Tottenham Hotspur continued their unbeaten pre-season with a penalty shootout victory over Sydney FC after a 1-1 draw in Australia, where Mathys Tel produced the game's standout moment with a spectacular first-half free-kick.
The French forward opened the scoring in the 29th minute, curling a superb effort into the top-right corner from 25 yards to cap an impressive opening-half display. Sydney hit back after the interval through Takahiro Sekine, but Martin Dúbravka's save in the shootout proved decisive before Dane Scarlett converted the winning penalty to seal a 4-2 victory.
Tel's display came amid continued links between Tottenham and Manchester City winger Savinho. Having completed his permanent £30 million move from Bayern Munich earlier this summer, the 20-year-old continued his encouraging start to life as a Spurs player with another eye-catching performance on the left flank.
Roberto De Zerbi rotated his squad throughout the contest, handing Lucas Bergvall his first pre-season minutes after the midfielder returned to action amid uncertainty over his future. The Swede started in midfield before making way at half-time for club-record signing Sandro Tonali, who made his latest pre-season appearance.
Andy Robertson also featured for the first time in Tottenham colours after coming on during the second half. The Scotland captain was handed the armband for his 25-minute cameo, created two chances, forced a save with a low effort and calmly converted his penalty in the shootout.

#victory

The Professional Fighters League has finalized the lineup for itsJuly 31 event at UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, featuring an11-bout card headlined by a lightweight **** le fight.

PFL New York is headlined by UsmanNurmagomedov vs. ArchieColgan. The card also features several notable matchups acrossthe main and preliminary cards.
PFL New York will see undefeated champion Nurmagomedov (21-0)defend his lightweight crown against unbeaten contender Colgan(13-0) in the main event.

In the co-headliner, top-ranked women's flyweight DakotaDitcheva (15-0) returns after more than a year on the sidelinesagainst DeniseKielholtz (9-5) in a bout with significant **** le implicationsat 125 pounds.

The main card also includes a light heavyweight matchup betweenDovletdzhanYagshimuradov (26-8-1) and SimeonPowell (12-2), while unbeaten lightweight prospect AmruMagomedov (10-0) squares off against AngelAlvarez (11-2).

The preliminary card is topped by a bantamweight clash betweenRaufeonStots (21-4) and unbeaten LazaroDayron (10-0-1). Elsewhere, JonathanPiersma (12-3) faces Omar ElDafrawy (15-6) in a 175-pound catchweight contest, Sean Gauci(11-1) faces AllanBegosso (10-4-1) at bantamweight and unbeaten light heavyweightprospects MoustaphaDiakhate (5-0-1) and ZachariaNishimwe (4-0) are also set to collide.

A lightweighttitle fight headlines PFL NY: Tune on Friday, July 31 at 7 p.m. ETon ESPN.

Other scheduled matchups include a light heavyweight bout betweenundefeated KhabibNabiev (12-0) and JamelleJones (15-8), a women's flyweight contest featuring MontanaDe La Rosa (13-9-1) against unbeaten TatianaPostarnakova (7-0) and a lightweight matchup pitting Chamy Delva(7-1) against LevanKhabalaev (4-0).

The prelims begin at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on ESPN App, with the maincard airing at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN.

#unbeaten #main

Sri Lanka Women produced a remarkable comeback to clinch their first bilateral ODI series victory over Pakistan Women in 24 years, sealing a 2-1 triumph with a dominant eight-wicket win in the series decider at Hambantota on Tuesday. After dropping the opening ODI, the hosts responded emphatically by chasing down a record target in the second match before delivering a clinical all-round performance in the third to end Pakistan's run of four consecutive ODI series wins over Sri Lanka. It was also Sri Lanka's first bilateral ODI series triumph over Pakistan since 2002.
Pakistan had drawn first blood in the series with a five-wicket victory after restricting Sri Lanka to 210/9 in the opener. However, Sri Lanka responded in spectacular fashion in the second ODI, completing their highest successful run chase in women's ODIs. Vishmi Gunaratne smashed 123, while Harshitha Samarawickrama remained unbeaten on 100 as the hosts chased down 274 with eight wickets in hand to level the series.

