Badminton: Historic Wins and Upcoming International Tournament
India has recorded its best-ever performance at the Badminton Asia U17 and U15 Championships, concluding the event with an impressive tally of two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. Shaina Manimuthu clinched the gold medal in the U15 girls' singles category, overcoming Japan's Chiharu Tomita with a score of 21-14, 22-20. In the U17 girls' singles final, Diksha Sudhakar secured another gold, defeating compatriot Lakshya Rajesh 21-16, 21-9, becoming the first Indian singles player to win a U17 title at the Junior Asian Championships.
Adding to the badminton excitement, Mangaluru is poised to host the inaugural India International Badminton Tournament 2025 from October 27 to November 2. This event, featuring over 450 players, is expected to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and marks a significant step for Mangaluru as a global sports hub. Meanwhile, at the UP State Senior Badminton Championship, Lucknow's Siddharth Mishra and UP Badminton Academy's Amolika Singh claimed the men's and women's singles titles, respectively.
Cricket: Gavaskar Backs Kohli and Rohit for 2027 World Cup, Women's Team Faces Injury Setback
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has strongly advocated for the inclusion of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in India's squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. His comments came after their stellar performances in the recent three-match series against Australia, where they formed a pivotal 168-run partnership in the third ODI. Rohit Sharma scored an unbeaten 121, while Kohli contributed an unbeaten 74, prompting Gavaskar to suggest their names should be "straight in" for the World Cup if they remain fit and available.
In women's cricket, India faced a significant setback as star opener Pratika Rawal suffered an ankle injury ahead of the Women's World Cup semi-finals. The team's final league match against Bangladesh was also abandoned due to incessant rain in Navi Mumbai.
Football: Blue Tigresses to Clash with Nepal, Super Cup Action Continues
The Indian senior women's football team, known as the Blue Tigresses, is set to compete against Nepal in the final fixture of the Tri-Nation Women's International Friendlies. The match will take place today, October 27, 2025, at 18:00 IST at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong and will be streamed live on plus.fifa.com.
In club football, Matchday 3 of the AIFF Super Cup 2025-26 will see two exciting encounters. Punjab FC will face old rivals Gokulam Kerala FC, while newcomers Sporting Club Delhi are scheduled to play their first-ever game against Mumbai City FC.
Other Sporting Highlights
Beyond badminton, cricket, and football, Indian athletes have achieved success in other disciplines. Lifter Priteesmita Bhoi made headlines by breaking a world record and securing a gold medal at the Youth Asian Games. India also topped the medal tally at the South Asian Athletics Championships. Furthermore, India emerged victorious in the KogniVera International Polo Cup, defeating Argentina 10-9. At the 9th World Tai Chi Championship in Taipei, India garnered three gold, two silver, and one bronze medal.