NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Australian star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is hopeful of regaining fitness in time for the latter half of the upcoming T20 International series against India after undergoing surgery on his fractured right wrist.

The 36-year-old suffered the injury when he was struck on the wrist from teammate Mitchell Owen's shot during a net session ahead of the T20I series against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui.

"I think having the surgery last week sort of gives me a little bit more hope of playing some part in that India series, if I can get myself right," Maxwell, who has not been named for the first two T20Is on October 29 and 31, told reporters at the KFC BBL's kit launch here.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and elected to bowl against India in their Women's ODI World Cup match here on Thursday.

South Africa made one change, replacing Masabata Klaas with Tumi Sekhukhune.

For India, Amanjot Kaur came in for Renuka Singh.

India and South Africa have faced each other 33 times in Women’s ODIs. Out of these, India has won 20 matches, while South Africa has claimed 12 victories, with one game ending without a result. The stats highlight India’s dominance in their head-to-head record as both teams meet again in the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025.

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The ISSF World Championship 2025 Shotgun is set to begin in Athens, Greece, today. A 12-member Indian team, including Asian trap champion Neeru Dhanda and Olympians Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Mairaj Ahmed Khan and Raiza Dhillon, will represent India at the championship. In men’s skeet, Anantjeet Singh Naruka will compete in the mixed team event with Maheshwari Chauhan and Mairaj Ahmad Khan. 

In women’s skeet, Raiza Dhillon is in the squad with Ganemat Sekhon and Parinaaz Dhaliwal. In the trap events, Zoravar Singh Sandhu leads a seasoned lineup that includes Bhowneesh Mendiratta and Vivaan Kapoor among the men. Asian champion Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat and Kirti Gupta form the women’s trap squad. The competition will feature 406 athletes from 68 countries, who will compete at the Malakasa Shooting Range. All medal winners from Athens will earn automatic qualification for the ISSF World Cup Final 2025 in Doha, Qatar, later this year.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India’s top-order batters will have to shed their diffident ways against a rejuvenated South Africa to instil more momentum into their slow-brewing ICC Women’s World Cup campaign here on Thursday.

A glance at the points table will show India’s comfortable second position — the hosts can slip to third if Australia beat Pakistan on Wednesday in Colombo — with two wins from as many games.

But beneath that glossy exterior, India have a mounting worry in the lack of runs so far from talismanic Smriti Mandhana, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and the energetic Jemimah Rodrigues.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) suspended Paris Olympic bronze medalist Aman Sehrawat on Tuesday for weight violation. He has been banned from all wrestling-related activities for one year after he failed to meet the weight criteria at the Senior World Championships.

The 22-year-old Aman was one of India’s strong medal hopes in the competition in the men's freestyle 57kg category. However, he was disqualified from the Worlds for exceeding the permissible weight limit by 1.7kg on the day of competition..

"...you are hereby suspended from all wrestling-related activities, both at the national and international level, for a period of one (1) year, effective from the date of the show-cause notice," the WFI said in its letter, according to news agency.

"This decision is final and binding. During the period of suspension, you are barred from participating in or associating with any activities organized or sanctioned by WFI at both national and international levels."
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Fast bowler Mitchell Starc returned to the Australian ODI squad of 15 members for the three-match home series against India starting on October 19 with Mitchell Marsh to continue to captain the side in the absence of Pat Cummins.

Starc, who retired from T20 internationals last month, sat out the home ODI series against South Africa in August after returning from the West Indies Test tour with his workloads being carefully managed ahead of the Ashes. He last played an ODI in November 2024 in Adelaide against Pakistan.

He is one of four inclusions to Australia's ODI squad from the 2-1 series defeat to the Proteas, alongside uncapped batter Matthew Renshaw, Matt Short and Mitch Owen.

Australia ODI squad
Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa
In: Mitchell Owen, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc
Out: Aaron Hardie, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne

Australia T20I squad for the first two matches
Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
In: Nathan Ellis, Josh Inglis
Out: Alex Carey, Josh Philippe
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India wrapped up its campaign with 22 medals, which include 6 Gold, 9 Silver and 7 Bronze in the World Para Athletics Championships, held in New Delhi. Seven Indians were in action on the final day at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. 

Simran Sharma took silver in 200m T12, and Preeti Pal bagged silver in 100m T35; both clinched their second medal of this edition. Paralympic champion Navdeep bagged a silver in javelin throw F41, while Sandeep won a bronze in 200m T44.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Nishad Kumar inked history on Friday with his maiden gold in the World Para Athletics Championships. The athlete who was runner-up in high jump T47 at the Tokyo and Paris Paralympics and also the last two World C'ships in 2023 and 2024, was composed throughout the competition. He cleared all his marks in the first attempt itself.

After it was confirmed that Nishad had secured gold, he went for a world record but was unable to clear the distance of 2.18 meters. He beat three-time world and Paralympic champion Roderick Townsend of the USA, who cleared 2.03 m and finished third behind Turkey's Abdullah Ilgaz.

After his historic victory, Nishad expressed his joy, saying he had manifested winning the gold by writing it in his diary.

"I have been waiting for this day for a year. I have been working very hard for this day. Today is the day. I have given my best. It's God's will. No one can stop me. I already have silver medals. I have kept it on my rack. I haven't seen them since I kept it on my rack. I have been waiting for this gold medal for many years. I was ready for it. I had written in my diary that I will do it (win gold) today,” he said.

Simran Sharma was another Indian to win a medal in the Para World Championships on Friday as she won a gold medal in the 100m. She won the 100m T12 final with a personal best of 11.95 seconds. She had won the gold in the last edition in the 200m event and also clinched bronze in the 2024 Paralympics.