That momentum carried into the decider, where Sri Lanka outplayed Pakistan in every department to complete a memorable turnaround.
Asked to bat first, Pakistan suffered a nightmare start as Chetana Vimukthi ripped through the top order in just the second over. The visitors slumped to 10/3, putting themselves under immediate pressure. Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali steadied the innings with a 68-run partnership, but Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu broke the stand by dismissing Feroza for 40.

Pakistan's middle order failed to capitalise as another collapse followed. From 110/4, the visitors slipped to 146/7 before captain Fatima Sana played a fighting knock of 41 to lift her side to 187 all out in 40 overs. Athapaththu and Kavisha Dilhari starred with the ball, claiming three wickets each to keep Pakistan below the 200-run mark.
Needing 188 for victory, Sri Lanka lost Vishmi Gunaratne early after she had helped provide another positive start. Captain Chamari Athapaththu quickly seized control, attacking Pakistan's bowlers with trademark aggression. She struck three boundaries and a six in one over before bringing up the 30th fifty-plus score of her ODI career, ensuring Sri Lanka stayed comfortably ahead of the required rate.

Although Athapaththu departed after scoring 52, Harshitha Samarawickrama continued her excellent form, remaining unbeaten on 71, while Hasini Perera provided steady support in an unbroken partnership that guided Sri Lanka home with 76 **** to spare.

Athapaththu's all-round display earned her the Player of the Match award after contributing both with the bat and ball in the series decider. Harshitha Samarawickrama, meanwhile, was named Player of the Series after scoring 173 runs across three matches while being dismissed only once.

The victory marked a significant milestone for Sri Lanka Women's cricket, ending a 24-year wait for an ODI series win over Pakistan and showcasing the team's growing consistency in the 50-over form

Notts Outlaws maintained a perfect start to their One-Day Cup campaign with a comfortable victory over Leicestershire as Lancashire posted a second win in Group A with a victory over Kent.
Haseeb Hameed's side were following up comfortable wins against Somerset and Warwickshire in their opening two matches and a third was never in doubt against the Foxes at Trent Bridge.
After restricting the visitors to 199, Notts were never out of second gear to win by five wickets with 54 ****** remaining.
Foxes captain Stephen Eskinazi posted an unbeaten 93 from the top of the order, but his innings proved the exception to the rule as only one of his team-mates, Hamza Sheikh (35), made it past 20.
Joe Pockington, with career-best figures of 4-40, did the majority of the damage for the Notts attack, but Lyndon James and Brett Hutton both took 2-40 and Dillon Pennington was tidy for his 1-25.

#comfortable

TAROUBA, Trinidad (AP) — Pakistan's top-order crumbled against West Indies fast bowlers in pursuit of a challenging target of 211 on a tricky pitch in the first test on Tuesday.
Jayden Seales bowled two consecutive wicket maiden overs to leave Pakistan stuttering at 28-3 at lunch on a Day 4 wicket that has plenty of variable bounce to trouble the batters.
Captain Babar Azam was unbeaten on 16 after Pakistan suffered a blow when first innings century-maker Shan Masood couldn't bat at his usual No. 3 position due to a finger injury while batting on the third day.
The team management said Masood will bat, if required.
Earlier, Mohammad Abbas bagged 5-22 — his seventh five-wicket haul in test cricket — but West Indies tailenders swelled the lead past the 200-run mark before it got bowled out for 181.

#indies #Pakistan #test

New Delhi: On March 27 this year, Saransh Jain posted photos and videos on Instagram, thanking former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for the valuable lessons he learnt during a five-day camp at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

In the caption, Saransh mentioned a line Harbhajan Singh told him that touched him the most. It read: "Kuch paane ke liye kuch khona nahi, kuch karna padta hai (To achieve something, you don't have to lose something, you have to do something)." Saransh further wrote: "These aren't just words. They were deeply felt and will stay with me."
Now, months later, the 33-year-old has earned his maiden India call-up.

"He is a very humble guy who knows exactly what he needs to do. I wish him all the very best because this is a special moment for him, his family and everyone who has supported him," Harbhajan told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.

Saransh, who has played extensive First-Class cricket and has been a regular for Madhya Pradesh, impressed the selectors with his consistency during the domestic grind and was recently rewarded with an India A call-up. In his outing for India A against Sri Lanka A, Saransh picked up seven wickets in the two unofficial Tests. In the second match, he claimed six wickets and scored an unbeaten 70 in the first innings, paving the way for India's 10-wicket victory.
"He has worked incredibly hard and spent many years in domestic cricket, which, in many ways, is tougher than people realise. Bowling long spells of 40 or 50 overs across a match teaches you a lot. The more you bowl, the more you learn," says Harbhajan, while lauding Saransh's domestic grind.

Washington Sundar's injury opened the door for Saransh. With Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar and Kuldeep Yadav in the squad, Saransh is the fourth spinner but the lone off-spinner. If he goes on to make his debut, Saransh will become the first India player to debut after the age of 33 since Robin Singh in 1998.

"At 33, he is still young for a spinner, but he now has the experience of bowling to some of the best players of spin in domestic cricket. I am grateful that I got the opportunity to spend four or five days with him," says Harbhajan, backing Saransh to do well.
Over the years, Saransh's flight, dip and high-arm action have proved difficult for batters to pick. Those are exactly the attributes that caught Harbhajan Singh's attention during the specialist camp for off-spinners at the CoE.

"The first thing I noticed was his action. He has a very good action and keeps things simple. He isn't trying too many fancy variations. He has a lot of experience, an excellent seam position and tremendous control. Those qualities make a big difference," says Harbhajan.

"Experience teaches you to trust your strengths and bowl the right line and length consistently. What impressed me the most was his attitude. His mindset is always about taking wickets. Today, many bowlers are focused on simply getting thr

The 10-12 Maryland Little League Baseball State Championship was held last week in Hagerstown, Maryland, as teams from across Maryland competed for the state ***** le and a spot at the Mid-Atlantic Regionals. But only one team could walk away with that honor, and that team would be the Berlin Little League team.
After winning the District 8 Championship over local rivals, Berlin Little League arrived at the Maryland State Championship Tournament as one of seven teams hoping to take one step closer towards an appearance at the Little League World Series. And they did just that, as they brought the state championship back to Berlin.
It all culminated in their 6-2 victory over South Baltimore in the ***** le game, which capped off their unbeaten run to the ***** le. According to The Herald Mail, Berlin's Jonah Isett struck out five in 4⅔ innings, only allowing two runs and two hits to help lead Berlin to victory. And at the plate, players like Isett, Jackson Howell, Gus VanKlompenberg, Miles Abott, Cole Brown also contributed to Berlin's state championship victory.
Berlin's first game of the Little League Baseball Mid-Atlantic Regionals will take place on Aug. 9 at 10 a.m., and they will play Mamie Johnson Little League of Washington, D.C. The Mid-Atlantic Regionals will take place in Bristol, Connecticut.
The winner of the Mid-Atlantic Regionals will advance to play in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, which will kick-off on Aug. 19.

#Atlantic #team

NavajoStirling believes KhamzatChimaev is a one-dimensional fighter.

After Chimaev suffered the first loss of his professional career,the hype surrounding the former Ultimate Fighting Championship champion has dampened. Stirlingrecently called him a "one-trick pony" and wants Chimaev to move upto light heavyweight so they can fight.
While Stirling acknowledges that Chimaev would bring much attentionto the 205-pound division, the unbeaten Kiwi wants to expose how"Borz" isn't a well-rounded fighter.

"I think he's a bit of a one-trick pony," Stirling told Full SendMMA. "I would love to fight him. I want to test my theory againstsomeone like that. I would love for some bigger names to come tothe division that could bring some hype."

Chimaev was undefeated and a massive betting favorite going intohis first middleweight ***** le defense against SeanStrickland at UFC 328 this past May. However, he visibly gassed out after afailed takedown attempt in the second round and completelyabandoned his wrestling thereafter.

Strickland then out-landed Chimaev on the feet en route to amassive upset win via split decision. UFC CEO DanaWhite later claimed that Chimaev had discussed a move up tolight heavyweight in the immediate aftermath of his firstprofessional loss. However, he has since been repeatedly callingfor a rematch against Strickland.

Meanwhile, Stirling has racked up five UFC wins, with two finishes,since making his Octagon debut in 2024. He is now scheduled tofight JanBlachowicz on less than three weeks' notice at UFC Belgrade on Aug. 1 in Serbia.

#trick

After the bruising their T20 side endured on the UK tour, this Zimbabwe series could be just the ideal fillip India needed.
Having finally recorded their maiden win under new T20 captain Shreyas Iyer after seven winless matches at the helm, India will look to secure an unassailable 2-0 lead when they take on Zimbabwe in the second T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
Following a difficult run that saw them whitewashed by Ireland (0-2) and England (0-4), India's convincing sevenwicket victory in the seriesopener has restored some much-needed confidence.
Yet, even as the visitors look to build on that momentum, one player who will be under the scanner is explosive opener Abhishek Sharma.
Two years ago, Harare was the venue where Abhishek announced himself on the international stage with a breathtaking maiden T20I hundred in only his second game.
The stylish left-hander returns to the same ground searching for a spark after a worrying dip in form. Having begun the England series promisingly with scores of 59 and 43, Abhishek's returns thereafter have read 10, 16, 3 and 1. In Thursday's opener, his uncomfortable eight-ball 1 suggested a batter short on rhythm and confidence.
With competition for places intensifying, Abhishek knows he needs runs. Senior opener Sanju Samson, though absent on this tour, remains in the selectors' plans and has been named in India's squad for the Asian Games later this year. A substantial score in Harare would not only help India seal the series but also strengthen Abhishek's own case in a rapidly evolving T20 setup.
India, though, found a new hero in the opening match.
Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a stunning 18-ball fifty, becoming the youngest player to score a T20I half-century.
The 15-year-old, who had endured a difficult England tour where pacy bowlers like Jofra Archer tested him relentlessly with short-pitched bowling, responded in style against Zimbabwe.
Taking on Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani fearlessly, he produced a blistering innings that underlined why he is so highly rated.
Supported by Ishan Kishan's brisk 35 and an unbeaten 28 from skipper Iyer, Sooryavanshi ensured India chased down the target with more than six overs to spare.
Head coach VVS Laxman would have been equally pleased by the performance of India's revamped pace attack. The biggest positive was the return of Mayank Yadav, who made an impressive comeback after two injury-ravaged years. The Delhi quick finished with figures of 2 for 18 and consistently touched high speeds, with his opening delivery to Brian Bennett at 150 kmph indidcating that his pace remains intact.
Prince Yadav also showed signs of improvement after a lean England tour, while debutant Ashok Sharma displayed enough promise to suggest he could become another exciting fast-bowling option.

#zimbabwe #harare #iyer

PHILADELPHIA — "5-and-0" is what the fans of Long Branch boxer Jasai Kirkpatrick chanted after the final bell rung on Friday night to point out the unbeaten fighter's new record.
The victory by unanimous decision was no surprise for anyone at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. Even if there were doubters early on, a knockdown at the end of the final round of the scheduled four-round fight sealed it for the 24 year old.
"Overhand right," Kirkpatrick said later. "My coach Keith (Colone) kept telling me to throw that the entire night. After that, it kept on landing repeatedly, he's like 'keep on throwing it' and that's what I was trying to do."
It was clear from the opening bell that Kirkpatrick's opponent Nick Monty (1-7) was going to have a long night. The light welterweight orthodox fighter started the bout landing jabs, counters, and straight rights but his nose was bleeding going into the second round. By the second round, the referee had to check his corner. Later in the fight, the referee called for the doctor to check Monty's nose, but he was able to continue.
The clear difference were the nasty body shots Kirkpatrick began to land in the second round. The high-guard of Monty was ineffective, eventually forcing him to throw less punches as the fight continued.

#long

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was arrested in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin on the night of July 23, according to police records obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Romo, who currently works as a TV **** yst for CBS Sports' NFL coverage, is accused of operating a vehicle while under the influence. The former NFL quarterback was booked by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office after his arrest at 6:18 p.m. CT on July 23 and was released at 11:01 p.m., according to police records.
According to a copy of Romo's arrest-detention report obtained by USA TODAY Sports, Romo was stopped going southbound on I-43 and "performed poorly on SFSTs (standard field sobriety tests)."
More: Detroit Amps earn first BIG3 win with upset of unbeaten Triplets
A charge of OWI (operating while under the influence) would be the first for the former Cowboys quarterback, who grew up in Burlington, Wisconsin.

