol Marizanne Kapp and an injury to Dane van Niekerk ruling her out Annerie was moved to batting at number four something which she relished hugelyâI absolutely loved it The more time you have to bat the better it is and Im very grateful for the opportunity Itâs always nice to contribute to the team and well see how it pans out when everyone is available once againâIm happy to be wherever the team needs me but I absolutely loved the opportunity to have some time up the order and maybe a little bit of a different challenge with the new ball Power play is always nice to be in and I really enjoyed it and just happy to be anywhere the team needs meâ she saidFor many this may look like an accidental masterstroke but Annerie recalls of the time preparing in the nets for a batting order promotion in future despite being a finisher in her early days with the ProteasâIve always viewed myself as a top and middle order batter When I made my way into the Proteas there was absolutely no space for me up top So I had to make do with where they could fit me in and that was down at seven Provincially and in underage cricket Ive always batted up the orderâSo that was a totally new role for me to step into But then I found that I actually enjoyed to have a little bit of freedom where your only role is to go and try and hit sixes and thats what I like doing So I really enjoyed the finishing role but worked with the batting coach at that time and said to him âListen one day I want to make my way upââSo I had to keep reinforcing the skills mindset tactical knowledge and stuff around that to make sure if one day I do get an opportunity to bat up the order I have the skill to bat anywhere So definitely while I was a finisher I probably spent most of my time trying to ensure finishing skills which is power hitting in death overs is up thereâBut I never neglected the skills I might need if I had to go up the order one day and I am very grateful to everyone who played a part in that I still have got a lot to learn and experience but hopefully I can continue to contribute in positive ways wherever Im needed to bat up the orderâ she elaboratedAfter initial difficulties the breakthrough came in Wellington as Annerie hammered an unbeaten 55 off 32 balls her maiden T20I fifty âIts the clichà most batters would tell that they werent thinking too much We were in a bit of trouble early on and thought a par score would be around 150160ishâSo I just tried to see how I can contribute and be an anchor that the team can bat around while contributing to get us to that 160mark We had some great contributions from Nadine and Kayla Reyneke to get us to 160 Unfortunately it wasnt enough that day and we had to reassess later But it was nice to contribute and hopefully I can do so many timesâAnnerie also highlights the impact of Kayla who famously finished both her T20I and ODI debuts with a six hit on the final ball to make the Proteas win âIts always very refreshing to have youngsters in the side She keeps everyone on their toes and I enjoy it because I always try and do that off field nowâOn the field shes been great as well Weve seen her finish two games on debut both with a six So its been absolutely incredible and for a youngster to have this is very good and shes going to have a great career aheadâSouth Africaâs story in recent years has been one of so close yet so far Cape Town 2023 Dubai 2024 and Navi Mumbai 2025 Breaking that glass ceiling remains the ultimate objective for Annerie I wish I knew what is the key to get our hands on a trophy We would have done it three years ago Weve got a nice balance in our squad at the moment of youth and experience â like Marizanne with all her experience and Kayla whos got ice in her veins and can finish off a game for usâHopefully this year we can get over the line Weve been working really hard and had a lot of heartbreaks over the years But all the heartbreak will maybe make the victory that much sweeter In T20 cricket we need a bit of luck and things to go our way But were doing everything from our side to make sure we prepare as well as we can to go that one step further in the T20 World CupâRaised on a farm in the rural BeaufortWes area Annerie didnât even know professional womenâs cricket existed until scouts visited her school when she was either 14 or 15 Her first real memory of seeing the Proteas on TV was the 2017 World Cup semifinal loss to England which left her in tearsâGrowing up we always had to look up to male heroes But its very nice now for young girls to have people like Marizanne Chloe Laura Aya to look up to and aspire to be like them The people now know about womens cricket and its been incredibleâI always had to play in boys teams and its very encouraging for me to see that theres now whole teams made up of young girls and competing against and with each other which is absolutely amazingâThereâs that warm feeling in my heart and hopefully it can continue to grow the way that it is at the moment Thats really what its all about â like its not about us Instead its about inspiring young girls and boys to take up the game we all love so muchâWhen she finally made it to the Proteas squad Annerie initially chased number 7 â just like her idol Marizanne and 17 â which was of AB de Villiers but both were taken She eventually settled on 77 the number worn by Sophie Devine and Alyssa HealyâI looked around world cricket and saw Devine and Healy I just loved how they approached the game When you watch them it looks as if theyre having fun while being on the field and thats what Im about as wellâSo I was like okay I havent really met them in person but to me as a fan they were like great role models to have and thats where 77 came from Now coincidentally its double seven as well which is double Kappie and its pretty coolâStepping into a dressing room full of her heroes â Marizanne nowretired Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka could have been intimidating but Annerie found herself welcomed with warmthâIts so nice to go to them on the field and ask âListen what do you think about this and that We obviously have coaches on the side but I think nothing can really replace that knowledge from your teammates on the field So its absolutely amazing and its been pivotal for my growthââI still to this day view them as my heroes We often joke about how they were my heroes and now Im playing with them But very fortunate that everyone surrounded me and took me under their wings It didnt feel that anyone was not willing to share the knowledge or what theyve learntâEveryone made it just very welcoming It was for me as a youngster a very welcoming space to step into and I was very fortunate to be in that position If the team werent the way they are now I probably wouldnt be playing for South Africa Ive got to give a lot of credit to my teammates and absolutely learnt a lot from themâOff the field Annerie is a farm girl at heart She remains happiest when outdoors due to the scenery and fresh air while admitting to âabsolutely suckingâ at playing golf Time for hiking comes only when the schedule allows while swimming or rowing in the sea is her goto offfield activityRecovery on match days is built around sleep and support from the Proteas physios and strength and conditioning staff Fueling her recovery is a postmatch berry smoothie Annerie swears by â her preferred version is more of blueberries strawberries raspberries mixed with banana for potassium and protein powderAs the series against India looms that smoothie will be in high demand for Annerie For South Africa to finally break their silverware drought theyâll need both the carefree and steely sides of Annerie If a rivalry with India is indeed taking shape Annerie is ready to turn up the heat IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/smriti-always-scores-truckload-of-runs-against-us-itd-be-nice-to-keep-her-quiet-sa-allrounder-dercksen-669780.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-shines-at-us-open-pickleball-as-arjun-aditya-bag-gold-thakkar-sheth-take-silver-669785.html Mumbai April 16 Indian duo Arjun Singh and Aditya Singh clinched the gold medal in the Menâs Doubles 50 category at the US Open Pickleball Championship 2026 continuing their impressive run on the international stage The pair defeated J Meode and W Lin 911 112 117 in the final staging a strong comeback after dropping the opening game to secure yet another titleIn another notable performance Panth Thakkar and Atharva Sheth bagged the silver medal in the Menâs Doubles 45 category The duo went down fighting against Caian Appel and Michael Van Dusen with the scoreline reading 811 911 in a closely contested matchThe ongoing championship being held in Naples Florida marks Indiaâs first participation under the affiliation of the Indian Pickleball Association IPAâWinning another Gold at the US Open is very rewarding and to do it together once again makes it extra special We will continue to work hard to repeat these results with the support of our family and everyone around us This would not have been possible without the Maharashtra Pickleball Association and the Indian Pickleball Association for this opportunityâ Arjun amp Aditya Singh said after winning their second gold at the championshipâEvery single day at the US Open is another day for Indian pickleball to showcase their talent and continue cementing their place at the global stage and the contingent has been up for the challenge This is Indiaâs 4th gold medal and 6th overall medal at the mecca of pickleball Indian Pickleball Association is very proud of the way the players are continuing to show up and only inspires us to work harder towards excellenceâ Suryaveer Singh Bhullar President Indian Pickleball Association said on the triumphThis victory marks Arjuns third gold medal at the US Open Pickleball Championship and his second alongside his brother AdityaIndiaâs medal tally at the US Open 2026 currently stands at six including four gold medals won by Arjun Singh Arjun and Aditya Singh in Menâs Doubles and Dhiren Patel along with one silver and one bronze secured by Panth Thakkar and Atharva Sheth and Naga Moksha respectively IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-shines-at-us-open-pickleball-as-arjun-aditya-bag-gold-thakkar-sheth-take-silver-669785.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/elsinho-ruled-out-renthlei-doubtful-as-chennaiyin-fc-eye-home-win-against-sporting-club-delhi-669847.html Chennai April 16 Chennaiyin FC aim to convert their attacking potential into a fullscale performance when they host Sporting Club Delhi in the Indian Super League on Friday Their goal is to turn promising moments in play into a positive result at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai Following their recent test against East Bengal the Marina Machans showed glimpses of their attacking style especially in transitions and on the wings However they lamented missed chances With another home game before a tough stretch of away matches coach Clifford Rayes Miranda emphasised the need to improve decisionmaking in critical situationsâItâs about taking our chances When we are in a good phase and creating opportunities we need to convert them That gives us more time on the ball allows us to settle and helps calm our nerves Then we become more confident in possession Sometimes anxiousness makes you lose focus thatâs one part of it But in the end the three points are what matter the mostâ he told the media on ThursdayAnticipating the upcoming challenge from CFCâs next opponents SC Delhi Miranda provided a thorough evaluation of the visitors emphasising their youthful vigour and offensive approachâThey are a young team but one that plays with a lot of heart and has plenty of attacking players They are eager to prove themselves They also have a young and very dynamic coach who wants his team to play attractive football Tomorrow will be a good contest between two teams that like to keep the ball on the groundâ Miranda saidMiranda also highlighted the tactical difficulties presented by the visitors especially in their formation and buildup strategies with Chennaiyin ready to adapt their approach as neededâYes they play with three at the back which means you have to decide how to press them Weâll see how we approach that They have a very clear way of playing five in attack and five in defence They build with three at the back and have two holding midfielders who sit and protect That system gives them a certain dynamic But like I said they are a team that wants to play football and build from the back They also have the option to go long when needed So overall they are a good team with a clear identityâ he addedForward Irfan Yadwad joined the head coach for the press conference Last time playing through the centre Irfan was a persistent threat to the East Bengal defence and netted his second goal of the season with a clever lob over the goalkeeper in the 28th minuteAddressing what a young forward like him needs to stay in shape both physically and mentally he said âFirst of all as a young player you have to take care of yourself During preseason you need to work on your basicsânutrition diet everythingâwhether itâs in the gym on the field or off it I was preparing myself because there had been a long gap so it was important to focus on the fundamentals rather than anything else When you come into this environment you have coaches who guide you but what you do in preseason really matters We have a coach who has been helping me a lot this season and Iâm very happy to be working with himâFinally Miranda provided an update on Elsinho noting that he will miss the rest of the season due to an injury sustained in the last match The head coach also confirmed that defender Laldinliana Renthlei is still uncertain for the SC Delhi game IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/elsinho-ruled-out-renthlei-doubtful-as-chennaiyin-fc-eye-home-win-against-sporting-club-delhi-669847.