Category: 6. Sports

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Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan acknowledged a dilemma over the fifth bowler and said they would take a late decision on their team combination for Tuesday’s series decider following their defeat in the second one-day international on Sunday.

Pakistan, who won the opening ODI by five wickets, posted a competitive 171-7 in 37 overs in a rain-truncated match but West Indies prevailed by five wickets to draw level in the three-match series.

Pakistan’s part-time duo of Saim Ayub and Salman Agha conceded a combined 66 runs in seven wicketless overs as West Indies cruised home.

“You could say our fifth bowler gave away too many runs but in recent years, Salman Agha and Saim Ayub have both bowled well for us,” Rizwan said after the match.

“Saim didn’t have the best day today, but he performed well in the T20Is. That’s just part of the game.”

Rizwan said they could not read the conditions and several rain delays did not help their cause.

“Honestly, the weather forecast has been completely different from expectations, and it’s hard to read.

“We’re keeping our options open and will finalise the XI after assessing the conditions.”

Pakistan had won the preceding Twenty20 series 2-1.

Slip in rankings

The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the latest One Day International (ODI) rankings on Monday, revealing a shift in the positions of several teams, including a drop for Pakistan.

Pakistan’s ODI ranking slipped one spot, moving from fourth to fifth place, currently holding 3,465 points.

This decline came as Sri Lanka surged ahead, overtaking Pakistan to claim the fourth position with 4,009 points.

The West Indies also saw an improvement, climbing one spot to ninth place. This advancement pushed Bangladesh down to the tenth position after they dropped one rank.

India continued to dominate the ODI rankings at the top, amassing 4,471 points. New Zealand hold steady in second place with 4,160 points, while Australia is positioned third with 3,473 points.

South Africa sit in sixth place with 2,775 points, and Afghanistan holds the seventh spot with 2,279 points.

For the unversed, the West Indies secured a thrilling five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the rain-affected second ODI here at Tarouba on Sunday.

The win, powered by crucial innings from Roston Chase and Sherfane Rutherford along with important contributions from captain Shai Hope, leveled the series 1-1.

The match was reduced to 35 overs due to rain interruptions. Chasing a target of 181, West Indies got an early scare as Hasan Ali dismissed opener Brandon King for just one run in the second over.

Hasan struck again shortly after to remove Evin Lewis, who scored seven, leaving the hosts struggling at 12-2 inside 3.1 overs.

The West Indies middle order came under pressure after Keacy Carty fell cheaply for 16, handing Abrar Ahmed his first wicket.

Sherfane Rutherford then launched an aggressive assault, putting Pakistan’s bowlers under severe pressure.

Abrar conceded 20 runs in Rutherford’s over as the fourth-wicket partnership flourished.

Mohammad Nawaz broke the partnership by dismissing Shai Hope, who made 32 off 35 balls, including two boundaries and a six.

Rutherford was nearing his fifty but was also dismissed by Nawaz after scoring 45 off 33 deliveries, featuring four boundaries and three sixes.

With the match slipping away, Roston Chase and Justin Greaves formed a crucial 73-run partnership.

Chase remained unbeaten on 49 from 47 balls while Greaves contributed 26 runs off 31 deliveries, guiding West Indies to victory in 33.2 overs.

Pakistan’s rising squash talent, Muhammad Umair Arif from Peshawar, delivered an exceptional performance at The Jessica Company Hong Kong Junior Squash Open 2025, finishing as 1st Runner-Up after an intense final against the tournament’s top-seeded player from Saudi Arabia.

Sponsored by BARD Foundation, Umair’s journey to the finals was marked by remarkable victories, including defeating higher-seeded international players from Japan, the USA, and Singapore. His consistent dominance on the court reflects the skill and determination that have defined his career so far.

Umair represented Pakistan in the World Squash Junior Championships this year, where he showcased his talent on another prestigious international platform.

Mehreen Dawood, member Board of Governors BARD Foundation, praised Umair’s achievement, stating:”Umair’s performance is a testament to the fact that Pakistan continues to produce world-class sports talent. At BARD Foundation, our mission is to nurture and support such potential, enabling athletes to shine internationally. We are incredibly proud of his hard work and determination.”

Abdul Razak Dawood, President of BARD Foundation, added:

“Supporting athletes like Umair is central to our vision of building a stronger sports culture in Pakistan. His achievement in Hong Kong is not just a personal milestone but an inspiration for the next generation of players. We look forward to seeing him achieve even greater success in the years ahead.”

Captain Phil Salt compared 22-year-old fast bowler Sonny Baker to England great James Anderson after he shone in Manchester Originals’ 10-run win over London Spirit at Old Trafford.

