Author: Raghav Singh

Retiring Australian batter Usman Khawaja has paid tribute to his parents, crediting the sacrifices they made during his childhood as he reflected on a career that spanned 88 Test matches.

During a press conference on Friday, Khawaja announced his decision to retire from international cricket and gave a shout-out to his parents, Tariq and Fozia. He jokingly asked his father, “88 Test matches, Dad, is that enough?”

On Sunday, Khawaja explained the remark before the fifth Test began at the SCG, revealing the deeper meaning behind the humour. “He might have wanted 100, knowing Tariq. He literally uprooted our whole lives to come to Australia. We had decent lives in Pakistan. We had a decent, big house, Mum had a leisurely life over there, and he left all of that just to give us a better lifestyle over here.”

“I remember when Mum was quite upset when moving to Australia and I never understood it when I was young, but now I get it. Her whole life got turned upside down,” Khawaja said.

Khawaja also spoke candidly about the early struggles his family faced after migrating to Australia, describing the financial and emotional challenges that followed. Despite the difficulties, he remains profoundly grateful to his parents for the choices they made, which ultimately enabled him to represent Australia at the highest level for more than a decade.

“We struggled with coming to Australia at the start. The currency change was hard. Dad couldn’t find a new job. He didn’t have a job when he came here, so looking back on the sacrifices he made for us kids, I said to my Dad, ‘Is this enough?’ No Test match would have been enough, but my Dad just loves cricket, so every time I go out and play, I know I’m putting a smile on his face.”

“It has been a ride. Even playing one Test was amazing but to do it for 15 odd years and 88 matches, it’s quite surreal. My journey has been up and down. It’s taken me quite a while to get those 88 matches, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he added.

Alexander Zverev clinched Germany’s victory over the Netherlands at the United Cup, where the world No. 3 defeated Tallon Griekspoor 7-5, 6-0.

Zverev’s win followed Germany’s Eva Lys, who downed Suzan Lamens 6-2, 6-2 earlier in Group F action. The server held an advantage in the early stages of Zverev and Griekspoor’s clash until the German seized a crucial opportunity, breaking to love at 6-5 to take the opening set. In his first match of 2026, Zverev played at a high level and rarely looked back, having dropped just seven points in the second set, as reported by the United Cup.

Zverev leads Griekspoor 9-2 in their ATP Head-to-Head series, marking the second time he has recorded nine tour-level wins against a single opponent (Zverev leads Adrian Mannarino 9-0).

Earlier, Lys launched the 2024 United Cup champions with a strong start by defeating Lamens 6-2, 6-2. After trading breaks twice in the first five games, Lys won a pair of crucial games to establish a 5-2 lead and hardly looked back. She denied Lamens a game point to level at 3-3, then broke on her third break point in the sixth game and secured a follow-up hold despite trailing 15/40.

Nine of the match’s 14 games went to deuce, and Lys won seven of them. Perhaps the most important game was a 1-1 hold from the German in the second set, during which she shook off an injury scare. After taking a medical timeout for blisters while leading 5-2 in the opener, Lys pushed through another tumble that left her shaking out her knee.

Zverev and Laura Siegemund closed the tie with a 6-3, 6-2 mixed-doubles victory over Griekspoor and Demi Schuurs, securing a clean sweep for Germany.

BJP leader Dilip Ghosh welcomed the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to direct Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to remove Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad ahead of the IPL 2026 season.

The move has triggered sharp political reactions, with the Congress framing it as a form of economic pressure being exercised through cricket. Reacting to the BCCI’s directive, Ghosh stated, “Special thanks to BCCI. Just as we do not allow Pakistani players in India, Bangladeshi cricketers should also not be allowed. This demand came from Kolkata, and BCCI has agreed. Therefore, we thank him. We will not allow players who are against our country to play in Bangladesh.” His remarks emphasize the BJP’s long-standing stance that sporting engagements should align with India’s national and security interests.

On the other hand, Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan provided a contrasting perspective, discussing the decision in economic and diplomatic terms. “This is a kind of economic sanction. In the IPL, if a player is sanctioned or selected, he receives an amount of around Rs 8-10 crore as fees or allowance, which benefits the country he belongs to. In that sense, it can be seen as India pursuing its policy through the BCCI…” Chavan remarked, suggesting that cricket was being used as an indirect tool of foreign policy.

