Sport Updates
Same-day match highlights, records, team news and results from across the sports you follow.
Jarrad Branthwaite Earns England Recall After Injury Nightmare
Jarrad Branthwaite has earned a recall to the England squad for this month's Nations League fixtures against Spain, Czechia and Croatia, more than two years after his only previous cap and having missed both Euro 2024 and this summer's World Cup through injury. The 24-year-old Everton defender credited a rehabilitation programme at a specialist clinic in Munich, which examined the links between his repeated hamstring and groin problems and his movement patterns, with turning his fortunes around. Branthwaite was restricted to just 10 Premier League appearances last season and was carried off in tears after suffering another hamstring injury in April's Merseyside derby. He has been ever-present for Everton so far this season, helping them keep three clean sheets in five games and concede the joint-fewest goals in the Premier League. Thomas Tuchel has named him alongside Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah and Trevoh Chalobah in his group of centre-backs for the camp.
Mikel Arteta Agrees New Long-Term Arsenal Contract Until 2030
Mikel Arteta has agreed a new long-term contract extension with Arsenal , expected to keep him at the club until 2030 and take his reign as manager beyond a decade. The Spaniard's current three-year deal, signed in September 2024, was set to expire at the end of this season. Talks over an extension had been ongoing since May, when Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title, though negotiations were put on hold during the summer transfer window before a verbal agreement was reached. The new deal includes a significant pay rise on his current salary of around £10 million a year plus bonuses. Arteta, who replaced Unai Emery in December 2019, led Arsenal to the title last season and also guided them to the Champions League final, where they lost on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.
Man City Fight Back From Two Down at Bayern, Inter Win on UWCL Debut
The Women's Champions League got underway with Manchester City staging a dramatic fightback against Bayern Munich and Inter Milan winning on their competition debut against Hacken . City trailed 2-0 inside 28 minutes at Bayern, with Giulia Gwinn finishing smartly and Kerstin Casparij turning the ball into her own net. Beth Mead pulled one back just before half-time, and after Khadija Shaw missed a penalty that would have levelled things, City eventually found their equaliser through new signing Carlotta Wamser , left unmarked to score in the 86th minute. The result made City the first English side not to lose away to Bayern in Europe. In Milan, Inter made a winning start to their first-ever league-phase campaign, edging out Swedish visitors Hacken 1-0. Matchday 1 concludes on Wednesday, headlined by holders Barcelona hosting Paris FC and Chelsea facing debutants Austria Wien .
Will Jacks Stars With Bat and Ball as England Beat Sri Lanka by 89 Runs
England took a 1-0 lead in their three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka , beating the tourists by 89 runs at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street, with Will Jacks starring with bat and ball. Electing to bat, England were given a platform by Joe Root and captain Harry Brook , who added 68 together before Root fell for 44. Brook went on to make 67, while Jacks provided a late flourish with an unbeaten 46 off 47 balls, including four consecutive fours off Dushmantha Chameera, to lift England to 265 in the final over. Sri Lanka's chase never got going as they collapsed to 176 all out in 37 overs. Jacks capped a superb all-round display by taking a career-best 5 for 22, striking three times in the final over to seal victory and claim the Player of the Match award. The second ODI takes place on Thursday, with England looking to wrap up the series.
Mark Wood Retires From International Cricket After 11-Year England Career
Mark Wood has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 36, bringing an end to an 11-year England career repeatedly disrupted by injury. Wood finishes with 253 wickets from 146 international matches across formats, including 119 wickets in 38 Tests, 80 in 70 ODIs and 54 in 38 T20Is, the second-most by an England bowler in the shortest format. He was part of England's 50-over World Cup-winning squad in 2019 and their T20 World Cup triumph in 2022, and featured in four Ashes series, taking the series-levelling wicket at Trent Bridge in 2015. The Durham quick had not played for England since the opening Ashes Test in Perth last November, where a recurrence of a knee injury forced him home for treatment. "On medical advice, Test cricket and 50-over cricket are not possible, so the England dream has slowly been ground out of me over the last year," Wood said in a statement. He intends to continue playing franchise T20 cricket for Durham and elsewhere alongside his media work.
India Women Edge Thailand 3-2 in Table Tennis Thriller to Reach QFs
India's women's table tennis team survived a scare in the Round of 16, coming from behind to beat Thailand 3-2 in a five-rubber thriller at Sky Hall Toyota to reach the quarterfinals. The tie swung back and forth, with India needing to dig deep after falling behind in the early rubbers. Sreeja Akula held her nerve in the deciding rubber to seal the win under pressure, with Manika Batra also playing a key role across the tie. The win keeps India's medal hopes alive in the women's team event, extending a strong run through the competition after topping Group F undefeated.
