Catch up on the biggest sports stories making headlines on August 13, with major updates from Indian cricket, football, the Asian Games, table tennis and the IPL.
From India's Asian Games campaign to East Bengal's stunning win, check out the latest stories on the Sports Digest of the day.
India vs Pakistan to be Medal Clash at Asian Games 2026
India and Pakistan will not meet in the early stages of the Asian Games 2026 cricket tournament, with the two sides placed on opposite halves of the men's draw. Both are seeded directly into the quarter-finals on September 28, but their paths remain separate through the semi-finals. India face the Group B runners-up, while Pakistan take on the Group A runners-up. If both reach the final, they will meet for gold on October 3. An India-Pakistan bronze-medal clash
is also possible if both lose their semi-finals.
Asian Games schedule confirmed as India start from Quarterfinals stage
Cricket at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 will feature 10 men's and eight women's teams, with both competitions played in the T20 format. The women's tournament runs from September 17 to 22, while the men's event is scheduled from September 24 to October 3. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh receive direct men's quarter-final berths, while Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman enter the preliminary round.
Murali Kartik Wants Consistency For Kuldeep Yadav Ahead Of Sri Lanka Tests
Former India spinner Murali Kartik believes Kuldeep Yadav deserves consistency and a clearly defined role in India's Test setup as Ravindra Jadeja enters the twilight of his career. Kartik called Kuldeep a proven match-winner and urged selectors to assess him purely as a spinner. He also backed Dhruv Jurel ahead of Sarfaraz Khan for the Sri Lanka Tests and said Shubman Gill's fitness, rather than his batting, remains the bigger concern ahead of a crucial WTC phase.
Hardik Pandya's GT return collapses with captaincy demand
Hardik Pandya's potential return to Gujarat Titans has reportedly hit a roadblock after the all-rounder sought captaincy as part of the move. GT were open to bringing back their former skipper, who led them to the IPL title in 2022, but the franchise backed current captain Shubman Gill instead. Pandya had previously moved from GT to Mumbai Indians in 2024, reportedly with a captaincy condition. With MI also considering a leadership change, Hardik's future has become a major IPL talking point.
Sports Ministry suspends TTFI alleging lack of proper Governance
The Government of India's Sports Ministry has suspended recognition of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) over governance-related failures. The ministry cited the federation's failure to conduct elections within the stipulated timeline and an unsatisfactory response to its show-cause notice. The Indian Olympic Association has been asked to form an ad-hoc committee to oversee the sport's administration during the suspension, coming just weeks before India's table tennis campaign at the Asian Games.
East Bengal storm into ACL Two Group Stage as FC Goa crash out
East Bengal produced a stunning comeback to beat Kuwait's Al Arabi 4-1 after extra time and secure their place in the AFC Champions League Two 2026-27 group stage. Jay Gupta's late equaliser forced extra time before Mohammed Rashid, David Hmar and Rohit Danu completed a memorable win. Meanwhile, FC Goa endured a disappointing exit after suffering a 0-3 defeat to Turkmenistan's FC Arkadag in their preliminary-round clash.
Lukaku join Fenerbahce as Vlahovic closes in on Besiktas move
Turkey is becoming the destination for two major European strikers. Romelu Lukaku has officially joined Fenerbahce from Napoli in a deal reportedly worth around €6 million plus bonuses. Meanwhile, Besiktas have reached an agreement with Juventus free agent Dusan Vlahovic, with the Serbian striker set to undergo a medical before completing his move.
R Ashwin backs ex-KKR captain Eoin Morgan as CSK Head Coach
Ravichandran Ashwin has named former England captain Eoin Morgan as a potential candidate to become Chennai Super Kings' next head coach following Stephen Fleming's departure. Ashwin believes Morgan's experience as a World Cup-winning captain and his tactical understanding could make him a strong fit for the franchise. He also mentioned MS Dhoni as another option for the role, as CSK prepare for a new coaching era ahead of IPL 2027.