In a significant move that highlights the intersection of sport and geopolitics, the BCCI has formally requested that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) release Bangladesh pace spearhead Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for the upcoming IPL 2026 season.

The announcement was made by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, who confirmed the board’s directive to the franchise following a period of intensifying public and political pressure. While the BCCI had initially maintained a “wait and watch” policy, Saikia noted that the decision was taken in light of “recent developments all across.” This is widely seen as a reference to the deteriorating diplomatic situation and reports of civil unrest in Bangladesh, which have triggered protests and strong reactions in India.

Mustafizur recently became a focal point of controversy after KKR acquired him for a record Rs 9.20 crore at the December auction, making him the most expensive Bangladeshi player in IPL history.

Meanwhile, broader cricketing ties between the two countries remain uncertain. India and Bangladesh had postponed a white-ball bilateral series last year. Although the Bangladesh Cricket Board has stated that the series is now planned for September this year, the BCCI has made no commitment to the schedule and is understood to be reluctant to proceed unless the political situation improves.

In a touching ceremony before the fifth Ashes Test on Sunday, the Australian and English teams paid tribute to emergency service personnel and members of the public who responded during last month’s horrific Bondi Beach mass shooting.

The on-field guard of honour before the match elicited loud applause from the packed crowd, recognizing ambulance workers, police, surf lifesavers, and Jewish community groups. Cricket Australia stated on X, “A privilege and honour to host the first responders responsible for displaying tremendous bravery during the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.”

The loudest ovation was reserved for Ahmed al Ahmed, who courageously confronted one of the attackers and disarmed him. The names of the 15 victims appeared on the stadium screens beneath the words “Forever in our hearts” as first responders led the procession onto the field.

“What an emotional ceremony and a standing ovation that you can imagine could have gone on and on and on,” remarked former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist on Fox Cricket. He added, “A fine tribute to the first responders, the heroes of the tragic events that transpired in Bondi. They are heroes of the nation.”

A heightened security operation was in place for the SCG Test, with uniformed and mounted police, alongside public order and riot squad officers, patrolling the venue. New South Wales police had indicated that public order and riot squad officers would carry weapons at the fifth and final Ashes Test, following similar measures at the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and New Year’s Eve events in Sydney.

Sixteen people, including one gunman, were killed in the mass shooting at Bondi Beach on December 14. The perpetrators have been identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram.

La Liga leader FC Barcelona rode its luck before two late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski assured a 2-0 win away to local rivals Espanyol.

Goalkeeper’s Heroics

Barcelona’s other hero was goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who joined from Espanyol over the summer and faced boos and whistles every time he touched the ball. Garcia made a series of impressive saves to keep Espanyol at bay as the home side looked for a sixth consecutive league win, creating six good chances that were all frustrated by their former goalkeeper.

Late Goals Seal the Match

Olmo put Barcelona ahead in the 86th minute with a curling shot into the top of the net, and Lewandowski secured the points with a smart finish after setup from Fermin Lopez in the final moments.

Villarreal’s Strong Showing

Villarreal moved back into third with a 3-1 away win over Elche. The visitors quickly took a 2-0 lead with goals from Alberto Moleiro and Georges Mikautadze. Although Martim Neto pulled a goal back for Elche after half an hour, they were unable to find an equalizer, and Alfonso Pedraza sealed three points for Villarreal with seven minutes left to play.

Celta Vigo Dominates Valencia

Borja Iglesias scored twice as Celta Vigo sailed past struggling Valencia 4-1 at home. Pepelu’s smart shot got Valencia into the game with 20 minutes left, but Jones El-Abdellaoui scored a third for Celta in the 83rd minute, and Hugo Sotelo netted a fourth in injury time. Valencia goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala suffered a muscle injury and was replaced by Pepelu for the closing moments.

Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao Share Points

Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao played out a 1-1 draw, with Ruben Garcia’s long-range free kick giving Osasuna a deserved first-half lead, before Gorka Guruzeta leveled with 20 minutes remaining as Athletic improved after the break.

