SPORTS

A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) was found dead with a bullet injury in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Thursday, officials said. The incident occurred in the border area of Mendhar sector when some jawans discovered the Naib Subedar lying injured. He was immediately rushed to a hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. The Army is investigating the incident, with initial reports suggesting the possibility of a suicide. (Agencies)

Athletes from Jammu Kashmir showcased impressive performances at the All India Inter SAI Rowing Championship held in Alleppey, Kerala. Zainab Shafi from Baramulla won bronze in the Senior Women Singles category, while Srinagar’s Irtiza Ali and Muntazir Ali Matoo also secured bronze in the Junior Men Pair category. A total of 10 athletes from the Khelo India State Centre of Excellence (KISCE), Nehru Park, represented J&K in the event. The success highlights the region’s growing prominence in water sports, with officials expressing pride and pledging continued support for the athletes.

The Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, faced a humiliation in the first Test of the three-match series against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The hosts were bowled out for a mere 46 runs, marking their lowest Test total at home and the third-lowest overall in their history. New Zealand's Matt Henry and William O'Rourke dismantled India's batting lineup, leaving five Indian players, including Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, and Ravindra Jadeja, dismissed without scoring a single run. This historic low surpassed the previous record in Asia, held by West Indies (53 runs against Pakistan in 1986) and Pakistan (53 runs against Australia in 2002). India lost their first wicket at 9 runs, but the collapse accelerated as four of their top seven batters were di...

The ace archers from Jammu and Kashmir, Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar, have secured a bronze medal in the compound open archery mixed team event. 39-year-old Rakesh Kumar from Katra, Reasi, teamed up with 17-year-old Sheetal Devi from the village of Loidhar, Kishtwar. The duo defeated Italy’s Matteo Bonacina and Eleonora Sarti 156-155 to clinch bronze, just minutes after India suffered a narrow loss to Iran in the semi-finals. India’s bronze win came after Sheetal’s shot was upgraded following a revision. With just four arrows left, the Indians were trailing by a point, with Sarti in impressive form even as her partner Bonacina struggled. However, the Indian pair held on to emerge as winners in the end. The duo has become the first Olympic medalists from Jammu and Kashmir. Interes...

The Bhartiya Janta Party has suffered a major setback in Pattan constituency of the Baramulla district as strong Sikh candidate from the area has quit the party. At the same time the National conference received a major boost in the area when two time Municipal Committee Chairman Pritpal Singh Oberoi joined the party. On Sunday, Pritpal singh along with scores of his supporters joined the Jammu Kashmir National Conference where he was welcomed by the JKNC cadre. "With time I along with the people of Jammu Kashmir have realised that NC is the best political party that represents the sentiments of the people of the region. I took the decision after through deliberations with my workers and community members," Pritpal singh told the media. He said that he will campaign actively fo...

Hoor Fatima, a prodigious four-year-old chess player from Kashmir, has once again captured the spotlight of the international chess community with her latest triumph at the prestigious Field Marshal Sheikh Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa 1st Ramadan Chess Tournament in Bahrain Despite her tender age, the Srinagar-born has shown remarkable dedication and strategic prowess, participating in international tournaments. Her journey began in Jammu and Kashmir, where her talent was nurtured from a young age. Her exceptional performance has made her a rising star in the chess community. Hoor clinched the Champion’s Cup in the Under-8 age category at the Field Marshal Sheikh Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa organized by the Bahrain Chess Federation which took place at the Al Hekma Society for Retire...

Danishwar Hameed A Kashmiri female cricketer has been selected for the BCCI-hosted U-23 Women High Performance Camp by the National Women Selection Committee. Maria Noorain, who is a resident of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district has been selected will participate in the camp held in Bengaluru from April 26 to May 16. Maria, renowned for her skills as a Right Arm Medium Pacer, is among the participants slated to attend the camp. Having represented JKCA in the national T20 tournament league phase, Maria's impressive performance saw her secure 11 wickets in seven matches, boasting an economy rate of 5.06. The National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru is set to host a camp featuring top coaches across various disciplines. This initiative, communicated by ...

An eight-year-old girl from north Kashmir’s Sopore has taken the internet by storm with her extraordinary cricket batting skills, inspired by international star cricketers Fakhar Zaman and Mithali Raj. Hurmat Irshad's remarkable talent has caught the attention of none other than the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Hailing from Pazalpora Bomai, a small hamlet of Sopore town in Baramulla district, the young chap's video clip showcasing her impressive batting prowess has gone viral on social media platforms, garnering widespread admiration and praise. Her extraordinary batting skills draw comparison to cricketing start Fakhar Zaman. Speaking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Hurmat, the 2nd standard student, said she is inspired by Fakhar Zaman, a star cricketer of the Pa...

Danishwar Hameed A teenager from Kulgam has made history by becoming the youngest player to play in the inaugural season of the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL). Named Shariq Yasir Rather, son of Qari Mohammed Yasir, a resident of Gopalpora in Kulgam, the 14-year-old is set to join the Bangalore Strikers securing a hefty sum of Rs 3.20 lakhs in the auction. Set to commence from March 6-15, 2024, the ISPL features a dynamic T10 format, using tennis balls, with the aim of discovering and promoting budding cricketing talent across six competing teams. Sharik, a 9th-grade student hailing from Gopalpora village in Kulgam, showcased his skills as a wicketkeeper-batsman, impressing the selectors during trials and ultimately fetching a notable bid from the 'Bangalore Strikers,' owne...