Sports news
#Indian #sports #wrap #April #Indias #leading #junior #track #field #athletes #test #skills #national #meet">Indian sports wrap, April 23: India’s leading junior track and field athletes to test their skills in national meet ATHLETICS
The country’s emerging track and field talents will be put to the test when the three-day National Junior (Under-20) Athletics Federation competition gets underway at the Mahatma Gandhi Stadium in Tumkur, Karnataka, on Friday, with many eyes on a future in India colours.
With an eye on next month’s Asian U-20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, the competition is expected to be intense, especially after the Athletics Federation of India announced stringent qualification standards for the continental meet, raising the stakes for young athletes eager to prove their credentials on the national stage.
The first medal events on day one will be the 5,000m races in both the men’s and women’s sections, but the spotlight will firmly be on the 100m sprint, where promising Jharkhand sprinter Parth Singh will test his mettle against Odisha’s Pratik Maharana, among others.
Parth enjoyed an impressive season last year and will be keen to stamp his authority on the event, which has drawn a staggering 79 entries, while the men’s 200m has attracted an equally crowded field of 93 competitors.
The meet will also serve as an ideal platform for Odisha’s international 400m runner Bapi Hansda, who is making a comeback after a lengthy injury layoff sustained during the 2025 National Games in Uttarakhand.
Kerala’s rising quarter-miler Mohammed Ashfaq has also confirmed his entry and will be eager to cement his place in the national team for the Hong Kong meet, with as many as 89 athletes in the fray.
The opening day will also crown the fastest female athlete, with the women’s 100m drawing 37 entries.
Medals will also be decided in the women’s pole vault and discus throw. In all, 1,059 competitors, including 709 men, have confirmed their participation in the meet, which concludes on Sunday.
-PTI
TABLE TENNIS
Priyanuj, Ritvik emerge U-19 and U-17 national champions
Assam’s Priyanuj Bhattacharya staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Tamil Nadu’s P. B. Abhinand in the Under-19 Boys’ Singles final, denying his opponent a third gold at the Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships here on Thursday.
In a gripping summit clash that lived up to expectations, Abhinand surged to a commanding 2-0 lead, appearing firmly on course for the title.
However, Bhattacharya responded with grit and composure, turning the match around with four consecutive games. The Assam paddler shut the door on any comeback, sealing a 4-2 victory to finally claim a long-awaited national crown — a fitting reward for his persistence.
The Tamil Nadu pair of P.B. Abhinand and M.R. Balamurugan capped off a dominant run by clinching the title with a commanding 3-1 victory over compatriots S.K. Mehan and Umesh Kumar in the final.
In a gripping Under-17 Boys Singles final that swung back and forth with momentum shifts, Ritvik Gupta of J&K edged past Odisha’s Sarthak Arya in a hard-fought seven-game battle, winning 4-3.
Sahil Rawat and Dhairya Rawat of PSPBA emerged champions after a hard-fought five-game victory over fellow PSPBA duo Trishal Raj Kumar and Rushikesh Jagtap. The final ebbed and flowed, with both pairs trading momentum, but Sahil and Dhairya held their nerve in the decider to close out the match 11-7 and lift the title.
-PTI
GOLF
DP World Players Championship: Dhruv Sheoran opens three-shot lead
Dhruv Sheoran fired a six-under 66 to open up a three-shot lead at 15-under 201 after round three of the DP World Players Championship at the Classic Golf & Country Club in Nuh, Haryana.
The 31-year-old delivered his second consecutive 66 to take control heading into the final day. His error-free third round (69-66-66) was built on a blistering start, as he reeled off four consecutive birdies from the second to the fifth to seize early momentum. Dhruv maintained that control through the round, adding two more birdies on the 10th and 11th to stay ahead of the chasing pack.
Sunit Chowrasia (70-66-68), who returned from a long injury lay-off earlier this year, climbed into the second spot at 12-under 204 after a steady four-under 68 that featured five birdies and a lone bogey.