India have now won a total of 15 medals, including 6 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze medals. India is at fourth position in the medal tally, with Brazil (12 gold, 18 silver and 7 bronze) at the top, with China (9 gold, 16 silver and 13 bronze) and Poland (8 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze) occupying second and third place, respectively.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: A battle high on emotional quotient and less on cricketing acumen will feature India as overwhelming favourites against a dishevelled Pakistan trying to find balance and rhythm in a Women's World Cup game amid continuing geopolitical tensions between the two bitter neighbours. After three Sundays of India-Pakistan men's Asia Cup matches, it's time for the women to take centrestage, though the record suggests little suspense about the outcome.

India and Pakistan have played 27 times in women's internationals across formats. India hold a commanding 24-3 advantage, with Pakistan's three wins coming only in T20 cricket.

In ODIs, India have a 100 per cent record, winning all 11 matches between the two sides.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India took a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series against West Indies with an innings and 140-run victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The Indian team bundled out the opposition on 146 on the third day of the opening Test match. This is the third biggest win for India against the West Indies in Test cricket. India's biggest win against West Indies is by an innings and 272 runs. Notably, with one more run in the victory margin would have made this the second biggest victory over the Caribbean side, which currently stands at an innings and 141 run win. India produced a clinical display to outplay the opposition in all three departments. Ravindra Jadeja was awarded Man of the Match for his all-rounder performance in the match which played a key role in India's win.

KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja smashed centuries while Mohammed Siraj was the leading wicket-taker in the match with seven wickets. India were dominant from the start as their bowlers started troubling the opposition batters from the very first ball. The Indian team bundled out West Indies on 162 in the first innings as the duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj picked seven wickets together.

In response, India posted a total of 448/5 thanks to centuries from KL Rahul (100), Dhruv Jurel (125) and Ravindra Jadeja (unbeaten 104). By the end of the second day, India were leading by 286 runs and held command over the match. They didn't come out to bat on the third day and instead declared the innings even before playing a single delivery.

West Indies' loss was just a matter of time after that as the batters kept losing their wickets against a lethal Indian bowling attack. Jadeja picked four wickets while Siraj picked three wickets in the second innings. Kuldeep Yadav took two dismissals while Washington Sundar managed to pick just one wicket.

The second Test of the series will be played from October 10 to October 14 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: BCCI have announced India's squad for the upcoming white-ball series against Australia, including five T20Is and three ODIs. The squad has shown a change of guard as Shubman Gill has replaced Rohit Sharma as captain of the ODI side. Although Rohit is part of the squad, he is surprisingly sacked from captaincy. Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as the vice-captain of the national side. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Dhruv Jurel have earned their maiden ODI call-up. The series will be played from October 19 to November 8.

The star duo of Rohit and Kohli played their last ODI in the Champions Trophy and have returned to the ODI side after a span of six months, as the duo played a key role in India's title-winning run. Notably, Rohit last played as captain of the ODI team in the marquee event. Ravindra Jadeja has also been dropped from the 50-over side. Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja have been rested from the ODIs. Hardik Pandya has been rested in ODIs and T20Is as well.

Gill was recently made vice-captain of the Indian T20I team for the Asia Cup, where they won the title. The recent development shows that the team management might consider handing over the captaincy of the Men in Blue to Gill in all formats eventually. Rohit's stint as captain in the white-ball formats was impressive, as it included a T20 World Cup win in 2024 and a Champions Trophy victory in 2025.

The batting unit of India's ODI team will comprise Gill, Rohit, Kohli, Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Dhruv Jurel and KL Rahul are the wicketkeepers in the squad. The pace bowling unit will be handled by Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy. The spin unit will be of Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar. The only change in India's T20I squad from the Asia Cup is the inclusion of Nitish Kumar in place of Hardik Pandya.

The T20I squad has also been announced, with Suryakumar Yadav continuing his vice-captaincy for the national side.

ODI Squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal.

T20I Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (VC), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are set to clash in a thrilling encounter at the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 on Sunday, October 5, at the iconic R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian side enters the match as favourites after a solid start to their campaign with a 59-run (DLS) victory over Sri Lanka in a rain-affected opening game. In contrast, Fatima Sana’s Pakistan suffered a setback, losing by seven wickets to underdogs Bangladesh.

India, unbeaten against Pakistan in 11 previous women’s ODIs, will aim to maintain their dominant streak. A win here will be vital for the Women in Blue as they prepare to face tougher league-stage opponents — South Africa and Australia — in their upcoming fixtures.

Continuing the stance taken by the Indian men’s team during the Asia Cup in Dubai, Team India’s women’s squad will skip customary handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts at the toss and after the match.

“The BCCI is aligned with the government, and there will be no customary handshake at the toss, no photo shoot with the match referee, and no end-of-game handshakes. The policy followed by the men will also be implemented by the women,” a senior BCCI official told PTI.

The move comes after recent tensions escalated when PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi refused to hand over the winner’s trophy to India’s Suryakumar Yadav during the men’s Asia Cup in Dubai — an incident that deepened the rift between the two cricket boards.

With both sides eyeing a crucial win, Sunday’s Indo-Pak clash promises to be one of the most highly anticipated fixtures of the Women’s World Cup 2025.

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has clinched silver in the women’s 48kg category at the World Championships in  Førde, Norway. Chanu lifted a total of 199kg including 84kg snatch + 115kg clean and jerk to secure second place overall. This marked Chanu’s first World Championship since 2022 and her second competition since finishing fourth at the Paris 2024 Olympics. 

The gold medal went to defending world champion Ri Song-gum from Korea, who lifted a total of 213kg. 
 

LEH [Maha Media]: As bodies of all the four victims of September 24 violence in Leh were cremated, authorities on Tuesday announced relaxation in curfew in Leh district of Ladakh Union Territory for four hours from 10 am to 2 pm.

The administration has ordered opening of all groceries, essential services, hardware and vegetable shops during the relaxation period in Leh.

However, schools and other educational institutions shall remain closed.

The mobile internet service, which was suspended immediately after September 24 violence, remains suspended in the district.

