Asian Games – Japan activates diplomacy to help cricket blossom

September 21, 2026 10:09 AM

Asian Games – Japan activates diplomacy to help cricket blossom

For a country where baseball reigns supreme and cricket barely registers on the sporting radar, Japan is about to host a fortnight of sport unlike any other in its history. Some of the biggest names in world cricket, including powerhouse India, are set to descend on Japanese soil next week and transform a nation known for staging the odd regional qualifier into an unlikely hub of top-tier cricket. The unprecedented stretch of high-level cricket is the result of diplomatic manoeuvring, corporat...

‘I am already looking ahead to the Asian Games’: Sharmila Dhankar after historic CWG title

September 21, 2026 10:09 AM

‘I am already looking ahead to the Asian Games’: Sharmila Dhankar after historic CWG title

Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medallist Sharmila Dhankar described her maiden CWG title as a “historic achievement” and said her next target is to win gold at the Asian Games before building a successful Paralympic career. Dhankar clinched the women’s F57 shot put gold with a season-best throw of 9.81 metres, finishing ahead of Ghana’s Zinabu Issah (8.65m) and Nigeria’s Eucharia Iyiazi (8.19m). Fellow Indian Shilpa narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth. “I feel incredibly...

India women’s team has changed view of female sport, says Kohli

March 18, 2025 12:09 PM

India women’s team has changed view of female sport, says Kohli

The achievements of India's women's cricket team in recent years have revolutionized perceptions towards women's sport, driving increased engagement, commercial success, and financial stability, according to batsman Virat Kohli. The India women's team, who won silver at the Commonwealth Games and gold at the Asian Games in 2022, are third in the International Cricket Council's Twenty20 and one-day rankings, trailing only Australia and England. "I think what the India women's cricket team has d...