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Logistical and security challenges continue to hit Pakistani sports. A day after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-pakistan-volleyball-bus-blunder-wrong-venue-1790593964979">Pakistan men’s volleyball team arrived at the wrong location</a> during the ongoing Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, delaying their match against Uzbekistan by 45 minutes, a Karachi football team was robbed at gunpoint on a highway in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. A football team was travelling from Karachi to Quetta to participate in the Chief Minister’s Gold Cup tournament when robbers snatched mobile phones and cash.&nbsp;Per a PTI report, nearly a dozen armed men held the Karachi District West team’s bus between Mastung and Sariab, and took away all valuables. The incident took place on Monday evening, leaving the travelling squad without any money. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the team manager, revealed that the armed men ordered all players to get off the bus before running away with their phones and cash.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-sri-lanka-to-face-india-and-bangladesh-up-against-pakistan-in-semis-1790655097664">Asian Games 2026: Sri Lanka to face India and Bangladesh up against Pakistan in semis</a>&nbsp;"The armed men asked all the passengers to disembark from the bus and then took away all mobile phones, cash, and other valuables. They also butted some of the passengers,” he said.&nbsp;Upon reaching their destination, Quetta, the Karachi team informed Balochistan’s sports minister about the mishap, after which the minister provided the players with daily allowances, the PTI report read. Meanwhile, Muhammad Azam, secretary of the Sindh Football Association, an affiliated unit of the Pakistan Football Federation, said that the team travelled despite official warnings against using road and rail routes to Quetta.&nbsp;"We didn't send the Sindh team, and we advised all other clubs in Karachi to avoid going to Quetta by bus or train because of the security situation. The Karachi West team still went ahead, and what we feared happened," Muhammad Azam said.&nbsp;Azam continued, saying the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa football associations had also decided against sending their teams for the tournament. Moreover, this incident occurred just two days after two local cricketers were abducted from Dera Bugti.&nbsp;The PTI report also suggests that the highway connecting Mastung district to Quetta has become a hotspot for armed groups targeting travellers.

A Karachi football team was robbed at gunpoint in Balochistan on their way to Quetta. Get full details on the incident, security warnings, and updates.

Logistical and security challenges continue to hit Pakistani sports. A day after the Pakistan men’s volleyball team arrived at the wrong location during the ongoing Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, delaying their match against Uzbekistan by 45 minutes, a Karachi football team was robbed at gunpoint on a highway in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. A football team was travelling from Karachi to Quetta to participate in the Chief Minister’s Gold Cup tournament when robbers snatched mobile phones and cash. Per a PTI report, nearly a dozen armed men held the Karachi District West team’s bus between Mastung and Sariab, and took away all valuables. The incident took place on Monday evening, leaving the travelling squad without any money. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the team manager, revealed that the armed men ordered all players to get off the bus before running away with their phones and cash. Also read| Asian Games 2026: Sri Lanka to face India and Bangladesh up against Pakistan in semis "The armed men asked all the passengers to disembark from the bus and then took away all mobile phones, cash, and other valuables. They also butted some of the passengers,” he said. Upon reaching their destination, Quetta, the Karachi team informed Balochistan’s sports minister about the mishap, after which the minister provided the players with daily allowances, the PTI report read. Meanwhile, Muhammad Azam, secretary of the Sindh Football Association, an affiliated unit of the Pakistan Football Federation, said that the team travelled despite official warnings against using road and rail routes to Quetta. "We didn't send the Sindh team, and we advised all other clubs in Karachi to avoid going to Quetta by bus or train because of the security situation. The Karachi West team still went ahead, and what we feared happened," Muhammad Azam said. Azam continued, saying the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa football associations had also decided against sending their teams for the tournament. Moreover, this incident occurred just two days after two local cricketers were abducted from Dera Bugti. The PTI report also suggests that the highway connecting Mastung district to Quetta has become a hotspot for armed groups targeting travellers.

A Karachi football team was robbed at gunpoint in Balochistan on their way to Quetta. Get full details on the incident, security warnings, and updates.

Karachi football team robbed on Balochistan highway; gunmen snatch phones and cash

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are currently the biggest players in Indian cricket despite playing in only one format. After retiring from T20Is in 2024 and Tests in 2025, Rohit and Kohli only play for India in the 50-over ODI format. Both players have led India in the past and are currently part of the ongoing three-match ODI series against the West Indies. In the first match of the series, played on Sunday (Sep 27), Kohli smashed a record-breaking 139 not out off 88 balls, while Rohit scored 32 in an opening wicket partnership of 74 runs with skipper Shubman Gill. India won the match by eight wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the series.<h2>Rohit, Kohli speak on Ro-Ko tagline</h2>The duo is often referred to as "Ro-Ko" (Rohit-Kohli), and both players recently reacted to it in a conversation with JioStar.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-sri-lanka-to-face-india-and-bangladesh-up-against-pakistan-in-semis-1790655097664">Asian Games: Sri Lanka to face India and Bangladesh up against Pakistan in semis</a>"I think we were together. This started, I think, when we were playing in Australia, or right after Australia when we came to India. That’s when this started, and whenever this plays on TV, we look at each other and laugh. Which is good, it’s fun," said Rohit about the name given to him and Kohli."Ro-Ko has a nice ring to it. It sounds nice, it sounds good, and people are having a lot of fun with it. Now that we only play one format, even from the broadcaster’s perspective, I’m sure it’s a very nice tagline to use – 'Oh, Ro-Ko aa gaye! They are back'," added Kohli.<h2>What next for Rohit and Kohli</h2>The duo will next be seen in the second ODI against the West Indies on Wednesday (Sep 30) in Guwahati, followed by the third and final ODI of the series in New Chandigarh on Saturday (Oct 3). Both players have stated their wish to play in the 2027 ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in nearly a year's time and is being co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, now playing only ODIs, hit form against West Indies - Kohli scoring 139* in India's win. The duo laughed off their popular "Ro-Ko" tagline in a recent chat.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are currently the biggest players in Indian cricket despite playing in only one format. After retiring from T20Is in 2024 and Tests in 2025, Rohit and Kohli only play for India in the 50-over ODI format. Both players have led India in the past and are currently part of the ongoing three-match ODI series against the West Indies. In the first match of the series, played on Sunday (Sep 27), Kohli smashed a record-breaking 139 not out off 88 balls, while Rohit scored 32 in an opening wicket partnership of 74 runs with skipper Shubman Gill. India won the match by eight wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Rohit, Kohli speak on Ro-Ko tagline The duo is often referred to as "Ro-Ko" (Rohit-Kohli), and both players recently reacted to it in a conversation with JioStar. Also Read - Asian Games: Sri Lanka to face India and Bangladesh up against Pakistan in semis "I think we were together. This started, I think, when we were playing in Australia, or right after Australia when we came to India. That’s when this started, and whenever this plays on TV, we look at each other and laugh. Which is good, it’s fun," said Rohit about the name given to him and Kohli. "Ro-Ko has a nice ring to it. It sounds nice, it sounds good, and people are having a lot of fun with it. Now that we only play one format, even from the broadcaster’s perspective, I’m sure it’s a very nice tagline to use – 'Oh, Ro-Ko aa gaye! They are back'," added Kohli. What next for Rohit and Kohli The duo will next be seen in the second ODI against the West Indies on Wednesday (Sep 30) in Guwahati, followed by the third and final ODI of the series in New Chandigarh on Saturday (Oct 3). Both players have stated their wish to play in the 2027 ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in nearly a year's time and is being co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, now playing only ODIs, hit form against West Indies - Kohli scoring 139* in India's win. The duo laughed off their popular "Ro-Ko" tagline in a recent chat.

'They're back': India batters Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli react to popular 'Ro-Ko' nickname for pair

India's Neeru Dhanda shot for history on Tuesday (Sep 29) at the ongoing Asian Games 2026 in Japan, clinching the first individual gold medal for the country at this edition and India's fifth gold overall. Neeru won the women's trap individual gold and became the first Indian woman shooter ever to win a trap or skeet event gold at the Asian Games. She also created a new Asian and Asian Games record with a score of 28 in the final among the top eight players. Before winning the gold, Neeru had also won a silver in the women's trap team event, making it a double-medal day for her.<h2>How Neeru shot for gold in women's individual trap event</h2>Neeru came into the women's trap individual event on the back of the great form she showed in the team event, where she won silver alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. In the individual qualifying, Neeru shot 24, 24, 24, 23, and 23 in the five rounds for a total of 118 to finish at the top.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Neeru Dhanda scripts a monumental chapter in Indian sports, becoming the FIRST Indian woman ever to win the GOLD medal in the Women’s Trap individual event at the Asian Games! Watch the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya LIVE on Sony Sports Network TV channels &amp; Sony LIV.… <a href="https://t.co/0wCN7xHiQu">pic.twitter.com/0wCN7xHiQu</a>&mdash; Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) <a href="https://x.com/SonySportsNetwk/status/2104836305473741105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In the final among the top eight shooters, Neeru finished with a total score of 28 (5, 4, 5, 5, and 4) - a new Asian Record - surpassing the previous Asian record of 24. China's Yunong Sun won the silver with a total tally of 26 and Kuwait's hajar Abdulmalik took home the bronze with a totaly tally of 21.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-how-vithya-ramraj-broke-pt-usha-s-four-decade-old-400m-hurdle-record-1790663029184">Asian Games 2026: How Vithya Ramraj broke PT Usha's four-decade-old 400m hurdle record</a><h2>How NRAI officials reacted to Neeru's win</h2>NRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said, "What a day for Indian shooting. Neeru has been in phenomenal form all year, and to see her back up a team silver with an individual gold — and an Asian Games record — in the space of a few hours is truly special. Aashima and Manisha also played their part in getting us on the podium in the team event. This is a proud moment for the sport and for the country."NRAI Secretary General Pawan Kumar Singh said, "Neeru's performance today reflects the depth we now have in our trap shooting program. To top qualification, help India to a team medal, and then close it out with gold in the individual final shows both consistency and composure under pressure. Credit to the coaching staff and the support systems that have gone into building this squad."&nbsp;

At the 2026 Asian Games, India's Neeru Dhanda won gold in women's individual trap shooting with an Asian Record score of 28. She also claimed team silver, making it a double-medal day.

India's Neeru Dhanda shot for history on Tuesday (Sep 29) at the ongoing Asian Games 2026 in Japan, clinching the first individual gold medal for the country at this edition and India's fifth gold overall. Neeru won the women's trap individual gold and became the first Indian woman shooter ever to win a trap or skeet event gold at the Asian Games. She also created a new Asian and Asian Games record with a score of 28 in the final among the top eight players. Before winning the gold, Neeru had also won a silver in the women's trap team event, making it a double-medal day for her. How Neeru shot for gold in women's individual trap event Neeru came into the women's trap individual event on the back of the great form she showed in the team event, where she won silver alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. In the individual qualifying, Neeru shot 24, 24, 24, 23, and 23 in the five rounds for a total of 118 to finish at the top.

At the 2026 Asian Games, India's Neeru Dhanda won gold in women's individual trap shooting with an Asian Record score of 28. She also claimed team silver, making it a double-medal day.

Asian Games 2026: Shooter Neeru Dhanda sets Asian record to clinch India’s first individual gold

Indian hurdler Vithya Ramraj created history at the ongoing Asian Games 2026 on Monday (Sep 28). Although she won a bronze in the women's 400m hurdles event, she broke former sprinter PT Usha's national record in the race. Usha had run the race in 55.42 seconds at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and Ramraj did it in 54.75 seconds in Nagoya, Japan, overtaking the former Olympian's 42-year-old record. Usha, who now heads the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), was one of the first Indian women athletes who inspired a generation to take up the sport.<h2>How Ramraj broke PT Usha's record</h2>Ramraj had won the bronze in the last edition of the games in the same event back in 2023 in Hangzhou, China. The sprinter had come very close to breaking Usha's record in Hangzhou, equalling her timing of 55.42 seconds. This time, though, Ramraj made sure she broke the record.Speaking on how she managed to break the record, Ramraj, as quoted by news agency PTI, said: "Everyone has been asking me because I had not gone under 55 seconds for three years. My coach Nehpal Singh Rathore told me to go fast, then maintain it through the sixth hurdle. From the sixth hurdle to the finish line, it was all out."Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-sri-lanka-to-face-india-and-bangladesh-up-against-pakistan-in-semis-1790655097664">Asian Games 2026: Sri Lanka to face India and Bangladesh up against Pakistan in semis</a>"The medal is in our hands, but time is not. This race will not come again. Today was my day, so I was going for the timing, not the medal. My coach said we would go under 54 seconds. I did it, and I am so happy. The timing was so good, so I am very happy," she said on winning the medal.India had also won the bronze medal in the same event in 2018 at the Jakarta Asian Games as well, when Anu Raghavan clinched the medal.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">𝐀 𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑! 🥉 Vithya Ramraj clocks 54.75s to break PT Usha’s 40-year-old mark and take Bronze in the Women’s 400m Hurdles! ⚡ Watch the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, LIVE on Sony Sports Network TV channels &amp; Sony LIV.<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/SonySportsNetwork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SonySportsNetwork</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/SonyLIV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SonyLIV</a>… <a href="https://t.co/RHsB0gL0A5">pic.twitter.com/RHsB0gL0A5</a>&mdash; Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) <a href="https://x.com/SonySportsNetwk/status/2104533439617892390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>PT Usha reacts to Ramraj breaking her national record</h2>After Ramraj broke her record, IOA chief Usha congratulated the sprinter in a post on X, which read: "Congratulations Vithya!! Records are meant to be broken &amp; there is no greater reward for an athlete than to see the next generation go beyond the boundaries we once set. Vithya Ramraj breaking my 42-year-old national record in the 400m hurdles is an incredibly special moment."As athletes, we compete to challenge ourselves, to push limits &amp; ultimately, to leave the sport better than we found it. When a young athlete comes along &amp; surpasses a milestone that has stood for decades, it is a moment of pride not just for the athlete, but for the sport too."&nbsp;

At the 2026 Asian Games, Indian hurdler Vithya Ramraj won bronze in the women's 400m hurdles. Her time of 54.75s broke PT Usha's 42-year-old national record, drawing praise from the IOA chief.

Indian hurdler Vithya Ramraj created history at the ongoing Asian Games 2026 on Monday (Sep 28). Although she won a bronze in the women's 400m hurdles event, she broke former sprinter PT Usha's national record in the race. Usha had run the race in 55.42 seconds at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and Ramraj did it in 54.75 seconds in Nagoya, Japan, overtaking the former Olympian's 42-year-old record. Usha, who now heads the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), was one of the first Indian women athletes who inspired a generation to take up the sport. How Ramraj broke PT Usha's record Ramraj had won the bronze in the last edition of the games in the same event back in 2023 in Hangzhou, China. The sprinter had come very close to breaking Usha's record in Hangzhou, equalling her timing of 55.42 seconds. This time, though, Ramraj made sure she broke the record. Speaking on how she managed to break the record, Ramraj, as quoted by news agency PTI, said: "Everyone has been asking me because I had not gone under 55 seconds for three years. My coach Nehpal Singh Rathore told me to go fast, then maintain it through the sixth hurdle. From the sixth hurdle to the finish line, it was all out." Also Read - Asian Games 2026: Sri Lanka to face India and Bangladesh up against Pakistan in semis "The medal is in our hands, but time is not. This race will not come again. Today was my day, so I was going for the timing, not the medal. My coach said we would go under 54 seconds. I did it, and I am so happy. The timing was so good, so I am very happy," she said on winning the medal. India had also won the bronze medal in the same event in 2018 at the Jakarta Asian Games as well, when Anu Raghavan clinched the medal.

At the 2026 Asian Games, Indian hurdler Vithya Ramraj won bronze in the women's 400m hurdles. Her time of 54.75s broke PT Usha's 42-year-old national record, drawing praise from the IOA chief.

Asian Games 2026: How Vithya Ramraj broke PT Usha's four-decade-old 400m hurdle record

The Asian Games 2026 men's cricket event continues to be marred by consistent rain, with the remaining two quarter-finals also getting washed out without a ball being bowled. On Tuesday (Sep 29), Sri Lanka were set to face Nepal in the first quarter-final of the day at Nisshin, and Bangladesh were up against Malaysia. Both matches, however, were abandoned due to persistent rain, which started well before the toss. Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh advanced to the semis by virtue of their higher seedings in the ICC T20I rankings. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were also among the four seeded teams, along with India and Pakistan, that were given direct entry into the quarter-finals.<h2>Asian Games 2026 men's cricket semis</h2>Bangladesh will now face Pakistan in the first semi-final on Thursday (Oct 1), while India will face Sri Lanka in the second semi-final on the same day. In the event of rain again playing spoilsport during the semis, the higher-seeded team in the ICC T20I rankings will advance to the final.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wpl-2027-mini-auction-check-full-player-retention-lists-slots-available-and-remaining-team-purses-1790649986081">WPL 2027 Mini-Auction: Franchises announce retained and released players; check purse &amp; slot available</a>Between Pakistan and Bangladesh, a washout of the match or a no-result will propel Pakistan into the final of the event. In the second semi-final, India will move on to the final over Sri Lanka by virtue of their higher ICC T20I ranking in case the match gets abandoned due to rain or any other reason.<h2>Can India and Pakistan face off in the Asian Games 2026 final?</h2>India, the defending gold medallist, can face arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of the Asian Games men's cricket event in the scenarios below:A: India beat Sri Lanka and Pakistan beat Bangladesh B: India move to the final over Sri Lanka in case of a washout and Pakistan beat Bangladesh C: India beat Sri Lanka and Pakistan move to the final over Bangladesh in case of a no-result/washout D: India and Pakistan move to the final in case of both semis getting abandoned.

