SQUASH

Top Indian pairs continue undefeated in Asian doubles squash

Defending champion and top seed Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar defeated Hong Kong’s Shing Fung Lam and Yat Long Chung 11-6, 11-5 for their second win in as many outings to top men’s Pool A in the 3rd Asian Doubles Squash Championships in Sarawak, Malaysia on Friday.

However, the other Indian men’s pair of Rahul Baitha and Suraj Chand lost to Pakistan’s Nasir Iqbal and Noor Zaman 5-11, 9-11 for their second defeat in three outings in Pool B to bow out of contention.

In women’s doubles, second seed Joshna Chinappa and Rathika Seelan beat Singapore’s Wai Lynn Au Yeong and Naisha Singh 11-7, 11-5 for their fourth win in as many rounds to emerge leader in the six-team Pool B.

Seventh seed compatriots Janet Vidhi and Pooja Arthi went down to Hong Kong’s Nga Ching Cheng and Heylie Fung 4-11, 11-9, 7-11 for their second loss in four Pool B outings.

In mixed doubles, second seed Velavan and Joshna recorded three wins on the second day to top the five-team Pool B with a clean slate. They beat Singapore’s Wai Lynn Au Yeong and Jerome Au Jin Ming 11-7, 11-5, South Korea’s Oh Seojin and Mingyeong Heo 11-9, 11-9 and MinWoo Lee and Eum Hwayeong 11-5, 11-7.

-PTI

CRICKET

Andhra Premier League: Revnath’s unbeaten ton guides Bulls home

K. Revanth Reddy’s unbeaten century helped Bhimavaram Bulls register an emphatic seven-wicket win against Vijayawada Sunshiners in an Andhra Premier League clash at the Y.S. Raja Reddy Stadium here on Friday.

Sunshiners, after being put to bat first, rode on skipper K. Ashwin Hebbar’s blitz (73, 29b, 11×4, 3×6) to finish with 212 for nine. The Bulls, however, made easy work of the chase thanks to Revanth (126 n.o., 61b, 14×4, 8×6) and wrapped up the victory with 15 balls to spare.

K. Revanth Reddy
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The scores: Vijayawada Sunshiners 212/9 in 20 overs (K. Ashwin Hebbar 73, P. Venkata Satyanarayana Raju 3/55) lost to Bhimavaram Bulls 218/3 in 17.3 overs (K. Revanth Reddy 126 n.o.).

Vizag Lions 202/5 in 20 overs (K. Haneesh Veera Reddy 62, K. Maheep Kumar 62) bt Amaravathi Royals 158 in 19 overs (P. Girinath Reddy 3/29, K. Pramod Kumar 3/34).

Kakinada Kings 211/5 in 20 overs (Abhishek M. Reddy 112 n.o.) lost to Royals of Rayalaseema 213/6 in 18.3 overs (G.S.P. Teja 76 n.o., S. Ashish 4/30).

-Team Sportstar

Bengal T20 League: How the semifinal draw line up

Table-topper Shrachi Rarh Tigers will take on newcomers Novus Royals Purulia, while Servotech Siliguri Strikers will meet Sobisco Smashers Malda in the men’s semifinals of the Bengal T20 League at the Eden Gardens here on Saturday.

Rarh Tigers (11 points), Strikers (10), Malda (10), and Purulia (9) finished as the top four teams, in that order, after the league phase.

In the women’s semifinals at the Jadavpur University ground, Adamas Howrah Warriors will face Shrachi Rarh Tigers, while Siliguri Strikers will clash with Murshidabad Kueens.

Howrah Warriors (12 points), Strikers (9), Murshidabad Kueens (8), and Rarh Tigers (8) were the top four sides in the women’s league.

Rain, which forced Friday’s league matches to be abandoned without a ball being bowled, poses a major threat to the semifinals.

-Team Sportstar

GOLF

Bhatia T-29 and Theegala T-49 on weather-hit first day at US Open

Indian-American professional golfer Akshay Bhatia picked a birdie just before play was suspended and was 1-over with four holes left in the first round of the US Open here.

The winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bhatia began bogey-bogey but his birdie on the 14th salvaged things. He was provisionally lying T-29 with four holes left as blustery conditions prevailed after a two-hour delay due to fog.

Former champion Wyndham Clark was the day’s standout performer. Through 15 holes, he sat at 6-under par — including an eagle on the par-5 fifth — before darkness suspended play. If he pars his final three holes, it would be the second-lowest round in Shinnecock history, behind Tommy Fleetwood’s final-round 63 in 2018.

