Indian Grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu clinched her second consecutive FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss title in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, scoring 8/11 and edging Kateryna Lagno on tiebreaks. Her final round draw against Tan Zhongyi secured her spot in the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament. Vaishali’s journey from defeating Magnus Carlsen at 12 to earning multiple titles reflects her resilience and strategic brilliance. She becomes the only player to defend the Grand Swiss title and joins Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh in the Candidates. Leaders, including PM Modi, praised her achievement. Her brother Praggnanandhaa also qualified for the Open Candidates, marking a historic moment for Indian chess and the Rameshbabu siblings.

The ICC has rejected Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) request to remove match referee Andy Pycroft over a “no handshake” controversy during the Asia Cup 2025 match against India. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, also head of the ACC, accused Pycroft of violating the Spirit of Cricket and demanded his removal. The ICC denied the plea, prompting PCB to consider boycotting their next match against UAE. The controversy stemmed from PCB’s Director Usman Walha failing to inform captain Salman Agha of the “No Handshake” policy, leading to Walha’s dismissal. Pakistan must beat UAE to reach the Super 4 stage and potentially face India again, with Pycroft still officiating.

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned former India cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa in a money-laundering probe involving illegal online betting platforms. Uthappa will appear on September 22, while Yuvraj faces questioning on September 23 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. This follows earlier interrogations of Suresh Raina (August 13) and Shikhar Dhawan (September 4). The ED is also questioning TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty, Bengali actor Ankush Hazra, and expected Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela. The probe examines celebrity endorsements of banned betting apps that violate tax, money-laundering, and FEMA laws. Despite government advisories prohibiting such advertisements, platforms continue operations by changing names, with approximately 220 million Indian users engaged across various betting applications. (PC: CNBC & Daily Excelsior)

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly publicly criticized Pakistan's cricket standards during a Kolkata event, revealing he switched from the India-Pakistan Asia Cup match to Manchester Derby after just 15 overs. Ganguly stated Pakistan is "no longer competitive" and lacks the quality of past legends like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Javed Miandad. He expressed preference for watching India play Australia, England, South Africa, or even Afghanistan over Pakistan. Calling the current comparison "chalk and cheese," Ganguly emphasized India's dominance even without stalwarts Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Regarding the controversial no-handshake incident, he deferred to captain Suryakumar Yadav's explanation while mentioning terrorism must stop during the public interaction.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has defended Team India after the handshake row in the Asia Cup 2025. Following India’s 7-wicket win over Pakistan, captain Suryakumar Yadav and his players did not shake hands with their rivals. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed a complaint with the Asian Cricket Council and demanded the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft. A senior BCCI official clarified that handshakes are a goodwill gesture, not a rule. “There is no law forcing players to shake hands,” he said, citing strained India-Pakistan relations as the reason. (PC: NDTV)

Indian skater Anandkumar Velkumar created history by winning India's first-ever gold medal at the Speed Skating World Championships in Beidaihe, China. The 22-year-old champion secured the senior men's 1,000m sprint title with a time of 1:24.924 seconds on Monday. This triumph followed his historic bronze medal in the 500m sprint event days earlier, marking India's first senior world championship medal in speed skating. Adding to India's success, junior competitor Krish Sharma claimed gold in the 1,000m sprint category. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and PM Modi praised Velkumar's achievement, with Rijiju calling it "a glorious moment for Indian sports." The championships run from September 13-21.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi criticized India and the BCCI after Suryakumar Yadav’s team refused handshakes with Pakistan players following their Asia Cup 2025 clash in Dubai. India defeated Pakistan by 7 wickets but chose to skip post-match greetings, sparking controversy. Afridi said the act showed “no sportsman spirit” and called it an “embarrassment in front of the world.” Pakistan coach Mike Hesson and skipper Salman Ali Agha also expressed anger. The PCB has threatened to withdraw from the tournament if referee Andy Pycroft continues. Afridi claimed Indian players acted under pressure from boycott campaigns in India. (PC: HT)

India achieved a historic Davis Cup victory in Biel, defeating Switzerland 3-1 in the World Group I tie. This was India’s first away win against a European team in 32 years, last coming against France in 1993. Sumit Nagal was the hero, winning both his singles matches, including a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over 18-year-old Henry Bernet in the decisive rubber. Debutant Dhakshineswar Suresh also stunned Swiss No.1 Jerome Kym. Although Switzerland won the doubles clash, India sealed the tie to qualify for the 2026 World Group Qualifiers. Ranked 37, India upset ninth-seeded Switzerland with this memorable win. (PC: India Today)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has warned the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it could pull out of the Asia Cup 2025 if its demands are not met. The controversy began when Indian players refused to shake hands with Pakistan after their Group A match in Dubai. PCB alleged match referee Andy Pycroft asked captains not to shake hands at the toss, calling it a breach of the Spirit of Cricket. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi demanded Pycroft’s removal. Reports say Pakistan may boycott their September 17 match against UAE if the referee is not dropped. (PC: HT)

The India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 clash in Dubai left fans stunned as many seats remained empty. The 25,000-capacity stadium is usually sold out for this rivalry, but political tensions and boycott calls kept crowds away. Social media users shared surprise, with one posting, “Never in my life have I seen a stadium so empty for an Indo-Pak match.” Another wrote, “Seats are empty for the first time in an India-Pakistan match.” This was the first meeting between the two nations since the Pahalgam terror attack, adding to the tense atmosphere around the game. (PC: NDTV/Instagram)