Football: India's U-17 Women Create History
The Indian national football team's U-17 women's squad has made history by securing a maiden qualification for the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup. In a thrilling encounter, the Young Tigresses staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Uzbekistan 2-1 on Friday. After falling behind in the 38th minute, a crucial substitution by head coach Joakim Alexandersson saw Thandamoni Baskey equalize in the 55th minute and then set up Anushka Kumari for the winner in the 66th minute. This victory placed India at the top of Group G with six points, marking their first continental qualification at this age group in 21 years.
Cricket: Kiran Navgire Blazes to Fastest T20 Century
In a sensational display of power-hitting, India's Kiran Navgire shattered the record for the fastest century in women's T20 cricket. Playing in India's Women's T20 Trophy on Friday, Navgire reached her hundred in just 34 balls, leading Maharashtra to a nine-wicket victory over Punjab. Her blistering innings of 106 runs off 35 balls included seven sixes and 14 fours, giving her an astounding strike rate of 302.86. This achievement surpasses Sophie Devine's previous record of a 36-ball century set four years ago.
Badminton: Denmark Open Success and Junior World Medal Assured
Indian badminton saw mixed fortunes at the Denmark Open. The star men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued their impressive run, advancing to the semi-finals with a hard-fought win over Indonesia's Rian Ardianto and Rahmat Hidayat. However, shuttler Lakshya Sen's campaign ended in the quarter-finals after a loss to Alex Lanier.
Meanwhile, at the BWF World Junior Championships, young Indian talent Tanvi Sharma assured India of a medal by reaching the women's singles semi-finals. Her victory in the quarter-finals against Japan's Saki Matsumoto ended a 17-year wait for a women's singles medal for India at this prestigious event.
Hockey: India Enters Sultan of Johor Cup Final
The Indian men's hockey team secured its spot in the final of the Sultan of Johor Cup. India defeated hosts Malaysia with a 2-1 scoreline in their final pool-stage match, showcasing strong attacking play from the outset.
Cricket: Australia vs India ODI Series Begins Amidst Speculation
The much-anticipated white-ball tour of Australia by India commenced with the first ODI. The series has drawn significant attention, particularly regarding the future of seasoned campaigners Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the ODI format. Adding to the series' dynamics, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green was ruled out due to a "low grade side soreness" and was replaced by Marnus Labuschagne in the squad.