NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Indian weightlifter Maharajan Arumugapandian won the silver medal in the men’s 65-kilogram category at the Asian Junior Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
 
Maharajan produced a personal best total of 285 kilograms, lifting 128 kilograms in the snatch and 157 kilograms in the clean and jerk. Vietnam’s Hoang Thach won the gold medal with a total lift of 291 kilograms, finishing six kilograms ahead of Maharajan.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the medallists of the Commonwealth Games 2026 at his residence in New Delhi yesterday. During the interaction, the medal winners shared their experiences from the Games with the Prime Minister. In a social media post, Mr Modi said that each one of them has made the nation proud through their exceptional performances and their success will motivate many youngsters. Mr Modi shared a video message and said that those who will play will flourish and appealed to the citizens to always cheer for Bharat.

Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhli Khadse were present on the occasion. India finished at the 4th spot on the medal table during the games held between 23rd July and the 2nd of this month at Glasgow in Scotland. Indian athletes won 39 medals, including 13 Gold, 17 silver and nine bronze across various sports.
 

NEW DELHI (Maha Media): An injury on the athletics track ended one dream, but his passion for sport led him straight to the shooting range. Rewari's Kamaljeet turned to pistol shooting in 2019 and has since established himself as one of India's leading shooters.

The 22-year-old is set to represent India at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with shooting events scheduled from September 17 to October 3 at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery, according to a press release from NRAI.

Reflecting on his early struggles and the sacrifices made by his family, Kamaljeet said, "We are a middle-class family, but my parents never let me quit shooting. I had to manage my own expenses for course fees and matches early on, and there were times I thought I wouldn't continue in the event. It took me two to three years to earn that money back, but my family never asked questions; they gave me whatever I needed to keep going."

Transitioning from track and field to shooting required a strong support network back home in Haryana, led by a tight-knit coaching relationship.

"I have only one shooting coach who taught me everything from scratch. He is from my village, so our relationship feels like family. Between my coach and my uncle at home, I've had the strongest foundation throughout this journey," he said.

With consistent performances on the domestic circuit, financial strain gave way to institutional backing through the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). Kamaljeet highlighted how NRAI's transparent selection process and technical support provided the platform he needed to break into the national squad.

"Earlier, I used to struggle a lot just to manage basic expenses, but having sponsorship and support from SAI took a huge weight off my shoulders. Once I could focus purely on my sport, the pathway became very clear because of how transparent NRAI's selection process is."

"My place in the national squad came strictly on merit, based on the ranking points I accumulated across the ranking events. When you know the system is entirely performance-driven and every point you earn counts, it gives you complete confidence to just step onto the lane and shoot your best without any second thoughts."

"On top of that, NRAI provides us with top-quality equipment and ammunition, the exact same standard we use in international competitions. That takes away any worry about our gear on the global stage so we can stay fully focused on performance."

Building on his gold medal in the 50m Pistol Men Junior event at the 2023 ISSF Junior World Championships and a recent silver at the Asian Championships in New Delhi, Kamaljeet views his recent World Cup exposure as a vital stepping stone for the Asian Games.

"The World Cup was a valuable learning experience. While my performance wasn't exactly what I wanted, it motivated me to refine my preparation. This will be my first Asian Games, and having gained international match exposure, I feel much more confident entering the range in Japan."

Looking back on his transition from an injured athlete to an Asian Games-bound shooter, Kamaljeet added, "Earlier, I used to shoot good scores only in practice, but now I have the belief that I can deliver the same performance under match pressure. One lesson has stayed with me through every phase: if it doesn't happen the way you wanted, it will happen in a better way than you imagined."

At the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, Kamaljeet will represent India in the Men's 10M Air Pistol event, competing in his marquee individual discipline on the continental stage.
 

NEW DELHI (Maha Media): India Grandmaster (GM) Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa won his first Rapid & Blitz title at the 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, the first U.S. leg of the Grand Chess Tour (GCT).

The Indian GM built his victory by topping the rapid section with 12 out of a possible 18 points before sealing the overall title in the blitz, winning $50,000. His rapid performance also lifted him into the live top 10 of the world rapid rankings for the first time in his career.

"I was just trying to stay calm and play. I wanted to win the Rapid and Blitz separately, which I think I managed, so that's good," Praggnanandhaa said after his victory. "Last year, the Rapid & Blitz put me in a situation where I had to perform in the Sinquefield Cup, but this time the Rapid & Blitz has helped me go into the 2026 Sinquefield Cup with a good score, so I'm happy that I managed to improve in that area."

Finishing second was Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov, who held the runner-up spot throughout the tournament to earn $40,000 in prize money. American grandmaster Wesley So placed third, earning $30,000.

"Congratulations to Praggnanandhaa on an outstanding performance throughout the week," said Yasser Seirawan, chief commentator and spokesperson for the Saint Louis Chess Club. "He set the pace in the rapid section and continued to play with remarkable consistency in the blitz against one of the strongest fields in the world. Winning the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz is a significant achievement, and we look forward to seeing him carry this momentum into the Sinquefield Cup next week."

The win helped Pragg move to second spot in the overall standings in the Grand Chess Tour.

With this, the 2026 GCT Finals is beginning to take shape. GM Fabiano Caruana currently holds the top spot, followed by GM Praggnanandhaa, GM Wesley So and GM Vincent Keymer.

The last regular season stop and signature event of the GCT circuit, the 2026 Sinquefield Cup running from August 10 to19, will continue its traditional classical format. Hosted annually by the Saint Louis Chess Club with a $475,000 total prize fund, the strongest tournament on American soil will be the final opportunity for competitors to earn points in the 2026 GCT, aiming to finish in the top four to qualify for the GCT Finals.
 

NEW DELHI (Maha Media]: Manav Suthar is close to his fifty while Kuldeep Yadav aims for a good start. India are six down against Sri Lanka XI on Day 2 of their three-day warm-up game at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo.

The day began with Sri Lanka XI declaring their innings at 363/8. India got off to a poor start as Yashasvi Jaiswal fell for a duck, becoming Vishwa Fernando's first victim. 

India lost their second wicket when Keshara Nuwantha dismissed KL Rahul for 40. Devdutt Padikkal was retired out after hitting his century. Jadeja (63) then raced to his half-century to give the batting side some hope. Ramesh Mendis has picked up two wickets for Sri Lanka XI.

There is still no clarity over Shubman Gill's availability after he missed Day 1 due to a finger injury. Earlier, Sri Lanka XI batted throughout Day 1 and finished on 363/8 at stumps.
 

NEW DELHI (Maha Media): India’s Mohammed Ashfaq broke the U20 national record in paving his way to qualify for the men’s 400m final at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2026.

The 19-year-old clocked 45.81 to finish second in Heat 5 and qualify for the semi-final, breaking his own record of 46.05 set at the U20 Federation Cup in Bengaluru in April. In the semifinal Heat 3, Ashfaq clocked 46.00 to finish third and progress to the final.

His compatriot Piyush Raj finished fifth in Heat 6 with a time of 47.78 and failed to make it to the final round.

In the men’s high jump, Basant qualified for the final with a jump of 2.14m, finishing fifth in qualification Group A.

K. Ambriesh finished with a best jump of 2.05m failed to qualify after finishing 12th in qualification Group B. Notably, no athlete in either group managed to clear the automatic qualification mark of 2.21m.

In the women’s shot put, Anshu missed out on a place in the final. She registered a best throw of 15.24m, falling 21cm short of the final qualification cutoff, to finish ninth in Group A and 14th overall in the qualification round.

India’s Tanu Chaudhary suffered a heartbreak in the women’s 400m hurdles heats, placing fifth with a 1:00.03 finish, falling short to qualify for the semifinals.

In the men’s 400m hurdles, Amit Kumar finished last in the heats with a time of 54.01. In the men’s triple jump qualification, Dhanush Raj and P. Royshan failed to progress into the final, registering a best distance of 14.71m and 15.20m, respectively.

Meanwhile, Amanat Kamboj finished sixth in the women’s discus throw final, recording a personal best mark of 53.24m.
 

NEW DELHI (Maha Media): In Badminton, India’s Tanvi Sharma will face her compatriot Rakshitha Ramraj in the women’s singles quarterfinal of the Korea Masters in Asan today. Tanvi progressed to the quarterfinals after defeating fellow Indian Shriyanshi Valishetty in the pre-quarterfinals, while Rakshitha advanced to the quarterfinals after beating Japan’s Manami Suizu.
 
Meanwhile, Ashmita Chaliha will take on top seed Hina Akechi of Japan in another women’s singles quarterfinal. Ashmita progressed to the last eight with a dominant win over South Korea’s Kim Min Ji. In the men’s doubles quarterfinals, the Indian duo of Prithvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Krishna Prasad Garaga will face Malaysia’s Man Wei Chong and Soh Wooi Yik for a place in the semifinals. 
 

NEW DELHI (Maha Media): Sri Lanka XI are five wickets down against India on Day 1 of the warm-up match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo. 

Sri Lanka reaching 264/5 in 67 overs (Anjala Bandara 7*, Sonal Dinusha 6*)

Nishan Madushka scored a fluent 66 off 65 balls, while Ravindu Rasantha top-scored with 71. 

Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar and Kuldeep Yadav have picked up a wicket each for India. 

Earlier in the day, KL Rahul attended the toss as India skipper Shubman Gill missed the action due to an impact injury to his right ring finger. 

The hosts won the toss and opted to bat first in India's three-day warm-up fixture ahead of the two-match Test series.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Javelin throwers Ashish Yadav and T Dharanidharan along with discus thrower Amanat Kamboj qualified for the final rounds in a decent opening day performance by the Indians at the World Athletics U20 Championships here.

Yadav topped the men's javelin Group A qualification round with a throw of 69.87m and ended at second spot overall, behind South Africa's title favourite Jan-Hendrik Heymans who won Group B with a 76.02m throw. The 19-year-old Indian has a season's best of 74.49m, which is also his personal best.

