Sport

Australia captain Pat Cummins has backed a campaign by former international captains seeking medical care and family access for jailed Pakistan great Imran Khan. Cummins said Khan should be treated with dignity as concerns over his health and safety continue

The Hyderabad Cricket Association has introduced an additional round of selection matches ahead of its Under-19 One-Day Super League. Twelve teams will compete in five 50-over matches each from August 31 to September 7, before the final state team is selected

India head coach Gautam Gambhir praised Sri Lanka batter Sonal Dinusha for his gritty match-saving century in the Colombo Test, while lauding India’s character and mental toughness after their 1-0 series victory over the hosts

The BCCI is in talks with English counties to secure a short-term contract for pacer Auqib Nabi, who claimed 60 Ranji Trophy wickets last season. The move is aimed at giving him valuable red-ball exposure ahead of India’s Test tour of New Zealand

Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar has been elected president of the Esports Games Federation at its board meeting in New Delhi. Shelar said he would work to strengthen India’s esports ecosystem by providing players with better platforms, training, competitions and growth opportunities

FIDE-rated Srujan Keerthan Solleti won the A2H Open Rapid prize-money chess tournament at A2H Chess Academy in Kukatpally, Hyderabad, with a perfect six points from six rounds. SVC Chakravarthi finished runner-up with five points

India youth international Yohaan Benjamin has joined Portuguese club Guarda FC on a two-year deal, subject to international clearance and visa formalities. The Mumbai-born midfielder previously represented Shillong Lajong and NK Bravo U19, featuring in the UEFA Youth League

The Telangana Football Association has namd a 21-member squad for the Dr BC Roy Junior National Football Championship for boys in Bengaluru. Akbar Abidi will coach the team, assisted by Vinod Kumar, while Abdul Haq Bin Mahri has been named manager.

Devdutt Padikkal’s assured batting at No. 3 and Manav Suthar’s impressive adaptation to conditions emerged as major positives for India from their 1-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka, while Dhruv Jurel also strengthened the team’s middle-order options

Australia captain Pat Cummins has backed a petition by 21 former international captains seeking dignified treatment, independent medical care and family access for jailed former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan amid concerns over his health.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir praised his team’s mental resilience despite the second Test ending in a draw, while giving a special shoutout to Sri Lanka’s Sonal Dinusha. Dinusha scored an unbeaten 133 to deny India a series sweep

South Africa all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has criticised Cricket Australia’s decision to clear transgender cricketer Anaya Bangar for community cricket. Bangar can compete in Premier Cricket until March 2027 and could pursue elite cricket subject to additional eligibility requirements

Mumbai-born Indian youth international Yohaan Benjamin has joined Portuguese club Guarda FC on a two-year deal, subject to clearance and visa formalities. The midfielder previously represented NK Bravo U19 in Slovenia and featured in the UEFA Youth League.

Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten hailed Sonal Dinusha’s unbeaten 133 against India as one of the country’s great Test saves. He praised the young batter’s temperament and urged Sri Lanka to develop balanced pitches and stronger pace-bowling support.

Devdutt Padikkal said he was delighted to prove his ability to score big runs in Test cricket after a stellar Sri Lanka series. The India batter scored 328 runs, including two centuries, and credited his first-class experience for his consistency

Neeraj Chopra has qualified for the Diamond League Finals in Brussels after securing 12 points from two second-place finishes in Doha and Lausanne. He is also in contention for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest next month

India captain Shubman Gill praised young players Devdutt Padikkal and Manav Suthar after India’s 1-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka. Padikkal scored 328 runs, while Suthar took 16 wickets as Gill reflected on the team’s positives.

Indian chess star R Praggnanandhaa made history by becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour, defeating Fabiano Caruana 15-13 in St Louis. He overcame a classical defeat with dominant rapid performance before securing the title in blitz

Defending champions Barcelona maintained their perfect start to the La Liga 2026/27 season with a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao. Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scored for Hansi Flick’s side, while new goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic completed his move from Fenerbahce.

Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa became the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour title after staging a remarkable comeback to beat Fabiano Caruana 15-13 in St. Louis, rallying from six points behind to clinch the USD 200,000 winner's purse

The Netherlands and Argentina will meet in the FIH Hockey World Cup final after both secured 1-0 semifinal victories. The Dutch defeated Belgium, while Argentina edged Australia, setting up a rematch of the 2022 World Cup final in Amsterdam.

The Premier League’s second round begins on Friday with Manchester City visiting Crystal Palace, while Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal face challenging fixtures. Several sides will look to build on opening-day results as the new season gathers pace.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, top seed Jessica Pegula and Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova headline the top half of the 2026 US Open women’s singles draw, while Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and other Grand Slam champions feature in the bottom half

Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev headline the 2026 US Open men’s singles draw, with Jannik Sinner absent through injury. Defending champion Alcaraz occupies the second half alongside Novak Djokovic, while Zverev tops the draw and American contenders seek a breakthrough