Indian sports wrap, June 17: Close win for Royals Purulia in Bengal T20 League

CRICKET

Bengal T20 League: Nous Royals Purulia secure slim eight-run win over Sobisco Smashers Malda

Yuvraj Keswani’s 28-ball 40 and Mithilesh Das and Pradipta Pramanik’s three-wicket hauls enabled Nous Royals Purulia to post a slim eight-run win over Sobisco Smashers Malda in the Bengal T20 League at the Eden Gardens here on Wednesday.

Purulia managed 139 for eight before restricting Malda to 131 for eight to record its fourth win. It became the third team after Malda and Shrachi Rarh Tigers to reach the semifinals.

Purulia lost three wickets, two of them to Suraj Jaiswal, for 53 runs in the PowerPlay.

The left-handed Keswani batted as per the situation. He collected his four fours on the off-side while picking up his lone six over deep mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Ramesh Prashad.

Ramesh and leg-spinner Prayas Ray Barman also took two wickets apiece for Malda.

Chasing a modest target, Malda did not have an ideal start. Off-spinner Mithilesh Das removed southpaw Akhil and Abhimanyu Easwaran in the fourth over. Akhil was caught at cover, while Abhimanyu was trapped in front.

Mithilesh also captured the third wicket when a set Ray Barman holed out on the leg side.

Pramanik and his fellow bowlers mounted more pressure as Malda lost wickets regularly and fell short of the target.

-Team Sportstar

BOXING

Nikhil, Deepak, Saneh Progress as India Continue Boxing World Cup Campaign in China

Indian boxers Nikhil, Deepak, and Saneh emerged victorious on the third day of the Boxing World Cup (Stage 2) in China, advancing to the next round of their respective weight categories.

Competing in the men’s 55kg category, Nikhil registered a convincing 5-0 unanimous decision victory over Brazil’s Kelvy Trindade to move ahead in the competition.

Deepak joined him in the next round after producing an equally dominant display in the men’s 70kg division, defeating Japan’s Sewon Okazawa, a 2025 World Championships silver medalist, via a 5-0 verdict. In the women’s section, Saneh (65kg) also progressed further after securing a hard-fought 4-1 victory over South Korea’s Seon Sujin.

Looking ahead to Day 4, two Indian boxers are scheduled to take the ring. Minakshi (51kg) will square off against Poland’s Natalia Kuczewska in the women’s section, while Abhinash Jamwal (65kg) clashes with Kyrgyzstan’s Mirzokhid Imamnazarov.

In other preliminary contests on day three, Malsawmtluanga (80kg) went down 1-4 against Jordan’s Ashaish Hussein, while Mahi Lama (60kg) bowed out after suffering a 0-5 defeat to Mongolia’s Monkhor Namuun.

Results (India):

Won:

* Nikhil (55kg) bt Kelvy Trindade (Brazil) 5-0

* Deepak (70kg) bt Sewon Okazawa (Japan) 5-0

* Saneh (65kg-W) bt Seon Sujin (South Korea) 4-1

Lost:

* Malsawmtluanga (80kg) lost to Ashaish Hussein (Jordan) 1-4

* Mahi Lama (60kg-W) lost to Monkhor Namuun (Mongolia) 0-5

Day 4 Schedule (India):

* Minakshi (51kg-W) vs Natalia Kuczewska (Poland)

* Abhinash Jamwal (65kg) vs Mirzokhid Imamnazarov (Kyrgyzstan)

SNOOKER

India beat Mongolia to reach World Team Snooker Championship quarterfinals

India registered a hard-fought 3-1 win over Mongolia to book their place in the quarterfinals of the World Team Snooker Championship here on Wednesday.

The nervy victory helped the former champions set up a last-eight meeting with China ‘B’, against whom they had lost narrowly in the league stage on the opening day.

Hosts China beat Singapore 3-1 in their pre-quarterfinal match.

Earlier in the day, India were too good for the lowly Turkey, scoring a lopsided 3-0 win in their final Group ‘B’ league match to advance to the knockouts.

After a grueling battle with Nasanbuyan Orgil, Aditya Mehta secured the win to put India ahead in the last-16 clash against Mongolia.

Pankaj Advani made a break of 51 enroute to a 70-6 win over Sergelen Batdelger.

Advani and Ketan Chawla, playing his first match of the tournament, then went down 54-70 in the doubles to give Mongolia a look-in.

But multiple-time world champion Advani returned to score a facile 67-37 win over Orgil to seal the tie.

