FOOTBALL
The Indian Under-20 women’s football team will play two friendly matches against Uzbekistan on November 29 and December 2, 2025, at the FC Madras Academy in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.
Both matches, being held during the FIFA Women’s International Match Window, will be played behind closed doors.
Head coach Joakim Alexandersson named a 24-member squad for these games, which will form part of India’s preparations for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026.
The Young Tigresses have been drawn with Japan, Australia and Chinese Taipei in Group C of the Asian Cup. Uzbekistan has also qualified for the same and has been placed in Group B with DPR Korea, Korea Republic and Jordan.
India has been camping at the FC Madras Academy since November 11. Last month, the Young Tigresses played two friendly matches against Kazakhstan U-19 in Shymkent, winning 3-2 and drawing 1-1.
FULL SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Melody Chanu Keisham, Monalisha Devi Moirangthem, Ribansi Jamu.
Defenders: Alina Chingakham, Cindy Remruatpuii Colney, Juhi Singh, Nishima Kumari, Remi Thokchom, Sahena TH, Shubhangi Singh, Thoibisana Chanu Toijam, Viksit Bara.
Midfielders: Anju Chanu Kayenpaibam, Arina Devi Nameirakpam, Bhumika Devi Khumukcham, Khushbu Saroj, Monisha Singha, Neha.
Forwards: Babita Kumari, Deepika Pal, Lhingdeikim, Shilji Shaji, Sibani Devi Nongmeikapam, Sulanjana Raul.
-Team Sportstar
GOLF
It was a mixed opening day for India as Aditi Ashok, a multiple winner on the Ladies European Tour, shot 3-under 69 to be tied 10th after the first day at the Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de Espana in Malaga.
She was three shots behind Denmark’s Smilla Tarning Soenderby and Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab who shared the lead at six-under-par.
Aditi began on the first and bogeyed the third but made up on the fourth.
She turned in even par. She began the back nine with an eagle on Par-5 10th but gave away a shot on Par-5 12th. She landed two birdies on the 16th and the 17th for a 69.
Rookie Avani Prashanth (71) was the next best Indian at T-27th, while Hitaashee Bakshi, who made the season-ending event on the strength of her third place finish at Hero Women’s Indian Open last month, carded 73 and was T-45.
Pranavi Urs, who recently won a title playing in a field that included men in a home event on the new IGPL Tour, shot 2-over 74, as did Diksha Dagar. Both were T-49.
-PTI
CYCLING
The inaugural edition of the Pune Grand Tour, the country’s first-ever Union Cycliste Internationale 2.2 category Road Race, will be held from January 19 to 23.
Hosts India will field two teams for which the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) will hold the National Championship cum selection trials from December 2 to 6 at Sambalpur, Odisha. The shortlisted athletes will further be evaluated through a National Road Race in Pune on December 28.
The presence of two Indian teams – ‘India A’ and ‘India B’- is set to provide a broader platform for emerging and seasoned cyclists alike to demonstrate their prowess on a national and international stage.
The Tour will feature four-stages 437-km challenging routes that will wind through the landscapes of Pune district
-PTI
MOTORSPORT
Indian racing sensation Atiqa Mir outpaced a battery of world-class male drivers to qualify fourth in the COTFA international karting series, the highest finish for a female in the championship’s history.
With the series supported by Formula 1 Academy, it was the perfect stage for Atiqa to showcase her rare talent, and the 11-year-old did that with an unprecedented fourth place in qualifying of the mini category before finishing in the same position in the final on Day 1.
The Formula 1 Academy and Akcel GP-backed driver missed the podium spot by just 0.07 seconds, a testament to the highly competitive nature of the grid.
In the final on Day 2, Atiqa came up with another impressive effort in qualifying, setting the fifth fastest time.
She was in podium contention for the majority of the race. A daring overtake on the last lap put her in fourth place, and with a podium at stake, Atiqa understandably pushed herself to the limit, leading to a loss of three places. She still managed to finish a creditable seventh out of 28 drivers.
-PTI
KHELO INDIA UNIVERSITY GAMES
World champion archer Aditi Swami adds KIUG gold to her trophy cabinet, Nataraj rules pool
World champion archer Aditi Gopichand Swami, representing Shivaji University, continued her unbeaten run to claim gold in compound women’s individual event on day five of the Khelo India University Games here on Friday.