The US Open this year has a record five Indian origin players in the field but their results on the incomplete Day 1, were mixed.

Sahith Theegala had three birdies against five bogeys, two of which came on the 17th and the 18th and ended at 2-over 72. He is currently lying T-49.

Indo-Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju (73) had just one birdie against four bogeys and all the action came in the first 10 holes as he parred the last eight.

Manav Shah, making his Major debut, began on the back nine and had a double bogey on the par-4 16th and a bogey on the first, as he still awaits his first birdie in a Major. At 3-over he is currently T-49.

Aaron Rai, who won the 2026 PGA Championship, had a rough start with a 4-over 74. He began well on the back nine with birdies on the 11th and the 13th but then dropped a shot on the 15th to be 1-under. The second nine, however, was a struggle with five bogeys in seven holes. At 74, he is T-92.

With the course playing with receptive greens and slower putting surfaces, there was some decent scoring on the first day which was hit by a two-hour fog delay.

Eight players finished Round 1 under par, with 17 total in the red when play was suspended due to darkness. The scoring was however kept in check by a strong wind that helped drive away the fog.

Indian-American professional golfer Akshay Bhatia picked a birdie just before play was suspended and was 1-over with four holes left in the first round of the US Open here.

The winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bhatia began bogey-bogey but his birdie on the 14th salvaged things. He was provisionally lying T-29 with four holes left as blustery conditions prevailed after a two-hour delay due to fog.

Former champion Wyndham Clark was the day’s standout performer. Through 15 holes, he sat at 6-under par — including an eagle on the par-5 fifth — before darkness suspended play. If he pars his final three holes, it would be the second-lowest round in Shinnecock history, behind Tommy Fleetwood’s final-round 63 in 2018.

The US Open this year has a record five Indian origin players in the field but their results on the incomplete Day 1, were mixed.

Sahith Theegala had three birdies against five bogeys, two of which came on the 17th and the 18th and ended at 2-over 72. He is currently lying T-49.

Indo-Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju (73) had just one birdie against four bogeys and all the action came in the first 10 holes as he parred the last eight.

Manav Shah, making his Major debut, began on the back nine and had a double bogey on the par-4 16th and a bogey on the first, as he still awaits his first birdie in a Major. At 3-over he is currently T-49.

Aaron Rai, who won the 2026 PGA Championship, had a rough start with a 4-over 74. He began well on the back nine with birdies on the 11th and the 13th but then dropped a shot on the 15th to be 1-under. The second nine, however, was a struggle with five bogeys in seven holes. At 74, he is T-92.

With the course playing with receptive greens and slower putting surfaces, there was some decent scoring on the first day which was hit by a two-hour fog delay.

Eight players finished Round 1 under par, with 17 total in the red when play was suspended due to darkness. The scoring was however kept in check by a strong wind that helped drive away the fog.

-PTI

Saptak Talwar primed to enter top 20 at English Open

Saptak Talwar was the top Indian golfer after the opening day of the English Open as he carded an impressive round of three-under 69 to be placed T-22 at The Vale Golf Club in Worcestershire.

Talwar’s effort was all the more creditable as he began the first day with a double bogey, but rallied well after that with five birdies and no more dropped shots.

England’s George Bloor was the top man of the day as he took the lead after carding 7-under 65, while Graeme Robertson was in second place with a score of 6-under 66. There were six players tied for third place with a score of 5-under 67.

Talwar began his first round with a double bogey on the first hole before making five birdies on the remaining 17 holes to put himself in a position to record a strong finish this week. The birdies were made on the fifth, eighth, 10th, 14th and 16th holes.

Talwar, who was the runner-up at the DP World PGTI Open in his first Hotel Planner event of the year, was T-17 last week at the Interwetten Open. He is 28th on the Road to Mallorca standings.

Veer Ahlawat, the other Indian player in the field this week, carded 1-over 73 to be placed T-96 on the leader board. Ahlawat began his week on the front nine and made four birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey.

Ahlawat picked up birdies on the fourth, eighth, 10th and 11th holes. The bogeys were made on the third, ninth and 14th holes. The sole double bogey of the round came on the 17th hole.

-PTI

SNOOKER

India lose to China, settle for silver in World Team Snooker

India were left heartbroken as hosts China ‘A’ edged them 3-2 in a tense final rubber to clinch the World Team Snooker Championship gold medal here on Friday.

With the tie locked at 2-2, India’s Aditya Mehta faltered in the decisive frame against Li Chengjie, failing to capitalise on crucial chances in an error-ridden contest.