Heymans was the lone competitor to breach the automatic qualification mark of 72.50m.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Indian batters will be keen to fine-tune their skills against spin during a three-day warm-up match against a local Sri Lanka XI at the Nondescripts Cricket Club here on Friday as it gears up for a two-match Test series against the islanders next week.

Quality spin proved to be India's Achilles Heel against New Zealand and South Africa at home recently, and the situation will not be any different against Sri Lanka.

The Islanders have a capable unit of tweakers, particularly in home conditions, and thus this warm-up match assumes massive importance for Indian batters ahead of the first Test at Galle on August 15.

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Carlos Alcaraz will not defend his Cincinnati Open as the Spaniard has withdrawn from the tournament to recover from a wrist injury.

"Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open," tournament organisers said on Wednesday. "Wishing all the best to our 2025 champion in his recovery process. Can’t wait to welcome you next year!"

Alcaraz last competed in the Barcelona Open in April, shortly after reaching the Monte-Carlo Masters final earlier that month.

The 23-year-old owns a 22-3 record this season according to the ATP Win/Loss Index, and he is the No. 2 player in the ATP Rankings.

Alcaraz began his season on a high, completing the Career Grand Slam by triumphing at the Australian Open. The Melbourne trophy was the last Slam title he had not yet won.

The Cincinnati Open main draw begins on August 13 and runs through August 23.

In May, the world No. 2 Spaniard pulled out of both Wimbledon and the Queen's Club Championships while he was recovering from a persistent right wrist injury.

He had already pulled out of the Italian Open in Rome as well as the French Open, where he had been due to defend the title he won in dramatic fashion last season.

At the 2026 Laureus Awards earlier this year, where he was named Sportsman of the Year, Alcaraz appeared wearing a brace on his right wrist, further fuelling doubts over his immediate playing future. He later confirmed that medical evaluations had forced him to step away from competition in order to avoid aggravating the injury.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: In badminton, Isharani Baruah defeated South Korean Lee So Hee 18-21, 21-15, 7-21 in the quarter-finals at the Korea Masters Super 300 badminton tournament in Asan today.
 
India’s top shuttlers, including reigning Taipei Open women’s singles champion Tanvi Sharma and former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth, will begin their campaigns. 
 
In the men’s singles category, Kiran George, Rounak Chouhan, Saneeth Dayanand and Tharun Mannepalli are among the Indian players in action, while Anmol Khar, Malvika Bansod, and Aakarshi Kashyap will represent India in the women’s singles category. However, India endured a mixed start to the competition on the opening day.
 
Unseeded Indian pair Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy upset sixth seeds Chaloempon Charoenkitamorn and Worrapol Thongsa-Nga of Thailand 21-16, 21-18 to enter the men’s doubles second round at the Korea Masters Super 300 badminton tournament in Asan, South Korea,
 
In men’s doubles, Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu and Arjun Reddy Pochana were eliminated in the first round. In women’s doubles, Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra went down 15-21, 13-21 to Japan’s second-seeded pair Ririna Hiramoto and Kokona Ishikawa. In men’s singles qualifying, Tushar Suveer defeated Canada’s Shaurya Gullaiya 21-15, 21-12 before losing to Japan’s Shogo Ogawa 10-21, 17-21 in the next qualifying round.
 
India has fielded a 33-member contingent across men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles at the tournament.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday ahead of a two-Test series that forms part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle, with the visitors set to begin their preparations with a four-day practice match in Colombo from August 7.

The opening Test will be played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium from Aug. 15-19, while the second will be held at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo from Aug. 23-27.

India will be without fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who has not recovered fully from the left knee injury he suffered during the one-day international series against England. The men’s selection committee has named pace bowler Auqib Nabi as his replacement.

Shubman Gill’s side has also been hit by a series of injuries ahead of the tour. Harshit Rana has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, while all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is unavailable because of a quadriceps injury.

All-rounder Washington Sundar will miss the opening Test with a hamstring injury, and fast bowler Akash Deep remains sidelined as he recovers from stress reactions in his back.

India are fifth in the WTC standings with four wins and four losses from nine matches, giving them a points percentage of 48.15.

India squad: Shubman Gill (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Alexandra Eala became the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour-level singles title and Taylor Fritz claimed his first trophy of the season after both rain-delayed Washington Open finals were completed on Monday.

Eala stunned top seed Jessica Pegula 4-6 6-4 6-0 after the weather-hit women’s final resumed with the 21-year-old trailing by a set but leading 2-1 in the second, while third seed Fritz beat Spanish teenager Rafa Jodar 7-6(2) 6-4 in a tight men’s decider.

“I feel so much love. My first chance at a title knowing it won’t be the last and already having achieved this milestone for my career,” Eala said on court. “I knew whatever happened after this match would have already been a win for me.”

Pegula, chasing a third Washington title after lifting the trophy in 2019 and 2021, was unable to stop the momentum swinging decisively in Eala’s favour.

The Filipina won 10 of the 13 games played after the restart, securing the second set before racing through the decider behind a dominant left-handed serve and fearless baseline hitting that drew increasingly vocal support from a partisan crowd despite Pegula playing on home soil.

“I want to congratulate Alex on an amazing tournament,” world number three Pegula said.

“To see how far you’ve come over the last couple of years when we first played, to see the amazing fans that follow you every place you go, it’s not fun to play against but I think it’s amazing.”

The victory extended Eala’s winning streak against top-10 opponents to five matches following victories over Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, twice, and Iga Swiatek.

The breakthrough title will propel Eala to a career-high world number 20 when the new WTA rankings are released.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India’s Badminton stars will begin their campaign today at the Korea Masters 2026, a BWF Super 300 tournament, beginning today at the Asan Yi Sun-sin Gymnasium in Asan, South Korea. The tournament will run until 9th of this month.

All eyes will be on 17-year-old Tanvi Sharma, who enters the tournament after winning her first BWF World Tour title at the Taipei Open.
 
The young Indian defeated Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh in the final to become only the fourth Indian woman to win a Super 300 or higher title. With PV Sindhu taking a break and Unnati Hooda absent, Tanvi will lead India’s women’s singles campaign.
 
In the men’s singles, Kidambi Srikanth returns fully fit after finishing runner-up at the US Open. The former world No. 1 and third seed will aim to continue his strong form as India looks for another impressive performance on the international circuit.
 
India has a strong contingent across all categories. In women’s singles, Malvika Bansod, Anmol Kharb, Isharani Baruah, Aakarshi Kashyap, Ashmita Chaliha, Tanya Hemanth, Mansi Singh, Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj and Shriyanshi Valishetty will also be in action. The men’s singles squad includes Kiran George, Mithun Manjunath, Tharun Mannepalli, Rounak Chouhan and Saneeth Dayanand alongside Srikanth.
 
In women’s doubles, Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra, along with Sonali Singh and Ritika Thaker, will compete. In the men’s doubles, Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy, Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu, and Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu and Pochana Arjun Reddy will be in action.
 
India’s mixed doubles challenge will feature Ishaan Bhatnagar and Shruti Mishra, Dhruv Rawat and Maneesha K, and Sathwik Reddy Kanapuram and Radhika Sharma.

India’s top men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, will miss the tournament as Satwik continues to recover from a shoulder injury.
 
The Korea Masters serves as an important event for Indian players to gain confidence and ranking points ahead of the BWF World Championships, which will be held in New Delhi later this month.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The countdown to the 2030 Ahmedabad Commonwealth Games has officially begun, with the curtain falling on the Glasgow Commonwealth Games last night. As the curtain came down, India offered the world a vibrant invitation to Ahmedabad, blending ancient philosophy, contemporary artistry and cultural grandeur in a handover presentation that officially launched the journey towards the centenary edition of the Games in 2030. 
 
Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, representing King Charles III, formally declared the Games closed in Glasgow. He called up on athletes of all countries and territories to visit Ahmedabad in four years’ time to celebrate the 24th Commonwealth Games.
 
Following the formal handover, India presented an 18-minute-and-27-second cultural showcase highlighting the country’s heritage, sporting legacy and vision for Ahmedabad 2030.

The presentation opened with a voice-over declaring, “India, where sport is a way of life,” before unfolding across four segments. The first segment commemorated the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram under the theme Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World is One Family), reflecting India’s message of peace, unity and inclusivity.

The second segment featured a specially produced film tracing India’s Commonwealth Games journey and showcasing its achievements on the international sporting stage. This was followed by a musical collaboration between Indian musician Rishab Sharma and Scottish artist Ross Ainslie, symbolising the transition of the Games from Glasgow to Ahmedabad through a fusion of Indian and Scottish musical traditions.

The finale featured performances by Shankar Mahadevan, Rishab Sharma and Bhoomi Trivedi, accompanied by visuals and choreography celebrating India’s cultural diversity. The performances drew enthusiastic applause from spectators, with Indian supporters waving the Tricolour as songs including Vande Mataram, Shiv Strot and Suno Gaur Se Duniya Walo echoed across the arena.

The traditional Parade of Athletes also featured a proud moment for India, with Commonwealth boxing champion Jaismine Lamboria carrying the Indian flag as athletes from all 74 Commonwealth nations and territories participated in the march celebrating friendship, unity and sporting excellence.

The closing ceremony offered the international sporting community its first official preview of Ahmedabad’s plans for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, setting the stage for the landmark centenary edition of the event.

India concluded its campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow with 39 medals — 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze — to finish fourth in the overall standings despite competing in a significantly reduced programme that excluded medal-rich sports such as wrestling, badminton, table tennis, hockey and shooting.

The Indian contingent of 122 athletes competed across eight able-bodied sports and five integrated para sports from July 23 to August 2. Australia topped the medal table with 171 medals, followed by England (110) and Canada (62), while India and hosts Scotland both won 39 medals, with India taking fourth place by virtue of a higher silver-medal count.

Boxing emerged as India’s most successful discipline, accounting for 10 medals, including a record seven golds — the highest by any nation in boxing at a single Commonwealth Games. Gold medals came from Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg), Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg) and Ankush Panghal (80kg). Lovlina Borgohain claimed silver in the women’s 75kg category, while Jadumani Singh (55kg) and Narender Berwal (+90kg) also won silver.