Late Equalizer for Getafe

On Friday night, Mauro Arambarri headed in a late equalizer as Getafe snatched a 1-1 draw away to Rayo Vallecano, who had led with Jorge de Frutos’ volley in first-half injury time.

Declan Rice scored two second-half goals as Arsenal won 3-2 away to Bournemouth, opening up a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

The England midfielder netted both goals from near the edge of the Bournemouth penalty area, following assists from Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka in the 54th and 71st minutes respectively.

Bournemouth opened the scoring after 10 minutes, capitalizing on a mistake from Arsenal’s Gabriel, allowing Evanilson to give the home side the lead. However, the defender quickly redeemed himself just six minutes later with a powerful strike into the net after a penalty area scramble.

Eli Junior Kroupi offered Bournemouth some hope with a strong shot in the 76th minute, but his team could not find an equalizer.

Aston Villa bounced back from their midweek loss to Arsenal, securing their 12th win in 13 matches with a 3-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest. Nottingham Forest coach Sean Dyche set his side up to defend and frustrate Aston Villa, but they were undone by Ollie Watkins’ excellent opener in first-half injury time.

John McGinn doubled Aston Villa’s lead just four minutes after the break. Although Morgan Gibbs-White pulled one back for Forest in the 61st minute, McGinn secured the hosts’ win with a goal in the 73rd minute.

Brighton claimed a 2-0 home victory against Burnley, with a goal from Georginio Rutter in the 29th minute and another from Yasin Ayari early in the second half. This result keeps Brighton in contention for European places while sinking Burnley deeper into relegation trouble.

West Ham is also in a precarious position after conceding Wolverhampton Wanderers their first victory of the season. Jhon Arias, Hwang Hee-chan, and Mateus Mane put Wolves 3-0 up before halftime, while West Ham produced a disappointing performance with over 600 passes but failed to create a single chance throughout the match.

India’s U23 World Champion Sujeet Kalkal emerged as the standout name in the Category A round of players’ auction in the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026, after being secured by Delhi Dangal Warriors for ₹52 lakh. Delhi Dangal Warriors was among the most active teams in this round, further acquiring Iran’s Hadi Vafaeipour in the men’s 86 kg category for ₹26 lakh, along with Mexico’s Karla Acosta in the women’s 57 kg division.

Major Statements from Teams

Haryana Thunders made a significant move in women’s wrestling by signing Olympic medalist Iryna Koliadenko for ₹44 lakh in the women’s 62 kg category, alongside Azerbaijan’s Ashirov Ashraf in men’s 86 kg.

Maharashtra Kesari focused on depth and balance, securing Asian Games medallist Deepak Punia in the men’s 86 kg category and Manisha Bhanvala in women’s 57 kg. Punjab Royals signed Dinesh Gulia for ₹36 lakh, Priya Malik for ₹29 lakh, and Roksana Zasina across multiple weight categories.

UP Dominators bolstered their roster with Nisha Dahiya in women’s 62 kg at the base price and Rahul Dalal in men’s 57 kg, while Tigers of Mumbai Dangal did not register any picks in this round.

Auction Insights

The auction process remains ongoing. Wrestlers have been classified into four categories: A+ (Marquee), A, B, and C, with base prices set at ₹18 lakh, ₹12 lakh, ₹8 lakh, and ₹3 lakh, respectively. The league operates with a total purse of ₹12 crore, with each of the six franchises allocated ₹2 crore to build squads competing across nine weight categories—five men’s and four women’s.

Earlier in Round 1, women wrestlers garnered major attention, with Japan’s Yui Susaki attracting a record bid of ₹60 lakh from Haryana Thunders. Alongside Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Susaki, World Championship medallist Antim Panghal was snapped up by UP Dominators for ₹52 lakh in the women’s 53 kg category. Puerto Rico’s Ana Godinez fetched ₹46 lakh from Punjab Royals in the women’s 62 kg division, while Delhi Dangal Warriors added depth to their squad by securing Azerbaijan’s Anastasiya Alpayeva for ₹27 lakh in the women’s 76 kg category.

