Indian squash pair Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar settled for the bronze medal in the mixed doubles event at the Asian Games 2026 after a thrilling three-game defeat against Hong Kong’s Lee Ka Yi and Tang Ming Hong in the semi-final on Saturday.

The Indian duo went down 10-11, 11-2, 10-11 in a closely fought contest and settled for the bronze medal. The opening game saw both pairs engaged in long rallies, with neither side able to build a significant lead. Joshna and Velavan fought hard to stay level, but the Hong Kong pair edged ahead in the closing stages to take the game 11-10.

The Indian pair bounced back strongly in the second game, producing an attacking display to dominate the proceedings. They raced to a 3-0 lead and extended it to 7-2 before winning the game 11-2 to force a decider.

In the final game, Lee and Tang started strongly to take a 5-2 lead, but Joshna and Velavan fought back to level the score at 6-6. The Indian pair continued their momentum and moved ahead 10-7, needing just one point to close out the match.

However, the Hong Kong pair staged a late comeback, winning four consecutive points to clinch the decider 11-10 and secure a place in the final. With the semifinal defeat, Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar finished with a bronze medal in the mixed doubles squash event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Meanwhile, India’s Sawan Barwal scripted history by winning the silver medal in the men’s marathon with a national record time of 2:11:37. Check Asian Games 2026 latest news here Check Asian Games 2026 medal tally here

In shooting, Ashi Chouksey, Tilottama Sen and Vidarsa Vinod secured silver in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions team event. Tilottama finished third with 590 points and Vidarsa sixth with 588 points to qualify for the individual final.

In archery, India finished second in the women’s compound team qualification event, with Chikitha Taniparthi (705), Jyothi Surekha Vennam (699) and Prithika Pradeep (695) combining for 2099 points.

In men’s recurve team qualification, Dhiraj Bommadevara, Neeraj Chauhan and Yashdeep Bhoge finished third with a score of 2039, with Dhiraj topping the individual qualification rankings with 698 points, setting an Asian and national record.

In athletics, Tejaswin Shankar and Thowfeeq Noushad continued their decathlon campaign. Tejaswin finished first in the long jump with 7.53m and Thowfeeq third with 7.37m, placing second and fourth respectively in the overall standings. In the shot put event, Tejaswin finished fifth with 13.16m (677 points), while Thowfeeq stood tenth with 10.76m (531 points). Tejaswin moved to third overall with 2484 points, while Thowfeeq was ninth with 2290 points.

Sprinter Animesh Kujur advanced to the men’s 200m semifinals after winning his heat with a timing of 21.10 seconds.

In canoe sprint, Harshwardhan Shaktawat advanced to Final B after finishing fifth in the men’s kayak single 500m semifinal. Parvathy Geetha and Prasanna Kumar qualified for Final A after finishing second in the mixed kayak double 500m semifinal, while Raju Rawat and Neha Devi Leichonbam finished eighth in the mixed canoe double 500m final.

In fencing, India’s women’s foil team defeated Indonesia 45-24 and men’s sabre team beat Philippines 45-27 to reach the quarter-finals. However, the men’s sabre team lost 25-45 to South Korea, while the women’s foil team went down 14-41 against Japan in the quarter-finals.

In badminton, Lakshya Sen exited the men’s singles competition after losing to Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew 12-21, 21-15, 14-21 in the second round.

In table tennis, Yashaswini Ghorpade lost to Japan’s Miwa Harimoto in women’s singles round 3, while esports player Paritosh suffered a 0-5 defeat against Dongshin Kang in the Puyo Puyo Champions quarter-final.

CC Sabathia saw many ceremonies honoring former players during 11 seasons with the New York Yankees and never envisioned he would be an honoree.

Sabathia became the 24th player or manager to get his number retired and the Hall of Fame left-hander was honored with a plaque in Monument Park during a ceremony before a doubleheader opener against Baltimore on Friday.

Sabathia joined Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada as the fifth member of 2009 World Series champion Yankees with a retired number and plaque.

“I never envisioned myself going into Monument Park and I think that was the reason why I was so scared to come here is because you don’t ever think you’re going to win the Yankee fans over or the city over,” Sabathia said. “So to be able to be sitting here now, playing here 11 years is an incredible feeling and that’s why I’ve said the last couple of weeks, this feels bigger to me than the Hall of Fame because I know what was at stake when I came here.”

