Category: Sports

England just made history by being the first team in more than 27 years to score over 800 runs in Test cricket during the first Test against Pakistan in Multan. Harry Brook totally crushed it with a score of 317 off 322 balls, becoming the sixth Englishman to hit a triple century and the second fastest in Test history.

Joe Root also came good, scoring 262 runs, as the pair put on a colossal 454-run, the fourth biggest in Test cricket.

After lunch, the score had read 658/3 when Brook reached 250 without much hesitation, matching Root’s feats. It was just the third time two batsmen have scored more than 250 in an innings of Test cricket. Agha Salman, however, stopped Root’s leg before the wicket to keep England from flowing.

However, England continued dominating the game and declared at 823/7, which gave them a lead of 267 runs. Brook’s triple hundred lasted 310 balls, a mere 90 short of Virender Sehwag in 2008. Pakistan did pick up a couple of wickets before the declaration to end the innings.

Joe Root scored 12,473 runs in the first Test against Pakistan in Multan, passing Alastair Cook as the highest run-scorer for England in Test cricket. Root might challenge Sachin Tendulkar for the record of 15,921 runs, according to England captain Ben Stokes.

Stokes lauded Root’s accomplishments and suggested that, if Root continues to play until he is approximately 39 years old, he may equal or surpass Tendulkar’s record in a video produced by the England and Wales Cricket Board. Tendulkar, Ponting, Kallis, and Dravid are still ahead of Root on the all-time list, however, Root now has 12,473 runs, an average of 50.91, and 34 centuries.

Stokes emphasised Root’s selflessness by saying that Root puts the team’s success ahead of his own. Focussing on Root’s continuous contributions to England’s achievements, he disregarded criticisms of Root’s earlier performances. With nearly a thousand runs scored in 2024, Root is off to a great start.

Stokes is confident that no one will be able to topple Root’s record for quite some time, and Root’s accomplishment is further proof of his extraordinary brilliance.

At the Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, India’s women’s table tennis team achieved a historic bronze medal, their first-ever podium result in the women’s team division. China lost 0-3 to Hong Kong in the other semifinal, while India made it to the semifinals but was defeated 1-3 by Japan. Bronze medals are given to both losing semifinalists in accordance with the tournament regulations.

In a thrilling semifinal match, Ayhika Mukherjee fell short, finishing 2-3 against Miwa Harimoto of Japan. But Manika Batra pulled off a stunning comeback for India, defeating Satsuki Odo 3-0. Then, the tie changed with Sutirtha Mukherjee losing versus Mima Ito 0-3. Japan’s victory was cemented when Harimoto defeated Manika Batra 3-1.

India’s gold adventure started in the quarterfinals with a stunning 3-2 victory over South Korea, which verified their historic medal.

India defeated Kazakhstan 3-1 to get to the semifinals in the men’s category as well. India got off to a great start with Manav Thakkar, who defeated Kirill Gerassimenko in straight sets. The men’s squad will face the victor of Hong Kong vs Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals as their semifinal opponent.

India defeated Pakistan in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, their 25th triumph against their arch-rivals in all World Cup formats combined. Following a setback to New Zealand, India entered this must-win game under duress but provided a superb effort to revive their championship chances.

Pakistan, headed by Fatima Sana, began confidently but struggled with the bat, as India’s bowlers tightened their hold at critical times. Pakistan managed just a low score due to a lack of partnerships, presenting their bowlers with a difficult task. The Indian attack, which consisted of spinners and pacers, effectively limited Pakistan’s middle and lower order.

In response, India’s openers seized control with powerful strokes, laying the groundwork for a dominating chase. Despite initial nervousness, India’s middle order stabilised the innings, with hitters displaying patience and controlled aggressiveness. The top order, which had struggled against New Zealand, recovered form and led India to a comfortable win.

With this win, India improved their net run rate and moved ahead in Group A, keeping them in contention for the semifinals. Though Pakistan’s efforts were praiseworthy, their usual problems with India continued. India’s next match is against Sri Lanka on October 9.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar introduced the logo and mascot for the 2024 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy, which will take place in Rajgir from November 11 to 20. The state bird of Bihar, the sparrow, served as inspiration for the championship’s mascot, “Gudiya,” which embodies the spirit of the competition put on by Hockey India and the Bihar government.

The state government has allocated Rs 10 crore for the event, which will be held at the newly built Rajgir Hockey Stadium. Six countries, including India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan, will vie for the title.

According to a statement from the CM’s office, Gudiya, holding a hockey stick and a goalkeeper’s glove, represents the sport and exemplifies virtues of awareness and defence.

Kumar expressed his excitement at the event, saying, “It’s a matter of great happiness that the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy is being held in Rajgir. I wish our Indian women’s hockey team every success and give a warm welcome to players from other countries.”

Bihar Sports Minister Surendra Mehta, Indian women’s hockey team captain Selema Tete, vice-captain Navneet Kaur, Bihar State Sports Authority Director General Ravindran Shankaran, and Hockey India Secretary General Bholanath Singh were present.

In 2025, India will host the first-ever Kho Kho World Cup, which has been declared by the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) in collaboration with the International Kho Kho Federation. There will be 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams competing at this historic event, representing 24 nations across 6 continents.

