Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan confirmed he will meet football legend Lionel Messi at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium on December 13 during Messi's GOAT India Tour. Khan posted on X, expressing excitement about the "Messi" day ride, sparking massive fan enthusiasm online. Fans celebrated the meeting between megastars from their respective fields. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan prepares for his upcoming action drama King, co-starring daughter Suhana Khan, alongside Abhishek Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, and others. Khan revealed he's wanted to make this film for seven-eight years, collaborating with director Sujoy Mukerji for emotional correctness. Director Siddharth Anand, who made Pathaan, maintains strict secrecy about production details.

A 70-foot iron statue of football legend Lionel Messi has been unveiled at Lake Town in South Dum Dum, Kolkata, by the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club, with work finishing touches underway. The towering sculpture depicts Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy and was completed in just 40 days, club president and West Bengal Minister Sujit Bose said, claiming it’s the biggest Messi statue in the world. Organisers say Messi will virtually inaugurate the statue on December 13 during his India visit, due to security concerns, while fans eagerly await the tribute ahead of the 2026 World Cup. (PC: X)

Lionel Messi will arrive in Kolkata on December 13 to begin his GOAT India Tour 2025. This will be his first visit to India since 2011, and the city is preparing for a huge welcome. Messi is scheduled for a meet-and-greet, the virtual unveiling of his statue, and a friendly match at Yuva Bharati Stadium. He will then fly to Hyderabad later in the day. Kolkata is expected to see large crowds as fans gather to see the football legend. Former Barcelona star Luis Suárez and Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul will join Messi for parts of the tour. (PC: X)

The FIH Men's Junior World Cup 2025 saw a thrilling turnaround as Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team overturned a 0–2 deficit to beat Argentina Junior Men’s Hockey Team 4–2 in the third‑place playoff in Chennai. Trailing until the fourth quarter, India scored four goals in just 11 minutes through Ankit Pal (49′), Manmeet Singh (52′), Shardanand Tiwari (57′) and Anmol Ekka (58′). This marks India’s first podium finish in the tournament in nine years. The win brings their total Junior World Cup medals to four — two golds, one silver, now bronze. (PC: PTI)

Indian cricket star Smriti Mandhana made her first public appearance after calling off her wedding with music composer Palash Muchhal. Speaking at the Amazon Smbhav Summit 2025, she avoided personal details but stated that nothing matters more to her than cricket. Mandhana said she stays focused by avoiding overthinking and draws strength from wearing the India jersey. Reports earlier confirmed that the wedding was cancelled due to personal and family reasons. Her appearance and statements signal a clear prioritisation of her cricketing career as she prepares for upcoming national and international commitments. (PC: NDTV)

Smriti Mandhana opened up about her 12-year cricket journey in her first public appearance since calling off her marriage with musician Palash Mucchal. Speaking at the Amazon Smbhav Summit Wednesday, India's vice-captain declared, "I don't think I love anything more than cricket. Wearing that Indian jersey is the motivation that drives us." Reflecting on November's World Cup triumph, she called it "a reward for the battle we fought over years." The presence of veterans Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami at the final made emotions run high. "Seeing tears in their eyes made it feel like women's cricket itself was winning," she said, describing it as a victory for all.

President Droupadi Murmu honoured India’s women boxers on Wednesday after their strong performance at the 2025 World Boxing Championships in Liverpool. She met the medal winners at Rashtrapati Bhavan and praised their “exceptional performances.” Jaismine Lamboria and Minakshi Hooda won gold medals, Nupur Sheoran took silver, and Pooja Rani won bronze. India finished the event with four medals in total. Minakshi defeated Paris 2024 bronze medallist Nazym Kyzaibay to win the 48 kg title. The President said their achievements highlight India’s growing strength in world boxing. Twenty Indian boxers competed, including Olympians Lovlina Borgohain and Nikhat Zareen. (PC: X/@rashtrapatibhvn)

Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha, a three-year-old boy from Madhya Pradesh, has become the youngest chess player to earn an official FIDE rating. Born in 2022, he received a rapid rating of 1572, well above the minimum 1400. Sarwagya won five of the eight rated games he played, defeating opponents much older than him. He began playing chess at two-and-a-half and now spends four to five hours a day practising, plus coaching sessions and video lessons. His father said the boy learned quickly and showed strong focus. Chess players and fans online have praised his achievement, calling it “incredible.” (PC: X)

Smriti Mandhana made her first public appearance after calling off her wedding. She said she “doesn’t love anything in life more than cricket” while speaking at an event with captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Mandhana recently helped India win the Women’s World Cup and has now been named vice-captain for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. She said wearing the India jersey makes her forget all personal problems. “You have a responsibility when India is written on it,” she said. Mandhana also said team disagreements are normal and show passion. She and composer Palash Muchhal cancelled their wedding on December 7.

Virat Kohli is now second in the ICC ODI rankings for batters. The Indian star scored 302 runs in the three-match series against South Africa. His performance included centuries in Ranchi and Raipur. Kohli’s rating is now 773, just eight points behind teammate Rohit Sharma, who leads with 781. New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell and Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran are third and fourth. Kohli was last ranked No.1 in March 2021. He was named Player of the Series as India won the series 2-1. Kohli’s rise shows he is in top form and ready to reclaim the top spot. (PC: India Today)