Akshay Sharma (70-65-70) and Jamal Hossain (67-70-68) are tied third at 11-under 205. The former followed up his tournament-low 65 in round two with a composed two-under 70, while the latter returned a 68 to remain in contention.
Mani Ram (69-68-70) occupies the fifth place at nine-under 207 after a round of 70 that included an eagle on the par-5 14th along with two birdies and two bogeys.
-Team Sportstar
Published on Apr 23, 2026
ATHLETICSThe country’s emerging track and field talents will be put to the test when the…
Sports news
#Indian #sports #wrap #April #Diksha #Dagar #leads #Indian #challenge #Joburg #Ladies #Open">Indian sports wrap, April 15: Diksha Dagar leads Indian challenge at Joburg Ladies Open
GOLF
Diksha leads group of five Indians
Golfer Diksha Dagar will spearhead a five-member Indian contingent at the Joburg Ladies Open, co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and the Sunshine Ladies Tour, starting in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Diksha, currently in the top 10 of the LET’s Order of Merit with two top-10 finishes from six starts, will be joined by fellow Indians Avani Prashanth, Pranavi Urs, Hitaashee Bakshi and Tvesa Malik, a former winner on the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
Making her debut in South Africa, Hitaashee has rediscovered form after four missed cuts, finishing tied ninth at the Australian WPGA Championship, the fourth event of the Australian swing.
Avani, after a good rookie season in 2025, has had a modest season with three cuts in five starts, but her best finish had been a tied-39th at the PIF Saudi Ladies International at the start of the season.
Tvesa, who lost her card last season, will be making her first LET start in 2026, and a good week will give her confidence for the upcoming Investec Women’s South African Open at Royal Cape.
Tvesa will be the first Indian to tee off alongside Ana Dawn of Isle of Mann and Kaiyuree Moodley of South Africa, while Pranavi will play with Emma Spitz of Austria and Marta Martin of Spain.
Diksha will tee off with Luna Sobron Galmes of Spain. Avani plays with Alice Hewson of England and Patricie Mackova of Czech Republic and Hitaashee has been grouped with Alexandra Försterling and England’s Annabell Fuller.
– PTI
Shubhankar opens two-shot lead at Boulders Classic
Shubhankar Sharma took a two-shot lead after two rounds of Boulders Classic.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Shubhankar Sharma took a two-shot lead after two rounds of Boulders Classic.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Shubhankar Sharma carded a second consecutive six-under 66 to take a two-shot lead after round two of the inaugural Rs 1 crore Boulders Classic here on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old Shubhankar (66-66), a six-time DP World PGTI winner, is playing his first event on the tour since the Tour Championship in Jamshedpur in December 2021.
He moved to the top of the leaderboard at 12-under 132 with a steady and controlled display over the first two days.
36-year-old Divyanshu Bajaj (69-65) of Kolkata produced an error-free seven-under 65 to climb from tied 14th to solo second at 10-under 134.
Overnight leader Vishesh Sharma (65-70) of Hyderabad slipped to third at nine-under 135 after a round of two-under 70 at the Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club.
Honey Baisoya, a winner on the DP World PGTI this year, broke the course record with an immaculate round of eight-under 64 that propelled him 38 spots from overnight tied 42nd to tied fourth at a total of eight-under 136.
Ajeetesh Sandhu (68) and Anshul Kabthiyal (67) shared fourth place with Baisoya.
Shubhankar fired seven birdies against a lone bogey, closing strongly with back-to-back birdies to build on his opening-round momentum.
Yuvraj Sandhu, one of the pre-tournament favourites, followed his opening round of 73 with a four-under 68 to be placed tied 27th at three-under 141.
The cut fell at even-par 144, with 53 of 131 players advancing to the last two rounds.
– Team Sportstar
TABLE TENNIS
TN, Bengal, Delhi storm into pre-quarters of Jr and Youth National TT
Powerhouses Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Delhi stamped their authority early on, cruising into the pre-quarterfinals from their respective groups in the Under-19 girls’ team event at the UTT Inter-State Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships in Dehradun.