In the pool, Olympian Srihari Nataraj and Bhavya Sachdeva helped Jain University of Bengaluru stamp its authority, ending the swimming campaign with 27 gold medals, after bagging seven gold medals out of nine events on the final day of swimming action.
Jain University sits atop the medal standings with 45 medals (27 gold, 9 silver and 9 bronze).
Lovely Professional University is second with 22 gold and Guru Nanak Dev University third with 21 gold medals.
The 19-year-old Aditi, who had won gold in all the Khelo India Youth Games she had entered, made an impressive KIUG debut by securing gold in the women’s compound individual event.
In the individual final, Aditi defeated Taniparthi Chikitha of Lovely Professional University 147-143 to top the podium.
“The Khelo India Games provided me the platform to experience how top-level competitions are held and that helped me immensely when I went for international competitions,” she told SAI Media.
“My form was a bit indifferent in the last few months and I was keen on performing well here as I am looking forward to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics where compound archery has also been included.” Nataraj was the star of the final day at the SMS Swimming pool, winning the 100m freestyle gold with a time of 52.30s and 50m backstroke (26.53s), before joining his teammates in the 400m medley mixed relay to finish the Games with nine gold and two silver medals.
Guru Nanak Dev University cyclists dominated the track events, winning both the men and women team sprint gold medals, women’s team pursuit, while Barsarani Barik added the women’s 500m individual time trial title with a time of 00:38.535s, ahead of Mahatma Gandhi University’s Sanjana VS.
Meanwhile, in Bharatpur where the wrestling competitions are being held, Lovely Professional University, which had racked up six gold medals on the previous two days, had a modest outing on Friday as none of its wrestlers could win a gold medal.
Although they won three silver medals, the prized gold eluded them on the last day of the wrestling competition, much to their disappointment.
Still, with six gold medals, they leave the wrestling event with most yellow metals and as the most successful university.
Among other important results on Friday, local institute, Dr KN Modi University picked up its second gold — following Sagar’s gold in the men’s 97kg Greco-Roman category on day two — thanks to Khushi in the women’s 68kg freestyle.
Shalina Sayer Siddhi, representing Karnatak University, won a bronze medal in the women’s 57kg freestyle.
-PTI
ATHLETICS
Delhi Half Marathon raises Rs 4.12 crore for charity
Delhi Half Marathon (DHM) organisers have managed to raise Rs. 4.12 crore for 16 social causes following the event’s 20th edition last month.
“With the support of Philanthropy Partner Lakshyaa, over Rs. 4.12 crore was raised for various social causes by NGOs, fundraisers, corporates and runners,” said the DHM organisers in a statement.
Over two decades, DHM has raised more than Rs. 88 crore for charity, the statement claimed.
Kenyan long-distance runners Alex Matata and Lilian Kasait Rengeruk stamped their authority on the streets of India’s capital, storming to victory in the men’s and women’s elite races held on October 12.
-PTI
SQUASH
Anjali Semwal, Suraj Chand reach semifinals of Sunil Verma Memorial squash tournament
Top seed Anjali Semwal will meet fifth seed Sanya Vats and second seed Shameena Riaz will take on fourth seed Nirupama Dubey in the women’s semifinals of the 11th Sunil Verma Memorial squash in Thane on Saturday.
The men’s last-four stage of the PSA Challenger event will pit sixth seed Suraj Kumar Chand against French second seed Maceo Levy, while Egyptian top seed Yassin Elshafei will lock horns with Malaysian third seed Addeen Idrakie.
In the quarterfinals on Friday, Anjali Semwal beat Aahana Singh 3-0, while Suraj Chand was the lone Indian in the men’s field to make it to the last-four.
The results:
Men: 1-Yassin Elshafei (Egy) bt. Gurveer Singh 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 10-12, 11-9; 3-Addeen Idrakie (Mas) bt. Abhishek Agarwal 8-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-8; 2-Maceo Levy (Fra) bt. Om Semwal 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-1; 6-Suraj Kumar Chand bt. 4-Ravindu Laksiri (SL) 11-8, 11-5, 11-3.
Women: 1-Anjali Semwal bt. Aahana Singh 11-4, 11-6, 14-12; 5-Sanya Vats bt. 3-Rathika Suthanthira Seelan 11-6, 11-9, 11-5; 4-Nirupama Dubey bt. 7-Unnati Tripathi 11-6, 11-8, 14-12; 2-Shameena Riaz bt. Aadya Budhia 11-3, 11-4, 11-9.
-Team Sportstar
Published on Nov 28, 2025