Category: Sports

India recently claimed a T20I series win against the visiting West Indies, showcasing their improving form. Smriti Mandhana’s solid half-century and Richa Ghosh’s record-equalling fastest fifty powered India to their highest-ever T20I total of 217 in the decider. The team dominated, sealing the series in style.

In Women’s ODIs, India holds a strong advantage over West Indies, winning 21 of their 26 clashes. The last meeting in the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup saw India crush West Indies by 155 runs in Hamilton.

India also started their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign with a convincing seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in Cape Town. Jemimah Rodrigues (53*) and Richa Ghosh (31*) built an unbeaten 58-run partnership, chasing down the 150-run target with an over to spare. This successful chase is India’s highest in Women’s T20 World Cup history and their second-best overall.

West Indies, on the other hand, has struggled recently but continues to push boundaries, with their 149/2 against Australia being one of the top Women’s T20 scores.

The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 will be played in Pakistan and a neutral venue. India-Pakistan matches at ICC events from 2024-2027 will be held at neutral venues. This decision was confirmed by the ICC Board on Thursday, December 19.

The Champions Trophy 2025, hosted by Pakistan, is scheduled for February and March 2025. The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, hosted by India, will also follow the neutral venue arrangement for India-Pakistan games. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, will follow the same arrangement.

The PCB has secured hosting rights for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028. India-Pakistan matches in this tournament will also be played at neutral venues. Cricket Australia is set to host one of the ICC women’s senior events from 2029 to 2031.

The ICC will soon confirm the schedule for the Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan aims to defend the title they won in 2017. The tournament will feature eight teams, including Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and hosts Pakistan.

Real Madrid triumphed in the Intercontinental Cup, beating C.F. Pachuca 3-0. Carlo Ancelotti became Real Madrid’s most successful manager, winning 15 trophies across European competitions.

Los Blancos’ front three delivered with one goal each. The game started slowly for Madrid as they struggled to create chances in the final third. Pachuca’s first shot on target came in the 6th minute, but Courtois made a crucial save.

Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the 37th minute, assisted by Vini Jr. It was a stellar return for Mbappe, who had just recovered from an ankle injury.

Madrid started the second half strongly. Rodrigo scored in the 53rd minute after receiving a one-touch pass from Mbappe. He twisted, turned, and beat the defense to slot the ball into the net.

Pachuca’s attempts to counter fell short, with their half-chances going wide. Real Madrid’s dominance continued, and Vinicius sealed the win with a penalty in the 84th minute, making it 3-0 for the Spanish giants.

The Spanish side displayed their class, dominating the entire match. Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, and Rodrigo each scored a goal, securing Real Madrid’s historic 4th Intercontinental Cup title since 1960. The win made Carlo Ancelotti the most decorated manager in Real Madrid’s history.

India will host the prestigious World Boxing Cup Final in November 2025. This move strengthens its support for the breakaway World Boxing (WB) organization. The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) will organise the event, along with the Third World Boxing Congress, which will include elections for the Presidency and Executive Board.

This will be BFI’s first international event since officially aligning with World Boxing. The last major event hosted by BFI was the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship in 2023.

“It’s a proud moment for India to be recognized by World Boxing for hosting such prestigious events,” said BFI President Ajay Singh. He added, “This opportunity highlights India’s organizational excellence and shows our commitment to keeping boxing in the Olympic movement. We’re honored to contribute to the sport’s legacy and welcome the global boxing community to India in 2025.”

The tournament’s exact dates will be confirmed in January. It will be part of a larger series of World Boxing Cup events. The first of 2025 will be held in Brazil in March, followed by events in Germany, Kazakhstan, and India.

The next generation of Asian women’s cricket is set to shine at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as the ACC Women’s U-19 Asia Cup kicks off. The tournament follows closely after the men’s U-19 competition, which wrapped up earlier this week.

Day one promises a high-stakes clash as India faces Pakistan in a much-anticipated showdown. Both teams will aim for a commanding win to kick-start their campaign and gain an early advantage in the tournament. With arch-rivals on the field, this match is bound to draw attention.

India, Pakistan, and Nepal make up Group A, where only the top two teams will move on to the Super Four stage. While the opening match isn’t a do-or-die game, a loss could put the losing team in a difficult spot for the rest of the tournament.

This edition marks the first-ever U-19 Asia Cup for women’s cricket. Hosting it in Malaysia reflects Asian cricket’s effort to expand into emerging cricketing nations. Both India and Pakistan enter as strong contenders for the title. Each team will aim to deliver a statement performance and prove they have what it takes to be crowned the first-ever champions.

Reeza Hendricks powered South Africa to victory with his maiden T20 century, smashing 117 off 63 balls. His stunning knock helped the Proteas chase down 210 for three with three balls to spare.

Pakistan put up a strong fight, scoring 206 for five, thanks to opener Saim Ayub’s brilliant unbeaten 98 off 57 balls. Unfortunately, he missed out on his maiden T20 century, as he didn’t get a chance to face the final nine balls of the innings.