Weightlifting contributed eight medals, including India’s first gold of the Games through Mirabai Chanu in the women’s 48kg event. The sport also produced six silver medals through Rishikanta Singh, Muthupandi Raja, Gyaneshwari Yadav, Valluri Ajaya Babu, Harjinder Kaur and Lovepreet Singh, while Bindyarani Devi secured bronze.

Athletics delivered 10 medals, comprising five silver and five bronze. Gulveer Singh became the first Indian track and field athlete to win two individual medals at a single Commonwealth Games, taking silver in the men’s 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m. Neeraj Chopra returned to the Commonwealth Games podium with silver in the men’s javelin throw, while Murali Sreeshankar (long jump), Sarvesh Kushare (high jump) and Praveen Chithravel (triple jump) also won silver. Bronze medals came through Tejaswin Shankar (decathlon), Yash Vir Singh (javelin), Selva Prabhu (triple jump), Seema Kaliramna (discus throw) and Gulveer Singh.

India’s para athletes delivered their best-ever Commonwealth Games campaign, winning seven medals — three gold, two silver and two bronze. Para athletics accounted for six medals, ending a 20-year wait for an Indian para athletics podium at the Games. Gold medals were won by Dilip Gavit (100m T47), Sharmila Dhankar (shot put F57) and Soman Rana (shot put F57). Mohammed Basil (100m T47) and Shubham Juyal (shot put F57) took silver, while Shilpa K. Shyla (shot put F57) earned bronze. Jhandu Kumar added bronze in para powerlifting, winning India’s first medal of the Games.

Judo also produced a historic performance, with Asmita Dey becoming India’s first Commonwealth Games champion in the sport before Harsh Singh added another gold. Yamini Mourya won silver, while Unnati Sharma secured bronze.

India’s final medal tally by sport was: boxing (10), athletics (10), weightlifting (8), para athletics (6), judo (4) and para powerlifting (1).

With the Glasgow edition complete, India’s overall Commonwealth Games tally rose to 603 medals from 19 appearances, making it the fourth-most successful nation in Games history behind Australia, England and Canada.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Jammu & Kashmir seam-bowling all-rounder Auqib Nabi has earned his maiden India call-up after being named as Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning on August 15.

The BCCI on Monday confirmed that Bumrah has been ruled out of the series after failing to recover from the injury he sustained last month.

“Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka as he has not yet fully recovered from the left knee injury sustained during the ODI series against England. The Men’s Selection Committee has named Auqib Nabi as Bumrah’s replacement. The Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler earns his maiden call-up to the senior national team,” the BCCI said in a statement.

Nabi’s selection follows a stellar domestic season. The 29-year-old right-arm pacer claimed 60 wickets in the Ranji Trophy last season, playing a key role in Jammu & Kashmir’s maiden title triumph. Across the last two Ranji Trophy campaigns, he has taken 104 wickets.

His performances also earned him his first IPL contract with Delhi Capitals in 2026. Although he featured in five matches without taking a wicket, Nabi impressed on the India A tour of Sri Lanka, picking up six wickets in two four-day matches as India A won the series 1-0.

Nabi had earlier been part of the national setup as a net bowler for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, but this is his first inclusion in India’s senior squad.

The call-up is another milestone for Jammu & Kashmir cricket. While Parvez Rasool and Umran Malik have previously represented India in white-ball cricket, Nabi becomes the first cricketer from the Union Territory to receive a call-up to the men’s Test team.

Nabi had been training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru ahead of the Duleep Trophy after spending a few days in Srinagar. He will now join the Indian squad in Mumbai before its departure for Colombo on Tuesday.

India will play a three-day practice match in Colombo from August 7 to 9 before travelling to Galle for the first Test, starting on August 15. The second Test will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo from August 23 to 27.

India’s updated squad: Shubman Gill (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sai Sudharsan (subject to fitness clearance), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated the Indian contingent for its performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow after the country finished with 39 medals to secure fourth place in the overall standings.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Proud of our contingent’s performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Delighted that India has won 39 medals, including 13 Golds. Congrats to the medal winners.”

“Throughout the Games, our talented athletes have displayed exceptional skill, determination and dedication. Their hardwork will keep inspiring our youngsters. My best wishes to the entire Indian contingent for the endeavours ahead. May they continue to give their very best and bring further glory to the nation,” he added.

India concluded its campaign with 39 medals — 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze — despite competing in a significantly reduced programme that excluded medal-rich sports such as wrestling, badminton, table tennis, hockey and shooting.

The 122-member Indian contingent competed across eight able-bodied sports and five integrated para sports from July 23 to August 2. Australia topped the medal table with 171 medals, followed by England (110) and Canada (62). India and hosts Scotland both finished with 39 medals, but India claimed fourth place on the strength of a higher silver-medal count.

Boxing emerged as India’s most successful discipline with 10 medals, including a record seven golds — the highest by any nation in boxing at a single Commonwealth Games. Gold medals came through Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg), Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg) and Ankush Panghal (80kg). Lovlina Borgohain won silver in the women’s 75kg category, while Jadumani Singh (55kg) and Narender Berwal (+90kg) also finished with silver medals.

Weightlifting contributed eight medals, including India’s first gold of the Games through Mirabai Chanu in the women’s 48kg event. The discipline also yielded six silver medals through Rishikanta Singh, Muthupandi Raja, Gyaneshwari Yadav, Valluri Ajaya Babu, Harjinder Kaur and Lovepreet Singh, while Bindyarani Devi won bronze.

Athletics delivered 10 medals, comprising five silver and five bronze. Gulveer Singh became the first Indian track and field athlete to win two individual medals at a single Commonwealth Games, claiming silver in the men’s 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m. Neeraj Chopra won silver in the men’s javelin throw, while Murali Sreeshankar (long jump), Sarvesh Kushare (high jump) and Praveen Chithravel (triple jump) also secured silver medals. Bronze medals came through Tejaswin Shankar (decathlon), Yash Vir Singh (javelin), Selva Prabhu (triple jump), Seema Kaliramna (discus throw) and Gulveer Singh.

India’s para athletes produced their best-ever Commonwealth Games campaign with seven medals — three gold, two silver and two bronze. Para athletics accounted for six medals, ending a 20-year wait for an Indian para athletics podium at the Games. Gold medals were won by Dilip Gavit (100m T47), Sharmila Dhankar (shot put F57) and Soman Rana (shot put F57). Mohammed Basil (100m T47) and Shubham Juyal (shot put F57) claimed silver, while Shilpa K. Shyla (shot put F57) won bronze. Jhandu Kumar added bronze in para powerlifting, India’s first medal of the Games.

Judo also delivered a historic performance, with Asmita Dey becoming India’s first Commonwealth Games champion in the sport before Harsh Singh added another gold. Yamini Mourya won silver, while Unnati Sharma secured bronze.

India’s final medal tally by sport stood at: boxing (10), athletics (10), weightlifting (8), para athletics (6), judo (4) and para powerlifting (1).

With the Glasgow edition complete, India’s overall Commonwealth Games medal tally rose to 603 medals from 19 appearances, making it the fourth-most successful nation in Games history behind Australia, England and Canada.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: President Droupadi Murmu has congratulated javelin throwers Neeraj Chopra on winning the silver medal and Yash Vir Singh on securing the bronze medal in the men’s javelin throw at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. In a social media post, the President said, the memorable double podium finish has brought immense pride and joy to the nation. She said, this achievement reflects the athletes’ unwavering dedication and exceptional sporting excellence. The President expressed confidence that their pursuit of excellence will continue to inspire generations and earn greater accolades for the country.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Neeraj Chopra on winning the Silver Medal and Yash Vir Singh on securing the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Javelin Throw at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. In a social media post, the Prime Minister praised Neeraj Chopra for once again demonstrating remarkable consistency, composure and sporting spirit. The Prime Minister said that his achievements make every Indian proud. 
 
Congratulating Yash Vir Singh, Mr Modi said, the young athlete produced an impressive throw that reflected his zeal and dedication. He expressed confidence that Yash’s achievement would inspire many young athletes to take up the sport. The Prime Minister wished both athletes continued success in their future endeavours.  
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Indian boxers Jaismine Lamboria and Preeti Pawar won the gold medals in the women's 57kg and women's 54kg final bouts respectively at the Commonwealth Games here on Saturday.

Preeti claimed the gold with a dominant 5-0 victory over Canada's Scarlett Delgado in the women's 54kg before reigning world champion Jaismine clinched the yellow metal with the same scoreline against Northern Ireland's Michaela Walsh, who was the defending champion.

Jaismine took the first round by a split verdict after a close contest with both boxers challenging each other.

The victory adds another major title to an outstanding season for the 22-year-old, who had already captured the World Boxing Cup and Asian Championships crowns earlier this year. She arrived in Glasgow as one of India's leading medal prospects and lived up to expectations by remaining unbeaten throughout the competition.

Notably, Preeti had booked her place in the final after a dominant 5-0 semifinal win over Zambia's Catherine Mwape. She controlled that contest from start to finish, earning unanimous scores in every round to guarantee India at least a silver medal before upgrading it to gold with another one-sided display against Delgado. Canada's Delgado reached the title bout after defeating England's Lauren Mackie 4-1 in the other semifinal.

Jaismine Lamboria defeated Michaela Walsh in the women’s 57 kg category to win the gold medal. She secured India’s seventh gold medal in the Commonwealth Games. The match took place right after Preeti’s gold medal contest. 

Notably, Jaismine also won by a unanimous decision. After the announcement, both athletes hugged and Jasmine even raised Walsh’s hand for her to take all the appreciation. 

When it comes to the contest, it was a close contest, but Jasmine ultimately had the last laugh. 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Indian women finished fifth in the World Squash Junior Team Championships, beating England 2-0 in the 5-6th position play-off here.

Rudra Singh put India ahead with a 11-5, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6 win over Reka Kemecsei and Saanvi Kalanki sealed the contest with a 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 victory over Eve Parkins.

