Guwahati, Oct 9: India rode on the energy of the vociferous fans and the knowledge of the home conditions to beat Korea and assure themselves of a historic BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships medal at the National Centre of Excellence, here on Thursday.

The hosts came through a nerve-wracking quarterfinal clash that lasted almost three hours and needed the team to pick themselves up after a heartbreaking reversal in the opening set to beat Korea 44-45, 45-30, 45-33 to set up a semi-final clash against Asian U-19 Mixed Team champions Indonesia, who defeated Chinese Taipei 45-35, 45-35.

The semi-final appearance also assured India of their first-ever mixed-team medal in the history of the BWF World Junior Championships.

The way India had lined-up for the quarterfinals, it was quite clear that they were heavily relying on their singles players to bail them out in case the Koreans made the most of their doubles strength.

The first set went accordingly as Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu went down 5-9 in the first boys’ doubles against Cho Hyeong Woo and Lee Hyeong Woo. The girls’ doubles combination of Vennala K and Reshika U managed to reduce the deficit by one point by beating Cheon Hye In and Moon In Seo 10-9 before Rounak Chouhan brought them within one point by beating Choi Ah Seung 11-9.

However, a 4-9 loss for C Lalramsanga and Aanya Bisht in the mixed doubles against Lee and Cheon meant that Unnati Hooda had to win 15 points before her opponent Kim Han Bi could reach nine. Unnati began strongly by taking a 3-0 lead, but Kim managed to draw level at 6-6, and it felt that the set was slipping from India’s hands.

However, Unnati dug deep, played long rallies to win five straight points to build pressure on her opponent, and then went on to draw level at 44-44. However, her serve on set point landed in the net, and the distraught Unnati just dropped her racquet in despair.

India made two substitutions ahead of the second set, with Lalramsanga replacing Gobburu in boys’ doubles and Vishakha Toppo coming in for Bisht.

Lalramsanga and Bhargav then gave India a positive start with a 9-7 win over Cho and Lee and Vennala and Reshika extended that advantage to six points. India never looked back thereafter and by the time Unnati took the court for the second set, they were already leading by nine points and all she had to do was wrap up the set.

The third set started in the same manner as Lalramsanga and Bhargav gave India a 9-4 lead but Vennala and Reshika ran out of steam after the first 10 points and the Korean combination of Cheon and Moon put their team ahead by two points.

Chouhan then stepped up turned the match decisively in India’s favour with a 11-4 win over Choi and gave India a five point lead. Lalramsanga and Bisht then increased that lead to seven points and Unnati then hammered Kim 9-4 to kick-off the celebrations.

Speaking about the tactical changes in the second set, India’s doubles coach Ivan Sozonov of Russia said the changes were made because he felt Gobburu and Bisht were feeling the pressure of the occasion and they needed to change something to catch the Koreans off-guard. “I am very happy with the way Lalramsanga played and also how Rounak and Unnati handled the pressure,” he added.

Badminton Association of India secretary general Sanjay Mishra was understandably elated as BAI and the team management had set their eyes on winning a mixed-team medal. “The players had been preparing at this very venue for the last few months and we were confident that we could win a medal if they played to their potential. I am very happy that everyone stood up when it mattered today and I am sure they have the ability to beat Indonesia and reach the final,” he added.

Dubai, Oct 9: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the launch of the inaugural ICC Women’s Cricket Week, a landmark initiative aimed at promoting and celebrating women’s game globally.

The event will take place from October 16 to 22 in alignment with the ongoing ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, which is being hosted in India.

The ICC Women’s Cricket Week will be held annually to raise the visibility, participation, and profile of women’s cricket worldwide. The initiative encourages national governing bodies to engage in meaningful and locally relevant ways, ensuring that the celebration of women’s cricket reaches communities in every part of the cricketing world.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah praised the launch as another important milestone in the sport’s evolution, noting the unprecedented momentum surrounding women’s cricket in recent times. “This year has already marked a turning point for women’s cricket, with record-breaking crowds, landmark performances, and an unmistakable sense of momentum building around the game,” Shah said. “The launch of the ICC Women’s Cricket Week is another proud milestone — a celebration not just of the players on the world stage, but of every girl picking up a bat or ball, dreaming of what’s possible. It gives our Members, from Full to Associate, a meaningful opportunity to participate in the global narrative and shape the future of the women’s game in their own communities.”

The initiative was endorsed earlier this year by both the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee and the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee, highlighting the organisation’s enduring commitment to strengthening women’s cricket at all levels. It aligns with the ICC’s wider mission to develop sustainable frameworks that promote participation, leadership, and visibility for women in the sport.

Several Full Members have already committed to the campaign with innovative plans that will run alongside the global celebration. The England and Wales Cricket Board will concentrate on promoting recreational cricket and generating excitement ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. In South Africa, Cricket South Africa will host a full-day event at the high school of Proteas wicketkeeper Karabo Meso, which will include a panel discussion, mini-cricket matches, and a friendly game featuring former South African players. New Zealand Cricket has already organised a “Mini World Cup” for young girls, aimed at inspiring early engagement with the game.

Many Associate Members have also expressed their support, with their activities focusing on three main areas: community watch parties to unite fans and raise awareness of women’s cricket; educational programmes for female coaches and teachers to tackle the shortage of women leaders in the sport; and women’s participation events such as local festivals and competitions organised under the ICC’s criiio programme.

Tauranga, Oct 6: New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said discussions are still happening over Kane Williamson’s availability for the ongoing home summer. While a final decision is yet to be made, Walter indicated that Williamson will be given the time he needs to decide when he will be playing for New Zealand.

Williamson, who currently holds a casual contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC), opted out of the recent three-match T20I series against Australia. He had also missed the tour of Zimbabwe, as he instead played in county cricket and The Hundred in England.

New Zealand’s home season continues with a limited-overs series at home against England, before the West Indies come for an all-format tour in November. “With Kane, we’re still in conversations as to what the summer is going to look like. He will play, no doubt about that. Just what and where is still in discussion.

“I think the reality is we’re dealing with all the guys on casual contracts, actually in different positions from a playing point of view. Kane is one of those (who deserves time) and he deserves the opportunity to sit and talk about what the rest of his year will look like.

“But I keep coming back to the most important thing, (which) is that he wants to play for his country, and so nutting out exactly what that looks like can take an extra week or two, but surely, he deserves that,” Walter told reporters on Monday.

Walter also confirmed that New Zealand will remain without Finn Allen (foot), Adam Milne (ankle) for the upcoming white-ball series against England, beginning on October 18 in Christchurch.

But he expressed optimism over the availability of white-ball captain Mitchell Santner, recovering from groin pain, and Rachin Ravindra, who was a late withdrawal from the T20Is against Australia after sustaining a facial injury during training post colliding with the boundary boards.

“I think we don’t live in an ideal world and so that’s part and parcel of it. I’ve been part of a World Cup campaign (with South Africa) where the team assembled at its full strength three days before our first game and that team managed to make a final.

“For me, it’s just the way it works. I think what’s more important is the environment and the team culture that sort of assimilates together when it needs to. We do know that by the back end of the India series (in January) prior to the World Cup, that’s when our full World Cup squad will be together.

“For me, as long as the guys are playing competitive cricket, that’s important, and almost everyone has been part of the environment at some point so I would assume that they can fit seamlessly back into it,” he added.