In the morning, Advani kickstarted the rout against Turkey, registering a comfortable 60-39 win over Ismail Turker.

Aditya Mehta, a former World Games gold medallist, outclassed Enes Bakirci 95-17 to give India a 2-0 lead.

The country’s top two players combined to score a 90-13 win over the Turkish duo of Turker and Bakirci to clinch the doubles match and the rubber 3-0. Advani compiled a break of 46 in the final match.

Results: League (Group ‘B’): India bt Turkey 3-0 (Pankaj Advani bt Ismail Turker 60-39; Aditya Mehta bt Enes Bakirci 95-17; Advani/ Mehta bt Turker/Bakirci 90-13).

Pre-quarterfinals: India bt Mongolia 3-1 (Aditya Mehta bt Nasanbuyan Orgil 65-46, Pankaj Advani bt Sergelen Batdelger 70 (51) -6, Advani/ Ketan Chawla lost to Orgil/ Batdelger 54-70, Advani bt Orgil 67-37).

-PTI

GOLF

Amateur Zara and Lavanya share lead in 8th leg of Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour

Amateur Zara Anand and Lavnya Jadon opened with identical cards of four-under 64 in the eighth Leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour to share the lead at the Bangalore Golf Club here on Wednesday.

The duo was one shot clear of Durga Nittur and Smriti Bhargav, who carded three-under 65 each at the par-68 course.

Two other young stars, Anvvi Dahhiya and amateur Mahreen Bhatia were tied fifth with two-under 66 each in the event carrying a purse of Rs.17 lakh, which started with 57 players, but Jahanvi Bakshi withdrew due to medical reasons.

Zara began with three pars before faltering with bogeys on the next two holes. Then she made her recovery with back-to-back birdies on the sixth and the seventh and yet another on the ninth to turn in one-under. She maintained that momentum with a birdie on the 10th and three in a row from 13th to the 15th. A late bogey on the 17th cost her sole leadership.

Lavanya also made a great comeback on the back nine. With one birdie on fourth and bogeys on the next two holes, she was one-over for the front nine. She roared back with five birdies on the back nine, as she picked a hat-trick of gains from the 11th to the 13th and two more on the 16th and the 17th for a 64.

Three players — Mannat Brar, Karishma Govind and amateur Ananyaa Sood — were tied seventh with rounds of one-under 67, while four players — Jasmine Shekar, Kashika Misra, Nayanika Sanga and Ayushi Dutta — scored even-par 68 each to round off the Top-10.

Among the big names struggling on the first day were last week’s runner-up and 2025 Hero Order of Merit winner Vani Kapoor, who carded four-over 72 with her only birdie coming on the 18th. She was tied 34th alongside her good friend Amandeep Drall.

Ridhima Dilawari and Vidhtari Urs were tied 14 with one-over 69 each, as were Heena Kang and Neha Tripathi. Tvesa Malik (70) was tied 19th.

-PTI

Theegala, Bhatia and Rai among five Indian-origin golf players in pursuit of US Open glory

Five Indian origin players will feature in a star-studded field as the golfing world turns its attention to the U.S. Open, the year’s third major championship, which tees off at the challenging Shinnecock Hills on Thursday.

While there are no Indian passport holders in the field, five players of Indian heritage — Sahith Theegala, Akshay Bhatia, Aaron Rai, Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Manav Shah — will be in the spotlight, underlining the increasing influence of the Indian diaspora in global golf.

The star-studded field includes the game’s biggest names such as Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, who between them have won 10 Majors, and emerging talents who are eager to make their mark on one of golf’s toughest stages.

World No. 1 Scheffler arrives with history on his mind while McIlroy seeks another major triumph. Bryson DeChambeau, the defending champion, will play to ensure his relevance at a time when his chosen league, the LIV League, is facing existential issues.

Scheffler heads into the championship as one of the strong favourites, as he always does, after another dominant season. Already a multiple major winner, the American is chasing a career Grand Slam, with the U.S. Open remaining one of the few pieces missing from his collection that has two Green Jackets.

Having already established himself as the game’s most consistent performer, a victory this week would see joining golf’s most exclusive club of players who have won all four majors.

McIlroy, meanwhile, returns with renewed confidence after ending his long wait for another major title earlier this season. The Northern Irishman is seeking his seventh major championship and a second major victory of 2026. A former U.S. Open champion, McIlroy’s combination of power, experience and improved all-round game makes him one of the leading contenders once again.

