India will face Pakistan in a high-stakes Pool D clash at the 2026 Hockey World Cup on August 19 in Amstelveen, Netherlands. The match has become crucial after India’s 2-4 defeat to England, leaving their qualification hopes under pressure. Pakistan also need victory to keep their campaign alive. Beyond the sporting stakes, attention is focused on whether players will follow the traditional pre-match handshake, amid heightened tensions surrounding the rivalry. The match starts at 6:30 p.m. IST and will be broadcast on Star Sports, with streaming available on JioHotstar. (PC: Hockey India)

India could host Cape Verde in a football friendly between September 30 and October 6, according to sources. The match may be played before or after India’s high-profile friendly against Brazil in Kolkata on October 3. Talks over the venue and date are still underway. Cape Verde impressed fans at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The team reached the knockout stage on its debut. It stayed unbeaten in the group stage and drew 0-0 with Spain, 2-2 with Uruguay and 0-0 with Saudi Arabia. Cape Verde later lost 2-3 to Argentina after extra time in the round of 32. (PC: Getty Images)

India defeated South Africa 6-1 at the FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands on Tuesday. The win is India’s biggest victory in the tournament’s history. Sunelita Toppo opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Navneet Kaur and Sushila Chanu then helped India build a 3-0 lead before half-time. Deepika Sehrawat, Lalremsiami and Sakshi Rana added three more goals after the break. South Africa scored a late consolation goal through Kayla de Waal. India now lead Pool D and are close to reaching the next round. They need only a draw against England on Thursday to qualify.

India is planning a cricket stadium in Thiksey, near Leh, Ladakh, at approximately 11,800 feet (3,600 metres) above sea level. If completed, the proposed Ranbirpur Cricket Stadium could become the world’s highest cricket stadium. The project, currently at the planning and Detailed Project Report stage, is estimated to cost ₹100-116 crore, with concept designs exploring capacity of up to 40,000 spectators. The stadium aims to promote sports tourism, create opportunities for local cricketers and attract major sporting events. However, construction at such altitude poses challenges involving low oxygen, harsh winters, water availability, transport and specialised engineering. Environmental concerns and local infrastructure priorities will also need consideration before the project advances. (PC: @Indianinfoguide)

A consortium led by Amit Bhatia and including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has acquired a 38% stake in Liverpool FC from Fenway Sports Group (FSG), according to fresh reports. The stake is significantly larger than the roughly one-third share initially reported. The consortium, 1892 Holdings, also includes Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin and the Mittal Family Trusts. FSG will retain majority ownership and operational control of the Premier League club. Bezos is a lead investor through K5 Sports but is not expected to hold a board seat. Bhatia will become Liverpool’s vice-chairman. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval, while the consortium reportedly has an option that could eventually lead to majority ownership. (PC: This Is Anfield)

India’s Ayush Shetty pulled off a stunning win over world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi at the BWF World Championships. The 21-year-old beat the defending champion in a thrilling three-game match. Ayush led 17-7 in the deciding game but faced a strong comeback from Shi. He also suffered an injury and needed treatment during the game. Despite the pressure, Ayush stayed calm and won the match after 73 minutes. He had lost to Shi in all three of their previous meetings. Ayush will next face Sri Lanka’s Dumindu Abeywickrama. He said he wants to stay focused and go further in the tournament.

PV Sindhu made a strong start at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi. She beat Ireland’s Sophia Noble 21-7, 21-11 in the first round. Sindhu is now aiming for a record sixth World Championships medal. She will face Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang next. Other Indian players also had a good day. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won their women’s doubles match. MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan also advanced after their opponents retired. Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi won their match too. Ayush Shetty also upset defending champion Shi Yuqi, boosting India’s hopes. (PC: PTI)

Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty produced the biggest upset of the BWF World Championships, defeating world No. 1 and defending champion Shi Yu Qi of China in his tournament debut. Shetty, making his World Championships debut, stunned the top seed in a thrilling men’s singles encounter in Delhi to advance to the second round. His coach Vimal Kumar had prepared him for the challenge by asking him to write down the motivational line, “August 17 is a bad day for Shi Yuqi,” during his preparations in Bengaluru. Shetty delivered exactly that on Monday, overcoming the reigning champion and turning his debut into a memorable victory against the world’s top-ranked player.

Ravindra Jadeja reached a major milestone on Day 3 of the 1st Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, completing 350 Test wickets. He became only the 5th Indian to reach the landmark after Anil Kumble, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kapil Dev and Harbhajan Singh. Jadeja also joined Kapil Dev in the elite club of Indian players with more than 4,000 Test runs and 350 wickets. His 350th wicket came when Sri Lanka’s Keshara Nuwantha was caught by Shubman Gill for 2 runs. Jadeja now has 4,095 Test runs and 350 wickets, further strengthening his place among India’s greatest all-rounders. (PC: India Today)

Vogue has revealed the first photographs from Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez’s private wedding. The couple married on August 11 at their home in Cascais, Portugal, exactly 10 years after they first met. Their 5 children were present, while only 4 witnesses attended the ceremony. Ronaldo wore a light-coloured suit, while Rodriguez chose a white outfit. She said they wanted a quiet celebration with their family instead of the grand wedding she once imagined. Ronaldo, 41, also told Vogue that the 2026-27 season could be his final football season, though he has not officially announced his retirement. (PC: X)