SPORTS

Shaista Wani from Srinagar and Farhana Rehman from Pulwama have been selected to represent India at the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup Softball Championship, set to be held from July 14 to 20 at the Sports Stadium in Xi’an, China. Organised by the Chinese Softball Association under the aegis of Softball Asia, the tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2026 Women’s Softball World Cup. India will need to finish in the top two to secure a berth at the global event. The two athletes were selected following national trials conducted by the Softball Association of India (SBAI) on April 15 and 16. They also participated in two national training camps—one in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and the other at Vikas Puri Stadium in New Delhi. Officials from Jammu and Kashmir have lauded their achie...

Jay Shah, the current Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has been named among the Top 50 figures in the annual “Open Minds” list published by Open magazine. The list includes individuals from politics, business, science, sports, and media, who are seen as influential in shaping the public narrative. Shah, 36, is the youngest person to be appointed as the ICC chairman, a position he took over in December 2024. Prior to that, he served as the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from 2019 to 2024. Before holding national-level positions, he began his cricket administration career in 2013 as the joint secretary of the Gujarat Cricket Association. He is the son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Despite his administrative rise in the sport,...

South Africa made history on Saturday, June 14, by winning the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s, claiming their first major international title in 27 years. The Proteas chased down a challenging target of 282 runs, led by a remarkable unbeaten 137 from Aiden Markram, in what is now the highest successful chase in a WTC final. Captain Temba Bavuma, despite battling a hamstring injury, played a crucial supporting role with a gritty 66, steadying the innings at a time when Australia threatened to swing the match their way. The chase, carried out under pressure in front of a packed Lord’s crowd, marked a turning point for South African cricket, which had long endured heartbreak in ICC knockouts and finals since their 1998 Champions Trophy win. Australia...

At least 11 people died and around 50 were injured in a stampede outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, as tens of thousands of fans gathered to welcome the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) following their first IPL title in 18 years. Visuals from the scene showed many supporters fainting amid the crush, while ambulances and police vehicles struggled to navigate the overcrowded streets. RCB had defeated the Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final the previous day. The team landed in Bengaluru in the afternoon and was received by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. A victory parade and felicitation ceremony were planned, but organizers were overwhelmed when an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 fans—far exceeding the stadium’s 35,000 capacity—turned up. Chief M...

The Indian Premier League 2025 has been indefinitely suspended following a sharp escalation in military tensions between India and Pakistan, PTI has reported. The decision came after the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala was abruptly halted due to security concerns stemming from air raid alerts near the venue. The HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, located less than 100 km from Pathankot—where air raid sirens were sounded—became the epicenter of heightened anxiety. Initially delayed by rain, the match was called off when floodlights failed and security officials raised an alert. Players, including foreign cricketers, expressed panic, with Australian media reporting that their players were preparing to return home due to safety fears. Spectators, who filled around 80% of ...

Shabir Ali The sports fraternity in Srinagar is in mourning following the deaths of two well-known athletes from the Batamaloo area of Srinagar. On Monday morning, Qayoom Channa, a renowned fast bowler and cricketer from Batamaloo, passed away. His funeral prayers (jinaza) will be held near the Ziyarat in Batamaloo later today. Channa was celebrated locally for his pace and commitment on the cricket field, having inspired many young players in the area. Earlier, another prominent sportsperson from the same locality, Ali Mohammad Shalla, a veteran footballer, also breathed his last after a brief illness. His family confirmed his death while speaking to The Kashmiriyat. Shalla passed away on April 20 at his residence in Firdous Abad, Lane 15. The football community issued a condo...

A young girl from south Kashmir’s Shopian district has won a bronze medal in the National Winter Biathlon Championship—2025 held in Gulmarg. Saima Jan (24), daughter of Ahmad Sheikh of Chotipora area of Shopian district, won a gold medal in the National Curling Championship last month. Saima said that she has been interested in sports activities since her childhood and used to take part in sports activities at the local level. She won a gold medal in the National Curling Championship last month, followed by a bronze medal in the National Biathlon Championship—2025. Saima emphasized the importance of engaging youth in sports activities to prevent drug use and antisocial behavior. She highlighted that sports provide a positive outlet, build self-esteem, promote healthy habits,...

Kashmiri cyclist Adil Teli has secured a place in the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Series, set to take place in Victoria, Australia, from October 16-19. The 26-year-old from Budgam earned his spot after an impressive performance at the Spinneys Dubai Cycling Challenge, competing against over 400 international cyclists, ETV Bharat reported. Teli first gained national recognition in March 2021 when he set the record for the fastest bicycle journey from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, covering 3,600 km in eight days, one hour, and 39 minutes. He also holds a Guinness World Record for the fastest Manali-Leh cycling feat, completing the 475-km route in 29 hours, 18 minutes, and 21 seconds in September 2022—six hours faster than the previous record. In Dubai, Teli showcased his tactical skills and en...

 The 5th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games, originally scheduled for February 22-25 in Gulmarg, Jammu Kashmir, has been postponed due to insufficient snowfall. An official from the Youth Services and Sports Department confirmed that the event will be rescheduled after a fresh assessment of snow conditions. This is the second consecutive year the games have faced rescheduling due to poor snowfall, with the same issue arising last year when a dry January pushed the event to February. The first leg of the games was held in Ladakh from January 23 to 27, featuring ice sports like ice hockey and ice skating The postponement comes amid broader environmental concerns in the region. Jammu Kashmir experienced a significant dip in precipitation during January 2025, with rainfall re...

Sheikh Nadeem Three young karate athletes from South Kashmir have made their mark at the prestigious Shotokan International Karate Championship 2025, held in Amritsar, Punjab. The championship witnessed participation from four countries—India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Representing Kashmir were Zaid Gulzar, Ayesha Aejaz, and Mohammad Mukaram. Two of them hail from Dooru Shahabad, while one is from Qazigund in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Out of 500 participants from four countries, 40 students from Jammu Kashmir competed, with only three from the Amateur Dojo making it to the final selection. Zaid Gulzar and Ayesha Aejaz won gold medals, while Mohammad Mukaram secured bronze. Zaid Gulzar, a student of Army Goodwill School Ujroo, Qazigund, and Ayesha Aejaz, from Decen...