Rain washed out the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket quarter-finals. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh advanced via higher rankings. India face Sri Lanka and Pakistan play Bangladesh in the semis on Oct 1.

The Asian Games 2026 men's cricket event continues to be marred by consistent rain, with the remaining two quarter-finals also getting washed out without a ball being bowled. On Tuesday (Sep 29), Sri Lanka were set to face Nepal in the first quarter-final of the day at Nisshin, and Bangladesh were up against Malaysia. Both matches, however, were abandoned due to persistent rain, which started well before the toss. Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh advanced to the semis by virtue of their higher seedings in the ICC T20I rankings. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were also among the four seeded teams, along with India and Pakistan, that were given direct entry into the quarter-finals. Asian Games 2026 men's cricket semis Bangladesh will now face Pakistan in the first semi-final on Thursday (Oct 1), while India will face Sri Lanka in the second semi-final on the same day. In the event of rain again playing spoilsport during the semis, the higher-seeded team in the ICC T20I rankings will advance to the final. Also Read - WPL 2027 Mini-Auction: Franchises announce retained and released players; check purse & slot available Between Pakistan and Bangladesh, a washout of the match or a no-result will propel Pakistan into the final of the event. In the second semi-final, India will move on to the final over Sri Lanka by virtue of their higher ICC T20I ranking in case the match gets abandoned due to rain or any other reason. Can India and Pakistan face off in the Asian Games 2026 final? India, the defending gold medallist, can face arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of the Asian Games men's cricket event in the scenarios below: A: India beat Sri Lanka and Pakistan beat Bangladesh B: India move to the final over Sri Lanka in case of a washout and Pakistan beat Bangladesh C: India beat Sri Lanka and Pakistan move to the final over Bangladesh in case of a no-result/washout D: India and Pakistan move to the final in case of both semis getting abandoned.

Rain washed out the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket quarter-finals. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh advanced via higher rankings. India face Sri Lanka and Pakistan play Bangladesh in the semis on Oct 1.

Asian Games 2026: Sri Lanka to face India and Bangladesh up against Pakistan in semis

The five Women's Premier League (WPL) franchises — Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, UP Warriorz, Gujarat Giants, and Delhi Capitals - have announced the list of players retained and released ahead of the upcoming mini-auction. The WPL 2027 auction will take place on October 28 in Kochi, Kerala. The upcoming season is scheduled to be played from January 14 to February 7. At the auction, 27 slots are open to be filled.<h2>List of players released and retained by WPL teams</h2>A franchise can have a maximum of 18 players in the squad, with the UP Warriorz and Mumbai Indians having a maximum of 7 slots each to fill. Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have 5 slots each to fill, while Gujarat Giants have only three slots available to fill. Below is the list of players retained and released by all the WPL teams:

WPL 2027 mini-auction to take place on October 28 in Kochi, Kerala

<h3>Gujarat Giants</h3>Players released: Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Ayushi Soni, Titas Sadhu, Shivani Singh Players retained: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, Bharti Fulmali, Happy Kumari, Jintimani Kalita, Kanika Ahuja, Kashvee Gautam, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh, Tanuja Kanwer, Yastika Bhatia<h3>Royal Challengers Bengaluru</h3>Players released: Grace Harris, Linsey Smith, D Hemalatha, Gautami Naik Players retained: Ellyse Perry, Georgia Voll, Lauren Bell, Nadine de Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Prathyoosha Kumar, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, Smriti Mandhana<h3>Mumbai Indians</h3>Players released: Milly Illingworth, G Kamalini, Kranthi Reddy, Poonam Khemnar, Saika Ishaque, Triveni Vasistha Players retained: Melie Kerr, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Nicola Carey, Amanjot Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur, Rahila Firdous, S Sajana, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Vaishnavi Sharma<h3>UP Warriorz</h3>Players released: Amy Jones, Charli Knott, Chloe Tryon, Deandra Dottin, Asha Sobhana, G Trisha, Kiran Navgire, Shweta Sehrawat, Suman Meena Players retained: Meg Lanning, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Ecclestone, Tara Norris, Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Pratika Rawal, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh<h3>Delhi Capitals</h3>Players released: Alana King, Lizelle Lee, Sneh Rana, Taniya Bhatia, Pragati Singh, Eddla Srujana Players retained: Annabel Sutherland, Chinelle Henry, Laura Wolvaardt, Lucy Hamilton, Marizanne Kapp, Deeya Yadav, Jemimah Rodrigues, Mamatha Madiwala, Minnu Mani, N Shree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Niki Prasad, Shafali Verma<h2>Purse and slots available for all teams</h2>UP Warriorz have the highest purse left - INR 3.65 crore, followed by Gujarat Giants (INR 1.25 crore), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (INR 1.15 crore), Delhi Capitals (INR 1.10 crore), and Mumbai Indians (INR 1 crore). Below are the slots available for each franchise for the WPL 2027 auction: UP Warriorz: 7 slots (2 overseas) Mumbai Indians: 7 slots (1 overseas) Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 5 slots (2 overseas) Delhi Capitals: 5 slots (1 overseas) Gujarat Giants: 3 slots (1 overseas)&nbsp;

Ahead of the WPL 2027 auction on Oct 27 in Kochi, 5 teams retained and released players. UPW has the highest purse (₹3.65 Cr). 27 total slots are open for the Jan 14–Feb 7 season.

The five Women's Premier League (WPL) franchises — Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, UP Warriorz, Gujarat Giants, and Delhi Capitals - have announced the list of players retained and released ahead of the upcoming mini-auction. The WPL 2027 auction will take place on October 28 in Kochi, Kerala. The upcoming season is scheduled to be played from January 14 to February 7. At the auction, 27 slots are open to be filled. List of players released and retained by WPL teams A franchise can have a maximum of 18 players in the squad, with the UP Warriorz and Mumbai Indians having a maximum of 7 slots each to fill. Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have 5 slots each to fill, while Gujarat Giants have only three slots available to fill. Below is the list of players retained and released by all the WPL teams:

Ahead of the WPL 2027 auction on Oct 28 in Kochi, 5 teams retained and released players. UPW has the highest purse (₹3.65 Cr). 27 total slots are open for the Jan 14–Feb 7 season.

WPL 2027 Mini-Auction: Franchises announce retained and released players; check purse & slot available

Italy crushed Turkey 4-1 in the Bursa rain to drag themselves into contention in Nations League Group A1, as leaders France struck late to win 1-0 in Belgium on Monday. In Brussels, both teams had wasted chances before Michael Olise scampered through the home defence after 88 minutes and drilled a shot inside the post.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tale-of-two-goats-ronaldo-benched-in-portugal-win-as-messi-s-stunning-free-kick-can-t-save-inter-miami-1790581563312">Ronaldo benched in Portugal win as Messi's stunning goal can't save Inter Miami</a>"He is a pure talent and he loves to just play. You can see it. He feels the game. I am pleased to be at his side," France coach Zinedine Zidane told broadcaster TF1.Olise's goal gave Zidane a second victory to start his long-awaited debut as France coach.Roberto Mancini's return to run Italy had ended in Roman jeers on Friday as Italy lost their opener at home to Belgium.His team dazzled in the downpour in the first half in Turkey."The players all put in an excellent performance today. It was a tough match and we approached it in the right way, staying high up the pitch and playing aggressively throughout the game," Mancini told Italian television at the final whistle.The hosts quickly slid three goals behind with errors in their muddy goalmouth.Twice Altay Bayindir struggled to reach low cross-shots from the right.After nine minutes, the Celta Vigo goalkeeper scooped a drive from Pio Esposito round the post.From the corner, Bursa-born fullback Zeki Celik, who plays for Juventus in Italy, swung wildly at a low near-post cross deflecting the ball to Alessandro Bastoni. The Inter Milan centre back lunged to fire into the roof of the net.After 23 minutes, Bayindir flapped an identical cross-shot from Michael Kayode into the path of Lazio's Davide Frattesi, who tucked the ball home.Intricate Italian passing around the penalty area repeatedly found a player free on the right of box.<h2>'To my grandmother'</h2>When Brentford's Kayode again ran into that space, his shot for the near post eluded the plunging Bayindir.Turkey gave the restless crowd hope in the 47th minute when Gianluigi Donnarumma was drawn to Oguz Aydin beyond the far post. He found Baris Yilmaz who gleefully drilled into an empty net.The comeback lasted five minutes. Tottenham's Sandro Tonali, in space, hit the post but Pio Esposito dived to nod home the rebound.After the game the Inter Milan striker's thoughts turned to family."I dedicate today's goal to my grandmother, who is going through a difficult time," said Pio Esposito who was playing alongside older brother Sebastiano of Sassuolo who was making his Italy debut."Sharing the pitch with him was incredibly moving; I tried to support him before the match without putting too much pressure on him. Let's hope we get to wear these colours together many more times."Galatasaray attacker Yilmaz then curled a shot home but Aydin of Besiktas, bouncing up and down in front of Man City's Donnarumma, was offside.Monday's slick display may ease the pressure on Mancini, while piling it on his former Sampdoria club-mate and fellow ex-Italian international Vincenzo Montella.Montella led Turkey to the quarter finals at Euro 2024 but his side finished bottom of their group at the summer's World Cup.<h2>'Fresh and ready'</h2>For their next match Italy visit the Stade de France on Friday."We'll try to recover our strength and be ready for the match in Paris," Mancini told Italian media. "I'm confident. We've got plenty of young players who are fresh and ready."Zidane, who was without injured captain Kylian Mbappe, made nine changes from his opening win over Turkey, was thinking along the same lines."We need a rest now. We have done a lot of travelling and not much training or resting," said Zidane, adding he was happy with his team."We were really good in every department. Against a really good Belgium side who made us suffer we held out, we played really well, and we were brave."

Italy beat Turkey 4-1 with goals from Bastoni, Frattesi, Kayode, and Esposito, easing pressure on Roberto Mancini. Meanwhile, Michael Olise scored late to give Zinedine Zidane’s France a 1-0 win in Belgium.

Italy crushed Turkey 4-1 in the Bursa rain to drag themselves into contention in Nations League Group A1, as leaders France struck late to win 1-0 in Belgium on Monday. In Brussels, both teams had wasted chances before Michael Olise scampered through the home defence after 88 minutes and drilled a shot inside the post. Also Read - Ronaldo benched in Portugal win as Messi's stunning goal can't save Inter Miami "He is a pure talent and he loves to just play. You can see it. He feels the game. I am pleased to be at his side," France coach Zinedine Zidane told broadcaster TF1. Olise's goal gave Zidane a second victory to start his long-awaited debut as France coach. Roberto Mancini's return to run Italy had ended in Roman jeers on Friday as Italy lost their opener at home to Belgium. His team dazzled in the downpour in the first half in Turkey. "The players all put in an excellent performance today. It was a tough match and we approached it in the right way, staying high up the pitch and playing aggressively throughout the game," Mancini told Italian television at the final whistle. The hosts quickly slid three goals behind with errors in their muddy goalmouth. Twice Altay Bayindir struggled to reach low cross-shots from the right. After nine minutes, the Celta Vigo goalkeeper scooped a drive from Pio Esposito round the post. From the corner, Bursa-born fullback Zeki Celik, who plays for Juventus in Italy, swung wildly at a low near-post cross deflecting the ball to Alessandro Bastoni. The Inter Milan centre back lunged to fire into the roof of the net. After 23 minutes, Bayindir flapped an identical cross-shot from Michael Kayode into the path of Lazio's Davide Frattesi, who tucked the ball home. Intricate Italian passing around the penalty area repeatedly found a player free on the right of box. 'To my grandmother' When Brentford's Kayode again ran into that space, his shot for the near post eluded the plunging Bayindir. Turkey gave the restless crowd hope in the 47th minute when Gianluigi Donnarumma was drawn to Oguz Aydin beyond the far post. He found Baris Yilmaz who gleefully drilled into an empty net. The comeback lasted five minutes. Tottenham's Sandro Tonali, in space, hit the post but Pio Esposito dived to nod home the rebound. After the game the Inter Milan striker's thoughts turned to family. "I dedicate today's goal to my grandmother, who is going through a difficult time," said Pio Esposito who was playing alongside older brother Sebastiano of Sassuolo who was making his Italy debut. "Sharing the pitch with him was incredibly moving; I tried to support him before the match without putting too much pressure on him. Let's hope we get to wear these colours together many more times." Galatasaray attacker Yilmaz then curled a shot home but Aydin of Besiktas, bouncing up and down in front of Man City's Donnarumma, was offside. Monday's slick display may ease the pressure on Mancini, while piling it on his former Sampdoria club-mate and fellow ex-Italian international Vincenzo Montella. Montella led Turkey to the quarter finals at Euro 2024 but his side finished bottom of their group at the summer's World Cup. 'Fresh and ready' For their next match Italy visit the Stade de France on Friday. "We'll try to recover our strength and be ready for the match in Paris," Mancini told Italian media. "I'm confident. We've got plenty of young players who are fresh and ready." Zidane, who was without injured captain Kylian Mbappe, made nine changes from his opening win over Turkey, was thinking along the same lines. "We need a rest now. We have done a lot of travelling and not much training or resting," said Zidane, adding he was happy with his team. "We were really good in every department. Against a really good Belgium side who made us suffer we held out, we played really well, and we were brave."

Italy beat Turkey 4-1 with goals from Bastoni, Frattesi, Kayode, and Esposito, easing pressure on Roberto Mancini. Meanwhile, Michael Olise scored late to give Zinedine Zidane’s France a 1-0 win in Belgium.

UEFA Nations League: Italy crush Turkey, France beat Belgium with late winner

The countdown has begun as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) will jointly announce the 2027 ODI World Cup schedule on Thursday (Oct 1) in Cape Town. The event, which also marks one year until the 14-team tournament, will kick off ticket ballot registrations. As previously reported, the World Cup will begin on October 2, on Gandhi Jayanti, and conclude on November 21.&nbsp;Of the 14 participating teams in the ODI World Cup, 10 will be determined by September 30, the cut-off qualification date. While two of those 10 nations are the hosts – South Africa and Zimbabwe, the remaining eight will qualify based on the ICC ODI rankings. The four pending teams, however, will advance through the qualifying process and will be listed as Qualifier 1, 2, 3 and 4. Along with South Africa and Zimbabwe, Namibia is a joint host; however, unlike the other two, it does not qualify automatically and must earn its spot through the qualifiers.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-55th-odi-century-15k-runs-kevin-pietersen-genius-1790598883067">'A Genius': England cricket mentor Kevin Pietersen reacts to Virat Kohli's record 55th ODI hundred</a>&nbsp;As things stand, eight teams that have qualified for the World Cup by virtue of their ODI rankings are India (1), New Zealand (2), Pakistan (4), Australia (5), England (6), Sri Lanka (7), Afghanistan (8) and Bangladesh (9). While Bangladesh, ranked ninth, has sneaked through, South Africa (3) earned their place as the tournament’s co-hosts.&nbsp;The West Indies, however, will have to qualify through the qualifiers, scheduled early next year.&nbsp;Although tickets will not be available for immediate purchase on Thursday, fans can register for the ticket ballot starting October 1.<h2>ICC ODI World Cup Schedule</h2>According to an ICC release, the next ODI World Cup will be divided into three rounds before the semifinals and final. The competition will begin with a Super Series featuring the three lowest-ranked of the 14 qualified teams (12th, 13th, and 14th) in a round-robin format. The top team will advance to the next stage.&nbsp;The next round will have 30 matches featuring 12 teams, divided into two groups of six, playing in a round-robin format. The top three teams from each group, along with the next best-placed team across the two groups, will advance to the Super 7 stage.&nbsp;The final stage (Super 7 stage), after which the knockouts begin, will consist of 21 round-robin matches, with the top four sides progressing to the semifinals. While the top-ranked team will face the fourth-ranked side, the second-ranked side will meet the third-placed team. The winners of the two semifinals will advance to the final for the coveted World Cup trophy.

The ICC and CSA will announce the 2027 ODI World Cup schedule on October 1 in Cape Town. Get details on qualified teams, dates, and ticket ballot info.

