In a high-scoring Match 43 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, Delhi Capitals (DC) defeated Rajasthan Royals (RR) by seven wickets in Jaipur on Friday, thanks to a strong chase led by KL Rahul, Pathum Nissanka, and Nitish Rana, who kept the target within reach after Mitchell Starc’s timely wickets.

Despite Jofra Archer’s continued pattern of opening the bowling, Delhi began their chase of a challenging 226 following RR’s 225/6 start. In his first over, which was also his second-most costly first over of the season, Archer surrendered 11 runs.

One of the finest starts against RR this season saw them race to 49 for 0 in four overs, all without losing a single wicket. This was unlike the 57/1 and 55/2 scorching starts of the past.

Nissanka got things going right away by capitalizing on anything short. The fact that 30 of his 50 runs came from five pulls and four flicks demonstrates how hard it was for RR’s bowlers to get the correct lengths against him. Delhi exceeded 70 in the Power-play, which was more than they had managed in their 264-run match earlier this year.

Before accelerating, Rahul played the ideal supporting role. He concentrated on RR’s top wicket-taker Ravi Bishnoi, smashing 26 runs off only nine deliveries, a significant improvement over his previous performance against the leg-spinner. DC was in command of the chase, cruising at 108 for 0 by the ninth over.

In the Power-play, Nissanka scored a quick 52 off 26 balls, but as the field widened, he slowed down. When attempting a reverse sweep off Ravindra Jadeja, he was dismissed at 110 for 1 in 9. 3 overs after scoring only 10 runs outside the powerplay.

Rahul maintained a high level of enthusiasm. He maintained the needed rate, which was almost two runs per ball, by hitting 32 off 14 deliveries outside the powerplay, and he reached his fifty in 27 balls. DC was significantly ahead at 120 for 1 in 11 overs.

Rana, who was batting third, made a significant contribution to maintaining the score rate. He began slowly at 6 off 6 but quickly broke out, blasting two sixes in an over against Jadeja.

With DC needing only 60 runs in the last 10 overs and the required run rate never more than 12, his quick 33 off 16 deliveries kept RR at bay.

The Rajasthan Royals had a strong total earlier in the day thanks to captain Riyan Parag’s outstanding 90 off 50 balls at the front. Parag and Dhruv Jurel (42 off 30) recovered after RR fell to 12 for 2 early, bringing the score to 56 for 2 during the power play and 91 for 2 after 10 overs.

After that, Parag increased his pace and dominated Kyle Jamieson by scoring 32 runs off 12 deliveries, bringing RR’s score to 166 for 3 in 16 overs. But the most important thing was Starc’s influence. He quickly knocked out Jadeja and Parag, reducing the score to 173 for 5.

RR set a tough chase by scoring 225 for 6 thanks to a late burst from Donovan Ferreira (47 off 14).

The target was still attainable, even though the game had a shaky conclusion when DC lost two well-set hitters in quick succession, leaving 49 runs needed off 28 balls.

As DC sailed to a seven-wicket win, Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma ensured there were no hiccups in the latter stages.

Brief scores:
Rajasthan Royals 225/6 in 20 overs (Riyan Parag 90, Donovan Ferreira 47 not out; Mitchell Starc 3-40, Kyle Jamieson 1-48)
Delhi Capitals 226/3 in 19.1 overs (KL Rahul 75, Pathum Nissanka 62; Ravindra Jadeja 1-33)

The Middle Eastern conflict and its investment rate will cause India to experience an incremental cumulative capex of $800 billion over the next five years in the areas of energy transition, data centers, and defense, according to a report released on Wednesday. In FY2030, India’s investment rate will reach 37. 5% of its GDP.

According to the Morgan Stanley report, roughly 60% of the additional capex is expected to go toward defense, data centers, and the energy transition.

Given that real GDP growth is still between 6. 5 and 7 percent, the paper stated that we remain upbeat on India’s medium-term capex-led growth trajectory in this context.

Furthermore, the study suggested that a greater top investment rate might raise the profit share of GDP to 8% or more, surpassing its previous peak of 7%.

This indicates that the equity market will be about 10 times its fiscal year 2031 profits due to the fact that corporate earnings are compounding at a rate of over 15% over the next five years.

In the midst of the Middle East war, we anticipate a robust policy response and increased capex activity to tackle India’s supply-side issues in the areas of energy, fertilizers, and defense. According to the research, data centers might become more popular in India as a global destination.

According to the study, the main policy challenge is to lessen concentration risk, boost domestic buffers, and increase resilience to recurrent shocks.

It predicted that the government would promote electrification, increase coal gasification and mining, and grow the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in the energy sector. The bank stated that the medium-term response to fertilizers includes a three-pronged approach: diversifying supply sources, growing local capacity, and lowering nutrient intensity by improving agronomy and input efficiency.

According to the research, India’s domestic policy drive and geopolitical risk reduction are supporting a multi-year investment cycle in data centers.

It stated that “the expansion has meaningful second-order spillovers across construction, electrical equipment, cooling systems, and grid capex, and supports India’s broader objective of digital sovereignty. “

Gujarat Titans (GT) chased down a relatively low 156-run target in just 15. 5 overs while losing six wickets against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Match 42 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Captain Shubman Gill led from the front, scoring 43 runs off just 18 deliveries.

The Gujarat Titans, led by their captain Shubman Gill, had a strong start while chasing a small goal. He started out with force, hitting Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a four and a six in the first over. Gill maintained his attack in the following over, hitting Josh Hazlewood for two sixes and three fours to help GT advance to 36 without a loss after only two overs.

Sai Sudharsan displayed intention at the other end with a boundary, but he was soon out by Bhuvneshwar in the same over, scoring just six runs. Soon after, RCB had another opportunity to score, but Jitesh Sharma missed a crucial catch, giving Jos Buttler a lifeline.

In the fifth over, RCB finally had a breakthrough when Bhuvneshwar bowled Gill, who had been hitting a scorching 43 off 18 balls, and Virat Kohli caught him. But the missed opportunity was expensive because Buttler took advantage of it, smashing boundaries and bringing GT to 69/2 by the conclusion of the powerplay.

However, Bhuvneshwar clean bowled Buttler in the eighth over, bringing his aggressive innings to a conclusion with a score of 39 runs off 19 balls. Shahrukh Khan and Washington Sundar led the team beyond the 100-run mark, helping GT advance gradually despite the setback.

To keep the game alive, RCB retaliated by dismissing Sundar and Shahrukh in the eleventh over. But a vital partnership between Jason Holder and Rahul Tewatia helped stabilize the inning. Even if Suyash Sharma ignored Holder, Tewatia was still undefeated on 27 and easily led GT to victory with 25 balls remaining.

Romario Shepherd got two wickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the team’s best bowler with three.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore got off to a sluggish start after being inserted to bat, with Mohammed Siraj giving up only six runs in the first over. When Virat Kohli assaulted Kagiso Rabada, hitting five boundaries in a row in a 21-run over, the momentum changed swiftly.

The Gujarat Titans made a comeback after a strong beginning when Jacob Bethell was easily taken out by Siraj. Kohli soon followed suit, misjudging a ball from Rabada and being caught by Rashid Khan for a quick 28 off 13 deliveries.

RCB reached 59/2 at the conclusion of the powerplay, thanks to Devdutt Padikkal’s steady run rate. But in a contentious choice that sparked protests from RCB players, captain Rajat Patidar was caught by Jason Holder after being brought down by Arshad Khan.

Jitesh Sharma was out by Holder, and Tim David was out by Rashid, causing the innings to fall apart swiftly. Krunal Pandya also lost his wicket at a low price, putting RCB in trouble with a score of 91/5.

Padikkal put up a strong fight, scoring 40 runs off 24 deliveries, but Rashid Khan ultimately bowled him. With minor additions from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Venkatesh Iyer, Romario Shepherd scored 17 as the lower order failed to rebound.

