Category: Sports

Baseball United, the first professional baseball league in the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, has revealed its debut season schedule. The games will be played at Baseball United Ballpark in Dubai from November 14 to December 14, marking a historic moment in regional baseball history.

The league’s original teams—the Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Arabia Wolves, and Mid East Falcons—will each play nine regular-season games, facing each other three times. The season concludes in a best-of-three United Series on December 12 to determine the first-ever champion. A total of 21 games will be played during 30 days.

The season begins with the Subcontinent Series, which runs from November 14 to 16 and features a historic showdown between the Mumbai Cobras and Karachi Monarchs. This is the first time Indian and Pakistani franchises will compete in professional baseball. Given the two countries’ intense sporting rivalry, the match is expected to draw significant attention.

Baseball United’s UAE Series last month drew 12 million people, exceeding the average Major League Baseball viewership in the United States. The league will announce its broadcast partners this summer to ensure global coverage.

Alexandra Eala, a Philippine wild card, stunned fifth seed Madison Keys at the Miami Open, winning her 6-4, 6-2. The 19-year-old, who had already defeated 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, extended her winning streak by defeating the Australian Open champion.

Eala, who has been training at Rafael Nadal’s Mallorca academy since the age of 13, battled through a medical stoppage due to a leg injury but fought back from the baseline. Despite Keys’ recent good form, including a semi-final appearance at Indian Wells, the American was unable to handle Eala’s aggressive approach.

“I knew I could win, but my chances were slim because she’s such a good player,” Eala remarked after the match. “My belief and trust in myself helped me push through.” She will next face Spanish tenth seed Paula Badosa.

Meanwhile, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek defeated Elise Mertens 7-6(2), 6-1, in her 25th consecutive WTA 1000 last-16 performance. Novak Djokovic broke Rafael Nadal’s record after winning his 411th Masters 1000 match, defeating Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-1, 7-6(1). Djokovic now seeks a record-extending eighth Miami Open victory, with Lorenzo Musetti as his next opponent.

Thailand plans to bring Formula One to Bangkok by 2028. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula One chief Stefano Domenicali and announced plans for a feasibility study. The proposed race would take place on a street circuit in the capital.

Formula One’s calendar already includes 24 events, including four in Asia-Pacific. The Singapore Grand Prix is held in Southeast Asia, however, Thailand is keen to join the circuit. The country’s FIA-accredited Buriram track presently hosts MotoGP, but organisers want a city race to increase global exposure.

Shinawatra highlighted the event’s potential economic benefits. She emphasised its importance in modernising Bangkok’s infrastructure, decreasing traffic, and attracting high-end tourists. The government will evaluate the investment costs, race routes, and potential benefits.

Domenicali welcomed the proposal as “impressive.” He expressed enthusiasm for further conversation. The project’s goal is to create jobs, promote innovation, and establish Thailand as a destination for world-class athletic events.

Despite the lack of an official agreement, Thailand’s aspirations indicate its increasing influence in international motorsport. The Bangkok Grand Prix, if authorised, would be a major turning point in the nation’s sporting history.

Samyuktha Narayanan of Madurai, aged seven, has set a new Guinness World Record as the youngest Taekwondo instructor. She stunned the world with her martial arts abilities at the young age of seven years and 270 days.

Samyuktha started training in Taekwondo at the age of three, under the supervision of her parents, Shruthy and Narayanan, who own the Madurai Taekwondo Academy. Both parents hold Guinness World Records. Narayanan set records for smashing blazing concrete blocks and marble slabs, while Shruthy retains the record for the most full-contact elbow strikes per minute.

Samyuktha was inspired by her parents’ accomplishments and set out to acquire her own GWR championship. She explained that seeing their awards on the wall inspired her to aspire for the same honour.

Earning a black belt took extensive training, including a 5 km run and strenuous workouts. Despite being the youngest in her class, she received her black belt from the World Taekwondo Headquarters in Korea.

Her achievements have sparked global praise. Social media users applauded her talent and perseverance, with many describing her as an inspiration. Samyuktha expressed her excitement, noting that the acknowledgement made her feel like a celebrity in her hometown.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the Indian Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025 delegation in Parliament and congratulated them on their outstanding performances. India won 33 medals, including 8 gold, 18 silver, and 7 bronze, at the tournament held in Turin, Italy. PM Modi expressed his pride on X, writing, “Our athletes have brought glory to the nation.”

The 30-person Indian team, aided by 19 staff members, competed in six disciplines: alpine skiing, snowboarding, floorball, snowshoeing, short-track speed skating, and cross-country skiing. Snowshoeing and alpine skiing each won ten medals for the country, with snowboarding contributing six. Short-track speed skating, cross-country skiing, and floorball earned four, two, and one medal, respectively.

Recognizing their efforts, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced an increase in cash prizes. The gold medalists will receive Rs. 20 lakhs, the silver winners Rs. 14 lakhs, and the bronze medalists Rs. 8 lakhs. The Union Sports Ministry has prioritized support for specially abled athletes, with the SAI sponsoring 11 national coaching camps in several locations. SAI also provided training equipment and covered the contingent’s flight, boarding, and hotel expenses.

The Special Olympics World Winter Games featured 1,500 competitors from 102 countries, including India’s largest-ever squad.