The countdown has begun as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) will jointly announce the 2027 ODI World Cup schedule on Thursday (Oct 1) in Cape Town. The event, which also marks one year until the 14-team tournament, will kick off ticket ballot registrations. As previously reported, the World Cup will begin on October 2, on Gandhi Jayanti, and conclude on November 21. Of the 14 participating teams in the ODI World Cup, 10 will be determined by September 30, the cut-off qualification date. While two of those 10 nations are the hosts – South Africa and Zimbabwe, the remaining eight will qualify based on the ICC ODI rankings. The four pending teams, however, will advance through the qualifying process and will be listed as Qualifier 1, 2, 3 and 4. Along with South Africa and Zimbabwe, Namibia is a joint host; however, unlike the other two, it does not qualify automatically and must earn its spot through the qualifiers. Also read| 'A Genius': England cricket mentor Kevin Pietersen reacts to Virat Kohli's record 55th ODI hundred As things stand, eight teams that have qualified for the World Cup by virtue of their ODI rankings are India (1), New Zealand (2), Pakistan (4), Australia (5), England (6), Sri Lanka (7), Afghanistan (8) and Bangladesh (9). While Bangladesh, ranked ninth, has sneaked through, South Africa (3) earned their place as the tournament’s co-hosts. The West Indies, however, will have to qualify through the qualifiers, scheduled early next year. Although tickets will not be available for immediate purchase on Thursday, fans can register for the ticket ballot starting October 1. ICC ODI World Cup Schedule According to an ICC release, the next ODI World Cup will be divided into three rounds before the semifinals and final. The competition will begin with a Super Series featuring the three lowest-ranked of the 14 qualified teams (12th, 13th, and 14th) in a round-robin format. The top team will advance to the next stage. The next round will have 30 matches featuring 12 teams, divided into two groups of six, playing in a round-robin format. The top three teams from each group, along with the next best-placed team across the two groups, will advance to the Super 7 stage. The final stage (Super 7 stage), after which the knockouts begin, will consist of 21 round-robin matches, with the top four sides progressing to the semifinals. While the top-ranked team will face the fourth-ranked side, the second-ranked side will meet the third-placed team. The winners of the two semifinals will advance to the final for the coveted World Cup trophy.

The ICC and CSA will announce the 2027 ODI World Cup schedule on October 1 in Cape Town. Get details on qualified teams, dates, and ticket ballot info.

Countdown Begins: ICC, CSA to release 2027 ODI World Cup schedule on October 1 - Report

India won eight medals on day 9 of the ongoing Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, while the boxers ensured more in the coming days with a thrilling showing on Monday. Meanwhile, the Indian men’s hockey team thrashed Bangladesh 10-0 in their Pool A match to set up a mouth-watering clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in the semifinal on October 1.<h2>Boxers promise more medals</h2>After three boxers won their respective quarterfinal bouts, India is at least assured of three medals at the Asian Games. While Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain beat South Korea's Seong Suyeon in the women's 75kg quarterfinal, Priya also confirmed her podium finish by beating Tajikistan's Mijgona Samadova in the women's 60kg quarterfinal.&nbsp;In the men’s 90kg quarterfinal, India’s Kapil Pokhariya beat South Korea's Kim Gichae to ensure India's third medal in this discipline.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-day-9-india-8-medals-athletics-javelin-1790608281731">Asian Games, Day 9: India clinch 8 medals as athletics &amp; javelin stars shine</a><h3>India vs Pakistan in Men’s Hockey Semis</h3>The Indian men’s hockey team produced a blistering performance to thrash Bangladesh 10-0 in their scheduled Pool A match on Monday, setting up the blockbuster India vs Pakistan match in the Games semifinal.&nbsp;Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh scored a hat-trick, with Jugraj Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sanjay, Abhishek and Mandeep Singh also contributing.&nbsp;The defending champions topped Pool A with five wins in five contested matches, and a +45 goal difference.&nbsp;Malaysia and South Korea will face off in the other semifinal.<h3>Near Misses</h3>While India had its most successful day at the Games, there were several near misses too, with medal hope Avinash Sable finishing fourth in the men’s 3000m steeplechase being the biggest heartbreak. His season-best of 8:21.67 wasn’t enough, as Japan’s Ryuji Miura took home the gold in a Games record 8:17.36.&nbsp;In the women’s discus throw, India’s Seema Kaliramna narrowly missed out on a podium finish, finishing fourth with a personal best of 59.88m.Even in the women’s 4x100m relay, India finished fourth.&nbsp;In the men’s 400m hurdles, Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan finished seventh, while India's women's 25m pistol team of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Rahi Sarnobat finished fifth.&nbsp;Despite winning eight medals on Monday, which raised India’s tally to 45, India failed to maintain its place in the top 10 standings.

India clinched eight medals on Day 9 of the 2026 Asian Games, set up a semifinal hockey clash against Pakistan, and guaranteed three boxing medals in Nagoya. 

India won eight medals on day 9 of the ongoing Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, while the boxers ensured more in the coming days with a thrilling showing on Monday. Meanwhile, the Indian men’s hockey team thrashed Bangladesh 10-0 in their Pool A match to set up a mouth-watering clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in the semifinal on October 1. Boxers promise more medals After three boxers won their respective quarterfinal bouts, India is at least assured of three medals at the Asian Games. While Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain beat South Korea's Seong Suyeon in the women's 75kg quarterfinal, Priya also confirmed her podium finish by beating Tajikistan's Mijgona Samadova in the women's 60kg quarterfinal. In the men’s 90kg quarterfinal, India’s Kapil Pokhariya beat South Korea's Kim Gichae to ensure India's third medal in this discipline. Also read| Asian Games, Day 9: India clinch 8 medals as athletics & javelin stars shine India vs Pakistan in Men’s Hockey Semis The Indian men’s hockey team produced a blistering performance to thrash Bangladesh 10-0 in their scheduled Pool A match on Monday, setting up the blockbuster India vs Pakistan match in the Games semifinal. Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh scored a hat-trick, with Jugraj Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sanjay, Abhishek and Mandeep Singh also contributing. The defending champions topped Pool A with five wins in five contested matches, and a +45 goal difference. Malaysia and South Korea will face off in the other semifinal. Near Misses While India had its most successful day at the Games, there were several near misses too, with medal hope Avinash Sable finishing fourth in the men’s 3000m steeplechase being the biggest heartbreak. His season-best of 8:21.67 wasn’t enough, as Japan’s Ryuji Miura took home the gold in a Games record 8:17.36. In the women’s discus throw, India’s Seema Kaliramna narrowly missed out on a podium finish, finishing fourth with a personal best of 59.88m. Even in the women’s 4x100m relay, India finished fourth. In the men’s 400m hurdles, Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan finished seventh, while India's women's 25m pistol team of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Rahi Sarnobat finished fifth. Despite winning eight medals on Monday, which raised India’s tally to 45, India failed to maintain its place in the top 10 standings.

India clinched eight medals on Day 9 of the 2026 Asian Games, set up a semifinal hockey clash against Pakistan, and guaranteed three boxing medals in Nagoya.&nbsp;

Asian Games 2026: India to face Pakistan in hockey semis; boxers guarantee medals

Monday, September 28, was India’s most successful day at the ongoing Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, with India winning eight medals, including four silver and four bronze. Athletics boomed for India, and so did shooting and Kurash, while boxers ensured more medals in the coming days. The Indian men’s cricket team also reached the semifinal following a washout against Afghanistan in the quarterfinal by virtue of being the higher-ranked team. Moreover, a double podium finish in the men’s javelin final boosted India's medal tally, while Vithya Ramraj made headlines by breaking PT Usha's 42-year-old record.&nbsp;While Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav won a javelin double, Murali Sreeshankar took home silver in the long jump. Gulveer Singh won his second silver medal of the Games, and Esha Singh finished second in the women's 25m pistol. Vithya, Parul Chaudhary and Pincky Balhara won bronze medals to raise the medal tally to eight for the day.<h2>Javelin Double in Neeraj’s Absence</h2>Despite missing the two-time Olympic medalist, Neeraj Chopra, India had a double podium finish in the men’s javelin, with Yashvir Singh (85.72m) and Rohit Yadav (84.35m) finishing second and third, respectively. Sri Lanka’s Commonwealth Games gold medalist Rumesh Pathirage won the gold medal with an 88.55m throw.&nbsp;Gulveer continued his impressive run at the Games by winning his second silver medal. After finishing second in the 10,000m, Gulveer clocked a personal best of 3:36.72 in the 1500m final. The Japanese pair of Kazuto Iizawa and Nagiya Mori took home the gold and bronze medals, respectively, with fellow Indian Yoonus Shah finishing ninth.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-pakistan-volleyball-bus-blunder-wrong-venue-1790593964979">Asian Games: Pakistan volleyball match delayed after bus reaches wrong venue</a>&nbsp;Murali Sreeshankar missed out on a long jump Asiad gold, with his best effort of 8.07m earning him a silver medal. Murali injured himself during the fourth attempt and did not participate further. India's Solomon David finished seventh with 7.70m.&nbsp;The women’s athletics pair, Parul Chaudhary and Vithya Ramraj, won bronze medals. While Parul clocked 15:14.61 to finish third in the women's 5000m — adding another bronze after her steeplechase medal — Vithya set a personal best of 54.75 seconds to win bronze in the 400m hurdles, breaking PT Usha's 42-year-old record. Anu Raghavan, meanwhile, finished fifth with a personal best of 55.88 seconds.&nbsp;In shooting, India’s cornerstone discipline at the Asian Games, world No. 1 in women’s 25m pistol Esha Singh won silver. Although she secured the same score as China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan, Esha lost her shot at the gold medal after the deciding shoot-off.&nbsp;Elsewhere, Pincky Balhara also added a bronze in women's -78kg kurash. The Indian combat sport athlete beat South Korea's Garam Lim in the quarterfinal before losing 0-5 to another South Korean, Sumin Mo, in the semifinal. It was Balhara's second Asian Games medal, eight years after her silver at Jakarta 2018.

India enjoyed a prolific Day 9 at the 2026 Asian Games, winning eight medals led by a javelin double podium and Vithya Ramraj's record-breaking run.

Monday, September 28, was India’s most successful day at the ongoing Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, with India winning eight medals, including four silver and four bronze. Athletics boomed for India, and so did shooting and Kurash, while boxers ensured more medals in the coming days. The Indian men’s cricket team also reached the semifinal following a washout against Afghanistan in the quarterfinal by virtue of being the higher-ranked team. Moreover, a double podium finish in the men’s javelin final boosted India's medal tally, while Vithya Ramraj made headlines by breaking PT Usha's 42-year-old record. While Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav won a javelin double, Murali Sreeshankar took home silver in the long jump. Gulveer Singh won his second silver medal of the Games, and Esha Singh finished second in the women's 25m pistol. Vithya, Parul Chaudhary and Pincky Balhara won bronze medals to raise the medal tally to eight for the day. Javelin Double in Neeraj’s Absence Despite missing the two-time Olympic medalist, Neeraj Chopra, India had a double podium finish in the men’s javelin, with Yashvir Singh (85.72m) and Rohit Yadav (84.35m) finishing second and third, respectively. Sri Lanka’s Commonwealth Games gold medalist Rumesh Pathirage won the gold medal with an 88.55m throw. Gulveer continued his impressive run at the Games by winning his second silver medal. After finishing second in the 10,000m, Gulveer clocked a personal best of 3:36.72 in the 1500m final. The Japanese pair of Kazuto Iizawa and Nagiya Mori took home the gold and bronze medals, respectively, with fellow Indian Yoonus Shah finishing ninth. Also read| Asian Games: Pakistan volleyball match delayed after bus reaches wrong venue Murali Sreeshankar missed out on a long jump Asiad gold, with his best effort of 8.07m earning him a silver medal. Murali injured himself during the fourth attempt and did not participate further. India's Solomon David finished seventh with 7.70m. The women’s athletics pair, Parul Chaudhary and Vithya Ramraj, won bronze medals. While Parul clocked 15:14.61 to finish third in the women's 5000m — adding another bronze after her steeplechase medal — Vithya set a personal best of 54.75 seconds to win bronze in the 400m hurdles, breaking PT Usha's 42-year-old record. Anu Raghavan, meanwhile, finished fifth with a personal best of 55.88 seconds. In shooting, India’s cornerstone discipline at the Asian Games, world No. 1 in women’s 25m pistol Esha Singh won silver. Although she secured the same score as China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan, Esha lost her shot at the gold medal after the deciding shoot-off. Elsewhere, Pincky Balhara also added a bronze in women's -78kg kurash. The Indian combat sport athlete beat South Korea's Garam Lim in the quarterfinal before losing 0-5 to another South Korean, Sumin Mo, in the semifinal. It was Balhara's second Asian Games medal, eight years after her silver at Jakarta 2018.

India enjoyed a prolific Day 9 at the 2026 Asian Games, winning eight medals led by a javelin double podium and Vithya Ramraj's record-breaking run.

Asian Games, Day 9: India clinch 8 medals as athletics & javelin stars shine

Seasoned English batter Jos Buttler has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan with a hamstring injury he sustained midway through the second ODI against Sri Lanka at Headingley last Thursday. The latest injury also casts doubts over his participation in the white-ball series in Australia that follows. England white-ball head coach Brendon McCullum has handpicked Jordan Cox to replace Buttler with the gloves and in the middle order for England ODIs and T20Is for the next two months.&nbsp;Buttler pulled up his hamstring in England’s defeat in the second One-Dayer. Having retired hurt earlier, Buttler returned to resume his innings but failed to guide his team across the winning line. Although the ECB awaits the extent of his injury, McCullum wasted no time in revealing that Buttler would likely miss England’s next two white-ball assignments in October and November.&nbsp;"I thought it was quite a Jos Buttler innings today," McCullum said of Cox's 76 off 52 balls at The Oval in the final ODI, which England won by 223 runs to claim the three-match series 2-1.&nbsp;"He will get the opportunity in Pakistan, which is exciting for him. Whilst it's disappointing not to have Jos, it's going to be good for us to see where we're at, because between now and 14 months' time, lots of things are going to go wrong.&nbsp;"There's going to be lots of selections that you think would happen, and teams that you think will be the best teams to play against opposition, but someone will get injured, or there'll be a scheduling situation. You have to almost catastrophise these things a little bit in order to prepare yourself as best as possible for that World Cup in 14 months' time,” the head coach noted.&nbsp;Happy with the squad depth despite missing several first-team players out with respective injuries, including Jacob Bethell (knee), Sam Curran (groin), Adil Rashid (hand) and Buttler (hamstring), McCullum said, "Whilst you don't want those injuries to happen, it does give you a good line on where you're at with some of the depth in your squad.”&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-55th-odi-century-15k-runs-kevin-pietersen-genius-1790598883067">'A Genius': England cricket mentor Kevin Pietersen reacts to Virat Kohli's record 55th ODI hundred</a>&nbsp;Meanwhile, Sunday’s ODI at The Oval brought England’s home season to a close, which McCullum called ‘eventful’. Barring the Test series loss to New Zealand at home, which also coincided with Ben Stokes’ international retirement, England tasted success against Pakistan in the Test series and Sri Lanka in the white-ball leg.&nbsp;"It's been eventful, but it's been a great summer in many respects," he said. "I genuinely feel right now, at the end of the summer, that English cricket is actually in a really good place. I'm biased because he's a great mate of mine, but I think he's a great coach and he's going to do an incredible job alongside Joe Root, in Stephen Fleming, [who is] now at the helm of the Test side.&nbsp;"And the performances and development of the ODI and T20 sides across the summer has been something which has been incredibly encouraging. Harry Brook's development as a leader on the field and his growth as a person off it has been superb, and overall, I feel as if while it's been an eventful few months, I feel like [English cricket] is in a really good space,” McCullum concluded.&nbsp;England will select their squad for the Pakistan tri-series on Monday (Sep 28), and announce it publicly later this week. England’s first match of the series will be against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on October 20.

Jos Buttler has been ruled out of England's upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan due to a hamstring injury. Jordan Cox has been named as his replacement in the middle overs. Read details.

Seasoned English batter Jos Buttler has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan with a hamstring injury he sustained midway through the second ODI against Sri Lanka at Headingley last Thursday. The latest injury also casts doubts over his participation in the white-ball series in Australia that follows. England white-ball head coach Brendon McCullum has handpicked Jordan Cox to replace Buttler with the gloves and in the middle order for England ODIs and T20Is for the next two months. Buttler pulled up his hamstring in England’s defeat in the second One-Dayer. Having retired hurt earlier, Buttler returned to resume his innings but failed to guide his team across the winning line. Although the ECB awaits the extent of his injury, McCullum wasted no time in revealing that Buttler would likely miss England’s next two white-ball assignments in October and November. "I thought it was quite a Jos Buttler innings today," McCullum said of Cox's 76 off 52 balls at The Oval in the final ODI, which England won by 223 runs to claim the three-match series 2-1. "He will get the opportunity in Pakistan, which is exciting for him. Whilst it's disappointing not to have Jos, it's going to be good for us to see where we're at, because between now and 14 months' time, lots of things are going to go wrong. "There's going to be lots of selections that you think would happen, and teams that you think will be the best teams to play against opposition, but someone will get injured, or there'll be a scheduling situation. You have to almost catastrophise these things a little bit in order to prepare yourself as best as possible for that World Cup in 14 months' time,” the head coach noted. Happy with the squad depth despite missing several first-team players out with respective injuries, including Jacob Bethell (knee), Sam Curran (groin), Adil Rashid (hand) and Buttler (hamstring), McCullum said, "Whilst you don't want those injuries to happen, it does give you a good line on where you're at with some of the depth in your squad.” Also read| 'A Genius': England cricket mentor Kevin Pietersen reacts to Virat Kohli's record 55th ODI hundred Meanwhile, Sunday’s ODI at The Oval brought England’s home season to a close, which McCullum called ‘eventful’. Barring the Test series loss to New Zealand at home, which also coincided with Ben Stokes’ international retirement, England tasted success against Pakistan in the Test series and Sri Lanka in the white-ball leg. "It's been eventful, but it's been a great summer in many respects," he said. "I genuinely feel right now, at the end of the summer, that English cricket is actually in a really good place. I'm biased because he's a great mate of mine, but I think he's a great coach and he's going to do an incredible job alongside Joe Root, in Stephen Fleming, [who is] now at the helm of the Test side. "And the performances and development of the ODI and T20 sides across the summer has been something which has been incredibly encouraging. Harry Brook's development as a leader on the field and his growth as a person off it has been superb, and overall, I feel as if while it's been an eventful few months, I feel like [English cricket] is in a really good space,” McCullum concluded. England will select their squad for the Pakistan tri-series on Monday (Sep 28), and announce it publicly later this week. England’s first match of the series will be against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on October 20.

