Manisha Kalyan leads India to victory over Timor-Leste India’s national football team romped to the top of Group B at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers on Sunday by notching up their second win in as many games, beating Timor-Leste 4-0 at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai.  Manisha Kalyan was the standout performer for the Blue Tigresses against O Sol Nascente, with the 23-year-old forward opening the scoring for her team in the 12th minute of the match before bagging a brace 10 minutes before the final whistle. You can get up-to-the-minute updates using our football livescore tool.  Kalyan, who was also named the AIFF Women’s Emerging Footballer of the Year in 2022-23, became the first Indian footballer to play in the UEFA Champions League when she featured in the competition last season for PAOK, who have won the Greek league title 19 times. Speaking in the post-match interview, Kalyan said:  “I’m very happy because we got the three points. It’s good motivation for us to prepare for the next game!” East Bengal attacker Anju Tamang also got on the scoresheet against Timor-Leste, tucking away her goal just before the hour mark, while Odisha’s Lynda Kom Serto added the icing to the cake, netting India’s fourth goal of the match in the 85th minute.  The victory takes India to six points after two games, two points ahead of Iraq, who they will face in a what could be a pivotal match in the final standings on July 2.  Check out our football predictions India trounce Mongolia in Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers Before their impressive victory over Timor-Leste, India kicked off their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers with a stunning victory over Mongolia, where they scored a resounding 13 goals without response from the Blue Wolves.  Odisha’s Pyari Xaxa scored five goals in the demolition, four of which came in the space of just 10 minutes either side of the halftime interval, while East Bengal’s duo of Sangita Basfore and Soumya Gugloth scored three goals combined.  Rimpa Haldar (Sribhumi), Malavika Prasad (Kerala), Priyadharshini Selladurai (Liberty Ladies) and Grace Dangmei (Kickstart) were also on the scoresheet in the rout. The result marked India’s biggest ever win at an AFC Women’s Asia Cup match.  India now have a massive +17 goal difference in the group standings, which could prove crucial given that only the group winners will advance to the 12-team AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, which is scheduled to run from March 1 to 2026 in Australia next year.  More football news

Shastri highlights India’s contribution to revenue generation If you are a cricket fan, you would likely agree that in recent years, India has become a cricketing powerhouse, thanks in part to the mega-money Indian Premier League as well as the massive following for the game in the country.  Recent official reports indicate that India is responsible for 38.5% of the International Cricket Council’s total revenue, and there is expectation that it will account for an even higher percentage by 2027, given the continued growth of the IPL. As it stands, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) currently receive in the region of ₹1,968 crore annually, which is significantly higher than the revenue received by the likes of the England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia.  However, Indian cricket icon and former head coach of the Men in Blue, Ravi Shastri, argues that India should actually be allocated an even higher percentage due to their contribution to the overall revenue the cricket body generates. In an interview with the media, he said:  “I would want more because most of the money that’s generated comes from India. So it’s only fair that they get their share of pound of flesh. It’s relative, it’s economies, if tomorrow there might be another economy that’s stronger. When India travel, look at the television rights, look at the television income that comes for an India series. So it’s only fair that they get. Whatever they’re getting now, if not more,” The current model of revenue distribution has sparked debate throughout the cricket community, with several boards, especially India, Australia and England, believed to have already raised their concerns about unequal allocations.  The ICC have acknowledged all the concerns brought forward and has indicated that they intend to address each, though given the cold, hard facts, it seems at this moment that the BCCI stand to benefit significantly if no changes are implemented.  Check out our cricket predictions Gambhir receives stern warning from Shastri Aside from the financial talks, Shastri also took the time to send out a stern warning to India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir this week, saying that he needs to go “really hard” on the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair and Ravindra Jadeja. India’s batsman finally found form in England in their first Test against the Three Lions this week, and Jaiswal was at the heart of it, launching the team to an incredible start by scoring a stunning century in his first match on English soil.  However, aside from the willow, India’s star new opener had a forgettable performance in the field, having dropped a total of four catches in a match that saw the English chase down 371 in the second innings with relative ease. Shastri said:  “You can’t throw away an opportunity to score 550 or 600 by being timid. These are areas where you have to be hard as a coach, really hard in the dressing room. Some players need a reality check. But there ...