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/excited-to-enter-the-real-world-jamie-murray-bids-farewell-to-professional-tennis-669679.html London April 16 Former doubles World No 1 Jamie Murray has officially brought the curtain down on his professional tennis career confirming his retirement through a heartfelt message on social media on Wednesday âMy tennis journey comes to an end after 36 years I feel very fortunate and privileged for all the amazing experiences this great sport has given meâ Murray wrote on InstagramThe former World No 1 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings enjoyed a distinguished career spanning two decades at the highest level He claimed 34 tourlevel doubles titles including multiple major honours and made history as the first British player to reach the top of the doubles rankingsMurray also paid tribute to those closest to him including his brother Andy Murray who was a constant presence throughout his journey âThanks Mum Dad Andy Ale Alan Louis and Thomas for all your incredible support efforts and sacrificesâ he wroteThe 40yearold played his final professional match at the US Open in 2025 where he partnered with Ivan Dodig His career began with a breakthrough ATP title in San Jose in 2007 alongside Eric Butorac and from that point forward he established himself as one of the most consistent doubles players on tour winning at least one title in 16 of 18 seasons between 2007 and 2024Beyond his individual success Murray formed a memorable partnership with his younger brother Andy The duo played a pivotal role in Great Britainâs historic triumph at the Davis Cup 2015 ending a 79year wait for the titleReflecting on his journey Murray expressed contentment with what he had achieved âI played for 20 years at the top level and feel privileged for what I was able to do and experience on the court I donât have any regretsâ he saidAs he steps away from the sport Murray hinted at a new chapter ahead âFor everybody else whoâs helped and supported me I appreciate all of you Excited to enter the real worldâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/excited-to-enter-the-real-world-jamie-murray-bids-farewell-to-professional-tennis-669679.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/late-goals-send-bayern-to-champions-league-semifinals-669694.html Munich April 16 Late strikes by Luis DÃaz and Michael Olise sealed Bayerns place in the semifinals after beating Real Madrid 43 in an epic Champions League quarterfinal secondleg Arda Guler bagged a brace in the first half with Aleksandar Pavlovic and Harry Kane levelling twice Kylian Mbappe made it 44 on aggregate just before halftime but Luis DÃaz and Michael Olise struck in the closing minutes after Eduardo Camavinga was sent off to give Bayern victory on the night and send them into the last four with a 64 aggregate winBayern will meet Paris SaintGermain in the final four with the first leg of the semifinal scheduled for April 28Trailing 21 from the first leg against opponents who had won all five of their previous Champions League home matches this season Madrid made a lightning start to a dauntinglooking task when Arda Güler met goalkeeper Manuel Neuers attempted pass with a firsttime finish from distance after only 34 secondsThat set the speed for a blisteringly entertaining first half Aleksandar PavloviÄ swiftly heading in Joshua Kimmichs corner to restore Bayerns aggregate lead before Andriy Lunin denied Kimmich and Guler levelled the tie again with a sublime freekickKane was always likely to play a part in a flurry of goals and a splendid touch and unerring finish from Bayerns talismanic top scorer restored his sides advantageMbappe quickly put the visitors back in front on the night from a pass by VinÃcius Júnior who had lifted an attempt against the woodwork in between those strikesBoth sides could be forgiven for easing the tempo after the break although the action proved no less compelling as the flow of chances continued at either endAfter substitute Eduardo Camavinga was dismissed for the visitors four minutes from time Diazs curling attempt from outside the box beat Lunin via a touch off defender Eder Militao With Madrid throwing men forward Michael Olise added a ruthless finish with the final kick of a remarkable contestt was a very emotional game We had lots of possession and always had the feeling we could score But Real Madrid are Real Madrid They are always a threat The boys were mentally strong to recover from setbacks The fans helped us as well We stayed calm and always felt that our moment would come The next game is the biggest We keep going said Vincent Kompany Bayern head coach IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/late-goals-send-bayern-to-champions-league-semifinals-669694.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/dembeles-double-seals-holders-psgs-champions-league-sf-spot-669478.html London April 15 A secondhalf brace from Ousmane Dembele saw holders Paris SaintGermain defeat Liverpool 20 in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal at Anfield to complete a dominant 40 aggregate victory and reach the Champions League semifinals for the third consecutive season and for sixth time in club history The defending European champions will now play either FC Bayern or Real Madrid in the semifinalsPSG were the first to look dangerous with Vitinha 4â and Dembele 10â forcing Giorgi Mamardashvili into action The Redsâ response was immediate but Matvey Safonov was dominant in the air 16âFifteen minutes later the Parisian goalkeeper was again called into action this time with a fantastic save from Milos Kerkez before captain Marquinhos produced a breathtaking block to deny Virgil van Dijk 31â Despite the pressure from Anfield and Arne Slotâs players the capital club resisted and the two sides headed to the break tied at 00In the second half Liverpool had no choice but to throw everything into attack Cody Gakpo was introduced off the bench and the Dutch international quickly forced Matvey Safonov into another save 49âAs the minutes ticked by the pressure on the Paris goal intensified but neither Ryan Gravenberch 55â nor Kerkez 57â could hit the target And when the Reds did get a shot on goal Safonov was there to save Rio Ngumoha 71â Paris dug in their heels and weathered the stormBradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia combined in transition to set up Ousmane DembÃlà on the edge of the penalty box The Ballon dâOr winner curled home a brilliant leftfooted shot into the back of the netResigned to their fate Liverpool continued to press high up the field without ever truly threatening the Paris defence At the other end of the pitch Kvaratskhelia and Barcola once again combined for Dembele to finish off another clinical attack sealing Parisâ victory on English soil 02 901 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/dembeles-double-seals-holders-psgs-champions-league-sf-spot-669478.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/lookman-seals-champions-league-sf-berth-for-atleti-669480.html Madrid April 15 Ademola Lookman answered FC Barcelonaâs early fightback to send Atletico Madrid through to their first UEFA Champions League semifinal since 2017 Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres scored in an early Barcelona resurgence but Lookmans finish proved the decisive goal as Atleti earned 32 aggregate win to progressBarcelona made an electric start with Yamal weaving his magic to test Juan Musso within a minute and had their reward in the fourth minute when their No 10 rolled through Mussoâs legs after winning the ball off Clement Lenglet and racing onto a Torres passA big chance for Antoine Griezmann in the 22nd minute signalled greater balance in the contest but three clinical Torres touches then brought the visitors level in the tie the first two taking him away from Lenglet before the third found the topright cornerThere would be another twist in the tale before halftime though Ademola Lookman converting Marcos Llorentes low cross in the 31st minute to push Atleti back in frontThe secondhalf story was more straightforward Atleti settling into a defensive block which Barcelona continuously probed but could not unlockEric Garciaâs 80thminute dismissal for a foul on Alexander SÃrloth further dented hopes of a late surge but Barcelona nonetheless came close through Ronald Araujos header late in stoppage timeAtleti made it to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League on six occasions facing Real Madrid on two occasions Celtic FC Ajax Chelsea and Bayern München with our final appearance coming in the 201617 seasonIts been 14 years but seeing the team still competing really moves me The players have changed weve had to start over many times and yet here we are again among the top four in Europe Diego Simeone Atleti coach saidAtleti will face the winner of the tie between Arsenal and Sporting CP in the semifinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/lookman-seals-champions-league-sf-berth-for-atleti-669480.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/two-time-olympic-amp-world-champion-victor-axelsen-retires-from-professional-badminton-669523.html New Delhi April 15 Twotime Olympic champion Danish shuttler Viktor Axelsen has announced his retirement from professional badminton at the age of 32 owing to a prolonged back injury Axelsen who is a twotime world champion threetime European champion a Thomas Cup winner along with a former and longserving world number one and the owner of one of the most complete majortitle resumes in menâs singles history has been hampered by a serious back injury for the past two years Explaining the reason behind his decision Axelsen said it is no longer physically possible for him to continue playing badminton due to pain As most people know I have been struggling with my back for quite some time After I had surgery in April last year and went through a long rehabilitation process I unfortunately had a setback in October Since those tournaments I have not been able to play or train at the level required I have not been able to play or train due to pain and that is why I am unfortunately forced to make this extremely difficult decision he told Badminton EuropeAxelsen won the 2010 BWF World Junior Championships making him the first European player to win the title He made his senior debut in the same year winning at the Cyprus International In 2014 he achieved a great win at the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold In addition he is proudly decorated with two European Championships bronze medals and also won his first bronze medal at the BWF World Championships in 2014 In 2016 he became the first European badminton player to win the mens singles title at the BWF World Superseries Finals Axelsen made his Olympic debut in Rio 2016 where he won a bronze medal by defeating twotime Olympic champion Lin Dan The highlight of Axelsens career came when he won the mens singles gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Axelsen added a second world title in 2022 in a triumphant return to Tokyo and successfully defended his Olympic gold at Paris 2024 affirming his status as a badminton superstar He continued to explain how recurring issues and the risk of further surgery ultimately led to the decision âThe decision has been made in consultation with the surgeon who operated on me last year as well as the doctors I have been working with They say that with the pain I am experiencing now it could potentially require another surgery and if that does not go well even a more serious procedure might be necessary In any case it would mean I would not be able to compete at the level required So it is simply my body telling me to stop and I have to follow the advice of my doctors he addedAchieving success at the Olympics World Championships and European Championships he has become one of the most distinguished players in badminton history In October 2023 Axelsen marked his 100th consecutive week as the topranked player in the mens singles category Axelsen also reflected on his career and said Making this decision has been extremely difficult and at times felt unfair At the same time my body has done an incredible job over many years and I see it as a huge privilege to have been able to play train and win so many major tournaments at the highest level Very few people get to experience what I have experienced and meet so many amazing people Thatâs why I look back on my career with joyâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/two-time-olympic-amp-world-champion-victor-axelsen-retires-from-professional-badminton-669523.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pune-to-host-first-ever-shooting-league-of-maharashtra-from-april-17-669538.html Pune April 15 Pune will host the inaugural Shooting League of Maharashtra SLMfrom April 17â19 at the Chhatraguj Nurses School Amanora Park Organised by the Maharashtra Rifle Association MRA the league represents a key step in the structured rollout of the Shooting League of India SLI ecosystem at the state level Following the successful introduction of the Shooting League of Karnataka recently the Maharashtra edition marks the next phase in a calibrated panIndia approach to building a competitive league framework for the sportFor the first time in Maharashtra the SLM will introduce a teambased format with 18 district teams competing in 10m rifle and pistol events A total of 144 athletes will represent their districts infusing regional pride into a structured league aligned with SLIâs competition philosophyThe league will implement a shorter more dynamic match format in line with the SLI blueprint aiming to boost spectator engagement and simplify the sport without compromising highperformance standardsThe inaugural edition will feature some of Indiaâs top shooting talents Olympians and renowned coaches like Rahi Sarnobat Anjali Bhagwat Suma Shirur Deepali Deshpande Tejaswini Sawant Rudranksh Patil and Coach Ronak Pandit will serve as mentors They will share their expertise to help develop athletes within the leagueReflecting the sportâs meritdriven nature the SLM will adopt an inclusive format without gender restrictions permitting mixed teams and promoting equal opportunities in competitionWith input from districts across Maharashtra the league aims to strengthen the sports competitive foundation and establish a more prominent engaging platform that connects athletes with fans supporting the larger vision of the Shooting League of IndiaBuilding on the momentum of previous state initiatives the MRA takes a key step with the Shooting League of Maharashtra It aims to implement the SLI vision by establishing a unified system that links grassroots involvement fan engagement and toptier competition into one cohesive ecosystemTeams amp Shooters â Shooting League of Maharashtra 2026Sobo Giants Mumbai CityRifle Bhakti Khamkar Aditi Singh Shriya Gole Sara WadkePistol Jaj Mandal Het Patel Prajna Kesarkar Gazhla NaushadWestern Rangers Mumbai SuburbanRifle Nimesh Jadhav Anshika Singh Kaustubh Patil Darshan LohimaPistol Yash Jawalkar Geeta Mhaske Anagh Ghosh Niara KedarRokhthok Thane ThaneRifle Arikta Singh Swati Baudh Dhruv Kinalekar Dhairyashil PatilPistol Pravin Mishra Siddhesh Thorat Toshali Bhuta Veyanka DagaAamhi Punekar PuneRifle Medhavi Kudale Sakshi Padeka Simra Khan Suhas KumbharPistol Prathmesh Kadam Rajlaxmi Gore Chetan Sapkal Tejas WaghereRajdhani Satara SataraRifle Asawari Melavane Viraj Patil Anushka Mangrule Ritul KundlePistol Shubham Kshirsagar Janhavi Deshmukh Sheetal Desai Aditi JadhavKolhapur Bisons KolhapurRifle Samiksha Patil Sumedh Sasane Atharva Patil Dnyaneshwari PatilPistol Anurag Chougale Pranjali Dhumal Tejas Dhere Abhidnya PatilRaigad Warriors RaigadRifle Parth Mane Isha Taksale Rahul Sharma Divya DhumalPistol Santosh Sawant Janvi Manatkar Sameedha Chavan Priyanka SusvirkarSangli Alpha Lions SangliRifle Aditi Hadagal Pratik Jong Swara Magdum Alphia AttarPistol Pranav Patil Naeem Nardekar Vaishnavi Raje Viren GirigosaviNashik NemBaz NashikRifle Amruta Patil Radhesh Pardeshi Soha Inamdar Komal SahanePistol Suraj Datir Radhika Mahale Shraddha Jagtap Sairaj KankateGolden Finger PalgharRifle Mayuri Pawar Aditri Bhatt Gayatri Pedde Arnav ParabPistol Vijay Satote Shreem Pasad Raajwardhan Patil Nirbhai GirseSolapuri Bramhasra SolapurRifle Shraddha Divate Kiran Rajmane Payal Nandugade Jagruti ChakotePistol Vaishnavi Tingare Prathamesh Bansode Yashraj Gujare Vaishnavi KhatavkarAhilyanagar Lakshveer AhilyanagarRifle Abhishek Kamthe Anvita Jadhav Saumya Khedkar Sneha JangalePistol Rohit Wagh Swamini Jejurkar Rohit Wagh Raunak TokshiyaAurangabad Team â TBCRifle Rohan Jadhav Parth Kulkarni Dhanvi Sawaiwala Radhika SonwanePistol Krushnali Rajput Shraddha Tale Omkar Chavan Harshvardhan SirsathAmravati Dhurandhar AmravatiRifle Ansh Kature Shravani Shrirav Savi Gulhane Yash VeniPistol Tiya Loya Harsh Bakal Alvin Manu Tanishka DeshmukhWardha Warriors WardhaRifle Shawari Pakhale Gauri Mane Aishwarya Powar Vinit GhugalPistol Urja Kalekar Shantanu Bhosale Kasturi Gore Atharva PawadeChandrapur Diamonds ChandrapurRifle Prerana Morey Avantika Shelke Vedanti Bhatt Krishna ShelkePistol Tosif Sayyed Juily Dhapodkar Gaurav Zende Mahesh GhadgeNagpur Tigers NagpurRifle Samiksha Narsingkar Kaiwalya Lande Dharini Borade Heemanshu GabhanePistol Abhay Dhamale Prerna Yadav Parmesha Zade Adnan AliRatnagiri Shiledar RatnagiriRifle Yashika Shinde Harsh Bagave Nirzara Patil Lakshya IndurkarPistol Swayam Desai Rakesh Kadam Sairaj Kate Riya Kadam IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pune-to-host-first-ever-shooting-league-of-maharashtra-from-april-17-669538.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/russia-belarus-swimmers-cleared-to-compete-with-flags-anthems-as-world-aquatics-lifts-ban-669222.html Moscow April 14 World Aquatics has announced that it had lifted sanctions on Russian and Belarusian athletes and would allow them to compete with their national flags and anthems Following a decision of the World Aquatics Bureau and in consultation with the Aquatics Integrity Unit AQIU and the World Aquatics Athletes Committee the Guidelines for Athlete Participation in Aquatics Events During a Period of Political Conflict will no longer apply to senior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sporting nationality the sports governing body said in a statement published on its official websiteSenior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events in the same way as their counterparts representing other sport nationalities with their respective uniforms flags and anthems it addedIt also said that athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality will only be permitted to compete once they have successfully passed at least four successive antidoping controls carried out in partnership with the International Testing Agency ITA and completed background checks with the AQIUThe World Aquatics Bureau had previously amended the Guidelines which are implemented by the AQIU to enable junior athletes with Belarusian or Russian sport nationality to participate on the same basis as their fellow junior athletesâOver the last three years World Aquatics and the AQIU have successfully helped ensure that conflict can be kept outside the sporting competition venues We are determined to ensure that pools and open water remain places where athletes from all nations can come together in peaceful competitionâ said World Aquatics president Husain Al MusallamRussian Sports Minister and President of the Russian Olympic Committee Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed World Aquatics decision on the same dayWe welcome World Aquatics decision to readmit Russian and Belarusian athletes to all international aquatic competitions on an equal footing with other athletes in national uniforms with their national flags and anthems Degtyarev saidUnder Article 6 of the World Aquatics Constitution Russia and Belarus have also fully resumed their membership rights IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/russia-belarus-swimmers-cleared-to-compete-with-flags-anthems-as-world-aquatics-lifts-ban-669222.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/norrie-escapes-late-drama-as-wawrinka-says-goodbye-to-barcelona-669236.html Barcelona April 14 Cameron Norrie navigated a late twist at the Barcelona Open where he held off a spirited comeback from 41yearold Stan Wawrinka After failing to serve out the match at 54 in the second set Norrie ultimately battled for a dramatic 64 675 64 win after two hours and 33 minutes at the ATP 500 event Norrie the World No 24 is into the second round in Barcelona for the fifth time in his past six appearances He will next face American qualifier Ethan Quinn who earlier defeated countryman Reilly Opelka 75 767 It will be their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meetingWawrinka meanwhile ended his relationship with the city that dates back to 2004âmore than two decades agoâwhen he played his first Godo and lost in the opening round to Felix Mantilla The semifinals in 2006 and 2008 were Wawrinkaâs best results in his seven appearances in Barcelona a city where he lived during his youth alongside his coach and his brother while training in Castelldefels These were the early steps of a legendary righthander who went on to win three Grand Slam titles the US Open Roland Garros and the Australian Open although he never reached the world No 1 ranking peaking at No 3Stan was one of the few players capable of defeating the âBig Fourâ who dominated tennis during his career Nadal Djokovic Federer and Murray all fell at one point or another to one of Switzerlandâs most admired athletesLast December Wawrinka announced on social media that 2026 will be his last year on Tour The Swiss player has won 16 tourlevel titles including three major trophies and rose to a careerhigh No 3 in the ATP RankingsIn another action Tomas Martin Etcheverry also progressed to the second round after Jack Draper â playing his first match since his openinground loss in Miami â retired from their clash after one hour 45 minutes IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/norrie-escapes-late-drama-as-wawrinka-says-goodbye-to-barcelona-669236.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/yorkshire-sign-hasan-ali-to-replace-naveen-ul-haq-in-t20-blast-669351.html New Delhi April 14 Yorkshire have signed Pakistan international Hasan Ali as their overseas player for the upcoming T20 Blast The experienced Pakistani fast bowler will replace NaveenulHaq who is out due to injury Naveen suffered a stress fracture in his right shoulder He had already missed the T20 World Cup earlier this year and will not be available for his stint at Headingley His absence is a setback for Yorkshire who had originally signed the Afghan pacer for the competitionWith Hasan the club has found a proven performer in T20 cricket The 31yearold has significant experience having represented Pakistan 57 times in T20 internationals and played in various leagues around the world His previous performances in English domestic cricket have been impressive taking 44 wickets at an average of 1493 over three seasons with Warwickshire from 2023 to 2025 He is also in strong form in the Pakistan Super LeagueHasan is expected to be with Yorkshire throughout the Blast group stage He will also play in two County Championship matches against Warwickshire and Leicestershire adding depth to the squad across formatsYorkshireâs general manager of cricket Gavin Hamilton recognised the disappointment of missing Naveen but expressed confidence in their recruit âWhile were naturally disappointed that Naveen wont join us this year in Hasan we have an exceptional replacementâGavin Hamilton General Manager of Cricket said âWhilst weâre naturally disappointed to not see Naveen join us this year in Hasan we have an exceptional replacement âHe arrives with a wealth of experience and a skillset that we believe will be invaluable to the group Weâre delighted to have secured someone of Hasanâs quality at such short notice and everyone at the Club is looking forward to welcoming him to Headingley next monthâThe T20 Blast is the oldest domestic T20 league in the world which was established in 2003 and comprises 18 teams with 17 in England and 1 in Wales IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/yorkshire-sign-hasan-ali-to-replace-naveen-ul-haq-in-t20-blast-669351.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/pressure-mounts-on-arbeloa-as-madrid-chaseschampions-league-turnaround-669364.html Madrid April 14 Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa faces the most important game of his coaching career on Wednesday when his side travels to Bayern Munich for the second leg of its Champions League quarterfinal needing to overturn a 21 deficit from the first leg Kylian Mbappes goal at the Santiago Bernabeu last Tuesday gave Madrid hope after Luis Diaz and Harry Kane had put Bayern 20 ahead but history offers little encouragement Madrid has lost the first leg of a European knockout tie at home seven times and has overturned the deficit away only once in the 1970 European Cup Winners CupBayern meanwhile has a strong record of protecting an advantage progressing on 30 of the 31 occasions it has won the first leg away with the only exception coming against Inter Milan in 2011 reports XinhuaArbeloa is set to recall Jude Bellingham and Eder Militao to the starting lineup after both were limited to substitute appearances in the first leg but midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is suspendedTchouamenis absence is a significant setback given his form in a holding role this season particularly against Bayerns attacking strength Eduardo Camavinga struggled for consistency in recent weeks and faced criticismCentral defender Raul Asencio is also unavailable due to illness while leftback Ferland Mendy has been included in the squad but is unlikely to startMadrids 11 draw with Girona on Friday left the club nine points behind FC Barcelona in La Liga with seven games remaining and the team was booed off at the BernabeuArbeloas first match in charge after replacing Xabi Alonso in January ended in a Copa del Rey defeat to secondtier Albacete With the league title all but out of reach and the Spanish Super Cup already lost to Barcelona the Champions League represents Madrids only realistic chance of silverwareElimination in Munich would leave the club without a trophy this season and turn the remaining fixtures into a formality an outcome that would carry significant consequences for a club of Madrids stature and for president Florentino Perez who said at the weekend Real Madrid never gives inArbeloas future may depend on producing a comeback while his players have an opportunity to demonstrate their backing for the coach although Bayern will be confident of finishing the job IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/pressure-mounts-on-arbeloa-as-madrid-chaseschampions-league-turnaround-669364.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-mother-sold-her-jewellery-to-fund-sons-dream-the-story-of-sakib-hussain-669386.html New Delhi April 14 Rising Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Sakib Hussain has captured attention not just for his impressive IPL debut but for a journey defined by hardship perseverance and sacrifice a story that resurfaced after an old video from his stint with Kolkata Knight Riders went viral Coming from a modest background in Biharâs Gopalganj district Sakibâs early days in cricket were shaped by financial constraints with even basic equipment out of reach âShoes are very expensive Proper bowling spikes cost around Rs 10000 to Rs 15000 If we spend that much on shoes then what will we eatâ he said in a nowviral videoHis mother recalled the emotional toll of those moments and the sacrifices the family made to support his ambition âHe started crying saying âMummy I donât have shoes how will I playâ We didnât have that kind of money I had to sell my jewellery to somehow get him those shoesâ she saidDespite limited means Sakibâs rise in cricket was steady He initially served as a net bowler for Chennai Super Kings before being picked up by KKR ahead of the 2024 season However he did not feature in a match over two seasons with the franchiseReflecting on his roots Sakib highlighted the responsibilities he took on early in life due to his familyâs circumstances âIâm from Bihar and my district Gopalganj is about 125 km from Patna Back home we donât really have much We are farmers My father used to do farming but then he developed a knee problem so I told him he shouldnât continue anymoreâ he saidHis father echoed the familys struggles during that period âNow I am the one who has to earn for the family If I were ill even arranging a single meal became something we had to think aboutâ he saidSakibâs introduction to cricket came through local encouragement rather than structured training âThere is a ground near us so he used to go early in the morning for running Some local coaches noticed him and told him to try cricketâ his father addedHe began with tennisball cricket often travelling long distances to earn small match fees which further strengthened his resolveâI used to play tennisball cricket earning Rs 500 600 700 and sometimes even Rs 2000 if I travelled about 150 km to play From that point I made up my mind that I had to pursue cricketâ Sakib saidHis performances soon began to reflect his potential He made his T20 debut for Bihar in the 2022â23 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and impressed early claiming 420 in just his second appearance at the age of 17 He later registered a fivewicket haul in the 2025â26 Ranji Trophy returning figures of 641 against Arunachal PradeshThe performances caught the attention of IPL scouts and at the 2026 auction Sunrisers Hyderabad secured his services for Rs 30 lakhHe made an immediate impact on debut playing a key role in Hyderabadâs win while defending a total of 217 After early breakthroughs left the opposition struggling Sakib struck crucial blows including dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal He later broke a threatening partnership removing both Donovan Ferreira Jofra Archer and Ravi Bishnoi to seal the contestSakibâs rise from a small village to the IPL stage underscores a journey built on resilience and determination one that began with a simple challenge and a familyâs unwavering support and has now translated into success on cricketâs biggest domestic platform IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-mother-sold-her-jewellery-to-fund-sons-dream-the-story-of-sakib-hussain-669386.