India began their Women's T20 World Cup campaign with a commanding 64-run victory over Pakistan at Edgbaston on Sunday. After being put under early pressure, Smriti Mandhana steadied the innings with a fluent 68, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh made important contributions to help India post 170/6.   Pakistan started the chase positively but collapsed against India's spin attack. Deepti Sharma produced a match-winning spell of 5/10, while Shree Charani also chipped in with crucial wickets as Pakistan were bowled out for 106 in 17 overs.   The victory gave India a perfect start to the tournament and strengthened their net run rate, with a record Women's T20 World Cup group-stage crowd of 18,814 watching the high-profile clash. (PC: X/ICC)

Germany made a flying start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a crushing 7-1 victory over Curacao in Houston on Sunday. Kai Havertz scored twice, while Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav also got on the scoresheet as six German players found the net.   Curacao briefly equalised through Livano Comenencia, who scored his country's first-ever World Cup goal, but Germany quickly regained control and dominated the contest.   The emphatic win sends Germany to the top of Group E with a huge goal difference advantage.  

Former Germany striker and World Cup record goalscorer Miroslav Klose has backed Lionel Messi to break his all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record. Klose holds the record with 16 goals, while Messi has 13 and France captain Kylian Mbappe has 12.   Klose said the expanded 48-team World Cup gives players more chances to score and believes his record could fall in this tournament. "Messi is welcome to do it. I'm a huge Messi fan," he said.   The German legend also praised Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni. Messi is set to lead Argentina's title defence, starting with a match against Algeria. (PC: AFP)

Indian athletes enjoyed a successful day on the international stage. Archer Dhiraj Bommadevara won two gold medals at the Archery World Cup in Antalya, Turkey. He first teamed up with Kumkum Mohod to defeat South Korea and win the recurve mixed team title. Hours later, he claimed his first individual World Cup gold by beating South Korea's Lee Wooseok in the final.   Meanwhile, athlete Parul Chaudhary set a new national record in the women's 5000m event at Meeting Nikaia in France. She finished second with a time of 15:04.26, improving her previous national best and securing qualification for the 2026 Asian Games.

Haiti fans vented their frustration online after their team's 1-0 loss to Scotland in a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match, accusing the referee of favouring the Scottish side. Social media was flooded with complaints over several decisions made during the game, with one supporter writing that Haiti had been "absolutely robbed." Fans argued that key calls went against their team and influenced the result. While no official protest has been filed, the controversy quickly gained attention online. Scotland secured three valuable points, but post-match discussion largely focused on the officiating rather than the football. (PC: NDTV)

Brazil forward Vinicius Jr said he felt the responsibility to lead his team after scoring the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Morocco in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener.   The Real Madrid star struggled to make an impact in the first half but changed the game after the break with a superb goal that earned Brazil a point. Reflecting on his performance, Vinicius said he had reached a moment where "enough is enough" and decided to take control of the match.   His reaction came after coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted Brazil must improve despite fighting back to avoid defeat.  

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted his team fell short after a 1-1 draw against Morocco in their opening FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match.   Morocco took the lead through Ismael Saibari before Vinicius Jr produced a brilliant equaliser to rescue a point for Brazil. Reflecting on the performance, Ancelotti said, "We did not play well... we lost several balls and I think we have to do better."   The Italian manager said Brazil looked nervous and unbalanced in the first half but improved after the break following tactical changes. He added, "I am not disappointed by this result and I'm not satisfied either," insisting the team will improve as the tournament progresses. (PC: India Today)

Lionel Messi has boosted Argentina's FIFA World Cup title defence with a strong training session ahead of the team's opening match against Algeria.   The 38-year-old was seen working on running drills, spot kicks and overall match fitness during Argentina's latest practice session. The training comes after concerns over the muscle fatigue in his left hamstring that had limited his preparations.   Messi also looked positive after returning to action in Argentina's final warm-up match against Iceland, where he came off the bench and scored a penalty. Reflecting on his recovery, he said he was happy to be back and eager to play without fear.   The Inter Miami star had missed an earlier friendly against Honduras as a precaution after suffering discomfort during an MLS match. However, his latest training session suggests he is ready to lead Argentina when they begin their World Cup campaign against Algeria.  

Indian-origin footballer Nishan Velupillay etched his name into history after making his FIFA World Cup debut during Australia's 2-0 victory over Turkiye in their opening Group D match.   The 24-year-old forward, who has Sri Lankan Tamil roots with Indian heritage, became one of the few players of Indian origin to appear at football's biggest tournament. Although he did not score, his appearance was a landmark moment for the Indian diaspora and Tamil community.   Australia secured all three points with a disciplined display, giving the Socceroos a strong start to their World Cup campaign while Velupillay celebrated a personal milestone on the global stage.  

Most of the $18,000 (£13,500) worth of equipment stolen from a vehicle transporting England's World Cup gear from Florida to Kansas City has been recovered, according to reports. The stolen items included three signed jerseys worth $15,000, football boots, goalkeeper gloves, a World Cup ball, stuffed lions and a Lego Nike shoe set. Two men, Mustafa Salik and Erfan Kamal, have been charged with receiving stolen property under Missouri law. The Football Association said nothing essential to the team's preparations was taken, and the incident has not disrupted England's build-up to their World Cup opener against Croatia. (PC: BBC)