A police official said security men, who are deployed in strength in sensitive areas, are maintaining tight vigil.

“The situation is under control and no untoward incident has been reported after September 24 violence,” he said.
 

MUMBAI [Maha Media]:  Aggressive batter Suryakumar Yadav, who led India to a resounding victory in the Asia Cup, was accorded a grand welcome at his residence in Deonar, Mumbai. Fans, locals, and society members gathered in large numbers to celebrate his success. Former Member of Parliament (MP) Rahul Shewale, who resides in the same building, felicitated the cricketer with a shawl, a flower garland, and the tricolour, while loud cheers and the beat of drums filled the air.

After the felicitation, Suryakumar visited Shewale's house to seek the blessings of Goddess Durga. Expressing gratitude, the captain said, "I feel very good after coming home. Our players have performed exceptionally well. Today, I took the blessings of the Goddess. Sometimes a prayer is more necessary than medicine."

Under Yadav's captaincy, the Indian team secured victory over arch-rival Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup held in Dubai on September 28. Shewale lauded him, saying, "We are proud of him." Deonar turned into a colourful procession with citizens waving the tricolour and hailing their champion.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The Sports Ministry on Tuesday began the process of inviting applications for this year's national sports awards with October 28 being the last date of submission.

The awards are given annually by the President of India to recognise and reward excellence in sports but the date of the ceremony, which is held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, is not yet out.

Once again, sportspersons penalised for doping violations would only be eligible if their ban period is over.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India will be kicking off their women's World Cup 2025 campaign with the match against Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The team will aim to end their 47-year wait for winning an ICC title by scripting a stellar run. Ranked No.3, Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. will look forward to capitalising on the home advantage and using their knowledge of the playing conditions to their benefit.

The marquee event will feature the top eight teams in the world, and the tournament will be played in a round-robin format. India lost the three-match ODI series against Australia by 2-1, but they had also beaten England in the ODI and T20I series before, which will bolster the confidence of the Indian team.

Smriti Mandhana has been in brilliant form, amassing four ODI hundreds this year. She has averaged 66.28 with a strike rate of 115.85. Her partnership with Pratika Rawal at the top turned out to be crucial for India in the series against Australia.

Jemimah Rodrigues scored 66 in the warm-up game against England. Richa Ghosh, Harleen Deol and Deepti Sharma add further depth to the batting unit, while Amanjot Kaur will play the role of seam bowling all-rounder. Renuka Singh, Kranti Goud and Arundhati Reddy will form the pace department.

Head to head
Out of the 35 matches played between these two teams, India have dominated the matchup. They have won 31 fixtures while Sri Lanka has won three matches. One match ended in a no result.

Pitch report
The Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati usually offers a batting-friendly surface. Pacers might get some help at the start, but the pitch wears down as the game progresses, and so the spinners can play a crucial role in the match.

Squads
India
Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Amanjot Kaur, Uma Chetry, Shree Charani

Sri Lanka
Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu(c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Anushka Sanjeewani(w), Kavisha Dilhari, Dewmi Vihanga, Achini Kulasuriya, Udeshika Prabodhani, Piumi Wathsala Badalge, Malki Madara, Inoka Ranaweera, Nilakshi de Silva, Sugandika Kumari, Imesha Dulani
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: As India clinched the ninth Asia Cup title after defeating Pakistan in the final of the 2025 edition on Sunday, Men in Blue T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav lauded his team's performance in the tournament, defeating their arch-rivals thrice in a singular tournament for the first time in the history of the sport.

On three consecutive weekends, India trounced Pakistan as many times and walked away with the title with a five-wicket win in the Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday. Firstly, in the group stage (by seven wickets), then in the Super 4s encounter (by six wickets) and lastly in the final of the competition (by five wickets).

While speaking to Boria Majumdar on Revsportz, Suryakumar said, "Yeah, winning 3-0 was excellent. Incredible show from the boys. They delivered what I expected from them. All the talks that we have had with them - right here in this team room that we are sitting in - have all worked, and I'm very happy. Never played them three times in a single tournament. It was destined to happen."

Sharing his views on the rivalry between India and Pakistan across all competitions, the right-hand batter said, "Talking about it again and again will degrade its real essence. But yes, during the course of the tournament, I think we played good cricket, handled the pressure situations better with the bat and the ball. That's why we won it. I think it spoke volumes. Our main focus was to win matches and play good cricket. It doesn't really matter if the trophy came or not. What matters is that my country is happy and we are celebrating. We have billboards in our name that we are the Asia Cup champions. What more do you need?"

In the Asia Cup 2025 final, the Suryakumar-led side reduced the Men in Green from 113-1 to 146 all out. India's ball-tweaking troika, Axar Patel (2-26), Varun Chakravarthy (2-30) and Kuldeep Yadav (4-30), wreaked havoc on Dubai's slow-paced strip against Pakistan in the final and combined to scalp eight wickets to wrap up the Men in Green's innings on 146.

Speaking on the team's brilliant bowling performance in the final, the 35-year-old cricketer said, "I personally believe that batsmen score runs and win matches, but bowlers win tournaments. So I told them that "you guys have been in this situation before - be it for franchise, for nation or for your state - so you all know how pull a match towards yourself with good bowling, good energy, body language and staying calm". Because staying calm and relaxed is the only thing that makes you perform well under pressure. And the last six to eight overs that Shivam (Dube), Kuldeep (Yadav), Varun(Chakaravarthy) and Tilak (Varma) bowled changed the course of the game. The batting hiccups were absorbed by Sanju (Samson), Tilak (Varma), and Rinku (Singh) in the second half. The stage I am at right now in T20, I feel it's very important to make and prepare good players."
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Indian shooters dominated the 10m air pistol mixed team event, clinching the top-two podium finishes as the hosts continued to shine in the ISSF Junior World Cup at the Dr Karni Singh Ranges, here on Saturday.