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/sinner-topples-alcaraz-to-win-monte-carlo-masters-crown-669089.html New Delhi April 12 Jannik Sinner delivered a composed performance to defeat Carlos Alcaraz 76 75 63 in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters to return to the World No 1 ranking for the first time since November 2025 Sinner joined Djokovic 2015 as the only men who have claimed the first three ATP Masters 1000 titles of the seasonIn a highquality match between the top two players Sinner narrowly won the tense opening set He then took control in the second set securing his third Masters 1000 title of the season after previously winning at Indian Wells and MiamiThis victory also extended his impressive winning streak in Masters events to 22 matchesThe match took place under tricky windy conditions in Monaco which caused both players to struggle for rhythm at times They combined for 83 unforced errors Despite this the match featured powerful shotmaking and momentum changes with neither player able to dominate early onAfter exchanging breaks in the first set the match moved to a tiebreak where Sinner raised his level at the key moment His improved firstserve accuracy played a crucial role After missing his first set point he took advantage of a double fault from Alcaraz to gain an early leadAlcaraz quickly responded in the second set breaking early to go up 31 and threatening to push the match to a deciding set However Sinner remained resilient under pressure saving break points and steadily finding his way back into the match as Alcaraz struggled to hold his serveThe turning point came when Sinner broke back to take a 43 lead placing the pressure on Alcaraz From there the Italian kept his composure breaking again before confidently serving out the match to claim his 27th ATP Tour titleReflecting on his victory Sinner said âIt has been an interesting week trying to learn how to play again on clay I came here hoping to play as many matches as possible and Iâm happy to win one big tournament on this surface Having this trophy and getting back to number one means a lot to meâHe added âToday was a very high level from both of us It was a bit breezy and different from the conditions we had during the weekâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/sinner-topples-alcaraz-to-win-monte-carlo-masters-crown-669089.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/samoa-qualify-for-second-consecutive-u19-womens-t20-wc-669117.html Port Moresby April 13 Samoa will make a second consecutive appearance at the ICC U19 Womens T20 World Cup after winning the 2026 East AsiaPacific Qualifier in Papua New Guinea on Monday Olive Lefaga Lemoes side went unbeaten at Amini Park in Port Moresby beating Fiji Indonesia Vanuatu and the hosts to claim the trophySamoa defeated Fiji on the final day to close out their campaign and claim World Cup tickets this time defending 130 Avetia Mapu who led the side at the 2024 edition of the U19 World Cup finished with an unbeaten 67 from 62 balls to set up her sides defence With the ball Samoa were emphatic keeping Fiji to 72 ICC reportsThere was little stopping the Samoans despite a target on their back this time as tournament favourites overcoming Vanuatu on the opening day by 58 runsA 53run win over the Indonesians followed though the Samoans faced a bigger test in match three against Papua New Guinea made more difficult after slumping to just 58 all outThe sides bowlers responded in emphatic fashion with Hardiya Paddas 49 4 and Telesia Vaoala Gabriels 47 34 completing a great escape holding Papua New Guinea to just 48It was Vaoala Gabriel again to stand up with the ball on the final day taking 419 4 alongside Padda 29 off three oversUnder Lefaga Lemoe the side will aim to taste victory for the first time in next years global event having fallen short of a victory in 2024The team hailing from the Pacific Ocean are the first side to book tickets for the World Cup via regional qualification with the next spot to be determined in the Asia region later this monthIn 2024 Samoa shocked the field at the U19 Womens East AsiaPacific Qualifier topping the fourteam competition to book tickets for the Womens U19 T20 World Cup 2025 Its was first time a Samoa had qualified for a World Cup in the sport in mens and womens cricket and across any format or age level IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/samoa-qualify-for-second-consecutive-u19-womens-t20-wc-669117.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/rory-mcilroy-clinches-second-consecutive-masters-title-669126.html Augusta April 13 Rory McIlroy secured his second consecutive Masters title edging out world No 1 Scottie Scheffler by a single shot to claim victory With the win McIlroy joins an elite group of just four players to win backtoback Masters titles becoming the first to do so since Tiger Woods achieved it in 2001â02A oneshot win over Scheffler gave McIlroy a 15year span between his first and sixth major championships McIlroy finished the tournament at 12underpar with a closing round of 71 maintaining at least a share of the lead throughout all four rounds After finally capturing his first Masters title last year to complete the career Grand Slam a feat that took over a decade he needed only one more year to add another green jacket to his collectionReflecting on the win McIlroy noted that while the pressure of completing the Grand Slam made last year particularly challenging he came to appreciate that winning the Masters is always a formidable task regardless of circumstancesI thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the grand slam And then this year I realized its just really difficult to win the Masters I tried to convince myself it was bothâ he said after the winJustin Rose who entered the final nine holes with a twoshot advantage and was aiming to become one of the oldest champions at age 45 faltered with four bogeys and ultimately finished tied for third at 10under alongside Tyrrell Hatton Russell Henley and Cameron Young Rose had also fallen short to McIlroy in a playoff the previous yearDespite a bogey on the 18th hole McIlroy managed to stay ahead of Scheffler who delivered a strong final round of 68 and became the first player since World War II to complete the final 36 holes of the Masters without a single bogeyThe victory brings McIlroyâs total major championship wins to six placing him level with Nick Faldo as the secondmost successful European golfer in majors behind only Harry VardonAcknowledging the difficulty of competing at the highest level McIlroy remarked that winning tournaments no longer comes as easily as it once did earlier in his career emphasising just how demanding the sport has becomeI dont make it easy I used to make it easy back in my early 20s when I was winning these things by eight shots Its just hard Its hard to win golf tournamentsâ he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/rory-mcilroy-clinches-second-consecutive-masters-title-669126.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-muzarabani-bennett-star-as-zimbabwe-upset-australia-by-23-runs-669004.html Colombo Feb 13 A fast bowling masterclass by pacers Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans who took four and three wickets respectively helped Zimbabwe bowl out Australia for 146 runs in 193 overs and register 23 runs win in their second match of the T20 World Cup 2026 played at the R Premadasa Stadium on Friday Matt Renshaw was the lone warrior for the 2021 T20 WC champions but lacked support as his valiant knock of 65 runs went in vain against Zimbabwe who registered their second win in the T20 World Cup against Australia Zimbabwe had previously done the same in the inaugural 2007 World CupChasing a challenging target Australia were off to a disastrous start as Zimbabwes pacers crushed the top order with the help of the swing movement present at the ground Opener Josh Inglis was the first to go as Muzarabani struck with the first ball he bowled in the match Allrounder Cameron Green followed suit in the next over as he went for a duckZimbabwe capitalised on the momentum further as Tim David who was making a return after injury was dismissed for a duck in the third over as Muzarabani got his second wicketAs the pressure mounted on the 2021 champions their standin captain Travis Head also got dismissed after scoring 17 runs off 15 balls which included three fours in the fourth over Australia were reeling at 384 at the end of the power playAustralias crisis man Glenn Maxwell again stood up for the team when needed the most He started slowly and built a 77run partnership with Matt Renshaw who was doing the attacking job and putting pressure on the opposition while Maxwell dealt in singles and doubles at the start of his inningsZimbabwe finally broke the pair in the 15th over when Maxwell was clean bowled by Ryan Burl while trying to break the shackles Maxwell scored 31 runs off 32 balls He hit one four and one six during his inningsMarcus Stoinis who got injured during the first innings came out to bat after medication but departed early after scoring just six runs off four ballsRenshaw continued his attack but lost his partners as Zimbabwe applied pressure with wickets and good fielding Renshaw got out in the 19th over He scored 65 runs off 44 balls Renshaw hammered five fours and one six during his inningsFor Zimbabwe Muzarabani took four wickets while Evans had three wickets to his name Wellington Masakadza and Ryan Burl also took one wicket eachEarlier riding on Brian Bennetts unbeaten 64run knock Zimbabwe posted 1692 in 20 overs against AustraliaComing to bat after losing the toss Zimbabwe were off to a good start as both the openers Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani dominated the Australian bowlers The duo tackled the seam at the start of the innings with clean striking and forged a 61run opening partnershipAustralia finally got the breakthrough in the 8th over when Marumani was sent to the pavilion by Marcus Stoinis He scored 35 runs off 21 balls and hammered seven fours during his stay at the creaseAustralia were not able to capitalise on the breakthrough as Brian Bennett continued to steer the innings with the help of Ryan Burl who got out on the last ball of the 16th over after scoring 35 runs off 30 balls Burl and Bennett added 70 runs together as they put pressure on the opposition during the middle oversBennett continued his attack and completed his fifty off 43 balls He remained unbeaten on 64 off 56 balls as Zimbabwe reached a competitive totalBrief Scores Zimbabwe 1692 in 20 overs Brian Bennett 64 not out Ryan Burl 35 Tadiwanashe Marumani 35 Cameron Green 16 Marcus Stoinis 1 17 beat Australia 14610 in 193 overs Matt Renshaw 65 Glenn Maxwell 31 Blessing Muzarabani 417 Brad Evans 323 by 23 runs IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/t20-wc-muzarabani-bennett-star-as-zimbabwe-upset-australia-by-23-runs-669004.html Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/bayern-break-bundesliga-goals-record-in-win-5-0-over-st-pauli-669014.html Hamburg April 12 FC Bayern beat St Pauli 50 to extend their lead in the Bundesliga to 12 points It meant Bayern broke the Bundesligaâs singleseason scoring record with now 105 goals this campaign Jamal Musiala handed Bayern an early lead with Leon Goretzka Michael Olise Nicolas Jackson and Raphael Guerreiro scoring after the breakBayern started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Konrad Laimer Minjae Kim Hiroki Ito and Tom Bischof in a back four Joshua Kimmich and Goretzka anchored a midfield featuring Olise Musiala and Guerreiro with Jackson up front Josip Stanisic Jonathan Tah Alphonso Davies Luis DÃaz and Bara Sapoko Ndiaye took over from Laimer Ito Kimmich Olise and Musiala in the second half Bayern Munich reportsBayern were dominant throughout and took an early lead when Laimerâs cross found Musiala who headed home It was Bayernâs 101st goal this campaign equalling the Bundesliga record from 197172 Jacksonâs deflected shot hit the bar before Olise fired wide from 15 yards as the Bavarians pushed for moreKimmich soon intercepted a pass and teed up Guerreiro who flicked it into the path of Musiala but his shot crashed away off the inside of the postKim made a fine block against Mathias Pereira Lage before Musiala miscued a header and Laimer fired wide as Bayern were one up at the breakThe pattern was similar after the restart although Andreas Hountondji soon tested Neuer The goal record finally fell when Kimmichâs freekick was flicked on and Goretzka volleyed home the teamâs 102nd of the league seasonBayernâs second opened the floodgates and they all but put the game to bed less than a minute later when Goretzka intercepted a pass and set up Olise