India’s men compound team clinch gold in Archery World Cup Stage-2
India’s men’s compound team won gold in the archery stage World Cup stage-2 in Shanghai on Saturday. India’s men’d team comprising Abhishek Verma, Ojas Deotale and young promising archer Rishabh Yadav delivered a perfect performance, defeating Mexico with a score of 232- 228 to ensure the gold medal in a thrilling encounter. In the women’s compound category Indian women, despite exhibiting a spirited show lost to Mexico and had to be content with a silver finally. Meanwhile Indian mixed team despite losing the match for reaching final, bounced back and secured a bronze medal trouncing Malaysia to make a podium finish. India have already won four medals in the Archery stage-1 world cup..
Drone damages Rawalpindi stadium hours before Pakistan Super League match: Sources
The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was hit by a drone hours before a match of the Pakistan Super League scheduled at 8 pm today, sources told India Today TV on Thursday. A match between PSL teams Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings was scheduled for today at the stadium. The development came hours after Islamabad attempted to strike 15 military targets in India, and in response, India destroyed the air defense radar systems in Lahore on Thursday. Pakistan Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry earlier claimed that some drones were neutralised in Lahore, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, Karachi, Chhor, Rawalpindi, and Attock, news agency PTI reported. According to sources, Pakistan’s HQ-9 missile defence system units, developed by China, were hit by Israeli-made HAROP drones, effectively rendering the Pakistani army defenceless in Lahore. In a statement on India foiling Pakistan’s bid to escalate tensions, the Army said, “India’s response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan.” According to the Army, Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sunil remains, but Gurpreet out of the probables for the Thailand friendly and the Asian Cup qualifier; Suhail Bhat gets maiden call
India head coach Manolo Márquez announced a 28-member probables’ squad for the national camp in Kolkata on 18th May before the June FIFA International window. Mohun Bagan Super Giants striker Suhail Ahmad Bhat has received a maiden call-up for his impressive performance in the Super Cup, while the country’s leading custodian, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, remains out of the side. He last played for India in a friendly against Malaysia last year, where his blunder gifted a goal to the opponent in a 1-1 draw. He was kept out of the squad for India’s first two games of 2025, a friendly against the Maldives and the Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh, with Vishal Kaith replacing him between the sticks. However, in a bid to regain his form Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has gone back to his former Norweian club Stabæk Fotball, which currently plays in the Norwegian first division league, which is the second tier in the country to undergo an intense training with the first eleven. He posted on the social media recently that he got permission to train only with the club’s first eleven for around two months. The Bengaluru FC shot-stopper would be training under his former goalkeeping coach, Espen Granli. India is currently eyeing three consecutive qualifications in the AFC Asian Cup, and is drawn in Group C with Bangladesh, Hong Kong China, and Singapore in the third round of qualifiers. The Blue Tigers’ next big competitive fixtures will be against Hong Kong, which they will play away on 10th June at the Kai Tak Sports Park, in Kowloon City. The first two qualifiers in Group C, between India and Bangladesh in Shillong, and between Singapore and Hong Kong, China, in Singapore, ended in stalemates, leaving all four teams with a point apiece. As part of its preparations for the qualifier, India will have a 10-day training camp in Kolkata, followed by a friendly against Thailand on 4th June.
Saudi Arabia wins hosting rights of U-17 Asian Cup football for three years; India to start campaign in SAFF U-19 from 9th May
Saudi Arabia has won the hosting rights of Under-17 Asian Cup men’s football competition for the next three consecutive years for 2025, 2026 and 2027. After Fifa announced that the Under-17 men’s World Cup football championship will take place every year starting from 2025, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has decided to stage the under-17 Asian Cup every year. Along with Saudi Arabia, China and Iraq expressed desire to get the hosting rights for the next three years. Among the three countries China and Saudi Arabia fulfilled all the terms and conditions in their biddings. Saudi finally won the rights. Incidentally, the last Under17 Asian Cup men’s football competition took place in Saudi Arabia last month from 3rd to 20th April. Uzbekistan clinched the title defeating the hosts for the second time. Meanwhile, 23-member under-19 Indian squad for the forthcoming SAFF Under-19 championship has been announced by the chief coach Bibiano Fernandez on Tuesday. Among the 23 footballers, 13 from North East states have ensured their berths in the final team. The tournament will take place at Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh from 9th to 18th May. Six countries, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan Maldives and Sri Lanka will vie for the title. India will start their campaign on 9th May against Sri Lanka.
