Australia’s chef de mission for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games has expressed her excitement that athletes want to compete next year in Scotland following Gout Gout’s announced intention to race.
Gout had initially been expected to prioritise the August 5-9 world junior titles in the United States, where he wants to emulate the great Usain Bolt, who won the under-20 200-metre title back in 2002.
But Gout is now set to contest the Commonwealth 100m event in Glasgow, before heading to the US for the 200m at the world juniors.
Petria Thomas, Australia’s Glasgow 2026 chef de mission, told ABC Sport: “It’s very exciting when our best athletes publicly announce their intention to be at the Games.”
“There is of course qualification processes that all of our athletes will need to go through, a lot can happen in the year leading into a Games,” Thomas said.
“It’s really exciting that the athletes are saying they want to compete in the Games and we’re looking forward to having our best athletes possible on our team ready to go in a year’s time.”
Gout is in line to do something Bolt never did by running as an individual at the Commonwealth Games.
The Jamaican legend was part of his country’s gold medal-winning 4x100m men’s relay team at Glasgow 2014.
Gout’s participation will further boost Australia’s hopes of again topping the medal tally, which it has done in eight of the last nine Games dating back to 1990.
Glasgow’s pared-down Games will feature 10 sports, nine less than in 2022 in Birmingham.
Sports which Australia has traditionally dominated such as hockey, rugby sevens and diving have been axed from the games.
But 82 per cent of the nation’s medal events in Birmingham 2022 remain on the Glasgow program.
Commonwealth Games Australia boss Craig Phillips told AAP that despite the condensed program, Australia still has ambitions to stay atop the medal tally in Scotland.
“We have ambitions to remain top of the medal tally, which is a stated ambition of ours all the time,” Phillips said.
“We really think that our athletes can do that. What that number takes, it will take.
“But we’re pretty confident that we’ll put our athletes in the best possible position to do that.”
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Josh Inglis and Cameron Green combined in a record partnership for Australia to ensure “Dre Day” at Sabina Park didn’t end in a victory for West Indies Twenty20 cricket great Andre Russell.
After plundering four big sixes and scoring 36 off 15 balls before he skied a top edge that ended his last international innings, Russell had to wait and see if a total of 172-8 would be enough for West Indies to hold off Australia on Tuesday.
Not quite.
The Australians reached 173-2 and completed an eight-wicket win with almost five overs to spare to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20 series.
Inglis was unbeaten on 78 from 33 balls and Green was 56 off 32 balls, the pair sharing a 131-run stand, an Australian T20 record for the third wicket.
Green also scored a half-century on Sunday in Australia’s three-wicket win to open the series. The back-t-back wins at Sabina Park extended Australia’s streak to five in the Caribbean following the 3-0 test series sweep.
Russell’s last stand
His last innings in international cricket was vintage Dre Rus, the kind of shotmaking that helped him win two T20 World Cups and star in domestic T20 leagues around the world.
The 37-year-old allrounder went with the total at 98-5 and dominated a 41-run sixth-wicket stand with Rovman Powell.
Russell clobbered sixes on three of the first four balls off Ben Dwarshuis in the 15th over, going down the ground over the site screen, top-edging over the wicketkeeper and hitting over the midwicket boundary.
He didn’t wear a helmet when he went out to bat, so the trademark dyed blond stripe down the middle of his head was visable most of his innings.
In one over against Adam Zampa, Russell cut for four and then hoisted the next ball into the second tier of the stadium for six. The onslaught put so much pressure on Zampa that the experienced Australian spinner bowled consecutive wides.
Eventually, though, Russell put on a protective helmet. Soon after, he mis-timed a slower ball from Nathan Ellis and his edge went high into the air before it was gloved by Inglis.
Both teams had formed a guard of honor for Russell to walk onto the field before the match. The Australian players shook his hand and patted his back as he walked back to the pavilion following his innings.
“The result didn’t go my way, but I’m happy and grateful,” Russell said in a post-game TV interview. “I really appreciate the fans who turned out and showed the love. Sorry the result didn’t go our way.
“I feel like it’s time for me to hang it up and wish the guys the best of luck moving forward.”
The Australian bowlers shared the wickets in the first innings, with Zampa taking 3-29, Glenn Maxwell returning 2-15 and Ellis finishing with 2-34. For the West Indies, some sloppy fielding, including at least five dropped catches, hurt their chances of defending the total.
The series moves to St. Kitts for the next three games on Friday, Saturday and Monday.
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Josh Inglis and Cameron Green combined in a record partnership for Australia to ensure “Dre Day” at Sabina Park didn’t end in a victory for West Indies Twenty20 cricket great Andre Russell.
