Current Affairs - Sports

The Asian Relays Championships 2026 were held in Shangyu, China, where the Indian athletics team finished with a total of three medals. India's women's 4x100m relay team, comprising Srabani Nanda, Sneha Shanuvalli, Sudeshna Shivankar, and Tamanna, won the gold medal with a season's best time of 43.85 seconds. In addition to the gold, India secured a silver medal in the mixed 4x400m relay and a bronze medal in the mixed 4x100m relay. The 2026 edition was the second Asian Relays Championships, organised under the Asian Athletics Association, and India is scheduled to host the next edition in Chandigarh in 2027.

India won the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup by defeating host nation New Zealand 2-0 in the final held in Auckland on June 21, 2026. The Indian team remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and secured its second Nations Cup title. Goals from Navneet Kaur and Sunelita Toppo helped India claim victory, while goalkeeper Savita Punia delivered a clean sheet in the final. Lalremsiami was named Player of the Match for her outstanding performance. The triumph also earned India promotion to the next season’s FIH Hockey Women’s Pro League, marking a significant achievement for Indian women’s hockey on the international stage.

Deepti Sharma achieved a remarkable milestone in women’s cricket by becoming the joint-highest wicket-taker in women’s international cricket with 355 wickets. She reached the landmark during India’s Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match against the Netherlands at Headingley in Leeds. The record-equalling wicket came when she dismissed Dutch opener Phebe Molkenboer. With this achievement, Deepti matched the tally of former Indian captain Jhulan Goswami and England’s Katherine Sciver-Brunt. The feat highlights Deepti’s consistency and impact as an all-rounder and reflects India’s growing prominence in women’s cricket, with two Indian players featuring among the leading wicket-takers in the history of the game.

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.