Sports

Australia’s Olivia Gadecki and John Peers etched their names into tennis history by clinching the Australian Open 2026 mixed doubles title, becoming the first pair in 37 years to successfully defend the crown at Melbourne Park. With this triumph, they also achieved a rare national milestone, emerging as the first Australian duo in 62 years to win the mixed doubles title in consecutive years. Playing in front of a passionate home crowd at the Rod Laver Arena, the defending champions staged a remarkable comeback in the final to defeat France’s Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard in a gripping three-set battle, 4-6, 6-3, 10-8. The French pair dominated early proceedings, taking the opening set 6-4 and appearing firmly in control of the contest. However, Gadecki and Peers showed immen...

South Africa’s star wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock delivered a sensational innings, scoring 115 runs off just 49 balls in the second T20 against the West Indies. His innings included 10 towering sixes and 6 boundaries, helping South Africa secure the match by 7 wickets and clinch the series. A Match-Winning Knock West Indies batted first and posted 221 runs, setting a challenging target. De Kock’s explosive batting, combined with a half-century from Ryan Rickelton, powered South Africa to victory with 15 balls to spare. This chase marked the second-highest successful run chase in South African T20 history, with the first being the 259-run target against West Indies at the same venue in 2023. Borrowed Bat, Brilliant Performance In a surprising twist, De Kock revealed that ...

New Delhi: Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli gave his fans quite a scare overnight when his Instagram account, with over 270 million followers, suddenly disappeared on January 30, 2026. The account is now reactivated, ending hours of speculation and concern among fans. What Happened Late on the night of January 30, fans searching for Kohli’s profile were met with a “User Not Found” message. The news quickly went viral, raising fears that the account had been deleted or hacked. Adding to the mystery, Kohli’s brother Vikas Kohli’s Instagram account was also temporarily unavailable, deepening the suspense. Fans React The sudden disappearance created a frenzy on social media. Fans expressed concern, confusion, and even humor, with some reaching out to Instagram’s official accoun...

New Delhi: Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Team India has received a major boost with the return of all-rounder Washington Sundar and batsman Tilak Varma to full fitness. Tilak Varma Set to Rejoin Squad Tilak Varma, recovering from abdominal surgery, has resumed training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. He is expected to feature in a practice match on Friday. Varma was initially slated to join the team for the 4th and 5th T20Is against New Zealand, but Shreyas Iyer replaced him in the squad due to his recovery. If fully fit, Varma is set to rejoin the Indian squad on February 3 in Mumbai. His return is expected to strengthen India’s middle order significantly for the World Cup. Washington Sundar Nears Comeback Meanwhile, Washington Sundar has also resume...

Dubai: Ireland captain Paul Stirling has set a new milestone in men’s T20 International cricket by surpassing Indian star Rohit Sharma for the most matches played in the format. Stirling achieved this feat during his 160th T20I against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday in Dubai, leaving Rohit Sharma behind in the record books. Stirling’s Remarkable Career Since making his debut in 2009, Stirling has been a cornerstone of Ireland’s batting line-up, known for his aggressive style and ability to dominate bowlers. He currently ranks fourth among all-time T20I run-scorers, amassing 3,874 runs, including one century and 24 fifties. Ahead of him are Pakistan’s Babar Azam, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli. Teammate George Dockrell follows with 153 matches, while Afghanistan’s Mohamm...

New Delhi: Indian cricket fans were left shocked on Friday as Virat Kohli’s verified Instagram account, boasting over 270 million followers, suddenly disappeared from the platform. Since the morning of January 30, 2026, users searching for the superstar’s profile have been greeted with the message: “Profile Not Available.” No official explanation has been provided by Virat Kohli, his team, or Instagram, leaving fans speculating whether the account deactivation was deliberate, temporary, or due to a technical glitch. Brother’s Account Also Missing Adding to the mystery, Kohli’s brother Vikas Kohli’s Instagram account was also inaccessible from Friday morning. Users attempting to visit his profile received the same “Profile Not Available” message, fueling further curiosity and conce...

New Delhi: As the T20 World Cup 2026 approaches, uncertainty surrounding the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has created an unusual stir in international cricket. Following threats of withdrawal from the tournament, smaller cricketing nations are now openly joking about stepping in. After a humorous tweet from Iceland Cricket, Uganda Cricket has also offered to replace Pakistan in the ICC event. Uganda’s Bold Offer In a witty social media post addressed to the ICC, Uganda wrote: "Dear ICC, if a spot opens up in the T20 World Cup, Uganda is ready—packed and padded. Our passports are hot off the press. Our bakers won’t abandon their ovens, and our plane won’t take a U-turn. Heat, noise, and pressure? We’ll face it in our brilliant kit." The post was seen as a sharp, humorous comment...

Bulawayo: Sri Lanka under-19 kept their 2026 U19 World Cup semi-final hopes alive with a thrilling 5-wicket victory over South Africa in their final Super-8 match on Thursday. The win puts them in a favorable position, with qualification now depending on the outcome of Afghanistan’s last Super-8 game against Ireland. In Group 1, Australia has already secured a semi-final berth. Sri Lanka’s progression will be confirmed if Afghanistan fail to beat Ireland, while a win for Afghanistan would edge Sri Lanka out of contention. Van Schalkwyk Stars for South Africa The match, played at the Queens Sports Club, saw South Africa post 261 for 7, powered by an outstanding century from opener Jorich van Schalkwyk. Winning the toss, South Africa elected to bat, and Van Schalkwyk, alongside Adna...

New Delhi: In the world of professional wrestling, championships, victories and headline moments often define success. However, a recent report highlighting the WWE superstars with the most career losses tells a very different—and far more revealing—story about what it truly means to be a legend in sports entertainment. Surprisingly, the list is not dominated by short-term jobbers, but by some of the biggest and most respected names in WWE history. The figures underline a powerful reality of professional wrestling: losing can be just as important as winning when it comes to building stars and shaping the business. The Miz Tops the List Holding the unwanted record for the most losses in WWE history is veteran superstar The Miz, who has suffered 1,309 defeats over his career. While ...

Vadodara: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) booked their place in the final of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 with a commanding eight-wicket victory over UP Warriorz in their final league match on Thursday. The win confirmed RCB’s position at the top of the points table and virtually ended UP Warriorz’s playoff hopes. With this victory, RCB climbed to 12 points from eight matches, a tally no other team can surpass. As per the tournament format, the table-toppers earn direct qualification to the final, while UP Warriorz, having suffered their fifth defeat in seven matches, are almost out of the playoff race. Batting first, UP Warriorz posted 143 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. The innings began positively with a strong opening partnership between Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma...