Indian Sports Report, November 28: India U-20 women’s football team to play two friendly matches against Uzbekistan in Mahabalipuram

FOOTBALL

The Indian Under-20 women’s football team will play two friendly matches against Uzbekistan on November 29 and December 2, 2025 at the FC Madras Academy in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.

Both matches, which take place during the FIFA Women’s International Match Window, will be played behind closed doors.

Head coach Joakim Alexandersson named a 24-member squad for these matches, which will form part of India’s preparations for the 2026 AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup.

The Young Tigresses have been drawn in Group C of the Asian Cup together with Japan, Australia and Chinese Taipei. Uzbekistan has also qualified for the same and has been placed in Group B with DPR Korea, South Korea and Jordan.

India has been camping at the FC Madras Academy since November 11. Last month, the Young Tigresses played two friendly matches against Kazakhstan U-19 in Shymkent, winning 3-2 and drawing 1-1.

-Team Sportstar

GOLF

It was a mixed opening day for India as Aditi Ashok, a multiple winner on the Ladies European Tour, shot 3-under 69 to finish in 10th place after the first day at the Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de España in Malaga.

She was three shots behind Denmark’s Smilla Tarning Soenderby and Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab, who shared the lead at six under par.

Aditi started on the first and bogeyed the third, but made up on the fourth.

She turned even par. She started the back nine with an eagle on the Par-5 10th, but gave away a chance on the Par-5 12th. She landed two birdies at the 16th and 17th for a 69.

Rookie Avani Prashanth (71) was the second-best Indian at T-27th, while Hitaashee Bakshi, who made it to the season-ending event on the back of her third-place finish at the Hero Women’s Indian Open last month, was carded 73 and was T-45.

Pranavi Urs, who recently won a title playing in a men’s field in a home event on the new IGPL Tour, shot 2-over 74, as did Diksha Dagar. Both were T-49.

-PTI

MISUSE

The first edition of the Pune Grand Tour, the first-ever road race of the Union Cycliste Internationale in the 2.2 category, will be held from January 19 to 23.

Host nation India will field two teams for which the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) will hold the National Championship and selection trials in Sambalpur, Odisha from December 2 to 6. The shortlisted athletes will be further evaluated at a National Road Race in Pune on December 28.

The presence of two Indian teams – ‘India A’ and ‘India B’ – will provide a wider platform for both emerging and seasoned cyclists to showcase their skills on a national and international stage.

The Tour will consist of four stages and 437 km of challenging routes that wind through the landscape of Pune district

-PTI

MOTOR SPORTS

Indian racing sensation Atiqa Mir defeated a string of world-class male drivers to qualify fourth in the COTFA international karting series, the highest finish for a woman in the history of the championship.

With the series supported by the Formula 1 Academy, it was the perfect stage for Atiqa to showcase her rare talent, and the 11-year-old did just that with an unprecedented fourth place in the mini category qualifying before finishing in the same position in the final on Day 1.

The Formula 1 Academy and Akcel GP-backed driver missed the podium by just 0.07 seconds, testament to the highly competitive nature of the grid.

In the final on Day 2, Atiqa delivered another impressive performance in qualifying, posting the fifth fastest time.

She was on the podium for most of the race. A daring overtake on the final lap put her in fourth place, and with a podium on the line Atiqa understandably pushed herself to the limit, leading to a drop of three places. She still managed to finish in a creditable seventh place out of 28 drivers.

-PTI

Published on November 28, 2025