In 19. 2 overs, RCB was ultimately bowled out for 155. Rashid and Holder each grabbed two wickets during a strong bowling performance, and Arshad Khan took three wickets.

Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 155 all out in 19.2 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 40, Kohli 28; Arshad Khan 3-22, Rashid Khan 2-19, Jason Holder 2-29)
Gujarat Titans 158/6 in 15.5 overs (Shubman Gill 43, Jos Buttler 39; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3-28, Romario Shepherd 2-30)

As part of the Department of Posts, the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) unveiled its Self Help Group (SHG) Savings Account on Thursday with the goal of fostering financial inclusion and empowering women-led SHGs throughout rural India.

The IPPB SHG Savings Account is intended to be a zero balance, zero fee account to guarantee affordability; it is digitally enabled to make onboarding simple; and it is made available through the extensive network of Post Offices and Postmen/Gramin Dak Sevaks.

The main features are no minimum initial deposit, no Monthly Average Balance (MAB), a maximum balance limit of Rs 200,000, quarterly interest payments at the applicable savings rates, no fees for cash deposits and withdrawals, one complimentary physical account statement each month, no fees for closing an account, and no fees for issuing a QR card.

“Our goal at IPPB is to make banking straightforward, affordable, and inclusive for every Indian. R Viswesvaran, MD and CEO of IPPB, stated that the SHG Savings Account is a step toward empowering women-led SHGs by giving them a dependable and affordable banking solution.

Viswesvaran stated, “We aim to empower SHGs to participate more actively in the formal financial ecosystem and promote sustainable economic growth by utilizing our doorstep banking model and digital infrastructure.”

Self Help Groups have played a key role in promoting rural economic change in India and are strongly associated with major initiatives like the National Rural Livelihoods Mission under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and initiatives funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

IPPB seeks to increase financial access for SHGs by combining doorstep banking services with digital on-boarding, supported by the Department of Posts’ (DoP) unmatched postal network and its own digital capabilities, which are leveraged by a large network of postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS).

Global experts said on Wednesday that India is increasingly seen as a major force with the potential to influence global peace, economic stability, and technological advancement.

Speaking on the margins of the Economist Enterprise “Resilient Futures Summit 2026” Here, they highlighted India’s growing capacity to navigate geopolitical instability, foster multilateral collaboration, and promote breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and new technologies.

The ever-changing nature of worldwide terrorism and changing trade dynamics have brought considerable uncertainty to the global economy, according to Danny Quah, Li Ka Shing professor of economics at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.

Beyond trade disruptions, Quah stressed that a more serious worry is the erosion of global trust and the weakening of multilateral structures that have historically supported international collaboration.

“India can play a big role in it, and if India makes an effort, there will be peace. India is being watched by the rest of the world for a peace agreement. People are looking to India to provide the right leadership, in my opinion. “India still has the right to choose what is acceptable,” he said.

In support of this viewpoint, Ian Blatchford, Director of the London Science Museum, emphasized India’s unique and positive outlook on artificial intelligence.

“According to public polls conducted in America and Europe, the majority of people are concerned about artificial intelligence. In India, the reverse is the case. India is investing in the infrastructure for artificial intelligence hubs while also giving serious thought to its implications, according to Blatchford.

Additionally, Blatchford lauded the Global South’s overall accomplishments, with a focus on India’s development path.

“Even as it struggles with issues like growing energy demand, the nation is attempting to strike a balance between economic progress and the necessity to raise living standards,” Blatchford said.

“This is in contrast to Western economies that have already reaped the benefits of decades of prosperity,” he said.

In the 41st game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Heinrich Klaasen led Sunrisers Hyderabad to a stunning chase of 243 and a six-wicket victory against the Mumbai Indians.

The once-difficult target soon turned into an exhilarating exhibition of aggressive hitting.

SRH demonstrated their resolve in chasing 244 from the start. Abhishek wasted no time in unleashing a six off Jasprit Bumrah, the champion of the T20 World Cup, after hitting Trent Boult over covers in the first over.