After plundering four big sixes and scoring 36 off 15 balls before he skied a top edge that ended his last international innings, Russell had to wait and see if a total of 172-8 would be enough for West Indies to hold off Australia on Tuesday.
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Not quite.
The Australians reached 173-2 and completed an eight-wicket win with almost five overs to spare to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20 series.
Inglis was unbeaten on 78 from 33 balls and Green was 56 off 32 balls, the pair sharing a 131-run stand, an Australian T20 record for the third wicket.
Green also scored a half-century on Sunday in Australia’s three-wicket win to open the series. The back-t-back wins at Sabina Park extended Australia’s streak to five in the Caribbean following the 3-0 test series sweep.
Russell’s last stand
His last innings in international cricket was vintage Dre Rus, the kind of shotmaking that helped him win two T20 World Cups and star in domestic T20 leagues around the world.
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The 37-year-old allrounder went with the total at 98-5 and dominated a 41-run sixth-wicket stand with Rovman Powell.
Russell clobbered sixes on three of the first four balls off Ben Dwarshuis in the 15th over, going down the ground over the site screen, top-edging over the wicketkeeper and hitting over the midwicket boundary.
He didn’t wear a helmet when he went out to bat, so the trademark dyed blond stripe down the middle of his head was visable most of his innings.
In one over against Adam Zampa, Russell cut for four and then hoisted the next ball into the second tier of the stadium for six. The onslaught put so much pressure on Zampa that the experienced Australian spinner bowled consecutive wides.
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Eventually, though, Russell put on a protective helmet. Soon after, he mis-timed a slower ball from Nathan Ellis and his edge went high into the air before it was gloved by Inglis.
Both teams had formed a guard of honor for Russell to walk onto the field before the match. The Australian players shook his hand and patted his back as he walked back to the pavilion following his innings.
“The result didn’t go my way, but I’m happy and grateful,” Russell said in a post-game TV interview. “I really appreciate the fans who turned out and showed the love. Sorry the result didn’t go our way.
“I feel like it’s time for me to hang it up and wish the guys the best of luck moving forward.”
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The Australian bowlers shared the wickets in the first innings, with Zampa taking 3-29, Glenn Maxwell returning 2-15 and Ellis finishing with 2-34. For the West Indies, some sloppy fielding, including at least five dropped catches, hurt their chances of defending the total.
The series moves to St. Kitts for the next three games on Friday, Saturday and Monday.
Match wrap | Inglis, Green blast Aussies to 2-0 T20 series lead
Josh Inglis and Cameron Green have spoiled hometown hero Andre Russell’s international farewell as Australia cantered to a thumping eight-wicket win over West Indies in the second T20 in Jamaica.
Inglis (78no off 33 balls) and Green (56no off 32) shared an unbeaten 131-run third-wicket partnership as the West Australian pair comfortably overhauled West Indies 8-172 with 28 balls remaining at Sabina Park as the tourists took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Adam Zampa (3-29) and Glenn Maxwell (2-15) did the damage in restricting the hosts as Australia went spin heavy for the second match on the Kingston surface, leaving out paceman Sean Abbott to hand left-armer Matthew Kuhnemann a T20 international debut.
Retiring allrounder Russell briefly sent his home Jamaican crowd into a frenzy with four sixes to remind the world that he’ll remain one of the most destructive hitters on the franchise circuit.
The 37-year-old, who admitted he was nervous to do well in front his home crowd one final time, received a guard of honour from both sides and cricket bat-shaped guitar wrapped in the country’s flag before the first ball to commemorate his 15-year international career.
But his farewell was overshadowed by Inglis and Green’s scintillating stand, the latter hitting the winning runs in the 16th over to see Australia continue their recent dominance in the shortest format.
Inglis and Green exploded after the Powerplay as they benefited from three dropped catches in the one Gudakesh Motie over, the former getting a life on nine while the latter received two reprieves on three.
Inglis made the hosts pay next over as he took Alzarri Joseph for 19, then reaching a 22-ball half-century by launching Russell’s first delivery of the evening onto the roof at the Michael Holding End.
Russell’s first over cost him 16 as Inglis brought the game towards a rapid conclusion, Green joining in as he made it consecutive half-centuries from No.4.
Australia’s earlier experiment of Glenn Maxwell opening for the first time in a non-reduced T20 international since 2016 to counter spinner Akeal Hosein with the new ball was brief but somewhat effective as he latched onto two reverse sweeps to take 10 runs from the first over of the chase.
