India narrowly averted a historic upset at the Sano International Cricket Ground on Tuesday, edging out Japan by 2 runs in a rain-curtailed 5-over exhibition marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Restricted to 32/4 by Charles Hinze’s tight bowling, India relied on Washington Sundar’s 2/13 to stop Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming’s charge and restrict the hosts to 30/3.

Indian boxer Sakshi Chaudhary produced an emphatic upset at the Asian Games, dominating Paris Olympics bronze medallist Aira Villegas by a 5-0 unanimous verdict in the women’s 51kg category. Following consecutive 5-0 round sweeps, the Commonwealth Games champion advanced to the pre-quarterfinals, where she faces Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkibekova.

India completed a comprehensive 3-0 T20I series sweep over Afghanistan with a crushing 127-run victory at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Powered by Abhishek Sharma’s historic 30-ball century and three-wicket hauls from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi, the hosts bundled Afghanistan out for just 94 in 14.1 overs.

A destructive 22-ball 57 from Sanju Samson powered India to an effortless seven-wicket victory over Afghanistan in New Delhi, chasing down 160 inside 15 overs. Backed by Nitish Kumar Reddy’s career-best 3-24, India wrapped up the three-match T20I series 2-0 with one game remaining.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has assured that the board will look into the next Future Tours Programme (FTP) cycle so that players have more breathing room, as the physical toll of a jam-packed calendar keeps piling up.

Argentina superstar Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international soccer on Monday, ending 21 years of national-team duty that were capped by winning the World Cup in 2022 to secure his place in the pantheon of the game’s greatest ever players.