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Sportstar Aces Awards 2026: Honouring India’s sporting heroes and celebrating breakthrough year for women’s sport

Sportstar Aces Awards 2026: Honouring India’s sporting heroes and celebrating breakthrough year for women’s sport

The eighth edition of the Sportstar Aces Awards will be held at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai on Friday, honouring the athletes, teams, and defining moments that shaped the past year in Indian sport.

Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Khadse, will grace the occasion as the chief guest. Since taking charge in 2024, Khadse has focused on empowering India’s youth, strengthening sports governance, and promoting women-led development in sport. During her tenure, more than two lakh girls from 250 districts participated in the ASMITA League on International Women’s Day this year, an initiative aimed at expanding opportunities for women in sport as India pursues its bid to host the 2036 Olympics.

The past year marked a significant step forward for Indian women’s sport. The women’s cricket and kabaddi teams lifted World Cup titles in their respective disciplines, while the Indian blind women’s cricket team created history by winning the inaugural Blind Women’s T20 World Cup.

These achievements build on a legacy shaped by trailblazers such as Shantha Rangaswamy, Diana Edulji, Karnam Malleswari, P.V. Sindhu, and Sania Mirza, whose success helped widen the pathway for future generations. The 2026 Sportstar Aces Awards celebrate this intersection of legacy and promise.

The awards feature five Popular Choice categories: Sportstar of the Year (Male), Sportstar of the Year (Female), National Team of the Year, Club or State Team of the Year, and Sporting Moment of the Year.

Three special honours will also be conferred: the Award of Excellence, the Ace of Aces, and the International Icon. The Chairperson’s Award for Sports for Social Good will recognise individuals or organisations that have used sport to drive meaningful social change.

The winners have been chosen by a distinguished jury chaired by Sunil Gavaskar, with M. M. Somaya, Abhinav Bindra, Viswanathan Anand, Anjali Bhagwat, and Aparna Popat serving as panel members.

The 2026 Sportstar Aces Awards are presented by Amul, co-presented by Casagrand in association with SRM Institute of Science and Technology. SBI, Christ University, Bharat Petroleum, LIC, Sports Authority of Telangana, NTPC, Indian Softball Cricket Foundation, Jaquar And Company Private Limited are associate partners. Reva University is the education partner. Blue Star is the cooling partner, while Times Now is the telecast partner.

Published on Mar 12, 2026

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Deadspin | Rangers’ Ezequiel Duran out to torment Giants again in rubber game  Aug 4, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA;  Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran (20) hits a walk-off RBI double against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images   Ezequiel Duran will look to enhance his growing reputation as a Giants killer when the Texas Rangers complete a three-game series against San Francisco on Wednesday at Arlington, Texas.  Duran delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning and game-winning two-bagger in the ninth as the Rangers beat the Giants 5-4 on Tuesday. He has gone 7-for-9 with a homer and five RBIs as the teams split the first two games of the set.  “Zeke Duran, what a couple games he’s had,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “What a year he’s had. That was a fantastic fight back and a really good game for him.”  The stellar performances continue Duran’s startling run of production against the Giants: 17-for-31 (.548) with 11 RBIs in eight career games.  More important to Duran was delivering when the team needed big hits.  “I feel pretty good,” he said. “Everybody is doing an amazing job. We’re trying to go 100% every time and just win games.”  The Tuesday victory halted a season-worst six-game slide for the Rangers.  Before scoring two runs in the first inning, Texas had gone 40 innings without holding a lead, dating back to Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.  Schumaker was paying close attention in the dugout as the Giants scored twice in the top of the ninth to tie the score. He saw the attitudes stay high before Duran’s winning double, which came on a ball hit over the head of right fielder Jung Hoo Lee, who fell on the warning track as the ball landed to his left.  “I’m glad we won the game,” Schumaker said. “A lot of things happened to where you could have gone, ‘Here we go again. We’re in a losing streak and finding ways to lose.’ That could have been the assumption in the dugout, but it wasn’t. That was really encouraging.”  Corey Seager had his first three-hit game of the season for the Rangers, inching his batting average up to .201. He was playing in his fifth game since returning from a back injury.  The Giants lost for the fourth time in five games.   Bryce Eldridge hit a tying two-run single in the ninth for San Francisco. Osleivis Basabe belted a two-run homer, and he has gone deep three times in six games since being promoted from Triple-A Sacramento.  San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman (abdominal injury) has missed the past five weeks and could end up undergoing season-ending surgery.  Giants manager Tony Vitello said Chapman would visit a specialist in Philadelphia.  Chapman is batting .235 with seven homers and 42 RBIs in 84 games this season.  Left-hander Carson Whisenhunt (2-2, 6.63 ERA) will try to secure a series victory for the struggling Giants.  Whisenhunt, 25, has given up 10 runs in 8 1/3 innings while losing his past two outings. He yielded four runs and five hits while falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 26, then permitted six runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings against the San Diego Padres on Friday.  “Obviously, he stepped up, he got a couple chances,” Vitello said of Whisenhunt, who likely will receive a long look the rest of the season.  Whisenhunt will be making his 10th career appearance (all starts) and first against the Rangers.  Left-hander Cody Bradford will start Wednesday for Texas in his first major league appearance since 2024. He missed last season with an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery 13-plus months ago.  Bradford, 28, made five minor league rehab starts — three for Double-A Frisco, two for Triple-A Red Rock — and had a 2.25 ERA over 12 innings.  Bradford went 10-6 with a 4.28 ERA in 34 appearances (21 starts) with the Rangers in 2023 and ’24. He has never faced San Francisco.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Rangers #Ezequiel #Duran #torment #Giants #rubber #gameAug 4, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran (20) hits a walk-off RBI double against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Ezequiel Duran will look to enhance his growing reputation as a Giants killer when the Texas Rangers complete a three-game series against San Francisco on Wednesday at Arlington, Texas.