With just one round of league matches remaining — Telangana vs Punjab (Group A), Uttarakhand vs Assam (Group B), and PSPBA vs Chandigarh (Group C) — the outcomes will have little impact on the three dominant leaders, who have already sealed their spots.
However, the final round will determine the second qualifiers from each group, adding intrigue to the closing league fixtures.
Elsewhere, Maharashtra (Group D), Uttar Pradesh (Group E), NCOE (Group F), Karnataka (Group G), and Gujarat (Group H) have virtually secured their pre-quarterfinal berths.
Yet, the race for the remaining knockout spots remains intense, particularly in Groups E and F, where the battle for the second qualification place is expected to go down to the wire.
Placed in a tough Group C, hosts Uttarakhand lost their match to West Bengal 0-3, but they can redeem themselves when they take on Assam in their last-round tie later today.
– PTI
FOOTBALL
FC Goa marches into RFDL Final, to face Bengaluru FC
FC Goa officially confirmed its place in the Reliance Foundation Development League 2025-26 final. Despite a narrow 2-1 loss to Punjab FC in the semifinal second leg at the GMC Stadium, in Goa, the Gaurs progressed on aggregate 5-2.
Punjab’s Vishal Yadav opened the scoring in the 2nd minute, but Goa’s Kavya Sunil Katkar equalised in the 24th. Konsam Sanathoi Singh restored Punjab’s lead late in the 83rd minute, however, it wasn’t enough to overturn the deficit. The match ended with Sitroy Carvalho receiving a red card in stoppage time.
FC Goa now clashes against Bengaluru FC in a highly anticipated final on Saturday.
– Team Sportstar
India U-17 men’s team to play friendlies against United Arab Emirates in Thailand
The Indian U17 men’s team will play two friendly matches against United Arab Emirates on April 17 and 21, in Samut Prakan, Thailand.
The friendlies, part of India and UAE’s preparations for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026, will be played behind closed doors. Both matches will kick off at 16:30 IST at the Windmill Football Club in Samut Prakan, near Bangkok. The 24-member Blue Colts’ squad arrived in Thailand on Wednesday, April 15.
Last month, Bibiano Fernandes’ side had played three friendlies against Thailand (2-2), Indonesia (3-0 win) and Korea Republic (1-2 defeat) in Lopburi, Thailand. Following the games, the Blue Colts continued their training camp in Kolkata.
India U-17 men’s 24-member squad for friendlies against UAE in Thailand:
Goalkeepers: Alok Nishad, Manashjyoti Baruah, Rajrup Sarkar.
Defenders: Abhishek Kumar Mondal, Indra Rana Magar, Korou Meitei Konthoujam, Lawmsangzuala, Md Aimaan Bin, Moosa Ashiq Sofi, Shubham Poonia.
Midfielders: Dallalmuon Gangte, Denny Singh Wangkhem, Diamond Singh Thokchom, Mukundo Singh Ningthoujam, Nitishkumar Meitei Yengkhom.
Forwards: Adil Aman A, Azlaan Shah Kh, Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam, Heeranganba Seram, Lesvin Rebelo, Rahan Ahmed, Raj Singh Wahengbam, Washington Singh Ngangom, Yuvraj Kadam.
India U-17 men’s friendlies schedule:
16:30 IST, April 17: United Arab Emirates vs India
16:30 IST, April 21: United Arab Emirates vs India
– Team Sporstar
Published on Apr 15, 2026
Shubhankar Sharma took a two-shot lead after two rounds of Boulders Classic. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Shubhankar Sharma took a two-shot lead after two rounds of Boulders Classic. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
India U-17 men’s 24-member squad for friendlies against UAE in Thailand:
Goalkeepers: Alok Nishad, Manashjyoti Baruah, Rajrup Sarkar.
Defenders: Abhishek Kumar Mondal, Indra Rana Magar, Korou Meitei Konthoujam, Lawmsangzuala, Md Aimaan Bin, Moosa Ashiq Sofi, Shubham Poonia.
