#SportsBulletin: Pant's injury & other top stories

Sports Bulletin For January 11: Here are the major updates from the world of sports today, covering key developments across cricket, football, chess and

more. From administrative decisions to standout performances and major tournament movements, these are the top stories making headlines.

1) Rishabh Pant ruled out of New Zealand ODI series after Injury during Practice

Team India suffered a major setback even before the New Zealand series began, with Rishabh Pant ruled out of all three ODIs. During an optional nets session at the BCA Stadium in Baroda, Pant was hit by a delivery from a sidearm specialist and immediately collapsed in pain. The ball struck him just above the waist, causing sharp discomfort in his right lateral abdominal area.

He was quickly attended to by the team's medical staff, and subsequent scans revealed a tear in his internal oblique muscle, a type of side strain often caused by sudden rotational movements. The BCCI has estimated a recovery period of at least 10 days, confirming his absence from the ODIs in Vadodara (Jan 11), Raipur (Jan 14) and Indore (Jan 17).

2) Pakistan Offers To Host Bangladesh T20 World Cup Matches: Report

he Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly shown interest in hosting Bangladesh's fixtures for the 2026 T20 World Cup, as tensions between Bangladesh and India continue to rise. As per Geo News, the PCB has offered its "ready and fully equipped" stadiums after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) indicated it would not travel to India for the tournament.

The BCB has raised security concerns with the ICC regarding sending its players to India. Senior ICC officials, including chairman Jay Shah, have been in Mumbai for discussions at the BCCI headquarters along with other board representatives.

3) FIFA World Cup Trophy Lands In India For First Time In Nearly 12 Years

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 inching closer, the original trophy reached India on Saturday as part of its worldwide tour. The trophy was showcased at a special event attended by former Brazil World Cup winner Gilberto D'Silva and India's Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

4) Arjun Erigaisi Shocks Viswanthan Anand, Again! India's Top Ranked GM Pips Legend At Tata Steel Chess

Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi continued his impressive run at the Tata Steel Chess Championships 2026 in Kolkata, defeating the iconic Viswanathan Anand in a generational showdown on Saturday.

After stunning the five-time world champion in the Rapid section earlier, Erigaisi repeated his dominance in the Blitz format as well, securing another memorable win over the chess legend.

5) AIFF Asks ISL Sides To Confirm Details Of Venues For Their Home Matches By 12th January

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has directed Indian Super League (ISL) clubs to submit their home venue details by January 12, Monday noon, allowing the federation to finalise the schedule for the delayed season starting February 14.

Earlier, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed that the ISL will resume on February 14 after a temporary halt caused by the lack of a commercial partner. All 14 teams will take part in the upcoming season.

6) Macclesfield Become First Non-League Team Since 1909 To Dump Defending FA Cup Champions

FA Cup holders Crystal Palace were stunned by sixth-tier Macclesfield, who clinched a remarkable 2-1 victory in their third-round clash on Sunday at The Leasing.com Stadium. Goals from Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts secured the upset, with Yeremi Pino scoring Palace's only reply.

With this historic win, Macclesfield became the first non-league side in 117 years to knock out the defending champions - a feat last achieved in 1909 when Wolves were eliminated by Palace.

7) Dewald Brevis No Nonsense Take On Herschelle Gibbs' Criticism: 'Doesn't Bother Me, They're Not Playing'

South Africa's young star Dewald Brevis has responded to Herschelle Gibbs after the former Proteas batter criticised him for inconsistency. Brevis, who has scored just 88 runs in seven games for Pretoria Capitals with modest returns of 6, 12, 36*, 8, 12 and 12, also struggled in the recent T20I series against India.

Addressing Gibbs' comments, Brevis said he doesn't concern himself with opinions from former players, noting that they are no longer part of the game. He added that he is focused on enjoying his cricket, which remains his top priority.

8) Real Madrid to take on Barcelona In Spanish Super Cup Final

Real Madrid will take on defending champions Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup Final at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.