Duran delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning and game-winning two-bagger in the ninth as the Rangers beat the Giants 5-4 on Tuesday. He has gone 7-for-9 with a homer and five RBIs as the teams split the first two games of the set.

“Zeke Duran, what a couple games he’s had,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “What a year he’s had. That was a fantastic fight back and a really good game for him.”

The stellar performances continue Duran’s startling run of production against the Giants: 17-for-31 (.548) with 11 RBIs in eight career games.

More important to Duran was delivering when the team needed big hits.

“I feel pretty good,” he said. “Everybody is doing an amazing job. We’re trying to go 100% every time and just win games.”

The Tuesday victory halted a season-worst six-game slide for the Rangers.

Before scoring two runs in the first inning, Texas had gone 40 innings without holding a lead, dating back to Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Schumaker was paying close attention in the dugout as the Giants scored twice in the top of the ninth to tie the score. He saw the attitudes stay high before Duran’s winning double, which came on a ball hit over the head of right fielder Jung Hoo Lee, who fell on the warning track as the ball landed to his left.

“I’m glad we won the game,” Schumaker said. “A lot of things happened to where you could have gone, ‘Here we go again. We’re in a losing streak and finding ways to lose.’ That could have been the assumption in the dugout, but it wasn’t. That was really encouraging.”

Corey Seager had his first three-hit game of the season for the Rangers, inching his batting average up to .201. He was playing in his fifth game since returning from a back injury.


The Giants lost for the fourth time in five games.

Bryce Eldridge hit a tying two-run single in the ninth for San Francisco. Osleivis Basabe belted a two-run homer, and he has gone deep three times in six games since being promoted from Triple-A Sacramento.

San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman (abdominal injury) has missed the past five weeks and could end up undergoing season-ending surgery.

Giants manager Tony Vitello said Chapman would visit a specialist in Philadelphia.

Chapman is batting .235 with seven homers and 42 RBIs in 84 games this season.

Left-hander Carson Whisenhunt (2-2, 6.63 ERA) will try to secure a series victory for the struggling Giants.

Whisenhunt, 25, has given up 10 runs in 8 1/3 innings while losing his past two outings. He yielded four runs and five hits while falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 26, then permitted six runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings against the San Diego Padres on Friday.

“Obviously, he stepped up, he got a couple chances,” Vitello said of Whisenhunt, who likely will receive a long look the rest of the season.

Whisenhunt will be making his 10th career appearance (all starts) and first against the Rangers.

Left-hander Cody Bradford will start Wednesday for Texas in his first major league appearance since 2024. He missed last season with an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery 13-plus months ago.

Bradford, 28, made five minor league rehab starts — three for Double-A Frisco, two for Triple-A Red Rock — and had a 2.25 ERA over 12 innings.

