India's prospects in the second Test against Sri Lanka loom uncertain as rain delays threaten their World Test Championship ambitions. A draw would see India slipping to fifth place, jeopardizing their path to the finals. With limited matches left, the team must secure victories to enhance their standing and continue competing at the highest level in the championships.from Sports News: Cricket Live Scorecard, Latest Cricket News, Football, NBA, NFL, WWE, NHL, MLB News & More https://ift.tt/ma2s9DT
FIFA’s mandatory three-minute hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup have sparked criticism for disrupting match flow and turning halves into “quarters.” Former England goalkeeper Ben Foster fears commercial incentives could see similar breaks introduced in the Champions League and eventually the Premier League, despite the Premier League rejecting mandatory breaks for 2026-27.
Al Nassr produced a stunning comeback against Al Ettifaq despite being reduced to 10 men after goalkeeper Bento was sent off in the 12th minute. After falling 2-0 behind and losing Cristiano Ronaldo at half-time, Sadio Mané scored twice while João Félix inspired the comeback, securing a dramatic 3-2 victory and maintaining Al Nassr’s perfect start.
Bruno Fernandes has completed a clean sweep of major individual awards after being named PFA Players’ Player of the Year for his outstanding 2025-26 season. The Manchester United captain broke the Premier League assist record with 21, scored nine goals and helped United finish third. He is the club’s first PFA Players’ Player winner since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
Former Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry believes Erling Haaland could eventually leave the club if their dominance and trophy success decline. Despite his contract until 2034, Barry says Haaland may seek a new challenge if City struggle over the next two seasons. He also expects Arsenal to be favourites for the Premier League following City’s major changes.
Former Manchester United and Serie A forward Giuseppe Rossi has warned that Neymar joining Inter Miami would boost MLS commercially but do little to improve its footballing quality. While he supports a reunion with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, Rossi criticised MLS for prioritising superstar signings, clicks and club valuations over developing the league’s overall sporting standard.
Salman Butt defended Pakistan's cricket team against harsh British media criticism. He argued the team never claimed to be world champions or a dominant force. Butt highlighted England's diverse player origins while defending Pakistan's homegrown talent. England secured a significant innings victory over Pakistan in the first Test. This defeat marked a new era for the English team after coaching changes.
Former Indian cricketers expressed their disappointment over Yashasvi Jaiswal's fiery exchange with Sri Lanka's Asitha Fernando during the second Test match, which followed Jaiswal's dismissal. Both players faced fines and demerit points from the ICC as a consequence. Pujara and Raman highlighted the impact of Jaiswal's frustration on the incident, while Karim emphasized the importance of setting a positive example for young cricket enthusiasts.
Max Verstappen's Dutch Grand Prix ended early after a first-lap crash on a damp track. Lando Norris capitalised on the chaos, securing a crucial victory for his title hopes. Norris made a daring overtake to take the lead and hold it until the finish. Kimi Antonelli finished second, with George Russell completing the podium. The Dutch Grand Prix is departing the Formula 1 calendar after this season.
Indian women’s Hockey World Cup campaign ended after Australia held them to a 0-0 draw and advanced to the semifinals on goals scored. Australia had two goals ruled out after reviews, while India missed key chances and penalty corners. Despite a strong second-half push and removing their goalkeeper late on, India could not find the winner and will now play for fifth place.
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur experienced surprising opening-day Premier League losses. Promoted Hull City defeated Manchester United 2-0, while Brentford secured a 3-0 victory over Tottenham. Other promoted clubs like Ipswich and Leeds United achieved victories in their respective matches. Everton also began their campaign with a win against Crystal Palace. Arsenal had already secured a win in their title defence.
Cheteshwar Pujara reminisces about his remarkable innings at the Sinhalese Sports Club back in 2015, expressing admiration for Devdutt Padikkal's potential to fill the number three batting position. He emphasizes that Padikkal must deliver consistent performances to solidify his role. Additionally, Pujara advocates for considering Sai Sudharsan for upcoming Test selections, noting that Padikkal can establish himself with impressive displays against formidable teams.
Cristiano Ronaldo has reached an incredible milestone in football by scoring in twenty-five consecutive league seasons. This unprecedented achievement highlights his enduring talent, having maintained an unbroken scoring streak that dates back to the 2002-03 season. With a career total of nine hundred seventy-seven goals, he remains focused on reaching the remarkable one thousand goal mark in his illustrious career.
Pakistan achieved an unwanted Test record by losing their opening wicket for zero runs in both innings. This rare feat occurred for the seventh time in their Test match history. England's bowlers dominated the match, securing an innings victory inside three days. Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue were instrumental in Pakistan's batting collapses. The result gave England a lead in the ongoing three-match series.
Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage edged Neeraj Chopra by just nine centimetres to beat him for the third time this season at the Lausanne Diamond League. Chopra briefly led with an 88.05m second-round throw, but Pathirage responded with 88.14m. Chopra settled for silver, while Anderson Peters took third, with the result also boosting Chopra’s hopes of reaching the Diamond League Final.
The defeat leaves India with a tough task in their final second-round match. India will face Australia on Sunday and need a win to keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive. Australia were held to a 1-1 draw by China in another second-round match earlier on Friday.
In a groundbreaking achievement, Joe Root has scored 3,000 runs as captain in the World Test Championship, marking a historic moment during England's first Test against Pakistan at Headingley. Root's remarkable batting skills have firmly established him atop the WTC captaincy run charts. His stellar performance has not only propelled England to a commanding first-innings advantage but also reinforces his legacy in Test cricket.
A Lionel Messi shirt worn during Barcelona’s 2012 friendly against Manchester United has sold for $66,107 at auction, more than six times the price of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid shirt. Signed by Messi for former United masseur Rod Thornley, the jersey topped a collection featuring shirts from Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville.
Tottenham Hotspur legend Terry Dyson has died aged 91. A key member of the club’s historic 1960-61 Double-winning side, Dyson scored in the FA Cup Final and twice in the 1963 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final. He also remains the only Spurs player to score a hat-trick against Arsenal, cementing his place in Tottenham history.