Eight teams will be vying for the coveted trophy this year. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan have gained direct entry. They will be joined by UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong, who secured their spots by finishing as the top three sides in the ACC Premier Cup for associate nations.

India made history at the CAFA Nations Cup, securing a bronze medal in their debut appearance. They triumphed over Oman 3-2 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw, with Udanta Singh Kumam's late header canceling out Oman's opener. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu's decisive save in the shootout sealed the victory, marking a remarkable achievement for the Blue Tigers.

In a Cricket World Cup League 2 match, Scotland defeated Canada. Scotland won the toss and chose to bowl. Canada's openers created an unwanted record by getting out on the first two balls. Brad Currie took five wickets. Shreyas Movva scored 60 runs, helping Canada reach 184. George Munsey's unbeaten 84 and Richie Berrington's 64 guided Scotland to victory.

Sikandar Raza surpassed Virat Kohli's record for the most Player of the Match awards in T20Is, achieving his 17th during Zimbabwe's victory against Sri Lanka. Raza's impressive performance, including 3 wickets for 11 runs, helped restrict Sri Lanka to a mere 80 runs. This accomplishment places him ahead of Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav among full-member nations.

Aryna Sabalenka secured her fourth Grand Slam title at the US Open, defeating Amanda Anisimova in a compelling match. Reflecting on past final losses, she adopted a new mental approach inspired by James Doty's memoir. Sabalenka dedicated her victory to her late father, drawing strength from his memory and solidifying her family's name in history.

Donald Trump is set to attend the US Open men's final, marking his first appearance since 2015. He will be watching from Rolex's suite, despite his administration's recent imposition of a 39% tariff on Swiss products. This visit adds to Trump's recent attendance at major sporting events, though ABC's broadcast may avoid showing any potential protests.

Amanda Anisimova faced another Grand Slam final defeat at the US Open, losing to Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. Despite flashes of brilliance, Anisimova struggled with consistency and admitted to not fighting hard enough for her dreams. The closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium also impacted her visibility, adding to her frustration.

Djed Spence, the Tottenham Hotspur fullback, has earned his first England senior call-up for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia. This selection marks a significant moment, potentially making him the first openly Muslim player to represent England. After a journey through various clubs and overcoming past criticisms, Spence's perseverance has culminated in this historic opportunity.

Ruturaj Gaikwad's exciting return to form in recent matches has shown just how good he can be when he's firing on all cylinders. He had to cut short his IPL season due to ijnury and then and missed India A selection. Gaikwad scored a century in the Buchi Babu tournament in late August. He then followed it up on Thursday with another century in the Duleep Trophy semi-final for West Zone.

Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan's Olympic javelin champion, is declared fully fit after calf surgery, setting up a highly anticipated showdown with India's world champion Neeraj Chopra at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Despite disrupted training due to heavy rains, Nadeem's coach confirms he is training vigorously. The rivalry between Chopra and Nadeem promises to be a major highlight.