Jos Buttler has been ruled out of England's upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan due to a hamstring injury. Jordan Cox has been named as his replacement in the middle overs. Read details.

Jos Buttler ruled out of ODI tri-series in Pakistan with hamstring injury

Virat Kohli unleashed his best in the ODI series opener against the West Indies on Sunday (Sep 27), smashing an unbeaten 139 – his 55th One-Day century, and helping land the first punch in this three-match series. The talismanic batter also completed 15,000 runs in the 50-over format, becoming only the second batter after his idol and Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, and the quickest ever to do so (innings-wise). He broke several records in his match-winning outing in Thiruvananthapuram and won a million hearts, including that of the newly appointed England white-ball mentor, Kevin Pietersen.&nbsp;Having played against and alongside (in the IPL) each other back in the day, KP knows Kohli’s mettle and couldn’t help but shower praise on Kohli’s record knock.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-wi-1st-odi-kohli-breaks-sachin-s-most-runs-in-one-country-record-with-unbeaten-139-as-india-thump-west-indies-by-8-wickets-1790566082815">IND vs WI 1st ODI: Kohli breaks Sachin's most runs in one country record with unbeaten 139 as India thump West Indies by 8 wickets</a>&nbsp;“55 ODI 100s for Virat!!!! &nbsp;&nbsp;55?!?!?!?!&nbsp;&nbsp;Many cricketers have good careers by just playing 55 games.&nbsp;&nbsp;He Is A Genius, and I’m buzzing for him! ❤️” KP wrote on his X handle.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">55 ODI 100s for Virat!!!! 55?!?!?!?! Many cricketers have good careers by just playing 55 games. He Is A Genius and I’m buzzing for him! ❤️&mdash; Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://x.com/KP24/status/2104489360263672293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Kohli was on song in his first ODI game since losing the Lord’s One-Day in July this year. Coming into bat following Rohit Sharma’s dismissal, Kohli stitched a 151-run stand with captain Shubman Gill to keep India’s nose ahead in the run chase. While Gill also continued his rich vein of form with his 10th One-Day hundred, Kohli’s 55th ODI century stole all the limelight.&nbsp;Unlike how he used to shape his innings during run chases previously, Kohli hit fifth gear from the word go, smashing nine sixes and 10 fours in his breathtaking knock. He remained unbeaten on 139 off just 88 balls at a strike rate of 157.95.&nbsp;"I promised myself I'm going to play positively because I can," Kohli said in the post-match presser. "So I'm going to continue to play like that, but, you know, not be reckless. There is a fine line, which as a professional, as an experienced player, I should have the ability to execute in this way without, you know, playing reckless shots and get the team through."&nbsp;"I think to follow a free mind, you need a fit body. So for me, it works the other way around. I stay physically fit, and then I'm able to visualise the game in the way that I want to play, which allows me the best chance to go out there and execute in the way that I did tonight,” said Player of the Match Kohli.&nbsp;India and the West Indies will meet in the second ODI on Wednesday (Sep 30) in Guwahati.

Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 139 to complete his 55th ODI century and pass 15,000 runs against the West Indies. England mentor Kevin Pietersen dubbed him a 'genius.'

Virat Kohli unleashed his best in the ODI series opener against the West Indies on Sunday (Sep 27), smashing an unbeaten 139 – his 55th One-Day century, and helping land the first punch in this three-match series. The talismanic batter also completed 15,000 runs in the 50-over format, becoming only the second batter after his idol and Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, and the quickest ever to do so (innings-wise). He broke several records in his match-winning outing in Thiruvananthapuram and won a million hearts, including that of the newly appointed England white-ball mentor, Kevin Pietersen. Having played against and alongside (in the IPL) each other back in the day, KP knows Kohli’s mettle and couldn’t help but shower praise on Kohli’s record knock. Also read| IND vs WI 1st ODI: Kohli breaks Sachin's most runs in one country record with unbeaten 139 as India thump West Indies by 8 wickets “55 ODI 100s for Virat!!!! 55?!?!?!?! Many cricketers have good careers by just playing 55 games. He Is A Genius, and I’m buzzing for him! ❤️” KP wrote on his X handle.

Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 139 to complete his 55th ODI century and pass 15,000 runs against the West Indies. England mentor Kevin Pietersen dubbed him a 'genius.'

'A Genius': England cricket mentor Kevin Pietersen reacts to Virat Kohli's record 55th ODI hundred

In a massive boost for South Africa, their pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada has been included in the 18-man preliminary squad for the three-match Test series against Australia starting October 9 in Durban. Rabada is currently recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered during winter training, with his availability for the first Test to be determined after an intra-squad match next week.&nbsp;"We will give it [final decision on Rabada] as much time as humanly possible, but we also don't want to take a call based on desperation," South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad said on Monday. "Based on how the three-day match plays out, a day or two after that, I reckon we will make a call."&nbsp;Besides Rabada, fellow paceman Anrich Nortje has also earned a surprise recall to the squad, having last played a Test match three years ago, although Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka, all suffering from hamstring issues, have not been picked.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sa-vs-aus-2nd-odi-pat-cummins-return-josh-inglis-finger-injury-1790490768208">SA vs AUS 2026: Pat Cummins set for ODI return as broken finger clouds Inglis’ Test hopes</a>&nbsp;"Anrich is as pedantic and professional as they come. He has got spreadsheets that detail all of the work that he has done. I'm very comfortable that he has done all the necessary work," Conrad said. "We've just got to look at the intensity that it's done in. We've got to look at whether a Test match is the best introduction back to the international fold."&nbsp;Meanwhile, Gerald Coetzee, who returned to the South African colours for the recent ODI against Australia at Kingsmead last week, has also been picked for the red-ball leg, having last played a Test match in November 2024. Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder and Dane Paterson, all of whom were part of South Africa's World Test Championship final squad, make up the rest of the fast-bowling department.<h2>Brevis Sidelined as 'Clay-Court Specialist</h2>The hosts, however, have retained their core batting group for the marquee Test series against the Aussies, the first on their soil since 2018. While Marques Ackerman is the only uncapped batter picked, Conrad shared his thoughts on Dewald Brevis missing the cut. Calling him the Rafael Nadal of South African cricket, Conrad was blunt in his assessment of the Baby AB, saying he is not the best Test batter as of now.&nbsp;"On the batting front, we've stuck with our core group," Conrad said. "It's great to have Marques in the squad. The way he has led the SA A side, both as captain and through his performances with the bat, has earned him this opportunity. We're looking forward to having him in the Test environment."&nbsp;On Brevis, the head coach said, "It's a long summer, so I am sure we will see [Brevis] at some stage. The blunt answer is that I don't think he is one of the best batters in Test cricket for us. I think there are other guys for us in South African conditions. Brevis is probably more suited to us playing in Test cricket in the subcontinent.&nbsp;"ODI cricket is a different story. You will see him at some stage. In Tests, he is a bit of a Rafael Nadal. He is a clay-court specialist,” he continued.<h3>South Africa’s Preliminary Squad for Australia Tests:&nbsp;</h3>Temba Bavuma (captain), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne

Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje have been named in South Africa's 18-man Test squad to face Australia, while coach Shukri Conrad addresses Dewald Brevis's omission.

In a massive boost for South Africa, their pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada has been included in the 18-man preliminary squad for the three-match Test series against Australia starting October 9 in Durban. Rabada is currently recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered during winter training, with his availability for the first Test to be determined after an intra-squad match next week. "We will give it [final decision on Rabada] as much time as humanly possible, but we also don't want to take a call based on desperation," South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad said on Monday. "Based on how the three-day match plays out, a day or two after that, I reckon we will make a call." Besides Rabada, fellow paceman Anrich Nortje has also earned a surprise recall to the squad, having last played a Test match three years ago, although Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka, all suffering from hamstring issues, have not been picked. Also read| SA vs AUS 2026: Pat Cummins set for ODI return as broken finger clouds Inglis’ Test hopes "Anrich is as pedantic and professional as they come. He has got spreadsheets that detail all of the work that he has done. I'm very comfortable that he has done all the necessary work," Conrad said. "We've just got to look at the intensity that it's done in. We've got to look at whether a Test match is the best introduction back to the international fold." Meanwhile, Gerald Coetzee, who returned to the South African colours for the recent ODI against Australia at Kingsmead last week, has also been picked for the red-ball leg, having last played a Test match in November 2024. Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder and Dane Paterson, all of whom were part of South Africa's World Test Championship final squad, make up the rest of the fast-bowling department. Brevis Sidelined as 'Clay-Court Specialist The hosts, however, have retained their core batting group for the marquee Test series against the Aussies, the first on their soil since 2018. While Marques Ackerman is the only uncapped batter picked, Conrad shared his thoughts on Dewald Brevis missing the cut. Calling him the Rafael Nadal of South African cricket, Conrad was blunt in his assessment of the Baby AB, saying he is not the best Test batter as of now. "On the batting front, we've stuck with our core group," Conrad said. "It's great to have Marques in the squad. The way he has led the SA A side, both as captain and through his performances with the bat, has earned him this opportunity. We're looking forward to having him in the Test environment." On Brevis, the head coach said, "It's a long summer, so I am sure we will see [Brevis] at some stage. The blunt answer is that I don't think he is one of the best batters in Test cricket for us. I think there are other guys for us in South African conditions. Brevis is probably more suited to us playing in Test cricket in the subcontinent. "ODI cricket is a different story. You will see him at some stage. In Tests, he is a bit of a Rafael Nadal. He is a clay-court specialist,” he continued. South Africa’s Preliminary Squad for Australia Tests: Temba Bavuma (captain), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne

Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje have been named in South Africa's 18-man Test squad to face Australia, while coach Shukri Conrad addresses Dewald Brevis's omission.

SA vs AUS: Rabada named in 18-man preliminary squad; Nortje in line for Test return

Organisational issues at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games generated fresh headlines on Monday (Sep 28) after an official bus carrying the Pakistan volleyball team arrived at the wrong venue, delaying their group game against Uzbekistan by 45 minutes. Pakistan captain Murad Jehan slammed the Games’ organising management, saying the driver’s fault created an embarrassing situation for the Men in Green. Moreover, the players were forced to change into their kit on the moving bus to avoid wasting more time upon arrival at the right venue.&nbsp;"This is another mismanagement by Japan at the ongoing Asian Games," Pakistan captain Murad Jehan said in an Instagram video made from the bus. "We have a very important game, and the bus driver does not know in which gymnasium we are going to play," he said in the clip with a caption reading, "Embarrassing situation at Japan Asian Games 2026. Totally unfair."&nbsp;"We couldn't expect this in Japan. There is a lot of mismanagement,” he added.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-india-pakistan-through-to-semis-without-playing-a-ball-1790569585127">Asian Games 2026: India, Pakistan through to semis without playing a ball - setup for a blockbuster final?</a>&nbsp;The official Games bus carrying Pakistan’s entourage was supposed to reach an arena in Okazaki, which is southeast of Nagoya; instead, the vehicle mistakenly took them to another Games venue staging volleyball matches about an hour’s drive away.&nbsp;"As a result, the team arrived late at the correct competition venue, and we were required to delay the match by 45 minutes," said an official Games communiqué.&nbsp;Pakistan won the match 3-0.<h3>Wider Transportation &amp; Housing Complaints</h3>Meanwhile, the latest incident put further pressure on the organising committee after hundreds of athletes complained about the smaller accommodation and transport services. Several teams have also complained about buses sometimes arriving at incorrect times or even not at all.&nbsp;In one such instance, the South Korean men’s basketball team failed to turn up for a light practice ahead of the final against Japan after a bus that was supposed to take them did not arrive at all.

Pakistan's Asian Games volleyball match against Uzbekistan was delayed by 45 minutes after their team bus was driven to the wrong venue. Read the latest.

Organisational issues at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games generated fresh headlines on Monday (Sep 28) after an official bus carrying the Pakistan volleyball team arrived at the wrong venue, delaying their group game against Uzbekistan by 45 minutes. Pakistan captain Murad Jehan slammed the Games’ organising management, saying the driver’s fault created an embarrassing situation for the Men in Green. Moreover, the players were forced to change into their kit on the moving bus to avoid wasting more time upon arrival at the right venue. "This is another mismanagement by Japan at the ongoing Asian Games," Pakistan captain Murad Jehan said in an Instagram video made from the bus. "We have a very important game, and the bus driver does not know in which gymnasium we are going to play," he said in the clip with a caption reading, "Embarrassing situation at Japan Asian Games 2026. Totally unfair." "We couldn't expect this in Japan. There is a lot of mismanagement,” he added. Also read| Asian Games 2026: India, Pakistan through to semis without playing a ball - setup for a blockbuster final? The official Games bus carrying Pakistan’s entourage was supposed to reach an arena in Okazaki, which is southeast of Nagoya; instead, the vehicle mistakenly took them to another Games venue staging volleyball matches about an hour’s drive away. "As a result, the team arrived late at the correct competition venue, and we were required to delay the match by 45 minutes," said an official Games communiqué. Pakistan won the match 3-0. Wider Transportation & Housing Complaints Meanwhile, the latest incident put further pressure on the organising committee after hundreds of athletes complained about the smaller accommodation and transport services. Several teams have also complained about buses sometimes arriving at incorrect times or even not at all. In one such instance, the South Korean men’s basketball team failed to turn up for a light practice ahead of the final against Japan after a bus that was supposed to take them did not arrive at all.

Pakistan's Asian Games volleyball match against Uzbekistan was delayed by 45 minutes after their team bus was driven to the wrong venue. Read the latest.

Asian Games: Pakistan volleyball match delayed after bus reaches wrong venue

Bodhana Sivanandan, an 11-year-old chess prodigy, has become the youngest player to earn the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title. Bodhana achieved the milestone during the ongoing 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. She surpassed Kateryna Lagno to become the youngest-ever Woman Grandmaster. Lagno, who has played for both Ukraine and Russia, had achieved the feat back in 2002 at the age of 12 and held the record for more than two decades.<h2>Who is Bodhana Sivanandan?</h2>Bodhana is a schoolgirl who lives in northwest London's Harrow. She was born on March 7, 2015, to Indian parents who moved to the UK in 2007. The Indian-origin chess prodigy started playing chess during the COVID-19 pandemic and was initially fascinated by how the pieces looked.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tale-of-two-goats-ronaldo-benched-in-portugal-win-as-messi-s-stunning-free-kick-can-t-save-inter-miami-1790581563312">Tale of two GOATs: Ronaldo benched in Portugal win as Messi's stunning free-kick can't save Inter Miami</a>"I was fascinated by how the pieces looked, especially the knight and the queen, and I wanted to use them as toys outside of chess," she had said in one of her previous interviews, as reported by GB News. She learned to play chess by watching YouTube tutorials during the early days.She participated in her first tournament at the Harrow Chess Club in July 2021 and later won all her matches at the European Schools Championship a year later at the age of 7.In August 2025, Bodhana became the youngest female chess player ever to beat a Grandmaster, defeating 60-year-old Peter Wells in the last round of the 2025 British Chess Championship in Liverpool at the age of 10.In August 2023, she was also invited by then-UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to 10 Downing Street during the announcement of a funding plan to support chess in the UK.In August 2026, Bodhana became Britain's youngest-ever women's champion at the British Chess Championship by defeating 14-year-old WGM Trisha Kanyamarala.

At 11, British-Indian prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest Woman Grandmaster in chess history. Playing at the Chess Olympiad, she broke Kateryna Lagno’s 24-year record.

Bodhana Sivanandan, an 11-year-old chess prodigy, has become the youngest player to earn the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title. Bodhana achieved the milestone during the ongoing 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. She surpassed Kateryna Lagno to become the youngest-ever Woman Grandmaster. Lagno, who has played for both Ukraine and Russia, had achieved the feat back in 2002 at the age of 12 and held the record for more than two decades. Who is Bodhana Sivanandan? Bodhana is a schoolgirl who lives in northwest London's Harrow. She was born on March 7, 2015, to Indian parents who moved to the UK in 2007. The Indian-origin chess prodigy started playing chess during the COVID-19 pandemic and was initially fascinated by how the pieces looked. Also Read - Tale of two GOATs: Ronaldo benched in Portugal win as Messi's stunning free-kick can't save Inter Miami "I was fascinated by how the pieces looked, especially the knight and the queen, and I wanted to use them as toys outside of chess," she had said in one of her previous interviews, as reported by GB News. She learned to play chess by watching YouTube tutorials during the early days. She participated in her first tournament at the Harrow Chess Club in July 2021 and later won all her matches at the European Schools Championship a year later at the age of 7. In August 2025, Bodhana became the youngest female chess player ever to beat a Grandmaster, defeating 60-year-old Peter Wells in the last round of the 2025 British Chess Championship in Liverpool at the age of 10. In August 2023, she was also invited by then-UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to 10 Downing Street during the announcement of a funding plan to support chess in the UK. In August 2026, Bodhana became Britain's youngest-ever women's champion at the British Chess Championship by defeating 14-year-old WGM Trisha Kanyamarala.

At 11, British-Indian prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest Woman Grandmaster in chess history. Playing at the Chess Olympiad, she broke Kateryna Lagno’s 24-year record.