Baker began Spirit’s chase of 164 with five dots and conceded only four runs when asked to bowl the first 10 deliveries.

He troubled two international greats in David Warner and Kane Williamson, who have a combined 38,000 international runs to their name, with swing and lively pace.

That helped limit the Spirit’s scoring and, despite Australian Warner hitting 71, the hosts, who left out Anderson after defeats in their opening two games, were always in control.

Warner was caught down the leg side off England seamer Josh Tongue with 38 needed from 15 and Baker returned to dismiss Australia international Ashton Turner for 13 – a deserved reward for a fine spell that cost only 22 runs.

“He was outstanding,” Salt told Sky Sports.

“Jimmy had a rest today but that is the closest to what he did, if not better. It will be hard to pick seamers for the next match.”

Anderson also praised the highly-rated Baker, who was awarded an England development contract earlier this year despite having never played a County Championship match at that stage.

“I have seen a lot of footage of Baker but not seen a lot of him live,” Anderson told Sky Sports. “I have been so impressed.

“Tonight he bowled outstandingly well. He has got pace, skill, swings the ball both ways. He has a lot going for him.”

Earlier another talented youngster, 20-year-old Durham batter Ben McKinney, crashed three sixes in a 12-ball 29 on debut to give the hosts a fast start.

From there, contributions of 31 from Phil Salt, 46 from Jos Buttler and 24 by Heinrich Klaasen helped the Originals post 163-6.

When Aryna Sabalenka and Emma Raducanu arrived at the first-set tiebreak on Monday at the Cincinnati Open, recent history said it was all but over. Indeed, Sabalenka won six of the first seven points, punctuated by back-to-back aces, and eventually converted her third set point.

She improved to 11-0 in first-set tiebreaks this year, more compelling evidence that what was once a liability has become her greatest strength. That flourish sent her on the way to a rousing and remarkable 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) victory over a tenacious Raducanu.

The dramatic match required three hours and nine minutes.

“Happy to get through this match,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. “I really hope I have a day tomorrow.”

Sabalenka was routinely frustrated, but in the end she was fearless. She has won a remarkable 18 of 19 tiebreaks this year. She finished with 46 winners — and 72 unforced errors. Sabalenka will play a Round of 16 match Wednesday against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, a 6-4, 6-1 winner over wild card Taylor Townsend.

How on-point is Sabalenka under pressure?

Sabalenka has now won all three career matches against Raducanu, all in the past 18 months. She’s now won 49 matches and put in more time on court (approaching 100 hours) than any other Hologic WTA Tour player.

Raducanu showed some terrific fight, but has now lost 11 of 12 matches against PIF WTA Rankings Top 5 players. She’s currently working with Francisco Roig, who coached Rafael Nadal 2005-22. Roig was extremely engaged during the match, clapping and offering specific observations — almost always punctuated with an encouraging “Vamos!”

Raducanu opened the match by winning eight straight points. The ninth, though, was a self-inflicted double fault, and signaled a shift in momentum. Sabalenka promptly broke her to get it back on serve.

After dropping four straight games, Raducanu held serve to make it 4-3. Thirty minutes into the match, after a backhand error from Sabalenka, Raducanu leveled it at 4-all. Saving two break points, Raducanu held for a 5-4 lead.

Serving at 5-all, Raducanu played her best game, finishing it with a massive crosscourt forehand winner and an ace. Sabalenka also won at love and they were into that fateful tiebreak.

The second set sailed along on keel for six games — until Raducanu earned three break points and converted the last one. It was the only break registered in the second set and Raducanu closed it with an emphatic ace.

It was the first set she’s ever won against Sabalenka.

The third set opened with seven consecutive relatively easy service holds. The eight game was a match within itself. There were 13 deuces and Raducanu saved four break points before hitting a first serve that, finally, Sabalenka couldn’t get back.

After that, Raducanu roared and turned to her box with a raised, clenched fist.

In perhaps her best match since winning the US Open, Raducanu won more points than Sabalenka, 125-122.

There were no breaks in the third set, and Sabalenka finished it with another virtuoso performance.

 

 

“They can’t just go all foreign and bring in a host of Kiwis and South Africans, so they’re going to make sure that they’re clever,” says Noon.

“I think they’re conscious of trying to get enough quality guys to get through the season, but with a view that actually there’s a long-term project.

“With a bit more time and patience they can get the guys they want, as opposed to who is available.”

Red Bull’s entry into the Prem marks the end of a year-long search for a buyer for Newcastle.

Early last autumn, long-time club owner Semore Kurdi brought in A&W Capital, specialists in the sale of sports teams, to find someone to take the club on.

