With the coveted berths for the Asian Games 2026 at stake, the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championship got underway at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, drawing the country's finest track and field athletes for a crucial qualification event.
Fast-tracked into the senior national T20 side for the upcoming tour of Ireland and England, 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have to use a separate dressing room from his teammates because of safeguarding rules in the United Kingdom, according to a report by The Guardian.
Long before she became one of India’s promising young fast bowlers, Nandni Sharma was a youngster frustrated by the lack of opportunities at her academy.
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel has welcomed Rishabh Pant’s return to the franchise ahead of IPL 2027, saying the wicketkeeper-batter will have complete freedom to play his natural game without any added pressure from him or the team management.
India’s top table tennis player Manika Batra has clarified that she is not seeking a place in the Asian Games squad but wants answers over her omission from the team, describing the selection process as lacking transparency.
The round is set to draw significant attention with the return of two of India’s most awaited stars, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, both making their first appearances in the tournament.
Diu has taken on a festive atmosphere for the occasion, with the Khelo India Beach Games mascot ‘Pearl’, a cheerful and energetic dolphin, greeting athletes, officials, volunteers and other stakeholders associated with KIBG 2026.
The top-seeded Delhi player produced a composed performance in the quarter-finals to overcome Egypt’s Barb Sameh 11-4, 10-12, 11-9, 11-3. She will now face another Egyptian, third seed Malika El Karasky, for a place in the final.
The 54-year-old has been hospitalised at the Gold Coast University Hospital, where he is now able to speak and respond to those around him. He is also expected to be shifted out of the intensive care unit as his condition continues to stabilise.
PV Sindhu will mark her first appearance on the international circuit since the China Masters in September 2025, where she reached the quarter-finals.
