Tuesday, April 28
Delhi Capitals cruised into their fourth straight WPL final with a dominant seven-wicket win over Gujarat Giants. After restricting Gujarat to 168/7, led by Chinelle Henry’s 3/35, DC chased the target in 15.4 overs. Shafali Verma and Lizelle Lee starred up top before Jemimah Rodrigues sealed a final clash with RCB.
In Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel, India arguably have the best quartet of bowlers at the T20 World Cup. Not to forget, Kuldeep Yadav might have to wait for his chances and the vastly improved Shivam Dube is no pushover. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team looks dangerous not just on paper but has also walked the talk on the field.
India's 1977/78 tour of Australia saw a remarkable turnaround. After losing the first two Tests, India secured their maiden wins Down Under, including a stunning series-levelling victory. The decider in Adelaide was a nail-biter, with India pushing Australia to the brink before ultimately losing the series 3-2.
Former Australia captain Steve Smith has signed with PSL newcomers Sialkot Stallionz for the 2026 season, marking his first appearance in the league. Signed directly under league rules, Smith is expected to play a key leadership role. Despite going unsold in the IPL, he remains a top T20 performer after impressing in the Big Bash League.
Yuki Bhambri climbed to a career-high world No. 20 in the ATP doubles rankings, becoming the first Indian since Rohan Bopanna to enter the Top 20. The rise follows strong performances, including a solid Australian Open run, a US Open semifinal in 2025, and his maiden ATP 500 title in Dubai.
Former Mumbai allrounder Shubham Ranjane, now representing USA, is reliving nostalgic moments after returning to Mumbai for the T20 World Cup. Excited to play at Wankhede, meet close friend Suryakumar Yadav, and face India, Ranjane calls it a proud, emotional homecoming as family cheers him on.
The Athletics Federation of India has set extremely high qualification standards for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with athletes in 17 events required to match or break national records. With a reduced squad size, even record holders face challenges. The Federation Cup will be the final trials, though selectors retain discretion to pick medal prospects.
Reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju has been confirmed as the fourth participant for Norway Chess 2026, joining fellow Indian R Praggnanandhaa. The youngest world champion in history, Gukesh returns after a strong 2025 showing and a memorable win over Magnus Carlsen, highlighting India’s growing dominance in world chess.
Australia’s 3-0 T20 series loss to Pakistan sparked controversy after replays showed Cooper Connolly was wrongly stumped in the third match. Wicketkeeper Khawaja Nafay broke the stumps with the glove not holding the ball, breaching ICC rules. The error went unchecked, angering fans and raising concerns over umpiring and sportsmanship despite Pakistan’s dominant win.
Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, expressed disappointment over Pakistan's decision to withdraw from the T20 World Cup match against India, underscoring the troubling overlap of sports and politics. He pointed out that the hype surrounding India-Pakistan games often leads to unnecessary disputes.
