Current Affairs - Sports

Smriti Mandhana earned a place in the prestigious TIME100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 list, becoming the only Indian featured in the global ranking. Recognised for her exceptional performances and leadership in women’s cricket, she has achieved several historic milestones, including becoming the first Indian woman to score a double century in a domestic one-day match and the first Indian woman to score centuries in all three international formats. Mandhana also jointly holds the record for the most centuries in women’s international cricket with 17 hundreds. Her achievements, consistency, and contributions to Indian cricket have established her as one of the most influential figures in world sports.

Kane Williamson announced his retirement from all formats of international cricket following the Lord’s Test against England in June 2026, bringing an end to a remarkable 16-year international career. He finished as New Zealand’s highest run-scorer across all formats with 19,346 runs and accumulated 48 centuries and 110 half-centuries. Williamson also holds the national record for the most Test centuries with 33. As captain, he led New Zealand to several historic achievements, including victory in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship in 2021 and appearances in the finals of major ICC tournaments. His consistency, leadership, and sportsmanship made him one of cricket’s most respected figures.

India secured its record third Men's U-18 Asia Cup hockey title by defeating host nation Japan 4-1 in the final held at Kakamigahara, Japan, on June 6, 2026. The victory earned India the gold medal and reinforced its strong presence in Asian junior hockey. Ashish Tani Purti played a crucial role in the tournament, finishing as the top scorer with 13 goals and earning the Player of the Match award in the final. Ayush Rajak was named the tournament's Best Goalkeeper, while Ketan Kushwaha captained the championship-winning Indian team. The achievement highlights the strength of India's emerging hockey talent.

India won its record-extending sixth SAFF Women’s Championship title by defeating Bangladesh 3-1 in the final held at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa, on June 9, 2026. The victory marked India's first championship triumph since 2019 and helped the team reclaim the title after Bangladesh won the 2022 and 2024 editions. India delivered a dominant performance throughout the tournament, scoring 18 goals in four matches while conceding only one. Goals in the final were scored by Pyari Xaxa, Sanfida Nongrum, and Lynda Kom. The achievement further strengthened India's position as the most successful team in SAFF Women’s Championship history.

R Praggnanandhaa created history by becoming the first Indian to win the Norway Chess tournament, one of the most prestigious events in world chess. The 20-year-old Grandmaster secured the title after defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the final round and finishing with 18 points. His remarkable campaign included four consecutive victories in the later stages of the tournament and two classical wins against former World Champion Magnus Carlsen. This achievement is particularly significant because even renowned Indian players such as Viswanathan Anand and D Gukesh had never won the Norway Chess title, making Praggnanandhaa’s success a landmark moment for Indian chess.