#sports #milwaukee #wisconsin

It took years for Magomed Ankalaev to climb to the top of the light heavyweight mountain, and less than 90 seconds for his reign to end. There's no telling how long it will take him to make it back, but he takes his first steps to another championship opportunity at UFC Abu Dhabi.
Saturday's main event features Ankalaev in his first fight since a brutal knockout loss to rival Alex Pereira at UFC 320 this past October. Ankalaev was originally set to face Khalil Rountree Jr., but with Rountree forced to withdraw, in steps up-and-coming contender Bogdan Guskov. This is a change of plans for Guskov as well as he was lined up to rematch Jan Blachowicz at UFC Belgrade next week, only for the matchmakers to call upon him to save the UFC Abu Dhabi headliner.
For one reason or another, Ankalaev has seemingly never been a favorite of the UFC's shot-callers as it took a seven-year unbeaten streak for him to earn his first ******* le shot; now, he needs to stifle Guskov just to keep his spot in line. On the other side, Guskov is undefeated in his past five fights and suddenly finds himself with an opportunity to jump into the top 5 of the rankings.
Will it be status quo or a new face in the ******* le picture by the end of the weekend?
What: UFC Abu Dhabi

#guskov #steps #Opportunity #past

Middlesex, Durham and Leicestershire joined Nottinghamshire with two wins from two in the One-Day Cup by winning their respective matches on Friday, while champions Worcestershire and Kent made victorious starts to their campaigns.
Matches do not get much better for all-rounders than the one enjoyed by Josh de Caires as he delivered career-best List A figures with bat and ball to keep Middlesex unbeaten.
De Caires, son of former England captain Michael Atherton, hit 75 as Middlesex racked up 284-8 against Hampshire and then returned with the ball to take 6-35 as Middlesex won by 160 runs.
Both were career-bests for De Caires, who also moved past his father's best bowling figures in the format of 4-42 for Combined Universities against Somerset in 1989.
Former England Test captain Ben Stokes continues to thrive at Durham, with the all-rounder hitting five sixes in his 73 not out in 51 **** against Sussex, adding to his unbeaten century against Derbyshire on Tuesday.

#best #ball

After several weeks of tight margins and constant movement in the NSL standings, Week 13 saw the league's in-form teams separate themselves from the pack. Ottawa Rapid FC, Montréal Roses FC, and defending champions Vancouver Rise FC all collected another three points, strengthening their cases as genuine ****** le contenders.
For Vancouver, the past weekend may have been the most significant. Their victory over AFC Toronto lifted the Rise from fifth into third place, a reminder that the reigning champions are finding their rhythm at exactly the right time. With confidence growing and key players hitting form, they'll now have one eye on the teams above them.
Meanwhile, Ottawa continue to set the standard. The Rapid have now won four straight matches, while Montréal's disciplined performances have stretched their unbeaten run with a third consecutive victory. Every point is becoming more valuable as the season moves into its decisive stretch. The race at the top is beginning to intensify.
Ottawa's winning streak didn't come easily. It showed exactly why the Rapid have become one of the league's toughest teams to beat.
The opening half was evenly contested with Halifax creating enough chances to trouble the hosts. Melissa Dagenais was called into action on multiple occasions and produced several important saves to keep the match level.

#ottawa #form

India finally ended their seven-match winless run under captain Shreyas Iyer, defeating Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the first T20I at Harare on Thursday. The match also witnessed teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi script history by becoming the youngest player to score a T20I half-century.

After winning the toss, Iyer opted to bowl first, and India's pace attack justified the decision with a clinical performance.
Returning to international cricket for the first time since October 2024 after recovering from a stress fracture, Mayank Yadav made an immediate impact. The express pacer dismissed Brian Bennett with the very first ball of the match before removing Dion Myers, consistently clocking speeds in excess of 145 kmph.

