Ashley Khalil Wins Fifth National Title in Five-Set Squash Thriller; Daniel Ince Crowns Himself Men’s Elite Champion

By Delwin Neblett | HGP Nightly News Sports Desk|

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Five days of elite court warfare reached a spectacular climax as the Guyana Squash Association’s 2026 ENET Senior National Championships wrapped up at the National Racquet Centre on Sunday.

The tournament brought together over 70 premier athletes competing across multiple structural brackets, including the highly anticipated Men’s and Women’s Open categories alongside the Men’s and Women’s Veterans Over-40 divisions.

The match of the weekend belonged to multi-sport phenomenon Ashley Khalil, who locked horns with Mary Fung-A-Fat in an absolute classic for the Women’s Open title. Staring down the barrel of a 1-2 match deficit, Khalil displayed incredible mental grit to launch a furious comeback, forcing a deciding fifth frame. In a high-octane finale, Khalil held her nerve to close out a dramatic five-set thriller, securing her fifth historic national crown.

On the men’s side of the elite bracket, Daniel Ince stood tall as the undisputed 2026 Men’s Elite Champion. Ince put on an absolute masterclass in the grand finale, dispatching Samuel Ince-Carvahal in clinical, straight sets to lift the championship trophy.

CRICKET: India Defeats West Indies Women by 26 Runs in High-Scoring T20I World Cup Warm-Up

Over in Europe, the regional side suffered a competitive setback as action bowled off in an official 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Warm-Up match between the West Indies and India at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Monday.

After being put in to bat first, India’s batting lineup targeted the short boundaries to post a formidable total of 179 for 8 from their 20 overs. Bharti Fulmali anchored the subcontinental surge, blasting an unbeaten 56. The standout bowler for the West Indies was leg-spinner Afy Fletcher, who delivered a magnificent spell to return figures of 4 for 23 from her four overs.

When the West Indies began their chase, they struggled to build meaningful partnerships against a disciplined Indian spin attack and were ultimately limited to 153 for 8 when their 20 overs expired. Veteran power-hitter Deandra Dottin led the charge with a blazing 49, but her dismissal turned the tide. Shreyanka Patel proved to be India’s primary weapon with the ball, tearing through the West Indies middle-order to claim 4 for 36, sealing a 26-run victory for her side.

FOOTBALL: President’s College Defends Region 4 Crown with Exploding 17-0 Scoring Blitz

On the football pitch, the reigning queens of East Coast school football asserted their absolute supremacy as President’s College officially secured qualification for the National Finals of the 2026 Blue Waters Shipping U-15 Girls National Secondary School Championship.

President’s College mounted a flawless, dominant defense of their Region 4 East Coast Demerara zonal title. The champions streamrolled through the knockout stages at the National Training Centre, obliterating Lancaster Secondary 11–0 in a one-sided semifinal before cruising to a clinical 6–0 victory over Annandale Secondary in the zone final.

Following their dominant team display, rising stars Neisa Lewis and Luiza Pugsley were jointly named the tournament’s Most Valuable Players (MVPs) after delivering stellar, high-scoring performances throughout the campaign.

RUGBY: “Green Machine” Outplayed 21-3 by Barbados in RAN Tier 2 Championship Opener

In international rugby, Guyana’s Senior Men’s National Rugby Team, affectionately known as the “Green Machine,” endured a tough start to their 2026 Rugby Americas North (RAN) Tier 2 Championship campaign, falling to a heavy defeat against Barbados at the Garrison Savannah in Bridgetown on Saturday.

The Guyanese side struggled to find their rhythm against an aggressive, highly physical Barbadian outfit on their home turf. Despite throwing everything into their offensive phases, the Green Machine was thoroughly outplayed, managing only a lone penalty in a tough 21–3 loss.

Speaking to reporters following the final whistle, President of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU), Ryan Gonsalves, expressed deep disappointment with the scoreline while openly highlighting his dissatisfaction with several controversial decisions by the match officials that directly stalled Guyana’s scoring momentum.

TAPE-BALL CRICKET: Ruthless XI Triumphs in Thrilling Timehri 5-Overs Knockout

Back home, festive sporting vibes took over the East Bank corridor as the Eccles All-Stars Cricket Team, in partnership with the Airport Cricket Team, successfully hosted their highly anticipated 2026 Five-Overs Tape-Ball Tournament at the Airport Ground in Timehri on Sunday.

The fast-paced tournament featured a competitive pool of 12 community teams, but it was Ruthless XI who proved to be completely unstoppable, marching all the way to the grand final where they secured a dominant victory over the Upsetters.

Ruthless XI Captain Sagar Hatrimani was named the Finals MVP after blasting a blistering, unbeaten 46 to anchor the championship chase. In individual accolades, Ruthless XI’s Ronsford Beaton walked away with the tournament’s Most Wickets trophy, while the Upsetters’ Jonte Thomas was recognized as the tournament’s highest run-scorer.