Sports Archives - National Times

07 Oct

Virat Kohli’s Spokesperson Denies Rs 5 Crore Claim Linked to Premanand Maharaj Visit

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsEntertainment, India, Sports, TrendingVirat Kohli

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): A claim that Virat Kohli was paid Rs 5 crore to visit spiritual leader Premanand Maharaj’s ashram in Vrindavan has sparked a social media storm, prompting a strong rebuttal from the cricketer’s spokesperson. The allegation, which circulated widely online, has been dismissed as entirely untrue. Kohli’s spokesperson described the claim as “completely false, baseless and factually incorrect” and said the cricketer’s visits to Premanand Maharaj have been motivated by personal faith and respect. The controversy began after Dinesh Sharma, also known as Falahari Maharaj and associated with the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sangharsh Nyas, reportedly raised the…

07 Oct

Smriti Mandhana Appointed India Women’s All-Format Captain as Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsSportsHarmanpreet Kaur, India captain, Smriti Mandhana, Women’s Cricket

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Board of Control for Cricket in India has officially appointed star opening batter Smriti Mandhana as the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all three formats, marking the dawn of a new leadership era. The announcement followed the decision of veteran skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to relinquish the captaincy across formats, concluding one of the most decorated tenures in the nation’s sporting history. Harmanpreet, who took over T20I leadership in 2016 and subsequently assumed all-format command, confirmed her departure from the post while reiterating her intention to continue representing India purely as a player.…

03 Oct

Asian Games: India Seals Fourth Spot with 85 Medals as Historic Golds in Archery and Golf Complement Cricket and Hockey Triumphs

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSportsAsian Games, Harmanpreet Singh, Indian hockey, Indian sports, Kumkum Mohod, Pranavi Urs

Nagoya (Rajeev Sharma): A late surge of championship performances powered India to a fourth place standing at the Asian Games on Saturday, capped by breakthrough individual triumphs in archery and golf alongside title defences in team events. The contingent concluded the primary slate of competition with an overall haul of 85 medals, comprising 21 gold, 27 silver, and 37 bronze. While the collective count fell short of the 106-medal milestone achieved in the previous edition, an extraordinary run across the final 48 hours produced 11 gold medals to cement India's spot near the top of the table. Teenage recurve archer…

03 Oct

India Defeat Pakistan by 19 Runs to Retain Asian Games Cricket Gold

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSports, TrendingAsian Games

Nisshin (Rajeev Sharma): India held their nerve in a tense Asian Games final to defeat Pakistan by 19 runs and successfully retain the men’s cricket gold medal on Saturday at Korogi Sports Park. After winning the toss, India captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bat first on a challenging surface. The decision paid off as India posted 211 runs, setting Pakistan a demanding target on a pitch that became increasingly difficult to bat on. Abhishek Sharma provided India with an explosive start, taking the attack to the Pakistani bowlers during the Powerplay. Despite the early dismissals of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju…

03 Oct

Pranavi Urs Makes Asian Games History With India’s First Women’s Golf Gold

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSports, TrendingPranavi Urs

Aichi-Nagoya (Rajeev Sharma): Pranavi Urs produced a remarkable comeback under pressure to create history at the 2026 Asian Games, becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual golf gold medal at the continental event. The 23-year-old golfer entered the final round with a three-shot advantage at Kasugai Country Club’s East Course but found herself in trouble early after a triple bogey on the third hole. Instead of allowing the setback to derail her challenge, Urs steadied her game and fought her way back into contention. A birdie on the sixth hole helped settle her round, and she remained composed…

01 Oct

ICC Unveils 2027 Cricket World Cup Schedule With India Opening Against Australia Ahead Of High-Voltage Pakistan Clash

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsSportsAustralia, Cricket, Fixtures, ICC, India, Pakistan, Schedule, South Africa, Super 7, World Cup

Dubai (Gurpreet Singh): International Cricket Council has officially announced the complete match schedule for the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, setting up a blockbusting start for two-time champions India as they open their campaign against reigning titleholders Australia before squaring off against arch-rivals Pakistan. Co-hosted across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, the premier 50-over showcase will feature 14 competing nations playing 57 matches across 12 venues between October 2 and November 21, 2027. The tournament begins on October 2 with an opening three-team Super Series staged at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek. The primary group stage commences five days…

28 Sep

Weather washout sends India into Asian Games cricket semifinals

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSports, TrendingAsian Games

NAGOYA (Rajeev Sharma): India's men's cricket team booked its place in the semifinals of the 2026 Asian Games without delivering a ball after persistent rain forced the abandonment of its quarterfinal against Afghanistan on Monday. The defending champions benefited from their position at the top of the ICC T20I rankings. With Afghanistan ranked 10th, the tournament rules handed the semifinal berth to India after the weather made it impossible to stage the knockout match. Rain has been a constant feature in Nagoya over the past several days, and conditions remained unsuitable for cricket on Monday. With the forecast offering little…

26 Sep

Haryana Athletes to Receive Grand Welcome and Felicitation on Return from Asian Games

Balwinder Singh0 CommentsHaryana, Sports, TrendingAsian Games, Haryana

Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): Amid the impressive performance of Indian athletes at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, Haryana’s women athletes are making the state and the country proud with their performances. Haryana Minister of State for Sports Sh. Gaurav Gautam extended his best wishes to the Indian women athletes, particularly the daughters of Haryana, for their outstanding performances at the Games. He said Haryana’s daughters have once again demonstrated through their hard work, talent and determination that the state is a powerhouse of sporting talent. The Sports Minister said the presence of six daughters of Haryana in the Indian…

26 Sep

Asian Games 2026: India Defeat Iran to Secure Men’s Kabaddi Gold

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Sports, TrendingKabaddi

Aichi Nagoya (Rajeev Sharma): India added another major success to its Asian Games campaign as the men’s kabaddi team overcame Iran 40-34 in a tense final to retain the gold medal. The defending champions faced a determined Iranian side that kept the contest close and refused to allow India an easy route to victory. The pressure remained high until the final minutes, when India managed to hold its advantage and close out the match. Arjun Deshwal and Jaideep made valuable contributions in attack, producing crucial raids when India needed points. Their efforts helped the team stay ahead during several difficult…

26 Sep

Asian Games 2026: India Adds Kabaddi Gold and Two Silver Medals on Action-Packed Day 7

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSports, TrendingAsian Games 2026

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): India produced a strong showing on Day 7 of the 2026 Asian Games, with the women’s kabaddi team claiming gold while the shooting and athletics contingents added silver medals to the country’s tally. The women’s kabaddi team delivered a composed performance to finish at the top of the podium, giving India another major gold medal at the continental competition. The victory further strengthened the country’s campaign in one of its traditionally successful sports. India also finished second in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions team event. Tilottama Sen, Vidarsa Vinod and Ashi Chouksey combined for a…