Zimbabwe were reduced to 26/3 inside the powerplay and slipped further to 32/4 after Shivam Dube dismissed captain Sikandar Raza.

A fighting partnership between Wessly Madhevere (39) and Ryan Burl (26), along with an unbeaten 27 off 20 from Tadiwanashe Marumani, helped the hosts recover to 125/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Debutant Ashok Sharma recovered well after an expensive first over, while Ravi Bishnoi bowled economically to finish with 1/24.
Chasing 126, India suffered an early setback when Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for just 1. However, it proved to be Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's day.

The 15-year-old prodigy unleashed a breathtaking ****** ault, smashing 50 off just 19 ****** with four fours and four sixes. In the process, he became the youngest player ever to score a T20I half-century, putting India firmly in control of the chase before falling immediately after reaching his milestone.

Captain Shreyas Iyer anchored the innings with an unbeaten 28 off 24 ****** , while Ishan Kishan chipped in with a quick 35 off 24. Tilak Varma struck the winning runs as India completed the chase comfortably with seven wickets in hand.

For Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, dismissing Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, while Richard Ngarava claimed the prized scalp of Sooryavanshi.

The victory marked Shreyas Iyer's first win as India's T20I captain, ending a frustrating seven-match winless streak that included the tours of Ireland and England, while Sooryavanshi's record-breaking knock stole the headlines in Harare.

#seven #shreyas

When India begin their three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday, the spotlight will not only be on the result but also on the fresh faces hoping to begin their international journeys.

Over the years, tours of Zimbabwe have evolved into India's preferred platform for testing emerging talent in the shortest format. Rather than fielding full-strength squads, the BCCI has consistently used these bilateral series to reward standout domestic and IPL performers with their maiden T20I caps.

The numbers underline that trend. A total of 22 Indian men's cricketers have made their T20I debuts against Zimbabwe, making the African nation one of India's most frequent proving grounds for future stars.
India's tradition of handing out debuts in Zimbabwe dates back to 2010. During the two-match T20I series, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Naman Ojha all made their debuts in the opening game as India secured a comfortable six-wicket win. Kohli remained unbeaten on 26, Ashwin impressed with figures of 1/22, while Ojha managed two runs. In the following match, Amit Mishra became the fourth debutant of the series and returned figures of 1/21.

That tour also marked another milestone, with Suresh Raina captaining India in T20Is for the first time.
Five years later, India again arrived in Zimbabwe with a youthful squad. The 2015 series featured first T20I caps for Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Stuart Binny, Axar Patel and Sandeep Sharma in the opening game, while Sanju Samson debuted in the second T20I.

Although several batters endured modest starts, Axar Patel stood out with an impressive spell of 3/17. Manish Pandey scored 19, Kedar Jadhav made 9, Stuart Binny contributed 11 and Sandeep Sharma went wicketless. Samson scored 19 off 24 ****** in his maiden appearance.

The same tour also witnessed Ajinkya Rahane making his captaincy debut in both ODIs and T20Is.
India continued the trend in 2016, handing opportunities to another crop of newcomers. KL Rahul, Mandeep Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, Rishi Dhawan and Yuzvendra Chahal all made their T20I debuts in the opening match. It proved a difficult initiation for several players as Zimbabwe posted 170/6. Unadkat, Dhawan and Chahal all endured expensive spells, while Rahul was dismissed for a first-ball duck. Mandeep Singh provided one of the few positives with 31 off 27 ****** , although India lost the match by two runs.

The second T20I brought more debutants. Barinder Sran enjoyed a dream start to his international career, producing figures of 4/10, which remain the best bowling figures by an Indian on T20I debut. Dhawal Kulkarni also debuted in that match and claimed 1/32.
India once again used the Zimbabwe tour in 2024 to blood a fresh batch of youngsters. Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel made their T20I debuts in the opening match of the five-game series. Sai Sudharsan was handed his maiden cap in the second T20I, while Tushar Deshpande made his de