All Category A+ wrestlers entered the auction with a base price of ₹18 lakh, but several names experienced significant escalations. Among the men, marquee signings included Robert Baran of Poland for ₹55 lakh to Maharashtra Kesari and Paris 2024 bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat for ₹51 lakh to Tigers of Mumbai Dangal.

Delhi Dangal Warriors also strengthened their squad with Turan Bayramov from Azerbaijan, while UP Dominators added consistency through Vasyl Mikhailov and Arman Andreasyan.

Each team must assemble a squad of nine to twelve wrestlers, including four overseas grapplers (two men and two women), while mandatorily featuring at least one Category C wrestler. With further bidding rounds still to come, franchises are expected to continue refining their rosters as the PWL 2026 auction progresses.

In a historic achievement for Indian motorsport, top driver Sanjay Takale delivered a standout performance in the Prologue Stage of the Dakar Rally 2026, finishing first in the high average speed Group H3 and 35th overall in the Cars category on Saturday.

Prologue Stage Highlights

The Prologue, which determines the starting order but does not count toward overall standings, saw Takale dominate the Dakar Classic Group H3, making him the first Indian to stand on the Dakar podium in the Cars category on Day 1. Driving Car No. 722, Sanjay Takale guided his Toyota HDJ 100 across the 22 km Special Stage and 74 km Liaison (total 96 km), finishing ahead of experienced international competitors.

Jose Sole and Sergio Cerezo from Spain secured second place in the H3 class driving a Mitsubishi Montero, followed by Raúl Ortiz, also from Spain, who finished third in a Toyota RAV4.

Takale’s Dakar Journey

Dakar Rally 2026 marks Sanjay Takale’s second attempt at the world’s toughest rally, reflecting his growing experience and competitive edge. Following his Prologue win, Takale will open the road for Stage 1 from Yanbu to Yanbu, featuring a challenging 305-km Special Stage with demanding navigation and dune sections.

Widely regarded as the ultimate test of endurance, the Dakar Rally continues to push limits, and Sanjay Takale has firmly announced his arrival on the global rally stage. As the only Indian participating in the four-wheeler category, Takale made his debut in 2025, finishing 18th overall and 10th in his class in the Dakar Classic category.

Team Support

The 57-year-old racer represents Team Aerpace Racers, alongside French navigator Maxime Raud, and receives technical and logistical support from Compagnie Saharienne, France.

In the motorcycle section, India’s leading rally-raid rider Harith Noah has also commenced his 7th Dakar Rally campaign in the 48th Dakar Rally 2026 in Yanbu.

Race Highlights – Prologue Stage (Day 1)

• 1st – H3 Class: Sanjay Takale (India), Toyota HDJ 100
• 2nd – H3 Class: José Sole / Sergio Cerezo (Spain), Mitsubishi Montero
• 3rd – H3 Class: Raúl Ortiz (Spain), Toyota RAV4

Takale’s Standings:

• Overall Position: 35th (Cars Category)
• Total Distance: 96 km (22 km Special | 74 km Liaison)

A day after some of the country’s top football stars made an appeal to FIFA, the governing body of the sport, players and fans for some good news, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced that the dates for the next season of the Indian Super League (ISL) will be disclosed next week.

AIFF Emergency Meeting

The AIFF office bearers held an emergency meeting on Saturday to consider and acknowledge the report submitted by the AIFF-ISL Coordination Committee. This committee was constituted on December 20, 2025, following the AIFF Executive Committee meeting and the subsequent AIFF Annual General Meeting.

“The Coordination Committee was requested to submit its report to the AIFF Secretariat by January 2, 2026, which was duly complied with. The report was formally acknowledged by the AIFF office bearers, and they recommended that the league be conducted by the All India Football Federation,” the AIFF stated.

Commencement Date Announcement

“Accordingly, the AIFF will conduct the league, and the date of commencement will be announced next week,” the statement read. The league has been in limbo since talks between Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and the AIFF broke down, preventing a decision on the renewal of the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) with AIFF to operate the Indian Super League. FSDL had declined to start the 2025-26 edition at the usual time because the MRA was set to expire on December 8, 2025, midway through the league, leaving the renewal uncertain.

