Sport

Pankaj Advani won his maiden National 9-ball pool title in Ludhiana, defeating Nitin Sharma in the final. The veteran cueist impressed in a format he had not played for over 25 years, adding another achievement to his illustrious career

HCA Ombudsman Justice Suresh Kumar Kait ordered the promotion of four clubs to the A-Division for the 2026-27 season after resolving disputes over player eligibility during B-Division matches involving Imperial, Rohit XI, Sportive XI and Charminar CC

India defeated Hong Kong 2-1 in Kochi, with debutant Ryan Williams and Akash Mishra scoring in either half. The win ended India’s wait for victory at the venue as they finished their AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign on a positive note

R Praggnanandhaa suffered a setback after losing to Javokhir Sindarov in the third round of the FIDE Candidates Tournament. The defeat leaves him on 1.5 points, while Sindarov and Fabiano Caruana share the lead with 2.5 points

Cooper Connolly scored a match-winning 72 on debut as Punjab Kings defeated Gujarat Titans by three wickets. Yuzvendra Chahal and Vijaykumar Vyshak starred with the ball, while PBKS chased down 163 in a closely fought IPL encounter

India’s Priya secured a dominant win in the women’s 60kg category at the Asian Boxing Championships, while Jadumani Singh lost a close bout to top seed Rui Yamaguchi. The Indian contingent showed strong performances on the second day.

India kabaddi player Sonali Shingate said structured training and recovery are improving performance at the IIS camp in Bellary. She highlighted how scientific methods are helping players stay fit, reduce injuries, and build a competitive environment within the squad.

Ravindra Jadeja said leaving CSK after over a decade was emotional but part of his journey. Now with Rajasthan Royals, he spoke about adapting to a new team, his bowling strategy in Guwahati, and the key dismissal of Shivam Dube.

Indian tennis legend Leander Paes joined the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of West Bengal elections, in the presence of Union minister Kiren Rijiju, marking a significant political shift

Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova won the Miami Open women’s doubles title, completing the Sunshine Double. They defeated Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini 7-6 (0), 6-1, becoming the sixth pair to achieve this feat in tennis history

Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer will lead Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings, respectively, in IPL 2026's opener. Both players have much to prove in T20 cricket, with Gill aiming to build on his IPL form and Iyer eager for leadership success

Jannik Sinner defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 to win the Miami Open and complete the Sunshine Double, becoming the first male player since Federer in 2017 to win both Indian Wells and Miami in the same season

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s blistering 15-ball half-century, along with strong bowling, led Rajasthan Royals to an eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in their IPL opener. Royals chased down 128 in 12.1 overs, with Sooryavanshi's explosive knock sealing victory

M. K. Pasha from Hyderabad has been appointed Chief Commissaire for the Asmita Women’s Cycling League – National Level Road Cycling Event. The competition on April 4-5 will feature top senior, junior, and sub-junior girls cyclists from across India

Sri Charan Tej and K. Chidwilasini won the under-15 titles at the Telangana State-ranking chess tournament in Hyderabad. Winners across under-7 to under-15 categories were announced, highlighting emerging talents from boys and girls divisions in the state

The Sports Hackathon in Hyderabad brought together students, athletes, and startups, producing 2,132 sports innovations across 24 disciplines. The event highlighted youth creativity, real-time problem-solving, and technological solutions, with plans to publish a souvenir for further development

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar joked about the team’s Dhurandhar hairstyle trend during a PUMA fan Q&A, while Jacob Bethell reflected on his T20 World Cup semi-final century, offering fans behind-the-scenes access and playful insights from the dressing room

Hyderabad’s Bhavani Kedia won a silver medal in tennis at the 27th National Deaf Senior Sports Championship in Chandigarh. She narrowly lost in the final but continues to impress with strong performances at international events, including the Deaflympics and World Championships

T. Teja Krishna and G. Sahiti secured the boys and girls under-18 titles in the seventh Mt Banyan Global School children’s chess tournament organised by Telangana Chess Academy, with several young players finishing among the top three in different age categories

K. Laxmi Narayan Reddy from Telangana has successfully cleared the Assistant Referee fitness and written examination for Level-5 national upgradation held at LNIPE, Gwalior. Telangana Football Association congratulated him, calling it a proud achievement for the State

India’s Under-20 women’s team has announced its 23-member squad for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Thailand 2026. The team will face Japan, Australia and Chinese Taipei, aiming for a strong showing after qualifying for the tournament after 20 years.

Indian trap shooters begin their campaign at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Tangier against a strong international field. With experienced names in the squad, India will aim to secure its first medal of the season after a disappointing skeet performance.

India’s Preeti Pawar and Deepak began their Asian Boxing Championships 2026 campaign with impressive wins in Mongolia. Preeti secured a unanimous decision victory, while Deepak edged a close bout, giving India a perfect start in the opening phase.

Hyderabad-based coach Somnath Ghosh has been appointed as India’s coach for the ITTF World Cup in Macau and the World Team Championships in London. He thanked the federation and highlighted his trainee Akula Sreeja’s inclusion in the squad.