Soon after, Head joined in, hitting Boult with a series of boundaries, including a slice over backward point that went for six through Naman Dhir’s hands, followed by two more hits over deep point and backward point. After three overs, SRH surged to 43 for 0.

Mumbai’s effort to retaliate with spin failed, as Abhishek and Head destroyed Will Jacks in the fifth over, hitting 19 runs with strong strikes. Head was able to find the boundary frequently, although even Mumbai’s powerplay bowler AM Ghazanfar was unable to stop them.

After five overs, SRH’s score had risen to 74/0, and it then increased even more by scoring 28 runs off Bumrah in his first two overs, which included a 99-meter six that went straight down the field. By the end of the power play, SRH had scored 92 for 0 in six overs, which was the joint-best score MI had ever given up during this period.

Head was especially unstoppable, scoring a 20-ball half-century as Abhishek hit him shot for shot. The needed rate was less than 10 runs per over at one point, while SRH was scoring at 15. 75 runs per over.

But when Ghazanfar took two wickets in as many balls, dismissing Abhishek (45) and the in-form Ishan Kishan (0), the game briefly changed course. Head (76) was then dismissed by Hardik Pandya, giving MI a ray of hope.

However, Klaasen ensured that there was no long-term recovery. Before smashing four boundaries off Ashwani Kumar in a single over, he hit Ghazanfar over midwicket and deep midwicket.

Klaasen maintained his excellent season by hitting a half-century in 22 deliveries, then scoring another 19 runs in the next over from Ghazanfar, bringing the tide back in favor of SRH.

With a brief cameo from Salil Arora, who hit 14 off 6 balls, he concluded his innings undefeated at 65.

Previously, Mumbai had a solid score of 243/5, thanks to a strong century from Ryan Rickelton and a strong start with Jacks. The pair mounted a strong counterattack against Pat Cummins after a cautious start, scoring 21/0 in two overs and then 78/0 by the conclusion of the powerplay, which was their second-highest this season, at a run rate of 13.

Rickleton replicated Jack’s 46 runs from 22 deliveries, which included five fours and two sixes, with 37 runs from 18 balls, which included three fours and three sixes.

Rickelton then increased the tempo, scoring a half-century in 23 balls and driving MI beyond 100 in only 7. 4 overs, which was their quickest performance of the year. Rickleton continued to perform well, even though he lost wickets at the other end, including those of Suryakumar Yadav, Jacks, and Naman Dhir.

He faced each bowler with confidence, especially hitting 22 runs off only seven balls against Harsh Dubey at a strike rate of 314. 3. In an amazing innings, he smashed the quickest century ever by a Mumbai Indians player in just 44 balls, as MI scored 202/3 in 16 overs. Rickelton continued to the end, increasing MI’s score to 243/5, with the support of Hardik’s 31 off 15 in a 56-run partnership.

Led by Head, Abhishek, and Klaasen, SRH’s exceptional batting ensured that even a massive total of 243 was insufficient on a night when scoring over 200 seemed commonplace, raising the bar for T20 chases at Wankhede.

Brief scores:
Mumbai Indians 243/5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out, Will Jacks 46; Praful Hinge 2-54, Nitish Reddy 1-31)
Sunrisers Hyderabad 249/4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65; AM Ghazanafar 2-51, Hardik Pandya 1-39)

For the first time, the two South Caucasus nations will host a FIFA tournament when Georgia and Armenia serve as co-hosts of the 2029 U-20 World Cup, as announced by the international soccer governing body.

On the eve of the 76th FIFA Congress, the combined proposal was approved at a FIFA Council session held in Vancouver, Canada on April 28.

Twenty-four teams compete in the championship round of the tournament, which has been held biennially since 1977.

The Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) described it as an exceptional accomplishment, telling Xinhua that it demonstrates the international football community’s great trust and will provide young Armenian players and supporters the chance to experience a World Cup environment in their own nation.