Kho Kho is a mat-based sport that originated in India and has expanded to 54 nations across the world. Culturally significant and competitive, Kho Kho is set to be the focus of the World Cup. As a pre-event measure, KKFI intends to promote the sport and sign up fifty lakh players by introducing Kho Kho in two hundred elite schools spread over ten cities.

The competition is a milestone on the road to having Kho Kho included in the Olympic Games by 2032, according to Shri Sudhanshu Mittal, President of KKFI, who was ecstatic by the news. Athletes from all over the world will come together for a week of competition to showcase their skills and foster cultural understanding through the sport of agility and collaboration.

KKFI is holding the World Cup hoping to bring the sport to a new level of prominence and include it in the Olympic Games.

Sri Lanka won the series against New Zealand by an innings and 154 runs on the fourth day in Galle. This victory was Sri Lanka’s first test series win over New Zealand in 15 years, and it was one of the team’s most dominant performances against the Kiwis.

Prabath Jayasuriya, a left-arm spinner, was voted Player of the Series after taking 18 wickets in two matches. His unrelenting bowling decimated New Zealand’s batting line-up, especially in the second test. Kamindu Mendis was named Man of the Match for scoring an undefeated 182, helping Sri Lanka’s mammoth score of 602-5 declared.

New Zealand struggled, being bowled out for just 88 in the first innings. Although they demonstrated resilience in the second innings, reaching 360 runs, it was insufficient to match Sri Lanka’s dominance. Nishan Peiris, a debutant, played an important supporting role, taking nine wickets, five of which came in the second innings.

Sri Lanka captain Dananjaya de Silva praised his team’s spinners for their persistent pressure, which kept New Zealand under control. Meanwhile, New Zealand skipper Tim Southee was disappointed with wasted opportunities, particularly dropped catches and stumpings.

Indian shooters made a strong start at the ISSF Junior World Championship in Peru, winning gold medals in the men’s and women’s 10m air pistol team categories. However, a potential gold medal in the individual category slipped away as a result of a penalty imposed on an Indian marksman for being late to the final.

In the men’s team competition, Umesh Choudhary, Pradhyumn Singh, and Mukesh Nelavalli scored 1726 points to take first place, 10 points ahead of Romania. Italy won the bronze medal with a total of 1707 points. Despite the team’s win, Choudhary missed an opportunity for individual gold after being penalised two points for tardiness in the final.

Choudhary and Singh had previously qualified for the individual finals, finishing third and fourth, respectively, with scores of 580 and 578. Unfortunately, both failed to make the podium, finishing sixth and eighth, respectively. Romania’s Luca Joldea won the individual gold medal, with Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Hsiang-Chen taking silver.

In the women’s event, the Indian trio of Kanishka Dagar, Lakshita, and Anjali Chaudhary won gold with a score of 1708, defeating Azerbaijan by one point.

After three days of incredible gaming, passionate rivalries, and dramatic final moments, Team Xspark, the defending BGIS 2024 champions, claimed victory once more by raising the BMPS 2024 trophy. The grand finals saw one of the most competitive finishes in recent BGMI history, with any of the top three teams—Team Xspark, Numen Gaming, or Godlike Esports—having a chance to win the title.

In the early phases of the match, Xspark engaged in a fierce battle with Ignite Gaming at Yasnaya Polyana, but they managed to survive with two members. Despite Godlike and Numen Forever losing crucial players in the late stages, Team Xspark held strong. Their primary competitors were removed, allowing Xspark to advance to the top four.

As the dust settled, Xspark had a 13-point lead over Numen Forever and therefore clinched the championship. Team Xspark led the field with 158 points, Numen Gaming came in second with 145 points, and HeroXtreme Godlike came in third with 144.

The competition had a total prize fund of ₹20,000,000, with Team Xspark receiving ₹7,500,000. SPRAYGOD received the MVP award, and Juicy from 8Bit Gaming won the Fan Favourite Player honour.

The year’s esports calendar may not be complete yet, as PMGC 2024 is expected to take place in November.

On Thursday, Italy won the Youth America’s Cup defeating the United States in a thrilling head-to-head final conducted in the Mediterranean Sea off Barcelona. The victory highlighted a strong effort by the Italian squad, who captured the prized trophy. This event acts as a warm-up for the forthcoming America’s Cup in October, when defending champions New Zealand will meet either Britain or Italy.

Following the finish line, the Italian crew celebrated joyously aboard their AC40 foiling monohull, exchanging heartfelt hugs and cheers. Unfortunately, the US team made a vital time error before the race began, resulting in a penalty that allowed Italy to take an early lead. The Italians took advantage of the chance, skilfully extending their lead throughout the six-leg race, with their hydrofoils allowing them to ‘fly’ over the waves.

“This is an incredible team,” remarked Italy’s co-helm Marco Gradoni in a post-race interview. “It was extremely difficult to reach this level, but we succeeded,” he said after his crew triumphed over a fleet of 12 boats. Meanwhile, US co-helm Harry Melges commended Italy on their outstanding accomplishment while also recognising his team’s efforts.

The AC40 boats will also compete in the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup next month.