The pair of Rashmika Sahgal and Kapil, who recently won the men's and women's gold in 10m air pistol junior event at the the Asian Championships in Kazakhstan, joined forces to hog the limelight on day three by taking the top spot in air pistol mixed team event.

The duo defeated the other Indian pair, Vanshika Chaudhary and Antony Jonathan Gavin, 16-10 in the title round.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Eighteen-year-old Indian armless archer Sheetal Devi scripted history by defeating Turkiye's world No.1 Oznur Cure Girdi 146-143 to bag the women’s compound individual category gold at the Para World Archery Championship here on Saturday.

Sheetal, the only armless archer in the competition, shoots using her feet and chin, and this was her third medal of the championships.

She had earlier won a mixed team bronze in the compound event with Toman Kumar, defeating Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham and Nathan MacQueen 152-149.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India will lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, set to take place at the Dubai International Stadium on September 28.

This will be the first-ever Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan in the tournament's 41-year history, adding an extra layer of excitement to the clash. Earlier in the tournament, India had already tasted victory against Pakistan twice.

India dominated the group stage match, cruising to a seven-wicket victory, thanks to Kuldeep Yadav's match-winning spell of 3/18.

In the Super 4s showdown, Abhishek Sharma's explosive 74 off 39 balls dismantled Pakistan's bowling attack, paving the way for a convincing six-wicket win for India.

For India, Abhishek Sharma has been the best batter of the ongoing tournament. Abhishek notched his third successive fifty during the ongoing Asia Cup, bashing Sri Lanka all over the park in their final Super Four clash on Friday, scoring an eye-catching 61 in 31 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. He struck at 196.77.

He has overtaken Pakistan's Mohammed Rizwan (281 runs in six innings during the 2022 edition of the T20I Asia Cup) to have the best-ever T20I Asia Cup by a batter.

He is the leading run-getter in the ongoing Asia Cup with 309 runs in six innings at an average of 51.50, with a strike rate of 204.63 and three fifties. His best score is 75 during this tournament.

He has overtaken Pakistan's Mohammed Rizwan (281 runs in six innings during the 2022 edition of the T20I Asia Cup) to have the best-ever T20I Asia Cup by a batter.

Tilak Varma (144), Indian vice-captain Shubman Gill (115), and wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson (108) have played crucial roles in India's success, forging vital partnerships that have fueled the team's strong run in the tournament.

However, Suryakumar Yadav's downturn since taking over as India's skipper continued, after he orchestrated a gritty knock against Sri Lanka in the Super Fours fixture at the ongoing Asia Cup in Dubai on Friday.

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim. 
 

MUMBAI [Maha Media]: India captain Suryakumar Yadav has been issued an official warning by the ICC and is likely to be fined following PCB’s complaint over his remarks after the 14 September clash over the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

Suryakumar's hearing for his alleged political comments and provocative gestures by the Pakistan team was done in the presence of match referee Richie Richardson and the representatives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as per ICC sources. Moreover, 15 per cent of SKY's match fee will likely be cut, as per ANI sources.

In a parallel move, the BCCI’s protest against Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan has led to both players being summoned for an ICC hearing on Friday (September 26), further heightening tensions ahead of the India-Pakistan final on September 28.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had filed a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday against Pakistan cricketers Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan.

Why did BCCI file complaint against Rauf, Sahibzada?

Actually, during the Asia Cup Super-4 match played in Dubai on 21 September, both Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf made provocative gestures. In the case of Haris Rauf, Indian fans were taunting Pakistani pacer by chanting Virat Kohli's name. In response, Rauf made gestures of shooting down aircraft flying in the sky.

To understand the reference, Pakistan claimed that during Operation Sindoor, the Pakistani army shot down 5 Indian fighter planes. However, this claim is considered baseless.

Similarly, Sahibzada Farhan had celebrated his fifty by gesturing the bullet shooting using his bat as a machine gun. He made the controversial gesture during the IND-PAK Super-4 clash on 21 September.

PCB also protests over Surya's remarks post 14 September clash

PCB also filed a complaint with ICC against Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav. This complaint is regarding the first match played between the two teams on 14 September. PCB claims that Suryakumar dedicated the Indian team's victory in this match to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and the armed forces involved in Operation Sindoor.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]:India has assured at least three medals at the Para Archery World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, with a historic three Indian players to play for the gold medal in the compound open category.

In a landmark achievement, Paralympic bronze medallist Rakesh Kumar and international newcomer Toman Kumar have both advanced to the gold medal match in the men’s compound open individual event. Rakesh, seeded seventh, stunned third seed Nathan Macqueen of Great Britain, 147-143. In the other semifinal, Toman edged out fellow Indian Shyam Sunder Swami in a nail-biting finish, 144-143.

Teenage sensation Sheetal Devi also stormed into the women’s compound final today. The 18-year-old Sheetal secured a spot in the women’s compound final after beating Jodie Grinham of Great Britain, 145-140, in the semifinals. Sheetal will now face World No. 1 Oznur Cure Girdi of Turkiye in the title clash. The finals are scheduled for Saturday.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India U-17 men’s football team secured a 3-0 victory over Nepal in the semi-final of the SAFF U-17 Championship in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This win ensures their place in the final, where they will face Bangladesh, who earlier triumphed 2-0 over Pakistan.
  
Wangkheirakpam Gunleiba opened the scoring in the 61st minute, followed by goals from substitutes Azlaan Shah in 80 minute and Diamond Singh Thokchom in 90+4 time to complete the dominant performance.
  
With this win, the Blue Colts continue their unbeaten run and remain on track for a fourth consecutive title in the tournament.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India and Sri Lanka will lock horns in the Super 4 fixture in a dead rubber as the result of the game won’t affect the teams who are going to play in the final. Sri Lanka are already out of the contention for the final, while an Unbeaten India will meet arch-rivals Pakistan in the final. All eyes will be on the bench strength of both teams as they will have an opportunity to test it in the clash.