Now 46, Sabathia signed a $161 million, seven-year contract before the 2009 season after being convinced by general manager Brian Cashman following an initial meeting in December 2008. The contract was the largest at the time for a free-agent pitcher.

Sabathia went 19-8 with a 3.37 ERA in 34 starts for the Yankees in his first season. He earned the AL Championship Series MVP Award, going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in a six-game win over the Los Angeles Angels and started Games 1 and 4 as the Yankees beat Philadelphia for their 27th title.

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Sabathia went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton, during 19 seasons with Cleveland (2001-08), Milwaukee (2008) and the Yankees (2009-19).

During 11 seasons in New York, Sabathia was 134-88 with a 3.81 ERA and 1,700 strikeouts. He ranks fourth in franchise history in strikeouts, seventh in starts, 10th in wins and 11th in innings.

Sabathia was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2025, receiving 86.8% of the vote. He was inducted with Billy Wagner and Ichiro Suzuki, a former Yankee teammate from 2012-14.

“That ceremony was incredible, surreal,” Sabathia said. “I was saying out there I have so many famous teammates whether it’s Mo, Derek, Andy. So I’ve been at the ceremony a bunch of times but to have that ceremony be for me is special and to have my family out there was cool.”

The Yankees’ ceremony began with video messages from Jeter, Paul O’Neill, Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams, and Sabathia unveiled the plaque with his wife Amber, two of his children, two friends and his mother, Margie.

After video highlights, Sabathia waved to fans from a golf cart along the warning track. He was presented with a blue blazer, a framed version of his plaque and retired number along with a ring commemorating his career from general manager Brian Cashman — who was booed by fans.

After the ceremony, Sabathia threw out the ceremonial first pitch to his son Carsten, a Milwaukee minor league first baseman.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has warned Madagascar that Nigeria will make the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium a difficult place to play when both teams meet in Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Nigeria will open their Group L campaign against the Barea in Uyo, with head coach Éric Chelle hoping to lead the Super Eagles to a winning start.

Ndidi stressed the importance of getting a good result in the first game of the qualifying series.

“The first qualifying game is so important because it sets the momentum for going forward,” Ndidi told Football Fans Tribe.

The Beşiktaş midfielder also pointed to Nigeria’s home advantage, saying the Super Eagles must put their opponents under pressure from the start.

“Also, this is our home as well. Nobody comes to our home and feels comfortable. We have to create that idea; we have to send a message,” he said.

Nigeria will be looking to move on from their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and start their AFCON 2027 campaign on a positive note.

Ndidi is part of a 24-man squad that includes Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Ola Aina and Calvin Bassey.

Victor Osimhen, however, will miss the match after withdrawing from the squad because of injury. Taiwo Awoniyi was called up as his replacement.

Despite Osimhen’s absence, Ndidi said the players in camp are focused on getting a positive result.

“We’re looking forward to this one, it’s going to be an amazing one, the boys are ready, everyone is tuned to this one and we’ll see,” he added.

Madagascar will also arrive in Uyo with confidence, having defeated Nigeria 2–0 at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt. It remains their only senior victory over the Super Eagles.

Nigeria have won three of their other meetings, while one match ended in a draw.

Friday’s encounter will give Chelle and his players the chance to make a strong start to their journey towards the 2027 AFCON.

Kick-off is scheduled for 5pm Nigerian time at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

India completed a golden double in kabaddi at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Saturday as the men’s team defeated Iran 40-34 in a thrilling final to retain their title, hours after the women’s side had also beaten the same opponents to defend their gold.

The victory gave India their ninth Asian Games kabaddi gold overall and kept their dominance alive after a closely fought contest against the team that had ended their long winning streak in 2018. India remained unbeaten throughout their campaign, winning all their group-stage matches before overcoming Thailand in the semi-final.

The women’s team’s 37-34 victory earlier in the day had already secured one half of the golden double, with the men’s side completing it in the evening.

Iran push India in tightly contested final

The men’s final was closely fought from the outset, with Iran matching India in both attack and defence. The two sides were locked at 20-20 at one stage, reflecting the intensity of a contest between two teams with a long history at the Asian Games.

India gradually managed to gain the upper hand after the scores were level, creating the separation they needed in the second half. Iran continued to challenge the defending champions, but India maintained their composure to move towards the 40-point mark.

The Indian team eventually secured a six-point victory, winning 40-34 and successfully retaining the gold medal they had reclaimed at the Hangzhou Games in 2023.

India seal gold after unbeaten campaign

India’s triumph capped an unbeaten campaign in Aichi-Nagoya. The men’s team had progressed through the group stage without defeat before producing a commanding 66-28 victory over Thailand in the semi-final to set up another final against Iran.

The gold was especially significant given India’s history with Iran at the Asian Games. Iran had ended India’s seven-edition winning streak in the men’s event at the Jakarta Games in 2018, where India finished fourth. The Indian team bounced back by reclaiming the title at Hangzhou in 2023 and has now successfully defended it in Aichi-Nagoya.

Golden double after women’s triumph

The men’s victory came after the Indian women’s team had already secured gold earlier in the day with a 37-34 win over Iran. India led 22-16 at half-time before Iran mounted a strong comeback in the second half, but the defending champions held on to secure another women’s title.

The women’s team had also gone through the tournament unbeaten and extended their record in the event, having won the gold medal at every Asian Games except Jakarta 2018, when Iran defeated them in the final.

The two victories meant India secured gold medals in both men’s and women’s kabaddi at Aichi-Nagoya. The Indian players celebrated the women’s triumph with a victory lap and chants of ‘Vande Mataram’, before the men’s team completed the golden double later in the day.

India’s kabaddi dominance continues

India’s men’s gold was their eighth in the Asian Games men’s kabaddi event and their ninth overall kabaddi gold at the continental showpiece. The men’s team had won seven consecutive titles from 1990 to 2014 before Iran broke their run in Jakarta.

The women’s team, meanwhile, secured their fourth Asian Games gold after winning the inaugural women’s event in 2010 and retaining the title in 2014 before Iran’s 2018 victory interrupted their run. India reclaimed the women’s crown at Hangzhou in 2023 and have now defended it in Aichi-Nagoya.

The twin victories over Iran therefore marked more than a successful title defence for India, with both teams overcoming the same opponents to reassert their position at the top of the Asian Games kabaddi competition.

Lionel Messi’s 2026 World Cup has been historic, and his eight goals and four assists only scratch the surface.

Aside from the goal contributions, Messi has been dominant in several ways— through balls, take-ons, possessions won, and several other advanced metrics. It’s absolutely incredible just how versatile the 39-year-old has been through seven games of the tournament. He’s currently -800 to win his third Golden Ball award, and +100 to win the Golden Boot.

Here’s a deeper dive into the numbers behind Messi’s brilliance this tournament, ahead of the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on July 19.

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• Messi’s 8 goals are tied with Kylian Mbappé for the most of any player.
• His 2 goals from outside the box are tied with Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé (France), Yasin Ayari (Sweden), and Malik Tillman (USA) for the most of any player.
• His 34 shots are the most of any player. His 18 shots on target are the second-most of any player behind Mbappé (19).
• Messi has 5.31 xG (expected goals), the second-highest of any player behind Mbappé (5.5); xG measures the likelihood that a shot taken would result in a goal.
• His 5.75 xG on target is the third-highest of any player behind Mbappé (7.11) and Jude Bellingham (5.89).

• Messi’s 4 assists are tied with Brahim Díaz, Bruno Guimarães and Martin Ødegaard for the second-most of any player (Michael Olise has most, with five).
• He has 49 crosses and 19 crosses completed, both the most of any player.
• Messi has completed 21 key passes, the most of any player; a key pass is a pass that directly leads to a shot on goal by a teammate.
• Messi’s 158 passes in the attacking third are the second-most of any player behind Pedri (175); the attacking third is the area around the opponents’ goal.
• He has 4.12 xA (expected assists), which is the highest of any player; xA measures the likelihood that a pass made will result in an assist.

• Messi has 25 dribbles completed, the most of any player.
• He has 48 take-ons, which is the second-most of any player behind Yamal (52); a take-on is when a player attempts to beat an opponent one-on-one by dribbling past them while keeping the ball.
• Messi has 14 possessions ending with a goal; an individual possession is one player’s continuous control of the ball, from the moment they gain it until the moment they release it (by passing, shooting, dribbling, or losing it).
• He has 170 possessions ending in the attacking third, the third-most of any player behind Rodri (205) and Olise (172).
• Messi has 76 possessions ending in a shot, the most of any player.
• Messi has averaged 63.6 seconds per possession, the second-longest average of all forwards behind Julián Alvarez (min. 400 minutes played).

• 25 chances, the most of any player; a chance is defined as any play that leads to a player shooting.
• 8 big chances created, the most of any player; a big chance is an action that results in a clear-cut goal-scoring opportunity.
• 15 through balls, tied with Michael Olise for the most of any player; a through ball is a pass made into open space between two defenders for an attacker to receive the ball behind the defenders.
• 43 touches in the opponents box, the fifth-most of any player behind Lamine Yamal (52), Mbappé (52), Mikel Oyarzabal (47), and Vini Júnior (44).

• Messi has created 11 chances from set pieces, which is the most of any player.
• He has had 8 shots from direct free kicks, which is the most of any player.
• Messi has 4 direct free kick shot attempts on target, which is the most of any player.
• Messi has taken 34 corners, the second-most of any player behind Canada’s Stephen Eustáquio (44).

Lionel Messi in FIFA World Cup semifinal vs. England (Photo by Liu Lu/VCG via Getty Images).

• Messi has been involved in 13 sequences ending with a goal, the most of any player; a sequence is a passage of play by one team that involves a continuous set of possessions and ended by defensive actions, stoppages in play or a shot.
• He has had 121 sequences with nine or more passes, the most of all forwards; that is also 35 more than the forward with the next-most, Lamine Yamal (86).
• He’s been involved in 256 sequences ending in the attacking third, the second-most of all players behind Rodri (257).
• Messi has scored a goal every 77.5 minutes, the third-best average among all players, trailing Erling Haaland (66.4) and Mbappé (76) (min. five matches played and f4our goals scored).

• Messi has scored 21 goals, the most of any man or woman in World Cup history.
• Messi has 12 assists, the most on record at the World Cup (since 1966).
• Messi has now scored or assisted in 11 straight World Cup matches, the longest streak on record (since 1966).
• Against Algeria, he became the oldest player to score a hat trick at the World Cup (39 years old).
• Messi has played 33 matches and won 23 matches, both the most of any player in World Cup history.
• With his assist vs. Egypt, he became the first player ever to register an assist in six different World Cups.
• He became one of two players ever to score seven goals in multiple World Cups, along with Mbappé.
• Has now scored a goal against 15 different opponents at the World Cup, the most of any player in World Cup history.
• He is up to 17 non-penalty goals at the World Cup, tied with Mbappé for the most in tournament history.

Juan Mata has become the latest high-profile figure to react to Manchester City’s financial charges verdict

Former Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has reacted to Manchester City’s financial charges verdict, jokingly questioning whether he may now be considered a Premier League title winner. The Spaniard was part of the United teams that finished behind City during his time at Old Trafford.

City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them when the Premier League launched its case in February 2023. However, no sanctions have yet been determined, and the Premier League is still to issue an official statement on the outcome.

A City spokesperson told MEN Sport: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such, Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.

“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

Although the process is still ongoing, a number of current and former Premier League players have shared their views on the saga. Speaking during ITV’s coverage of England’s Nations League clash with Spain, the ex-United midfielder suggested the outcome could have a direct impact on him, having spent eight years at Old Trafford between 2014 and 2022.

“Actually, directly, it affects me,” he said. “I’ve been lucky enough to play enough games and win some trophies but I’ve never won the Premier League – or have I? I don’t know what’s going to happen but I think they’re right.

“Of course it’s fair what Rodri has said, with titles won on the pitch and I think he feels they were the better team on the pitch but who says it’s the right thing to do?”

City are expected to lodge a formal appeal against the independent panel’s verdict in their financial charges case with the Premier League. Under league rules, the club has 14 days from the decision to submit an appeal, which would then be reviewed by a three-member panel chaired by former solicitor and High Court judge Sir Gary Hickinbottom. It remains unclear whether that 14-day window has already begun.

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Any appeal would delay the implementation of potential sanctions, including fines, points deductions or other penalties. However, because the Premier League regards the appeal panel’s ruling as final, City would not be able to take the case any further or refer it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). An appeal would also not amount to a full retrial, nor would it necessarily involve all of the evidence being reheard.

On Saturday, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak penned an open letter to supporters. His comments, published on the club website, read: “I have been part of this Club for 18 years. I have had the privilege to stand with you in the Etihad, at Wembley, and in Istanbul. This Club matters to me, and you have shown and told me – time and time again – how much Manchester City matters to you. This is why I am writing to you today.

