Sport

Former England and Worcestershire spinner Norman Gifford has died at 85 after a long illness. He played 15 Tests and two ODIs, captained England in Sharjah in 1980, and led Worcestershire to multiple titles during his career

Former India captain Rohit Sharma will be conferred with an Honorary Doctorate (D.Litt.) by Ajeenkya DY Patil University at its 10th Convocation Ceremony in Pune on Saturday, recognizing his leadership and contribution to cricket. He continues to play ODIs

Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the third round of the Australian Open. Sabalenka beat Bai Zhouxuan, Gauff defeated Olga Danilovic, and Alcaraz overcame Yannick Hanfmann. Popapova upset Emma Raducanu, while Medvedev, Rublev and Paul also progressed

PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth advanced to the second round of the Indonesia Masters. Sindhu beat Japan’s Manami Suizu, while Srikanth edged Koki Watanabe in a thriller. Kiran George, Akarshi Kashyap, and India’s mixed doubles pairs exited in the first round

Arjun Erigaisi held Anish Giri, while Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa drew again in round 4 of the Tata Steel Masters. Abdusattorov and Niemann emerged joint leaders, Sindarov beat Bluebaum, and Aravindh Chithambaram lost to Niemann

Tickets for the India–New Zealand T20 International in Visakhapatnam on January 28 will go on sale online from January 23. Officials reviewed arrangements including security, sanitation, numbered seating, and beautification works ahead of the high-profile match

The Santosh Trophy 2025-26 Final Round began in Assam with West Bengal defeating Nagaland 4-0. Tamil Nadu edged hosts Assam 1-0, while Rajasthan beat Uttarakhand 3-2 to join the champions on three points

The Telangana Cricket Association will host the Telangana Premier League, cautioning players against participating in HCA’s unrecognised league. TCA assured cricketers of transparent opportunities and confirmed Telangana teams will play in BCCI tournaments during the 2026–27 domestic season

The Telangana Football Association will hold its Coaches Committee meeting on January 24 at 6.30 pm at LB Stadium, Hyderabad. Licensed coaches must attend, while new coaches can participate for registration

Mohd Siraj, captaining Hyderabad against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, said the green wicket would challenge both batters and bowlers. He praised young talent Aman Rao, while Mumbai’s stand-in skipper Siddesh Lad stressed preparation and a competitive pitch

The third National Para Kabaddi Championship will be held in Visakhapatnam from January 23 to 26, organised by Dr Deepa Malik’s NGO Wheeling Happiness Foundation and Andhra MetTech Zone under IPKA. Twenty State teams and 400 athletes will participate

The ICC has rejected Bangladesh’s request to shift its T20 World Cup 2026 fixtures to Sri Lanka, confirming matches will be played in India. Security reviews found no credible threat, with the ICC warning against setting a precedent for venue changes

Hyderabad face Mumbai in a crucial Ranji Trophy Group D clash at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium. Injuries to Tanmay Agarwal, Tanay Thyagarajan and Nitesh Reddy hurt Hyderabad, while Mohd Siraj leads the side against Siddesh Lad’s in-form Mumbai

Karan Singh defeated Udit Kamboj in a three-set battle at the Hyderabad Open ITF men’s tennis tournament. Rifqi Fitriadi overcame Amit Vales, while Ishaque Eqbal and Sidharth Rawat also advanced. Indian doubles pairs impressed in the pre-quarterfinals

Tilottama Sen clinched consecutive 50m Rifle 3P titles at the National Selection Trials in Delhi. Aishwary Tomar topped men’s T2, while Manu Bhaker won the 25m Pistol T1 event. Swapnil Kusale and Rudraankksh Patil also impressed in rifle finals

Former India captain Rohit Sharma said missing the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for the first time will feel strange, while reflecting on leadership, team bonding, tough selection calls and the importance of transparent communication during major tournaments.

New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell regained the top spot in the ICC Men’s ODI rankings after a prolific series against India, scoring 352 runs and leading the visitors to their first-ever ODI series win on Indian soil.

Top seeds Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the third round of the Australian Open, with Sabalenka and Gauff dominating their matches, while Alcaraz overcame a tough challenge from Yannick Hanfmann, keeping his career Grand Slam quest alive

National pole vault record holder Dev Kumar Meena and his coach were forced to deboard a train at Panvel after being denied permission to carry poles. They later paid a fine to travel, sparking outrage and calls for clear guidelines

Indian chess star Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu has been confirmed for Norway Chess 2026 in Oslo. The world number four, who qualified for the Candidates Tournament, will return after his 2024 victory over Magnus Carlsen, continuing his rise in elite chess

Jemimah Rodrigues scored an unbeaten 51 to guide Delhi Capitals to a seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League. Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 66 not out lifted MI to 154, but Jemimah ensured DC chased it down in 19 overs

Tiigers of Mumbai Dangals lead Punjab Royals 3-2 at the halfway stage of their Pro Wrestling League 2026 clash in Noida. Mukul Dahiya, Rohit Rahal and Aman Sehrawat secured wins, while Ana Godinez and Priya Malik kept Punjab in contention

The 79th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy will be hosted by Assam for the seventh time. Matches will be played in Dhakuakhana, Dhemaji and Silapathar, with 12 teams competing. The final is scheduled for February 8, streamed live on FIFA+

Defending champions Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and hosts Odisha stormed into the semifinals of the Women’s National Cricket Tournament for the Blind 2026 with strong quarterfinal wins in Bhubaneswar and Khordha. The semifinals will be played on January 21