DeChambeau, Masters winner Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Aberg and Collin Morikawa are among a star-studded field expected to challenge for the title. As always, the U.S. Open is renowned for testing every aspect of a player’s game, often rewarding patience and mental resilience as much as brilliance.

Among the Indian-origin golfers, Theegala enters the week as one of the most accomplished players. The California-born American of Indian descent is coming back after having been sidelined in 2025 due to injuries.

Theegala, a PGA Tour winner, was a regular contender in elite events before injuries hit him in 2025. He is known for his creativity and fearless shot-making, A strong performance at the U.S. Open would further cement his status among golf’s rising stars.

England’s Rai also arrives with growing expectations. The son of Indian immigrants, Rai has enjoyed a steady rise through the ranks, earning victories on both the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. The win at Aronimink for the PGA Championship made him the first Indian origin player to win a Major and the first Briton in more than 100 years to win the PGA Championship.

Renowned for his accuracy and calm temperament, he possesses the type of disciplined game that often thrives in U.S. Open conditions, where fairways are narrow and mistakes are heavily punished.

Bhatia, winner of the Arnold Palmer, a Signature event this season, is another exciting Indian-origin prospect. The young left-hander has become one of the most talked-about talents in American golf, combining impressive power with a flair for producing spectacular shots. Bhatia continues to build experience at the highest level and will be looking to make a significant impact in majors.

Joining them is Sudarshan Yellamaraju, one of the newest names among players with Indian roots competing on the international stage. The Indo-Canadian golfer has enjoyed a breakthrough season and earned his place in the championship through consistent performances, including a Top-5 at the Players.

Completing the Indian-origin contingent is Manav Shah, whose qualification has become one of the most inspiring stories of the championship. The Indian-American golfer of Gujarati heritage earned his spot through the demanding qualifying process, becoming the first player from the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) pathway to reach a major championship.

Shah’s journey from developmental tours and international mini-tour success to golf’s biggest stage highlights both perseverance and the growing opportunities available to players of Indian origin around the world.

Together, Theegala, Rai, Bhatia, Yellamaraju and Shah represent a remarkable cross-section of the Indian diaspora’s presence in professional golf. While each player has taken a different path to the U.S. Open, their participation reflects the increasing global footprint of Indian-origin talent in a sport that has traditionally been dominated by players from a handful of golfing nations.

-PTI

OTHER SPORTS

Arjun Singh, Veer Shah to lead Indian juniors at Pickleball World Cup

Arjun Singh and Veer Shah were on Wednesday picked as Indian captains for the U-18 and U-14 categories respectively for the Pickleball World Cup later this year.

The squads were announced after official selection trials held in Ahmedabad from June 12 to 14. The World Cup is scheduled to be held in Da Nang, Vietnam, from August 30 to September 6.

“The Indian squad looks extremely strong and we are confident that we will be able to better our result from the last time,” Arjun said.

“Da Nang will be a true proving ground, and we have full confidence that this team will play with immense passion, carry the tricolour with pride, and inspire countless young kids back home to pick up a paddle,” Suryaveer Singh Bhullar, IPA president said.

Squads: U-18: Arjun Singh, Aditya Singh, Naomi Amalsadiwala, Dev Shah, Purvansh Patel, Vivaan Patel, Ashritha Raju and Diya Mattipati.

U-14: Veer Shah, Viransh Chopra, Aarin Ballani, Mahika Rathod, Maansi Kartik and Aashritaa S.

-PTI

S8UL Esports’ League of Legends team to represent India at Asian Games

S8UL Esports’ League of Legends roster has qualified to represent India at the Asian Games, set to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4.

Akshaj Shenoy (Kat Bot), Aakash Shandilya (Infi), Sanindhya Malik (Deadcorporal), Mihir Ranjan (Lotus), Ahmed Shahid (Nero), and Rahul Bisht (Bob) are part of the squad.

They entered the regional qualifiers on the back of a dominant victory at the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2026, the official national qualification tournament for the Asian Games 2026.

Esports, that became a medal event in the 2022 Hangzhou edition, will feature 11 titles in Japan. It had debuted as a demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang.

The regional qualifiers featured 14 teams competing across a two-stage format.

Drawn in Group B, the team led by in-game leader (IGL) Kat Bot, delivered an unbeaten performance, defeating Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Kazakhstan to finish atop the standings and progress to the Split Stage.

Despite falling short against Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia in the next phase, the team did enough to seal its ticket to Aichi-Nagoya.

-PTI

Published on Jun 17, 2026