Rinku and Jitesh are waiting for their opportunity, and India will have a chance to include both players in the playing XI. The Indian team have been shuffling with their batting order, and the team might experiment once again. In the match against Oman, Sanju Samson was promoted to No.3, and Suryakumar didn’t bat despite India losing eight wickets.

India have been an unstoppable force in the tournament, while Sri Lanka has been defeated by Bangladesh and Pakistan.

India have an edge over their opponents in the matchup, winning 21 matches out of the 31 fixtures played between these two. Sri Lanka have managed to win only nine matches.

Abhishek Sharma has been in prolific form, amassing 248 runs in the Asia Cup. He has scored two half-centuries and provided an explosive opening partnership for the team along with Shubman Gill.

Wanindu Hasaranga has been impressive for the Lankan side and Sri Lanka will rely on him to decimate the top order of the opposition.

Pitch Report
The surface at the Dubai International Stadium is a tough one for run-scoring. The spinners can be lethal at the venue and can play a crucial role in the match.

Squads

India
Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shivam Dube, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Sanju Samson(w), Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma

Sri Lanka
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka(c), Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara, Dunith Wellalage, Kamil Mishara, Nuwanidu Fernando, Binura Fernando, Janith Liyanage
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Flamboyant Indian opener Abhishek Sharma on Wednesday credited his fearless batting to sheer hard work and hours of practice in the nets after pummelling another fifty against Bangladesh.

The 25-year-old, currently ranked No. 1 in T20Is, smashed a blistering 37-ball 75 studded with six fours and five sixes as India crushed Bangladesh by 41 runs to storm into the Asia Cup final.

This was his second successive half-century in the Super 4s stage after his 74 against Pakistan.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Shreyas Iyer was on Thursday appointed India A captain for a three-match one-day series against Australia in Kanpur from September 30, setting him up for a possible leadership role with the senior 50-over side even though he will be away from red-ball cricket for the next six months.

Besides Iyer, who recently informed the BCCI's chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar that he cannot take the rigours of red-ball cricket owing to a stiff back, the other key players in the India A squad are Ravi Bishnoi, wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh, big-hitting all-rounder Riyan Parag and Ayush Badoni among others.

Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, who are currently in the UAE for Asia Cup, will join the side for the second and third match on October 3 and 5.
 

NEW DELHI (Maha Media): India continued its winning streak in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 as they defeated Bangladesh by 41 runs in their Super 4 game here on Wednesday.

Invited to bat, India rode on Abhishek Sharma's blazing 75 to post a challenging 168/6 and then bowled out the opposition for 127 at the Dubai International Stadium.

India have qualified for the final and knocked out Sri Lanka from the tournament. Now tomorrow's Pakistan versus Bangladesh game is a virtual knockout game, with whoever winning making to the final.

India defeated United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and Oman in the league stage and then Pakistan in the Super 4 stage before this game.

Chasing 169, Bangladesh lost their opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim (1) early after he was caught by Shivam Dube off pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

One down Parvez Hossain Emon joined Saif Hassan and the two rebuild the innings with their 42-run stand for the second wicket. When it looked like the duo would score, chinaman Kuldeep Yadav removed Emon (21), who gave a dolly to Abhishek Sharma in the deep. Bangladesh were 46/2 and still needed 123 runs for a win.

Bangladesh slipped to 65 for 3 with left arm spinner Axar Patel sending back Towhid Hridoy (7). The Indian spinners not only controlled runs but were taking wickets.

Varun Chakravarthy joined the party as cleaned up Shamim Hossain as Bangladesh lost three wickets in quick succession.

Saif Hassan was the lone warrior going from one end. Stand in skipper Jakar Ali joined Saif and the duo needed some big shots to keep the side in the hunt.

With Jaffer getting run out, courtesy a brilliant effort from Suryakumar Yadav, Bangladesh lost half the side. Bangladesh lost another wicket, their sixth, still needing 60 runs. Kuldeep removed Rishad Hossain as Bangladesh lost their seventh wicket.

Tanzan Hasan Sakib came and went on the first ball as he was cleaned up by Kuldeep, who was on a hattrick. With Bumrah dismissed Saif (69 off 51 balls), it was all over for Bangladesh.

Earlier, India rode on openers Abhishek Sharma's aggressive 75 off 37 balls to post a decent 168/6 in their 20 overs.

India openers Abhishek and Shubman Gill, had a slow start as they scored three runs off the first over. Abhishek, the southpaw, and Gill, both from Punjab, were playing shots at will.

Gill was brutal on Nasum Ahmed, as he stuck a back-to-back four and a six in the fourth over. The elegant right-handed batter, Gill, who was elevated as Vice Captain, was in his elements.

Abhishek too joined the party and hammered a towering six on the final ball of the fourth over, as India raced to 38/0. Abhishek did not space star pacer Mustafizur Rahman, and welcomed him with a six in the fifth over. The left-handed batter ended the over with a maximum as the openers toyed with the Bangladesh attack.

Abhishek struck four boundaries in the sixth over off Mohammad Saifuddin as India amassed 17 runs and raced to 72/0. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain broke the 77-run opening stand after he sent back a dangerous-looking Gill (29 off 19) after he was caught on the fence.

Shivam Dube joined Abhishek. Abhishek completed his 50 off just 25 balls. Dube (2) did not trouble the scorers and became Hossain's second wicket. India lost their second wicket for 83.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav joined Abhishek, who kept playing his shots. With 96/2 after 10 overs, the foundation was laid for a big score.

Abhishek tore into the Bangladesh attack even as Surya played second fiddle. But Abhishek's innings was cut short after he was run out for 75 in the 12th over.

Surya (5) also edged to the wicketkeeper as he made the long walk to the dressing room. Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma then joined hands, but Varma fell cheaply for 5 as India slipped to 129/5.