who charged down the middle and found the bottom left corner of the netDÃaz saw an effort blocked but Munich added a fourth when they won the ball and Musiala invited Jackson to slot home Vincent Kompanyâs men made it five in the closing stages Jackson winning the ball and setting up Guerreiro who scored Bayernâs 105th goal this season Goretzka headed in another in added time but the goal was chalked off for offside on reviewThe victory takes Bayern onto 76 points 12 clear of Borussia Dortmund with five matches to go Vincent Kompanyâs team will be back in action on Wednesday when they take on Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/bayern-break-bundesliga-goals-record-in-win-5-0-over-st-pauli-669014.html Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/mls-inter-miami-and-red-bull-new-york-play-out-2-2-draw-669016.html Miami April 12 Inter Miami CF earned a point with a 22 draw at home against Red Bull New York in the MLS regular season Attackers Mateo Silvetti and German Berterame were on target at Nu Stadium as Miami extended its unbeaten run to six this season The visitors opened the scoring in the 15th minute with Jorge Ruvalcaba scoring for RBNY Miami persistently pushed for the equaliser throughout the remainder of the first 45 minutes finishing with four shots on target in the half and ultimately levelled the scoring through Silvetti in the second minute of stoppage time Bright started off the play in midfield with a ball to find De Paul out wide down the right flank who then delivered an inchperfect cross for Silvetti at the back post where the young Argentine attacker slotted the ball away with a firsttime right footed finish The goal was Silvettiâs second this regular season while the assist was the first for De Paul this league campaignMiami kicked off the second half with the same momentum and nearly took the lead with an attempt from Messi from inside the box in the 49th minuteIt didnât take long for the hosts to score though as Berterame struck from the center of the box in the 55th minute to record his first goal in Inter Miami colours Additionally pressure applied by Homegrown attacker Daniel Pinter was key in the ball recovery in RBNYâs half that led to the goal âRBNY equalised in the 77th minute with a goal from Adri Mehmeti The 22 scoreline held through the final whistle for Inter Miami to earn a point and extend its unbeaten run this regular season to sixNext Inter Miami will hit the road to visit the Colorado Rapids at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver Colorado on April 18 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/mls-inter-miami-and-red-bull-new-york-play-out-2-2-draw-669016.html Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-i-wasnt-able-to-get-going-team-needed-some-big-shots-says-mhatre-on-being-retired-out-669068.html Chennai April 12 IANS Chennai Super Kings batter Ayush Mhatre conceded that he wasnt able to get going at a juncture when the team needed boundaries in their 23run win over Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026 adding that he was fine with the plan of him being retired outnbspMhatre slammed 59 off 36 deliveries his second fifty of the season via three fours and four sixes and shared a 113run stand with centurion Sanju Samson before being retired out to send in Shivam Dube who hit a brisk 20 off 10 balls laced with two fours and a six in the last two overs and take CSK to a massive 2122There was nothing much I was batting and the team needed some big shots Shivam also can hit big shots I wasnt really able to get going so the team planned it that way It happens in the game This CSK team is very different and feels like a family for me They treat me like a kid so I really enjoy playing with them The support staff is also helping a lot and working hard for us said Mhatre to JioStarMhatre became the sixth batter to be retired out in the IPL after Ravichandran Ashwin Atharva Taide B Sai Sudharsan Tilak Varma and Devon Conway Barring that 2026 has been a good year for Mhatre who captained India to 2026 Mens U19 World Cup win after coming into limelight via his performances for CSK in IPL 2025 as a replacement for injured Ruturaj GaikwadThe Asia Cup was going on and the auction was happening side by side It would have been great if I got picked but even if I didnt I didnt need to feel bad because I had another big target to focus on which was the Asia Cup But as they say things happen for a reasonI was at the NCA when I got a call from CSK They wanted to see me bat in the nets so I had a twoday camp with them I came back to the NCA and two to three days later I got another call asking me to be ready and inform my family as they were completing the formalities They said I could play the next game against LSG but I couldnt get a flight ticketSo I joined the team in Mumbai The team was very welcoming During my first interaction with Mahi bhai he told me that now that I was selected I should just play my game go for my shots but not try to hit every ball and continue doing what I had been doing for the last two to three years recalled Mhatre on JioStar show Dream OnThe righthanded batter who counts veteran oepenr Rohit Sharma as his idol said a postmatch conversation with the veteran opener was a defining moment in his early career Rohit Sharma is my favourite cricketer I have been watching his batting since childhood He spoke to me very nicely after the game in the IPL That was the first time I met himHe praised my batting gave me a few tips on playing the short ball and urged me to continue playing the way I have been He even said that I could call him anytime without hesitation and that really helped calm my nerves Every young cricketers dream is to play for India The moment of wearing the jersey during the Under19 World Cup was special I didnt take any pressure about carrying a legacy or anything like thatLooking ahead Mhatre who went through the grueling commute from Virar to Churchgate for his cricket practice remains focused on the ultimate goal a longterm spot in the senior national side He will be next seen in action when CSK take on Kolkata Knight Riders on TuesdayMy main goal is to play for India stay in the team for a long time and perform Whether it is the Ranji Trophy or the IPL wherever I get a chance to play I want to do well and not focus too much on the results they will follow automaticallyIANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-i-wasnt-able-to-get-going-team-needed-some-big-shots-says-mhatre-on-being-retired-out-669068.html Sun, 12 Apr 2026 16:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/real-madrids-title-hopes-dealt-heavy-blow-afer-1-1-draw-at-home-to-girona-668903.html Madrid April 11 Real Madrid allbut said goodbye to this seasons La Liga title on Friday night after being held to a 11 draw in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium by Girona The draw leaves Real Madrid six points behind FC Barcelona in the standings with seven games left in the season with Barcelona having the chance to extend the lead to nine points with a win at home to Espanyol on Saturday evening reported XinhuaReal Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa made seven changes to the team that lost 21 at home to Bayern Munich on Tuesday in the Champions League with Eder Militao Raul Asencio Jude Bellingham Dani Carvajal and Brahim Diaz among those coming into the starting 11 while Arda Guler was among those rested with an eye on Wednesdays return legThe first half saw chances for both sides with Kylian Mbappe Vinicius and Federico Valverde all going close for Real Madrid while at the other end Andriy Lunin did well to frustrate Azzedine Ounahi while Claudio Echeverri went close for Girona in injury timeValverde put Real Madrid ahead in the 51st minute with a shot from outside of the penalty area that Girona goalkeeper Pablo Gazzaniga made a horrible mess of trying to stop and Mbappe was close to making it 20 soon afterwards but Girona was level just after the hourFormer Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Lemar was allowed to collect the ball outside of the Real Madrid penalty area step forward and beat Lunin with a leftfoot shot into the corner of the goalWith the crowd in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium growing increasingly impatient Arbeloa made several changes but it was to no avail as Girona held on for a point that helps its effort to avoid relegation IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/real-madrids-title-hopes-dealt-heavy-blow-afer-1-1-draw-at-home-to-girona-668903.html Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/freiburg-beat-celta-vigo-in-europa-league-quarterfinal-first-leg-668722.html Freiburg im Breisgau April 10 SC Freiburg took control of their UEFA Europa League quarterfinal against Celta Vigo with a 30 firstleg home win leaving Julian Schusters side well placed before the return in Vigo In the clubs first European quarterfinal Freiburg set the tone immediately The home side pinned the visitors back in the opening stages and turned that pressure into a deserved lead after 10 minutesVincenzo Grifo created room near the left edge of the box and bent a shot into the right corner The effort took a deflection but Vigo goalkeeper Radu had no chance as Freiburgs start paid off reports XinhuaThe hosts kept control rather than retreating Their counterpressing shut down the Spanish sides transition threat and helped produce the second goal in the 32nd minutePhilipp Treu won the ball near Vigos penalty area and Igor Matanovic kept his composure squaring for Niklas Beste who had the simple task of finishing from close rangeFreiburg nearly extended the margin again soon after Johan Manzambi drove in from the right and struck the right post leaving the score at 20 at halftimeClaudio Giraldez responded with a double substitution at the start of the second half but the visitors still struggled to change the flow of the game Freiburg remained in charge even if clear chances were harder to come by for a spellYuito Suzuki threatened to break through while Celta Vigo finally fashioned an opening in the 70th minute when former Leverkusen player Borja Iglesias tried his luck from the edge of the area and sent his effort narrowly overFreiburg added a third from a corner Bestes delivery from the left found Matthias Ginter who won his aerial duel and headed in to make it 30Fer Lopez then missed a late chance for the visitors while Radu denied Lucas Holer at the other end leaving Freiburg with a commanding advantage for next weeks second legWe produced an incredible performance very mature and very brave We made good decisions used the ball well and then the chances came From the first minute we were clearly the better team We wanted the third goal because we know it will be difficult in Vigo said Freiburg captain Grifo IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/freiburg-beat-celta-vigo-in-europa-league-quarterfinal-first-leg-668722.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/cucho-hernandez-penalty-earns-braga-1-1-draw-in-europa-league-qf-first-leg-668730.html Braga April 10 Cucho Hernandezs secondhalf penalty cancelled out an early Florian Grillitsch opener as Braga and Real Betis settled for a 11 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarterfinals tie The tie is fascinatingly poised ahead of the return in Seville next week after a tight engaging affair at EstÃdio Municipal de Braga ended all squareBraga got off to a lightning start Diego Rodrigues delivering a low corner and Grillitsch applying a delightful improvised flicked finish at the near post to give his side the early leadBetis came close to an equaliser after 24 minutes centreback Marc Bartra rising to meet Marc Rocas curling freekick with a glancing header that hit the post and bounce away from dangerBraga goalkeeper LukÃÅ HornÃÄek then had to be alert ten minutes before halftime to tip away Cucho HernÃndezs closerange header as the visitors began to ramp up the pressure in search of a levellerStar winger Antony was introduced as a halftime substitute to try to inject some pace and trickery for the visitors but it was Braga who had the first meaningful effort of the second period Grillitsch Pau López into a good save from rangeOn the hour though Betis were handed a lifeline when JeanBaptiste Gorby fouled Abde Ezzalzouli in the box Cucho HernÃndez emphatically dispatching his penalty into the lefthand corner to draw his side levelThe second leg takes place in Seville on April 16 The winners of the tie advance to the semifinals where they will meet either Freiburg or Celta the first leg is at home on April 30 before the return a week later The final takes place at Istanbuls Besiktas Park on May 20 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/cucho-hernandez-penalty-earns-braga-1-1-draw-in-europa-league-qf-first-leg-668730.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/forest-claim-first-leg-draw-at-porto-in-europa-league-qf-first-leg-668738.html Porto April 10 Nottingham Forest played out a 11 draw in the first leg of the Redsâ UEFA Europa League quarter final tie against FC Porto at the Estadio do Dragao Porto began brightly and could have taken the lead inside a minute but visiting keeper Stefan Ortega was equal to Terem Moffiâs attempt to find the bottom cornerThe Dragoesâ early intensity paid off with a little over ten minutes gone as William Gomes slammed Gabriel Veigaâs defencesplitting delivery high into the Forest goal to cap an incisive passing move from the hostsPorto were level in bizarre fashion barely 180 seconds later when Martim Fernandesâ back pass eluded his skipper Diogo Costa in the Porto goal and rolled into the netFrancesco Farioliâs men carved out another opportunity shortly before halftime with the lively Moffiâs glancing header testing Ortega but once again the Forest custodian foiled the Nigerian internationalThe Primeira Liga side appeared the most likely to craft a winner in the second period with goalscorer Gomes sending a low drive just wide of the upright following a surging run from the right wing soon after the interval and also forcing the busy Ortega into a fine onehanded stop via a leftfooted curlerBoth sides made attacking changes and it was Fariolis replacements who nearly paid dividends with Dragons subs Pepê and Victor Froholdt linking up well only for the Danish international to send his strike flashing across the face of goalVitor Pereira Nottingham Forest head coach told TNT Sportsl Porto playing at home are a strong team and they are in good momentum I think we did well The players tried everything to be organised to create something In the end 11 is a good result And well see what we can do playing at homeRyan Yates Nottingham Forest captain added I thought it was a really tactical game They had spells on the ball we had to be disciplined defensively wellorganised I think the first ten minutes it took us a little bit to get into it but I think it was a fair result in the end IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/forest-claim-first-leg-draw-at-porto-in-europa-league-qf-first-leg-668738.