Tag: Sports

Abu Dhabi (TIP)- Sanju Samson’s battling half-century and a historic landmark for Arshdeep Singh powered India to a 21-run victory over Oman in the Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Thursday, September 9, night, extending their unbeaten run in the tournament.
Samson anchored India’s innings with 56 off 45 balls, while Arshdeep became the first Indian men’s cricketer to claim 100 wickets in T20 internationals, reaching the milestone in the final over that also sealed the win.
India posted 188-8, their third-highest total against an Associate side in T20Is, after being given an early scare. Vice-captain Shubman Gill fell for 5 in the second over to Faisal Shah, but Abhishek Sharma restored momentum with a rapid 38 from 15 deliveries before Jiten Ramanandi struck.
A surprise promotion for Hardik Pandya ended in disappointment when he was run out for 1 after a deflection off Ramanandi’s fingertips.
Samson found support from Axar Patel, who counterattacked with 26 off 13, the pair adding 45 from 23 balls. Tilak Varma, unusually batting at seven, contributed a brisk 29 off 18 as India pushed towards a competitive total. Samson, battling the heat, completed his fifty off 41 balls, the third slowest for India in Asia Cup T20 history, before falling for 56. Harshit Rana added a final flourish with a towering six, lifting India to 188.
Oman responded with fight, reaching 56 in the Powerplay as captain Jatinder Singh and Aamir Kaleem built a 44-run stand. Kuldeep Yadav broke the partnership in the ninth over, but Kaleem carried on, adding 93 with Hammad Mirza.
Kaleem brought up his fifty in 38 balls before falling for 64 in the 18th over, while Mirza hit a counterattacking 51 off 30 before Pandya dismissed him in the penultimate over. Despite Jiten Ramanandi’s late boundaries, Oman closed on 167-4, 21 runs short.
India’s bowlers were tested on a flat pitch. Hardik Pandya finished with 1-26, Kuldeep Yadav claimed 1-23, and Harshit Rana impressed with 1-25. Arshdeep, entrusted with the final over, held his nerve and collected his 100th T20I wicket, surpassing all previous Indian bowlers.
Oman’s spin trio kept India in check, with Faisal Shah (2-23), Ramanandi (2-33) and Kaleem (2-31) sharing six wickets, but their efforts were not enough to deny India another win on a record-making night.
Brief scores:
– India 188-8 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 56, Abhishek Sharma 38; Aamir Kaleem 2-31, Jiten Ramanandi 2-33)
– Oman 167-4 in 20 overs (Aamir Kaleem 64, Hammad Mirza 51; Hardik Pandya 1-26, Kuldeep Yadav 1-23)
– India won by 21 runs.

India’s javelin star Neeraj Chopra has been suffering from a back problem for the past two weeks, and that might have affected his performance in the World Championships finals in Tokyo on Thursday, Sept 18.
An Athletics Federation of India (AFI) official said Chopra has been facing back issues, and after his competition, the two-time Olympic medallist also admitted to it. “Yes, it is true that Chopra has been troubled by a back problem for the last couple of weeks. He kept us informed about it. The back problem must have affected his performance, but he should not worry about it. Win and loss happen in sports. Moreover, javelin is such an event that you may not click very well on a particular day,” the official said.
Chopra, who was defending the World Championships gold he had won in 2023, endured a horrendous outing at the finals to end eighth.
According to the AFI official, Chopra had informed the federation about the back problem that had arisen while training in Czech Republic before the World Championships. His current coach, the legendary Jan Zelezny, is from Czech Republic.