Midfielders: Dallalmuon Gangte, Denny Singh Wangkhem, Diamond Singh Thokchom, Mukundo Singh Ningthoujam, Nitishkumar Meitei Yengkhom.
Forwards: Adil Aman A, Azlaan Shah Kh, Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam, Heeranganba Seram, Lesvin Rebelo, Rahan Ahmed, Raj Singh Wahengbam, Washington Singh Ngangom, Yuvraj Kadam.
India U-17 men’s friendlies schedule:
16:30 IST, April 17: United Arab Emirates vs India
16:30 IST, April 21: United Arab Emirates vs India
GOLF
Diksha leads group of five Indians
Golfer Diksha Dagar will spearhead a five-member Indian contingent at the Joburg Ladies Open, co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and the Sunshine Ladies Tour, starting in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Diksha, currently in the top 10 of the LET’s Order of Merit with two top-10 finishes from six starts, will be joined by fellow Indians Avani Prashanth, Pranavi Urs, Hitaashee Bakshi and Tvesa Malik, a former winner on the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
Making her debut in South Africa, Hitaashee has rediscovered form after four missed cuts, finishing tied ninth at the Australian WPGA Championship, the fourth event of the Australian swing.
Avani, after a good rookie season in 2025, has had a modest season with three cuts in five starts, but her best finish had been a tied-39th at the PIF Saudi Ladies International at the start of the season.
Tvesa, who lost her card last season, will be making her first LET start in 2026, and a good week will give her confidence for the upcoming Investec Women’s South African Open at Royal Cape.
Tvesa will be the first Indian to tee off alongside Ana Dawn of Isle of Mann and Kaiyuree Moodley of South Africa, while Pranavi will play with Emma Spitz of Austria and Marta Martin of Spain.
Diksha will tee off with Luna Sobron Galmes of Spain. Avani plays with Alice Hewson of England and Patricie Mackova of Czech Republic and Hitaashee has been grouped with Alexandra Försterling and England’s Annabell Fuller.
– PTI
Shubhankar opens two-shot lead at Boulders Classic
Shubhankar Sharma took a two-shot lead after two rounds of Boulders Classic. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Shubhankar Sharma took a two-shot lead after two rounds of Boulders Classic. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Shubhankar Sharma carded a second consecutive six-under 66 to take a two-shot lead after round two of the inaugural Rs 1 crore Boulders Classic here on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old Shubhankar (66-66), a six-time DP World PGTI winner, is playing his first event on the tour since the Tour Championship in Jamshedpur in December 2021.
He moved to the top of the leaderboard at 12-under 132 with a steady and controlled display over the first two days.
36-year-old Divyanshu Bajaj (69-65) of Kolkata produced an error-free seven-under 65 to climb from tied 14th to solo second at 10-under 134.
Overnight leader Vishesh Sharma (65-70) of Hyderabad slipped to third at nine-under 135 after a round of two-under 70 at the Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club.
Honey Baisoya, a winner on the DP World PGTI this year, broke the course record with an immaculate round of eight-under 64 that propelled him 38 spots from overnight tied 42nd to tied fourth at a total of eight-under 136.
Ajeetesh Sandhu (68) and Anshul Kabthiyal (67) shared fourth place with Baisoya.
Shubhankar fired seven birdies against a lone bogey, closing strongly with back-to-back birdies to build on his opening-round momentum.
Yuvraj Sandhu, one of the pre-tournament favourites, followed his opening round of 73 with a four-under 68 to be placed tied 27th at three-under 141.
The cut fell at even-par 144, with 53 of 131 players advancing to the last two rounds.
– Team Sportstar
TABLE TENNIS
TN, Bengal, Delhi storm into pre-quarters of Jr and Youth National TT
Powerhouses Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Delhi stamped their authority early on, cruising into the pre-quarterfinals from their respective groups in the Under-19 girls’ team event at the UTT Inter-State Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships in Dehradun.
With just one round of league matches remaining — Telangana vs Punjab (Group A), Uttarakhand vs Assam (Group B), and PSPBA vs Chandigarh (Group C) — the outcomes will have little impact on the three dominant leaders, who have already sealed their spots.
