On September 27, 2023, at the Asian Games, Indian athletes excelled in various events. The trio of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, and Rhythm Sangwan secured India's fourth gold medal with a total score of 1759 in the Women's 25m Pistol Team event. Additionally, the team of Ashi Chouksey, Manini Kaushik, and Sift Kaur Samra earned a silver in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Position Team event, marking India's 15th medal. This achievement brought India's total medal count to 16 at the ongoing games in Hangzhou. Furthermore, a quartet comprising Hriday Chheda, Anush Agarwalla, Sudipti Hajela, and Divyakriit Singh secured a gold medal in Dressage - Intermediate (individual), adding to India's successes.

A video of former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev being kidnapped caused concern on social media, with cricketer Gautam Gambhir questioning its authenticity. However, Gambhir later clarified that it was part of a promotional shoot for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India. He praised Kapil Dev's acting skills and highlighted that the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup would be free on Disney+ Hotstar mobile. Kapil Dev had a remarkable international career, playing 131 Test matches and 225 One-Day Internationals, famously leading India to victory in the 1983 World Cup. He retired in 1994 after receiving the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards.

The Indian equestrian team achieved a historic gold medal in the Team Dressage event at the Asian Games 2023, marking India's first win in the sport since 1982. India's medal count has already reached 14, with Neha Thakur winning silver in the Girl's Dinghy - ILCA 4 category and Eabad Ali securing bronze in the men's windsurfer RS:X category. Boxer Sachin has progressed to the Round of 16, while Wushu athletes Surya Bhanu Partap Singh and Suraj Yadav are set for quarter-finals, with the potential to secure bronze. Additionally, the Indian Men's 4x100m Medley Relay Team has qualified for the final with a national record time of 3:40.84s. Judoka Tulika Maan missed out on a medal in the women's 78kg bronze-medal play-off.

India is aiming for a clean sweep of Australia in the third and final ODI ahead of the World Cup. A 3-0 win would provide India with a significant advantage over Australia when they meet for the World Cup opener. Despite the absence of key players, India has dominated the first two ODIs, showcasing their strength in depth. Shubman Gill, the only batter with over a thousand runs in the format this year, will be rested. With the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, India remains a formidable team. (Image Courtesy: BCCI)

Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar recently posted a childhood photo of his children Arjun and Sara on social media to mark his son's birthday and #DaughtersDay. The heartfelt post received praise, including a touching response from former Pakistan cricketer Saeed Anwar. Anwar congratulated Sachin for breaking his ODI record with a double century years ago. He lauded Sachin's dedication and humility as a role model. The camaraderie between the former on-field rivals resonated with fans. Arjun, now associated with Mumbai Indians, shows promise to follow in his father's footsteps.

The Indian women's cricket team secured its first-ever Asian Games gold medal by defeating Sri Lanka by 19 runs. Opting to bat first, India posted 116 runs on a spin-friendly pitch, with Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues being the top scorers with 46 and 42 runs, respectively. In response, Sri Lanka struggled, managing only 97 runs. Titas Sadhu's exceptional bowling performance, taking 3/6 in four overs, played a crucial role in restricting Sri Lanka's batting lineup. Earlier, India clinched its first gold in the 10m air rifle men’s team event while the women’s cricket team added a second gold. Additionally, India has won 6 bronze medals, and 3 silvers, totalling 11 medals so far.

The Indian men's 10m air rifle team created history at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou on Tuesday, setting a new world record score of 625.1 en route to gold. The team comprising Divyansh Singh Panwar, Rudrankkash Balasaheb Patil and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar beat South Korea who scored 621.1. Aishwary also won individual bronze with a score of 253.1 in the men's 10m air rifle final event. Earlier, India secured bronze medals in rowing in the men's four and quadruple sculls events. Swimmer Srihari Nataraj qualified for the men's 50m backstroke final. The athletics events also had Indians competing for podium finishes. (Image Courtesy: Anurag Thakur on X)

India thrashed Australia by 99 runs (DLS method) in the 2nd ODI at Indore to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Chasing a revised 317 in 33 overs after rain, Australia faltered despite Sean Abbott's 54. Ravindra Jadeja took the final wicket as India bowled out the Aussies. Earlier, centuries from Shreyas Iyer (105) and Shubman Gill (104) followed by a blitz from Suryakumar Yadav (72*) powered India to 399/5. Rahul (52) and Kishan (31) also contributed. Four Indian batters crossed 50, pummeling the Aussie bowlers. India's domination with both bat and ball sealed a crushing win to go 2-0 up ahead of the final ODI.

In the 2nd ODI between India and Australia, India posted a formidable total of 399/5 in 50 overs. Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill set the foundation with centuries, scoring 105 and 104 respectively. Suryakumar Yadav's blazing innings of 72 not out off 37 deliveries provided the finishing touch. KL Rahul contributed 52 off 38 balls, and Ishan Kishan added 31 off 18. The Australian bowlers struggled, with four Indian players surpassing the 50-run mark. India's strong batting performance has set a challenging target for Australia in this high-scoring encounter. [Image Courtesy: BCCI]

India's athletes delivered outstanding performances at the Asian Games, clinching several medals. Silver medals were secured in Shooting (Women's 10m Air Rifle - Team), Rowing (Men's Lightweight Double Sculls, Men's Eight), while Bronze medals were earned in Shooting (Women's 10m Air Rifle) and Rowing (Men's Pair). The women's cricket team also excelled, defeating Bangladesh to reach the final. In men's hockey, India showcased dominance with a remarkable 16-0 win against Uzbekistan. Despite some challenges, including losses in women's football, volleyball, and rugby sevens, India's overall performance was commendable at the Games.