Shenzhen (TIP)- India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued their consistent run to advance to the semifinals of the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament but PV Sindhu bowed out after falling yet again to Olympic champion An Se Young here on Friday, Sept 19.
Satwik and Chirag, the former world No.1 Indian duo, who recently clinched their second World Championships bronze in Paris and finished runners-up at the Hong Kong Open last week, produced a clinical performance to outclass Chinese pair of Ren Xiang Yu and Xie Haonan 21-14 21-14 in the quarterfinals.
“We felt quite comfortable out there. Our goal was just to focus on our game and see how they responded. Right now, the way we’re playing, it feels great — especially being able to play back-to-back matches freely, without any niggles, really happy with how we played today,” Satwik said.
Chirag added: “I think we made it tough for them right from the start. We didn’t allow them to settle into the game at all. They’re definitely a strong pair, but our plan was to keep things simple and take an early lead — and we managed to do that. So yes, really happy with the performance.”
Currently ranked ninth in the world, Satwik and Chirag will face their arch-rivals and second seeds Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia in the semifinals on Saturday.
Earlier, double Olympic medallist P V Sindhu’s woeful run against world No.1 An Se Young continued, as the Indian suffered her eighth straight defeat against the Korean, going down 14-21 13-21 in the women’s singles quarterfinals.
“Last week wasn’t great for me, but this week has been really positive. Reaching the quarterfinals has been encouraging, and I think the key now is to maintain that level and stay consistent in everything I do,” Sindhu said.
Satwik and Chirag got off to a flying start, unleashing a flurry of smashes to race to a 7-0 lead. A couple of errors allowed the Chinese to close in at 3-8, but the Indians maintained their rhythm to enter the interval with an 11-5 advantage.
While Ren and Xie attempted to change the pace with quick flat rallies and front-court play, the Indians remained sharp and aggressive. Chirag’s flick serve made it 13-7, and another intense rally ended with the Chinese hitting wide to give India a 17-10 lead.
A sharp body attack and a precise toss saw the Indians surge ahead, and they pocketed the opening game after converting their second game point.
The second game was a closer affair in the early exchanges, with both pairs level at 7-7. However, the Indians pulled away to lead 11-9 at the mid-game interval courtesy of disciplined net play and sharp smashes.
After the break, Satwik and Chirag upped the ante, with Chirag firing two consecutive smashes to make it 19-13. They sealed the match after converting their first match point with another aggressive stroke. Sindhu’s struggles against An Se Young continued, as the Korean dominated proceedings from the start. Sindhu started poorly and trailed 1-6 before narrowing it to 5-9 with a delicate cross-court drop.
However, An used her trademark smashes to open up an 11-5 lead at the interval. Sindhu managed to close in at 11-14 but the Korean maintained her grip and sealed the opener when the Indian buried one into the net.

Dubai (TIP)- Kuldeep Yadav returned figures of 4-7 to lead holders India to a crushing nine-wicket win over hosts United Arab Emirates in their opening match of the Asia Cup.
Kuldeep struck three times in one over with his left-arm wrist spin as tournament favourites India skittled UAE for a paltry 57 in 13.1 overs after they elected to field first in the T20 in Dubai on Wednesday, Sept 10.
India romped home to victory in 4.3 overs after left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma hit 30 off 16 balls and vice-captain Shubman Gill stood unbeaten on 20. But it was the bowlers who set up victory for the reigning T20 World Cup champions as medium-pacer Shivam Dube claimed three before Kuldeep wrapped up the innings.
Put in to bat, UAE opener Alishan Sharafu started briskly with boundaries before falling to pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah for 22 off 17 balls.
Skipper Muhammad Waseem struck 19 to be the only other batsman to make double figures in an otherwise shambolic show by the rest of the team.
Kuldeep’s three wickets, including Waseem, in his second over rattled the opposition batting, which soon fell apart.
In reply, Sharma came out attacking as he smashed left-arm spinner Haider Ali for a six and a four.
He hit two more sixes in his blitz before being caught out by off-pace bowler Junaid Siddique.
Gill finished off the chase with a boundary as skipper Suryakumar Yadav, unbeaten on seven, looked on from the other end.
India won the previous Asia Cup, which was played in a 50-over format in 2023, when they beat hosts Sri Lanka in the final in Colombo.
India will next face Pakistan on Sunday in the most highly anticipated match of the T20 tournament, which serves as a build-up competition for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Litton Das guides Bangladesh to first win with match-winning half-century against Hong Kong
Bangladesh registered their first victory of this year’s Asia Cup after defeating Hong Kong by seven wickets in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. Chasing 144, skipper Litton Das played a captain’s knock, scoring a crucial half-century to guide his side home in 17.4 overs.
Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan could not provide the ideal start to Bangladesh, as Emon departed after scoring 19, they lost the first wicket at 24.
The next wicket fell in the form of Tanzid Hasan, as he departed after scoring 14. Then came the turning point of the match, as Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy stitched a decisive partnership of 95 runs, but Litton departed when two runs were required after scoring a brilliant 59 off 39 deliveries, which included six boundaries and a maximum.