With Jake Fraser-McGurk omitted after managing just two off seven balls in the series opener on Sunday, Maxwell partnered skipper Mitch Marsh (21) at the top but like his predecessor, he also fell to Jason Holder on the final ball of the second over as he edged behind for 12.
“It was just for Akeal there, he’s so key for them at the top and we thought we’d give ‘Maxi’ a crack up the top,” said Inglis, who was initially listed to open on the team sheet.
“I thought he’d try and switch hit every ball, and nearly did to be fair, but I think we didn’t list him at the top just so they wouldn’t know and start with quicks.”
Kuhnemann was straight into the action on debut with the opening over in a change of tactics from the Australians as they sent down six straight overs of spin to start from the Michael Holding End.
Kuhnemann began strongly despite being hit for a boundary with his first delivery in T20 internationals as West Indies were watchful after again being sent in by Marsh, progressing to 0-17 in the first three overs after smashing 32 against the pace in the same period in the series opener.
Zampa lauds Kuhnemann’s resilience as he presents cap No.113
But Brandon King took full toll when the Brisbane Heat left-armer returned for his third over of the Powerplay, clearing the rope twice over long on and crunching two boundaries through the off-side to get the hosts innings going.
The Jamaica native was 13 off 18 at one point but raced to his half-century from 33 balls, his third fifty for West Indies in six innings at his home ground in Kingston.
However, the right-hander was out to end the same over as he chipped Adam Zampa up in air trying to take him down the ground and Australia struck back with consecutive wickets with Maxwell (2-15) striking in similar fashion with his first ball as opening partner Shai Hope (9) followed King back to the sheds.
Kuhnemann responded in his final over of the evening to concede just three runs and finish with a respectable 0-33 in his first outing as Shimron Hetmyer – promoted to No.3 – became Maxwell’s second victim and Zampa (3-29) struck twice in the 14th over to leave the hosts in a spot of bother at 5-98.
Russell gave the innings some much needed impetus to delight his home fans, crashing three of his first five balls over the rope as Ben Dwarshuis (1-37) was the one to cop the full force of the big-hitting Jamaican for the final time in international cricket.
The first of those sixes couldn’t be found under the black tarps being used for the sightscreen, while the third disappeared into the college across the road to make it two lost balls in the over.
The joy was short lived as Russell (36 off 15) departed with handshakes from the entire Australian side after offering wicketkeeper Inglis possibly one of the highest catches even seen, swirling around above the shallow Sabina Park lights before eventually nestling in his gloves.
Australia dropped three chances an uncharacteristically subpar fielding display, with two of those proving costly at the death as West Indies finished in a flurry as 28 runs came off the final two overs.
Dwarshuis’ missed catch running in at point in the final over denied newcomer Mitch Owen a second T20 international wicket and cost him seven runs as the batters scampered a single before Gudakesh Motie (18no off 9) launched the penultimate ball of the innings into the crowd, which he wouldn’t have been facing if the catch was completed.
The victory takes Australia’s run against West Indies to seven wins from their past eight matches as they eye their third straight T20 series win over the two-time world champions as the teams move to St Kitts for the final three T20Is.
West Indies XI: Brandon King, Shai Hope (c) (wk), Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Gudakesh Motie, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph
Australia XI: Mitch Marsh (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Mitch Owen, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa
Qantas Tour of the West Indies
First T20I: Australia won by three wickets
Second T20I: Australia won by eight wickets
Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 26, 9am AEST)
Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 27, 9am AEST)
Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 29, 9am AEST)
West Indies T20 squad: Shai Hope (c), Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde (St Kitts only), Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell (Kingston only), Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd
Australia’s T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshius, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Adam Zampa
A brilliant attacking innings from Josh Inglis was the driving force for Australia beating West Indies in Jamaica to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20 International series.
Inglis smashed 78 from 33 balls, and Green hit 56 from 32 as the tourists won the game by eight wickets.
Earlier, West Indies great Andre Russell gave the crowd something to cheer for, blasting a quickfire 36 off 15 balls — including four sixes — in his final match for his country after announcing his international retirement.
The West Indies scored 8-172 off their 20 overs, with Adam Zampa leading the bowling with 3-29. But Australia had no issue with the chase, getting the runs with 28 deliveries to spare.
The third game of the series will be played in Saint Kitts and Nevis on Saturday (Australian time).
Tadej Pogacar said Monday he was ready to fight every kilometre with arch-rival Jonas Vingegaard in his bid for a fourth Tour de France title.
Far from resting on his laurels with a four-minute lead in the standings, defending champion Pogacar insisted his thoughts were on closing out the win in the six days of riding left.
On the second rest day in the 21-day, 3,400km slog around France, Pogacar appeared much more mature than the 20-year-old who won the first of his three titles in 2020.
