India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams have learned their group-stage opponents for the FIH Hockey World Cup, with both sides drawn in Pool D. The men will face Pakistan, England, and Wales, while the women will compete against China, England, and South Africa. Both teams will play their matches in the Netherlands.

England, led by Ben Stokes, lost the 2025/26 Ashes series 4-1 to Australia cricket team. The tour is still under review by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene praised Mumbai Indians’ strong core, with Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma shining in India’s T20 World Cup win. MI have given them an extended break. He backed Suryakumar, praised Bumrah, hinted at a bigger role for Rohit Sharma, and welcomed healthy selection competition.

Iran’s 2026 World Cup participation is uncertain amid rising tensions. The country is negotiating with FIFA to shift matches from the US to Mexico, citing safety concerns. Officials said, “We will certainly not travel to America.” FIFA hasn’t agreed yet. After Donald Trump warned about safety, Iran insisted “no one can exclude” them from the tournament.

India women’s team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur rose to seventh in ICC ODI rankings, while Smriti Mandhana stayed No.1. All-rounder Sophie Devine slipped to ninth. New Zealand stars impressed Maddy Green and Amelia Kerr made big gains. In T20Is, Kerr, Georgia Plimmer and Jess Kerr also climbed rankings with strong performances.