Category: Sports

Sanju Samson made history by becoming the first Indian batter to achieve consecutive centuries in T20 internationals, a remarkable feat he reached in the first T20I against South Africa in Durban. Samson’s outstanding form and aggressive gameplay were on full display as he capitalized on the powerplay, accumulating 35 runs off just 20 balls, despite the early dismissal of his opening partner, Abhishek Sharma. Undeterred, Samson continued to play assertively, targeting the South African bowlers beyond the powerplay and reaching his century in just 47 balls.

He ultimately scored 107 runs, decorated with seven boundaries and ten sixes, leading India’s aggressive approach after being invited to bat first. This century followed his impressive 111-run performance against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, where he scored at a blistering pace, marking his previous century in just 40 balls—the second-fastest by an Indian in T20Is.

Having recently taken up the opener’s role, the wicketkeeper-batsman has now played 30 T20I innings, scoring 701 runs at a strike rate of 152, with two centuries and two half-centuries. The 29-year-old was recently retained by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 18 crore ahead of IPL 2025, where he will captain the team under the guidance of head coach Rahul Dravid.

Arjun Erigaisi, a 21-year-old Indian Grandmaster, has reached a historic milestone by rising to second place in the live chess world rankings, trailing only five-time champion Magnus Carlsen. Erigaisi, from Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, made history last month as the second Indian, after the legendary Viswanathan Anand, to reach the prestigious 2800 Elo rating milestone in live rankings.

Despite a temporary drop below 2800 prior to the November 2024 released rankings, Erigaisi has recently recovered pace. With a victory over Russian Grandmaster Alexey Sarana at the ongoing Chennai Grand Masters, he recaptured the 2800+ rating, achieving 2805.8, and climbed to second place in the world rankings.

His sustained top-tier performance this year has also pushed him to the top of the FIDE Circuit standings. If he retains his lead by the end of the year, Erigaisi will qualify for the 2025 FIDE Candidates Tournament, with the victor earning a berth in the World Chess Championship.

Erigaisi also played a key role in India’s historic gold medal at the 45th Chess Olympiad, scoring 10 points out of 11 with nine victories and two draws on Board 3.

India has officially committed to hosting the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, presenting a ‘Letter of Intent’ to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Future Host Commission. This milestone follows extensive informal conversations between Indian officials and the IOC, which culminated in the submission on October 1.

A sports minister said, “This monumental opportunity could usher in economic growth, social progress, and youth empowerment across India.” Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his administration’s strong desire to host the Olympics during a visit to New York in September. He remarked, “You will soon see the Olympics in India. “We are making every possible effort to host the 2036 Olympics.”

The country recently celebrated its success at the Paris Olympics, when Indian sportsmen earned six medals, including five bronzes and one silver.

With the ‘Letter of Intent,’ India moves on to the “Continuous Dialogue” phase, during which the IOC will conduct a feasibility assessment, examining factors such as human rights and sustainability. While the IOC will make its host decision after the 2025 elections, India faces competition from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, all of which want to host the coveted event.

Aryna Sabalenka began her campaign at the WTA Finals in Riyadh with a convincing 6-3, 6-4 victory against China’s Zheng Qinwen on Saturday, increasing her hopes of finishing the season as the world’s top-ranked player. Sabalenka, the Australian Open and US Open champion led the first professional women’s tennis event held in Saudi Arabia, demonstrating her power and finesse, outlasting Zheng at key occasions in their fourth meeting this year.

In a rematch of their Melbourne and Wuhan finals, Sabalenka broke through Zheng’s defences in the sixth game of a tightly contested first set and held her lead with a love service game. In a competitive second set, the Belarusian star was constantly tested in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the King Saud University Indoor Arena, which was cheering on Olympic gold medallist Zheng. Zheng led four times, but Sabalenka came back each game, eventually breaking for a pivotal 5-4 lead with a powerful forehand winner. She then won the match on serve, overcoming a double fault when Zheng’s forehand went long.

The WTA Finals, which feature the world’s top eight singles and doubles players and a record $15 million prize fund, will end on November 9.

Indian fighters showed tremendous skill and commitment during the U-19 World Boxing Championships in Colorado, USA, winning an impressive 17 medals. This outstanding collection comprised ten medals in the female category and seven in the male category, highlighting the country’s growing popularity in international boxing. The Khelo India project made a big contribution to this success by supporting 11 of these medallists, with 8 of them training at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence (NCOE).

Among the top athletes, five boys and six girls from Khelo India delivered impressive performances. NCOE Rohtak trainees played a key role, winning ten medals, including two golds, five silvers, and three bronzes. Meanwhile, NCOE Aurangabad added to their gold tally with an amazing triumph.

Prominent Khelo India medallists included Sumit, Lakshay Rathi, and Krrish Pal from NCOE Rohtak, as well as Aryan and Rishi Singh, who represented India in the boys’ division. On the girls’ side, Krisha Verma of NCOE Aurangabad stood out with her gold medal win, while Chanchal Chaudhary, Nisha, Vini, Akansha Phalaswal, and Supriya Devi also contributed to India’s remarkable total, cementing the country’s promising future in boxing.