Meet Bodhana Sivanandan: 11-year-old Indian-origin British schoolgirl becomes youngest to earn Woman Grandmaster title

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are currently the biggest footballers who continue to play the game. Messi, however, retired recently from international football for Argentina and now only plays for Inter Miami in the USA's Major League Soccer (MLS). Ronaldo, meanwhile, continues to play international football for Portugal even at 41. The two footballers, although having a juxtaposed day on Sunday (Sep 27), saw Ronaldo spend the time on the bench during Portugal's UEFA Nations League match against Norway, while Messi scored a stunning free-kick goal for Inter Miami, albeit in a loss.<h2>Ronaldo sits out Portugal's win in Nations League</h2>In the UEFA Nations League match played on Sunday (Sep 27) between Portugal and Norway, Ronaldo, who has 979 goals to his name, spent the entire match on the bench. Portugal, however, won the match to make it two wins in two games. For Portugal, Joao Felix scored in the 17th minute to put them 1-0 ahead at half-time. Norway's Erling Haaland then scored the equalizer in the 51st minute, but Goncalo Ramos scored the go-ahead goal in the 54th minute, which proved to be the winner.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/usa-wins-11th-consecutive-presidents-cup-with-17-13-win-over-internationals-1790563534481">USA wins 11th consecutive Presidents Cup with 17-13 win over Internationals</a><h2>Messi scores, but Inter Miami lose</h2>Messi, on the other hand, had a different day than Ronaldo. The former Argentina player scored the equalizer for Inter Miami in the 33rd minute of their MLS match against the Columbus Crew on Sunday (Sep 27). Messi took the free kick near the right side of the Crew's touch line and sent the ball curling into the far top corner of the net at an impossible angle. Have a look at the goal below:

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Messi's goal, however, couldn't save Inter Miami from a loss, as the Crew's Jamal Thiare scored in 90+9 minutes to win the thriller for his team.

Ronaldo was benched in Portugal's 2-1 Nations League win over Norway. Meanwhile, Messi scored a stunning free-kick for Inter Miami, but couldn't prevent a 2-1 MLS loss to Columbus Crew.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are currently the biggest footballers who continue to play the game. Messi, however, retired recently from international football for Argentina and now only plays for Inter Miami in the USA's Major League Soccer (MLS). Ronaldo, meanwhile, continues to play international football for Portugal even at 41. The two footballers, although having a juxtaposed day on Sunday (Sep 27), saw Ronaldo spend the time on the bench during Portugal's UEFA Nations League match against Norway, while Messi scored a stunning free-kick goal for Inter Miami, albeit in a loss. Ronaldo sits out Portugal's win in Nations League In the UEFA Nations League match played on Sunday (Sep 27) between Portugal and Norway, Ronaldo, who has 979 goals to his name, spent the entire match on the bench. Portugal, however, won the match to make it two wins in two games. For Portugal, Joao Felix scored in the 17th minute to put them 1-0 ahead at half-time. Norway's Erling Haaland then scored the equalizer in the 51st minute, but Goncalo Ramos scored the go-ahead goal in the 54th minute, which proved to be the winner. Also Read - USA wins 11th consecutive Presidents Cup with 17-13 win over Internationals Messi scores, but Inter Miami lose Messi, on the other hand, had a different day than Ronaldo. The former Argentina player scored the equalizer for Inter Miami in the 33rd minute of their MLS match against the Columbus Crew on Sunday (Sep 27). Messi took the free kick near the right side of the Crew's touch line and sent the ball curling into the far top corner of the net at an impossible angle. Have a look at the goal below:

Ronaldo was benched in Portugal's 2-1 Nations League win over Norway. Meanwhile, Messi scored a stunning free-kick for Inter Miami, but couldn't prevent a 2-1 MLS loss to Columbus Crew.

Tale of two GOATs: Ronaldo benched in Portugal win as Messi's stunning free-kick can't save Inter Miami

Virat Kohli is an enigma when it comes to chasing, and the veteran India batter showed his class once again on Sunday (Sep 27), scoring 139 not out off 88 balls in an 8-wicket win against the West Indies. Kohli broke multiple records during his innings, including scoring the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-wi-1st-odi-kohli-breaks-sachin-s-most-runs-in-one-country-record-with-unbeaten-139-as-india-thump-west-indies-by-8-wickets-1790566082815">most runs in a single country</a>. In his post-match presentation, Kohli, who has only played the 50-over format for India since retiring from Tests in May 2025, spoke about how he manages to score runs with ease even at the age of 37.<h2>How Kohli keeps scoring centuries for fun</h2>After winning the match for India with back-to-back sixes, Kohli spoke to the broadcaster at length. During the conversation, the batter revealed how he manages to deliver peak performance even in the late stage of his career. Since retiring from Tests in 2025, Kohli has played 20 ODIs and scored 1,174 runs - the third-most behind Joe Root (1,381) and Daryl Mitchell (1,234). Kohli's average during this period has been 73, along with 7 fifties and 5 hundreds - the most hundreds by any player.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-india-pakistan-through-to-semis-without-playing-a-ball-1790569585127">Asian Games 2026: India, Pakistan through to semis without playing a ball - setup for a blockbuster final?</a>"It's all about staying mentally fresh, in the present moment, expressing myself out there. To follow a free mind, you need a fit body. Then I can visualize my game and execute it the way I did tonight," Kohli said.Speaking on his 2027 ODI World Cup plans, Kohli added: "The World Cup is a year away; I know what my goal is. I just needed to work on different aspects of the game... Run from boundary to boundary, show intensity, keep ticking those boxes, I just want to enjoy every day."<h2>All milestones Kohli achieved during his century vs West Indies</h2>Kohli's ton against the West Indies was his 55th in ODIs - already the highest by any player in the format - and his 60th in List A cricket, joint-most along with Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli also crossed 15,000 ODI runs during the innings and became only the second player to do so besides Sachin, who leads the tally with 18,426 runs.The ton was also Kohli's 86th in international cricket, leaving him 14 short of Sachin's record of 100 international tons.

Virat Kohli’s 139* off 88 led India to an 8-wicket win over WI. He hit 9 sixes, passed 15k ODI runs, tied Sachin with 60 List A tons, & set a record with 7,006 ODI runs in India.

Virat Kohli is an enigma when it comes to chasing, and the veteran India batter showed his class once again on Sunday (Sep 27), scoring 139 not out off 88 balls in an 8-wicket win against the West Indies. Kohli broke multiple records during his innings, including scoring the most runs in a single country. In his post-match presentation, Kohli, who has only played the 50-over format for India since retiring from Tests in May 2025, spoke about how he manages to score runs with ease even at the age of 37. How Kohli keeps scoring centuries for fun After winning the match for India with back-to-back sixes, Kohli spoke to the broadcaster at length. During the conversation, the batter revealed how he manages to deliver peak performance even in the late stage of his career. Since retiring from Tests in 2025, Kohli has played 20 ODIs and scored 1,174 runs - the third-most behind Joe Root (1,381) and Daryl Mitchell (1,234). Kohli's average during this period has been 73, along with 7 fifties and 5 hundreds - the most hundreds by any player. Also Read - Asian Games 2026: India, Pakistan through to semis without playing a ball - setup for a blockbuster final? "It's all about staying mentally fresh, in the present moment, expressing myself out there. To follow a free mind, you need a fit body. Then I can visualize my game and execute it the way I did tonight," Kohli said. Speaking on his 2027 ODI World Cup plans, Kohli added: "The World Cup is a year away; I know what my goal is. I just needed to work on different aspects of the game... Run from boundary to boundary, show intensity, keep ticking those boxes, I just want to enjoy every day." All milestones Kohli achieved during his century vs West Indies Kohli's ton against the West Indies was his 55th in ODIs - already the highest by any player in the format - and his 60th in List A cricket, joint-most along with Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli also crossed 15,000 ODI runs during the innings and became only the second player to do so besides Sachin, who leads the tally with 18,426 runs. The ton was also Kohli's 86th in international cricket, leaving him 14 short of Sachin's record of 100 international tons.

Virat Kohli’s 139* off 88 led India to an 8-wicket win over WI. He hit 9 sixes, passed 15k ODI runs, tied Sachin with 60 List A tons, &amp; set a record with 7,006 ODI runs in India.

'I know what my goal is': Virat Kohli shares what keeps him going on at 37

India and Pakistan, two of the four seeded teams in Asian Games men's cricket, have made it through to the semis without having to bat or bowl a single ball. Pakistan was scheduled to play Hong Kong in the quarter-final and India was up against Afghanistan on Monday (Sep 28) at Nisshin, but the matches were abandoned without a ball being bowled. Pakistan will now play the winners of the fourth quarter-final, to be played between Bangladesh and Malaysia, on Thursday (Oct 1), and India will play the winner of Nepal vs Sri Lanka, also on Thursday (Oct 1).<h2>Why India and Pakistan advanced after rain washed out Asian Games QFs</h2>Hong Kong made it to the quarter-finals after finishing in the top two of Group B, which also had Malaysia and Oman. Pakistan, meanwhile, was given direct entry into the QFs along with India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka based on their rankings. India, meanwhile, was scheduled to play Afghanistan, who qualified through Group A along with Nepal.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-wi-1st-odi-kohli-breaks-sachin-s-most-runs-in-one-country-record-with-unbeaten-139-as-india-thump-west-indies-by-8-wickets-1790566082815">IND vs WI 1st ODI: Kohli breaks Sachin's most runs in one country record with unbeaten 139 as India thump West Indies by 8 wickets</a>As per the Asian Games 2026 playing conditions, in case of a washout, the team with the higher ICC ranking advances to the next round; hence Pakistan, which ranks higher than Hong Kong, and India, which is placed above Afghanistan, made it to the semis despite the matches being abandoned without a ball being bowled.<h2>Will Pakistan face India in the Asian Games?</h2>India vs Pakistan is always a contest for which billions wait across the world. The scheduling of the Asian Games, however, leaves fans hoping for too many things to go their way for an India vs Pakistan match. The arch-rivals were given direct entry into the quarter-finals along with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where Pakistan was scheduled to play Hong Kong and India was slated to play against Afghanistan.In the semis, Pakistan will play the winner of Bangladesh vs Malaysia, and India will face the winner of Sri Lanka vs Nepal. The two teams will face off in the final only if both of them manage to win their respective semis. The final is scheduled to be played on Saturday (Oct 3).

India and Pakistan reached the Asian Games cricket semis after rain abandoned their QFs against Afghanistan and Hong Kong. Higher rankings advanced both teams; they can only meet in the final.

India and Pakistan, two of the four seeded teams in Asian Games men's cricket, have made it through to the semis without having to bat or bowl a single ball. Pakistan was scheduled to play Hong Kong in the quarter-final and India was up against Afghanistan on Monday (Sep 28) at Nisshin, but the matches were abandoned without a ball being bowled. Pakistan will now play the winners of the fourth quarter-final, to be played between Bangladesh and Malaysia, on Thursday (Oct 1), and India will play the winner of Nepal vs Sri Lanka, also on Thursday (Oct 1). Why India and Pakistan advanced after rain washed out Asian Games QFs Hong Kong made it to the quarter-finals after finishing in the top two of Group B, which also had Malaysia and Oman. Pakistan, meanwhile, was given direct entry into the QFs along with India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka based on their rankings. India, meanwhile, was scheduled to play Afghanistan, who qualified through Group A along with Nepal. Also Read - IND vs WI 1st ODI: Kohli breaks Sachin's most runs in one country record with unbeaten 139 as India thump West Indies by 8 wickets As per the Asian Games 2026 playing conditions, in case of a washout, the team with the higher ICC ranking advances to the next round; hence Pakistan, which ranks higher than Hong Kong, and India, which is placed above Afghanistan, made it to the semis despite the matches being abandoned without a ball being bowled. Will Pakistan face India in the Asian Games? India vs Pakistan is always a contest for which billions wait across the world. The scheduling of the Asian Games, however, leaves fans hoping for too many things to go their way for an India vs Pakistan match. The arch-rivals were given direct entry into the quarter-finals along with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where Pakistan was scheduled to play Hong Kong and India was slated to play against Afghanistan. In the semis, Pakistan will play the winner of Bangladesh vs Malaysia, and India will face the winner of Sri Lanka vs Nepal. The two teams will face off in the final only if both of them manage to win their respective semis. The final is scheduled to be played on Saturday (Oct 3).

India and Pakistan reached the Asian Games cricket semis after rain abandoned their QFs against Afghanistan and Hong Kong. Higher rankings advanced both teams; they can only meet in the final.

Asian Games 2026: India, Pakistan through to semis without playing a ball - setup for a blockbuster final?

Virat Kohli proved once again why he is called the ODI chase master as India beat the West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI on Sunday (Sep 27) in Thiruvananthapuram. Chasing 296, Kohli smashed an unbeaten 139 off just 88 balls and took the team home with a couple of sixes and 50 balls to spare. During the innings, Kohli, who plays mostly 50-over format cricket for India, crossed 15,000 ODI runs - only the second player ever to do so after Sachin Tendulkar (18,426). This was Kohli's 55th ODI ton - already a record in the format - and he hit nine sixes in the innings, the highest for him in an ODI.<h2>Kohli masterclass thumps West Indies</h2>Chasing 296, India started strong with skipper Shubman Gill adding 74 runs for the first wicket with former skipper Rohit Sharma (32), who was the first wicket to fall. Gill and Kohli then added 151 runs for the second wicket before Gill got out for 110 - his 10th ODI hundred. Needing 71 runs off the last 16 overs, Kohli scored the bulk of the runs with Ruturaj Gaikwad at the other end, who remained not out on 13 off 16 balls.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-india-vs-afghanistan-quarterfinal-rain-washout-rules-predicted-xi-1790501105330">Asian Games: What happens if rain washes out India vs Afghanistan quarterfinal?</a>Earlier, the West Indies were asked to bat first after losing the toss. The visitors started with a 135-run opening partnership between John Campbell (62) and Justin Greaves (101) before Kuldeep Yadav reeled them in. No other West Indies batter could cross the 25-run mark after the openers except Amir Jangoo, who scored an unbeaten 58 off 43 balls. Kuldeep finished with 4/40 in 10 overs, while Prasidh Krishna took 2/60 and Nitish Kumar Reddy picked up 1/45.<h2>Records Kohli broke with his hundred against West Indies</h2>After scoring the match-winning hundred, Kohli told broadcasters: "I got a challenge at this stage of my career to kind of up the ante and, you know, play a gear higher and that was exciting for me to work on. Again, it excites you when you have to unlock a new version at this stage of your career, which will eventually help, you know, anything that you play for, be it playing for India or in the IPL. It's really helped me a lot to play with a free mind and I think that's what's working for me." Below are the records Kohli broke during his innings:Kohli's 7,006 ODI runs in India are the most for a player in a single country, going past Sachin Tendulkar's 6,976 runs, also in India.Kohli now has 60 List A tons, the same as Sachin Tendulkar.Kohli (15,080) is only the second player ever to score 15,000+ ODI runs, behind Sachin Tendulkar (18,426).This was Kohli's 10th ODI hundred against the West Indies, the joint-most by a player against a single country, equalling his own record of 10 ODI tons against Sri Lanka.

Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 139 (88) led India to an 8-wicket win over West Indies. He hit 9 sixes, completed 15,000 ODI runs, and logged his 55th ton as India chased 296 with 50 balls to spare.

Virat Kohli proved once again why he is called the ODI chase master as India beat the West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI on Sunday (Sep 27) in Thiruvananthapuram. Chasing 296, Kohli smashed an unbeaten 139 off just 88 balls and took the team home with a couple of sixes and 50 balls to spare. During the innings, Kohli, who plays mostly 50-over format cricket for India, crossed 15,000 ODI runs - only the second player ever to do so after Sachin Tendulkar (18,426). This was Kohli's 55th ODI ton - already a record in the format - and he hit nine sixes in the innings, the highest for him in an ODI. Kohli masterclass thumps West Indies Chasing 296, India started strong with skipper Shubman Gill adding 74 runs for the first wicket with former skipper Rohit Sharma (32), who was the first wicket to fall. Gill and Kohli then added 151 runs for the second wicket before Gill got out for 110 - his 10th ODI hundred. Needing 71 runs off the last 16 overs, Kohli scored the bulk of the runs with Ruturaj Gaikwad at the other end, who remained not out on 13 off 16 balls. Also Read - Asian Games: What happens if rain washes out India vs Afghanistan quarterfinal? Earlier, the West Indies were asked to bat first after losing the toss. The visitors started with a 135-run opening partnership between John Campbell (62) and Justin Greaves (101) before Kuldeep Yadav reeled them in. No other West Indies batter could cross the 25-run mark after the openers except Amir Jangoo, who scored an unbeaten 58 off 43 balls. Kuldeep finished with 4/40 in 10 overs, while Prasidh Krishna took 2/60 and Nitish Kumar Reddy picked up 1/45. Records Kohli broke with his hundred against West Indies After scoring the match-winning hundred, Kohli told broadcasters: "I got a challenge at this stage of my career to kind of up the ante and, you know, play a gear higher and that was exciting for me to work on. Again, it excites you when you have to unlock a new version at this stage of your career, which will eventually help, you know, anything that you play for, be it playing for India or in the IPL. It's really helped me a lot to play with a free mind and I think that's what's working for me." Below are the records Kohli broke during his innings: Kohli's 7,006 ODI runs in India are the most for a player in a single country, going past Sachin Tendulkar's 6,976 runs, also in India. Kohli now has 60 List A tons, the same as Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli (15,080) is only the second player ever to score 15,000+ ODI runs, behind Sachin Tendulkar (18,426). This was Kohli's 10th ODI hundred against the West Indies, the joint-most by a player against a single country, equalling his own record of 10 ODI tons against Sri Lanka.

Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 139 (88) led India to an 8-wicket win over West Indies. He hit 9 sixes, completed 15,000 ODI runs, and logged his 55th ton as India chased 296 with 50 balls to spare.

The United States made a stunning rally to capture an 11th consecutive Presidents Cup on Sunday, defeating the Internationals 17-13 in a victory dedicated to US President Donald Trump. Jacob Bridgeman secured the clinching point at Medinah Country Club by sinking a four-foot par putt at the 18th hole to defeat Australian Min Woo Lee 1-up.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-india-vs-afghanistan-quarterfinal-rain-washout-rules-predicted-xi-1790501105330">Asian Games: What happens if rain washes out India vs Afghanistan quarterfinal?</a>"I'm just so damn proud of this team," US captain Brandt Snedeker said. "All these guys, they fought for each other. They fought for this country. They fought for this team."Snedeker said Trump -- who visited the Chicago-area course for Sunday's final day -- should take credit for the win."He told me (he) was going to bring some energy today for you guys. You guys need it," Snedeker said. "And I told him if we did this, he gets all the credit. So thank you, President Trump."The Americans improved to 14-1-1 in the biennial rivalry after trailing 10.5-7.5 entering 12 concluding singles matches, the Internationals poised to end a 28-year win drought but failing."It was on a knife edge all day," Internationals captain Geoff Ogilvy of Australia said. "It's a very difficult thing to beat the US in singles in the US. They all played great."The Americans had nine wins and a draw on the final day."I don't think I'd do anything differently," Ogilvy said. "It sort of drifted the wrong way all day."The non-European side's lone win was in 1998 at Australia with a shared trophy at South Africa in 2003.The Americans, boasting eight of the world's 11 top-ranked golfers, won on the same suburban Chicago layout where Europe took the 2012 Ryder Cup with the famed "Miracle at Medinah" fightback."These guys never lost faith," Snedeker said. "I told the guys last night that funny stuff happens here. Medinah's got a history of funny things happening, and sure enough, they went out there and played their asses off. I'm so damn proud of those guys."Drama built with every match and ended with Bridgeman, who won his second PGA Tour title last week, falling behind for the first time with a bogey at 15 only to win 16 and 18 with pars."It was the coolest moment," he said. "I felt like I held in my emotions all day. To let it out on the last hole is pretty sweet."Cameron Young secured the first US point, beating Japan's Ryo Hisatsune 3&amp;2. He won holes 11-13 for his first lead and made a 32-foot birdie putt at 16 to win.Justin Thomas, 0-3 in Cup singles, won the first four holes and never trailed in beating Canada's Corey Conners 5&amp;3, sinking a 15-foot birdie putt at 15 to win.South Korea's Tom Kim answered with a 3&amp;2 victory over reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark."I was second off. I really felt it was a &nbsp;responsibility to put a point up," said Kim, who will fly to Japan for the Asian Games.Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, 3-1 this week, birdied five of the first 10 holes and never trailed in beating Colombian Nico Echavarria 2&amp;1.South Korean Im Sung-jae rattled in birdies on four of the last six holes to beat Sam Burns 3&amp;1, while Chris Gotterup beat South Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout 1-up.The Americans seized a 13.5-12.5 lead when Patrick Cantlay edged Australian Adam Scott 2&amp;1 and moments later Collin Morikawa beat Japan's Hideki Matsuyama 1-up.Cantlay was never behind but needed a 57-foot birdie putt at 16 and a seven-foot par putt at 17 to win.Morikawa tied his match at 15 on a 30-foot birdie putt and won when Matsuyama missed a 15-foot par putt at 18."I'm happy about that closing point," Morikawa said. "That was huge."Jackson Koivun, a 21-year-old rookie, beat South Korean 2-up.Canada's Nick Taylor tied Russell Henley and Xander Schauffele edged New Zealand's Ryan Fox 2&amp;1 after the Cup was decided.

The Americans improved to 14-1-1 in the biennial rivalry after trailing 10.5-7.5 entering 12 concluding singles matches, the Internationals poised to end a 28-year win drought but failing.

The United States made a stunning rally to capture an 11th consecutive Presidents Cup on Sunday, defeating the Internationals 17-13 in a victory dedicated to US President Donald Trump. Jacob Bridgeman secured the clinching point at Medinah Country Club by sinking a four-foot par putt at the 18th hole to defeat Australian Min Woo Lee 1-up. Also Read - Asian Games: What happens if rain washes out India vs Afghanistan quarterfinal? "I'm just so damn proud of this team," US captain Brandt Snedeker said. "All these guys, they fought for each other. They fought for this country. They fought for this team." Snedeker said Trump -- who visited the Chicago-area course for Sunday's final day -- should take credit for the win. "He told me (he) was going to bring some energy today for you guys. You guys need it," Snedeker said. "And I told him if we did this, he gets all the credit. So thank you, President Trump." The Americans improved to 14-1-1 in the biennial rivalry after trailing 10.5-7.5 entering 12 concluding singles matches, the Internationals poised to end a 28-year win drought but failing. "It was on a knife edge all day," Internationals captain Geoff Ogilvy of Australia said. "It's a very difficult thing to beat the US in singles in the US. They all played great." The Americans had nine wins and a draw on the final day. "I don't think I'd do anything differently," Ogilvy said. "It sort of drifted the wrong way all day." The non-European side's lone win was in 1998 at Australia with a shared trophy at South Africa in 2003. The Americans, boasting eight of the world's 11 top-ranked golfers, won on the same suburban Chicago layout where Europe took the 2012 Ryder Cup with the famed "Miracle at Medinah" fightback. "These guys never lost faith," Snedeker said. "I told the guys last night that funny stuff happens here. Medinah's got a history of funny things happening, and sure enough, they went out there and played their asses off. I'm so damn proud of those guys." Drama built with every match and ended with Bridgeman, who won his second PGA Tour title last week, falling behind for the first time with a bogey at 15 only to win 16 and 18 with pars. "It was the coolest moment," he said. "I felt like I held in my emotions all day. To let it out on the last hole is pretty sweet." Cameron Young secured the first US point, beating Japan's Ryo Hisatsune 3&2. He won holes 11-13 for his first lead and made a 32-foot birdie putt at 16 to win. Justin Thomas, 0-3 in Cup singles, won the first four holes and never trailed in beating Canada's Corey Conners 5&3, sinking a 15-foot birdie putt at 15 to win. South Korea's Tom Kim answered with a 3&2 victory over reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark. "I was second off. I really felt it was a responsibility to put a point up," said Kim, who will fly to Japan for the Asian Games. Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, 3-1 this week, birdied five of the first 10 holes and never trailed in beating Colombian Nico Echavarria 2&1. South Korean Im Sung-jae rattled in birdies on four of the last six holes to beat Sam Burns 3&1, while Chris Gotterup beat South Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout 1-up. The Americans seized a 13.5-12.5 lead when Patrick Cantlay edged Australian Adam Scott 2&1 and moments later Collin Morikawa beat Japan's Hideki Matsuyama 1-up. Cantlay was never behind but needed a 57-foot birdie putt at 16 and a seven-foot par putt at 17 to win. Morikawa tied his match at 15 on a 30-foot birdie putt and won when Matsuyama missed a 15-foot par putt at 18. "I'm happy about that closing point," Morikawa said. "That was huge." Jackson Koivun, a 21-year-old rookie, beat South Korean 2-up. Canada's Nick Taylor tied Russell Henley and Xander Schauffele edged New Zealand's Ryan Fox 2&1 after the Cup was decided.

The Americans improved to 14-1-1 in the biennial rivalry after trailing 10.5-7.5 entering 12 concluding singles matches, the Internationals poised to end a 28-year win drought but failing.

USA wins 11th consecutive Presidents Cup with 17-13 win over Internationals

India came close to adding another gold medal to its Asian Games tally on Sunday, with Ancy Sojan and Sarvesh Kushare leading their respective finals for extended periods before finishing with silver. Parul Chaudhary and Harita Bhadra also secured bronze medals, making it a productive day for India in athletics.<h2>Ancy Sojan misses gold by two centimetres</h2>Ancy Sojan appeared to be on course for gold in the women’s long jump after producing a best effort of 6.53m on her fifth attempt. However, China’s Huang Yingying responded with a 6.55m effort to move into first place with her final attempt. The two-centimetre difference left Ancy with the silver medal. India’s Shaili Singh also came agonisingly close to the podium. Her best jump of 6.42m had placed her in medal contention, but China’s Mengyi Tan moved ahead with a 6.46m effort to claim bronze.<h2>Sarvesh Kushare takes high jump silver</h2>Sarvesh Kushare was also in gold-medal contention for much of the men’s high jump final before Chinese Taipei’s Chao Hsuan-Fu moved ahead. Both athletes cleared 2.25m, but Kushare’s first-attempt failure at the height proved decisive. Chao cleared 2.25m on his first attempt, while Kushare managed it on his second. As a result, Kushare had to settle for silver despite clearing the same height as the champion.<h2>Parul Chaudhary, Harita Bhadra add bronze medals</h2>Parul Chaudhary secured her second consecutive Asian Games bronze in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, improving on her previous performance with a personal best of 9:08.67. Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi won gold, while Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto Tanui took silver in 9:06.82. Harita Bhadra added another athletics medal for India by finishing third in the women’s 200m final in 23.20 seconds. Singapore’s Shanti Pereira won gold with a season-best 22.78 seconds, while China’s Chen Yujie took silver in 22.93 seconds. Harita finished just ahead of Japan’s Ido Abigeirufuka, who clocked 23.21 seconds. India’s Unnathi Aiyappa Bolland finished sixth in 23.48 seconds. With four medals from athletics, India’s overall tally moved to 37 medals, including four gold and 16 bronze.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympic-inclusion-is-our-major-target-wpa-president-ishaun-singh-on-pool-s-global-ambitions-1790520641487">‘Olympic inclusion is our major target’: WPA President Ishaun Singh on pool’s global ambitions</a><h2>Squash: Two silver medals, but no Olympic berth</h2>India had hoped Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh would secure Olympic berths by winning squash gold, but both players had to settle for silver after straight-game defeats in their respective finals. Abhay Singh, ranked 24th in the world, lost 11-9, 11-5, 11-5 to defending champion Ng Eain Yow in a 44-minute final. After a closely fought opening game, the Malaysian took control of the pace and length of rallies, repeatedly forcing Abhay into difficult retrievals.&nbsp;Abhay admitted that the Malaysian’s experience in major matches made a difference and said he would return to the drawing board, while also stressing that another route to Olympic qualification remains available. Anahat Singh, 18, also finished with silver after losing 4-11, 4-11, 7-11 to Malaysia’s world no. 5 and defending champion Sivasangari Subramaniam in 27 minutes.The results extended India’s wait for an individual Asian Games squash gold. Saurav Ghosal had also won silver at the 2014 and 2023 editions.<h2>Boxing assures India of three more medals</h2>Indian boxing continued its strong run, with Parveen Hooda, Ankush Panghal and Narender Berwal advancing to the semifinals and assuring India of three additional medals. Parveen defeated Uzbekistan’s world championships silver medallist Navbakhor Khamidova 5-0 in the women’s 65kg quarterfinal. It was her first bout of the Games after receiving a walkover in the previous round. Parveen has moved up from 57kg to 65kg following a 22-month suspension imposed by the International Testing Agency for a whereabouts failure. She said she was gradually rebuilding her confidence after her long absence.&nbsp;Ankush, making his Asian Games debut after winning Commonwealth Games gold last month in Glasgow, also recorded a 5-0 victory over Tajikistan’s Nekruz Salimov in the men’s 80kg quarterfinal. Narender, a bronze medallist at the previous Asian Games, needed less than two minutes to progress in the +90kg category after a referee stoppage against Thailand’s Adthapong Saengtep. The Indian heavyweight’s sustained attack resulted in three standing counts before the contest was stopped. However, Commonwealth Games champion Sachin Siwach was eliminated in the men’s 60kg quarterfinal after losing 0-5 to Japan’s Shunsuke Kitamoto.<h2>India’s individual badminton campaign ends</h2>India’s individual badminton campaign ended without a medal after PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda were eliminated in their respective women’s singles quarterfinals. Sindhu lost to Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei 21-11, 18-21, 10-21 after playing her third match in less than 24 hours. Nineteen-year-old Unnati Hooda also put up a strong fight but lost 16-21, 21-14, 17-21 to three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi.&nbsp;Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, along with the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, also suffered quarterfinal defeats. India had won three badminton medals at Hangzhou, but this time the men’s team bronze was the country’s only medal from the competition, with none of the individual players or pairs progressing to the semifinals.<h3>Indian women’s hockey team reaches semifinals</h3>The Indian women’s hockey team maintained its unbeaten record with a dominant 7-0 win over Singapore. The result helped India finish at the top of Pool B after five wins and secure a place in the semifinals, where the team will face Korea.

Asian Games: India added four athletics medals as Ancy Sojan and Sarvesh Kushare won silver, while Parul Chaudhary and Harita Bhadra claimed bronze

India came close to adding another gold medal to its Asian Games tally on Sunday, with Ancy Sojan and Sarvesh Kushare leading their respective finals for extended periods before finishing with silver. Parul Chaudhary and Harita Bhadra also secured bronze medals, making it a productive day for India in athletics. Ancy Sojan misses gold by two centimetres Ancy Sojan appeared to be on course for gold in the women’s long jump after producing a best effort of 6.53m on her fifth attempt. However, China’s Huang Yingying responded with a 6.55m effort to move into first place with her final attempt. The two-centimetre difference left Ancy with the silver medal. India’s Shaili Singh also came agonisingly close to the podium. Her best jump of 6.42m had placed her in medal contention, but China’s Mengyi Tan moved ahead with a 6.46m effort to claim bronze. Sarvesh Kushare takes high jump silver Sarvesh Kushare was also in gold-medal contention for much of the men’s high jump final before Chinese Taipei’s Chao Hsuan-Fu moved ahead. Both athletes cleared 2.25m, but Kushare’s first-attempt failure at the height proved decisive. Chao cleared 2.25m on his first attempt, while Kushare managed it on his second. As a result, Kushare had to settle for silver despite clearing the same height as the champion. Parul Chaudhary, Harita Bhadra add bronze medals Parul Chaudhary secured her second consecutive Asian Games bronze in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, improving on her previous performance with a personal best of 9:08.67. Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi won gold, while Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto Tanui took silver in 9:06.82. Harita Bhadra added another athletics medal for India by finishing third in the women’s 200m final in 23.20 seconds. Singapore’s Shanti Pereira won gold with a season-best 22.78 seconds, while China’s Chen Yujie took silver in 22.93 seconds. Harita finished just ahead of Japan’s Ido Abigeirufuka, who clocked 23.21 seconds. India’s Unnathi Aiyappa Bolland finished sixth in 23.48 seconds. With four medals from athletics, India’s overall tally moved to 37 medals, including four gold and 16 bronze. Also Read: ‘Olympic inclusion is our major target’: WPA President Ishaun Singh on pool’s global ambitions Squash: Two silver medals, but no Olympic berth India had hoped Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh would secure Olympic berths by winning squash gold, but both players had to settle for silver after straight-game defeats in their respective finals. Abhay Singh, ranked 24th in the world, lost 11-9, 11-5, 11-5 to defending champion Ng Eain Yow in a 44-minute final. After a closely fought opening game, the Malaysian took control of the pace and length of rallies, repeatedly forcing Abhay into difficult retrievals. Abhay admitted that the Malaysian’s experience in major matches made a difference and said he would return to the drawing board, while also stressing that another route to Olympic qualification remains available. Anahat Singh, 18, also finished with silver after losing 4-11, 4-11, 7-11 to Malaysia’s world no. 5 and defending champion Sivasangari Subramaniam in 27 minutes. The results extended India’s wait for an individual Asian Games squash gold. Saurav Ghosal had also won silver at the 2014 and 2023 editions. Boxing assures India of three more medals Indian boxing continued its strong run, with Parveen Hooda, Ankush Panghal and Narender Berwal advancing to the semifinals and assuring India of three additional medals. Parveen defeated Uzbekistan’s world championships silver medallist Navbakhor Khamidova 5-0 in the women’s 65kg quarterfinal. It was her first bout of the Games after receiving a walkover in the previous round. Parveen has moved up from 57kg to 65kg following a 22-month suspension imposed by the International Testing Agency for a whereabouts failure. She said she was gradually rebuilding her confidence after her long absence. Ankush, making his Asian Games debut after winning Commonwealth Games gold last month in Glasgow, also recorded a 5-0 victory over Tajikistan’s Nekruz Salimov in the men’s 80kg quarterfinal. Narender, a bronze medallist at the previous Asian Games, needed less than two minutes to progress in the +90kg category after a referee stoppage against Thailand’s Adthapong Saengtep. The Indian heavyweight’s sustained attack resulted in three standing counts before the contest was stopped. However, Commonwealth Games champion Sachin Siwach was eliminated in the men’s 60kg quarterfinal after losing 0-5 to Japan’s Shunsuke Kitamoto. India’s individual badminton campaign ends India’s individual badminton campaign ended without a medal after PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda were eliminated in their respective women’s singles quarterfinals. Sindhu lost to Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei 21-11, 18-21, 10-21 after playing her third match in less than 24 hours. Nineteen-year-old Unnati Hooda also put up a strong fight but lost 16-21, 21-14, 17-21 to three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, along with the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, also suffered quarterfinal defeats. India had won three badminton medals at Hangzhou, but this time the men’s team bronze was the country’s only medal from the competition, with none of the individual players or pairs progressing to the semifinals. Indian women’s hockey team reaches semifinals The Indian women’s hockey team maintained its unbeaten record with a dominant 7-0 win over Singapore. The result helped India finish at the top of Pool B after five wins and secure a place in the semifinals, where the team will face Korea.

