Seeking to continue their confident start to the tournament, a well-balanced India will begin as firm favourites despite facing a tricky Bangladesh in their second match of the ICC U-19 World Cup here Saturday.

There was plenty of smoke, but Bayern Munich needed time to show some fire.

The unflappable Aman Mokhade struck his fifth hundred of this season’s Vijay Hazare Trophy, powering Vidarbha to a smooth six-wicket victory over defending champions Karnataka and to the tournament's final here on Thursday.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Thursday said the sport's continental body AFC has accorded recognition to the truncated 2025-26 Indian Super League with winners of the country's top two divisions getting indirect slots to Asian Champions League 2 through zonal qualifiers.

The crisis-ridden Bangladesh Cricket Board stared at the prospect of its flagship T20 league coming to a halt after senior national players revolted against it for not sacking director Najmul Islam for his disparaging comments against them even though the BCB removed him as head of its finance committee.

Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate says the next month’s T20 World Cup is still a "long way" to go and the team’s immediate focus on the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, which is tied 1-1 after the visitors won the second match here.

 India all-rounder Washington Sundar was on Wednesday ruled out of the five-match T20 series against New Zealand due to a side strain.

Daryl Mitchell (131) struck a composed unbeaten hundred and shared a 162-run stand with Will Young (87) to guide New Zealand to a series-levelling seven-wicket win over India in the second ODI here Wednesday.