Indian sports wrap, October 21: Neeru, Suruchi, Himanshu begin World Championship preparations in Delhi

Neeru Dhanda is part of the ISSF World Championship Doha 2026 preparatory camp. | Photo Credit: PTI

Esports

Esports World Cup annouces new qualifying pathways for future tournaments

Esports World Cup (EWC) Qualifier Program was announced as a partner program within the Road to EWC 2027. This will enable future tournaments and local esports communities to have parallel qualifying competitions, which they hope will help reach 1.8 million players through 400+ events in 2027.

“There are great tournaments and strong esports communities in every part of the world. By bringing more of them into Road to EWC, we can create more opportunities for players to compete in their own communities and give local esports ecosystems an official role in building the pathway to the Esports World Cup,” said Faisal Bin Homran, the Chief Product Officer of Esports Foundation.

The proposed new qualifying plan will expand existing connections between esports tournaments as well as create EWC Satellite Last Chance Qualifiers for local communities to have a more connected qualifying route to the World Cup. Any existing tournaments can apply to be part of these qualifiers across Chess, Counter-Strike 2, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, and Street Fighter 6, with more games to be announced.

Chess has seen strong Indian participation at the Esports World Cup, with four Indian Grandmasters competing in the 2026 edition. Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi reached the final of India Rising, the official Chess qualifier for EWC 2026, while Grandmaster Karthik Venkataraman finished in the top 12 of the Last Chance qualifiers. In the 2025 edition, Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, representing S8UL Esports, progressed through the Last Chance Qualifier to reach the quarterfinals.

Motorsports

Chennai hosts F4 title fight in Indian Racing League Opens 2026 at Madras International Circuit

The Indian Racing Festival (IRF) 2026 heads to the Madras International Circuit (MIC) on October 22 and 23, with a closely contested F4 Indian Championship title race and the opening round of the Indian Racing League (IRL) set to bring two days of action to Chennai.

With just five points separating championship leader Aris Kyriakou of Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru and Goa Aces JA Racing’s Luviwe Sambudla, Round 3 of the F4 Indian Championship could prove crucial in the title race. The weekend will also mark the start of the new IRL season, as six city-based teams begin their campaign for the championship.

At the MIC in 2025, Sachel Rotgé won three races, while Shane Chandaria of Chennai Turbo Riders secured a race victory, underlining the circuit’s potential to produce close contests.

Kyriakou heads into Chennai with 93 points after a consistent showing in the opening rounds, but Sambudla is close behind on 88 points. The South African driver enjoyed a strong Round 2 at Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore, winning Race 1 from pole position and returning to the top step in Race 3 after retiring from Race 2.

Kyriakou, meanwhile, continued to collect valuable points, including podium finishes across all three races, to maintain his championship lead. With 25 points available for a race win, the five-point gap leaves little room for error for either driver.

Hyderabad Blackbirds’ Bhuvan Bonu, who won Race 2 in Coimbatore after starting from reverse-grid pole, sits third in the standings on 51 points. Mahlori Mabunda (46) and Aaron Mehta (42) complete the top five and will be looking to close the gap in Chennai.

Ntiyiso Mabunda also arrives with momentum after securing two podium finishes in Round 2, while Swarnav Das and Chennai Turbo Riders’ Sai Aditya will be looking to make their mark. Aditya impressed in Coimbatore with a charge from 10th on the grid to finish strongly in Race 3.

The Indian Racing League returns with six city-based franchise teams competing in India’s only four-wheel racing league and the world’s first gender-neutral racing championship series.

Goa Aces JA Racing will begin the season as defending champions after securing the 2025–26 IRL title. Led by Raoul Hyman and Fabienne Wohlwend, the team will be looking to carry forward the form that helped it finish ahead of its rivals last season. Hyman has been a key figure in the team’s success, while Wohlwend made headlines with a feature-race victory at the Goa Street Circuit in February 2026.

