New Delhi, Jan 3 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia said that the board has formally asked Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh pace spearhead Mustafizur Rahman from their squad ahead of the IPL 2026 season, ending weeks of controversy surrounding the high-profile signing.
Sydney, Jan 3 (IANS) Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek dismissed the significance of the "Battle of the Sexes" event, which was heavily promoted during the 1973 tour, and stated that it represented only half of the overall women's tennis.
New Delhi, Jan 3 (IANS) India will kick off their 2026 campaign with a home white-ball series against New Zealand, beginning with a three-match ODI series that will see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to action in India colours. With an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan urged the senior duo to remain actively involved in domestic cricket whenever they are not on international duty.
Ahmedabad, Jan 3 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Polo Tournament kicked off spectacularly on Friday with a grand opening event, launching three days of competitive polo matches and engaging spectator activities. Organised by the Gujarat Polo Club and supported by the Adani Group, this three-day event is the largest polo festival ever held in Gujarat in terms of size and grandeur.
Paarl, Jan 3 (IANS) Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ SA20 season four burst into life with an unbeaten 98 to drive Paarl Royals to a thrilling one-run victory over MI Cape Town in the Western Cape derby at Boland Park.
Sydney, Jan 3 (IANS) Australian stand-in captain Steve Smith is ready to relinquish captaincy to a younger candidate in the absence of captain Pat Cummins if that is what the selectors wish to do. With Usman Khawaja hanging up his cricket boots on Sunday after the Sydney Test, Nathan Lyon has already been ruled out due to injury. Smith will now be the oldest player in the Australian XI, side by side with Scott Boland.
Vadodara, Jan 2 (IANS) Vatsal Duklan and Hansini Mathan caused the biggest upsets of the day as they packed off boys' U-17 and girls' U-17 top seeds respectively to reach the quarterfinals of the WTT Youth Contenders 2026 at the SAMA Indoor Stadium in Vadodara on Friday.
Ranchi, Jan 2 (IANS) Rutuja Dadaso Pisal (30') and Sakshi Rana (54') scored a goal each as Ranchi Royals defeated Soorma Hockey Club 2-0 in their Women’s Hockey India League (HIL) 2025-26 encounter at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Stadium in Ranchi on Friday.
Harare, Jan 2 (IANS) Zimbabwe Cricket on Friday announced a 15-man squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Veteran all-rounder Sikandar Raza will captain the side, continuing his leadership role as Zimbabwe look to make a strong impression on the global stage.
New Delhi, Jan 2 (IANS) With the future of the Indian Super League (ISL) still not clear, Indian footballers, along with international stars, have urged the sport's global governing body, FIFA, to step in and resolve the lingering state of the franchise-based tournament.