The onus was on Hardik to take the Men in Blue to a comfortable position. The fall of wickets stemmed the flow of runs.

After 19 overs, India was 164 for 5 and they added only four runs in the last over. Hardik (38 off 29 balls) played the role of the finisher perfectly as his helped India cross the 165-run mark. Now the India versus Sri Lanka game on Friday, the last Super 4 stage game, is a dead rubber.

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The trio of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have made comebacks from injuries for the five-match Test series in Australia this November. Chris Woakes has been excluded from the squad as he is still recovering from the dislocated shoulder he sustained during the final Test of the five-match series against India at the Oval. Ashes is scheduled to be played from November 13, 2025, to January 8, 2026.

Stokes is on his way to recovery to be available for the first Test of the series. Wood, returning from the left knee injury, would bolster the pace attack of the English side, while Archer will rejoin the team after his successful return to Test cricket.

Harry Brook has replaced Ollie Pope in the role of the vice-captain. Shoaib Bashir will be the lead spinner for the team as he has been included in the squad after sustaining a finger injury during the India series. Matthew Potts and Will Jacks complete the 16-member squad.

Pott’s last Test appearance came in the Test against New Zealand in December 2024. He has been selected on the back of a solid performance in the County Championship this season, where he picked 28 wickets from 10 matches. Jacks amassed 136 runs from three innings.

The squad also have experienced players like Joe Root, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Pope, with Jamie Smith as wicketkeeper in the team. The pace attack will comprise Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Wood, Potts and Jofra Archer. While Bashir is the frontline spinner, Root, Jacob Bethell and Jacks will provide additional spin options.

Woakes misses out as he is yet to recover from the shoulder injury he sustained in the home Test series against India.

England have also announced the squad for the New Zealand series, where they will play three T20Is and ODIs as well. Brook will captain the white-ball teams in the series, which is to be played from October 18 to November 1.

England Ashes Squad
Ben Stokes (Captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (Vice-Captain), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is set to join Sydney Thunder for the upcoming Big Bash League season, becoming the first high-profile Indian cricketer to feature in the competition.

The 39-year-old, who recently retired from international cricket as well as the Indian Premier League, "is understood to have committed to the Thunder," 'Fox Sports' reported.

The franchise is expected to make an official announcement later this week.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The Indian team under Suryakumar Yadav is set to face Bangladesh in the Super-4 match of the Asia Cup cricket tournament today. Notably, Men in Blue defeated Pakistan by 6 wickets in the first match of this round.

Qualification-wise, if India win today, they are almost set to secure their berth in the final of the Asia Cup. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has defeated Sri Lanka in their first Super-4 match. If this team succeeds in defeating India, their hopes of reaching the final will also increase significantly.

India has been very dominant over Bangladesh in T20I cricket. In terms of head-to-head, there have been 17 matches between the two teams in which India has won 16 times, while Bangladesh has won only one match.

Bangladesh defeated India for the first and last time in this format by 7 wickets in a match played in Delhi in 2019. However, the last encounter between the two teams was in Hyderabad last year. In that matchup, the Indian team secured a win by 133 runs.

The Indian team might go with the same playing-11 that played against Pakistan in the Super-4 match. This means Abhishek Sharma will again be seen opening with Shubman Gill, and Sanju Samson will play in the middle order. Jasprit Bumrah could be the only specialist fast bowler in the team.

All-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube will assist Bumrah in the pace bowling department. Besides these, three spinners will be included in the form of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy.

One change is possible in Bangladesh's playing-11 as Tanzim Hasan could get a chance in place of Shoriful Islam. Notably, Shoriful conceded 49 runs in the last match against Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, captain Litton Das complained of a back strain in the last match. However, he is expected to be fit before the match against India

Possible playing-11 of both teams 
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy
Bangladesh: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das (captain), Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The reigning FIDE Women’s World Cup champion, Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh, has been awarded a wild card entry for the upcoming FIDE World Cup 2025. The competition is scheduled to take place in Goa from 31st October. 

Divya’s wild card entry will make the 11th edition of the World Cup more interesting as a record 21 players from the country will compete. The Indian contingent will be spearheaded by reigning world champion D. Gukesh. The FIDE World Cup, held biennially, is one of the most demanding tournaments in the sport. 

Featuring 206 players, it follows a single-elimination, knockout format with mini-matches that test nerves as much as skill.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India's wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will not be able to play against West Indies in the upcoming two-match home Test series, scheduled to kickoff on 2 October in Ahmedabad. Notably, the Indian selectors' committee led by Ajit Agarkar will hold a meeting on 24 September to select a 15-member team for this series.

However, the Test squad for the West Indies series will have two players less than that of the squad that played against New Zealand last year. The first one is, Rishabh Pant, who was injured during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy played in England.

He suffered a fracture in his left leg during the fourth Test in Manchester. Although he batted in the first innings, he was replaced by N Jagadeesan before the final Test.

Currently, Pant is undergoing rehabilitation at BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. He is working on conditioning and waiting for the medical team's next report, that's why there is no confirmed info about his return. After the West Indies series, India will play a limited-overs series in Australia from 19 October.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Lionel Messi had a first-half assist before scoring two goals in the second half to take over the league lead and propel Inter Miami to a 3-2 victory over D.C. United. Messi scored the go-ahead goal in the 66th minute before adding some insurance in the 85th. He has 22 goals this season, one more than Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge in the race for the Golden Boot Award. Defender Jordi Alba collected his 10th assist on Messi's first goal and Sergio Busquets notched his seventh for the brace.

First-year midfielder Tadeo Allende scored his eighth goal with an assist from Messi in the 35th minute and Inter Miami took a 1-0 lead into halftime. It was Messi’s 12th assist this season — tied for fourth most in the league.  DC United pulled even in the 53rd minute when Christian Benteke took a pass from Brandon Servania and scored. It was the ninth goal for the 2024 Golden Boot winner and the 47th of his career. It was the third assist for Servania, matching his career high.