There aren’t too many goal-scoring records that Cristiano Ronaldo has had the opportunity to crack without finding a way to do so. Even at 40 years old, the football legend continues to bang in goals at the top level. While he enters the twilight of his career at Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, he remains the leader and talisman for an immensely talented Portugal side as they have their eyes on helping their captain lift the FIFA World Cup next year.
Ronaldo continues to do his part as the European FIFA World Cup Qualifiers begin. Having scored a fantastic brace against Armenia last week, Ronaldo capped off a good international break for himself as he scored in Portugal’s come-from-behind victory over Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday night. Ronaldo converted from the spot early in the second half to push Portugal ahead, and ensured his team emerged victorious from there to keep a strong start to their qualification schedule going.
This was Ronaldo’s 39th goal in FIFA WC Qualification, adding onto his brace against Armenia last week.

Rajgir (TIP)- “It’s relief in a way in a sense, because we’ve been on the road for 2 months, and it’s nice to walk away from here, being champions.”
These were the words of India coach Craig Fulton right after the Asia Cup 2025 final win in Rajgir on Sunday, September 7. You can’t blame the coach for feeling relieved — his side has endured a roller-coaster ride in 2025 following a fruitful period last year. India won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics and then went on to claim the Asian Champions Trophy title.
But 2025 turned into a major reality check. India entered the European leg of the Hockey Pro League sitting third in the standings but went on to lose seven of their eight games against Australia, the Netherlands, Argentina and Belgium. That run saw them finish seventh and lose their chance at direct World Cup qualification.
This meant the Asia Cup was their last hope. If they failed, the high-pressure qualifiers awaited. Criticism about Fulton’s tactics and India’s inconsistency grew louder after the opener against China. Despite a 4-3 win, rust was visible in India’s game and the heavy reliance on captain Harmanpreet Singh to score goals was evident.
Wins against Japan and Kazakhstan gave the side momentum heading into the Super 4s. But then came the draw with Korea, where India lacked consistency and even failed to execute basic plays.
The response was emphatic. India clicked in the final three matches of the tournament, showcasing why they are still the best in Asia and ultimately securing the title.
It was hard-earned, but this transitioning side once again showed why they belong in the conversation among the best teams in world hockey.
For any team to succeed in tournaments like this, mindset matters as much as skill. Mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton said during the tournament that he believed the group had it in them to win major trophies like the World Cup and Olympics.
Vice-captain Hardik Singh echoed that belief after the final, saying the mindset from the start was to dominate Asia and secure World Cup passage. He also pointed out how the team managed to find the finishing touch in the latter stages, which proved decisive.
“Our mindset was that from here we have to qualify for World Cup and we have to dominate in Asia, so that was our message before this tournament.”
“And the way team has performed, after the match against Korea which was a draw, we made sure this time the finishing touch which was missing in that match will be completed. And how it went, I think we knew that we can beat any team here but our final had to be good and we worked on that,” said Hardik.
Hardik also highlighted the presence of multiple leaders within the group, which helped the team cross the finish line. Former captain Manpreet Singh, still one of the fittest players in world hockey despite playing over 400 matches, continues to set the tone. Add in the experience of Amit Rohidas and Harmanpreet, and the leadership core is strong.
“I think in this team there are many seniors, many juniors are coming, and also guys who are there in the team for eight-nine years. The combination is quite good. And like I said before, in every match we need five or six captains. Only one captain will not be enough.