With this win, South Africa sealed the series 2-0, marking their first T20 series victory since August 2022. The match also set a record for the most combined runs (416) in the 17-year history of T20 clashes between the two teams.

Hendricks, a key part of South Africa’s T20 squad for 10 years, had been struggling with form recently. But with the Proteas at 28 for two after four overs, he stepped up. “First over, five dots and got away, and so the moment I got that away, things started to click,” Hendricks said. “I’m happy that I found the middle and things worked out in the end.”

Hendricks smashed 10 sixes and seven fours, targeting the shorter leg-side boundary with powerful pulls, flicks, and sweeps. His 157-run stand with Rassie van der Dussen was chanceless until the 18th over, when he was caught near midwicket off Abbas Afridi’s delivery.

The 2025 Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) will be hosted in two Union Territories. Ladakh will hold the ice events from January 23 to 27, while Jammu & Kashmir will organize the snow events from February 22 to 25.

Launched in 2020, the Khelo India Winter Games have seen consistent growth in participation. The first edition welcomed 1000 athletes, including 306 women. This number rose to 1350 in 2021 and crossed 1500 in 2022, showcasing the growing popularity of the event.

The Winter Games will mark the beginning of the Khelo India season. Following this, the Youth & Para Games will be held in Bihar in April 2025, and the Khelo India University Games are also scheduled.

The 2024 Winter Games saw 1200+ participants, including 700 athletes, 141 support staff, 113 technical officials, and 250+ volunteers. A total of 136 medals were up for grabs.

“We are once again looking forward to an exciting season of Khelo India Games,” said Union Sports Minister, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya. “The Winter Games are crucial as India aims to find top athletes to represent the country at the 2026 Winter Olympics.”

Gowthaman Elangovan, a para throwball player from Madurai, has been selected for the Asian Para Throwball Championship in Cambodia, scheduled for December 2024. He is now seeking sponsors from philanthropists, corporates, and individuals to support his participation.

Elangovan recently showcased his talent by winning a gold medal in the International Para Throwball Championship 2024, held in Thailand by the International Para Throwball Organisation in June. He also won a gold medal in the shot put event for men with cerebral palsy, organised by the State Sports Development Authority at Chengalpattu on October 23 and 24.

Despite his achievements, he is still looking for financial support to cover his participation costs for the Asian Championship. “I need ₹80,000 to meet my expenses for the championship,” he said. “I am appealing to corporates, philanthropists, and individuals to come forward and support me.”

Elangovan, a B.Tech graduate and UPSC aspirant, has not let his cerebral palsy hinder his passion for sports. “I played chess from childhood till my third year of B.Tech, winning several championships for my school and college,” he said. “A friend introduced me to throwball, and I dedicated myself to mastering it for over a year. My dream now is to win gold in the Paralympic Games.”

Kush Maini has etched his name in motorsport history, becoming the first and only Indian to win an FIA Constructors’ World Championship in the world of Junior Formula racing. Driving for the Invicta Racing Team, Kush played a pivotal role in securing the coveted F2 Constructors’ Championship, a landmark achievement for Indian motorsport.

This triumph caps off an exceptional season for Maini, who had earlier made headlines as the first Indian to secure an F2 pole position. Overcoming the ups and downs of the championship, he contributed significantly to Invicta’s victory over Campos Racing, his former team, by a margin of 34.5 points.

Throughout the season, Maini delivered standout performances, including five podium finishes and a memorable race win in Hungary. Reflecting on the season, Maini expressed his gratitude and optimism for the future. “Not the year I wanted it to be given how we started, but still a lot of positives to take away, including a Constructors’ Championship,” he said. “Thank you to everyone at Invicta for a good run and wish them all the luck for the future. Looking forward to what’s next for me and raring to go for next year.”

Mumtaz Khan stole the show with a stunning four-goal performance, while Kanika Siwach and Deepika each netted hat-tricks to lead defending champions India to a dominant 13-1 victory over Bangladesh in their opening match of the Women’s Junior Asia Cup on Sunday.

Relentless Attack from the Start

India’s dominance was clear from the very beginning. Deepika opened the scoring with a penalty corner conversion in the 7th minute, giving India an early lead. Manisha and Kanika followed up with goals, pushing India to a 3-1 lead by the end of the first quarter. Bangladesh’s only response came from Orpita Pal, who scored in the 12th minute.

Unstoppable in the Middle Quarters

India kept up the pressure in the second and third quarters. Goals from Deepika, Mumtaz, Beauty Dung Dung, and Sakshi Rana extended the lead, leaving Bangladesh with little room to recover. India’s dominance was underscored by their 12 penalty corners compared to Bangladesh’s single attempt.

Final Quarter Fireworks

The final quarter saw a goal rush from India. Kanika completed her hat-trick with two quick goals, while Mumtaz and Deepika added to their personal tallies.