DC United got within 3-2 seven minutes into stoppage time on Jacob Murrell's second goal this season. Benteke and Rida Zouhir both picked up their second assist. Óscar Ustari finished with four saves for Inter Miami (15-6-7) in his 22nd start.  Luis Barraza saved four shots for DC United (5-16-10). Inter Miami, fifth in the Eastern Conference, travels to play fourth-place New York City FC at Citi Field on Wednesday, trailing by one point with two matches in hand.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Defender Rohit will lead India in the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia from October 11, aiming to better the junior team's bronze-wining show in the previous edition of the event.

The tournament, which will conclude on October 18, will be an opportunity for India to prepare for the Junior World Cup to be held in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 till December 10.

India will begin their campaign against Great Britain on October 11, followed by a clash against New Zealand on October 12. They will take on arch-rivals Pakistan on October 14 followed by match against Australia on October 15.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is set to return unopposed as Cricket Association of Bengal president at its annual general meeting here on Monday, but his second stint promises to be more challenging with the association hit by financial irregularities and credibility concerns in recent months. The entire panel led by Ganguly — Bablu Kolay (secretary), Madan Mohan Ghosh (joint-secretary), Sanjay Das (treasurer) and Anu Dutta (vice-president) -- is also set to be elected unopposed.

The 53-year-old former BCCI president will be replacing his elder brother Snehasish Ganguly, who had to step down following the six-year cap on executive positions as mandated by the Lodha Committee directives. CAB’s image has been dented by a series of controversies in the recent past while the performance of the Ranji Trophy side has been lukewarm. Finance committee member Subrata Saha was recently fined Rs 2 lakh and barred from sub-committee activities after being found guilty of conflict of interest, while the association itself was also penalised.

Earlier in August, joint-secretary Debabrata Das was suspended for six months over allegations of financial misconduct. “Most organisations have issues to deal with. In the future, if there are issues it will be dealt in an appropriate manner,” Ganguly responded with a straight bat after filing his nomination last Sunday. In his second innings as CAB president, Ganguly has outlined his priorities which include strengthening Bengal’s first-class cricket, boosting the Bengal Pro T20 League, promoting women’s cricket and developing grassroots structures.

“The cricketing system has to move forward. I’ll be trying to talk to our Ranji Trophy cricketers, but there’s no need for too many heads in the team. Players’ skills matter, after all. As an administrator, I’ll help them with the best possible things, and I will do it,” he said. He also emphasised the importance of committed administrators. “The ones selected (as office-bearers) can give time, which is very important for this organisation,” Ganguly said.

Reflecting on his comeback, the former India skipper added: “I would like to thank everyone for their support. There are important events coming up at the Eden Gardens.” Among his first major responsibilities will be overseeing the India-South Africa opening Test at Eden Gardens from November 14, the first at the iconic venue since the historic pink-ball clash against Bangladesh in 2019. That landmark match incidentally was an initiative driven by Ganguly during his tenure as BCCI president and remains one of his major achievements.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Star Indian shuttler P V Sindhu's woeful run against world number one An Se Young continued as she suffered a straight-game defeat against the Korean in the women's singles quarterfinals of the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament here on Friday.

The two-time Olympic medallist went down 14-21 13-21 in 38 minutes against the 23-year-old Korean, who clinched gold at the Paris Games. It was Sindhu's eighth loss on the trot to An, against whom she is yet to record a single win.

Sindhu started poorly and trailed 1-6 before narrowing it to 5-9 with a delicate cross-court drop.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India will face Oman in their final Group A match today of the Asia Cup 2025 in Abu Dhabi. With four points from two games, India has already sealed Super 4 qualification, while Oman has been eliminated. India is dominant in the group stage, opening with a high-scoring win against the UAE and also defeating Pakistan by seven wickets in its last match. The match will start at 8 PM, led by captain Suryakumar Yadav at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. 

The Indian team may decide to rest Jasprit Bumrah for their last Group A fixture. The result won't change anything for the Men in Blue, so they may opt to play Arshdeep Singh. However, the Indian team may not make too many changes to the side as the team is in good form.

UAE captain Jatinder Singh will be one to watch out for. He has scored 302 runs in his last ten games. Similarly, Aamir Kaleem has 9 wickets in his last ten outings.

Pitch report: Chasing would be better choice
The surface at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium has assisted batsmen while giving some purchase to bowlers as well. Teams batting first have won 44 out of a total of 95 T20I matches here. While teams batting second have won 51 games.

Weather report: Hot and humid skies
The weather in Abu Dhabi is expected to be hot and humid, with temperatures ranging from 37°C to 39°C. Naturally, there are no chances of rain; however, dew could be a factor for the team batting second.

Yesterday, Sri Lanka stormed into the Super Four stage, defeating Afghanistan by six wickets. With this win, Sri Lanka topped Group B while Bangladesh also advanced to the next stage with two wins from three games.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]:  The Suryakumar Yadav-led India will ideally prefer to bat first and make full use of the 20 overs when they take on an embattled Oman in their final Asia Cup group league game that will be played in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Having already qualified for the Super 4s and with one eye on the important rematch against arch-foes Pakistan on Sunday, the Oman game is a perfect opportunity for the team management to just get some wood on leather after two lopsided low-scoring chases in the first two games.

While Abhishek Sharma has got a couple of blazing starts, Shubman Gill might want to bat a bit longer. Skipper Suryakumar had a good outing against Pakistan but he would like Tilak Varma to get some more batting time.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Star Indian shuttler P V Sindhu sailed into the quarterfinals of the China Masters badminton tournament with a straight-game win over sixth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand here on Thursday.

Sindhu, a double Olympic medallist, took just 41 minutes to get the better of the sixth-ranked Thai opponent 21-15 21-15.