Rajgir (TIP)- A determined India produced a masterclass performance, coming from a goal down to beat Malaysia 4-1 in their second Super 4s match of the men’s Asia Cup hockey tournament here on Thursday, Sept 4.
The Indians were slow to get off the blocks as Shafiq Hassan gave Malaysia the lead in the second minute before the hosts mounted a great fightback.
Manpreet Singh (17th), Sukhjeet Singh (19th), Shilanand Lakra (24th) and Vivek Sagar Prasad (38th) scored for India.
India had drawn 2-2 against Korea in their first Super 4 match on Wednesday. With the win, India have moved to the top of the Super 4 standings with four points from two games, just ahead of China and Malaysia, both of whom have three points each while defending champions Korea occupy the last spot with just a point.
After a rest day on Friday, India will take on China in their final Super 4 match on Saturday, while Malaysia play Korea.
India just need a draw against China to seal their place in Sunday’s final.
Malaysia were two players short on Thursday after playmaker Fitri Saari was suspended for the match for indiscipline following his onfield brawl with Chinese players in their last match. Abu Kamal Azrai also did not play against India. Contrary to the final result, India were stunned in the second minute as Malaysia took the lead through Hassan.
The Malaysians caught the Indian defence napping as Hassan dodged past Sanjay and Jugraj Singh to slot home the ball with his reverse stick.
The Indian defence looked a bit shaky in the first quarter but did well not to concede any more goals.
Barring that early strike, India dominated the proceedings in the first quarter in terms of ball possession and chances.
India continued their attacking game and secured back-to-back five penalty corners in the opening minute of the second quarter, the last of which they converted by Manpreet, who scored from a rebound after skipper Harmanpreet Singh’s flick was saved by Hafizuddin Othman.
The equaliser seemed to have lifted the Indians as they attacked with more intensity and two minutes later their efforts bore fruit.
Sukhjeet neatly pushed home from close range after receiving a clever pass from Shilanand.
The lead gave wings to the Indians as they looked a completely different entity, mounting attacks after attacks on the Malaysian citadel.
India soon made the scoreline 3-1 through Shilanand. The move was started by Hardik Singh who found Dilpreet Singh, whose defence splitting pass was deflected in by Shilanand past the onrushing Malaysian goalkeeper.
That was all both the teams could manage in the first half as India went into the breather leading 3-1.
Two minutes into the second half, Malaysia secured their first penalty corner but India custodian Krishan Bahadur made a brilliant save with his stick to deny Syed Cholan.
In the 38th minute, India earned their sixth penalty corner and Jugraj’s ballistic flick hit the post. The ball was then collected by Sumit, who passed it on to Manpreet, whose pass from the right was pushed in by Vivek.
In the final quarter, India made quite a few circle penetrations and created chances but failed to convert them into goals.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka powered into the final of the US Open on Thursday, rallying from a set down to defeat American fourth seed Jessica Pegula and keep her title defence firmly on track. Sabalenka, the world number one and top seed from Belarus, produced a battling performance to clinch a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in two hours five minutes on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court. The 27-year-old will face the winner of Thursday’s other semi-final, either Japan’s Naomi Osaka or another American, Amanda Anisimova, in Saturday’s final. Sabalenka has now reached three straight US Open finals and has a chance to become the first woman to successfully defend the title since Serena Williams sealed a hat-trick of victories in 2014. “It was a really tough match — she played incredible tennis as always and I had to work really hard to get this win,” a relieved Sabalenka said afterwards. “Just super happy to be back in the final and hopefully I can go all the way again,” added Sabalenka, who held her nerve to fight off a series of break points in the decisive third set before wrapping up victory.