India Men Crush South Korea 63-31 to Stay Unbeaten in Kabaddi
India's men's kabaddi team ran their unbeaten start to two wins from two, crushing South Korea 63-31 in a Group A fixture at Toyohashi City General Gymnasium. Defending champions India built an insurmountable lead early and controlled the raiding exchanges throughout, following up their 49-24 win over hosts Japan in the tournament opener. The 32-point margin of victory underlines India's dominant form as they defend their kabaddi title from the previous Games. India remain unbeaten and firmly on course to top Group A heading into the knockout stages.
India Men Hammer Sri Lanka 16-1 with Triple Hat-Tricks in Hockey
India's men's hockey team put on a ruthless display at Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium, thrashing Sri Lanka 16-1 in their Pool A fixture to continue a dominant run through the group stage. India raced into a 5-0 lead by half-time and never let up, with hat-tricks from Harmanpreet Singh , Abhishek , and Jugraj Singh doing the bulk of the damage. The final scoreline extends India's remarkable goal tally through the pool phase, following their 13-1 win over Indonesia on Day 1. Sri Lanka's lone consolation goal did little to dent an otherwise perfect afternoon for the Indian attack, who continue to look near-unstoppable heading into the knockout rounds.
India Men Sweep Japan 3-0 to Reach Badminton Team Semifinals
India swept past hosts Japan 3-0 in the men's team badminton quarterfinal at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, booking a semifinal spot and guaranteeing at least a bronze medal. Lakshya Sen got things started with a hard-fought win over Kodai Naraoka, coming through 2-1 (11-21, 21-4, 21-19) after dropping the opener. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty then extended the lead in doubles, edging Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi 2-0 (21-18, 24-22) in a tight contest. Ayush Shetty sealed the tie with a straight-games win over Koki Watanabe. The result avenges India's group-stage form and sets up a semifinal test as the team chases its first team gold in the event.
India Become First Team in History to Register 200 T20I Wins
India became the first team in history to register 200 wins in men's T20 International cricket , surviving a scare from hosts Japan to win a rain-shortened one-off match in Sano by just two runs. Reduced to five overs a side by rain, Shreyas Iyer's side could only manage 32 for 4 batting first. Japan came agonisingly close in the chase, needing eight runs off the final six balls before Axar Patel held his nerve at the death, restricting the hosts to 30 for 3. Washington Sundar and Patel shared the wickets to seal the historic win. India's journey to the milestone began with a six-wicket win over South Africa in Johannesburg in 2006, reaching the 50-win mark against Sri Lanka in Colombo (2017), 100 against West Indies in Kolkata (2022), and 150 against Australia in Gros Islet (2024). They needed only 291 games to reach 200 wins, well clear of second-placed Pakistan, who have 174 wins from 299 matches.
Nations League Returns This Week With England vs Spain, Netherlands vs Germany
The UEFA Nations League returns this week for the first time since the 2026 World Cup, with Matchday 1 headlined by Netherlands vs Germany on Thursday and England vs Spain at Wembley on Saturday. Netherlands host Germany in Group A2 in a rivalry clash that also marks new eras for both nations, with Xavi Hernandez making his competitive debut in charge of the Dutch and Jurgen Klopp taking his first game as Germany boss. In Group A3, England welcome world champions Spain to Wembley in a repeat of the Euro 2024 final, which Spain won 2-1, with both sides playing their first Nations League match since their World Cup campaigns. Elsewhere in League A, Italy host Belgium and Turkiye face France in a Group A1 that could produce some of the window's standout fixtures, with France and Italy set to meet directly on 2 October.
Juventus End Eight-Year Home Hoodoo Against Atalanta With 2-0 Win
Juventus ended an eight-year home hoodoo against Atalanta , winning 2-0 at the Allianz Stadium for their first victory over La Dea in Turin since March 2018. Francisco Conceicao broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, latching onto a low cross from Zeki Celik after a patient build-up and guiding a first-time finish into the bottom corner for his first goal of the season. Gleison Bremer doubled the lead in the 77th minute, rising highest from a corner to head powerfully beyond Marco Carnesecchi . The win moved Luciano Spalletti's side up to sixth in Serie A on 10 points, and was their second victory in the space of four days following Thursday's Europa League win over NEC Nijmegen. It was a third straight defeat for Ivan Juric's Atalanta, who remain in the bottom half of the table heading into the international break.
Lautaro Martinez Brace Rescues Point for Inter in Roma Thriller
Lautaro Martinez scored twice as Inter Milan came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Roma at the Stadio Olimpico, a result that left Serie A's only two unbeaten sides sharing the points in a top-of-the-table clash. Manu Kone put the hosts firmly in control with a first-half double, heading in from a corner after just six minutes before adding a second before the half-hour mark. Inter responded almost immediately after the restart, with Martinez sweeping home a low cross from Marcus Thuram within a minute of the second half beginning. The captain then completed his brace in the 79th minute, controlling a header back into the box on his thigh before smashing a stunning volley beyond Mile Svilar . It was the third straight game in which Cristian Chivu's side had trailed by two goals before fighting back, following comebacks against Napoli and Udinese. Roma stay top of the table on goal difference, with both sides now level on points after their perfect starts to the season came to an end.
Socceroos Lose Toure and Robertson for Brazil Friendlies, Velupillay Called Up
Australia have lost two players from their squad for this week's friendlies against Brazil, with Mohamed Toure and Alexander Robertson both withdrawn for medical reasons, and winger Nishan Velupillay called up as a replacement. Toure picked up a shoulder injury during Norwich City's 4-3 defeat to Bolton Wanderers, going down early after opening the scoring in that match. Robertson's withdrawal came after discussions between Cardiff City and Football Australia, with reports suggesting it is being treated as rest following a heavy run of games rather than a serious issue. Velupillay , who featured for the Socceroos at the 2026 World Cup, is the only replacement called into Tony Popovic's squad. Australia face Brazil in Townsville on Friday and again in Brisbane the following Tuesday, in what are their first matches since reaching the last 16 at the World Cup.
Mandhana's 11,000th International Run Headlines India's Asian Games Gold
Smriti Mandhana became the first woman cricketer to reach 11,000 international runs , reaching the milestone during a match-winning 79 as India beat Sri Lanka to claim the Asian Games 2026 gold medal at Korogi Sports Park. Mandhana needed just 13 runs to reach the landmark and got there inside her first two overs, going on to make 79 off 45 balls with five fours and seven sixes. She added 99 for the first wicket with Shafali Verma (48), before Richa Ghosh's unbeaten 49 off 22 balls powered India to a record 216 for 3, the highest total in the history of women's cricket at the Asian Games. Sri Lanka could not keep pace with the target, with India's bowlers securing the gold medal in the country's continued dominance of the format. The milestone extends Mandhana's list of records, having also become the leading run-scorer in women's T20Is earlier in the tournament and already holding the record for the most international centuries (18) by a woman.
India Hold Off Japan by 2 Runs in Historic 75th Anniversary T20I
India edged out Japan by just 2 runs in a rain-truncated one-off T20I at the Sano International Cricket Ground, in a match cut to five overs a side due to a wet outfield. The contest marked the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations and came just ahead of the men's competition at the Asian Games. Put in to bat, India could only manage 32/4 in their five overs. Shreyas Iyer top-scored with 16 off 12 balls , while the rest of the top order struggled to find any rhythm against tight Japanese bowling. Charlie Hara-Hinze was the pick of the attack with 2/17 . Chasing 33, Japan fought hard but fell agonisingly short, finishing on 30/3 . Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming led the chase with 12 off 12 before falling to Washington Sundar , who picked up 2/13 and proved the difference with the ball. Benjamin Ito-Davis stayed unbeaten on 9 but couldn't quite get Japan over the line, with the hosts needing single figures off the last few balls before India held on. It's a landmark result for Japanese cricket, who pushed a full-strength Indian side all the way in a historic fixture on home soil.
Sri Lanka Women Settle for Silver After Final Defeat to India
Sri Lanka Women finished with the silver medal in cricket at the 2026 Asian Games after going down by 147 runs to India Women in the final at Nisshin. It's still a strong result for Sri Lanka, capping a run that saw them beat Pakistan in the semi-final to reach the gold-medal match. Set a target of 217, Sri Lanka's chase never got going. They lost wickets in clusters throughout and were bowled out for just 69 in 15.4 overs . Chamari Athapaththu was the one bright spot with the bat, top-scoring with 29 off 21 balls before India's spinners took control. Deepti Sharma ran through the middle order with 3/6 , while Shreyanka Patil and Shree Charani picked up two wickets apiece. Earlier, India had posted 216/3 after being put in to bat, with half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana (79) and a late blitz from Richa Ghosh (49 not out off 22) putting the total out of reach. Sri Lanka's road to the final included wins over Malaysia and Pakistan, and the silver marks their best showing at the Asian Games since the tournament's last edition, when they also finished as runners-up to India.
India Women Thrash Sri Lanka by 147 Runs to Win Asian Games Gold
India Women crushed Sri Lanka Women by 147 runs in the final to win the cricket gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Nisshin. It was a one-sided finish to a tournament India dominated from the group stage onward. Put in to bat after winning the toss, India piled up 216/3 in their 20 overs. Smriti Mandhana led the charge with 79 off 45 balls , hitting five fours and seven sixes. Shafali Verma gave her the perfect company at the top with 48 off 29 , and the pair put on a rapid opening stand that set the tone. Richa Ghosh then finished things off in style, smashing an unbeaten 49 off just 22 balls to push India well past 200. Sri Lanka never recovered from that total. Chasing 217, they lost wickets in clusters and were bowled out for just 69 in 15.4 overs . Deepti Sharma was the pick of the bowlers with 3/6 from her four overs, while Shafali Verma also chipped in with the ball, taking 2/3 . Only Chamari Athapaththu , with 29 , managed to get Sri Lanka past the 20-run mark individually. India complete a dominant campaign, winning gold without dropping a single match in the knockouts. Sri Lanka settle for silver after a spirited run that included a semi-final win over Pakistan.
India Women Out of Medal Contention After 1-3 Quarter-Final Loss to Japan
India's women's badminton team were eliminated from medal contention at the 2026 Asian Games, losing 1-3 to Japan in the team quarter-finals at Sky Hall Toyota. PV Sindhu pushed three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi to three games, winning the opener 23-21 before Yamaguchi rallied to close it out 2-1 (21-23, 21-18, 21-11) and give Japan a 1-0 lead. Tomoka Miyazaki then beat Unnati Hooda in straight games to make it 2-0. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand kept India's hopes alive with a straight-games doubles win over Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto, but Nozomi Okuhara sealed the tie for Japan with a straight-games win over Tanvi Sharma , completing a 3-1 victory.
India Crush South Korea 63-31 to Move 2-0 in Kabaddi Group A
Defending champions India recorded their second consecutive blowout win in men's kabaddi at the 2026 Asian Games, beating South Korea 63-31 in their Group A preliminary tie at Toyohashi City General Gymnasium. India's raid and defence units maintained control throughout, moving to 2-0 in group play after Monday's 49-24 win over hosts Japan. The result keeps India on course for an unbeaten start to their title defence as they continue their Group A campaign.
Sakshi Chaudhary Stuns Olympic Medallist Villegas to Reach Pre-Quarters
Sakshi Chaudhary produced a dominant performance to beat Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Aira Villegas of the Philippines by a unanimous 5-0 decision in the women's 51kg round of 32 at the 2026 Asian Games. The Commonwealth Games gold medallist controlled the bout from the opening bell at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium. Four judges scored it 30-27 and one scored 30-26 in her favour. Sakshi advances to a high-profile pre-quarterfinal clash against Kazakhstan's reigning world champion Alua Balkibekova.
Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane Finish Fourth, India's Shooting Medal Streak Ends
India's remarkable run of shooting podiums at the 2026 Asian Games came to an end on Tuesday, with Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane finishing fourth in the 10m air rifle mixed team final, missing out on a medal with a score of 376.3 . The Indian pair remained in fourth throughout the final, trailing South Korea's bronze-medal position by narrow margins at each checkpoint. China's Wang Zifei and Sheng Lihao won gold with a world record 507.1 , South Korea's Hyojin Ban and Hajun Park took silver with 502.9, and Japan's Misaki Nobata and Naoki Hanakawa claimed bronze with 439.7. Elavenil and Parth had qualified second with 634.6, behind a world-record qualification score from the Chinese pair. The result ends a run in which India had claimed a medal in every shooting final at these Games so far - five medals in five events over the first two days, four of them involving Elavenil or Parth.
Fatima Sana's 45 and Umm-e-Hani's Three-Fer Hand Pakistan Bronze at Asian Games
Pakistan Women beat Bangladesh Women by 31 runs in the bronze medal match at the 2026 Asian Games in Nisshin, claiming their first medal of the tournament after semi-final defeats knocked both sides out of gold contention. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat, posting 145/8 in their 20 overs. Captain Fatima Sana top-scored with 45 off 30 balls , while Gull Feroza chipped in with 31. Bangladesh's bowling attack shared the wickets around, with Nahida Akter and Shorna Akter picking up two apiece. In reply, Bangladesh never quite got the required rate under control and finished on 114/7 . Sharmin Akhter fought hard for an unbeaten 46, but three quick wickets inside the powerplay left too much to do. Umm-e-Hani was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers, returning 3/10 from her four overs to choke off any hope of a chase. Pakistan's women had never previously won a medal at this event, so the bronze marks a small but meaningful landmark for the side. The gold medal match between India Women and Sri Lanka Women follows later on the same day.
Emperor Naruhito Opens Asian Games as Bhaker and Sehrawat Lead India
The 20th Asian Games opened in Nagoya on Saturday, 19 September . Japan's Emperor Naruhito declared the Games open at Paloma Mizuho Stadium. IOC president Kirsty Coventry and OCA president Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani were present. Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat carried the flag for India. Bhaker won two bronze medals at Paris 2024. Sehrawat was part of India's gold-winning kabaddi team at Hangzhou. Sehrawat came in at the last minute. Shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor was first picked as the male flag-bearer. He could not take part because of a kit issue. The Games run until 4 October . There are 469 medal events in 43 sports . India crossed 100 medals for the first time at Hangzhou and will look to build on that.