By virtue of the win, Sindhu, ranked 14th, improved her head-to-head record against the Thai shuttler to 6-5.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: In the Asia T20 Cup cricket, Afghanistan will take on Sri Lanka in a crucial Group B match in Abu Dhabi, UAE, today. The match will begin at 8 PM Indian Time. Afghanistan absolutely have to win to make it to the Super Four. 

Yesterday, Pakistan defeated hosts United Arab Emirates by 41 runs in their Group A match. Put into bat first, Pakistan posted 146 for 9 in their 20 overs, with the help of Fakhar Zaman’s fifty. For the UAE, Junaid Siddique picked up four wickets.

Chasing 147, the hosts were bowled out for 105 in 17.4 overs. Pakistan’s bowlers Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Abrar Ahmed took two wickets each. The match began after a one-hour rain delay. With this win, Pakistan advances to the Super Four stage alongside India, while the UAE exit the tournament.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The equation in the race to the Super 4 has become an interesting one in Group B as Pakistan will meet Afghanistan on Wednesday in the league stage at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The contest is expected to be a thrilling one as it is a do-or-die situation for both teams. But, more than the match, Pakistan has grabbed all the eyeballs with the possibility of them boycotting the match. India skipping the customary toss and post-match handshake has spiralled into a huge issue, and Pakistan has threatened to boycott the match.

Pakistan and the UAE have two points each with one victory and one loss. Pakistan beat Oman by 93 runs but were humbled by seven wickets in the match against India. UAE suffered a loss against India by nine wickets, and they emerged triumphant in the contest against Oman by 42 runs. Now, it will be a must-win clash for both teams to enter the Super 4.

Both teams have played three T20Is between them, and Pakistan have won all the encounters. Pakistan have an edge over their opponent in the head-to-head records and are looking favourites to win the match on Wednesday as well.

The pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is expected to aid spinners as the nature of the surface is slow, and so it grips. Pakistan has the highest score of 160 in the Asia Cup matches played at the venue, which they scored against Oman. The par score is 150 at the venue.

Yesterday, Bangladesh kept themselves alive in the hunt to advance into the Super 4s of the Asia Cup 2025, beating Afghanistan by a narrow margin of eight runs on Tuesday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. The result of the match has made the equation in Group B interesting, and three teams - Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh are in the race to qualify for the Super 4s. Tanzid Hasan shone in the victory, playing a knock of 52 runs while Mustrafizur Rehman picked three wickets for the Bangla Tigers.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India's javelin ace Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem will be in action today at the World Athletics Championship. In the championship being held in Tokyo, Japan, Neeraj and Nadeem have been placed in different groups. Neeraj is in Group A, while Nadeem is in Group B. That means both athletes will not throw at the same time.

Notably, the final of the tournament will be played on Thursday, where star athletes will participate in an event together for the first time since the Paris Olympics.

Neeraj is the defending World Champion. He won gold with a throw of 88.17 meters at the 2023 World Championship in Hungary. Meanwhile, Arshad is the defending Olympic Champion. He won gold with a throw of 92.97 meters at the Paris Olympics; meanwhile, Neeraj had won the silver.

The javelin throw event is taking place at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. It was in this stadium that Neeraj won the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold. His best throw then was 87.58 metres. Notably, Arshad finished fifth in that event with a throw of 84.62 metres.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali won the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss for the second time in a row and made it to the women’s Candidates tournament after a hard-fought draw against former world champion Zhongyi Tan of China in the 11th and final round here on Monday.

Russian Kateryna Lagno played out a draw fairly quickly with Ulviyya Fataliyeva of Azerbaijan to end at the top of the table, along with Vaishali, on eight points out of a possible 11. Lagno became the other qualifier for the Candidates, apart from Vaishali, from here. Vaishali had a little better tie-break score to win the tournament as she played with much higher ranked Zhongyi.

The Indian GM had also won the tournament in 2023 in Isle of Man, United Kingdom. Her victory here signifies that the Indian women are also going to hog the limelight like their male counterparts soon.

Vaishali won six, lost one and drew the remaining four games and her tie-break on average rating of opponents proved just one point more than that of Lagno. The victory means that the siblings, Vaishali and Praggnanandhaa will be again making it to the Candidates, the final frontier to challenge the world champion.

None of the other Indians in the FIDE Grand Swiss could make it to the Candidates, that is reserved for eight players in all and two from here. Anish Giri was the winner in the open section as he crushed Hans Moke Niemann of United States. Anish finished the tournament on eight points out of a possible 11 too and most likely Matthias Bluebaum is going to finish second and make it to the Candidates.

As things stand right now, Anish Giri and Matthias Bluebaum (from this tournament), Hikaru Nakamura of United States (on rating), R Praggnanadhaa (on his tournament circuit performance) and Fabiano Caruana of United States will make it to the Candidates.

The last three spots will be filled in from the World Chess Cup to be held in Goa next month. The winner of the Candidates will challenge reigning world champion D Gukesh. While only one place seems assured for the Indians in the men’s section, there are already three in the women’s category who have made it to the Candidates.

Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy have already qualified after finishing first and second respectively in the last women’s World Cup. With Vaishali now joining them, it's already three Indian women in the fray to try and win the Candidates that will give them a shot at the world women’s chess title.

“There are eight spots and there are more than eight great players. No matter the system you choose, it's going to be hard, because you are to squeeze in eight players out of 20,” said Anish Giri, the worthy winner who was consistent throughout the long tournament here.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Fresh from a final's appearance, Lakshya Sen will look to ride on his new-found momentum, while Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty too will aim to carry forward their consistency at the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament beginning here on Tuesday.

Lakshya, who reached his first major final in two years at the just -concluded Hong Kong Open after a prolonged spell of poor form and fitness issues, opens against France's Toma Junior Popov.

The 24-year-old from Almora, who finished fourth at the Paris Olympics, hasn't been his best with multiple early exits but he turned it around to make the summit clash.