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/hockey-india-appoints-tim-white-as-womens-team-coach-668752.html New Delhi April 10 Hockey India today officially announced the appointment of Tim White as the coach of the Indian junior womens team The Australian highperformance coach who recently served as the head coach of the Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons in the Hockey India League HIL in January takes over the role with a clear focus on developing the next generation of international stars Whites coaching career includes recent success in Belgium and past experience with Australia Prior to his arrival in India he served as the coach for the Belgium Under21 womens team guiding them to a bronze medal at the 2025 Junior World Cup in DecemberBetween 2021 and 2024 he was also an integral part of the Belgium womens national team coaching staff during which time the team significantly improved its world ranking from No 12 to 3 notably achieving a semifinal finish at the 2024 Paris Olympic GamesEarlier in his career he held the position of national junior coach for Australia where he also secured a bronze medal at the Junior World CupCommenting on his appointment White said Having recently spent time in India as the coach of the Tamil Nadu Dragons I was drawn back by the countrys incredible passion and rich hockey culture I have seen the immense young talent here while coaching against India at Junior World Cups and the chance to work in a fulltime program with such motivated athletes is a privilege My goal is to produce technically sound players who are ready to bridge the gap and push for spots in the senior teamOn his vision for the squad he added I want to keep the game simple and focus on our collective and individual strengths We will aim to be a team that values attacking hockey but remains exceptionally disciplined in our defensive structures It is vital that we work hard physically to ensure we perform at a high level for the full 60 minutes By mastering core skills under pressure and playing teamfirst hockey we will be wellprepared for any international challengeWhiteâs appointment is seen as a strategic step to integrate modern tactical discipline into Indiaâs junior ranks His background includes serving as the National Junior Coach for Hockey Australia and overseeing highperformance pathways in EuropeHockey India President Dilip Tirkey welcomed the appointment stating We are delighted to bring Tim White on board His proven track record with the Belgian and Australian junior programs speaks for itself particularly his success in leading teams to podium finishes at the Junior World Cups We believe his vast experience in highperformance coaching and athlete development will be crucial in preparing our junior women for the challenges of senior international hockeyHockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh added Timâs appointment aligns with our goal of providing our junior teams with worldclass coaching The transition from junior to senior hockey is a critical phase and we are confident that under Timâs guidance our young athletes will develop the technical and tactical maturity required to excel at the highest level IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/hockey-india-appoints-tim-white-as-womens-team-coach-668752.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/hockey-india-appoints-tim-white-as-junior-womens-team-coach-668753.html New Delhi April 10 Hockey India today officially announced the appointment of Tim White as the coach of the Indian junior womens team The Australian highperformance coach who recently served as the head coach of the Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons in the Hockey India League HIL in January takes over the role with a clear focus on developing the next generation of international stars Whites coaching career includes recent success in Belgium and past experience with Australia Prior to his arrival in India he served as the coach for the Belgium Under21 womens team guiding them to a bronze medal at the 2025 Junior World Cup in DecemberBetween 2021 and 2024 he was also an integral part of the Belgium womens national team coaching staff during which time the team significantly improved its world ranking from No 12 to 3 notably achieving a semifinal finish at the 2024 Paris Olympic GamesEarlier in his career he held the position of national junior coach for Australia where he also secured a bronze medal at the Junior World CupCommenting on his appointment White said Having recently spent time in India as the coach of the Tamil Nadu Dragons I was drawn back by the countrys incredible passion and rich hockey culture I have seen the immense young talent here while coaching against India at Junior World Cups and the chance to work in a fulltime program with such motivated athletes is a privilege My goal is to produce technically sound players who are ready to bridge the gap and push for spots in the senior teamOn his vision for the squad he added I want to keep the game simple and focus on our collective and individual strengths We will aim to be a team that values attacking hockey but remains exceptionally disciplined in our defensive structures It is vital that we work hard physically to ensure we perform at a high level for the full 60 minutes By mastering core skills under pressure and playing teamfirst hockey we will be wellprepared for any international challengeWhiteâs appointment is seen as a strategic step to integrate modern tactical discipline into Indiaâs junior ranks His background includes serving as the National Junior Coach for Hockey Australia and overseeing highperformance pathways in EuropeHockey India President Dilip Tirkey welcomed the appointment stating We are delighted to bring Tim White on board His proven track record with the Belgian and Australian junior programs speaks for itself particularly his success in leading teams to podium finishes at the Junior World Cups We believe his vast experience in highperformance coaching and athlete development will be crucial in preparing our junior women for the challenges of senior international hockeyHockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh added Timâs appointment aligns with our goal of providing our junior teams with worldclass coaching The transition from junior to senior hockey is a critical phase and we are confident that under Timâs guidance our young athletes will develop the technical and tactical maturity required to excel at the highest level IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/hockey-india-appoints-tim-white-as-junior-womens-team-coach-668753.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ben-lister-replaces-injured-kristian-clarke-in-nz-squad-for-bangladesh-tour-668771.html Wellington April 10 Leftarm seamer Ben Lister has been recalled to New Zealandâs ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh as a replacement for the injured Kristian Clarke Lister who last played for New Zealand more than two years ago has been drafted into the squad after sustaining a laceration to the webbing of his right hand while attempting to take a catch for the New Zealand A in their second oneday match against Sri Lanka A earlier this weekThe 30yearold seamer has four and 11 scalps from three ODI and 12 T20I appearances respectively for New Zealand âLister who is also part of the New Zealand A oneday squad in Sri Lanka will link up with the BLACKCAPS in Bangladesh on Sunday ahead of the ODI series which gets underway in Mirpur on Fridayâ said New Zealand Cricket NZC in a statement NZC further said pacer Ben Sears has been ruled out of the ODI leg of the tour of Bangladesh after being signed as a late replacement by Pakistan Super League PSL franchise RawalpindizâSears wonât be replaced in the BlackCaps ODI squad for Bangladesh and will instead join up for the T20 series which gets underway in Chattogram on Thursday April 30â added NZC The New Zealandbased members of the contingent are scheduled to depart for Bangladesh on Monday morning The first two matches of the ODI series will be played at the ShereBangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur while the final game is scheduled to be held at the Bir Shreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Cricket Stadium in ChattogramThe action then shifts to the T20I series with backtoback fixtures in Chattogram on April 27 and 29 while the final game will be held in Dhaka on May 2 New Zealand will come to Bangladesh on the back of being runnersup at the 2026 ICC Menâs T20 World Cup before losing a home T20I series to South Africa 32 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ben-lister-replaces-injured-kristian-clarke-in-nz-squad-for-bangladesh-tour-668771.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/world-no-1-sheetal-devi-prioritises-para-asian-games-in-japan-defers-la28-paralympics-focus-668677.html New Delhi April 9 World Archery Para Champion and world number one Sheetal Devi is not looking at LA 2028 Paralympics just yet as she remains rooted in the present focusing on a stepbystep ascent towards the Para Asian Games later this year in Japan before looking towards the larger goal of the Paralympics Last month Sheetal took the honour of the paraarcher of the year at the World Archery Awards after a breakthrough 2025 season that included a world title in GwangjuI dont think too far ahead like jumping straight to the Paralympics I prefer taking it step by step Sheetal said in a press conference organised by Sports Authority of India SAI Even in the World Series my focus was simply on doing my best The Paralympics will come later since the Asian Games are happening first that is where my main focus lies she addedSheetal took silver at the World Archery Para Series event which was the first outdoor international of 2026 as her compatriot Payal Nag a quadruple amputee clinched the gold with 139136 in the final When asked about her preparation for the Para Asian Games in Japan she replied So far the training is going well while coach Gaurav Sharma noted The preparations are going good She hasnt played continuously this year so far but the performance has remained strong Coming in first or second is just a part of the game It is great that the gold medal went to India Payal considers Sheetal her idol so losing to her is also a matter of pride since it was to a fellow Indian compatriotHe continued It is a good thing that ahead of the Asian Games weâve realised that our competition within India is also very high Often athletes feel that their only competition is from foreigners but it is positive that we are finding such tough competition right here in India This will only increase our focus for the Asian GamesElaborating more about the training process coach Gaurav added they are currently stationed in Patiala through May and planning a next phase of their preparation in the United States with support from the Target Olympic Podium Scheme TOPS and the Sports Authority of India SAI We are training in Patiala until May After May we plan to train in the USA with the support of TOPS Target Olympic Podium Scheme and SAI Sports Authority of India There is currently a bit of a visa issue which will hopefully be sorted out If the USA plan doesnt work out we will continue training in PatialaWhile there are good archers to train with in India as well training abroad provides great exposure and helps us understand international standards Preparations are currently aligned with Japans timing and we will gradually shift our schedule accordingly he explainedAsked about her how does having a teammate who uses a different shooting style push you to innovate your own game Sheetal told IANS Our match was absolutely wonderful It is a matter of pride that India won both medals It is very heartening to see that many paraarchers from India are going abroad to compete and are bringing back so many medalsCoach Gaurav added Payals shooting style is very different because she is a quadruple amputee and since Sheetal is missing two limbs their approaches will automatically differ Payal has a different shooting mechanism and her own distinct style so their methods will always remain different IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/world-no-1-sheetal-devi-prioritises-para-asian-games-in-japan-defers-la28-paralympics-focus-668677.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/monte-carlo-masters-fonseca-enters-atp-masters-1000-qf-for-the-first-time-668690.html Monaco April 9 Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca has become the youngest quarterfinalist at the MonteCarlo Masters since 18yearolds Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet achieved the feat in 2005 He won a forehand battle with Matteo Berrettini 10 years his senior on Thursday The 19yearold claimed four service breaks and dropped just three points on his first serve in a 63 62 victory to advance to his first quarterfinal at the ATP Masters 1000 level Moreover Fonseca is the second man born in 2006 to reach the quarterfinals at an ATP Masters 1000 event joining Martin Landaluce who reached that stage in Miami last monthAs both players uncorked their serves and forehands there was little separating them in the match until Fonseca put Berrettini on the back foot in the eighth game Backpedalling at the net the Italian netted an awkward lob and then on break point down he netted an overly aggressive forehand moving backwards deep and wide behind the baseline to drop serve Fonseca then served out the set to love according to reportsThe decisive moment of the second set came in the fifth game Berrettini had just broken back for 2all but was staring down a break point Fonsecaâs routine crosscourt forehand volley clipped the net giving Berrettini plenty of time to set up a midcourt pass into an open court Still the Italian pushed it wide as the Brazilian hustled to his left to entice the 29yearold into overplaying his forehandFonseca who is the first Brazilian Masters 1000 quarterfinalist since Thomaz Bellucci in Madrid in 2011 will next meet the winner of the match between thirdseeded German Alexander Zverev and Belgian Zizou BergsFonseca who is making his debut in MonteCarlo is up five spots to No 35 in the ATP Live Rankings after levelling his ATP HeadtoHead series with Berrettini at 11 Berrettini meanwhile remains at No 90 in the Live Rankings far below his careerhigh of No 6 IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/monte-carlo-masters-fonseca-enters-atp-masters-1000-qf-for-the-first-time-668690.