India won four athletics medals at the Asian Games as Ancy Sojan and Sarvesh Kushare claimed silver, while Parul Chaudhary and Harita Bhadra won bronze

Asian Games 2026 Day 9 wrap | From Ancy to Anahat, Sarvesh to Parul: India’s silver linings and near misses

As cue sports continue their push for greater global recognition, the road to Olympic inclusion remains one of the biggest challenges for the sport. From unifying different disciplines and expanding into emerging markets to improving prize money and creating a sustainable career path for players, the World Pool Association (WPA) is attempting to reshape the sport at the highest level. In an exclusive conversation, WPA President Ishaun Singh spoke about the organisation’s Olympic ambitions, the significance of India and a potential 2036 Games, the rapid rise of heyball, efforts to bring different cue-sport disciplines under one umbrella, and why financial stability for professional players could be crucial to the sport’s future. He also discussed the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships in Ahmedabad and why the event’s return to India carries wider significance for the global growth of cue sports.<h3>Q1. What do you believe is the biggest obstacle standing between cue sports and permanent inclusion in the Olympic Games, and what is the WPA doing to overcome it?&nbsp;</h3>The biggest obstacle is technically nothing on our end, it's the design of the Olympics itself. This isn't just about billiards, many sports struggle to get in because of the Olympic system's core sports. Some of those core disciplines have multiple medal events that, frankly, don't carry the same viewership, interest, media coverage or finances that our sport does, take some of the longer distance athletics events as an example, where even the stadium crowd checks out until the finish. We believe some of those medals should be redistributed. There's a real campaign for the IOC to review this, and the new IOC president, Kirsty Coventry, has made statements that they will in time review all the codes. At this stage, only a host country can request our inclusion, getting an existing code removed to make room for us is extremely difficult, because everyone protects their sport. So we can only try to find a spot through hosts. We ran a big campaign for Brisbane 2032, hoping the Australian public would recommend us, especially since our junior world champion this year came from Australia, that showed people there that Australia could realistically win a medal in our sport by 2032. Our bigger hope, though, is India for 2036. We're aware India has an excellent chance of winning that bid, and we're putting in the work, as many events here as possible, because the sport originated in India, which makes it an easier story to tell the public and the IOC. If India wins the bid, I believe they'd seriously consider including us. It would be a massive story.&nbsp;<h3>Q2. Under your leadership, how is the WPA working to expand the global reach, commercial appeal and professional ecosystem of pool, particularly in emerging markets?&nbsp;</h3>&nbsp;For the last four years we've focused on showing the professional side of our sport and a career path, especially in schools in emerging markets like Africa and South America. Kids are limited in the number of sports they can take up, and pool suits athletes who might not be built for soccer or cricket, our players come in all shapes and sizes. We've signed cooperation agreements with school and university sporting bodies to get billiards included in their structures, and I expect us to be included in the next editions of the university and school games. At the continental level, we've pushed into the African Games, South American Games, and Pan American Games. We were previously in the Asian Games until around 2010 to 2012, lost that spot, but have now regained it after fixing a lot internally, we'll be included in Qatar 2030, though the official announcement comes after this year's Asian Games. We've also increased prize funds significantly, no major event today offers less than $10 million across the board for professional players.<h3>Q3. Pool has historically been divided across different disciplines, formats and governing structures. How important is greater unification, and what steps are being taken to achieve it?&nbsp;</h3>We compare ourselves to athletics in structure, they have the 100m, 200m, 400m, we have 8 ball, 9 ball, 10 ball, heyball, black ball, and so on, plus regional variations across all 206 countries that play pool. About six or seven years ago, we decided at the world level to bring all disciplines under our banner, which is a big reason heyball has grown the way it has. We've made real progress, most associations now appear on our website. There are still two or three fairly large independent organizations we're in talks with to merge, because having every federation under one banner is going to be massive for our numbers with the IOC. Heyball in particular is our fastest growing discipline, over the last ten years it's gone from a small footprint to being played in more than 90 countries. We compare its trajectory to how people talk about padel and pickleball.<h3>Q5. What changes are needed to give professional pool players greater financial security, better competitive opportunities and a clearer career pathway?&nbsp;</h3>Right now the biggest concern for professional athletes is income stability, it's essentially 100% performance driven. For example, a runner up might win $30,000, while our biggest tournament pays $1.5 million to the winner, so athletes often need to win a few rounds just to cover their costs. Unlike tennis, where a handful of legends dominate most tournaments, our sport is much harder to predict, in a field of 64, any of 32 players realistically could win, so we get different winners constantly, which makes surviving on the pro circuit tougher. We're working on a model, similar to what professional snooker does, to guarantee top ranked players a fixed minimum income, so if you're in the top rankings, you know you'll survive at least a year regardless of a single tournament's results. That should help convince more people that this can genuinely be a career.&nbsp;<h3>Q6. Looking five to ten years ahead, what would you like the global pool landscape to look like, and what would you consider the biggest achievement of your tenure as WPA President?&nbsp;</h3>For the professional athletes, the biggest concern is income stability, which is why we're working on a fixed income model for top ranked players. Beyond that, I see our path forward built on, continuing to unify all disciplines and associations under one banner so our numbers are strongest with the IOC, heyball continuing its rapid growth, more than 90 countries now, up sharply in the last decade, deepening our schools and universities pipeline in emerging markets like Africa, South America, and India, and ultimately, Olympic recognition, which India winning the 2036 bid would make a realistic, powerful story given the sport originated here.&nbsp;<h3>Q7. Tell us about the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships in Ahmedabad, why was the city chosen, what disciplines and how many nations/athletes will compete, and why does this return to India matter?&nbsp;</h3>The Commonwealth coming here was originally part of the hundred year celebration too, but it's combined with our ambitions for the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games, knowing India has an excellent chance for 2036. We received the permission and blessings of the Commonwealth Federation last year to run our own championship under the Commonwealth banner, and we held the first edition in Mauritius, that's where we had our initial talks with India for this year. About 34 or 35 countries participated in Mauritius, which showed the Commonwealth Federation the interest in our sport, and we intend to run these championships every year until we get into the Games itself. This year, our second year, we've increased from four disciplines to five, ten ball, heyball, black ball, snooker, and now English billiards, added largely because of the Indian population and market. All five are medal events, in both men's and women's categories, with 16 athletes per gender per discipline in ten ball, heyball, black ball &amp; snooker, and 8 ahtletes per gender in English billiards. As of now we're sitting on 45 different countries entered, with another week or two before entries close. Every Commonwealth country gets one guaranteed unranked entry to ensure their spot, and the rest of the field is drawn from the world rankings, so we're getting the best of the elite athletes from Commonwealth countries."

WPA President Ishaun Singh discusses pool’s Olympic ambitions, India’s 2036 hopes, heyball’s global rise, player income and cue sports’ future

As cue sports continue their push for greater global recognition, the road to Olympic inclusion remains one of the biggest challenges for the sport. From unifying different disciplines and expanding into emerging markets to improving prize money and creating a sustainable career path for players, the World Pool Association (WPA) is attempting to reshape the sport at the highest level. In an exclusive conversation, WPA President Ishaun Singh spoke about the organisation’s Olympic ambitions, the significance of India and a potential 2036 Games, the rapid rise of heyball, efforts to bring different cue-sport disciplines under one umbrella, and why financial stability for professional players could be crucial to the sport’s future. He also discussed the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships in Ahmedabad and why the event’s return to India carries wider significance for the global growth of cue sports. Q1. What do you believe is the biggest obstacle standing between cue sports and permanent inclusion in the Olympic Games, and what is the WPA doing to overcome it? The biggest obstacle is technically nothing on our end, it's the design of the Olympics itself. This isn't just about billiards, many sports struggle to get in because of the Olympic system's core sports. Some of those core disciplines have multiple medal events that, frankly, don't carry the same viewership, interest, media coverage or finances that our sport does, take some of the longer distance athletics events as an example, where even the stadium crowd checks out until the finish. We believe some of those medals should be redistributed. There's a real campaign for the IOC to review this, and the new IOC president, Kirsty Coventry, has made statements that they will in time review all the codes. At this stage, only a host country can request our inclusion, getting an existing code removed to make room for us is extremely difficult, because everyone protects their sport. So we can only try to find a spot through hosts. We ran a big campaign for Brisbane 2032, hoping the Australian public would recommend us, especially since our junior world champion this year came from Australia, that showed people there that Australia could realistically win a medal in our sport by 2032. Our bigger hope, though, is India for 2036. We're aware India has an excellent chance of winning that bid, and we're putting in the work, as many events here as possible, because the sport originated in India, which makes it an easier story to tell the public and the IOC. If India wins the bid, I believe they'd seriously consider including us. It would be a massive story. Q2. Under your leadership, how is the WPA working to expand the global reach, commercial appeal and professional ecosystem of pool, particularly in emerging markets? For the last four years we've focused on showing the professional side of our sport and a career path, especially in schools in emerging markets like Africa and South America. Kids are limited in the number of sports they can take up, and pool suits athletes who might not be built for soccer or cricket, our players come in all shapes and sizes. We've signed cooperation agreements with school and university sporting bodies to get billiards included in their structures, and I expect us to be included in the next editions of the university and school games. At the continental level, we've pushed into the African Games, South American Games, and Pan American Games. We were previously in the Asian Games until around 2010 to 2012, lost that spot, but have now regained it after fixing a lot internally, we'll be included in Qatar 2030, though the official announcement comes after this year's Asian Games. We've also increased prize funds significantly, no major event today offers less than $10 million across the board for professional players. Q3. Pool has historically been divided across different disciplines, formats and governing structures. How important is greater unification, and what steps are being taken to achieve it? We compare ourselves to athletics in structure, they have the 100m, 200m, 400m, we have 8 ball, 9 ball, 10 ball, heyball, black ball, and so on, plus regional variations across all 206 countries that play pool. About six or seven years ago, we decided at the world level to bring all disciplines under our banner, which is a big reason heyball has grown the way it has. We've made real progress, most associations now appear on our website. There are still two or three fairly large independent organizations we're in talks with to merge, because having every federation under one banner is going to be massive for our numbers with the IOC. Heyball in particular is our fastest growing discipline, over the last ten years it's gone from a small footprint to being played in more than 90 countries. We compare its trajectory to how people talk about padel and pickleball. Q5. What changes are needed to give professional pool players greater financial security, better competitive opportunities and a clearer career pathway? Right now the biggest concern for professional athletes is income stability, it's essentially 100% performance driven. For example, a runner up might win $30,000, while our biggest tournament pays $1.5 million to the winner, so athletes often need to win a few rounds just to cover their costs. Unlike tennis, where a handful of legends dominate most tournaments, our sport is much harder to predict, in a field of 64, any of 32 players realistically could win, so we get different winners constantly, which makes surviving on the pro circuit tougher. We're working on a model, similar to what professional snooker does, to guarantee top ranked players a fixed minimum income, so if you're in the top rankings, you know you'll survive at least a year regardless of a single tournament's results. That should help convince more people that this can genuinely be a career. Q6. Looking five to ten years ahead, what would you like the global pool landscape to look like, and what would you consider the biggest achievement of your tenure as WPA President? For the professional athletes, the biggest concern is income stability, which is why we're working on a fixed income model for top ranked players. Beyond that, I see our path forward built on, continuing to unify all disciplines and associations under one banner so our numbers are strongest with the IOC, heyball continuing its rapid growth, more than 90 countries now, up sharply in the last decade, deepening our schools and universities pipeline in emerging markets like Africa, South America, and India, and ultimately, Olympic recognition, which India winning the 2036 bid would make a realistic, powerful story given the sport originated here. Q7. Tell us about the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships in Ahmedabad, why was the city chosen, what disciplines and how many nations/athletes will compete, and why does this return to India matter? The Commonwealth coming here was originally part of the hundred year celebration too, but it's combined with our ambitions for the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games, knowing India has an excellent chance for 2036. We received the permission and blessings of the Commonwealth Federation last year to run our own championship under the Commonwealth banner, and we held the first edition in Mauritius, that's where we had our initial talks with India for this year. About 34 or 35 countries participated in Mauritius, which showed the Commonwealth Federation the interest in our sport, and we intend to run these championships every year until we get into the Games itself. This year, our second year, we've increased from four disciplines to five, ten ball, heyball, black ball, snooker, and now English billiards, added largely because of the Indian population and market. All five are medal events, in both men's and women's categories, with 16 athletes per gender per discipline in ten ball, heyball, black ball & snooker, and 8 ahtletes per gender in English billiards. As of now we're sitting on 45 different countries entered, with another week or two before entries close. Every Commonwealth country gets one guaranteed unranked entry to ensure their spot, and the rest of the field is drawn from the world rankings, so we're getting the best of the elite athletes from Commonwealth countries."

WPA President Ishaun Singh discusses pool’s Olympic ambitions, India 2036 hopes, heyball’s growth, player finances and the Commonwealth Championships

11 days after their last T20I face-off in Delhi, India and Afghanistan meet again at the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 in Japan. The two Asian T20 powerhouses will play in the second quarterfinal on Monday (Sep 28), with persistent rain in Japan threatening to wash out this knockout match.&nbsp;Rain has already hampered several results in the men’s competition and threatens to worsen during the four quarterfinals. Pakistan and Hong Kong will meet in the first quarterfinal before the India-Afghanistan match on Monday, and the remaining two quarterfinals will take place on Tuesday. Although the forecast remains the same for Tuesday, it is likely to change for the semifinals (Thursday) and the medal playoffs (Saturday).&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-cricket-quarterfinal-schedule-india-afghanistan-pakistan-hong-kong-1790418018707">Asian Games 2026: India face Afghanistan in quarterfinal on Sep 28; Pakistan clash with Hong Kong</a><h2>What Happens if Rain Washes out IND-AFG Match?</h2>If rain washes out the second Asian Games quarterfinal between India and Afghanistan, India will qualify for the semifinal, as the laws suggest the higher-ranked T20I team, per the ICC rankings, will advance through to the next round in such a case.&nbsp;India is atop the T20I team rankings with 269 rating points, and Afghanistan is 10th.<h3>Stark Difference in Squads</h3>While the BCCI men’s selection committee picked the first-team squad for the Asian Games competition, including T20I captain Shreyas Iyer and premium quick Jasprit Bumrah, Afghanistan has sent their second-string side for the continental tournament. 13 of the 15 squad members were not part of the concluded T20I series against India, with only two retained: Darwish Rasooli (captain) and Abdollah Ahmadzai.&nbsp;Afghanistan squad features six uncapped players and five others with fewer than 10 international appearances. Their combined T20I experience of 262 matches is only a fraction (30%) of India’s 872 games. There is no Rashid Khan, no Rahmanullah Gurbaz and no Mohammad Nabi, but Nabi's 20-year-old son Hassan Eisakhil is part of the squad.<h3>Check out the predicted playing XIs of both teams –</h3>India - Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah&nbsp;Afghanistan - Mohammad Akram, Hassan Eisakhil, Karim Janat, Darwish Rasooli (captain), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Ismat Alam, Nangeyalia Khan, Abdollah Ahmadzai, Faridoon Dawoodzai and Arab Gul.

Rain threatens the India vs Afghanistan Asian Games 2026 quarterfinal in Japan. Check what happens if the match is washed out, squad details, and predicted XIs.

11 days after their last T20I face-off in Delhi, India and Afghanistan meet again at the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 in Japan. The two Asian T20 powerhouses will play in the second quarterfinal on Monday (Sep 28), with persistent rain in Japan threatening to wash out this knockout match. Rain has already hampered several results in the men’s competition and threatens to worsen during the four quarterfinals. Pakistan and Hong Kong will meet in the first quarterfinal before the India-Afghanistan match on Monday, and the remaining two quarterfinals will take place on Tuesday. Although the forecast remains the same for Tuesday, it is likely to change for the semifinals (Thursday) and the medal playoffs (Saturday). Also read| Asian Games 2026: India face Afghanistan in quarterfinal on Sep 28; Pakistan clash with Hong Kong What Happens if Rain Washes out IND-AFG Match? If rain washes out the second Asian Games quarterfinal between India and Afghanistan, India will qualify for the semifinal, as the laws suggest the higher-ranked T20I team, per the ICC rankings, will advance through to the next round in such a case. India is atop the T20I team rankings with 269 rating points, and Afghanistan is 10th. Stark Difference in Squads While the BCCI men’s selection committee picked the first-team squad for the Asian Games competition, including T20I captain Shreyas Iyer and premium quick Jasprit Bumrah, Afghanistan has sent their second-string side for the continental tournament. 13 of the 15 squad members were not part of the concluded T20I series against India, with only two retained: Darwish Rasooli (captain) and Abdollah Ahmadzai. Afghanistan squad features six uncapped players and five others with fewer than 10 international appearances. Their combined T20I experience of 262 matches is only a fraction (30%) of India’s 872 games. There is no Rashid Khan, no Rahmanullah Gurbaz and no Mohammad Nabi, but Nabi's 20-year-old son Hassan Eisakhil is part of the squad. Check out the predicted playing XIs of both teams – India - Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah Afghanistan - Mohammad Akram, Hassan Eisakhil, Karim Janat, Darwish Rasooli (captain), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Ismat Alam, Nangeyalia Khan, Abdollah Ahmadzai, Faridoon Dawoodzai and Arab Gul.