Earlier, India advanced in the play-offs by defeating Australia 2-0.

Saanvi brushed aside Tina Ma 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 and Rudra rallied to beat Sarbani Maitra 10-12, 11-5, 11-1, 11-2.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, India delivered another outstanding performance yesterday, clinching two historic gold medals in Judo, securing a memorable double podium finish in the Men’s Javelin Throw, winning a first-ever bronze medal in the Decathlon, and booking places for 10 boxers in their respective finals.
 
Judokas Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh scripted history by becoming India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medallists in the sport. Asmita clinched the women’s 48-kilogram title after defeating Canada’s Heidi Quach in the golden score, while Harsh defeated Australian Olympian Joshua Katz to win the yellow metal in Men’s 60-kilogram category. Yamini Mourya added a silver in the women’s 57-kilogram event, giving India its best-ever Commonwealth Games campaign in judo with two gold and one silver medal.
 
In Athletics, Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra won silver in the men’s javelin throw with a season-best effort of 85.83 metres. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage claimed gold with a throw of 89.75 metres, while India’s Yashvir Singh secured bronze with a personal-best effort of 85.41 metres on his final attempt. Tejaswin Shankar also created history by becoming the first Indian to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the decathlon, claiming bronze.
 
India’s boxers also delivered an outstanding performance, with 10 pugilists winning their respective semi-final bouts to enter the finals. They are : Sakshi Chaudhary in Women’s 51 kg, Preeti Pawar in Women’s 54kg, Jaismine Lamboria in Women’s 57 kg, Priya Ghanghas in Women’s 60kg, Arundhati Choudhary in Women’s 70 kg and Lovlina Borgohain in Women’s 75kg, Jadumani Singh in Men’s 55kg, Sachin Siwach in Men’s 60kg, Ankush Panghal in Men’s 80kg and Narender Berwal in Men’s 90(Plus) kg.
 
In lawn bowls, Navneet Singh and Dinesh Kumar registered their fourth consecutive victory in the Men’s Pairs event, while Nayanmoni Saikia won her women’s singles match. However, it was a disappointing outing for India’s cyclists. Dinesh Kumar and Harshveer Singh Sekhon failed to qualify for the men’s 4,000-metre individual pursuit, while no Indian rider advanced in the men’s keirin event.
 
India is currently placed 10th in the overall medal standings with 23 medals-five gold, 12 silver and six bronze. Australia continues to top the table with 128 medals, including 55 gold.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]:  The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday announced the 12 venues that will host the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2027, to be jointly staged by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The venues were unveiled at a ceremony in Johannesburg, with eight stadiums in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe and one in Namibia selected to host matches during the global tournament.

South Africa's host venues are Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, SuperSport Park in Centurion, Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, Kingsmead in Durban, St George's Park in Gqeberha, Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, Boland Park in Paarl and Buffalo Park in KuGompo City, formerly known as East London.

Zimbabwe will host matches at Harare Sports Club, Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo and the Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls, while Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek will become the country's first venue to host a senior ICC tournament.

ICC chairman Jay Shah described the announcement as a major milestone on the road to the 2027 World Cup.

"This marks an exciting milestone on the road to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027. The unveiling of the host cities and the tournament brand signals the start of a journey that will unite fans around the world and build anticipation for one of our sport's biggest global events. The return of this prestigious tournament to Africa after 24 years is a landmark moment for cricket," Shah said.

The 2027 edition will feature a new three-stage competition format aimed at enhancing competitiveness.

The tournament will begin with a Super Series, featuring the three lowest-ranked teams (12th to 14th), who will compete in a round-robin format. The winner will qualify for the main competition.

The 12-team league stage will then comprise two groups of six teams each, with 30 matches to be played. The top three teams from each group, along with the next best-performing side, will progress to the Super 7 stage.

The Super 7 phase will consist of 21 round-robin matches, after which the top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals.

ICC Chief Executive Officer Sanjog Gupta said the tournament would not only showcase world-class cricket but also celebrate Africa's rich culture and passion for the sport.

"The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup represents the legacy and spectacle of limited-overs cricket. It also marks the return of the pinnacle event to Africa after more than two decades and will celebrate a continent defined by extraordinary people, vibrant cultures, breathtaking experiences and deep love for sport," Gupta said.

South Africa and Zimbabwe previously co-hosted the 2003 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, while Namibia will make history by hosting its first senior ICC global event.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Seema Kaliramna won a bronze medal for India in Women's Discus Throw with a best effort of 58.65m in the Commonwealth Games 2026 at Glasgow on Thursday night.India News Feed

“Heartiest congratulations to Seema Kaliramna on winning the bronze medal in the Women’s Discus Throw event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. Your achievement is a testament to your perseverance, dedication and hard work. Your success will inspire young women to strive for excellence in sports. May you continue to bring glory to the nation,” President Murmu said.

India has now collected 17 medals at the Commonwealth Games 2026—three gold, 11 silver and three bronze—as the campaign enters its final stages.

Seema had only two valid throws in six rounds as she repeatedly had the disc entangled in the side netting on the wild night. After starting with a foul, Seema reached 57.32m and then threw to 58.65 before ending her campaign with three foul throws. But the 58.65m was enough to earn her a bronze medal.

Another Indian, Nidhi Rani, ended fourth with a distance of 57.10m as Samantha Hall of Jamaica made history by winning the maiden gold medal for her country in discus throw. Julia Tunks of Canada took the silver medal with a throw of 60.67m.

Meanwhile, there were setbacks for India in track and field competitions with two-time Asian Games gold medallist Tajinderpal Singh Toor failing to medal in the men's shot put event and finishing fifth on Thursday night.

Toor, who won gold medals in the 2018 Jakarta and the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, managed to produce a best throw of 20.27m in the third round and could not better it in the last three rounds and had to be satisfied with a fifth-place finish.

The 31-year-old Toor, who has a personal best of 21.77m, opened with a throw of 20.06m. After reaching 19.98m in the second round, Tajinderpal Singh heaved the iron ball to 20.27m. In the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds, he made throws of 19.93m, 20-26m and 19.79m to eventually end without a medal.

Chukwuebuka Enekwechi of Nigeria secured the shot put title with a throw of 21.07m while New Zealand's Tom Walsh got silver and Scott Lincoln of England bagged the bronze.

Meanwhile, in the Women's 5000m, India's Asian Games gold medallist Parul Chaudhary finished 13th with a timing of 15 minutes 08.56 seconds.

Australia's Rose Davies won the gold medal, finishing the race first with a timing of 14:44.53, with her compatriot Jessica Hull taking the silver medal in 14:45.01. Megan Keith of Scotland took the bronze medal by finishing third in 14:49.10. All three of the medallists produced season-best efforts to take the three spots on the podium.

The 19-year-old Sheriauna Haas of Canada thundered to victory in the Women's 100m T47 race, with compatriot Chloe Dunbar just behind. The pair powered past favourite Anna Grimaldi of New Zealand, who had to settle for bronze.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India’s Lovepreet Singh produced a valiant performance but fell agonisingly short of the gold medal, claiming silver in the men’s +110kg weightlifting event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Thursday.History

“Warm congratulations to Lovepreet Singh on clinching the silver medal in the men’s 110+kg weightlifting event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. Your remarkable performance reflects your steadfast determination, remarkable strength and relentless pursuit of excellence. Your achievement has brought immense pride and joy to every Indian. I wish you many more laurels in the years to come,” President Murmu said in a post on X.

The President also hailed Seema Kaliramna after the Indian athlete bagged the bronze medal in the women’s discus throw with a best effort of 58.65m.

Lovepreet finished with a combined lift of 388kg, just 1kg behind New Zealand’s David Liti, who won gold with 389kg. England’s Andrew Griffiths completed the podium with a total of 356kg.

The Indian lifter opened strongly in the snatch, successfully lifting 176kg to stay in contention for the top spot. In the clean and jerk, he cleared 205kg and 212kg before making a bold attempt at 217kg in his final lift. Although the final attempt was unsuccessful, his total of 388kg was enough to secure the silver medal.

David Liti, who had lifted 166kg in the snatch, produced a decisive 223kg clean and jerk to edge ahead of Lovepreet by the narrowest possible margin and clinch the Commonwealth title.

Despite the heartbreak of missing gold by just one kilogram, Lovepreet’s performance added another medal to India’s tally in Glasgow and highlighted his consistency on the biggest stage. His silver medal was the result of a composed display under pressure, with the Indian heavyweight pushing the eventual champion until the very end.

The medal further strengthened India’s impressive campaign in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games, where the country’s lifters have once again emerged among the leading performers.

Born on September 6, 1997, in Bal Sachandar village, Amritsar, Punjab, Lovepreet Singh comes from a humble family. Inspired by local weightlifters, he began weightlifting in 2010 at the age of 13 under the guidance of local coaches. Despite financial hardships, his determination and disciplined training helped him progress steadily through the junior and senior ranks.

Lovepreet represented Punjab in national competitions before joining the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Camp at NS NIS Patiala in 2017. He initially competed in the 105 kg category, winning medals at the Junior Commonwealth and Asian Junior Championships. After the introduction of new IWF weight categories, he moved to the 109 kg category, where he won bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]:Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav and Yash Vir Singh, all three Indians, qualified for the men's javelin final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games here on Thursday. Competing in windy conditions, no athlete cleared the automatic qualifying mark of 84.00 m; the Indian trio advanced as the 12 best performers for Friday's final.

Neeraj, who returned to the Games after missing the Birmingham edition due to injury, opted against taking his final attempt after securing qualification in fifth place with a best throw of 79.61m on his second attempt. Rohit also chose not to take his final throw and finished ninth with 78.37m, while Yash Vir Singh was 10th with 78.36m.

A lower back injury has been troubling Neeraj since September 2025. The Olympic and world championships gold medallist sustained a lower back problem shortly before the World Athletics Championships in September last year, where he finished eighth. He made a delayed start to the season and had competed only once in the 2026 season, when he featured in the Doha Diamond League in June, finishing fourth with a throw of 85.69m.

Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage, who holds the world lead of 92.62m this season, topped the qualification standings with a superb throw of 82.84m, adapting best to the challenging weather conditions. Two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada finished second with 81.29m, while South Africa's Douw Smit was third after registering 80.64m.

England's Ben East (80.38m) claimed fourth place ahead of Neeraj, while Australia's Cameron McEntyre (78.91m) was sixth, reigning Olympic champion Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem (78.63m) registered his season best with 78.63m, which he could not better, and qualified for the final with a seventh-place finish in the qualification.

The Bahamas' Keyshawn Strachan (78.60m), Trinidad and Tobago's Keshorn Walcott (78.26m) and Nigeria's Chinecherem Nnamdi (75.27m) also progressed.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Fifth-seed Indian men advanced to the second consecutive semi-final of the Squash Junior Team Championships with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over No. 3 seeds England, while the women lost in the quarterfinals to the United States 1-2.

Indian men will meet the United States in the semifinals, who also progressed to the semi-finals after defeating No.8 seeds Japan, as they look to better their bronze medal-winning semifinal finish last year.

Gurveer Singh clinched the decider with a straight-games victory over George Griffiths after Aryaveer Dewan put India ahead before Yusha Nafees lost a five-game thriller to Ismail Khalil.

History was rewritten for France’s men’s team as they reached the semi-finals of the World Squash Junior Team Championships for the first time in 26 years.

France stole the headlines by beating No.6 seeds Malaysia 2-0 to secure their first World Squash Junior Team Championships semi-final appearance since 2000.

Meanwhile, in the women’s draw, the No.3 seeds USA came from behind to defeat India and reach the semi-finals.

India made the stronger start, with No.1 string and reigning World Junior Champion Anahat Singh defeating Diya Yadav in straight games. However, they were unable to build on the early advantage as Charlotte Sze levelled the tie by overcoming Rudra Singh 11-6, 11-4, 11-8 to force a deciding match.

With momentum firmly on the USA’s side, No.3 string Lily Bourell sealed her team’s place in the final four with a straight-games victory over Anika Dubey. The USA women’s team will now face defending champions Egypt, who advanced to the semi-finals with an impressive 3-0 victory over Australia.

Elsewhere, No.2 seeds Hong Kong, China continued their pursuit of the women’s World Squash Junior Team Championships title with a convincing victory over hosts Canada.

They will now take on No.4 seeds Malaysia, who reached the final four after overcoming No.6 seeds England.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Jaismine Lamboria continued India's perfect day in the boxing ring at the Commonwealth Games 2026 on Wednesday, winning by a 4-1 split decision against Elise Glynn of England in a quarterfinal bout of Women's 57 kg and confirming another medal for India.

The 24-year-old Jaismine, who won a bronze medal in the Lightweight category in Birmingham four years ago, won the bout on the cards of four of the five judges. Fighting from the Blue corner, Jaismine was scored the winner 29-28, 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 by four judges, while one judge gave it to Elise Glynn 29-28.

The boxer from Bhiwani, Haryana, has won a gold medal at the 2025 World Championship in Liverpool, two World Boxing Cup gold medals in Featherweight at Astana and New Delhi in 2025, and a bronze at the Asian Championships in Dubai in 2021.

Jaismine's progress to the semifinals made it six out of six victories for India in the quarterfinals on Wednesday as she joined Narender (90+ kg), Ankush (80 kg), Sachin Siwach (60 kg), Arundhati Chaudhary (70 kg) and Sakshi (51kg) in assuring a medal for the country.

Narender assured the country of a medal after defeating Samoa’s Michael Seko by a hard-fought 3-2 split decision in the men’s 90kg+ quarterfinals.

Ankush displayed excellent ring control, sharp combinations and effective counter-attacking throughout the bout, leaving Micock with little opportunity to make an impact. The judges scored the contest 30-26, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 and 30-27 in favour of the Indian.

With the victory, Ankush progressed to the semifinals, thereby assuring himself of at least a bronze medal under the Commonwealth Games boxing format, where both losing semifinalists receive bronze medals.

Earlier in the day, Sachin Siwach, Arundhati Chaudhary and Sakshi cleared the quarterfinals hurdles, assuring the country medals in their respective weight categories.

Sakshi assured the country of another medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026 after registering a dominant 5-0 unanimous decision over Northern Ireland’s Caitlin Fryers in the women’s quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Sakshi was in complete control throughout the contest, winning all three rounds on the judges’ scorecards. Four judges awarded her 29-27, while one scored it 29-25, reflecting her dominance in the bout. She also benefited from a point deduction against her opponent.

Arundhati Choudhary assured the country of another boxing medal after defeating Morgan Henderson (NZL) by a 3-1 split decision in the women’s 70kg quarterfinals.

The Indian pugilist displayed composure and tactical discipline throughout the three-round contest to edge past Henderson in a closely fought bout. Three judges scored all three rounds in Arundhati’s favour (30-26), while one judge awarded the contest to the New Zealander 29-27. The fifth judge had the scores level at 28-28, but a one-point deduction against Henderson tilted the verdict in Arundhati’s favour.

Sachin Siwach delivered a composed and clinical performance to register a unanimous 5-0 victory and book his place in the semifinals, guaranteeing the country at least a bronze medal.

India are assured of more medals at the Commonwealth Games 2026, with three boxers securing medals on Tuesday.

Mandengbam Jadumani Singh assured the country of at least a bronze medal after outclassing Mwale Mwengo in the men’s 55kg quarterfinals in the boxing competitions at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Tuesday. He is the third Indian boxer to reach the semifinals on Tuesday, joining Preeti and Priya in the last-four stage of their respective weight categories.

Jadumani delivered a composed and technically sound performance to register a unanimous 5-0 victory on points, booking his place in the semifinals. Since both losing semifinalists receive bronze medals in boxing at the Commonwealth Games, the Manipur boxer has guaranteed India another podium finish.

Before that, Priya stormed into the women’s 60kg semifinals after defeating Scotland’s Niamh Mitchell 4-1 on points in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. She joined fellow pugilist Preeti in assuring a medal for India.

Competing in front of a partisan home crowd, Priya showed remarkable composure after dropping the opening round on four of the five judges’ scorecards. She bounced back strongly to dominate the second and third rounds with sharp combinations, effective counter-attacks and superior ring control.

Four judges scored the contest 28-27 in Priya’s favour, while the fifth awarded her a commanding 29-26 verdict, sealing a convincing 4-1 split decision victory.

Meanwhile, Preeti secured a bronze medal after cruising into the women’s 54kg semifinals with a dominant, unanimous-decision victory over Nicole Clyde of Northern Ireland.

The Indian pugilist outclassed Clyde in every round to register a comprehensive 5-0 win on points in the quarterfinal bout at SEC Hall 5.

Preeti dictated the contest from the opening bell, using her superior speed, accuracy and ring control to keep her opponent on the back foot. She won all three rounds on the scorecards of each of the five judges, leaving no doubt about the outcome.

The scoreboard reflected her dominance, with the judges awarding the bout 30-25, 30-25, 30-26, 30-26 and 30-27 in favour of the Indian boxer. Clyde also suffered three knockdowns during the contest, underlining Preeti’s complete control of the bout.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: President Droupadi Murmu showered praise on Indian para-athletes Dilip Mahadu Gavit and Mohammed Basil Morssinganakathi for their historic 1-2 finish in the men’s T47 100m event and long-jumper Murali Sreeshankar for winning the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026. 

Gavit clinched the gold medal with a games record, clocking 10.71 seconds, in the men’s 100m T47, while compatriot Mohammed Basil secured the silver medal with a season-best timing 10.83 seconds, giving India a double podium.

"Indian para athletics has scripted a memorable chapter of sporting excellence. Heartiest congratulations to Dilip Mahadu Gavit on winning the gold medal and Mohammed Basil Morssinganakathi on securing the silver medal in the Men's 100m T47 event at Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. Your historic gold-silver finish is a landmark moment for Indian para athletics. May you continue to inspire the nation with your extraordinary determination and excellence," the President shared on X.

Sreeshankar delivered another memorable performance, clinching the silver medal in the men’s long jump with a best effort of 8.09m in a high-quality final.

"Warm congratulations to Murali Sreeshankar on winning the silver medal in the men's long jump at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026! Securing consecutive Commonwealth silver medals is a monumental achievement that makes the entire nation proud. Wishing you continued success and an illustrious career ahead," the President wrote in another post.

The 27-year-old long-jumper had won a silver medal in the Birmingham edition in 2022 with a jump of 8.08 metres and became the first male long jumper from India to win a silver medal at the Games.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also lavished praise on Sreeshankar for her second silver at the Games.

"Heartiest congratulations to Murali Sreeshankar on winning the Silver Medal in the Men’s Long Jump Final at the Commonwealth Games 2026. Having also won the Silver Medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2022, Murali has once again brought laurels to the nation, reflecting his remarkable consistency, resilience, and unwavering determination. This achievement is made even more inspiring by his courageous comeback from a career-threatening knee injury.

"His success is a proud moment for India and an inspiration for countless young athletes across the country. Wishing him continued success and many more laurels for the nation," he posted on X.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Former cricketer Irfan Pathan has spoken out on the nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak.

In a post on X, he expressed his solidarity with the protesting students.

"Every student puts in years of hard work for a better future and their families make sacrifices along the way too. No paper leak should ever be allowed to take that hope. I have full faith that our country,authorities will ensure every one of them gets a fair chance. I also hope every possible step is taken to make sure this never happens again. Our students are our future, Protect their dreams," he wrote.

Earlier, legendary Sachin Tendulkar urged society to uphold honesty, hard work and merit amid the ongoing protests.

In a post on X, recalling his father's lesson that "failure is okay, cheating is not," Tendulkar on Thursday said students' disappointment over their hard work not being rewarded is understandable. He called on parents, teachers, schools, administrators and society to create an environment where integrity is encouraged, merit is rewarded, and young people remain motivated to pursue their aspirations.