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/atp-tour-holger-rune-to-make-comeback-at-hamburg-open-in-may-668696.html Hamburg April 9 Holger Rune will make his longawaited comeback following a lengthy injury break at the Hamburg Open an ATP 500 tournament in May the organisers said on Thursday Rune who is still on the entry list for the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome at the start of May will make his third appearance in Hamburg The Dane reached the quarterfinals in 2024 His 2025 season however was abruptly interrupted In October Rune suffered a complete Achilles tendon rupture during the ATP tournament in Stockholm The injury required surgery followed by several months of rehabilitation Since then he has been working intensively on his return to the tour which is now officially confirmed âThe hard work starts in Hamburg I canât wait to be back on clay at the Bitpanda Hamburg Open and to finally experience the atmosphere on site again after such a long breakâ Rune said Before his injury Rune compiled a 3622 winloss record in 2025 according to the ATP WinLoss Index Tournament Director Enric Molina Mur also expressed his enthusiasm about Runeâs participation âWe are very pleased that Holger Rune will make his comeback with us in Hamburg I know how much work he has put into this intensive rehabilitation period and we feel honoured that he has chosen the Bitpanda Hamburg Open for his return I am confident that he will once again experience the special atmosphere at Rothenbaum both from the Hamburg crowd and from the many Danish fans who will travel to the city said MurAlongside Rune several German players have already confirmed their participation including JanLennard Struff and rising talent Justin Engel World number 3 Alexander Zverev will also compete in his hometown and aims to capture the title International competition will be strong with defending champion Flavio Cobolli and Canadaâs Felix AugerAliassime also returning to Rothenbaum IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/atp-tour-holger-rune-to-make-comeback-at-hamburg-open-in-may-668696.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/champions-league-psg-take-2-0-first-leg-advantage-over-liverpool-in-qf-first-leg-668581.html Paris April 9 Goals in each half from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have given a dominant Paris SaintGermain a 20 lead over Liverpool after the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal at the Parc des Princes Paris avenged their home defeat by Liverpool in last seasons knockout stage to secure a firstleg advantage in their Champions League quarterfinalPSG dominated but lost 10 to Liverpool at the Parc des Princes in last seasons round of 16 â although they ultimately progressed on penalties â and any chance of a repeat of that scoreline was extinguished within 11 minutes when Desire Doue opened the scoring with a shot from just inside the box that looped off Ryan Gravenberchs heel and over Giorgi MamardashviliPSG continued to look the more dangerous with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia taking a firsttime shot that forced his compatriot Mamardashvili into another save 32Liverpools Georgian goalkeeper was on hand again a few minutes later denying Douà a second goal following superb leadup play from Nuno Mendes 37 Les Rouge et Bleu headed into the break with a onegoal lead having not conceded a single shot on target from the oppositionThe second half began in much the same vein Paris went in search of a second goal and Ousmane Dembele was the next to be denied after another fine run by Nuno Mendes down the left 53 Sheer determination and patience finally paid off when Luis Enriqueâs men found the net for a second time perfectly set up by Joao Neves Kvaratskhelia toyed with the opposition defence before applying a delightfully simple finish 20 65Wave after wave of attack crashed against the English sides defence and they narrowly escaped with a VAR penalty overule after a challenge from Ibrahima Konate on Warren ZaÃreEmery 70 The chances were coming thick and fast for Les Rouge et Bleu but Achraf Hakimi was denied by Mamardashvili 82 and DembÃlà saw his shot hit the post 87 In the dying moments of the match Ibrahima Konate was once again spared by the referee for another clear penalty shout after yet another Nuno Mendes raid 902PSG now take a 20 lead to Anfield next Tuesday for the return leg with a place in the semifinals at stake IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/champions-league-psg-take-2-0-first-leg-advantage-over-liverpool-in-qf-first-leg-668581.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-when-rashids-back-to-basics-masterclass-turned-tide-in-gts-favour-668586.html New Delhi April 9 The numbers from Wednesday nightâs edge of the seat thriller in IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium tell the story of a batting carnage Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans combined to make 419 runs including 39 fours and 21 sixes being hit DCâs spinners were at the receiving end of some blazing bighitting from Shubman Gill Jos Buttler and Washington Sundar to concede 97 runs in eight overs at an economy rate of 1212 But one man refused to follow the same script â Gujarat Titans legspinner Rashid Khan who threw a spanner in DCâs batting plans by picking 317 in four overs at an economy rate of 425 and shifted the game in his teams favour to eventually prevail by one run The signs of Rashid having a huge say in the game came in the fifth over of the powerplay when he beat KL Rahul on the outside edge with a legbreak spinning away sharply But it was when DC crossed 100 in 94 overs that Rashid finally decided to have his say Nitish Rana miscued a googly from Rashid to a diving B Sai Sudharsan running in from longoff just after he managed to survive an lbw review The most telling effect though came when Sameer Rizvi â DCâs saviour both of their successful chases was bamboozled by a googly spinning in to castle him through the gate for a golden duckThe RizviRashid matchup was one of the intriguing subplots in the clash and the legspinner prevailed in it in an emphatic fashion Rashid would sign off from the night by foxing Axar Patel with yet another googly which gripped and spun away as the batter sliced to extra cover Each of Rashids three scalps fell for singledigit scores and on the googly The hallmark of Rashids bowling has always been the ability to attack the stumps relentlessly and not giving batters much room to break free With the quicker pace he bowls it becomes difficult to send the ball over boundary ropes which Rana Rizvi and Axar realised IPL 2026 has been witness to Rashid being back to his best self after getting only ten and nine wickets in last two seasons apart from the economy rate having an alarming spike Rashid being taken apart frequently by batters in the last two years had a lot to do with him pushing through the pain to play the 2023 ODI World Cup and later underwent a back surgery that would rule him out until early 2024 I was told to get a back surgery after IPL 2023 but after that season the doctor told me âYou need a surgery you cant just keep playing with thatâ But then we had the 2023 ODI World Cup and I told him âI wanna play this World Cupâ âI think I pushed myself a lot in that World Cup and after that it was really bad even I was not able to walk after the tournament But thatâs where I had the surgery and after the surgery I was very very careful with my backâ Rashid later said in the postmatch press conference Though the surgery repaired the structural damage Rashidâs pace dropped lengths became wayward and the zip so essential for his ability to hurry batters and deny them room â went missing âThat affected my bowling action the release and everything So I was trying to be careful but with that I missed a little bit of my rhythm I was trying to bowl slow for 234 months where I was not in that shape like before the surgeryAfter having a bad season in 2025 I thought okay whats wrong now Where Im whats the thing Im missing I felt like it was the whole rhythm from starting to the finishing What it was not allowing me was that there was a bit of pain in the back still I was scared of like whats gonna happen if I push it againâGiving himself time off after IPL 2025 to solely work on his fitness came as a big blessing for Rashid âSo I worked on my core and tried my best to make it as strong as possible and then go on with full energy When I had a couple of three good months off I had a good hundred competition in the UK âSo since that things got started again But more importantly I try my best to just work on my fitness Thats something which I can improve and that allows my body to bowl with full rhythmâThe data from Wednesdayâs game throws light on how Rashid was at his best self of the 24 balls Rashid bowled 11 landed on a good length â yielding him two wickets at an economy of just 218 Even when he dropped short it was more pitched on the backofthelength area Where once Rashid may have loaded up with variations he stuck to his basics and dished out a masterclass in it âSometimes you think far ahead of the things which are not going to happen soon If youre batting you think about your bowling and thats something which is like youre putting an extra pressure on yourself already For me its like there will be a time when you get a good wicket or a bad wicket to bowl on and a flat wicket âBut the more important thing is when youre conceding runs on those wickets you have to see your line and length Thats something which is more important than anything else you think about it I feel in the last two games I think I bowled well but where I conceded runs it was just like the length I have missed I shouldnt really think about like okay whats the result but the result is like if I hit the right area the right thing is going to happenâIf I bowl badly anybody can hit me So I feel as a bowler you should think about like okay whats the toughest ball I can bowl on this wicket to make it harder for the batter If youre making the job easier for the batter where he wants then I dont think so on these wickets and boundaries thereâs any good enough total to defend So I feel its more important that you have the control over where you want to bowlâ he elaborated The scorecard will draw the fans eyes to the fifties made by batters from both teams But those who watched the game closely know whose four overs really set up GTs first win of IPL 2026 On a night built for a batting spectacle the difference between winning and losing was in the end the distance between everyone else and Rashid sticking to his basics IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-when-rashids-back-to-basics-masterclass-turned-tide-in-gts-favour-668586.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-sometimes-it-happens-says-nissanka-on-miller-turning-down-penultimate-ball-single-668594.html New Delhi April 9 Amidst the cold winds running on Wednesday night the tension at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was palpable After all two runs were needed from two balls for Delhi Capitals to get a hattrick of wins in IPL 2026 What also boosted the morale of fans chanting Letâs go DCâ constantly was the bighitting David Miller still at the crease and had smacked Prasidh Krishna for a towering 106m six landing on the top floor of North West stand shortly after the pacer took out Vipraj NigamSuddenly flashes of Miller when in GT colours smashing three consecutive sixes off Krishna who was in Rajasthan Royals at that time to win Qualifier 1 in IPL 2022 when 16 runs were needed off the last six deliveries emerged in everyoneâs mind But in sports everyone has a long memory but end results have a short tolerance for sentimentHere in New Delhi Millerâs whirlwind late hitting after retiring hurt on 12 in the 13th over due to a blow to his left hand brought the equation to two runs needed off two balls Miller and Kuldeep had a long discussion in the middle even as tension engulfed the stadium and both teams dugoutsThe equation was straightforward take the single on the penultimate ball scores level Kuldeep on strike for the last ball worst case â the game goes into Super Over But if the single wasnât taken Miller would retain the strike and one ball to win or lose the match would be on himThis is what exactly happened when Prasidh bowled short and slower on which Miller pulled towards deep square leg The single was there for the taking but they didnt run After a bit of chat between Prasidh Shubman Gill and Rahul Tewatia three fielders were stationed at the legside fence â in anticipation of cutting a big shot from MillerThe final ball from Prasidh was another slower bouncer just outside offstump Miller pulled and missed but with no choice he and Kuldeep ran Jos Buttler quickly hit the stumps with an underarm throw and despite Kuldeep diving he fell short of the creaseEven as GT started to celebrate a thrilling win more drama came in Miller opted for a wide review â the graphics showed his head height was at 187 metres while the ball at 175 metres Not a wide â GTâs celebrations continued and Miller who put DC on path to win through an extraordinary counterattacking 41 off 20 balls was emotional over enduring a case of âso close yet so farâ halting DCâs march for a hattrick of winsWe havenât discussed it yet but sometimes it happens in cricket was DC opener Pathum Nissankas reply to the question on Miller not taking a single on the fifth ball in the postmatch press conferenceAsked about his thoughts on the error from Miller GT legspinner Rashid Khan said I think when we bowled last three balls eight runs were needed Then we had the equation as two balls two runs I think it was a very close game but we just needed a one ball to get the winâSpeaking to the broadcasters GT skipper Shubman Gill would reveal that it was an easy decision to bowl slower balls when Miller declined to take the single We have a chance to win We were just discussing whether to go for the yorker or to go for the slower one We decided that given the wicket how its playing the slower one a good slower one will be difficult to hit for a boundaryOutside the stadium every DC fan asked each other the same agonising question why didnt Miller take that single In T20 cricket onerun defeats invite a dozen discussions on many whatifs But Millers decision was a conscious choice made with full knowledge of the high stakes involved He backed himself to take DC over the but missed it as a solitary run separated a cruel heartbreak from a stunning heist IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/ipl-2026-sometimes-it-happens-says-nissanka-on-miller-turning-down-penultimate-ball-single-668594.