Iran national football team (Reuters Photo) FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East, stressing that football must remain separate from politics. Speaking at a CNBC-hosted economic conference on Wednesday, Infantino said, “Iran is coming for sure. We hope…
Vaishali Rameshbabu (Photo: FIDE) There will be twin Indian representation at the highest boards of chess this time. On Wednesday, R Vaishali, lowest-ranked seed in the women’s Candidates tournament in Cyprus, earned the right to challenge China’s Ju Wenjun for the world title later this year. The 24-year-old, with Praggnanandhaa, the other half of Chennai’s…
MI vs PBKS match at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Mumbai Indians (MI) will host Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 24 of IPL 2026 on April 16, 2026, at the Wankhede Stadium. The two teams enter this contest on completely different trajectories. Punjab Kings remain the only unbeaten team in the tournament, currently sitting in third place…
A chaotic moment on a free-hit delivery in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) became the talking point even as Peshawar Zalmi registered an eight-wicket win over Quetta Gladiators on Wednesday.Abrar Ahmed was on strike for the free hit after Ali Raza bowled the waist-high no-ball. What followed was a mix-up in the middle. Abrar guided…
Virat Kohli guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) chase with a steady knock as they beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by five wickets in their IPL match on Wednesday.Chasing 147, Kohli got RCB off to a strong start and scored 49 off 34 balls, hitting six fours and one six. He looked set for his 66th…
Vaishali vs Zhu Jiner (Photo by Niki Riga/FIDE) NEW DELHI: R Vaishali not only created history by winning the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament with 8.5/14 points but also walked away with a significant financial reward for her impressive performance. By finishing first, Vaishali is guaranteed a winner’s prize of €28,000, marking one of the biggest…
RCB and LSG players after the match in Bengaluru. (Pic credit: IPL) NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru surged to the top of the Indian Premier League 2026 points table after a commanding five-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday. It was the defending champions’ fourth win in…
R Vaishali (Photo by Michal Walusza) NEW DELHI: History was created on the Mediterranean shores as Vaishali Rameshbabu clinched the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament on Wednesday, earning the right to challenge China’s reigning champion Ju Wenjun for the Women’s World Chess Championship crown later this year.Going into the final round, Vaishali’s fate wasn’t entirely in…
Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: The badminton world was left stunned on Wednesday as Denmark’s two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen announced his retirement at the age of 32, citing persistent back problems that have made it impossible to “compete and train at the highest level.” The decision brings down the curtain on one…
Rishabh Pant in pain (BCCI Photo) NEW DELHI: It was a worrying moment for Rishabh Pant and Lucknow Super Giants early in their IPL clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Wednesday, as the skipper was forced to walk off the field after a painful blow to his elbow.Pant had just come in to bat and…