Ashok Dinda to spearhead CAB programme for development of youth cricketers
The Cricket Association of Bengal’s (CAB) Vision 2028 project for under-16 and under-19 cricketers commenced at the indoor arena of the Eden Gardens here on Wednesday, coinciding with former India captain and CAB president Sourav Ganguly’s birthday.
International pacer Ashoke Dinda, the head coach of the project, spin bowling coach Utpal Chatterjee, and Bengal under-16 coach Anustup Majumdar are among the leading coaches working to nurture talented youngsters.
-YB Sarangi
Pondy Premier League: Prameeshwaran leads Royals to win
S Parameeshwaran blasted a 25-ball 66 (6x4, 5x6) to help Genid Yanam Royals beat Ruby White Town Legends by six wickets in the Shriram Capital-Pondicherry Premier League at the CAP-Siechem Stadium here on Wednesday.
Parameeshwaran put on 78 with S Tarun (18 not out) for the fourth wicket as Yanam chased down a target of 157 with 4.4 overs to spare to kickstart the 2026 season with a big victory.
S. Pramaeeshwaran | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Skipper Sagar Trivedi smashed a 31-ball 68 not out to lift Ossudu Accord Warriors’ to a five-wicket win over Karaikal Knights in the Shriram Capital-Pondicherry Premier League at the CAP-Siechem Stadium here on Wednesday.
Left-handed Trivedi struck three fours and seven sixes and put on 94 for the unbroken sixth wicket with Nitin Pranaav (32) to enable Ossudu recover from 64/5 for a winning start to the season after restricting Karaikal, put in to bat first, to 155/6.
-Team Sportstar
Telangana to host Khelo India Youth Games
Telangana will host the 2026 edition of Khelo India Youth Games, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Wednesday.
The KIYG is likely to take place in November. Bihar had hosted the previous edition in May last year.
“In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to spread major national events in all regions of the country, it is appropriate that Telangana should get the opportunity to host the prestigious Khelo India Youth Games.
“The state has the infrastructure and the enthusiasm to host these Games where at least 8000 athletes, officials and support staff are expected to participate,” said Mandaviya.
The Bihar edition saw athletes taking part in 28 sports. Twenty-six records were created in KIYG 2025, of which 13 were national youth records, all in weightlifting. The rest were meet records and all in athletics.
-PTI
World Padel League in Mumbai from August 12
The World Padel League (WPL) will be held in Mumbai next month, with six franchise teams featuring several big foreign names expected to be part of their line-ups.
Season 4, to be held at the SVP Stadium from August 12 to 16, will feature more than 36 players representing five countries, including Spain, Argentina and Brazil.
The franchises include Vedanta Leopards (owned by the Vedanta Group), Khan Tigers (Sohail Khan Entertainment), Panorama Panthers (Panorama Studios), Aussie Mavericks Jaguars (Amit Sahni, Kewal Kalra and Pankaj Singha), Game Changers Lions (Game Changers FZCO) and VB Realty Cheetahs (Vashu Bhagnani).
Former India tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi, co-founder of the World Padel League, said he was happy to see the growth of the sport in the country.
“Every season of the World Padel League has reinforced padel’s growing momentum in India. India is fast becoming one of padel’s most exciting growth stories globally,” said Bhupathi.
The complete player roster, fixtures and tournament schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.
-PTI
Archery World Cup stage 4, Madrid: India women’s team assured of a medal, reaches final
The Indian compound women’s team ensured a medal by reaching the final at the Archery World Cup Stage-4 in Madrid on Wednesday.
India – comprising Prithika Pradeep, Chikitha Taniparthi, V. Jyothi Surekha – defeated Korea – consisting of Kang, Park and Park – 231-228 in the semifinals to set up a title clash with Colombia.
The Indian men’s team lost to Germany by a point in the bronze medal match.
In an unprecedented occurrence, Sahil Jadhav and Prithika Pradeep finished as top Indian archers in men’s and women’s sections respectively as the qualification round ended prematurely at the half-way stage due to thunderstorms on Tuesday.