Bradford went 10-6 with a 4.28 ERA in 34 appearances (21 starts) with the Rangers in 2023 and ’24. He has never faced San Francisco.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Rangers #Ezequiel #Duran #torment #Giants #rubber #game">Deadspin | Rangers’ Ezequiel Duran out to torment Giants again in rubber game  Aug 4, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA;  Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran (20) hits a walk-off RBI double against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images   Ezequiel Duran will look to enhance his growing reputation as a Giants killer when the Texas Rangers complete a three-game series against San Francisco on Wednesday at Arlington, Texas.  Duran delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning and game-winning two-bagger in the ninth as the Rangers beat the Giants 5-4 on Tuesday. He has gone 7-for-9 with a homer and five RBIs as the teams split the first two games of the set.  “Zeke Duran, what a couple games he’s had,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “What a year he’s had. That was a fantastic fight back and a really good game for him.”  The stellar performances continue Duran’s startling run of production against the Giants: 17-for-31 (.548) with 11 RBIs in eight career games.  More important to Duran was delivering when the team needed big hits.  “I feel pretty good,” he said. “Everybody is doing an amazing job. We’re trying to go 100% every time and just win games.”  The Tuesday victory halted a season-worst six-game slide for the Rangers.  Before scoring two runs in the first inning, Texas had gone 40 innings without holding a lead, dating back to Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.  Schumaker was paying close attention in the dugout as the Giants scored twice in the top of the ninth to tie the score. He saw the attitudes stay high before Duran’s winning double, which came on a ball hit over the head of right fielder Jung Hoo Lee, who fell on the warning track as the ball landed to his left.  “I’m glad we won the game,” Schumaker said. “A lot of things happened to where you could have gone, ‘Here we go again. We’re in a losing streak and finding ways to lose.’ That could have been the assumption in the dugout, but it wasn’t. That was really encouraging.”  Corey Seager had his first three-hit game of the season for the Rangers, inching his batting average up to .201. He was playing in his fifth game since returning from a back injury.  The Giants lost for the fourth time in five games.   Bryce Eldridge hit a tying two-run single in the ninth for San Francisco. Osleivis Basabe belted a two-run homer, and he has gone deep three times in six games since being promoted from Triple-A Sacramento.  San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman (abdominal injury) has missed the past five weeks and could end up undergoing season-ending surgery.  Giants manager Tony Vitello said Chapman would visit a specialist in Philadelphia.  Chapman is batting .235 with seven homers and 42 RBIs in 84 games this season.  Left-hander Carson Whisenhunt (2-2, 6.63 ERA) will try to secure a series victory for the struggling Giants.  Whisenhunt, 25, has given up 10 runs in 8 1/3 innings while losing his past two outings. He yielded four runs and five hits while falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 26, then permitted six runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings against the San Diego Padres on Friday.  “Obviously, he stepped up, he got a couple chances,” Vitello said of Whisenhunt, who likely will receive a long look the rest of the season.  Whisenhunt will be making his 10th career appearance (all starts) and first against the Rangers.  Left-hander Cody Bradford will start Wednesday for Texas in his first major league appearance since 2024. He missed last season with an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery 13-plus months ago.  Bradford, 28, made five minor league rehab starts — three for Double-A Frisco, two for Triple-A Red Rock — and had a 2.25 ERA over 12 innings.  Bradford went 10-6 with a 4.28 ERA in 34 appearances (21 starts) with the Rangers in 2023 and ’24. He has never faced San Francisco.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Rangers #Ezequiel #Duran #torment #Giants #rubber #game

The 2026 MLB trade deadline had a bit of everything, a generational superstar on the move and a true depth of important players landing on new teams. Now that the dust is mostly settled, it’s time to see how these players perform for their clubs. A number of clubs can credibly claim they got exactly what they wanted at the deadline and came out better for it.

Which team won the trade deadline?

Even while there is no doubt who the biggest star was moved before the deadline, the Dodgers acquiring Tarik Skubal, there is no guarantee as to who will make the biggest difference this season. The Dodgers are already full of stars, and Skubal is only going every fifth day. A player like Clay Holmes going to the Cubs might make a bigger difference to a team still trying to make a run. Or Adley Rutschman, an emerging star at catcher, who is going to theoretically propel the Red Sox every day through the final stretch.

Which player will make the biggest difference?

#MLB #Reacts #Fallout #trade #deadline">MLB Reacts: Fallout from the trade deadline  Not every trade deadline pays out the way fans want. Some end with more of a whimper than a bang. This was not one of those years.The 2026 MLB trade deadline had a bit of everything, a generational superstar on the move and a true depth of important players landing on new teams. Now that the dust is mostly settled, it’s time to see how these players perform for their clubs. A number of clubs can credibly claim they got exactly what they wanted at the deadline and came out better for it.Which team won the trade deadline?Even while there is no doubt who the biggest star was moved before the deadline, the Dodgers acquiring Tarik Skubal, there is no guarantee as to who will make the biggest difference this season. The Dodgers are already full of stars, and Skubal is only going every fifth day. A player like Clay Holmes going to the Cubs might make a bigger difference to a team still trying to make a run. Or Adley Rutschman, an emerging star at catcher, who is going to theoretically propel the Red Sox every day through the final stretch.Which player will make the biggest difference?  #MLB #Reacts #Fallout #trade #deadline

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