"My father was a professor. He was a mentor and guide to many young students. One lesson that he instilled early on was, 'Failure is okay, cheating is not. Never take shortcuts.' As adults in society, we have the responsibility of shaping culture. A society which prioritises outcomes over effort will seek shortcuts over meritocracy. Today, when students feel disappointed that their hard work hasn't been rewarded, it is understandable," Tendulkar said in a post.

"Collectively, we should all work together towards ensuring they don't feel this way again. Young India is full of dreams and energy. They are the fuel to our success. As a society, all of us, including parents, teachers, friends, relatives, schools, and administrators, have a massive responsibility and different roles to play in ensuring our youth remain encouraged and energised," he added.

Tendulkar called for a culture that rewards hard work, promotes honesty, and ensures merit is recognised, expressing confidence in finding solutions to secure the future and aspirations of young people.

He said, "We must create a culture where hard work is rewarded, honesty is encouraged, and merit wins. I am certain we will all find solutions that strengthen our children's future and safeguard their aspirations. Jai Hind!"
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Indian top seed Anahat Singh moved into the women’s semifinals of the World Squash Junior Individual Championships here.

Women’s world No 20 Anahat defeated Egyptian 5/8 seed Habiba Rizk 11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9 in the quarterfinals.

The Delhi girl, a bronze medal-winning semifinalist last year, is the first Indian to reach back-to-back semifinals in the world juniors and remains a firm favourite to win the title.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday conveyed his best wishes to the Indian contingent participating in the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow and said that he was confident that the athletes would participate with passion, determination and a spirit of excellence.

The 23rd Commonwealth Games 2026 are being held in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2. Medals will be available in 215 events, spread across 10 sports.

"As the Commonwealth #Glasgow2026 Games begin, my best wishes to the Indian contingent. I am confident that our athletes will participate in the Games with passion, determination and a spirit of excellence. The skills and dedication of our athletes always inspire countless Indians," Modi said in a post on X.

There are a total of 11 events planned for July 24, with four of those events being medal events. Plenty of stars from the Indian contingent will be participating today as well. 

One of the medal events planned for July 24 is powerlifting. A medal will be up for grabs in this event, and the likes of Ashok Kumar Malik and Parmjeet Kumar, with Jaspreet Kaur and Suman Devi, will be among the biggest contenders to bring the medal home. 

Furthermore, the men’s team final gymnastics event is also scheduled, alongside para powerlifting, where the likes of Jhandu Kumar and Sudhir are participating in the men’s heavyweight category. 

It is worth noting that this is India’s 19th participation in the Commonwealth Games. Furthermore, since 2002, India has finished in the top five medal winners in every edition, and a similar level of consistency will be expected from the contingent this time around as well. 

Commonwealth Games Day 2 schedule: 
Gymnastics: 2:30 PM
Para Swimming: 3:40 PM
Swimming: 3:56 PM
Powerlifting (Men’s): 5:40 PM
Powerlifting (Women’s): 7:24 PM
Lawn Bowls: 7:30 PM
Gymastics (Men’s final event): 10:00 PM
Lawn Bowls: 10:30 PM
Powerlifting: 10:40 PM
Boxing: 11 PM
Para powerlifting: 12:29 AM
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Top-seeded Indian Anahat Singh eased past Malaysian Doyce Ye San Lee to advance to the women's quarterfinals of the World Squash Junior Individual Championships in Ontario, Canada.

Women's world No. 20 Anahat, a bronze medallist last year, beat her 13/16 seed opponent 11-4 11-8 11-3 in the pre-quarterfinals on Wednesday.

She will take on Egyptian 5/8 seed Habiba Rizk in the last eight round.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]:Former skipper Anjum Chopra doesn't think that removing Harmanpreet Kaur from captaincy is a solution as the Indian women's team do not have quality back-up options in any of the departments.

While another legendary former skipper Mithali Raj has urged the selectors to look at the bigger picture and groom young captain like Shafali Verma for WT20Is, Chopra doesn't find it a feasible course correction.

"Why are we even talking about a change (in captaincy)? You can make anybody the captain. That doesn't mean that the rest of the 10 players will start performing differently. And if that has to happen, then I think we're in a very bad zone or a wrong place," Chopra told the news agency in an interview.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The Indian sub-junior boys' team maintained its winning run, outplaying Pakistan and Oman in the Elite Pool of the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship here.

Led by Ketan Kushwaha, India first registered an emphatic 14-0 win over Oman, with the skipper scoring four goals (6', 11', 15', 20'). Ashish Tani Purti (1', 16', 19') struck a hat-trick, while Rahul Yadav (2', 12') and Shahrukh Ali (3', 13') scored braces. Prahalad Rajbhar (9'), Karan Gautam (15') and Romit Pal (18') also found the back of the net.

Against Pakistan, India prevailed 7-4, with Karan Gautam (5', 9', 19') completing a hat-trick. Rahul Yadav (3'), Prahalad Rajbhar (10'), captain Kushwaha (11') and Romit Pal (11') were the other scorers for India. Aslam Muhammad Farhan (6'), Adeel (8') and Usman Muhammad (10', 16') scored for Pakistan.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The stage is set for the Commonwealth Games, with the event set to start on July 23, as athletes from multiple nations fight to secure a podium finish. Olympic medallists Neeraj Chopra, Mirabai Chanu and Lovlina Borgohain will have the spotlight on them as they are some of the renowned faces in India’s contingent for the event, which will go on for 11 days in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Games will return to Glasgow after nine years, having been held here in 2014.

The 23rd edition will have just 10 sports, which is nine fewer than Birmingham 2022. The competitions will be played across four different venues. Athletics, swimming, 3x3 basketball, track cycling, weightlifting, lawn bowls, artistic gymnastics, netball, boxing and judo are the sports which are part of the event.

India will be taking part with a contingent of 125 members, including para-athletes. Apart from the javelin throw ace Neeraj Chopra, the contingent also includes several national record holders and major international medallists like Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur and Murali Sreeshankar.

Full list of Indians at the Commonwealth Games

Indian athletics team

Parul Chaudhary (women's 3000m steeplechase, 5000m)

Gurindervir Singh (men's 100m)

Neeru Pathak (mixed 4x400m relay)

Priyanka Goswami (women's 10000m race walk)

Ravina (women's 10000m race walk)

Pooja Singh (women's high jump)

Manpreet Kaur (women's shot put)

Seema Kaliramna (women's discus throw)

Nidhi Rani (women's discus throw)

Gulveer Singh (men's 5000m, 10000m)

Yashas Palaksha (men's 400m hurdles)

Dev Meena (men's pole vault)

Lokesh Sathyanathan (men's long jump)

Tajinderpal Singh Toor (men's shot put)

Yash Vir Singh (men's javelin throw)

Selva Prabhu (men's triple jump)

Kuldeep Kumar (men's pole vault)

Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan (men's 400m hurdles)

Neeraj Chopra (men's javelin throw)

Vishal TK (men's 400m, mixed 4x400m relay)

Rashdeep Kaur (mixed 4x400m relay)

Ansa Babu (mixed 4x400m relay)

Animesh Kujur (men's 200m)

Rajesh Ramesh (men's 400m, mixed 4x400m relay)

Murali Sreeshankar (men's long jump)

Tejas Shirse (men's 110m hurdles)

Sarvesh Kushare (men's high jump)

Adarsh Ram (men's high jump)

Praveen Chithravel (men's triple jump)

Samardeep Singh Gill (men's shot put)

Rohit Yadav (men's javelin throw)

Tejaswin Shankar (men's decathlon, high jump)

Indian artistic gymnastics team

Pranati Nayak (women's event)

Tapan Mohanty (men's event)

Protistha Samanta (women's event)

Tapeshwarnath Das (men's event)

Satyajit Mondal (men's event)

Eshita Rewale (women's event)

Nishka Agarwal (women's event)

Swatish KP (men's event)

Indian boxing team

Sakshi Chaudhary (women's 51kg)

Parveen Hooda (women's 65kg)

Lovlina Borgohain (women's 75kg)

Sachin Siwach (men's 60kg)

Aditya Pratap Singh (men's 65kg)

Arundhati Choudhary (women's 70kg)

Kapil Pokhariya (men's 90kg)

Narender Berwal (men's +90kg)

Jadumani Singh (men's 55kg)

Priya Ghanghas (women's 60kg)

Preeti Pawar (women's 54kg)

Jaismine Lamboria (women's 57kg)

Sumit Kundu (men's 70kg)

Ankush (men's 80kg)

Indian judo team

Asmita Dey (women's -48kg)

Harsh Singh (men's -60kg)

Shraddha Kadubal Chopade (women's -52kg)

Yash Ghangas (men's +100kg)

Karanjit Singh Maan (men's -90kg)

Avtar Singh (men's -100kg)

Yamini Mourya (women's -57kg)

Unnati Sharma (women's -63kg)

Tulika Maan (women's +78kg)

Inunganbi Takhellambam (women's -70kg)

Ishroop Narang (women's -78kg)

Rohit Basir Majgul (men's -66kg)

Arun Kumar (men's -73kg)

Harsh Tokas (men's -81kg)

Indian lawn bowls team

Nayan Moni Saikia (women's singles)

Navneet Singh (men's pairs - lead)

Rupa Rani Tirkey (women's pairs - lead)

Putul Sonowal (men's singles)

Dinesh Kumar (men's pairs - skip)

Pinki (women's pairs - skip)

Indian swimming team

Sajan Prakash (men's 50m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle)

Aneesh Gowda (men's 200m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay)

Aryan Nehra (men's 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay)

Dhakshian Shashikumar (men's 400m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay)

Srihari Nataraj (men's 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay)

Indian track cycling team

David Beckham Elkatohchoongo (men's track cycling)

Jemsh Singh Keithellakram (men's track cycling)

Rojit Singh Yanglem (men's track cycling)

Dinesh Kumar (men's track cycling)

Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam (men's track cycling)

Harshveer Sekhon (men's track cycling)

Indian weightlifting team

Mirabai Chanu (women's 48kg)

Rishikanta Singh (men's 60kg)

