Sports

Hockey is set to be axed from the 2026 Commonwealth Games as the host city of Glasgow looks to cut costs, several media reports stated but both the International Hockey Federation editions (FIH) and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) remained tight-lipped on the matter.

Hockey has featured in each CWG since making its debut in 1998, but according to reports, the Glasgow Games organisers want to drop it from the schedule along with net ball and road racing to ensure a trimmed programme that would be easy on the budget. Two other major sports — shooting and wrestling — in which India has had medal hauls in the past are also set to be dropped from the 2026 Glasgow CWG roster, which will deal a big blow to the country's hopes.

Hockey's exclusion from the Games would be a major blow for India as their men's team is a three-time silver-winner and two-time bronze-medallist in the sport. The women have won three medals, including a gold in the 2000 edition. Since athletics and swimming have been already approved, the Glasgow organisers will pick eight of the remaining core sports to make the number of sports up to 10.

The remaining core sports are: road cycling, artistic gymnastics, lawn bowls, table tennis, triathlon, freestyle wrestling, badminton, boxing, judo, netball, rugby sevens, squash and weightlifting.

Out of these, organisers have confirmed that there would be no road cycling event as there will be no road-based events. Triathlon (consisting of swimming, cycling and running) is also expected to be dropped.

India suffered a rare defeat at home on Sunday when they went down against New Zealand by eight wickets in the first Test. It was New Zealand's first Test win in India in 36 years.

India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has said there will always be ups and downs in the game but what is important is to "rise stronger every time" after a setback.

"This game will test your limits, knock you down, lift you up and throw you back again. But those who love it rise stronger every time," wrote Pant on X. The southpaw scored a blazing 99 off 105 balls in India's second innings score of 462.

He applauded the Bengaluru crowd for their support and vowed to come back stronger in the second Test in Pune beginning October 24.

"Thanks to the amazing Bengaluru crowd for the love, support and cheers. We will be back stronger," he wrote.

World No. 1 Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen will be the star attraction at the sixth edition of Tata Steel Chess India to be held in Kolkata from November 13 to 17.

It will be Carlsen's second appearance in the tournament. He had earlier participated in 2019 and had clinched the title.

Like previous editions, the tournament will have the 'Open' and women's categories with same the format - rapid and blitz - and will have equal prize money for both sections. A strong Indian contingent, following its golden performance at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest recently, will see the likes of Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi among others competing in the prestigious event.

Nihal Sarin and S L Narayanan are the other Indian players who will be in action in the 'Open' category.

India will be represented by Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali, D. Harika, Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal in the women's category.

With his fitness becoming a topic of swirling speculation, seasoned India pacer Mohammed Shami said on Monday that he is completely pain-free and is still not out of the reckoning for the marquee Test tour of Australia starting next month.

Shami bowled full tilt in the nets after India's opening Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru on Sunday. 

This was a few days after skipper Rohit Sharma revealed that he had swelling in his knees that has affected his rehabilitation from an ankle injury sustained last year. "I am very happy with how I bowled yesterday. I was bowling from half run-up before that because I didn't want to take too much load. But yesterday, I decided to go full tilt, and I bowled at a 100%," the 34-year-old told reporters on the sidelines of an event where he spoke about his cricketing journey.

"The result was good. I am 100% pain-free. Everyone has been wondering for a long time about whether I will make it for the Australia series but it is still some time away," he said referring to the five-match contest that begins November 22 in Perth.

Rohit had said that he was not in favour of taking an "undercooked" Shami for the crucial series.

India's premier recurve archer Deepika Kumari won her fifth silver medal at the World Cup Final after losing the summit clash 0-6 to China's Li Jiaman, in Tlaxcala, Mexico.

Returning to the World Cup Final after three years following the birth of her daughter in December 2022, four-time Olympian Deepika was seeded third in the eight-archer field. It was Deepika's ninth appearance at the World Cup Final where she has also bagged a bronze. Dola Banerjee is the only Indian archer to have won a gold in the World Cup Final, having topped the podium in Dubai in 2007.

In the men's recurve section, Dhiraj Bommadevara, despite leading 4-2, could not hold off the challenge from South Korea’s Paris Olympics bronze medallist, Lee Woo Seok in the opening round and made an early exit. The pressure once again seemed to affect the Indian archers, who have often struggled in high-stakes matches.

The five-member Indian contingent, comprising three compound and two recurve archers, thus concluded their season-ending World Cup Final campaign with just one medal.

New Zealand produced a clinical performance in a high-stakes final to beat South Africa by 32 runs and win their maiden Women's T20 World Cup title in Dubai on Sunday.

It turned out to be a historic Sunday for New Zealand cricket as the White Ferns got their hands on the ICC trophy hours after the men recorded their first Test win in India after 36 years. South Africa, playing their second successive final, sent New Zealand in to bat and the Sophie Devine-led side thrived under pressure to post an above par 158 for five at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Brief scores: New Zealand 158/5 in 20 overs (Amelia Kerr 43, Brooke Halliday 38; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2/31). South Africa 126/9 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 33, Amelia Kerr 3/24).