However, the final round will determine the second qualifiers from each group, adding intrigue to the closing league fixtures.
Elsewhere, Maharashtra (Group D), Uttar Pradesh (Group E), NCOE (Group F), Karnataka (Group G), and Gujarat (Group H) have virtually secured their pre-quarterfinal berths.
Yet, the race for the remaining knockout spots remains intense, particularly in Groups E and F, where the battle for the second qualification place is expected to go down to the wire.
Placed in a tough Group C, hosts Uttarakhand lost their match to West Bengal 0-3, but they can redeem themselves when they take on Assam in their last-round tie later today.
– PTI
FOOTBALL
FC Goa marches into RFDL Final, to face Bengaluru FC
FC Goa officially confirmed its place in the Reliance Foundation Development League 2025-26 final. Despite a narrow 2-1 loss to Punjab FC in the semifinal second leg at the GMC Stadium, in Goa, the Gaurs progressed on aggregate 5-2.
Punjab’s Vishal Yadav opened the scoring in the 2nd minute, but Goa’s Kavya Sunil Katkar equalised in the 24th. Konsam Sanathoi Singh restored Punjab’s lead late in the 83rd minute, however, it wasn’t enough to overturn the deficit. The match ended with Sitroy Carvalho receiving a red card in stoppage time.
FC Goa now clashes against Bengaluru FC in a highly anticipated final on Saturday.
– Team Sportstar
India U-17 men’s team to play friendlies against United Arab Emirates in Thailand
The Indian U17 men’s team will play two friendly matches against United Arab Emirates on April 17 and 21, in Samut Prakan, Thailand.
The friendlies, part of India and UAE’s preparations for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026, will be played behind closed doors. Both matches will kick off at 16:30 IST at the Windmill Football Club in Samut Prakan, near Bangkok. The 24-member Blue Colts’ squad arrived in Thailand on Wednesday, April 15.
Last month, Bibiano Fernandes’ side had played three friendlies against Thailand (2-2), Indonesia (3-0 win) and Korea Republic (1-2 defeat) in Lopburi, Thailand. Following the games, the Blue Colts continued their training camp in Kolkata.
India U-17 men’s 24-member squad for friendlies against UAE in Thailand:
Goalkeepers: Alok Nishad, Manashjyoti Baruah, Rajrup Sarkar.
Defenders: Abhishek Kumar Mondal, Indra Rana Magar, Korou Meitei Konthoujam, Lawmsangzuala, Md Aimaan Bin, Moosa Ashiq Sofi, Shubham Poonia.
Midfielders: Dallalmuon Gangte, Denny Singh Wangkhem, Diamond Singh Thokchom, Mukundo Singh Ningthoujam, Nitishkumar Meitei Yengkhom.
Forwards: Adil Aman A, Azlaan Shah Kh, Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam, Heeranganba Seram, Lesvin Rebelo, Rahan Ahmed, Raj Singh Wahengbam, Washington Singh Ngangom, Yuvraj Kadam.
India U-17 men’s friendlies schedule:
16:30 IST, April 17: United Arab Emirates vs India
16:30 IST, April 21: United Arab Emirates vs India
– Team Sporstar
Published on Apr 15, 2026
GOLFDiksha leads group of five IndiansGolfer Diksha Dagar will spearhead a five-member Indian contingent at…
Sports news
#Indian #sports #wrap #April #Russia #puts #India #U17 #womens #friendly">Indian sports wrap, April 14: Russia puts three past India in U-17 women’s friendly
Football
India Under-17 women’s team loses 0-3 to Russia in friendly
India U17 women’s team suffered a 0-3 defeat against Russia in the second of its three friendly matches in Sochi on Tuesday.
Valeria Menyailova struck twice early in the second half (49th, 52nd) after Sofia Svyatnaya (18th) had opened the scoring.
The Young Tigresses, coached by Italian Pamela Conti, are using these matches to prepare for next month’s all-important AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup in China.
