🏆 Top 20 Sports News Stories — Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Here are the major India and world sports developments making news today, with the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games dominating India’s sporting headlines.

🇮🇳 India Sports

1. India Women Win Asian Games Cricket Gold
India defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the women’s T20 cricket final to win India’s first gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games. India posted 216/3, before dismissing Sri Lanka for 69.

2. Smriti Mandhana Reaches 11,000 International Runs
Smriti Mandhana scored 79 in the Asian Games final and became the first woman to reach 11,000 international runs. Her innings helped India establish a commanding total against Sri Lanka.

3. Pakistan Women Take Asian Games Cricket Bronze
Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 31 runs to secure the women’s T20 bronze medal, returning to the Asian Games podium after 12 years.

4. Indian Men’s Badminton Team Secures Asian Games Medal
India defeated Japan 3–0 in the men’s team quarter-final, guaranteeing the Indian badminton contingent at least a bronze medal.

5. PV Sindhu Loses to Akane Yamaguchi
PV Sindhu lost 23–21, 18–21, 11–21 to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the women’s team badminton quarter-final. India subsequently faced the task of winning the remaining ties to stay in medal contention.

6. India’s Women’s Badminton Team Exits Asian Games
Japan eliminated India in the women’s team quarter-final, ending India’s campaign in the event while the men’s team advanced to the semifinals.

7. Roshibina Devi Guarantees Another Asian Games Medal
Indian wushu athlete Roshibina Devi advanced to the semifinals, assuring India another medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

8. Sakshi Chaudhary Defeats Olympic Bronze Medallist
Indian boxer Sakshi Chaudhary defeated Paris Olympic bronze medallist Aira Villegas of the Philippines 5–0 in the women’s 51kg round of 32.

9. India Men’s Hockey Team Beats Sri Lanka 16–1
India continued its strong Asian Games hockey campaign with a 16–1 victory over Sri Lanka. Dilpreet Singh and Abhishek were among the Indian players to score hat-tricks.

10. India Men’s Kabaddi Team Defeats South Korea
India recorded a 63–31 victory over South Korea, continuing its Asian Games kabaddi campaign with another strong performance.

11. India’s Table Tennis Campaign Continues
Indian table tennis players advanced through the Asian Games team competition, with the India-Pakistan encounters also drawing attention for the players’ sportsmanship and post-match handshakes.

12. India-Japan Men’s T20I Becomes a Historic Fixture
India and Japan met in their first men’s T20 international on Tuesday in Sano, Japan. The match was also linked to the Sport 75 initiative celebrating India-Japan relations.

13. India Edge Japan in Rain-Reduced T20I
The India-Japan match was reduced to five overs per side because of a wet outfield. India ultimately won the historic contest by two runs.

14. CSK Appoint Zaheer Khan as IPL Head Coach
Chennai Super Kings have appointed former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan as their new head coach for IPL 2027. He replaces Stephen Fleming, ending Fleming’s long association with the franchise.

15. India Chess Team Rebounds at Chess Olympiad
India’s women’s chess team produced a strong response after its earlier defeat by Poland, with Savitha Shri recording her fifth win in five games against the USA.

🌎 World Sports

16. Davis Cup Final 8 Draw Announced
Defending champions Italy will face South Korea in the Davis Cup Final 8 in November, while Spain will meet Austria. The knockout stage follows the completion of the qualifying rounds.

17. South Korea Raises Concerns Over Asian Games Organisation
South Korea’s delegation has criticised organisers over accommodation, transport and logistical problems at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Organisers acknowledged issues and said they would prioritise improvements to athlete experience.

18. Philippines Targets More Asian Games Golds
The Philippine Olympic Committee says it remains hopeful of exceeding the country’s previous four-gold haul at the 2026 Asian Games. Filipino athletes including EJ Obiena, Carlos Yulo and Alex Eala remain among the country’s prominent competitors.

19. Asian Games Enter a Busy Competition Phase
The Aichi-Nagoya Games continue through October 4, with more than 10,000 athletes competing across numerous sports. Events include athletics, swimming, badminton, shooting, boxing, football, cricket and other disciplines.

20. China’s Growing Role at Aichi-Nagoya Games Draws Attention
China’s influence at the Asian Games extends beyond its athletes, with Chinese companies involved in areas including broadcasting, sporting equipment and Games infrastructure, while Chinese athletes continue competing across the programme.