With little under a month before the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final, the T100 World Tour will come to a thrilling end in November. An elite group of male and female triathletes will meet in Dubai, hoping to win in a city recognised for hosting world-class athletic events.

The T100 Triathlon World Tour, which includes seven races, pushes athletes with a 2km swim, 80km cycle ride, and 18km run across prominent global destinations. Athletes have competed in cities such as Miami, Singapore, San Francisco, London, Ibiza, and Las Vegas, racking up points as they progress. The grand final in Dubai will be their final opportunity to earn points towards the coveted title of T100 World Champion and a portion of the $7 million prize fund.

Marten Van Riel of Belgium, a three-time Olympian and two-time T100 winner, leads the men’s field. He previously won the IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai in 2022. Magnus Ditlev, Kyle Smith, and rising talent Sam Laidlow are among his main competitors. Flora Duffy, an Olympic gold medallist, will make her long-distance debut in the women’s race, adding interest to an already hotly contested title fight.

The Dubai T100 promises incredible performances as athletes compete for T100 dominance.

Deepti Sharma, India’s off-spinner, has risen to a career-high second place in the current ICC women’s ODI bowler rankings, which was revealed on Tuesday. Deepti, who recently shone in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, maintained her impressive form throughout India’s white-ball series against New Zealand. In her first two matches against the White Ferns, she took three wickets at an excellent 3.42 economy rate, accelerating her up two ranks in the ODI bowler rankings. This achievement gets her closer to England’s Sophie Ecclestone, who is still the top ODI bowler.

Other rankings changes occurred outside the top ten, with New Zealand’s Lea Tahuhu, Amelie Kerr, and Sophie Devine rising significantly following their T20 World Cup efforts. Tahuhu climbed three places to 12th, Kerr went up to 13th, and Devine rose nine places to 30th.

Jemimah Rodrigues went up three ranks to share 30th place among batters, while Deepti climbed to third among ODI all-rounders. Zimbabwean players also made progress, with Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano jumping 21 places to 28th among hitters and Josephine Nkomo gaining 13 spots to 32nd among bowlers following their recent series against the United States.

Afghanistan A achieved a notable milestone by winning the Emerging Teams Asia Cup for the first time, defeating Sri Lanka A by 7 wickets in an exciting final. This surprising victory occurred after Afghanistan A defeated India A in the semi-finals and demonstrated steady play throughout the tournament.

Sedikullah Atal emerged as the star, striking 55 runs off 55 balls, including three fours and a six, to secure Afghanistan’s win. Notably, Atal continued an amazing streak, scoring more than 50 runs in five straight matches, contributing significantly to Afghanistan A’s historic title victory.

Sri Lanka A, who batted first, had an early blow, losing four wickets for only 15 runs. Pavan Ratnayake (20), Sahen Arachchige (64), and Nimish Vimukthi (23) all contributed significantly to the team’s total of 133 runs in 20 overs. Afghanistan A’s bowlers, particularly Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar and Bilal Sami, who took two and three wickets respectively, were vital in limiting Sri Lanka A.

Despite an early wicket loss, Afghanistan A pursued the aim with tenacity. With Atal and Mohammad Ishaq remaining unbroken, they reached the target of 134/3, securing a historic victory and claiming the renowned Emerging Asia Cup.

Barcelona delivered a decisive 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in El Clasico, driven by Robert Lewandowski’s quickfire second-half goals that set the tone for a commanding performance. Lewandowski struck twice within three minutes, capitalizing on Madrid’s defensive gaps as they sought a way back into the game. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha then seized further opportunities, exposing Los Blancos as they continued pushing forward.

Real Madrid entered the match with a formidable 42-game unbeaten La Liga streak, just one shy of Barcelona’s record. However, despite moments of early promise, Madrid failed to find the back of the net. Kylian Mbappe saw a goal ruled out due to offside and frustratingly found himself flagged six times before halftime.

Lewandowski’s experience and precise timing allowed him to break Madrid’s defenses, following up his initial goal with a well-placed header. Despite missing two golden chances to seal the tie, Barcelona ultimately put the game beyond reach through clinical finishes by Yamal and Raphinha. Barcelona now sits six points clear at the La Liga summit, with head coach Hansi Flick’s high defensive line frustrating Madrid’s attack throughout.

The Indian women’s cricket team played New Zealand women in a heated three-match ODI series, with New Zealand winning the second ODI to take a 2-0 lead. The second match was held at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, where India lost by 76 runs despite great efforts by star player Radha Yadav.

Radha made history by showcasing her all-round ability, including bowling, batting, and fielding. She stole the show by getting four crucial wickets, catching three high-flying balls, and playing an undefeated innings that showcased her skill and resilience. 

Yadav’s most memorable moment was her stunning airborne catch. When Brooke Holiday attempted a powerful shot in the 32nd over, Radha sprinted backward, diving impressively to catch the ball. The BCCI published this magnificent exhibition, which sparked tremendous acclaim on social media.

Radha knocked out New Zealand’s main players, including captain Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, and finished with four wickets. She also contributed with the bat, striking an unbeaten 45 off 61 balls, including five boundaries, a valiant effort that demonstrated her determination despite India’s difficult loss.