Dharamshala, May 26 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Josh Hazlewood showered praise on his new-ball partner Bhuvneshwar Kumar ahead of Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the HPCA stadium, calling the veteran seamer one of the biggest reasons behind RCB’s strong bowling performances this season.Speaking before the crucial clash, Hazlewood highlighted the advantage of bowling alongside Bhuvneshwar, whose ability to strike early has consistently put opposition teams under pr…

Perth, May 26 (IANS) The four-match friendly series between the Indian and Australian Women’s Hockey Teams commenced on Tuesday with a close encounter that saw the Hockeyroos edge the visitors for a narrow 2-1 victory at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth.India struck first in the opening quarter, with Navneet Kaur converting a penalty corner to give her side an early lead. The Indian defence remained resolute for much of the first half, successfully maintaining its advantage through the second…

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) Teenager Parth Rakesh Mane finished seventh in the 10m air rifle men’s final at the hallowed Olympic Shooting range in Munich, as India took many positives at the end of the competition on the first day of the year’s second International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol leg.The youngster from Maharashtra had earlier shattered the junior national record with an effort of 633.6 in qualification, which gave him third spot in the classy 149-strong …

Glasgow, May 26 (IANS) Lawrence Shankland has completed a move to Rangers F.C. from Scottish Premiership rivals Heart of Midlothian F.C., signing a two-year contract with the option of an additional year. The Scotland international will officially join Rangers when the transfer window opens on June 15 and becomes the club’s first signing of the summer.Shankland spent the last four seasons with Hearts, where he established himself as one of the most consistent forwards in Scottish football. The…

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) The Indian men’s football team will play two international friendly matches against Tajikistan during the June FIFA International Match Window, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced on Tuesday.The matches will be played on June 5 and June 9 at the Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, Tajikistan, with both games scheduled to kick off at 8:30 PM IST.The Indian football team, currently participating in the Unity Cup 2026 in London, will travel to Tajikistan after …

Dharamshala, May 26 (IANS) Gujarat Titans (GT) pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada expressed confidence in his form and rhythm ahead of Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, saying the ball has been “coming out great” as he prepares for the final phase of IPL 2026.Speaking before the high-pressure clash, Rabada said he is happy with the way he has bowled so far in the tournament and hopes to carry that momentum into the playoffs.“The ball’s coming out great. I think that’s pretty evide…

Singapore, May 26 (IANS) Indian seniors PV Sindhu and the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty started their Singapore Open campaign on a positive note, advancing to the next round after defeating their respective opponents at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore on Tuesday.Sindhu, the two-time Olympic medallist, overcame Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani 21-17, 21-18 in women’s singles, while Satwik-Chirag defeated Chen Zhi Yi and Presley Smith 26-28, 21-15,…

Seoul, May 26 (IANS) South Korea captain Son Heung-min has admitted that the FIFA World Cup 2026 could be the final World Cup appearance of his career as he hopes to lead his country on another memorable journey at football’s biggest stage. The 33-year-old forward, who is preparing for his fourth World Cup, said he wants to recreate the spirit and success of South Korea’s iconic 2002 team, which reached the semi-finals on home soil.“This could be my last World Cup. I’m hoping for a wonde…

Mumbai, May 26 (IANS) Indian Grandmaster (GM) and double Olympiad gold medallist, Vidit Gujrathi, and Dutch GM Benjamin Bok have qualified for the India Rising: Road to EWC Chess LAN Finals in Mumbai following an intense closed playoff stage featuring some of the biggest names in competitive chess.The Mumbai LAN Finals will decide the player advancing to the final stage of the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris.The playoffs, held on Chess.com and streamed live on JioBLAST and Chess.com channels, fe…

Colombo, May 26 (IANS) Just three days after announcing his retirement from international cricket, former India all-rounder Vijay Shankar has been unveiled as one of the marquee signings for the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), scheduled to be held from July 17 to August 8 across Sri Lanka.The Tamil Nadu cricketer will represent Kandy Royals in LPL 2026 and joins a star-studded lineup that includes England all-rounder Moeen Ali and Bangladesh veteran Shakib Al Hasan among the top…