“You learn every week, every day on this race that you must stay focused,” said the 26-year-old Team UAE rider.
“This is my sixth Tour. I miss the white jersey (for the best rider under 26), you know, but yes I’ve grown up, got more mature,” said Pogacar.
He said he had also grown into this Tour.
“Nobody liked those stages at the start of the Tour, it was quite nerve-wracking, but you need to be focused,” he said of the first week when he appeared a little annoyed at times.
Pogacar headed into the Pyrenees last week second only to surprise leader Ben Healy of Ireland.
But he grabbed the lead by winning two of the tough, mountainous triptych of stages, emerging 4min 13sec ahead of second-placed Vingegaard, with promising German rider Florian Lipowitz third.
“I’m actually enjoying the Tour now,” he said.
‘Ready for a fight’
Asked about whether he planned to take part in the Vuelta a Espana, which begins on August 23, or if he prefered to take a break after his exertions on the Tour, Pogacar said the only thing he was sure about was giving it everything in the final week in France.
“Some riders are planning holidays. Not me. I’m thinking about the six days left. I haven’t decided about racing the Vuelta. I’m not planning anything until after this Tour,” he said.
As the peloton prepares to soar into the Alps on Tuesday Pogacar said he was prepared for an attack from Vingegaard.
“It’s going to be tough. We are ready for a fight. With everybody, but especially Jonas, we’ve seen how strong he is.
“There are three mountains where he has previously been faster than me, But it is not about names, that was always because of the race situation,” he said, recalling how the Dane had come close to denying him the win in 2021, and took the title in 2022 and 2023 when Pogacar was runner-up.
“It’s not that I’m looking for revenge, I just want to do better,” he said.
“I’m confident in myself, but I know Jonas can be too. I need to keep eating and sleeping well, and hope the mood persists.
“The group we have this year, at breakfast, on the bus, it’s good. With the boys and the atmosphere, I’m happy to be part of this group, and I’d come here just to be with them regardless of the race.”
Sri Lanka’s Chairman of Selectors, Upul Tharanga, has vowed to overhaul the national T20 side after a humbling 2-1 series defeat to Bangladesh — their first ever against the neighbours in the shortest format. With the next ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on home soil just over a year away, Tharanga is pushing for urgent course correction.
Tharanga admitted in an interview with Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net). “We’ve simply been too inconsistent with the bat,” “We’ve tried different combinations, but it’s time to bring in fresh blood.
Sri Lanka’s recent collapse in Dambulla, where they were bundled out for just 94 — their lowest T20 total at home — was followed by a limp 132 in the series decider in Colombo. It left fans stunned and exposed the chronic frailties in the middle order, especially under pressure.
Tharanga, a former captain and World Cup winner, has overseen commendable progress in Tests and ODIs since taking over as chief selector. But in T20Is, he concedes the team is lagging. With India and Sri Lanka co-hosting the marquee event in 2026, he knows time is slipping.
Fresh Faces, New Ideas
Among the names knocking on the door are Nuwanidu Fernando and Pawan Rathnayake — two domestic standouts who may soon get their big break.
Tharanga said
They’ve earned their chances. We need energy, hunger, and composure — especially in the middle overs.
One player already in the system who could be handed greater responsibility is Janith Liyanage. A consistent performer in ODIs at number six, Liyanage is now being assessed for a similar role in T20s.
“He’s not a power-hitter, but he reads the game well,” said Tharanga. “He adds value as a fielder and a calm presence when things get tense.”
Bowling Balance and Selection Headaches
With a deep pace pool at their disposal, Sri Lanka faces a different challenge: who to leave out. Only two frontline pacers are likely to be picked in the playing XI, making it tough for express bowlers like Matheesha Pathirana and Dushmantha Chameera to feature regularly.
Tharanga hinted at a rotation policy to both preserve fitness and inject variety. “We have options, but balance is key. You can’t pick everyone, so we need to be smart about who plays when.”
Perhaps the most glaring issue is Sri Lanka’s lack of firepower with the bat. Unlike other top teams, the islanders still struggle to clear the boundary consistently.
Tharanga said: “Even in 2014, when we won the title, we weren’t reliant on brute force. It was about smart cricket – rotating strike, finding gaps, reading situations. That’s missing now, especially in the middle overs.
To address that void, Sri Lanka has brought in renowned English power-hitting coach Julian Wood on a short-term assignment. Wood, a former Hampshire batter, has worked with IPL franchises and international teams, focusing on improving strike rates and power output.