IOC President announces new Olympic Games host selection process Former swimming champion Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and African to be elected as the president of the International Olympic Committee this year, and the first major decision in her new role could have halted India’s hopes of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games.  India announced their intention of hosting the Olympic Games a few months ago, and while they were expected to face stiff competition from the likes of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, among others, the popular consensus was that they had a very good chance of being awarded the rights to stage the Games.  However, Coventry has now altered the original plans by pausing the fast-tracking of preferred bidders for hosting rights, marking a significant shift from the policy of former IOC president Thomas Bach. She announced:  “There was an overwhelming support from the IOC members for a pause to be done and a review of the future host election process, and we will be setting up a working group to look into this. There was a lot of discussion on when is the appropriate time to elect a future host. And also how we should be selecting a future host” After submitting an official Letter of Intent to host the Games, an Indian delegation, which includes Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao, agreed to visit Lausanne in July to open discussions about the hosting rights. Speaking on the visit, Coventry mentioned:  « We want all interested parties to be a part of this pause and reflect and of this review. I am aware of the delegation coming next weekend – that will continue. They might be the first interested party for us to ask a couple of questions and to better understand from them. There is not going to be a specific pause on that but just on the entire process.” The IOC president added that the Games’ recent host selections, such as Los Angeles (2028), Brisbane (2032) and the French Alps, which were awarded hosting rights for the Winter Games in 2030, would act as case studies to aid with future decisions.  Check out our sports predictions Coventry looking for greater role from Global South While initial reactions to Coventry’s announcement to halt the selection process for the 2036 Games were mixed, the new IOC President went on to mention that her job was to ensure that all interested parties were given a fair chance to be considered.  She added that historically, the “Global South have not been represented at all” and that the decision to pause would allow nations more time to prepare, as opposed to being ruled out of contention with up to 10 years to go before the Games in question actually take place.  Notably, the French Alps were only awarded hosting rights for the 2030 Winter Games last year, which is a much shorter lead time compared to, for example, Brisbane, which has already been selected to stage the 2032 Summer Games.   Therefore, all factors considered, while ...

Archer set for England return after four-year absence  England continued their impressive home form in the longest format of the game over the last week when they claimed a stunning five-wicket victory over India in the first match of the newly named Anderson-Tendulkar Test series at Headingley on Wednesday, which also confirmed our cricket predictions for the match. India got off to an excellent start on Day 1, with young Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a century in his maiden Test match in England, becoming only the fifth Indian batter to do so after the likes of former national team captain Sourav Ganguly and Murali Vijay.  Newly appointed Test skipper Shubman Gill was also amongst the runs, scoring 147 in 227 balls in the first innings, his deputy, Rishabh Pant, notched up centuries in each innings, and KL Rahul also smashed a ton in the second innings, showing no regard for the home side’s bowling attack.  The Three Lions were hit hard with injuries ahead of the series, particularly in the bowling department, with Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Olly Stone all missing out on the first match. However, Archer has now been cleared to play and has already rejoined the team ahead of the Edgbaston showdown.  The 30-year-old pace bowler has not featured for England in the longest format since their 2021 tour of India, with the last of his 13 caps coming in Ahmedabad. After that series, Archer faced several injury setbacks, which saw him play in just seven limited-over matches between March 2021 and May 2024.  The English speedster shook off the rust in domestic competition last weekend for Sussex at Chester-le-Street against Durham. He managed to get through 18 overs without any major issues and picked up a wicket for 32 runs in a match that ended in a draw.  View the latest cricket odds Former England stars not convinced by Archer’s hasty recall While many English fans are eager to see Archer return to action against India at Edgbaston, several former England greats are less convinced and voiced their concerns about the risks of rushing the paceman back into the team, given his recurring injury issues.  Michael Vaughan was one of the first to react to Archer’s recall, revealing that he felt the 30-year-old could use at least one more tune-up match with Sussex before being thrust back into the England team – against India no less. He said:  “I just don’t understand the rush, you know, he’s not played the longer format for four years. He’s had one outing for Sussex up in Durham. I personally would have let Jofra play one more four-day game, get a few more overs under the belt, and go with the same team that played so well at Leeds.” Similar sentiments were shared by England’s former captain Nasser Hussain, who cautioned English selectors that tossing Archer straight back into the demands of five-day international cricket could be dangerous both for the team and the player. Hussain explained:  « I think it’s ...