“Following Friday’s media reporting, many of you will have spent your evening answering questions and responding to messages from friends, family and colleagues. So have I. Here’s what I said to my family: The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the Club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began.

“There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position. But the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it means I cannot do that at the moment. Even this letter underwent several legal checks to make sure it complies.

“I ask you to please carefully read the statement below, which we gave on Friday, and the statement we issued in February 2023. Every word matters and holds true.”

Terence Crawford and Ryan Garcia have offered conflicting reactions to the reported idea of them colliding as a replacement for Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua.

According to The Ring’s Mike Coppinger, issues behind the scenes could prevent the two British heavyweights from fighting on the scheduled date of December 11.

This is in spite of their long-awaited showdown being announced earlier this week, with Fury and Joshua having seemingly agreed to lock horns at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

If their clash was to go up in smoke, however, then Turki Alalshikh may explore the possibility – or is perhaps doing so already – of organising a contest between Crawford and Garcia.

Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua could be called off due to issues, according to sources, and a replacement fight between Terence Crawford and Ryan Garcia is being considered.

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) September 25, 2026

Crawford did, of course, announce his retirement last December, calling time on a glittering career that saw him become a three-division undisputed champion.

He did so by moving up to 168lbs and dethroning Canelo Alvarez with a comprehensive unanimous decision victory, having previously won world titles at four lower divisions.

Garcia, meanwhile, is coming off a successful WBC title defence against Conor Benn, who he floored and stopped in the second round of their encounter earlier this month.

In doing so, the 28-year-old retained the world welterweight title he claimed by dethroning Mario Barrios in February and, perhaps more importantly, kept himself in the mix for a major opportunity.

He has, therefore, taken to social media and notified Alalshikh that he is prepared to face Crawford later this year.

“You know I’m ready Turki to run the fade. I’m ready!!!!”

You know I’m ready to Turki to run the fade

I’m ready!!!! 👊👊 pic.twitter.com/85sm6uvadb

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— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) September 26, 2026

Crawford, on the other hand, was a little more confused that, at 38 years old, he is being linked to a fight with Garcia.

“Damn, am I [fighting Garcia]? Why I don’t know about this?”

🤣🤣🤣 dam am I? Why I don’t know about this?

— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) September 26, 2026

Crawford also replied to Coppinger’s post with, ‘Where you hear this at?’, having clearly not been told about this ambiguous plan to bring him out of retirement.

The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) on Saturday announced it chose Munich as Germany‘s entry to bid for at least the next three Olympic Summer Games.

Ahead of the vote, former Olympic champion and new Sports Minister Ronald Rauhe said: “We have an international task to fulfill and must enter the race with the city or region that gives Germany the greatest chances internationally. The decision on that is made by sport, and I assume that it will make it with a great deal of responsibility.”

Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the Olympic bid represented a huge opportunity for all of Germany to “show that we are a land of opportunity.”

According to the Munich bid, all competitions would take place in Bavaria, except for the football matches which would be played in Stuttgart and the sailing competitions in the northern city of Kiel.

Berlin bowing out created two-horse race

Munich and a Cologne-led bid by the Rhine-Ruhr region were the only two in contention.

As many as 17.6 million tickets could be sold for the Games in Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr, more than ever before at a Games, the premier of North Rhine-Westphalia said recently. 

Munich was campaigning after two failed bids for the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games and having previously hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Up until Thursday, Berlin had been among the cities in contention, but the city’s mayor announced that the city would withdraw from the race.

The withdrawal comes after the socialist Left Party’s victory in the German capital’s elections last weekend. The party’s lead candidate and potential mayor, Elif Eralp, said she did not support Berlin’s bid.

Sports minister has sights set on 2040

On Friday, Sports Minister Ronald Rauhe said he would welcome a German Olympic bid for the 2040 Games, with it coinciding with an important historical milestone.

“2040 will mark the 50th anniversary of reunification. Here we could send a great signal that also aligns with the values of the Olympic Games,” Rauhe told German news agency dpa ahead of the deciding vote on Saturday.

“Based on my personal history, 2040 would be my favorite date. That has to do with the fact that I’m a Berlin child. As a schoolchild, I experienced what happens to people when a wall falls, when people grow together again, when two population groups that had been separated become a community again,” Rauhe said. 

“Ultimately, though, one thing matters above all: bringing the Olympic and Paralympic Games back to our country. No matter when,” Rauhe said. 

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Edited by: Sean Sinico, Wesley Dockery