The FFA president, Armen Melikbekyan, stated that holding this competition is crucial for both federations. He went on to say that he is certain that both Georgia and Armenia will host the World Cup with honor and do all they can to ensure the event stands out in the annals of FIFA’s youth tournaments.

The tournament will have a long-lasting impact on the growth of football in the area, according to Levan Kobiashvili, president of the Georgian Football Federation (GFF).

For the first time in the history of independent Georgian football, we will host a world-class competition under the auspices of FIFA, making this a truly remarkable occasion, according to Kobiashvili.

Since the first event in 1977, which Tunisia hosted under its previous name of FIFA World Youth Championship, which persisted until 2005, the competition has been held every two years. The event’s current name was adopted in 2007.

The men’s Under-20 World Cup is promoted by FIFA as the tournament of tomorrow’s superstars.

Twenty-three tournaments have been staged so far, and twelve different countries have won the championship. Brazil U20 has five championships, making it the second-most successful team behind Argentina U20, which has six.

In the previous edition of the tournament, which took place in Chile in 2025, Morocco took first place. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan will co-host the following edition in 2027.

With Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited announcing his affiliation ahead of the debut of the F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, Shreyas Iyer has been named the official brand ambassador for a Formula 1-supported sim racing program in India.

The program, which is organized under an agreement that gives Mumbai Falcons the right to host an official Formula 1-sanctioned sim-racing event, seeks to establish a planned national platform for upcoming esports racing talent throughout the nation. The program represents a major advance in integrating esports and motorsport into India’s larger sports environment.

Iyer is considered one of India’s most dependable players across formats and has also established a strong rapport with younger audiences outside of cricket, making him a smart option to represent the program and its goal of attracting a new generation of athletes.

“Sport has always been about identifying your advantage and maintaining the discipline necessary to take advantage of it. I didn’t need much convincing after hearing about the realistic route that Mumbai Falcons is creating to help young Indians progress from their current situation to their potential future. Iyer, Brand Ambassador for the F1 Program in India, which is headed by Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited, stated, “This is the sort of initiative I would have wanted access to growing up, and I’m proud to be part of what’s coming. ”

The FIA Formula 1 World Championship’s official game, F1 25, will be used to simulate actual circuits, formats, and team settings in order to create a realistic racing experience.

Ameet Gadhoke, Managing Director of Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited, stated that the initiative is intended to address structural deficiencies in India’s sports sector and unleash untapped potential. He went on to explain the vision behind the project.

“Our conviction that India possesses world-class sporting talent led us to establish Mumbai Falcons; Structural flaws have, nevertheless, limited the potential. Another major step in that direction is collaborating with Formula 1 to make the F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 a reality.

Shreyas exemplifies the type of athlete we had in mind when designing this program, combining athletic prowess and discipline with genuine connection with the younger, aspirational generations that make up the emerging demographic. India has never seen anything like the platform we’re about to launch in this field. “The entire scope of this project will be disclosed shortly,” Gadhoke stated.

The MFRL app will accept registrations for the competition starting on April 30, with online qualifiers followed by simulator sessions held in cities. The national championship, which is set to take place in Mumbai in November, will mark the conclusion of the competition.

The most ambitious national initiative to date by Mumbai Falcons is using esports to provide Indian youngsters with a route into competitive racing in a global format.

The local currency plummeted to a record low on Thursday under pressure from a spike in global crude oil prices amid growing hostilities between the US and Iran, falling below the 95-per-dollar threshold.

After hitting a record low of 95. 07 in early trade, the currency fell to an intraday low of 95. 126 against the US dollar before falling further to about 95. 20 throughout the session.

The fall also comes after hawkish messages from US Federal Reserve officials, which have boosted the dollar and increased US bond rates. The central bank, headed by Jerome Powell, maintained benchmark interest rates at its most recent policy session.

So far, the rupee has lost around 5. 8% of its value in 2026.

