India’s shooting star Manu Bhaker continued her strong run on the international stage by clinching the silver medal in the women’s 25m pistol event at the Asian Shooting Championships. Bhaker narrowly missed out on gold after losing a closely contested shoot-off against Vietnam’s Nguyen in the final. Despite the tough finish, Bhaker’s performance marked a confident return to the podium, reaffirming her status as one of India’s most dependable shooters in pistol events. The final witnessed intense competition, with fine margins separating the medalists. Adding to India’s success, Esha Singh delivered a composed performance to secure the bronze medal in the same event. Her podium finish further strengthened India’s medal haul at the championships and highlighted the depth of talent in the country’s shooting contingent. The results underline India’s growing consistency in shooting at the Asian level, with athletes continuing to deliver strong performances across categories.
Riding on a commanding batting performance by Priya Punia, Shweta Sehrawat, and Pragya Rawat, Delhi began their Senior Women’s One-Day Cricket Tournament campaign on a winning note, registering a 49-run victory over Goa at the JSCA Oval Ground in Ranchi.
After winning the toss, Delhi opted to bat first and posted an imposing 283 for 3 in 50 overs. Openers Pragya Rawat and Priya Punia laid a strong foundation with a superb 152-run opening partnership. Punia played a composed yet authoritative innings, bringing up her century off 110 deliveries with 10 boundaries, while Rawat supported her well with a fluent 70.
Following Rawat’s dismissal, Shweta Sehrawat accelerated the innings with an aggressive knock, remaining unbeaten on 76 off just 66 balls, which included seven fours and three sixes. Tanisha Singh chipped in with a quick 27, while Nazma stayed not out on 3 as Delhi finished strongly. For Goa, Poorva Bhaidkar, Harshita Yadav, and Tejashwini Duragad picked up one wicket each.
Chasing a stiff target, Goa responded with intent but lost wickets at regular intervals. Opener Purvaja Verlekar stood out with a fighting 86 off 81 balls, striking 12 fours and three sixes. Shreya Parab contributed 36, while Tanisha Gaikwad added 28, but the rest of the batting line-up failed to convert their starts. Goa were eventually bowled out for 234 in 44 overs.
Delhi’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, with Ayushi Soni and Priya Mishra claiming two wickets each, while Bharti Rawal bowled economically and also picked up two crucial wickets to seal a comfortable victory for Delhi.
Brief Scores: Delhi Women 283/3 in 50 overs (Pragya Rawat 70, Priya Punia 102, Shweta Sehrawat* 76, Tanisha Singh 27, Nazma* 3; Poorva Bhaidkar 1/37, Harshita Yadav 1/36, Tejashwini Duragad 1/59) Goa Women 234 all out in 44 overs (Purvaja Verlekar 86, Shreya Parab 36, Tanisha Gaikwad 28; Ayushi Soni 2/28, Priya Mishra 2/48, Bharti Rawal 2/24)
India Legends capped off a dominant campaign by lifting the Asian Legend Cup 2026 after registering a convincing five-wicket victory over Bangladesh Legends in the final at the BCA Ground in Thailand.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Bangladesh Legends struggled to gain momentum against disciplined Indian bowling and were restricted to 123 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. Najmuj Sadat top-scored with a measured 22, while Sadiqur Rahman chipped in with 21. Intyiaj Hossain’s brief knock of 21 showed promise, but regular wickets prevented Bangladesh from building any substantial partnerships.
India’s bowlers kept things tight from the outset. Kapil Rana and Kalim Khan were the standout performers, claiming two wickets each to dent Bangladesh’s top and middle order. Amardeep Sonkar impressed with an economical spell, conceding just six runs in three overs and picking up a wicket, while Goa’s Madar Basappa also chipped in with a crucial breakthrough. Sharp fielding further aided India’s cause, resulting in two run-outs.
Chasing a modest target of 124, India Legends endured an early wobble as Bhanu Seth, Narendra Meena and Kalim Khan departed cheaply. Former Bangladeshi international star Alok Kapali produced a spirited spell for Bangladesh, picking up four wickets and briefly tilting the contest in his side’s favour.
However, Deepak anchored the chase with a calm yet authoritative innings. Displaying excellent game awareness, he rotated the strike efficiently and punished loose deliveries, finishing unbeaten on 74. Skipper Jatin Saxena provided valuable support with an unflustered 21 not out, as the duo stitched together a decisive unbeaten partnership to steer India home in 18.4 overs.