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/badminton-asia-cships-ayush-enters-qf-sindhu-prannoy-bow-out-668628.html Ningbo April 9 Ayush Shetty continued his fine form at the Badminton Asia Championships as he entered the quarterfinals after beating Chin Yu Jen of Taipie in straight games here on Thursday while twotime Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy concluded their campaigns with their respective secondround losses Ayush the US Open 2025 champion registered a comfortable 2116 2112 win over the Taipie shuttler in a match that lasted for 41 minutesAyush started off his campaign with a stunning win over world No 7 and fifth seed Li Shi Feng of China 2113 2116 in the opening round He will look to carry the momentum in the quarterfinal when he faces third seed Jonatan Christie of IndonesiaMeanwhile twotime Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and former world championship medallist H S Prannoy bowed out after losing their respective secondround matchesPrannoy who came into the second round with a straightgames 2422 2112 win over Nguyen Hai Dang suffered a 1221 1921 loss at the hands of world no 17 Weng Hong Yang of Hong KongIn the womens singles Sindhu also suffered a straightgame defeat to the twotime Asian Champions and second seed Chinese Wang Zhi Yi Sindhu had rallied to enter the second round after winning her womenâs singles opener 1521 2111 2119 against Wong Ling Ching of MalaysiaIn the mixed doubles India also suffered a heartbreak as the pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila fell to the fourthseed duo of Toh Ee Wei and Chang Ten Jie 1321 1421Later in the day Unnati Hooda who came from a game down to upset world No 11 Supanida Katethong of Thailand in the opening round will take on world No 9 Japanese Tomoka MiyazakiIn the womens doubles Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra will lock horns with the fifthseed Japanese duo of Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto for aplace in the quarterfinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/badminton-asia-cships-ayush-enters-qf-sindhu-prannoy-bow-out-668628.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/they-deserve-fair-compensation-tamim-iqbal-led-bcb-announces-pay-hike-for-men-amp-women-domestic-players-668651.html New Delhi April 9 Former captain and Bangladesh Cricket Board BCB chief Tamim Iqbal reflected on the decision to substantially increase domestic match fees and salaries of men and women cricketers saying players had long been âhighly underpaidâ and warranted better financial acknowledgement This decision marks the first move by the Tamimled ad hoc committee which began its work earlier this week providing muchneeded relief to Bangladeshâs domestic cricketers especially in the womenâs leagueAlthough there was a hike Tamim recognised that the updated figures represent only progress in the right direction âThis may not be ideal but it is certainly an improvement considering there are limits to how much can be increased at onceâ he told ESPNCricinfoTamim was surprised to learn that women cricketers earned as little as BDT 1000 per match in domestic oneday competitions a figure that has increased only slightly in recent years As per BCBs new salary structure match fees have been raised across different formats with women players now earning BDT 10000 for T20 matches BDT 15000 for 50over games and BDT 20000 for firstclass fixtures Additionally the monthly retainers for the top 36 women cricketers have been raised from BDT 30000 to BDT 40000 highlighting a wider effort to enhance financial stability within the systemThe overhaul extends beyond womenâs cricket Male domestic players also received a salary increase with category A players now earning BDT 65000 per month while those in categories B and C will get BDT 50000 and BDT 40000 respectively Firstclass match fees have also been raised increasing from BDT 75000 to BDT 100000Tamim stressed that the revisions were necessary after years of stagnation in player earnings âThere has been little increment in the past three to four years I think the players were highly underpaid in the previous salary structure These players work hard and cricket exists because of their efforts At the very least they deserve fair compensationâ he addedThe updated salary structure for both men and women will take effect on January 1 2026Along with the pay revision the cricket board has outlined duties for the 11member ad hoc committee Its main immediate goal is to address current disputes between clubs and the board with efforts focused on restarting the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League in the coming weeks IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/they-deserve-fair-compensation-tamim-iqbal-led-bcb-announces-pay-hike-for-men-amp-women-domestic-players-668651.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-u17-womens-team-to-play-three-friendly-matches-against-russia-in-sochi-668257.html New Delhi April 7 The India U17 womens team will hold three friendly matches against Russia in Sochi on April 11 14 and 17 2026 Head coach Pamela Conti has selected a 23player squad for these games All three matches will be played at the Matsesta Football Centre in Sochi and will kick off at 1430 ISTThe Young Tigresses preparing for the AFC U17 Womens Asian Cup China 2026 arrived in Sochi late Monday night Last month they travelled to Yangon to play two friendly matches against the hosts winning both 20 and 32 After returning Contis team continued their training camp in BengaluruThe team secured a confident 2â0 win over Myanmar in the first of two international friendlies Pritika Barman starred with both goals scoring just before halftime and again early in the second half India displayed a composed and balanced performance with solid defending led by Abhista Basnett and Elizabed Lakra while goalkeeper Munni ensured a clean sheet After a competitive first half India dominated the second half controlling possession and tempo They nearly added a third goal hitting the crossbar and comfortably closed out the matchIn the Asian Cup held in Suzhou India will face Australia on May 2 Japan on May 5 and Lebanon on May 8 in Group BIndia U17 womens 23member squad for Russia friendliesGoalkeepers Munni Shelna Maria Sajit Tamphasana Devi KonjengbamDefenders Alena Devi Sarangthem Alisha Lyngdoh Divyani Linda Elizabed Lakra Joyshini Chanu Huidrom Ritu Badaik Taniya Devi TonambamMidfielders Abhista Basnett Alva Devi Senjam Bonifilia Shullai Julan Nongmaithem Pritika Barman Redima Devi Chingkhamayum Thandamoni BaskeyForwards Anushka Kumari Anwita Raghuraman Joya Olivia Chanu Ningthoujam Pearl Fernandes Valaina FernandesCoaching Staff Head coach Pamela ContiAssistant coaches Vincenzo Conti and Nivetha RamadossGoalkeeping coach Mario AguiarStrength and conditioning coach Amit Yadav IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/india-u17-womens-team-to-play-three-friendly-matches-against-russia-in-sochi-668257.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/abhay-singh-loses-in-el-gouna-squash-second-round-668260.html El Gouna Egypt April 5 Indias Abhay Singh suffered a loss against Egyptian Youssef Ibrahim in the second round of El Gouna Open a PSA Platinum level event Ibrahim once again battled through an ongoing left shoulder injury to defeat Abhay in five games 32 711 119 911 115 118 in 68 minutesEarlier Abhay rallied to beat Egyptian world No 13 Aly Abou Eleinen 911 118 311 114 118 in the menâs opening round on Day 1Elsewhere on day three of play World No4 Karim Gawad prevailed in a 109minute thriller with Egyptian compatriot Youssef SolimanIn what was Gawadâs longest match on the PSA Squash Tour since 2013 the 34yearold managed to hold his nerve to come from 21 behind and defeat the World No12 by a 511 1412 811 118 119 scorelineMeanwhile World No2 Paul Coll saw off a strong start from Malaysian No1 Eain Yow Ng to reach the quarterfinals by an 117 112 118 scoreline He will next play Youssef IbrahimWorld No8 Mohamad Zakaria stamped his authority in the latest instalment of his gripping rivalry with Joel Makin avenging his Australian Open defeat with a supreme straightgames victory over the No5 seedThe 18yearold World Junior Champion delivered a performance of great maturity to overcome British National Champion Makin 116 115 115 on a thrilling day of action at the Platinumlevel eventIn the womens section world No2 Nour ElSherbini looked in imposing form as she cruised into the quarterfinals after defeating Melissa AlvesThe eighttime World Champion delivered a sharp accurate performance from the first to last point of the match easing into the last eight by an 113 113 117 scorelineIn another match world No4 Olivia Weaver saw off an inspired start from Egyptâs Farida Mohamed to advance to the quarterfinals in four games 31 811 118 114 118 in 43 minutes IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/abhay-singh-loses-in-el-gouna-squash-second-round-668260.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/indian-womens-hockey-team-set-to-tour-argentina-for-four-match-series-from-april-13-17--668270.html New Delhi April 7 The Indian senior womenâs hockey team is set to tour Argentina for a fourmatch series set to be held at the CeNARD in Buenos Aires from April 13 to 17 The series promises to be a highly competitive contest featuring India taking on the formidable South American opponents on their home turf The matches will be played on April 13 14 16 and 17The tour will serve as a crucial period for Indiaâs preparations ahead of the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026 and the Asian GamesIndia and Argentina have enjoyed competitive encounters in recent years including a thrilling 22 draw decided by shootout in the FIH Pro League 2024â25 last June This upcoming tour will offer valuable match practice against quality international opposition perfectly aligning with Hockey Indiaâs strategic calendar to build momentum ahead of the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026 and the Asian Games later this yearThe series will serve as important preparation for India offering four hightempo matches while also giving the team an opportunity to explore different combinations and tactics as they head into a crucial period on their calendarSpeaking on the tour Indian chief coach Sjoerd Marijne said âWe are travelling to Argentina with a squad of 24 players and that is a very deliberate choice This tour is about giving more players the chance to perform at the highest level Argentina is one of the best teams in the world and that environment will tell us a lot about where each player stands We want to see who steps up when it mattersââTo earn a place in this team you need to show everyone that you are a team player first Individual quality is important but if you cannot connect with the group and work for each other it will be very difficult to make this squadâ he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/indian-womens-hockey-team-set-to-tour-argentina-for-four-match-series-from-april-13-17--668270.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/sports/make-sure-they-doesnt-get-off-to-early-start-du-plessis-advices-mi-ahead-of-rr-clash-668303.html Guwahati April 7 Former South African cricketer Faf Du Plessis has warned the Hardik Pandyaled side not to lose wickets in the powerplay and alsomake sure that Rajasthan Royals doesnt get a good start Sooryavanshi has continued his great touch from the last season and has scored 83 runs in two matches He hammered a 15ball fifty in the Rajasthan Royals first match against Chennai Super Kings CSK and can be a great threat to the Mumbai Indians who are coming to the contest after losing against Delhi Capitals DC by six wickets and are desperate to get back to winningDu Plessis has advised the Mumbai Indians to avoid three things if they want to win the match against RR First of all dont give room to Sooryavanshi He is crunching everything for full Du Plessis said in a video released by Star Sports Make sure you do not lose wickets in the power play as they rely heavily on that top order And my third point make sure RR doesnt get off to an early start he saidSooryavanshi set the IPL 2025 season on fire by smashing the fastest century by an Indian but he failed to get going against the fivetime champions He was dismissed for a twoball duck by Mumbai Indians bowler Deepak Chahar and hence the lefthander would look to make amendsIn their headtohead history the Mumbai Indians hold a slight edge over the Rajasthan Royals winning 16 of their 31 encounters while the RR has claimed 14 victories with one match ending in a No Result In 2024 the RR dominated by winning both encounters but the Mumbai Indians struck back in 2025 with a massive 100run victory in Jaipur IANS https://dailyworld.in/sports/make-sure-they-doesnt-get-off-to-early-start-du-plessis-advices-mi-ahead-of-rr-clash-668303.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:40:00 +0530