Rain threatens the India vs Afghanistan Asian Games 2026 quarterfinal in Japan. Check what happens if the match is washed out, squad details, and predicted XIs.

Asian Games: Rain threat looms over India-Afghanistan QF; what happens if match is washed out?

For Tilottama Sen, the road to an Asian Games medal was never about carrying the weight of what others expected from her.Even before she stepped onto the range in Japan, the young Indian shooter was clear about the approach she wanted to take: stay in the present, trust her preparation and, above all, enjoy the competition. That mindset has now produced an Asian Games silver medal.&nbsp;Sen, along with Ashi Chouksey and Vidarsa Vinod, helped India secure silver in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions team event in Aichi-Nagoya. The Indian trio finished behind China with a total of 1,763 points. Sen was also India's top performer in the team qualification, shooting 590. Yet when Sen spoke ahead of her Asian Games campaign, the focus was not on medals or expectations. Her immediate priority was much simpler. “My next goal is to play the Asian Games,” she said. “I would just want to take one match at a time and just focus on what's immediately right now.”&nbsp;It was a revealing insight into the mindset of a shooter who has been under the spotlight since a very young age. Sen had already competed at major stages early in her career and was once regarded as one of India's brightest young shooting prospects. But she said she had never spent much time wondering whether she had lived up to the expectations attached to that tag. “All that I feel is that just giving my best and just enjoying what I'm doing,” she said.&nbsp;That ability to separate the moment from the noise has become central to her approach. Shooting offers little room for distraction. A single poor shot can alter the complexion of an entire competition, but Sen said she does not allow disappointing performances to linger for too long. “Yes, I do feel bad that I missed the medal or the match, but I don't replay it for a very long time,” she said. “I can't hold back on things that didn't go well because then I wouldn't be able to focus on what's ahead.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-wi-1st-odi-toss-update-naman-dhir-debut-playing-xis-1790496560381">IND vs WI 1st ODI: Naman Dhir debuts as India bowl first in Trivandrum; check playing XIs</a>&nbsp;That philosophy has also shaped her transition from junior to senior competition. Rather than viewing the two levels as fundamentally different, Sen said she treats every competition simply as a competition, regardless of the age category or stage.For her, the key is not to become consumed by the significance of the event. The same principle carries into her training.&nbsp;Preparing for both 10m and 50m rifle, Sen described a routine built around warm-ups, breathing exercises and visualisation before moving into the technical demands of kneeling, prone and standing positions. Kneeling, she admitted, took the most adjustment. But perhaps the most important part of her preparation has been returning to the basics. “Whether it's a good match or a bad match, once the match is over, we always come back and work on our basics from the beginning,” she said, crediting her coach Manoj Kumar for helping reinforce that approach.&nbsp;It is a philosophy that also extends to the biggest question surrounding her future: the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Sen knows the Olympic cycle is already on the horizon, but before the Asian Games she was determined not to let that future goal become an additional source of pressure. “LA is definitely going to be there,” she said. “But I don't want to take too much pressure about LA right now.”&nbsp;Instead, there was one thought she wanted to carry onto the range. “I've got this opportunity and I would just give my best and enjoy the whole competition.” In Japan, that mindset has already delivered a medal. And with her Asian Games campaign still having been underway at the time of the conversation, Sen's focus remained exactly where she said it would be, on the next shot, the next competition and the process in front of her.

Tilottama Sen won Asian Games 2026 silver in shooting. Before her event, she spoke about pressure, preparation, staying present and her Olympic ambitions

For Tilottama Sen, the road to an Asian Games medal was never about carrying the weight of what others expected from her. Even before she stepped onto the range in Japan, the young Indian shooter was clear about the approach she wanted to take: stay in the present, trust her preparation and, above all, enjoy the competition. That mindset has now produced an Asian Games silver medal. Sen, along with Ashi Chouksey and Vidarsa Vinod, helped India secure silver in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions team event in Aichi-Nagoya. The Indian trio finished behind China with a total of 1,763 points. Sen was also India's top performer in the team qualification, shooting 590. Yet when Sen spoke ahead of her Asian Games campaign, the focus was not on medals or expectations. Her immediate priority was much simpler. “My next goal is to play the Asian Games,” she said. “I would just want to take one match at a time and just focus on what's immediately right now.” It was a revealing insight into the mindset of a shooter who has been under the spotlight since a very young age. Sen had already competed at major stages early in her career and was once regarded as one of India's brightest young shooting prospects. But she said she had never spent much time wondering whether she had lived up to the expectations attached to that tag. “All that I feel is that just giving my best and just enjoying what I'm doing,” she said. That ability to separate the moment from the noise has become central to her approach. Shooting offers little room for distraction. A single poor shot can alter the complexion of an entire competition, but Sen said she does not allow disappointing performances to linger for too long. “Yes, I do feel bad that I missed the medal or the match, but I don't replay it for a very long time,” she said. “I can't hold back on things that didn't go well because then I wouldn't be able to focus on what's ahead.” Also Read: IND vs WI 1st ODI: Naman Dhir debuts as India bowl first in Trivandrum; check playing XIs That philosophy has also shaped her transition from junior to senior competition. Rather than viewing the two levels as fundamentally different, Sen said she treats every competition simply as a competition, regardless of the age category or stage. For her, the key is not to become consumed by the significance of the event. The same principle carries into her training. Preparing for both 10m and 50m rifle, Sen described a routine built around warm-ups, breathing exercises and visualisation before moving into the technical demands of kneeling, prone and standing positions. Kneeling, she admitted, took the most adjustment. But perhaps the most important part of her preparation has been returning to the basics. “Whether it's a good match or a bad match, once the match is over, we always come back and work on our basics from the beginning,” she said, crediting her coach Manoj Kumar for helping reinforce that approach. It is a philosophy that also extends to the biggest question surrounding her future: the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Sen knows the Olympic cycle is already on the horizon, but before the Asian Games she was determined not to let that future goal become an additional source of pressure. “LA is definitely going to be there,” she said. “But I don't want to take too much pressure about LA right now.” Instead, there was one thought she wanted to carry onto the range. “I've got this opportunity and I would just give my best and enjoy the whole competition.” In Japan, that mindset has already delivered a medal. And with her Asian Games campaign still having been underway at the time of the conversation, Sen's focus remained exactly where she said it would be, on the next shot, the next competition and the process in front of her.

Indian shooter Tilottama Sen opens up about pressure, preparation, staying present and why she chooses to enjoy every competition

WION Exclusive | ‘One match at a time’: How Tilottama Sen kept pressure away before her Asian Games silver

Indian captain Shubman Gill has won the toss and elected to bowl first in the first ODI against the West Indies in Trivandrum on Sunday (Sep 27). India handed a debut cap to Punjab all-rounder Naman Dhir, with ace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also returning to the playing XI for the first time in eight months. India picked two specialist pacers in Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna, with Kuldeep Yadav leading the spin attack. India is also playing three all-rounders, including Nitish Kumar Reddy.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 Toss 🚨<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> have won the toss &amp; will bowl first in the 1️⃣st <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a> ODI. Updates ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/O2cs86p4gq">https://t.co/O2cs86p4gq</a> <a href="https://t.co/8LiQXHqslM">pic.twitter.com/8LiQXHqslM</a>&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://x.com/BCCI/status/2104120753524453556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Here are the playing XIs of both teams –</h2>India - Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul(w), Naman Dhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Nothing tops this feeling 🤌💙 📸 Naman Dhir receives his maiden ODI cap from skipper Shubman Gill 🧢 Drop a 💙 in the replies to wish him the very best on his international debut 👇🇮🇳<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a> <a href="https://t.co/qgCRZN7ujo">pic.twitter.com/qgCRZN7ujo</a>&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://x.com/BCCI/status/2104123043157262459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

West Indies - John Campbell, Justin Greaves, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope(wk/captain), Amir Jangoo, Jewel Andrew, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales<h3>Check out what the two captains said at the toss –</h3>Shubman Gill, Indian Captain -&nbsp;“We’re gonna bowl first. Looks a pretty good surface. Looks like a decent surface, very hot, so I think it’ll come a little bit better under lights, so we’ll try to chase,” Gill said at the toss.&nbsp;Speaking on the 2027 ODI World Cup build-up, Gill said, “I think 20-odd matches to go before the World Cup starts, so I think this is the time to see what combination suits us the best and then give that combination as much time in the middle as possible.”&nbsp;“[On the playing XI] We are going with four bowlers and then two all-rounders with Reddy and Naman, who makes his debut.”&nbsp;Shai Hope, West Indies Captain -&nbsp;“Well, it (toss) doesn’t really matter now, does it? We’d have probably batted today,” Hope said after losing the toss.&nbsp;“It’s been a quick turnaround for us,” Hope said on the preparation. “We play a lot of cricket; different format from CPL, but it’s been going pretty well. I think the guys have been playing some good cricket in the last couple of years, just about for us now to come to India and try to replicate that.”&nbsp;On facing a potent Indian team, Hope said, “Yeah, for sure, and something I always mention, we want to play against the best teams in the world, and no better place to do it here in India. So, I think the guys are really looking forward to this challenge.&nbsp;Speaking on the playing XI, Hope noted, “We’ve got five bowlers: one all-rounder, three seam and two spin. So hopefully that combination is the right one for us today.”&nbsp;Meanwhile, a few of India’s ODI mainstays, including T20I captain Shreyas Iyer and keeper-batter Ishan Kishan, are away for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 in Japan. India will face Afghanistan in the second quarterfinal on Monday (Sep 28).

India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first against West Indies in the 1st ODI at Trivandrum. Naman Dhir makes his debut; check full playing XIs.

Indian captain Shubman Gill has won the toss and elected to bowl first in the first ODI against the West Indies in Trivandrum on Sunday (Sep 27). India handed a debut cap to Punjab all-rounder Naman Dhir, with ace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also returning to the playing XI for the first time in eight months. India picked two specialist pacers in Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna, with Kuldeep Yadav leading the spin attack. India is also playing three all-rounders, including Nitish Kumar Reddy.

India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first against West Indies in the 1st ODI at Trivandrum. Naman Dhir makes his debut; check full playing XIs.

IND vs WI 1st ODI: Naman Dhir debuts as India bowl first in Trivandrum; check playing XIs

After announcing that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-confirms-2027-odi-world-cup-last-tournament-for-india-1790412961801">2027 ODI World Cup will be his last tournament for India</a>, veteran batter Virat Kohli outlined the ideal scenario for the showpiece event in Africa in 2027. Kohli was instrumental in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph at home, and 16 years on, he wants to cap off his decorated international career with another title. With India set to begin its quest for cricket’s grandest event with the home ODI series against the West Indies on Sunday (Sep 27), Kohli reveals his plans, painting the perfect picture.&nbsp;Drawing parallels with his maiden IPL win in 2025 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Kohli explained how, when he had not won an IPL title, he used to dream about doing it; similarly, having lost the 2023 ODI World Cup final to Australia in Ahmedabad three years ago, Kohli wants to make amends and pull off match-winning knocks in the knockouts of the 2027 World Cup.&nbsp;"Before we [Royal Challengers Bengaluru] won the IPL in 2025, I used to get flashbacks of the 2016 final [which they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad]. I feel the same about the World Cup final as well," Kohli said in a chat on JioStar.&nbsp;"I was playing on 54 and had set myself up for a big hundred; like, if I got 140-150, we would be in a great position to win that game, because you're getting 300-plus in a big final, and with our bowling, we will get them. But as soon as I played on [to Pat Cummins], it was very tough to process for many days. And you keep thinking about it,” he continued.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-sets-sights-on-2027-odi-world-cup-business-not-finished-1790414881759">‘Business is not finished’: Rohit Sharma sets sights on 2027 ODI World Cup</a>&nbsp;Sharing his thoughts on the last ODI World Cup at home, where India were the frontrunners for the title, Kohli said the whole environment was phenomenal. Kohli added that the camaraderie inside the dressing room was commendable, and that unit looked poised to taste ultimate success, only to fall at the final hurdle.&nbsp;"That whole World Cup was great; the environment was phenomenal. Within the team, you could see the camaraderie; everyone was happy playing for each other. Even losing someone like Hardik [Pandya] early on [to injury], we never spoke about what would happen next, although it was a big loss in terms of what he brings. But [Mohammed] Shami came and tap-tap-tap [to indicate picking up wickets] - you know what he can do. So, everyone had a feeling that it was our World Cup. There was a different energy altogether, and then when the game shifts like that, it's very difficult to process,” he continued.<h2>Winning Final Knock is Ultimate Goal: Kohli</h2>Having finished countless matches in winning causes of his own, Kohli wants to do it on the biggest stage, when it matters the most.&nbsp;"I've always been someone who, every game that we play, I want to be the guy who wins us the game - so that's never going to go away from me. I am made that way. So, my goal [at the World Cup] is to win as many games as I can for the team - 60-70% of the games would be phenomenal. My dream is to play a match-winning, finishing knock in the finals, like chasing a score. That's the ideal scenario. If it happens, great. If it doesn't happen, we win the World Cup, I'll be as happy.&nbsp;"It's the last time you're getting to play a World Cup. So just getting that trophy is the most important thing. If I have the opportunity to do it as an individual, staying there out in the middle, there's nothing more satisfying as a batsman. That drives us - to be the guy who makes an impact. Situation difficult; you visualise yourself pulling the team out of trouble. And that's what makes you compete. So, I don't want to let go of that competitiveness,” he continued.

Virat Kohli outlines his dream for the 2027 ODI World Cup, targeting a match-winning knock in the final to cap off his decorated international career for India.

After announcing that the 2027 ODI World Cup will be his last tournament for India, veteran batter Virat Kohli outlined the ideal scenario for the showpiece event in Africa in 2027. Kohli was instrumental in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph at home, and 16 years on, he wants to cap off his decorated international career with another title. With India set to begin its quest for cricket’s grandest event with the home ODI series against the West Indies on Sunday (Sep 27), Kohli reveals his plans, painting the perfect picture. Drawing parallels with his maiden IPL win in 2025 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Kohli explained how, when he had not won an IPL title, he used to dream about doing it; similarly, having lost the 2023 ODI World Cup final to Australia in Ahmedabad three years ago, Kohli wants to make amends and pull off match-winning knocks in the knockouts of the 2027 World Cup. "Before we [Royal Challengers Bengaluru] won the IPL in 2025, I used to get flashbacks of the 2016 final [which they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad]. I feel the same about the World Cup final as well," Kohli said in a chat on JioStar. "I was playing on 54 and had set myself up for a big hundred; like, if I got 140-150, we would be in a great position to win that game, because you're getting 300-plus in a big final, and with our bowling, we will get them. But as soon as I played on [to Pat Cummins], it was very tough to process for many days. And you keep thinking about it,” he continued. Also read| ‘Business is not finished’: Rohit Sharma sets sights on 2027 ODI World Cup Sharing his thoughts on the last ODI World Cup at home, where India were the frontrunners for the title, Kohli said the whole environment was phenomenal. Kohli added that the camaraderie inside the dressing room was commendable, and that unit looked poised to taste ultimate success, only to fall at the final hurdle. "That whole World Cup was great; the environment was phenomenal. Within the team, you could see the camaraderie; everyone was happy playing for each other. Even losing someone like Hardik [Pandya] early on [to injury], we never spoke about what would happen next, although it was a big loss in terms of what he brings. But [Mohammed] Shami came and tap-tap-tap [to indicate picking up wickets] - you know what he can do. So, everyone had a feeling that it was our World Cup. There was a different energy altogether, and then when the game shifts like that, it's very difficult to process,” he continued. Winning Final Knock is Ultimate Goal: Kohli Having finished countless matches in winning causes of his own, Kohli wants to do it on the biggest stage, when it matters the most. "I've always been someone who, every game that we play, I want to be the guy who wins us the game - so that's never going to go away from me. I am made that way. So, my goal [at the World Cup] is to win as many games as I can for the team - 60-70% of the games would be phenomenal. My dream is to play a match-winning, finishing knock in the finals, like chasing a score. That's the ideal scenario. If it happens, great. If it doesn't happen, we win the World Cup, I'll be as happy. "It's the last time you're getting to play a World Cup. So just getting that trophy is the most important thing. If I have the opportunity to do it as an individual, staying there out in the middle, there's nothing more satisfying as a batsman. That drives us - to be the guy who makes an impact. Situation difficult; you visualise yourself pulling the team out of trouble. And that's what makes you compete. So, I don't want to let go of that competitiveness,” he continued.

Virat Kohli outlines his dream for the 2027 ODI World Cup, targeting a match-winning knock in the final to cap off his decorated international career for India.

‘Dream is to play match-winning knock in final’: Kohli outlines ultimate goal for 2027 World Cup

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‘Dream is to play match-winning knock in WC final’: Kohli outlines ultimate goal