Vijender Singh The Boxing Great Joins Asian Boxing Council
India’s boxing star Vijender Singh is set to become a member of the Asian Boxing Council. He has added another feather to his crown, stepping into the role of a global sports administrator. This milestone highlights his resilience, passion, and love for the sport, as his nearly two decades of experience in boxing are now celebrated in the realm of sports administration. Speaking about this development, Vijender stated, “I am honoured to be appointed as a member of the Asian Boxing Council. I would like to thank the Boxing Federation of India and its leadership for entrusting me with this responsibility.” The boxer further emphasized, “I hope to fulfil this role to the best of my ability at the international level. Just as we created history in Beijing, I am committed to working for the growth of Asian boxing, with a strong focus on Indian boxers, and helping our athletes achieve even greater success in the future.” Singh, India’s first Olympic medallist in boxing, now secures his position in a sports developmental body across the region. Vijender’s inclusion is anticipated to bring an athlete-centered perspective to policy-making, governance, and strategic planning.
Vaibhav Surpasses Virat in Men’s U-19 World Cup
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old smasher, scripted yet another major record under his name. At just 14 years and 296 days, he etched his name as the youngest cricketer to reach 50-plus runs in a Men’s U-19 World Cup match. During the ongoing U-19 World Cup 2026 against Bangladesh, Suryavanshi smashed 72 off just 67 balls. His innings showcased a series of six fours and three sixes. The 14-year-old reached a stunning half-century in just 30 balls. With this remarkable feat, he surpassed Afghanistan’s Shahidullah Kamal, who had cemented a fifty against the West Indies at 15 years and 19 days. Pakistan’s Babar Azam follows Kamal, starting third on the list. Previously, Suryavanshi has also exceeded Virat Kohli on the list of Indian batters with the most runs in Youth ODIs. Vaibhav cemented a mammoth score of 1,047 runs in 20 Youth ODIs, while Virat stopped at 978 in 28 matches. However, Vijay Zol spearheaded the list for India with 1,404 runs from 36 matches. Bangladesh’s Najmul Hossain Shanto collectively leads the list with 1,820 runs.
“How Fragile Life Is”; Damien Martyn Expresses After Surviving Meningitis
Former Australian player Damien Martyn, after surviving an induced coma for eight days opened up about his experience. The two-time World Cup winner was admitted to hospital on 27 December after being diagnosed with meningitis. He came out of the induced coma and showed positive signs of recovery in the first week of January. Martyn then took to social media and shared his thoughts about life. In the post, Martyn wrote, “This post is A BIG thank you to ALL my family, friends, and so many other people who have reached out to me!” on his X post. He further emphasised, “On the 27th of December 2025 my life was taken out of my hands… when meningitis took over my brain, and unbeknownst to me, I was placed into a paralysed coma for 8 days to help me fight this awful disease.” The two-time World Cupper further emphasised, “And that I did! Fight that is!…,” he added. The 54-year-old further revealed that he faced a 50–50 chance of survival, and even normal body movements became a challenge for him. “After being given a 50/50 chance of surviving, I came out of the induced coma 8 days later… not able to walk or talk.” “And yet, four days after that, with the doctors in disbelief, I walked, I talked and proved to them all why I should be released from hospital to start my recovery. So happy to be home, to be able to put my feet in the sand on the beach and to start thanking all those people that reached out to me and my family in their unwavering support,” Martyn concluded. He further expressed his thoughts on ‘how fragile life is’ in his post on X. He wrote, “This experience has reminded me of how fragile life is, how quickly everything can change, and how precious time is!” he said. “I am so grateful to you all. Thank you! Bring on 2026… I’m back!”
Missing Captain & Lack of Handshake Leads to Controversy in U-19 World Cup
India Bangladesh snub found its way onto the field during the Under-19 World Cup 2026 Group A clash. A video trending on social media shows that during the toss, India captain Ayush Mhatre and Bangladesh’s deputy Zawad Abrar refrained from the traditional pre-match handshake. Unexpectedly, captain Azizul Hakim did not appear at the toss, despite being featured in the playing XI. After a rain-interrupted start, Abrar won the toss and opted to bowl first due to the moisture on the Bulawayo surface. In recent days, the lack of handshakes seems to be becoming a trend. Previously, in the Asia Cup 2025 and the Women’s World Cup, the Indian team refrained from shaking hands with the Pakistan skipper, focusing on contemporary political unrest between the two countries. A protest began to take stance against Pakistan, which preceded another event, as the growing unrest between the BCCI and BCB is now evident. This follows the termination of high-profile player contracts in the IPL, as well as the venue debate regarding the senior men’s T20 World Cup. After the toss, the limelight shifted to cricket. Abrar, Bangladesh’s deputy skipper, expressed confidence in his words about the bowling approach. He stated, “We will field first. The wicket looks damp and we would like to take advantage for the first 10–15 overs. We’ve prepared well, and we did well in the Asia Cup as well. We’ve got two all-rounders playing today.” India’s skipper Ayush Mhatre stated, “We also would have bowled first. The wicket looks damp, but it’s OK. Batting was a small concern. It was a small target and we should have chased it down with the loss of one or two wickets, but it’s OK. No changes for us.”