Seram Nirupama Devi (women's 86kg)

Sanjana (women's 77kg)

Ajaya Babu (men's 79kg)

Gyaneshwari Yadav (women's 53kg)

Harjinder Kaur (women's 69kg)

Bindyarani Devi (women's 58kg)

M Raja (men's 65kg)

Dilbag Singh (men's 94kg)

Martina Devi (women's +86kg)

Lovepreet Singh (men's +110kg)

Indian para-athletics team

Sharmila (women's para athletics)

Dilip Gavit (men's para athletics)

Soman Rana (men's para athletics)

Shubham Juyal (men's para athletics)

Rakeshbhai Bhatt (men's para athletics)

Shilpa Kanchugarakoppalu Shyla (women's para athletics)

Devender Kumar (men's para athletics)

Sagar Thayat (men's para athletics)

Mohammed Basil Morssinganakath (men's para athletics)

Ramesh Shanmugam (men's para athletics)

Shreyansh Trivedi (men's para athletics)

Indian para powerlifting team

Jaspreet Kaur (women's para powerlifting)

Suman Devi (women's para powerlifting)

Ashok (men's para powerlifting)

Sudhir (men's para powerlifting)

Parmjeet Kumar (men's para powerlifting)

Kasthuri Rajamani (women's para powerlifting)

Jhandu Kumar (men's para powerlifting)

Indian para swimming team

Ravi Veera Venkata Budigina (men's para swimming)

Ali Imam (men's para swimming)

Chaitanya Vishwas Kulkarni (men's para swimming)

Swatik Patil (men's para swimming)

Suyash Jadhav (men's para swimming)

Indian para track cycling team

Lisha Das (women's para track cycling)

Indian wheelchair basketball (3x3) team

Reena Rameshchandra Gupta

Minakshi Harichandra Jadhav

Laxmi Rayappa Rayannavar

Irengbam Ritu Chanu
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: FIFA has appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to investigate the post-match brawl that erupted following Spain's 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, as tensions spilled over after the final whistle in New Jersey, reported Reuters.

World football's governing body confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the chaotic scenes involving players and team officials from both sides after Spain clinched their second World Cup title. FIFA, however, did not specify a timeline for the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings.

The ill-tempered scenes unfolded moments after the final whistle, with Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes confronting Spain defender Eric Garcia before the altercation escalated into a mass confrontation involving players, substitutes and members of both coaching staffs.

Television footage showed Paredes appearing to place a hand on Garcia's throat, sending the Spanish defender to the ground. Spain midfielder Gavi was also involved as players from both teams exchanged shoves before officials and teammates intervened to restore order. Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni was seen attempting to calm his players during the melee.

The fiery ending came after an already heated contest in which Argentina were reduced to 10 men during the closing stages of normal time. Midfielder Enzo Fernandez was shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi, becoming the first player to be sent off in a FIFA World Cup final since Netherlands defender John Heitinga was dismissed against Spain in the 2010 final.

Fernandez's red card also marked the first sending-off in a World Cup final in 16 years.

Despite the confrontation, emotions settled after the incident, with several Spain players embracing Argentina captain Lionel Messi, while Scaloni and Spain coach Luis de la Fuente shared a lengthy hug at midfield.

Spain secured the title after substitute Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute, reacting quickest to Nico Williams' headed assist to hand La Roja a 1-0 victory after extra time.

Luis de la Fuente's side dominated the final, controlling possession and creating the better opportunities, while Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced 12 saves to keep his team in the contest before Torres finally broke the deadlock.

The victory earned Spain their second FIFA World Cup crown, ending a 16-year wait since lifting their maiden title in 2010, and completed an unbeaten campaign that followed their UEFA Euro 2024 triumph. 
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India on Tuesday named a 20-member squad for next month's FIH Men's Hockey World Cup, with four players from the side who featured in the European leg of the Pro League missing out owing to the tournament's squad-size limit.

Defender Amandeep Lakra, midfielders Raj Kumar Pal and Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem, and forward Selvam Karthi were the four players omitted from the 24-member Pro League squad.

India endured a disappointing FIH Pro League campaign last month, winning four, drawing five and losing seven matches to finish eighth among nine teams, just above Pakistan.

The side will now look to improve on their recent World Cup record.

India finished ninth in the previous edition in 2023 and have not won any medal since claiming their lone title in Kuala Lumpur in 1975. They had earlier secured bronze in Barcelona in 1971 and silver in Amsterdam in 1973.

Ace drag-flicker and defender Harmanpreet Singh, who led India to Olympic bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Games, will captain the side.

Veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh, India's most-capped player, adds experience to a squad blending established stars with promising youngsters.

"This is a well-balanced squad -- the right mix of tournament experience and in-form youth who've earned their spot through performance, not reputation,” chief coach Craig Fulton said.

The goalkeeping department comprises Mohith HS and Suraj Karkera, while the defensive unit features Jarmanpreet Singh, captain Harmanpreet, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit and Yashdeep Siwach.

The midfield will be led by Manpreet, Hardik Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad, alongside Nilakanta Sharma and youngsters Rajinder Singh and Aditya Arjun Lalage.

The forward line consists of Mandeep Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh and Shilanand Lakra.

India have been drawn in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales, with all their group-stage matches scheduled to be played in Amstelveen, the Netherlands.

“Press, counter, perform isn't just our tactical identity -- it's how this group trains and thinks together every single day. We are not getting ahead of ourselves -- one game at a time, all in, is the mentality we're taking into every match,” Fulton added.

India will open their campaign against Wales on August 15 before facing England on August 17 and arch-rivals Pakistan on August 19 in what is expected to be the marquee clash of the group stage.

“Fifty years since 1975 (World Cup win), this group has a chance to write its own chapter in Indian hockey history, and we are really excited about it," Fulton concluded.

The Squad
Goalkeepers: Mohith HS and Suraj Karkera
Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh (c), Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit and Yashdeep Siwach
Midfielders: Rajinder Singh, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Nilakanta Sharma and Vivek Sagar Prasad
Forwards: Dilpreet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh and Abhishek.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: This was a World Cup that looked different from the outset. FIFA had already committed to an expanded 48-team format before it even chose a host, and when the joint bid from Canada, Mexico and the United States won that vote in 2018, the 2026 World Cup became the first to be staged in three countries.

Football’s governing body later confirmed three other changes: an automatic red card for players who cover their mouths, mandatory hydration breaks in every match, and the awarding of corners to attacking teams when goalkeepers hold the ball too long.

Style in contrast
The larger tournament showcased a wide array of footballing philosophies and cultures. Structured, possession-based sides built around positional discipline were pitted against bold, higher-pressing teams willing to gamble on pace and flamboyance.

Europe itself split into two visibly different schools. France leaned heavily on its phalanx of attackers led by Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise.

In contrast, Spain built its game plan on patience and containment. Its defense broke the World Cup record for consecutive clean sheets, reaching six in a row – a run that began in the 2022 World Cup – and goalkeeper Unai Simon’s shutout streak extended to 609 minutes following the round of 16 win over Portugal, as per Xinhua.

Morocco headed Africa’s hopes with its own model that combined positional awareness with speed and audacity, quicker to close down opponents than the deeper defensive block that characterized its run to the semifinals in 2022.

South American sides, meanwhile, showed moments of brilliance, even if several former winners from the region – namely Brazil and Uruguay – fell short of expectations.

New stars emerge, veterans bow out
The tournament served as a fertile testing ground for emerging players. A case in point was Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi. The 18-year-old, who plays for French Ligue 1 club Lille, represented France at youth level and only became available for the Atlas Lions in May when FIFA approved his allegiance switch.

He showed poise beyond his years with performances that have sparked the interest of Manchester City and Arsenal, among other clubs.

Cote d’Ivoire’s Yan Diomande, 19, entered the tournament with big hopes and justified the hype as the African side reached the knockout rounds before falling to Norway via a late Erling Haaland goal.

Colombia’s Gustavo Puerta was one of the quieter achievers. The Racing Santander midfielder’s creativity and vast passing range proved crucial as Colombia progressed to the round of 16 before losing to Switzerland on penalties.

These arrivals were accompanied by some high-profile departures, with modern-day greats Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Neymar all bidding farewell to football’s biggest stage.

Controvercy on and off the pitch
One of FIFA’s newest laws made headlines in the group stage. Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron became the first player sent off under a rule barring players from concealing their mouths during on-field confrontations.

The incident involving Türkiye defender Mert Muldur also earned the Atlanta United winger a one-match suspension that FIFA said was not subject to appeal, ruling him out of Paraguay’s final group match against Australia.

An even more bizarre episode was the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun. The United States forward was sent off for stepping on the ankle of an opponent during his team’s last-32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, an event that triggered an automatic one-match suspension.

Days later, FIFA’s disciplinary committee provisionally lifted the ban, fining Balogun 40,000 U.S. dollars and clearing him to face Belgium.

The Belgium federation duly contested the decision, but FIFA’s appeals committee dismissed the challenge less than eight hours before kickoff. UEFA said the move “crossed a red line,” calling it “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” Balogun himself later said he knew the reversal “would cause a lot of controversy.

The tournament crowned a golden generation of attacking players. Mbappe finished with 10 goals while eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, playing in his sixth and likely last World Cup, scored eight times. Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Mikel Oyarzabal also vied for the Golden Boot award. Between them, they redefined what fans should expect from a forward at a major tournament.

Spain achieved something even more transcendent. It denied Messi one last glorious chapter in an astonishing career and claimed the tournament’s lasting story for itself.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Spain are the new FIFA World Cup champions after edging Argentina 1-0 in extra time to end Lionel Messi’s bid for back-to-back titles. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute to hand Luis de la Fuente’s side their second World Cup crown and bring Argentina’s reign as world champions to an end.

The final remained deadlocked after 90 minutes despite Spain dominating possession for long spells. Argentina defended resolutely and kept Spain at bay, but their task became significantly harder when Enzo Fernandez was sent off after receiving his second yellow card, leaving Lionel Scaloni’s men to play the remainder of the contest with 10 players.

