Chelmsford, May 27 (IANS): India will begin their final preparation phase for next month’s Women’s T20 World Cup when Harmanpreet Kaur’s side takes on England in the opening match of a three-game T20I series at the County Ground in Chelmsford on Thursday.With the World Cup set to begin on June 12, the series carries massive importance for India, which is still searching for the right balance in its lower middle-order and bowling attack despite showing promising signs over the last few mont…

Perth, May 27 (IANS) The Indian women’s hockey team secured a hard-fought win against Australia on Wednesday at the Perth Hockey Stadium to level the four-match friendly series 1-1. The visitors came from behind in the final quarter to force a 1-1 draw and then edged the hosts 4-2 in the shootout.After an entertaining start to the game, Australia took the lead courtesy of a goal from Olivia Downes (10’). But the Indian team upped the ante by creating opportunities from a series of penalty co…

New Chandigarh, May 27 (IANS) Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and elected to bowl against Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator of the Indian Premier League (2026) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh, on Wednesday.Sunrisers Hyderabad made one change to their XI, bringing in Praful Hinge in place of Salil Arora. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Royals also tweaked their combination with Ravindra Jadeja replacing Shubham Dubey in the starting lineup.Pat Cummins sai…

Chandigarh, May 27 (IANS) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said the government is going to launch a new initiative to take sports to greater heights. He said the state has already emerged as a powerhouse of sports and now children with an interest in sports will be identified at the village level and trained in the sport of their choice.For this purpose, panchayats, schools, and the Sports Department will work in close coordination.The Chief Minister said this while reviewin…

Paris, May 27 (IANS) Four-time former winner Iga Swiatek moved into the women’s singles third round at the French Open on Wednesday. with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Sara Bejlek in a match in which she held the upper hand throughout.Swiatek overcame an uneven serving performance and 38 unforced errors to beat Bejlek and move to the third round, setting up a possible meeting against Jelena Ostapenko.In their second round clash, the first set alone lasted 46 minutes. The No. 3-seeded Swiatek was broke…

Budapest, May 27 (IANS) Hungary is preparing for one of the largest public security and urban transport operations in its recent history ahead of Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and defending champion Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest.Nearly 4,000 police officers will be deployed across the Hungarian capital, while around 800 flight movements, some 100,000 visiting fans, expanded public transport services and intensified traffic control measures are expected as the city brac…

Washington, May 27 (IANS) U.S head coach Mauricio Pochettino has selected the 26 players that will represent the United States at the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will take place from June 11-July 19 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.Leading the way is AC Milan attacking star Christian Pulisic, who scored a goal and had two assists in his maiden finals. Another headliner is Weston McKennie, the do-it-all Juventus man who will patrol the centre of the park for the Stars and Stripes.Among the notable i…

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) “RCB… RCB…” On most nights, the chants begin long before the first ball is bowled.Red jerseys flood the streets, flags rise above packed stands, and somewhere in the middle of all that noise stands one man who has carried the dreams of Bengaluru for nearly two decades — Virat Kohli.But this Indian Premier League (IPL) season feels different.This is not just another campaign for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Not just another shot at silverware. Not just another Virat…

Paris, May 26 (IANS) Defending champion Coco Gauff launched her French Open title defence with an imperious 6-4, 6-0 victory over fellow American Taylor Townsend, marching into the second round of the French Open at Stade Roland Garros in Paris on Tuesday.The World No. 4 needed just an hour and twenty minutes to end Townsend’s challenge on Court Philippe-Chatrier, extending her perfect record of reaching the second round at the French Open to seven successive appearances.The final scoreline sugg…

Dharamshala, May 26 (IANS) Captain Rajat Patidar produced a sensational unbeaten knock of 93 while Virat Kohli and Krunal Pandya chipped in with quickfire 43s as Royal Challengers Bengaluru stormed to a record-breaking 254/5 in 20 overs against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2026 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on Tuesday.Asked to bat first after losing the toss, RCB came out with aggressive intent right from the opening over. Venkatesh Iyer gave the innings a flying st…