Chennai Turbo Riders will have the advantage of racing on home soil, with local support adding to the occasion. The team will be aiming to make a strong start to its campaign against a competitive field that includes Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru, Hyderabad Blackbirds, Kolkata Royal Tigers and Speed Demons Delhi.

The IRL brings together Indian and international drivers, including women racers in every team’s line-up, in a format designed to broaden the appeal of circuit racing in India. With the opening round taking place alongside the F4 Indian Championship, the Chennai weekend will offer fans the opportunity to follow both emerging single-seater talent and the city-based team competition.

Hamza Balasinorwala races past setbacks to claim National Karting podium

Fourteen-year-old Mumbai karting sensation Hamza Murtuza Balasinorwala, representing Crest Motorsports, has secured the National Second Runner-Up title (P3 Overall) in the Junior Max category of the 2026 FMSCI RMC India National Karting Championship, following an action-packed six-round season.

Hamza began his 2026 campaign on a promising note, securing P2 in the opening round at Coimbatore, setting the stage for a competitive championship season. However, Round 2 brought an unexpected challenge when he suffered a fracture, testing both his physical endurance and mental strength. Rather than allowing the setback to end his championship aspirations, Hamza returned to the grid with renewed determination. His consistent performances, including a run of consecutive podium finishes, kept him firmly among the championship contenders.

Competing in his first season in the Junior Max category, Hamza demonstrated remarkable maturity, racecraft and resilience against experienced competitors. After six demanding rounds, his efforts earned him a well-deserved place among India’s top three Junior Max drivers.

Hamza’s journey in motorsport began in March 2019, when he first took to the karting track at just seven years old. Since then, he has steadily progressed through the national karting ranks, earning multiple podium finishes and establishing himself as a promising young racing talent. In 2024, he secured the National Vice-Champion title and went on to represent India at the prestigious Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Sarno, Italy, competing against some of the world’s best young karting drivers.

His 2026 Second Runner-Up finish adds another significant achievement to his growing motorsport career.

Shooting

Neeru, Suruchi, Himanshu begin World Championship preparations in Delhi

India’s shooters selected for the ISSF World Championship Doha 2026 will begin a preparatory camp at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi from October 22, 2026. The camp will bring together athletes across rifle, pistol and shotgun disciplines as the Indian squad steps up preparations for the World Championship, scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar, from 1 to 14 November 2026.

The Indian team’s preparatory programme in New Delhi has been divided into phases according to the respective disciplines. The 10m Rifle and Pistol athletes, along with the Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol squad and Skeet athletes, will train from 22 to 29 October. The 50m Rifle and Women’s 25m Pistol athletes will remain in camp from 22 to 31 October, while the Trap contingent will train from 28 October to 4 November.

Golf

Asian Games winner Pranavi, holder Shannon headline Indian Open field

Asian Games champion Pranavi Urs will strive to become the first home player to win the Women’s Indian Open in a decade but standing in her way will be defending champion Shannon Tan in the event starting on Thursday.

The entries include as many as four past champions with six wins between them – Shannon (2025), Liz Young (2024), Camille Chevalier (2017) and Pornanong Phatlum (2008, 2009 and 2012), who returns here for the first time in 14 years.

There are three Ladies European Tour (LET) Order of Merit winners – Shannon (2025), Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini (2024) and Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab (2023).

Also in the field are four current season winners – Eleanor Givens of England (Swiss Ladies Open), Thai golfer Aunchisa Utama (Dutch Ladies Open), Germany’s Leonie Harm (Amundi German Masters) and Agathe Laisné of France (Joburg Ladies Open and Women’s NSW Open).

Amidst this international starcast, the Indians will also be trying to make their presence felt.

Led by Pranavi, the home challenge includes two-time LET winner Diksha Dagar, who was a part of the women’s team that clinched silver at the recently concluded Asian Games in Japan.

Also featuring in the field are Hitaashee Bakshi, who finished third here last year, Avani Prashanth who was Tied 5th last year, apart from seasoned campaigners like Tvesa Malik, Vani Kapoor and Amandeep Drall.