Despite Bangladesh’s efforts with the ball, including Kapali’s four-wicket haul, the lack of runs on the board ultimately proved costly. India crossed the line comfortably, sparking celebrations in the camp and sealing the Asian Legend Cup 2026 title in style.
The Gadre Gaspar Dias Open 2026 continued to deliver high-quality tennis and edge-of-the-seat encounters as the tournament moved into its decisive stages in Panaji. Men’s Singles saw Praneeth produce a composed and resilient performance to overcome Eshaan in a closely contested three-set semifinal, clinching the match 7-5, 5-7, 11-9 to book his place in the final. In the other semifinal, Parth Deorurkhkar showcased grit and tactical awareness, bouncing back after dropping the second set to defeat Ashwin 6-2, 2-6, 10-5.
The men’s doubles competition witnessed Parth Deorurkhkar and Arnav Bansode maintaining their impressive run, defeating Maaz and Arnav H. 7-6(4), 6-2 to progress into the final. They will face Ashwin and Prathamesh, who edged past Paul and Nilesh 6-3, 7-5 in a competitive semifinal.
In the women’s singles semifinals, Unnathi staged a strong comeback after losing the opening set to defeat Sonicka 1-6, 6-4, 10-7. She will meet Nidi S, a first-time contestant, who caused a major upset by defeating defending champion Trisha Vinod in the other semifinal, setting up an exciting final clash.
Junior categories produced emphatic performances, with Gargi delivering a dominant display to claim the Girls Under-12 title, defeating Urvi 4-0, 4-0. In the Boys Under-12 segment, Divyaraj advanced to the final with a straight-sets win over Ethan. The Under-16 categories also saw decisive outcomes, as Kyan and Arav progressed to the boys’ final, while Tvisha advanced in the girls’ segment following Kimberly’s retirement due to injury.
Doubles events added further excitement, with Sonicka and Nidi reaching the ladies’ doubles final after a hard-fought win over Riya and Unnathi, while Trisha and Anupama sealed their place with a commanding victory over Tvisha and Bhavya. Mixed doubles semifinals saw contrasting contests, including a tight win for Anupama and Eshaan and a dominant performance by Trisha and Maaz.
Jointly organised by Clube Tennis de Gaspar Dias and the Gadre Group in association with the Goa State Tennis Association, the tournament has drawn a record 555 entries across Masters and Open segments, underlining its growing stature on the Indian tennis calendar and setting the stage for an exciting finals day.
Gurugram Thunders registered their first win of the World Legends Pro T20 League with a composed three-ball victory over Maharashtra Tycoons in the sixth match of the tournament, played in Goa on January 29.
Chasing a challenging target of 200, the Thunders were anchored by Chirag Gandhi, who produced a calm and decisive unbeaten knock of 74 off 43 deliveries. His innings ensured Gurugram stayed in control during the crucial middle and death overs, eventually sealing the chase at 200 for 5 in 19.3 overs.
Earlier, Maharashtra Tycoons had a shaky start after opting to bat first, losing early wickets in the powerplay. Sreesanth struck in his opening over by dismissing Alastair Cook, setting the tone for Gurugram’s early dominance. Despite regular setbacks, Shaun Marsh and Asghar Afghan steadied the innings with a rebuilding partnership, though Maharashtra slipped to 90 for 5.
The innings was revived by Sarul Kanwar, who played a commanding knock of 83 off just 36 balls. His aggressive strokeplay through the middle overs lifted Maharashtra to a competitive 199 for 7, giving their bowlers something to defend under lights.
In reply, Gurugram Thunders got off to a solid start with Cheteshwar Pujara and Jermaine Blackwood adding 53 runs for the opening wicket. As the required run rate climbed, Chirag Gandhi took charge, rotating the strike efficiently and finding boundaries when needed. He received timely support from Thisara Perera, and together they ensured Gurugram crossed the line with three balls to spare.
Speaking after the match, Mauvin Godinho, Minister for Industries, Transport and Panchayat, Government of Goa, highlighted the importance of cricket in uniting the country and praised the development of infrastructure like the 1919 ground, noting its potential to nurture future cricketing talent.
Earlier in the day, Rajasthan Lions defeated Dubai Royals by 16 runs in the other fixture. After recovering from early setbacks, Rajasthan posted 170 for 9, led by Naman Ojha’s fluent 66. Despite a hat-trick from Piyush Chawla, Rajasthan’s bowlers held firm, bowling Dubai Royals out for 154 in 19.1 overs.