Yadav on the mend following hernia surgery  India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav confirmed earlier today that he is on the road to recovery after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia in his lower right abdomen, which took place in Germany, where he and his family went on vacation following the conclusion of the Indian Premier League.  Notably, this is the second time the 34-year-old batter has undergone surgery for a sports hernia, having previously had a similar procedure conducted in January 2024, shortly after facing ankle surgery for an injury sustained against South Africa back in December 2023.  Yadav last donned the famous Blue Shirt when his side clinched a commanding 4-1 victory over England in a five-match T20I series earlier this year before setting off on what turned out to be an incredible IPL campaign with the Mumbai Indians.  The star batter scored a stunning 717 runs in 16 innings for Mumbai, and while the team suffered disappointment in the knockout rounds, Yadav was named the Most Valuable Player for the 15th edition of the IPL. After his surgery, Yadav wrote on social media:  « Life Update: Underwent surgery for a sports hernia in the lower right abdomen. Grateful to share that after a smooth surgery, I’m already on the road to recovery. Can’t wait to be back. » Yadav is expected to commence rehabilitation at the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he will work his way back to full fitness ahead of India’s three-match away T20I series against Bangladesh in August.  Check out our cricket predictions  T20I skipper heaps praise on Jaiswal despite India’s first Test defeat India’s first of five Test matches over the next six weeks against England got off to a disappointing start, with the team suffering defeat at Headingley on Tuesday. Despite setting the Three Lions a defendable target of 371, the home side romped to a five-wicket victory.  However, the defeat did not stop Yadav from shouting out young Yashasvi Jaiswal for his brilliant display in the first Test. The 23-year-old opener produced a stunning century on Day 1 of the match and helped the Men in Blue to a solid first innings total of 471.  Jaiswal smashed 16 fours and a six en route to 101 off just 159 deliveries, and in doing so, he also became just the fifth Indian batsman to score a century in their maiden Test in England, joining the likes of Murali Vijay, Sourav Ganguly, Sandeep Patil and Vijay Manjrekar.  New Test skipper Shubman Gill and KL Rahul also posted centuries in the match, while vice-captain Rishabh Pant notched up a ton in each innings. India will be hoping to level the series in the second Test, which gets underway on July 2 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. More cricket news 

The Super Falcons are Africa’s powerhouse While the Nigerian men’s team, the Super Eagles, often receive the majority of the media attention, in the realm of women’s football, Nigeria’s women’s team, the Super Falcons, is a force to be reckoned with.  Nigeria’s Super Falcons have won the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) an incredible 11 times in 14 editions up to 2025 and have also represented Africa at every Women’s World Cup since the competition began back in 1991. While they have never won the tournament, they have reached the knockout stages several times. The team features household names such as Mercy Akide, Perpetua Nkwocha, Asisat Oshoala and Onome Ebi, all of whom have gone on to become global sporting icons. They have also played huge roles in advocating for gender equality in all sports across Nigeria.  Nigeria’s dominance at the U17 World Cup The Golden Eaglets, Nigeria’s Under-17 team, have been the most dominant force at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, as they are the nation with the most titles, winning the tournament a record five times, including the 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013 and 2015 editions.  Perhaps more impressively, though, the Golden Eaglets have also produced two of the competition’s Golden Ball winners in Philip Osondu (1987) and Kelechi Iheanacho (2013), the latter of whom went on to win the English Premier League and FA Cup with Leicester City.  First African nations to win gold in football at the Olympics The Olympic Games always deliver historic performances, but the 1996 Games in Atlanta will live long in the heart and mind of Nigerian fans, as they watched their team rise to glory by winning the gold medal in football, becoming the first-ever African nation to do so.  The ’96 Super  Eagles, who earned the nickname “The Dream Team,” pulled off what many said would be impossible by stunning powerhouse Brazil in the semi-final before going into the final against Argentina and coming away with a historic victory.  At the time, the Super Eagles were led by head coach Jo Bonfrere, and the team featured the likes of Jay-Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu and Daniel Amokachi. The victory shattered stereotypes by proving that African nations could compete – and win – against the best in the world.  Check out our football predictions Football was first played in Nigeria before it became a nation Nigeria came under British rule in the mid-1900s, and it remained that way for 99 years. Football was introduced to the nation in 1904 when they were still referred to as the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria and the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. The match was played in the city of Calabar and was contested between British colonial officials and a group of Nigerian students. Little did onlookers know that it would mark the beginning of a national obsession among citizens from all walks of life.  Nigeria’s football team was originally called the “Red Devils”  Indeed, while the famous green and white has become one of the most ...