Britain’s Jack Draper won his first Masters 1000 title at the BNP Paribas Open, defeating Denmark’s Holger Rune 6-2, 6-2 in a dominant final. The 23-year-old left-hander, who defeated two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals, will make his ATP top-10 debut on Monday. Draper’s strong baseline game and aggressive shot-making proved too much for Rune, resulting in his biggest career title to date.

Mirra Andreeva, 17, made history in the women’s final when she rallied from a set down to overcome world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. The Russian youngster won the BNP Paribas Open’s youngest champion since Serena Williams in 1999. Andreeva, who was ranked 11th prior to the competition, now leads the WTA Tour with a 19-3 record this season. She previously won her maiden Masters 1000 championship in Dubai and will return to the top 10 on Monday.

Her final victory included a vital third-set break, establishing her as one of tennis’ rising stars. Andreeva’s repeated top-10 triumphs have earned her comparisons to tennis legends such as Williams and Sharapova.

Lando Norris kicked off his 2025 Formula One campaign with a spectacular, crash-filled Australian Grand Prix victory. The season’s opening in Melbourne featured unexpected weather, many incidents, and a fierce struggle for the lead. Norris, who dominated qualifying, led most of the 58-lap race at Albert Park. However, as the rain returned in the last 15 laps, chaos began, forcing teams to make split-second decisions.

Defending champion Max Verstappen lost distance to the McLarens before temporarily taking the lead for Red Bull. However, as the rain fell harder, he switched to intermediate tyres, giving Norris the lead again. A late Safety Car made for a nervous finale, but the Briton kept Verstappen at bay, ending the Dutchman’s long reign at the top of the title standings.

Meanwhile, Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli excelled with a powerful comeback performance, eventually finishing fourth following a post-race penalty reversal. Alex Albon of Williams finished fifth, his best result since 2021.

Lewis Hamilton’s highly anticipated Ferrari debut ended in disappointment. Despite briefly overpowering due to a smart gamble, he fell to tenth place after Ferrari misread changing track conditions.

Mumbai Indians made history as the first team to win two Women’s Premier League (WPL) crowns. They defeated the Delhi Capitals by eight runs in a tight final on Saturday. Nat Sciver-Brunt made a match-winning performance, taking three important wickets, including Meg Lanning and Marizanne Kapp, to help Mumbai win the game.

Mumbai batted first and scored 150 runs, partly thanks to captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s excellent innings of 66. Nat Sciver-Brunt gave critical support as they rebuilt the innings from 14/2. However, a middle-order collapse saw Mumbai lose four wickets for only 15 runs, dropping from 103/2 to 118/6. Delhi, which chose to bowl first, made an early breakthrough when Kapp dismissed both Mumbai openers.

Delhi made a tactical change, replacing Titas Sadhu with Shree Charani, while Mumbai kept their starting XI the same. Despite reaching the final for the third season in a row, Delhi fell short once more.

Harmanpreet Kaur was chosen Player of the Match, while Sciver-Brunt received the Player of the Tournament and Orange Cap. Amelia Kerr won the Purple Cap. Ashleigh Gardner won the most sixes award, and Amanjot Kaur was named the season’s best rising player.

Shubman Gill has been awarded ICC Men’s Player of the Month for February in recognition of his remarkable batting efforts. The star India opener was instrumental in his team’s Champions Trophy victory, scoring match-winning runs throughout the month.

Gill won the prestigious honour by beating out Australia’s Steve Smith and New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips, who were also in contention. His continuous performances in five ODIs saw him score 406 runs at a fantastic average of 101.50, with a strike rate of 94.19. His supremacy was notably evident in India’s dominant 3-0 series victory over England, during which he scored three consecutive fifties.

He started the series with a confident 87 in Nagpur, followed by a consistent 60 in Cuttack. The right-hander finished in Ahmedabad with a sparkling 112 off 102 balls, including 14 boundaries and three sixes. His match-winning century earned him player-of-the-match honours, and he was later named player-of-the-series for his prodigious run-scoring.

Gill carried his form into the Champions Trophy, scoring an unbeaten 101 against Bangladesh and 46 against Pakistan.

This is Gill’s third ICC Men’s Player of the Month title, following wins in January and September 2023.

Inter Milan qualified for the Champions League quarterfinals with a thrilling 2-1 win over Feyenoord in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie. Their victory, combined with a 2-0 lead from the first leg, saw them advance comfortably with a 4-1 aggregate score. The Italian champions are currently preparing for a difficult quarterfinal match against Bayern Munich.

The Giuseppe Meazza stadium witnessed a thrilling game. Marcus Thuram scored with a powerful drive in the eighth minute to give Inter an early lead. However, Feyenoord fought and equalised just before halftime when Jakub Moder easily converted a penalty. The game remained on edge until Hakan Calhanoglu stepped up in the 51st minute, converting a key penalty to secure Inter’s progression. Feyenoord pressed aggressively, but Inter’s tenacity and tactical discipline were decisive.

Inter went into the home leg full of confidence after winning 2-0 in Rotterdam. Their ability to command play and capitalise on crucial times provided a smooth transition to the next round. Manager Simone Inzaghi acknowledged the challenge, emphasising Bayern Munich’s strength.

The next showdown is expected to be one of the Champions League’s most anticipated games.