New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) With all eyes on what squad India would pick for the upcoming Asia Cup, set to happen in the UAE from September 9-28, former cricketer Priyank Panchal feels the focus should be on selecting the best openers and finishers, while making rest of the batting order flexible as per a given situation.India last played a T20I in February 2025, when they beat England 4-1 in a home series and are set to play the shortest format after a six-month hiatus through the Asia Cup. Abhish…

Dhaka, Aug 10 (IANS) Fast bowler Nahid Rana has impressed in Bangladesh’s latest fitness tests, even as several of his other teammates struggled to meet the required standards. The ongoing fitness camp for Bangladesh players comes ahead of the skill training for the home three-match T20I series against the Netherlands, before traveling to UAE for Asia Cup. A report in Cricbuzz said the 1600-meter run and the 40-meter sprint tests have replaced the Yo-Yo and beep tests, especially after new str…

Bangkok, Aug 10 (IANS) India’s young women pugilists underlined their growing prowess in continental boxing as Nisha (54kg) and Muskan (57kg) clinched gold, and five others won silver, at the U19 Asian Boxing Championships 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday.Of the 10 women boxers in U19 fray, nine will return with medals – including 2 golds, 5 silvers, and 2 bronzes – showcasing India’s status as an emerging powerhouse alongside countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and China.Nisha opened …

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Former India opener Aakash Chopra has said Rishabh Pant will surpass MS Dhoni’s tally of runs in Tests if he plays more matches for India. Pant, India’s vice-captain in Tests, is currently recovering from a right foot fracture sustained while batting in the fourth game against England at Manchester.Pant has featured in 47 Tests so far, scoring 3427 runs at an average of 44.50. His tally includes eight centuries, two more than Dhoni’s six hundreds, even though the l…

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya pedalled alongside citizens in the national capital this morning as the chief guest for the 35th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle, held just days ahead of Independence DayThe event, which flagged off at the Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) Stadium here, is part of a nationwide cycling movement that began in December 2024 and has grown into a weekly fitness phenomenon. This week, over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across I…

Chennai, Aug 10 (IANS) Head coach Ben Sawyer, who is overseeing New Zealand women’s camp in Chennai as part of preparation for the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup, said the experience so far of practicing in spin-friendly conditions at the Chennai Super Kings Academy has been an amazing one.Seam-bowling allrounder Jess Kerr, batters Georgia Plimmer and Brooke Halliday, who were in the New Zealand team winning last year’s Women’s T20 World Cup, are a part of the ongoing trip in Chennai. Iz…

London, Aug 10 (IANS) Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta issued a warning for defenders after their marquee summer signing Viktor Gyokeres hit the ground running with his first goal for the club against Athletic Club on Saturday.Goals by the Swedish striker, coupled with Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz saw the Gunners win 3-0 in their final pre-season friendly. Arsenal will begin their season with a stern test against Rivals Manchester United at the Old Trafford Stadium on August 17.Arteta warned oppos…

Brisbane, Aug 10 (IANS) Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne said he is aiming to silence his critics by making a push for the Ashes series against England after being dropped from the Test side on the tour of West Indies. The right-handed batter also said he is ready to put his hand up to fill in the opener’s slot.A long term number three batter, Labuschagne was left out of Australia’s Test tour of the West Indies in June and July due to a prolonged lean patch. In his place, Australia tried …

Cincinnati, Aug 10 (IANS) Jannik Sinner made a commanding return to the ATP Tour, dismantling Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 in just 59 minutes to launch his title defence at the Cincinnati Open.It was the world No. 1’s quickest victory of the season and a statement performance in his first match since lifting the Wimbledon trophy last month.”Matches are always different than practice, so I didn’t know what to expect,” said Sinner, who now leads Galan 3-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head. “But …

Rudrapur, Aug 10 (IANS) Minerva Academy FC made the knockouts of the fourth edition of the AIFF Futsal Club Championship 2024–25 after defeating Real Lona FC 7-1 in a Group A match at the Shri Manoj Sarkar Stadium – Shivalik Hall.In the other match of the group, Aphuyemi Football Club notched up their first win of the tournament as they edged past Triumph FC 8-6. Akumyanger was the star of the show as he found the net seven times to become the highest scorer of the championship so far, with …