The humid conditions and excessive throw off the cushions added to the challenge, with both players struggling, but Mehta ultimately came up short in the title decider.

Indian ace Pankaj Advani gave his side the perfect start, winning a hard-fought battle of attrition against Chengjie. With both players struggling to adjust to the challenging conditions, safety exchanges dominated the frame.

Advani, renowned as much for his tactical acumen as his break-building ability, held his nerve to come out on top. A huge slice of luck, however, helped him seal the frame with a decisive break of 36.

Attempting to escape a snooker behind the green near the bottom cushion, Advani pushed a red into the top right-hand pocket off the side cushion, turning the tide in India’s favour.

Mehta, who endured an off day, then lost 34-66 to Xu Jiarui. The Indian duo of Advani and Mehta later went down to Jiarui and Pan Yiming in the doubles, with the Chinese pair compiling breaks of 32 and 33 to take a 2-1 lead.

Advani once again pulled India back into the contest with his percentage snooker, piecing together small breaks and reverting to safety whenever he lost position. The 11-time national champion produced breaks of 36, 16 and 17 in his commanding 82-4 victory over Jiarui.

But in the decisive frame, Mehta failed to find his rhythm and could not carry India over the finish line.

-PTI

HOCKEY

Hyderabad Toofans appoint Revington as head coach for next HIL season

Former England coach Paul Revington was on Friday appointed as the head coach of Hyderabad Toofans ahead of the upcoming Hockey India League season.

The Toofans were the bronze and silver medallists in the 2026 and 2025 seasons respectively.

Widely regarded as one of world hockey’s most respected high-performance coaches, Revington joins the Resolute Sports-backed franchise with a clear mandate to build a championship-winning culture, develop future Indian internationals and help take Hyderabad Toofans to the next level.

In a season that marked the return of HIL after a seven-year hiatus, Hyderabad Toofans quickly emerged as one of the competition’s most exciting teams.

In its maiden season in 2025, the Toofans already proved its metal by finishing runners-up.

The team capped its second season with a dramatic 4-3 victory over HIL GC to secure the bronze medal.

The appointment of Revington signals Hyderabad Toofans’ ambition to build on its early success and establish itself as one of India’s leading hockey franchises.

“Indian hockey is witnessing a remarkable resurgence. The success of the national team on the Olympic stage and the return of the Hockey India League in 2025 have created tremendous momentum and an invaluable platform for young players to learn from some of the best talent in the world,” Revington said in a statement issued by the franchise.

“What drew me to Hyderabad Toofans was the ambition of the organisation and the strength of the foundation it has built in such a short period of time. Joining the most consistent franchise which is the only team to make it to playoffs in both the seasons, eager to add further value in coming seasons.

“Our immediate goal is to win the Hockey India League and build on the incredible momentum that this franchise has created.”

-PTI

CHESS

Iniyan emerges champion at Global Chess Festival

Grandmaster Iniyan Pa lived up to his top billing, dominating proceedings from start to finish to emerge champion in the masters category of Global Chess Festival here on Friday.

Already in sight of the title after the penultimate round, the 24-year-old national champion settled for a quick draw against Ajay Santhosh Parvathareddy to claim the title in his debut appearance to pocket the winner’s purse of Rs 8 lakh.

Nithin Babu clinched the Challenger Category and Madhvendra Pratap Sharma triumphed in the Junior Master Category.

Both Nithin and Madhvendra have directly qualified to play the Masters Category in the 10th season scheduled for next year.

The Erode-based GM Iniyan amassed 7.5 points to emerge champion, maintaining an unbeaten stint while conceding only three draws. Boris Savchenko had to settle for a draw against Aakash Sharadchandra Dalvi and finished second with 6.5 points.

Babu, seeded sixth, defeated Ashirwad Swain in an intense battle on the top board of the Challenger section.

Viresh Sharnarthi, who had been leading the event with a stupendous run of six wins from six matches, crashed to defeat in the last two rounds and finished 10th.

Nithin took home Rs 3 lakhs and a trophy.

The 13-year-old Madhvendra Pratap Sharma, the top seed, also had the luxury of indulging in another quick draw against A Amanlal and tallied eight points for the title.

Madhvendra earned Rs 2 lakh and a trophy in the event touted as the richest prize money competition for kids in the world.

In the Junior Masters, Balananda Ayyappan finished second with 7.5 points, while Amanlal pipped Aahna Gulati and Eeshwar Veerappan Aiyappan to end third after a tie-break was applied to resolve the tie after all three scored 7 points each.

Published on Jun 19, 2026