Member Participation Letters

On Thursday, the AIFF received letters from nearly all members of the Indian Super League (ISL) confirming their potential willingness to participate in the upcoming 2025-26 season. However, participation will depend on satisfactory financial and governance assurances from the AIFF.

“It’s January, and we should be on your screens as a part of a competitive football game in the Indian Super League,” Gurpreet said in a video featuring other players. “Instead, here we are driven by fear and desperation to say aloud something which we all know,” Jhingan added. “Players, staff, owners, and the fans deserve clarity, protection, and more importantly, a future,” former India captain Sunil Chhetri said during the players’ appeal to FIFA.

A Plea to FIFA

“But more importantly, we are here to make a plea. The Indian football government is no longer able to fulfil its responsibilities. We are now staring at permanent paralysis. This is the last-ditch effort to save what we can. So we are calling on FIFA to step in and do what it takes to save Indian football. We hope this message gets to the powers that are in Zurich. This call is not political; it is not driven by confrontation but by necessity. It might sound like a big word, but the truth is that we are facing a humanitarian, sporting, and economic crisis. And of course, we need rescuing at the earliest. We just want to play football, please help us do it,” other players stated in the appeal.

India’s Syndrela Das and Rupam Sardar secured comfortable victories to clinch the U-17 girls’ and U-17 boys’ singles titles in the WTT Youth Contender 2026 at the SAMA Indoor Sports Complex in Vadodara on Saturday. Divija Paul and Dev Pranav Bhat were crowned the U-13 girls’ and boys’ champions, respectively.

U-17 Singles Finals

Syndrela, who won the U-19 girls singles title last year, ended the dream run of Hansini Mathan with a score of 11-3, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 in the U-17 girls’ singles final. In the boys’ U-17 final, Rupam Sardar triumphed over Soham Mukherjee, finishing with a score of 11-8, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3.

This is the second year that the WTT Youth Contender is being held in Vadodara, featuring competitions from U-11 to U-19 categories with a total of 226 players participating.

U-13 Finals Highlights

In the U-13 category, Divija Paul staged a comeback from a 1-2 deficit to defeat Harshitha Nurani, with scores of 11-7, 7-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5 in the girls’ singles final. Meanwhile, Dev Pranav Bhat claimed the boys’ singles title by beating Ashvajith Muthukumaran 11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4.

Syndrela, who had upset second-seeded Miku Matsushima of Japan in the semifinals, started strong and took the first game comfortably. However, Hansini, who stunned top seed Divyanshi Bhowmick in the pre-quarterfinals, regained her rhythm to win the second game.

Ultimately, Syndrela’s experience proved pivotal, allowing her to secure the next two games in a closely contested match, thus clinching the title.

Upcoming Mixed Doubles Clash

Syndrela will also have the opportunity to contend for the U-19 mixed doubles crown on Sunday. She and her partner, Sarthak Arya, are set to face top seeds Abhinandh Pradhivadhi and Ananya Muralidharan, who successfully advanced after defeating Ritvik Gupta and Ahona Ray 9-11, 14-12, 11-7, 11-8 in the semifinals. Sarthak and Syndrela ended the inspired run of Sahil Rawat and Hardee Patel with a score of 11-6, 12-10, 5-11, 11-5.

Earlier, in the U-15 mixed doubles semi-final, Vivaan Dave and Naisha Rewaskar showcased their nerves under pressure by upsetting top seeds Aditya Das and Ankolika Chakraborty. The duo won with a dramatic score of 13-11, 5-11, 11-7, 5-11, 23-21, thereby setting up a final against Reyansh Jalan and Tanishka Kalbhairav, who defeated Sanjay Jagdish and Myraa Sangelkar 11-3, 15-13, 11-7 in the other semifinal.

Vivaan and Naisha displayed their fighting spirit right from the opening game, coming back from 5-8 down and saving a game point to secure the win. The pairs exchanged victories in the subsequent games, leading to a thrilling decider. Aditya and Ankolika initially took a 4-0 lead in the deciding game and even had three match points at 10-7.

However, Vivaan and Naisha saved all three match points, maintaining their composure to level the score each time before ultimately winning four straight points to finish the match.