It was a pressing concern not just for Kurdi, who has put many millions of his own money into the club since becoming owner in 2011, or Newcastle, but the league as a whole.

After the demise of Worcester Warriors, Wasps and London Irish, another club going under would have reduced the Prem to nine teams. Each round would involve only four fixtures and the gate receipts and product for broadcasters and sponsors would shrink.

The situation was so stark that earlier this year Sky News reported, external the other top-flight clubs, along with CVC Partners who part-own the league, were prepared to loan Newcastle £4m to keep them upright.

Red Bull’s investment is a vastly preferable option for all involved.

Newcastle’s dire circumstances and Kurdi’s desire to see the club in good hands meant Red Bull could cut a deal with little initial cost beyond taking on responsibility for the club’s £39m debts.

Prem Rugby has been understandably eager to facilitate an acquisition that solves a short-term problem and fits long-term goals.

The league has rebranded from the Premiership to target a younger demographic, one that ties in well with Red Bull’s consumer base.

It also hopes to switch to a franchise model, perhaps as soon as 2026-27, doing away with on-pitch relegation. Such a move would reduce the risk of investing in distressed assets such as Newcastle, something that can spook potential owners.

Even the plan to rename Newcastle Falcons as Newcastle Red Bulls was simple and supported.

Red Bull ran into stiff opposition from the German football federation over their renaming of RB Leipzig in 2009. The RB officially stands for RasenBallsport, rather than the energy drink that bankrolled the team’s rise up the leagues, as a concession to officialdom.

English rugby, which has seen plenty of rebrands and title sponsors since the dawn of professionalism, has no such qualms.

Rodriguez shared the news on Instagram, posting a photo of her hand resting on Ronaldo’s, the massive diamond ring taking center stage. “Yes I do. In this and in all my lives,” she wrote in a translated caption.

All About the Ring

The engagement ring features a striking oval-cut diamond set on a sleek band. According to Marca, which cited jewelry experts, the stone is estimated to weigh over 10 to 15 carats and is worth more than $1 million.

Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo breaks his silence on not being nominated for Ballon d’Or: ‘That’s fictitious to me’

A Look Back at Their Love Story

The couple first went public with their relationship in early 2017, making their debut at the Best FIFA Football Awards in Zurich that January. By May, they had gone Instagram official.

Just a month later, they announced the birth of twins via surrogate, followed by the arrival of their daughter Alana Martina on November 12, 2017.

In October 2021, the couple revealed they were expecting another set of twins. Tragically, in April 2022, their newborn son passed away shortly after birth.

“It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that our baby boy has passed away. It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel,” Ronaldo wrote at the time. “Only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness.”

In her Netflix series I Am Georgina, Rodriguez opened up about the early days of their relationship. Then a sales assistant at a Gucci store, she recalled how Ronaldo used to pick her up in his luxury cars.

“Many times he’d come after work,” Rodriguez recalled. “He would come, I remember once, in a Bugatti. My coworkers went crazy. They get there on the bus, and I would leave in a Bugatti. I mean, people couldn’t believe it.”

Ronaldo added: “It was funny because I would wait for her outside the store in these flashy cars I have. … We would go home, and there we would go into our own world.”

Crystal Palace’s demotion to the Uefa Conference League could “galvanise” the club and bring them closer together, says Chris Sutton.

The Eagles beat Liverpool on penalties in the Community Shield on Sunday but less than 24 hours later were told they had lost their appeal against being dropped from the Europa League.

They had qualified for the competition after winning the FA Cup last season but were punished by Uefa for breaching multi-club ownership rules.

“I don’t necessarily see it as having an effect on the players – this is the best period in the club’s history,” former Premier League striker Sutton said on 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.

“On the footballing side of it, Palace just have to move on and get on with the season. And in many ways, it may actually galvanise the club.

“It might bring them closer together, if that’s possible.”

American businessman John Textor owned a 43% stake in Palace until he sold it in June and is the majority owner of Lyon, who also qualified for the Europa League.

Palace had until 1 March 2025 to show Uefa proof of multi-club ownership restructuring, but the club missed that deadline.

The ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) also means Nottingham Forest’s spot in the Europa League is confirmed, having been promoted into the competition in Palace’s place.

“They’ve won an FA Cup, they’ve won a Community Shield. So I think there’s still a lot of excitement,” Sutton added. “You still can’t take away them winning the FA Cup; you still can’t take away the great performance in the Community Shield. If you’re a Palace fan, you love that.

“You’ve got to focus on the positives, as much as anything. But it’s certainly not ideal.”

Palace will face either Norwegian side Fredrikstad or Midtjylland of Denmark in the Conference League play-off round later this month.