-Team Sportstar
Top junior talent assembles for DGC golf event
Some of India’s most promising young golfers, including Rakshit Dahiya, Yogya Bhalla and Ranveer Mitroo, teed off at the DGC Junior/Sub-Junior Golf Tournament here on Wednesday.
As many as 162 golfers, aged between 7 and 21 years, are participating in the three-day tournament, featuring 18 holes per day, presented by Usha at the Delhi Golf Club.
The organisers have waived the entry fee for more than 30 underprivileged players while also providing additional support, including coaching, on-course practice and caddies.
Komal Mehra, head - sports initiatives, Usha International, said, “This tournament has grown into much more than a competition -- it’s a celebration of inclusivity, opportunity, and the joy of golf.”
-PTI
Amateur Alysha holds one-shot lead in WPGT event
Amateur Alysha Dutt grabbed a one-shot lead in a star-studded field in the ninth leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour, carding a 5-under 67, including a stunning eagle, here on Wednesday.
Besides the eagle on the par-4 ninth hole, she had four birdies and just one bogey, on the par-5 third hole.
She was one shot clear of former Women’s Indian Open runner-up Amandeep Drall (68) and two shots ahead of four others -- Eti Chaudhary, Durga Nittur, Ananya Garg and Jahaanvie Walia -- who shot 3-under 69 each.
Six others, led by experienced Vani Kapoor, along with amateurs Diya C. Patil and Ananyaa Sood, besides Shweta Mansingh, Jahanvi Prakhya and Anvvi Dahhiya, were tied for seventh place at 2-under 70.
In one of the lowest-scoring rounds on the Tour, 16 players shot under par and another four finished at par.
The pick of the day was Alysha, who birdied the second, dropped a shot on the third, birdied the seventh and eagled the ninth to make the turn at 3-under 35. She birdied the 12th and 13th before parring the remaining holes.
Amandeep had four birdies in a bogey-free round. A total of 58 players are competing in the Rs. 17 lakh event.
-PTI
Indian boxers assured of 9 medals in U-23 women’s category at Asian U-19 & U-23 C’ships
India’s U-23 women boxers delivered a commanding performance at the Asian U-19 and U-23 Boxing Championships, with nine pugilists advancing to the semifinals to assure medals after strong showing here on Wednesday.
Tanu (51kg) registered a dominant 5:0 decision win over Thailand’s Kewalin Norasing, while Nisha (54kg) secured an equally convincing 5:0 victory against Kazakhstan’s Aliaksar Symbat in the quarterfinals.
In the 48kg bout, Nidhi fought hard but went down to Kazakhstan’s Gulnaz Buribayeva via 3:2 split decision.
Prachi (57kg) sealed a commanding win over Korea’s Yejin Oh via RSC in the first round.
Nikita Chand (60kg) followed it up with a clinical victory against Chinese Taipei’s Chen-Xuan Ye via RSC in the third round, while Kajal (65kg) edged past Japan’s Arinda Akimoto in a closely contested 4:1 split decision.
India have now assured a total of nine medals in the U-23 women’s competition, with all semifinalists guaranteed podium finishes. The boxers progressing to the semifinals include Tanu (51kg), Nisha (54kg), Prachi (57kg), Nikita Chand (60kg), Kajal (65kg), Shivani (70kg), Muskan (75kg), Naina (80kg), and Priyanka (+80kg).
-PTI
Abhijeet wins Pune International Round Robin Chess Tournament
Top seed Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta of India emerged champion with 7.5 points at the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament here on Wednesday.
International Master Aswath S finished runner-up with seven points and, in the process, achieved his third and final Grandmaster norm to become India’s 98th Grandmaster.
Grandmaster Kushagra Mohan secured the third place with 6.5 points, while Pune’s FIDE Master Advik Agarwal earned his second International Master norm after finishing with five points.
- PTI
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Published on Jul 08, 2026