Indian sports wrap, July 4: Anush Agarwalla wins silver in German event amidst Asian Games row, Minerva Academy headed to Gothia Cup

CRICKET

India women’s deaf cricket team to tour Sri Lanka in maiden International tour

The Indian deaf women’s cricket team will embark on its first-ever international T20 tour for a five-match series in Sri Lanka from July 7-13.

The 15-member squad will be captained by Kajal Dhawan who is also the wicketkeeper of the side. Needa Zabi Shaikh has been made the vice-captain, according to a press release issued on Saturday.

The matches will be held at the De Soysa Park International Cricket Stadium in Moratuwa.

The Indian Deaf Cricket Association also announced a T20I Tri-Series in India in March next year also featuring Sri Lanka, and Trinidad & Tobago and the DICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Delhi in February 2028.

Commenting about the landmark moment, former Indian women’s team captain Diana Edulji said: “It is a significant milestone for India that our hearing-impaired girls have got their first international call-up, Cricket belongs to everyone!

“You’ve broken barriers just by getting here and we all are very proud of you. I have personally witnessed your game as your chief guest, playing in Mumbai, the T10 deaf tournament, the calibre and sportsmanship of these women players impressed me. Now it’s time to just go and show the world what Indian women cricketers can do on the field.”

Indian Women’s Deaf cricket team skipper Kajal said: “Going to Sri Lanka for our first international T20 tour is not just about playing cricket, it’s about proving that hearing is not a barrier to passion, skill, or representing our country. Every player in this team has worked tirelessly and we will be carrying the hopes of every girl in India who dreams of wearing the blue jersey.”

-PTI

EQUESTRIAN

Anush Agarwalla secures silver at CDI1 Hagen

Indian equestrian exponent Anush Agarwalla delivered another impressive performance, securing second place in the CDI1 Prix St. Georges at the Cavalliero Dressage Days in Hagen, Germany.

Riding ‘Straight Horse Floriana’, Anush earned a score of 70.147%, finishing second among 22 competitors in a highly competitive field.

His polished test and strong partnership with Floriana helped him cross the coveted 70% mark, underlining the pair’s consistency on the international circuit.

He finished just behind Germany’s Charlott-Maria Schürmann, who won the event with a score of 72.304%.

The result comes at a time when Anush is embroiled in a selection controversy after being left out of the four-member Indian dressage team for the 2026 Asian Games and named only as the first reserve rider.

Despite being India’s highest-ranked dressage rider and the country’s only Asian Games individual medallist in the discipline, Anush was omitted from the main squad by the Equestrian Federation of India’s ad hoc selection committee, prompting him to move the Delhi High Court.

The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its verdict on petitions filed by Anush and Sudipti Hajela challenging their exclusion from the dressage team for the upcoming Asian Games.

The 26-year-old had scripted history at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou by winning team gold and individual bronze in dressage, becoming the first Indian to claim an individual equestrian medal at the continental event.

-PTI

FOOTBALL

Minerva Academy to compete in Helsinki Cup and Gothia Cup youth events in Europe

Minerva Academy FC will compete in two of Europe’s most prestigious youth tournaments — the Helsinki Cup in Finland and Gothia Cup in Sweden — later this month as the Punjab team returns to Scandinavia for the second consecutive year.

The two tournaments see thousands of young footballers from across the globe gather in pursuit of international glory every year.

Minerva Academy came agonizingly close to lifting the championship in the B12 category of the Helsinki Cup last season. The young Indian side lost in the final.

The Punjab side won the Gothia Cup, touted as the World Youth Cup, in the boys under-14 category in Gothenburg, Sweden, last year.

-PTI

GYMNASTICS

India’s artistic gymnastics squad will head to Glasgow after London training camp

India’s artistic gymnastics squad will head to Glasgow on July 20 after completing a three-week training camp in London as part of its preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

The camp, which began on June 29, was funded by the Sports Authority of India under the Target Asian Games Group and TOPS scheme.

The women’s squad for the Commonwealth Games comprises Olympian Pranati Nayak, Nishka Agarwal, Eshita Rewale and Protistha Samanta.

The men’s squad has Tapan Mohanty, Tapeshwarnath Das, Swatish KP and Yogeshwar Singh.

Rakesh Patra is the men’s coach, while Payal Bhattacharjee and Ashok Kumar Mishra serve as women’s coaches.

Pranati, who won a silver medal in the vault event in Tashkent at FIG World Challenge Cup early this year, is currently training in Odisha under Mishra and will head directly to Scotland for the quadrennial event.

The overseas camp was aimed at fine-tuning the team’s preparations ahead of the Commonwealth Games, with the contingent scheduled to travel directly from London to Glasgow after its conclusion.

“The camp has been very productive so far. The athletes are training well and the exposure has been beneficial ahead of a major event like the Commonwealth Games. We will travel directly to Glasgow from London on July 20,” Patra told PTI.

Indian gymnasts have won a total of 3 medals (1 silver and 2 bronze) in the history of the Commonwealth Games.

While Ashish Kumar claimed a silver and bronze in floor exercise and vault respectively in 2010 Delhi edition, Dipa Karmakar won a bronze in women’s vault in 2014 Glasgow.

-PTI

GOLF

Diksha stays in contention as all four Indians make cut in Belgium

Diksha Dagar remained firmly in the title race despite a late stumble as all four Indian golfers made the cut at the Hulencourt Women’s Open here.

Diksha, who shared the overnight lead after an opening bogey-free 68, carded an even-par 72 to slip into a tie for third at four-under for the tournament.

She looked set for another strong round before two late bogeys halted her momentum, but she stayed within striking distance heading into the final 36 holes.

The left-hander mixed three birdies with three bogeys in an otherwise steady performance and is part of a five-way tie for third place, keeping alive hopes of adding a third Ladies European Tour title to her resume.

India also had another player inside the top 10 with Aditi Ashok making an impressive return to the Ladies European Tour.

The experienced Indian followed her opening 70 with a composed one-under 71 to move to three-under overall and into a share of eighth place.

Aditi’s round was a model of consistency. She made just one birdie while avoiding mistakes for the rest of the day, carding 17 pars to remain well placed heading into the weekend.

Avani Prashanth also ensured a productive second round despite a difficult start. Beginning on the 10th tee, Avani found herself two-over through her opening 11 holes including a costly double bogey on the par-four 16th.

However, she displayed admirable resilience, responding with three birdies against a lone bogey over her final seven holes to salvage a second successive 72. At even-par for the championship, she was tied for 18th.

Pranavi Urs made it four out of four for India by making the cut despite a challenging day. After opening with a one-over 73, she carded 76 to finish at five-over, exactly on the cut mark, and was tied for 56th.

Spain’s Carolina Chacarra who stole the spotlight with a flawless seven-under 65 to climb to nine-under overall and open up a two-shot advantage.

Australia’s Kelsey Bennett occupied second place on seven-under after a polished five-under 67.

Sharing third place with Diksha at four-under were Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux, South Africa’s Nadia van der Westhuizen, England’s Bronte Law and Ireland’s Anna Foster.

Aditi shared eighth place with Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab.

-PTI

Published on Jul 04, 2026