London (TIP)- England’s torrid run in the 50-over format, with Harry Brook at the helm, further extended after South Africa orchestrated its first ODI series win in England’s home den since 1998 by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead after the end of the second fixture of the three-match series at the ‘Home of Cricket’, Lord’s.
South Africa ousted England with a narrow five-run victory in a high-octane run-scoring fest. There weren’t any notable celebrations from the Proteas players as they calmly got on with things while England were forced to reflect on their misery.
As England’s abysmal run in the ODIs persisted, their chances to automatically qualify for the 2027 World Cup are now in jeopardy. The 2019 world champions boast just seven wins out of 21 ODIs since the 2023 World Cup in India. Their shambolic show includes a horror group-stage exit in the Champions Trophy earlier this year, along with a series defeat in India.
Despite clean-sweeping the West Indies in a three-match series, which was Brook’s first captaincy assignment in the format, England are ranked eighth in the ICC ODI rankings. If their disastrous run in the format continues, they are at risk of missing out on the automatic qualification. As of now, they stand four points behind Afghanistan and trail the number one side, India, by 37 points.
The 2027 edition of the World Cup will feature 14 teams. The tournament will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, with the first two gaining automatic qualification. Namibia, which doesn’t have the status of a full member nation, will traverse through the qualifying rounds.
The top eight teams, apart from the two hosts, will gain automatic qualification. England still has 18 months to change its fortune and maintain a healthy gap between their position and the cut-off mark. Before the Ashes, they will square off against the number two side, New Zealand, in an away series. The Three Lions will then head to Sri Lanka to play three more before the T20 World Cup.
Next year, some formidable opponents patiently wait to test their strength against England. They will lock horns with India in three matches, participate in a tri-series in Pakistan and meet their arch-rival Australia in the winter. To England’s angst, teams below them face opponents who don’t appear tough on paper. If two teams managed to topple England, Brook’s side will have to go through the standard qualification procedure to gain entry in the marquee event.

Veteran India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday, Aug 27, announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League, bringing the curtains down on a 16-year-long association with the tournament within months of calling it quits from international cricket.
Ashwin made the announcement through a social media post.
“They say every ending will have a new start, my time as an IPL cricketer comes to a close today, but my time as an explorer of the game around various leagues begins today,” Ashwin posted on X. “Would like to thank all the franchisees for all the wonderful memories and relationships over the years and most importantly the IPL and the BCCI for what they have given me until now. Look forward to enjoying and making the most of what’s ahead of me,” he added.
The 38-year-old had retired from international cricket in December last year during the tour of Australia after a decorated career that saw him become India’s second-highest wicket-taker (537) in Tests behind Anil Kumble (619). In the IPL, he was one of the brightest minds to play the game, making his debut for Chennai Super Kings in 2009. His last appearance too came in the yellow jersey in IPL 2025, after rejoining CSK for Rs 9.75 crore following a decade-long gap.
Overall, he featured in 221 IPL matches, taking 187 wickets at an average of 30.22 with best figures of 4/34. With the bat, he scored 833 runs with a highest of 50 and an average of 13.02.

Mumbai (TIP)- Less than a fortnight before the start of the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE, official broadcasters Sony Sports Network released a promotional video to build excitement for the continental tournament. However, the clip highlighted the India–Pakistan clash on September 14 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, drawing severe backlash. Not only did Virender Sehwag come under fire for his appearance in the promo, but the BCCI was also criticised as fans threatened to boycott the tournament.
The BCCI has faced heavy criticism ever since the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) confirmed the Asia Cup schedule earlier this month. The Indian board had initially stalled participation in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which triggered a military standoff between India and Pakistan and further strained bilateral relations. At one stage, speculation suggested that if the BCCI pulled out, the tournament could be cancelled.
After months of uncertainty, ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi, who also chairs the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), announced the dates and venues for all Asia Cup matches. What further angered fans was the prospect of India and Pakistan potentially facing each other three times during the event.
The promo, which also features India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi, sparked outrage as fans lashed out at Sehwag, criticised the broadcasters, and warned the BCCI that not a single match of the tournament would be watched by Indian viewers.
Last week, the Indian Sports Ministry unveiled a new policy on India’s international sporting engagements, with particular emphasis on Pakistan, where it was stated that while bilateral contests remain off the table, multilateral tournaments will not be restricted. This means the Suryakumar Yadav-led side will feature in the Asia Cup as planned. “India’s approach to sports events involving Pakistan reflects its overall policy in dealing with that country,” stated the ministry policy. “In so far as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India.”
However, the multilateral engagements will not be affected.
“We will not stop Indian cricket team from playing in Asia Cup as it is multilateral,” the ministry source said.