In the meanwhile, as the US increased pressure on Iran, crude oil prices continued to rise, adding to their highest close in almost four years. Fears of ongoing supply interruptions have increased as a result of Washington’s actions to confiscate tankers with ties to Tehran and its indication that its naval blockade will not be loosened.

Brent crude prices were about $120 a barrel after rising more than 6% on Wednesday to their highest point since June 2022. It was trading at around $114. 10 per barrel on Thursday, which is a 3% increase over the previous close.

Similar to this, the price of US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was last recorded at $110. 28 a barrel, up about 3% from above $107.

Iranian authorities have made no indication that they are backing down, and US President Donald Trump has stated that he will not remove the naval blockade of Iran’s ports until a nuclear agreement is reached.

The negative attitude was also seen in India’s stock markets, where the Sensex and Nifty indexes fell about 1% in early trading.

In the 40th game at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Tuesday, Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey combined for an amazing unbroken 77-run partnership in just 32 deliveries to lead Rajasthan Royals to an exciting six-wicket win over the Punjab Kings.

The duo made the chase appear simple despite the game being close after 14 overs and the required run rate being over 12. Ferreira and Dubey targeted the pace bowlers and made the most of the absence of the spinners.

In his comeback over, Arshdeep Singh was hit for three fours, while Marco Jansen gave up a four and a six. Demonstrating composure and excellent hitting to complete the chase and deliver Punjab Kings their first loss of the season, the pair maintained their assault on Arshdeep.

Earlier in the chase, the 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s lightning-fast start gave Rajasthan a boost. Sooryavanshi made a great impression after Yashasvi Jaiswal handed him the strike. Even though Arshdeep Singh began with two perfect yorkers, the rookie responded with 6, 4, 4, which contributed to RR’s 15-run first over. He kept up his attack on Lockie Ferguson and Jansen, hitting sixes and boundaries with little difficulty.

Before Arshdeep switched up his approach and induced him to slice a low full toss into the air, where Shreyas Iyer caught it, Sooryavanshi sped to 43 off 16 balls, blasting three fours and five sixes.

In his innings, Sooryavanshi hit 400 runs in just 167 balls, at an amazing strike rate of 238. 09, which is the quickest time any player has ever achieved 400 runs in an IPL season. After four overs, RR had scored 66/1, having previously gone over 50 runs in 3. 2 overs.

After Sooryavanshi was fired, Jaiswal seized control after having been silent at first. He got his fifty off 26 balls, scoring 4, 6, 4 against Arshdeep and 51 off 27. Nonetheless, Yuzvendra Chahal played a key role for PBKS, taking out Jaiswal before taking Riyan Parag (29). RR managed only 25 runs in the next four overs, and Dhruv Jurel (16 off 20) was also dismissed.

Chahal’s strikes, however, changed the course of the match, despite Harpreet Brar’s tight bowling, which only allowed 25 runs in his four overs. The necessary run rate was rising steadily at one point, and RR needed 100 runs in 52 balls.

In spite of this, Ferreira and Dubey were able to reverse the situation. During the final few overs, they dismantled the PBKS bowling assault by using calculated targeting of the seamers and daring hitting, which prevented any more setbacks.

PBKS had a respectable 222/4 in the earlier part of the game after choosing to bat first. Jofra Archer got off to a solid start by dismissing Priyansh Arya (29), but Prabhsimran Singh held the innings together with 59 runs off 44 balls. Iyer contributed 30 runs to a 59-run partnership off 33 balls, while Cooper Connolly, 30, provided assistance.

Marcus Stoinis’ spectacular, undefeated 62 off 22 balls was the highlight, as it helped Punjab surpass 220.

Brief scores:
Punjab Kings 222/4 in 20 overs (Marcus Stoinis 62, Prabhsmiran Singh 59; Yash Punja 2-41, Jofra Archer 1-40)
Rajasthan Royals 228/4 in 19.2 overs (Donovan Ferreira 52, Yashasvi Jaiswal 51; Yuzvendra Chahal 3-36, Arshdeep Singh 1-68)