Sport

Indian women’s hockey forward Navneet Kaur says modern hockey demands strong defensive contributions from attackers as India prepare at the national camp ahead of the FIH Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Hyderabad, with qualification for the 2026 World Cup at stake.

Group D of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 features South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada and the UAE, with no past champions but several recent finalists and semi-finalists set to compete in Indian conditions.

India will face England in the ICC Under-19 World Cup final in Harare, aiming for a record sixth title. Skipper Ayush Mhatre, opener Aaron George and prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi lead India’s charge against England’s pace spearhead Manny Lumsden

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said the decision to boycott the T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 was taken by the government and is “not in our control.” Pakistan will play the rest of the tournament starting February 7

India captain Suryakumar Yadav said his team will travel to Colombo for the ICC T20 World Cup match against Pakistan on February 15, despite Pakistan’s boycott. India open their campaign against USA on February 7, with fixtures set by ICC

Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their second Women’s Premier League title with a six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in Vadodara. Smriti Mandhana’s 87 and Georgia Voll’s 79 powered RCB to a record chase, making them holders of both IPL and WPL crowns

Varun Yadav’s unbeaten 113 and C V Chetan Aditya’s 76 powered Hyderabad to 303 against Andhra on day one of the South Zone U-14 cricket tournament in Vizianagaram. Andhra replied with 104/1, led by opener T Kinnu Kishal’s 55

India will meet China in the women’s quarterfinals and Korea in the men’s last-eight stage of the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Qingdao. Ayush Shetty, Satwik-Chirag and Tanvi Sharma impressed, but both teams lost their final group matches

Captains of all 20 teams came together in Mumbai and Colombo for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Captains’ Carnival. The event showcased excitement, rivalries and preparations ahead of the tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from 7 February

Osmania University lifted the South Zone inter-university cricket championship in Mysuru with a 10-run win over Visvesvaraya Technological University

India’s Keerthana Pandian advanced to the women’s semifinals of the Asian Snooker Championships in Doha with a 3-1 win over Chu Pui Ying

Telangana men secured second place while the women’s team finished third in the Para Federation Cup throwball championship in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand won the men’s and women’s titles respectively, as Telangana reaffirmed its strong presence in para sports

India continued its strong run at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship in Delhi, winning 10 gold, five silver and one bronze medals. Samrat Rana and Suruchi Singh claimed silver, while Rashmika Sahgal, Vanshika Chaudhary and Priyanshi Purva led India’s gold rush

Returning from injury, Tilak Varma credited the BCCI and Centre of Excellence for his early comeback as India beat South Africa in a T20 World Cup warm-up. The all-rounder said the team feels confident and ready for the tournament.

India continued its strong showing at the BOXAM Elite International in Spain as Lovlina Borgohain and Hitesh Gulia led a string of dominant victories on Day 2, with Indian boxers registering wins across multiple weight divisions.

The ICC has announced its global broadcast plans for the Men’s T20 World Cup, featuring 20 teams and 55 matches from February 7 to March 8, with extensive TV, digital, audio and multi-language coverage across regions.

Group C of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 opens with a blockbuster clash between Scotland and West Indies in Kolkata. Featuring former champions England and debutants Italy, the group promises intense competition across India and Sri Lanka.

Ishan Kishan smashed 53 off 20 balls as India defeated South Africa by 30 runs in their T20 World Cup warm-up at DY Patil Stadium. Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya also starred as India posted 241/5

India’s senior women’s football team defeated Russian side Zvezda-2005 Perm 2-0 in Antalya, with goals from Anju Tamang and Lynda Kom Serto. The Blue Tigresses secured their third friendly win as they prepare for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026

India’s U-17 women’s team crushed Bhutan 8-0 in the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship in Pokhara, with Pearl Fernandes scoring a hat-trick and Pritika Barman netting twice. India will face Bangladesh in the final on February 7

Aaron George’s brilliant 115 guided India to a record chase of 311 against Afghanistan in the U19 World Cup semi-final at Harare. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre also starred as India sealed a title clash with England

Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu set three national records in the women’s 48kg category at the National Weightlifting Championship 2026 in Modinagar. She lifted a total of 205kg, securing gold and underlining her dominance ahead of a planned move to 53kg

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has backed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to continue playing, saying age should not be a barrier if they perform and stay fit. He also called India “one of the most dangerous teams” ahead of the T20 World Cup

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, led by Smriti Mandhana, face Jemimah Rodrigues’ Delhi Capitals in the Women’s Premier League final in Vadodara. RCB seek a second crown, while DC aim to break their jinx after three runner-up finishes