Sport

Former India opener WV Raman has questioned India's fast-bowling depth following Bhuvneshwar Kumar's T20I recall, urging the bowling coach to develop young pacers. He also discussed India's Test combination, Hardik Pandya's absence, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's development and Smriti Mandhana's captaincy.

Chola Chiefs ended a five-match losing streak by beating Prithviraaj Yodhas in a shootoff after a 4-4 draw in regulation time in the Archery Premier League. Alejandra Usquiano scored a perfect 80, keeping the Chiefs’ top-four hopes alive.

Hyderabad’s Satya Chintagunta stunned top seed Aarav Challani in the boys’ under-14 singles quarterfinals at the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship in Delhi. Chintagunta won 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 in a three-hour, 14-minute battle to reach the semifinals

U. Jhasiketh and D. Shivashankar struck centuries as Vikarabad defeated Achampet by 36 runs in the Telangana Cricket Association State-level Under-19 League Championship. Other winners included Karimnagar, Ranga Reddy and Mahabubnagar in matches played at Warangal

Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard led the rain-hit DP World India Championship with a six-under-par 66, while India’s Om Prakash Chouhan carded a four-under-par 68, placing him tied fifth among finishers. Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy opened with two-under-par rounds

India vice-captain Shafali Verma says the team aims to combine fearless cricket with smart decision-making ahead of the 2027 T20 Champions Trophy. She also discusses her comeback, improved consistency, bowling preparation and the responsibility of supporting captain Smriti Mandhana

Railways beat Hyderabad by five wickets in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy on Thursday. The scores also featured the HCA Senior Men’s Emerging Players Premier League fixture between Team A and Team B, and Hyderabad E Team’s match against Andhra

OU College of Engineering won the Osmania University Inter-College Table Tennis Championship, defeating St Joseph’s Degree College 2-1 in the final. MVSR College of Engineering secured third place with a 2-0 victory over CBIT in the championship

Mamata Medical College overcame an 11-point half-time deficit to defeat Freestyle Ballers 64-59 in the GM Sampath Kumar Annual League Basketball Championship. Sreekanth scored 29 points, while Golden Phoenixes also advanced to Level II with a 58-30 win over SBI Amravati

Telangana registered their second win in the 16th Hockey India Men’s Hockey National Championship, defeating Goa 3-2 in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday. Goa led 2-1 at half-time, while S Shiva Kumar, Aiyappa and Arjun Yadav scored for Telangana

Formula One driver Arvid Lindblad praised teenage cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and recalled a brief conversation with India captain Shubman Gill about the differences between their sports. Lindblad also discussed how technology, coaching and preparation help young athletes progress faster

Carlos Alcaraz has accepted a wildcard for the Erste Bank Open in Vienna after the Six Kings Slam was postponed. The Spaniard will return to the ATP 500 event for the first time since 2021, joining a strong field

The trailer of ‘The Greatest’, an upcoming Prime Video series, traces Muhammad Ali’s journey from Cassius Clay to boxing legend. The series explores his sporting achievements, personal convictions and political battles, and is scheduled to premiere on November 4, 2026

England opener Zak Crawley has signed a one-year extension with Kent after losing his central contract for 2026-27. The 28-year-old returns to the county as his primary employer ahead of Kent’s return to the County Championship’s top division

Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka has been ruled out of the ODI tri-series in Pakistan due to a hamstring injury. Lahiru Udara has reportedly been named as his replacement, while Nissanka’s participation in the upcoming Test series remains subject to fitness clearance

Maja Chwalinska stunned world No. 11 Iva Jovic to reach the Wuhan Open quarterfinals, while Elina Svitolina defeated Chinese wild card Guo Hanyu. Chwalinska will face Maria Sakkari next, while Svitolina advances to her third Wuhan quarterfinal

Smriti Mandhana begins her full-time captaincy tenure as India face Zimbabwe in the opening T20I in Raipur. India enter the historic bilateral series with confidence, while Zimbabwe seek their first T20I victory of the year against the hosts

Smriti Mandhana takes over as India’s all-format captain, bringing experience, tactical clarity and a calm, approachable leadership style. Former teammates and coaches believe her team-first mindset will help India build on recent successes and pursue further titles across formats

The Sangai Cup Inter-Club Judo Tournament 2026 will be held in Imphal from Friday to Sunday, serving as selection trials for Manipur's team for the National Judo Championships. The event is jointly organised by IIS and the Manipur Judo Association

Keemo Paul credited slower deliveries and the absence of dew for West Indies' 24-run victory over India in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad. His five-wicket haul helped defend Shai Hope's century and level the five-match series 2-2

Formula 1 reportedly intends to conclude its 2026 season in the Middle East as scheduled, with the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix remaining on the calendar despite regional hostilities. Imola has reportedly been considered as a possible backup venue

Hobart Hurricanes have re-signed Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain for BBL 16 after his impressive debut season, where he emerged as the team's leading wicket-taker and won the Hurricanes' Player of the Year award. He is set to form a formidable spin partnership with Australian star Adam Zampa.

Paris Saint-Germain ended Manchester City's eight-match unbeaten run with a 4-2 victory at the Etihad Stadium, powered by first-half goals from Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha. Despite a spirited fightback led by Erling Haaland, PSG held firm to secure the win.

Indian professional boxing star Neeraj Goyat will take on former UFC lightweight world champion Anthony Pettis in a six-round super welterweight contest on January 23, 2027, at a venue in India yet to be announced.