Spain finally found the breakthrough in extra time, with Torres making the most of their numerical advantage to settle a tense final and spark celebrations among the Spanish players and supporters.

Ferran Torres emerged as the hero, scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute to break Argentine resistance and secure victory for La Roja. The match was a tense, hard-fought affair, with Spain’s midfield dominance and defensive solidity ultimately proving too much for Lionel Messi’s side.

This triumph marks Spain’s first World Cup win since their memorable 2010 victory in South Africa. The young, talented squad—featuring stars like Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Torres—delivered a masterclass in possession and pressing football throughout the tournament.

The defeat was especially poignant for Lionel Messi, who left the field in tears after collecting his runners-up medal in what is expected to be his final World Cup appearance.

U.S. President Donald Trump joined FIFA President Gianni Infantino for the medal and trophy presentation, while the leaders of fellow co-hosts Canada and Mexico attended the final. Trump and Infantino were booed during the ceremony.

Beyond the game, one of the evening’s biggest talking points was a Super Bowl-inspired halftime show. Shakira, Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber and Burna Boy took the stage during an extended break curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Following a 2-1 victory over England, defending champions Argentina secured their place in the World Cup final against European champions Spain, setting up a generational matchup between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal.

Although Saturday's (local time) final in New Jersey marks the first time the 39-year-old Argentina veteran and the 19-year-old Spain winger playing against each other but it is not their first actual meeting.

Almost 18 years back, Messi shared a memorable moment with Spain star Yamal nearly before the pair emerged as potential rivals on the biggest stage of international football.

Messi took part in a charity photoshoot organised by Catalan newspaper Diario Sport in 2008 while then playing for Barcelona. During the shoot at the club's iconic Camp Nou stadium, the then-20-year-old Argentine posed with a baby Yamal, who was sitting in a small plastic bathtub alongside his mother, Sheila Ebana.

At the time, neither could have imagined that Yamal would grow into one of Spain's brightest footballing talents, with the possibility of facing Messi in a FIFA World Cup final almost two decades later.

The iconic photoshoot was captured by freelance photographer Joan Monfort.

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, UNICEF shared the now-iconic photograph of Argentina captain Messi with a baby Yamal, highlighting the remarkable journey of the two football stars from a charity photoshoot nearly two decades ago to becoming global ambassadors for children.

In a post on X, UNICEF wrote, "Yes, those photos you've seen are real. More than 18 years ago, a baby named Lamine Yamal and his mom Sheila met Lionel Messi at a UNICEF fundraising photoshoot."

UNICEF added that while both have gone on to inspire millions with their performances on the football field, they are also united by their work away from the sport.

"Today, their achievements on the pitch inspire millions. Off the pitch, both Messi and Lamine Yamal use their voices and platforms as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors to support and advocate for children around the world," the post read.

UNICEF added that its shared mission with the two footballers is to ensure "that every child survives, thrives, and fulfils their potential," concluding, "We are proud to have them on our team."

Barcelona also reacted to the iconic image, sharing it on X with the caption, "Magical photo by the @FundacioFCB."

Following their respective semi-final victories, defending champions Argentina and European champions Spain are set to face off in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash between great Messi and teenage sensation Yamal.

Spain secured their place in the title clash with a 2-0 win over France, while Argentina produced a comeback to defeat England 2-1 after trailing 1-0, with a stoppage-time winner sealing their passage to the final.

Messi heads into the championship match at the top of the Golden Boot standings, edging France captain Kylian Mbappe after registering two assists in Argentina's semi-final victory over England.

Yamal, who became the youngest player ever to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or at the age of 17, will now have the opportunity to face the Argentine legend for the first time as Spain aim to deny the defending champions and lift consecutive titles.

The final will also mark another remarkable chapter in the unique connection between the two players, who first met during a charity photoshoot when Yamal was an infant.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: PV Sindhu marched into the Japan Open 2026 women’s singles final on Saturday after China’s world No. 4 Chen Yufei retired injured midway through their semifinal, handing the Indian star a place in her first final of the season.

Sindhu was in complete control of the match, leading 21-19, 15-10, when former Olympic champion Chen had to withdraw due to a possible hamstring injury.

The Indian player started strong, building a four-point lead midway through the first game with her aggressive play and quick movements. Chen rallied back to tie the score at 19-19, but Sindhu kept her composure in the final moments, converting her first game point to win the opener 21-19.

The second game followed a similar trend as Sindhu dominated the rallies from the start and quickly surged to a 15-10 advantage. With the momentum clearly on Sindhu’s side, Chen chose to retire, ending the match early.

This victory marks another step in Sindhu’s impressive comeback in 2026. The 31-year-old began the year ranked World No. 18 but has steadily climbed back into the elite ranks and now sits at World No. 9, showing she has returned to her top form.

Sindhu will next face either Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi or Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani in Sunday’s final as she aims for the Japan Open title.

Previously, Sindhu reached the women’s singles semifinals of the Japan Open Super 750 after Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara withdrew before their quarterfinal match on Friday. This was Sindhu’s first semifinal appearance in a Super 750 tournament since the Denmark Open in 2023. She has reached three semifinals this season, including earlier events at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 and the Australian Open Super 500.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: All eyes of the cricketing world will be trained on Rohit Sharma when the India white-ball great takes the field for the series-deciding third ODI against England here on Sunday with speculation rife on his future.

Amid the intense speculation, the BCCI has asserted that the match will not be Rohit's last in international cricket but the former India captain surely has a point to prove having struggled in the first two games.

Vintage Rohit is all about effortlessly executing his front foot pull shots off the pacers and manoeuvring the spinners but the 39-year-old has not been been able to find any fluency thus far in the series, fuelling conversations about lasting till the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.

The two-paced pitch in Cardiff made life tougher for Rohit who consumed as many as nine consecutive dot balls before getting out. A true batting surface at the "Home of Cricket" may just allow Rohit to regain his rhythm for a statement knock in the series decider.

As captain of the side, Rohit had led from the front by playing the high risk role of an enforcer in the powerplay. His fans would want to see that same Rohit turn up on Sunday. The express pace of Jofra Archer would pose the biggest challenge for the veteran opener in the first 10 overs.

Current captain Shubman Gill has looked the part in the batting department and would be itching to get a big hundred after his soft dismissal at Sophia Gardens.

In contrast to Rohit's struggles, another ageing superstar Virat Kohli continues to boss the ODI format. He was on course for another hundred on Thursday but fell to Archer, triggering a middle order collapse that cost India the game. The team would be wiser from that experience going into the series decider.

Playing in place of an ill KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan succumbed to the short ball alongside a few other batters, showing that the visitors remain uncomfortable against rising deliveries.

Shreyas Iyer has played well in the middle order and the standout aspect of his batting has been his confident play against Adil Rashid and Co.

On the bowling front, the team may finally give Kuldeep Yadav an opportunity following a hamstring injury to Washington Sundar. The team management wants batting till number eight but in the light of Washington's on field injury at Cardiff, it might be forced to change their plans.

In the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel has excelled in the role of a spin all-rounder.

The Indian bowlers will have to find a way to stop Joe Root, who like Kohli keeps piling on the runs.

Barring Root, England batters have not done much to write home about and would be looking to change that on Sunday.

England played an extra seamer in place of Liam Dawson in the second ODI. He may come back to the side if conditions demand.

Squads:
Harry Brook (c), Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, James Coles, Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue.
India: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain), KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav.

Match starts 3:30pm IST.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the World Cup final between Argentina and Spainat the New York-New Jersey stadium on Sunday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday.

“We look forward to the final match on Sunday, and I know the president looks forward to attending,” Leavitt told reporters at a press conference.

“His attendance will cap what has been the most watched, most secure, and most successful World Cup in American history.”

Leavitt added that she did not know whether Trump had a favorite in the final but encouraged reporters to ask him. “I’m sure he’ll have a fun answer for you,” she said.

The U.S. president will also attend a FIFA reception at the Trump Tower in New York City on Friday, Leavitt added.
 

NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has dismissed criticism of Rohit Sharma's form, insisting that the former India captain is neither under pressure nor enduring a slump despite his failure to come good in the second ODI against England here.

Rohit, who now plays only the ODI format, managed 26 off 47 balls on Thursday as India went down by four wickets, allowing England to level the series.

In the opening ODI too, the veteran opener had failed to make an impact, scoring just 11, though India cruised to victory thanks to half-centuries from Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel.

Speaking after India’s four-wicket defeat in the second ODI, Kotak said Rohit simply could not get going and expects the India captain to bounce back in the series decider at Lord’s.

“I don’t think that a player as big as Rohit (Sharma) can feel any pressure. He’s too good a player to feel that. Yes, he didn’t get runs. I don’t think that makes any difference. Today also, it looked like he’ll probably get a good innings. But that’s okay,” Kotak said in the post-match press conference.

Kotak explained that every batter goes through phases where timing and momentum don’t come easily, and Rohit’s innings at Cardiff was one such example.

“I have played a lot of cricket, and I have seen a lot of cricket. On a day, there are a lot of batters who don’t get the momentum they are looking for, and that can happen. You might see a completely different innings from Rohit Sharma at Lord’s. So, I wouldn’t use the word ‘struggling’. Maybe the shots he normally plays on the up, because of the double bounce, he probably felt were not comfortable.“

The batting coach felt Rohit never received deliveries in the areas where he usually scores freely, unlike Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, who got off to quicker starts.

Kotak said the conditions at Cardiff also played a role in restricting the opener’s strokeplay.

“Shubman (Gill) got a quick start, then Virat got a quick start, but Rohit probably didn’t get balls in his areas or didn’t get going. That’s what I felt. So I wouldn’t say he was struggling because you could definitely see a completely different innings from a player like Rohit. I have seen that happen to a lot of batters. So it’s not just Rohit. I wouldn’t use the word ‘struggling’,” he added.

The defeat allowed England to level the three-match ODI series 1-1, setting up a winner-takes-all clash at Lord’s on Sunday. India will now hope Rohit Sharma returns to his best as they look to clinch the series in the final ODI.