Author: Abhishek Mishra

India exhibited a repeat of their performance from the last home Junior World Cup in Bhubaneswar, beating Belgium in the quarter-finals and marching into the semi-finals. Skipper Rohit Ekka (44’) opened the scoring followed by Shardanand Tiwari (47’). For Belgium Cornez Gasperd (12’) and Nathan Rogge (59’) found the net. After a tight 2-2 finish, India shone in the shootout, winning 4-3 with impressive contributions from Shardanand, Prince Deep Singh and Ankita Pal. The humid Friday in Chennai was at Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in little breezy condition and egged on by enthusiastic school kids in the stands, the India…

When I landed at the airport for the Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2025, a cold breezy drizzle was Chennai’s first hello. Rain followed me on the way to the stadium. A support staff member told me this would continue for the next few days. He was referring to Cyclone Ditwah, which hit Tamil Nadu’s coastal city around the start of the tournament and significantly affected match conditions, player tactics, and the flow of the entire World Cup. In the group stages, a few matches were played under steady rain and some were postponed. New Zealand vs Japan was one…

Playing on home turf, the Indian Men’s Junior Hockey Team led by Rohit Ekka and guided by PR Sreejesh has made a thunderous statement in the group stage of the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2025, storming into the quarter-finals with an unblemished record. Finishing at the top of the Pool B chart, the hosts showcased ruthless attacking power and disciplined defending, netting an astonishing 29 goals and keeping a clean sheet across their three victories. India began their campaign by crushing Chile 7–0 in Chennai before producing a 17–0 rampage against Oman, a team drafted in after Pakistan…

The world of sports, especially racquet sports is brutally unforgiving, it demands a relentless cycle of match fitness and sublime performances. The journey of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela in 2024, especially post Paris Olympics was a cinematic tale of a partnership. Just 12 months ago, they conquered the Syed Modi India International Badminton Championship and enjoyed an impressive run at BWF World Tour only to be tested by the most challenging setback an athlete can face: injury. I was fortunate enough to cover the previous editions of the Syed Modi S300 and witnessed the rise of Treesa Jolly…

The defending champions Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand showcased their dominance in the women’s doubles summit clash at the Syed Modi India International Badminton Championship 2025 in Lucknow. They powered past Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mai Tanabe in a thrilling 76-minute marathon final, winning 17-21, 21-13, 21-14 and retained their throne on Super Sunday. The spirited Indian pair produced fantastic deception, sharp placements and intercepted the Japanese pair’s cross-court and mid-court smashes with precision. Treesa delivered powerful smashes, killing the opponents’ morale with her raw power and sublime placements, while Gayatri complemented her beautifully with tactical maturity, good control and…

Manraj Singh and Tanvi Sharma.(PC:Revsportz) Abhishek Mishra in Lucknow In Lucknow on Wednesday, the spotlight at the Syed Modi India International Badminton Championship 2025 belonged to 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma. The 2025 Junior World Championships silver medallist and US Open runner-up stunned Japan’s former world champion and World No. 1 Nozomi Okuhara, winning 13–21, 21–16, 21–19 to enter the quarterfinals. Tanvi walked into the BBD UP Badminton Complex looking calm, sitting quietly in a corner with her earphones in as she listened to music to settle her nerves before one of the biggest matches of her young career. She showed the…

Indians dominated proceedings on the opening day of the Syed Modi India Badminton Championship 2025 in Lucknow on Wednesday. Top shuttlers HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth, Priyanshu Rajawat, Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma sailed into the pre-quarterfinals of the Super 300 event. Men’s Singles For Srikanth, Prannoy and Rajawat, it was a comeback on home turf after injuries and setbacks. Last year’s semi-finalist Rajawat edged compatriot Meiraba Maisnam 21-18, 21-14. This is his first tournament since the Canada Open, where he sustained a knee injury. His target is to improve with each match and give his 100%. “Right now, I’m not…

Lakshya Sen outclassed Japan’s Yushi Tanaka in straight games, winning 21-15, 21-11 to be crowned as the Australian Open 2025 (S500) men’s singles champion at Sydney’s Quaycentre. Overall, this is the third Super 500 BWF World Tour title for the 2021 World Championship bronze medallist after his victories in the India Open 2022 and the Canada Open 2023. The triumph in Sydney is also his first title since the 2024 Syed Modi S300 in Lucknow last year. The 24-year-old from Almora, becomes only the second Indian to win a BWF World tour title in 2025 after Ayush Shetty’s US Open…

Defence is the best form of attack and Lakshya Sen proved that with his sharp returns and tactical maturity at the Australian Open, 2025. The 2022 Commonwealth Games champion produced a sensational performance in Sydney’s Quaycentre, outlasting Taiwan’s 2nd seed and World No. 6, Chou Tein-Chen, in a nail-biting semi-final. After dropping the opening game 17-21, he fought back, showing his exceptional defensive skills to take the next two, 24-22, 21-16. After his 86-minute marathon win, Lakshya will play the summit clash with Japan’s Yushi Tanaka, on Sunday. Initially, the 24-year-old from Almora looked scrappy in the first game, failing…

Abhishek Mishra in Greater Noida The Indian contingent is poised to finish with a historic medal haul in the World Boxing Cup in Greater Noida. So far, the hosts have secured 20 medals in 20 weight categories, with 15 pugilists entering finals. Meanwhile, five boxers settled for bronze after losing their respective semifinal battles. The day before the summit clash was highlighted by the performances of Jaismine Lamboria and two-time World Champion, Nikhat Zareen. Jaismine punched past Kazakhstan’s former Youth Asian Champion, Ulzhan Sarsenbek. In fact, Jaismine faced no difficulties in the women’s 57kg division and dominated the bout with…