Fort Lauderdale (TIP)- Lionel Messi once again proved decisive as Inter Miami advanced to the Leagues Cup final with a 3-1 victory over Orlando City in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday, Aug 27, night. The Argentine forward scored twice and provided an assist in a devastating late spell, ensuring the Herons reached their second final in three years.
Orlando, who had beaten Miami twice in Major League Soccer this season, began confidently and took the lead just before the interval. In first-half stoppage time, Marco Pasalic capitalised on a defensive lapse. After being briefly dispossessed by Maximiliano Falcon, the ball ricocheted kindly off his chest and he lashed a half-volley beyond Oscar Ustari to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
Miami pressed after the restart but struggled to find a breakthrough until the turning point arrived in the 74th minute. Tadeo Allende got in behind David Brekalo and directed a header on target, which Pedro Gallese parried. However, referee Walter Lopez judged that Brekalo had pulled Allende back in the process. The defender received a second yellow card and was dismissed, leaving Orlando with 10 men.
Messi seized the moment. From the resulting penalty in the 77th minute, he coolly struck low to the right. Gallese dived the right way but was unable to keep it out, and Miami were level. The equaliser galvanised the hosts, who sensed an opportunity to punish their short-handed rivals.
In the 88th minute, Messi combined brilliantly with Jordi Alba, rekindling their Barcelona chemistry. A swift exchange of passes unlocked Orlando’s defence before Messi finished neatly into the bottom corner to complete the turnaround.
The 37-year-old was not done. In stoppage time, he linked with Telasco Segovia, slipping a pass that the Venezuelan midfielder converted from close range to seal the result and spark celebrations at Chase Stadium.
Miami, winners of the 2023 Leagues Cup, will now travel to face the Seattle Sounders in Sunday’s final. The Sounders earned their place with a 2-0 victory over LA Galaxy earlier in the evening. The winner will secure direct entry into the round of 16 of the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Mumbai (TIP)-Indian cricket team won’t be stopped from playing against Pakistan in Asia Cup, an insider from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) told PTI on August 21. The ministry has announced a new policy for India’s international sports ties, with special focus on Pakistan. Officials said the policy takes effect immediately.
“India’s approach to sports events involving Pakistan reflects its overall policy in dealing with that country,” PTI quoted the ministry policy.
“Insofar as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India,” the police says.
India-Pakistan matches will, however, continue in the multilateral tournaments.
“We will not stop the Indian cricket team from playing in the Asia Cup as it is multilateral,” PTI quoted the ministry source as saying.
“But Pakistan will not be allowed on Indian soil for bilateral competitions. But we will not stop them from multilateral events as we will abide by the Olympic Charter,” he added.
The insider was asked if Indian players would be allowed to travel to Pakistan for any multilateral tournament.
“In that scenario, we will examine the case before deciding anything,” said the source. “Even in multi-lateral events, we can’t leave our athletes in a lurch. After all, it’s a country that has no hesitation in declaring that it’s a dumpster and can hit the shining Mercedes that is India,” he added.
According to the ministry insider, Indian players will participate in international events that include Pakistan, and Pakistani players can also play in such events held in India.
“The Indian team and individual players will take part in international events that also have teams or players from Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistani players and teams will be able to participate in such multilateral events hosted by India,” PTI quoted the source as saying.
The India-Pakistan cricket match is scheduled to take place on September 14 in Dubai.