Russia began on the front foot and nearly went ahead as early as the second minute. Menyailova was played through inside the box and showed neat footwork to get past Divyani Linda, but her close-range effort was denied by a sharp save from goalkeeper Munni.
India, however, took time to settle into the contest. Its first shot on target arrived in the 13th minute when Valaina Fernandes tried her luck from distance, but it was comfortably gathered by goalkeeper Emelianova Anastasiya.
Despite India’s growing involvement, Russia broke the deadlock in the 18th minute through an unfortunate error. Sofia Svyatnaya floated in a free-kick from the left that should have been a routine take for Munni, but the goalkeeper misjudged the flight, allowing the ball to slip and roll over the line.
The setback sparked a response from the Young Tigresses, who began to push higher up the pitch and create openings. Their best opportunity of the half came in the 32nd minute when Valaina skipped past her marker and aimed a curling effort towards the far corner.
Emelianova, however, reacted swiftly to dive and parry the ball away, preserving Russia’s lead going into the break.
India’s hopes of a comeback were dented early in the second half following a defensive lapse. In the 49th minute, a sequence of poor backpasses proved costly. Ritu Badaik initiated the move under pressure, and captain Elizabed Lakra’s attempted clearance only made matters worse. Menyailova capitalised, intercepting the loose ball before rounding Munni and finishing calmly to double Russia’s advantage.
The hosts extended their lead soon after with a well-worked move in the 52nd minute. Mira Kuznetsova threaded a precise through pass to Menyailova, who made no mistake in front of goal, dispatching a powerful right-footed strike to make it 3-0.
India had lost 0-4 in the first game against Russia three days ago. The two teams will meet once more in the final friendly on April 17.
-PTI
Published on Apr 14, 2026
Football
India Under-17 women’s team loses 0-3 to Russia in friendly
India U17 women’s team suffered a 0-3 defeat against Russia in the second of its three friendly matches in Sochi on Tuesday.
Valeria Menyailova struck twice early in the second half (49th, 52nd) after Sofia Svyatnaya (18th) had opened the scoring.
The Young Tigresses, coached by Italian Pamela Conti, are using these matches to prepare for next month’s all-important AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup in China.
Russia began on the front foot and nearly went ahead as early as the second minute. Menyailova was played through inside the box and showed neat footwork to get past Divyani Linda, but her close-range effort was denied by a sharp save from goalkeeper Munni.
India, however, took time to settle into the contest. Its first shot on target arrived in the 13th minute when Valaina Fernandes tried her luck from distance, but it was comfortably gathered by goalkeeper Emelianova Anastasiya.
Despite India’s growing involvement, Russia broke the deadlock in the 18th minute through an unfortunate error. Sofia Svyatnaya floated in a free-kick from the left that should have been a routine take for Munni, but the goalkeeper misjudged the flight, allowing the ball to slip and roll over the line.
The setback sparked a response from the Young Tigresses, who began to push higher up the pitch and create openings. Their best opportunity of the half came in the 32nd minute when Valaina skipped past her marker and aimed a curling effort towards the far corner.
Emelianova, however, reacted swiftly to dive and parry the ball away, preserving Russia’s lead going into the break.
India’s hopes of a comeback were dented early in the second half following a defensive lapse. In the 49th minute, a sequence of poor backpasses proved costly. Ritu Badaik initiated the move under pressure, and captain Elizabed Lakra’s attempted clearance only made matters worse. Menyailova capitalised, intercepting the loose ball before rounding Munni and finishing calmly to double Russia’s advantage.
The hosts extended their lead soon after with a well-worked move in the 52nd minute. Mira Kuznetsova threaded a precise through pass to Menyailova, who made no mistake in front of goal, dispatching a powerful right-footed strike to make it 3-0.
India had lost 0-4 in the first game against Russia three days ago. The two teams will meet once more in the final friendly on April 17.
-PTI
Published on Apr 14, 2026
FootballIndia Under-17 women’s team loses 0-3 to Russia in friendlyIndia U17 women’s team suffered a…