“It’s a good move,” said Tharanga. “The boys must absorb as much as they can. T20 cricket is evolving, and we need to keep up.”
Road to 2026 Begins Now
The run-up to the World Cup offers plenty of opportunities to rebuild. Sri Lanka will face England, Pakistan and Zimbabwe in upcoming series, with the Asia Cup looming and a potential home series against India on the cards next month.
“Every series from here on is a platform to experiment, refine and commit to a core group,” Tharanga said. “We’re not far off – but it will take bold decisions, patience, and a bit of risk. We owe that to our fans.”
Fatima Jinnah Academy defeated Ruth Pfau Academy by 10-5 In the opening girls’ match of the SSWMB Inter-Academy Girls and Boys Basketball Tournament which was inaugurated in a colorful ceremony by organisation’s General Manager Maryam Tariq.
For the winning team, Angel and Umema scored 4 points each while Ghina added two points. From the runner-up side, Aqeeka scored 3 points and Fabiha Tariq and Yasra contributed 1 point each.
The event, jointly organised by the Karachi Basketball Association (KBA) and Firdous Ittehad, was graced by distinguished guests including Ghulam Muhammad Khan, Muhammad Ikhlaq, Rotarian Sadaf Jahan, SBA’s SVC Younus Fureshi, KBA Secretary Zahid Malik, SBA Secretary Amir Sharif, and Zaeema Khatoon among others.
In the second girls’ match, Rana Liaquat Ali Academy edged out Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Academy in a thrilling contest, winning 7-6. Amina Ashraf led the scoring for the winners with 5 points, while Aniqa and Ayeza scored one each. For the runner-up team, Dania, Fatima Idrees, and Simran each scored 2 points.
In the boys’ match, Javed Memon Academy defeated Mohammad Khan Academy with a final score of 32-21. Haris Shahid was the top scorer with 14 points, followed by Hasan Iqbal with 8 and Raza Rafiq with 7. For the opposing team, Hasan Ali scored 12, Yash Kumar 5, and Abdul Rafi 4 points.
Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Ben Dunk has shared his thoughts following the cancellation of the much-anticipated clash between arch-rivals India Champions and Pakistan Champions in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.
The high-profile encounter, which was scheduled to be the fourth match of the tournament, was set to take place on Sunday at Edgbaston.
However, it was unexpectedly called off, triggering widespread disappointment and reactions from fans and former cricketers alike.
Speaking at a media conference, the 38-year-old expressed his passion for the game and the hope that cricket continues to unite fans across borders.
“As a cricket lover myself, I love all forms of cricket — the more cricket, the better,” Dunk said.
“Everyone has the right to pick and choose what they watch or support, and I respect everyone’s point of view. I hope that, going forward, sports can be a uniting factor,” he added.
The 38-year-old also highlighted the overall strength of the Pakistan Champions squad and singled out one player in particular who could be a real threat when they face Australia in the ongoing tournament.
“All of them. It’s a legends tournament, and I don’t think there’s a single player across any team who isn’t a champion in their own right,” he said.
“I’ve always been really fortunate to spend time with Mohammad Hafeez during our time at Lahore Qalandars. We built a great relationship based on mutual respect – at least I hope it’s mutual! He top-scored in the first game and is definitely someone we fear a bit,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan Champions started their WCL 2025 campaign on a winning note, narrowly defeating England Champions by five runs in the opening fixture. Defending a total of 161, the Pakistani side held England to 155-3 in their 20 overs, thanks to a disciplined final over by Sohail Khan, who gave away just 10 runs when 16 were required for victory.
In her first singles match in 16 months, former World No. 1 Venus Williams is once again a match-winner on the Hologic WTA Tour — and the 45-year-old legend is setting records with her victory.
Washington, D.C.: Draws |Scores | Order of Play
In an all-American first-round showdown at the Mubadala Citi DC Open on Tuesday night, Williams stormed past World No. 35 Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4. Williams needed 1 hour and 37 minutes to defeat her 23-year-old compatriot.
Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Williams is the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match since then-47-year-old Martina Navratilova beat Catalina Castano at 2004 Wimbledon — over 21 years ago.
Williams was already the oldest player to contest a tour-level singles match since then-46 year-old Kimiko Date lost her first-round match at 2017 Tokyo. Williams will now get to contest at least one more.
This was Williams’ first singles win since she beat then-World No. 16 Veronika Kudermetova at 2023 Cincinnati — meaning her last two wins have come over Top 35 players, almost two years apart.
Williams will face another Top 35 player in the second round: she will have her first career meeting with World No. 24 Magdalena Frech of Poland. No. 5 seed Frech beat qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-2, 6-4 in the first round on Monday.