Mumbai (TIP)-Shubman Gill has made a comeback to India’s T20I squad for the Asia Cup, replacing Axar Patel as vice-captain. The 15-member squad, picked by the selection committee will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, and includes Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson as the two other opening candidates. With Gill as vice-captain, however, he is the frontrunner for one of the slots at the top of the order.
“We obviously see some leadership qualities in him, and his form in England was what we were hoping for. [He] exceeded all our expectations, which is a great sign when there’s so much pressure as captain,” chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said in Mumbai.
The middle and lower-order batting options are Suryakumar, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma, who could be the first-choice wicketkeeper if India decide to open with Gill and Abhishek. There are also three allrounders in Axar, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube. The specialist bowling options are Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana, who provides some extra batting depth too.
There was no place for Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was instead among the five reserve players, along with Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel. Shreyas Iyer, who scored 604 runs at a strike rate of 175 in IPL 2025 and led Punjab Kings to the final, also did not find a place in the 15.
“With regard to Yashasvi, it’s just unfortunate again,” Agarkar said. “There’s Abhishek Sharma: what he’s done over the last year or so – plus he can bowl a little bit – he gives us that option if required. One of these guys was going to miss out. Yashasvi just has to wait for his chance.
“With regard to Shreyas, who can he replace? No fault of his, nor is it ours. At the moment, you can just pick 15. So he will have to wait for his chance.”
Gill was vice-captain in the previous T20I series he had played – in Sri Lanka in July 2024 – but he had not been picked in any of the subsequent series as India prioritised his appearances in the Test and ODI formats. Axar was then appointed vice-captain for the home T20Is against England in January. Gill’s return to the T20I format comes on the back of his contributions to India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year and his record-breaking run as batter in the five-Test series in England, where he led India to a 2-2 draw in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He also scored 650 runs for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025 at a strike rate of 155.87. “Last time when he [Gill] played T20 for India, post T20 World Cup when we went to Sri Lanka – not Zimbabwe – when I was leading, he was the vice-captain,” Suryakumar said after the selection meeting in Mumbai. “So that’s where we started a new cycle. After that, he got busy with all the Test series, and he didn’t get an opportunity to play T20s because he was busy playing Test cricket and Champions Trophy. So he’s there in the squad, and we’re happy to have him.”

Queens (TIP)- 28 years on from when she made the finals of the US Open in her first appearance at the tournament as a teenager, Venus Williams is back. Having missed the last two editions of her home tournament at Flushing Meadows as she battled against surgery, Williams is set to mark a return to the singles field as a 45-year-old veteran.
The older Williams sister has been granted a wildcard into the singles draw, alongside the mixed doubles invitation she already received earlier this month from the USTA. Williams becomes the oldest player to be an entrant into a US Open singles event since 1981 — 44 years ago, and 16 years before her own debut, when Renee Richards participated at the age of 47.
Williams became the oldest player to win a singles match on the WTA tour since 2004, when she marked her return to the court at the DC Open in Washington with a victory over Peyton Stearns. Martina Navratilova had won a singles match at the age of 47 in 2004.
This appearance marked Venus’ return to the tour after an absence due to surgery, and although she hadn’t played professional tennis since 2023, she had not officially announced her retirement. When once against prompted with the question in Washington, the seven-time grand slam champion held her cards close to her chest.
“I’m just here for now, and who knows? Maybe there’s more … But at the moment, I’m focused just on this,” Venus had said following her win. “I haven’t played in a year. There is no doubt I can play tennis, but obviously coming back to play matches, it takes time to get in the swing of things. I definitely feel I’ll play well. I’m still the same player.”
Williams is a two-time champion at the US Open, having won in back-to-back tournaments in 2000 and 2001, to account for two of her seven singles slam titles (with four more at Wimbledon to her name.) She has also reached the finals on two occasions, with her best finish in recent years coming in her resurgent 2017 season, in which she reached the finals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and made the semifinals in New York.