India has sent a nearly 500-member team to the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, hoping to beat its 106 medals from Hangzhou, including 28 golds.   Kabaddi is India's surest bet, with both men's and women's teams as defending champions. The men's and women's cricket teams are also expected to win gold again. The men's hockey team is the favourite, while the women hope to win gold for the first time in 44 years.   Other top hopes include archers Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Dhiraj Bommadevara, shooters Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker, badminton pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor and high jumper Sarvesh Kushare. (PC: NDTV Sports)

The 20th Asian Games officially begin in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on September 19, with the opening ceremony at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. The ceremony, themed “Harmonic Heart Beat,” brings together athletes from 45 countries and regions competing across 43 sports. India’s flag-bearers are Manu Bhaker and kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat, with Sehrawat replacing shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor after a logistical issue prevented Toor from attending. Competition in several sports, including cricket, teqball and soft tennis, has already started. More than 11,000 athletes are expected to compete during the Games, which run through October 4. (PC: The Hindu)

India’s Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza lost 1–2 to Indonesia’s Sumaya in the women’s singles teqball semifinal at the 2026 Asian Games on Saturday. Dsouza made a strong start, winning the opening game 12–7, but Sumaya fought back to take the second 12–9 and the deciding game 12–7. Dsouza will now compete in the singles bronze-medal match on Sunday. She also remains in contention for a second bronze alongside Mohamed Anas Imran Beg in mixed doubles. Teqball is making its Asian Games debut at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, giving Dsouza two opportunities to secure a historic medal for India. 

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) plans to invite IPL team owners to buy franchises in other sports to help ensure their leagues succeed. Sources told Times Now that women’s hockey, archery and volleyball are being considered under the initiative, modelled on the Indian Premier League. The proposal comes as the Women’s Hockey India League faces an existential crisis amid rising costs and operational difficulties. India’s women’s hockey players appealed to save the league after their fifth-place World Cup finish, their best result since 1974, crediting the league for their success. The Indian Super League faced difficulties, with its 2025-26 season starting in February and being played in truncated form. (PC: CNBC)

India began its Asian Games T20 gold defence with an eight-wicket win over hosts Japan in the women’s quarter-final. Japan were bowled out for 57, with Shree Charani taking four wickets. India then chased the target inside five overs, losing only two wickets. Harmanpreet Kaur’s team entered the match after a demanding 107 hours that included controversy surrounding their refusal to receive the Women’s Asia Cup trophy from ACC president Mohsin Naqvi, followed by a 72-run victory over Sri Lanka in the final and a nearly 8,000-kilometre journey from Dubai to Delhi and then Nagoya. The opener gave India a straightforward start to their title defence after their long journey overall.

India’s sole Asian Games gymnast, Pranati Nayak, and her coach, Ashok Mishra, faced accommodation problems aboard a cruise ship in Nagoya. They were initially assigned one room, while officials failed to find Mishra’s name in records because a letter was missing. Mishra said several others faced issues, with men and women not properly separated. The problem was resolved after the Indian Olympic Association intervened and arranged separate rooms. Mishra said the incident caused sleep disruption but had not affected Pranati’s preparation, and they completed their training session without problems. Pranati, from Pingla village in Paschim Medinipur, will compete in the women’s vault and all-around events at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. (PC: PTI)

Indian gymnast Pranati Nayak and her coach Ashok Mishra faced an accommodation mix-up at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after being assigned the same room aboard the Costa Serena cruise ship in Nagoya. The Indian Olympic Association intervened and arranged separate rooms around 1:30 am. However, Mishra then faced another delay when hotel staff could not locate his booking because the letter “I” was missing from his name in official records. The correction and accreditation verification took another 45 minutes, with the issue finally resolved after 2 am. The incident adds to wider accommodation and logistical problems reported by athletes. (PC: Instagram)

Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker has been named one of India’s flag-bearers for the Asian Games opening ceremony in Nagoya on Saturday, with shot-putter Tajinder Pal Singh Toor expected to join her. The announcement came amid organisational problems at the Games, as the traditional flag-hoisting ceremony involving India, Yemen, North Korea, Palestine and Timor-Leste was delayed by 20 minutes before being abruptly halted. Organisers cited unspecified “trouble” involving a team but gave no further details. The disruption adds to concerns over accommodation, transportation and other logistical arrangements reported by athletes ahead of the official opening. (PC: X)

India completed a 3-0 T20I series sweep over Afghanistan after a spectacular batting display in the third match in New Delhi. Abhishek Sharma smashed a record-breaking century from just 30 balls, the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter and the third-fastest overall. He eventually scored 108 off 34 deliveries, including nine fours and 11 sixes. Sanju Samson also contributed a half-century as India posted 221/7. Abhishek and Samson added 142 for the opening wicket after India reached 100 in the powerplay. Afghanistan were set a target of 222 in the series finale. (PC: The Hindu)

Abhishek Sharma broke the record for the fastest century by an Indian in men’s T20Is, reaching 100 in 30 balls against Afghanistan in the third T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium on September 17, during India’s third T20I against Afghanistan. He surpassed Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017. After a cautious start, Abhishek accelerated, reaching his fifty in 14 balls after attacking Mohammad Nabi. He then struck boundaries against Rashid Khan, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Abdullah Ahmadzai before completing his century with a single in the ninth over. His innings ended at 108 when Rashid induced an edge, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz completing the catch after a review confirmed contact.