Former Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig professional Xaver Schlager – a free agent since July 1st – has officially selected Nottingham Forest as his next station. The Austrian international will be reunited with newly appointed Forest head coach Oliver Glasner, under whom he worked for two seasons at Wolfsburg between 2019 and 2021.
Schlager departs German football having made 150 Bundesliga appearances over the course of the last seven seasons. During that time, he scored seven Bundesliga goals and earned 55 caps for his native country.
Schlager arrived in German football when Wolfsburg signed him from Red Bull Salzburg in the summer of 2019. An ankle injury disrupted the first half of his debut campaign, but the Austrian soon established himself alongside Maximilian Arnold in central midfield. By August 2021, Schlager had already made 70 competitive appearances for die Wölfe and developed into one of the team’s most important midfielders.
His Wolfsburg rise was interrupted by a cruciate ligament rupture suffered against Leipzig early in the 2021/22 season. Schlager underwent surgery and remained sidelined until February 2022. He nevertheless returned strongly enough to earn a move to Leipzig, who paid approximately €12m for him that summer.
Schlager quickly became an important part of Marco Rose’s Leipzig midfield. He scored the winner against Werder Bremen in November 2022 as the German Red Bulls extended their unbeaten run across all competitions to 13 matches. His energetic pressing, physicality and willingness to contest virtually every midfield duel made him well suited to Rose’s football.

#bundesliga

El Paso's unbeaten bantamweight boxing prospect Ivy Enriquez suffered a torn ACL injury in her right knee during training and will not fight next month at the El Paso County Coliseum.
Enriquez was scheduled to fight Perla “La Princesa” Lomeli on Friday, Aug. 7 in a scheduled eight round fight. The Enriquez vs. Lomeli was the expected co-main event.
Red Owl Boxing is promoting the fight card, with the main event set to stream on DAZN at 8 p.m. MT/9 p.m. CT. The preliminary portion of the card will stream live on Red Owl Boxing’s YouTube channel, beginning at 6 p.m. MT./7 p.m. CT.
Enriquez, who is a 2025 Bel Air High School graduate and won multiple national amateur boxing championships and fought internationally.
In the main event, world-ranked Emanuel Moreno (13-0, 3 KO’s) of Wichita Falls, Texas, will battle it out with Guillermo Gutierrez (13-3, 1 KO) of San Antonio, Texas, for Moreno’s World Boxing ***** ociation Continental Americas bantamweight championship at stake.

#lomeli #moreno #World #bantamweight

Jul. 22—MENNO, S.D. — After trailing 5-0 in the first inning, Parkston Post 194 rallied back to a 7-5 victory over Tabor Post 183 to send them into the American Legion Region 4B ****** le series on Wednesday.
With the win, Parkston (20-9) remains unbeaten in the Region 4B tournament and awaits its 2 p.m. matchup for Thursday's championship series where they will have two games to win one to send them into the Class B Legion state tournament July 31 through Aug. 4 in Madison.
Tabor packed the first punch with a 5-run first inning, but Parkston tallied two runs in the third, one in the fourth and four more in the fifth to score seven unanswered runs, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Carson Bueber to take the two-run lead in the bottom of the fifth.
Parkston was led by the bat of Jaxx Kurtenbach, who went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Kash Neugebauer and Bueber each had one hit and two RBIs. Grady Bowar earned the pitching victory after allowing two hits and zero runs with one strikeout in 2 2/3 innings of work in relief for Brycen Bruening, who allowed five runs and six hits with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings pitched.
Tabor was paced offensively by Cooper Mudder, who had three hits and two RBIs, while Isaiah Crownover and Owen Bures added one hit and one RBI apiece. Madden Merkwan was tagged with the loss on the ****** p, surrendering seven hits and seven runs with six strikeouts in five innings pitched.

#runs

Richard Gleeson, who was signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as an injury replacement for Nuwan Thushara for INR 1.6 crore ahead of IPL 2026, made a sensational start to his The Hundred 2026 campaign with MI London, producing a match-winning spell against Sunrisers Leeds.

The 38-year-old England pacer was drafted into RCB's squad after Sri Lankan speedster Nuwan Thushara was unable to join the franchise, with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) refusing to grant him a No-Objection Certificate (NOC).

Now representing MI London (formerly Oval Invincibles), the defending champions of The Hundred, Gleeson showcased his class in the opening match of the 2026 season at The Kia Oval.
Leading MI London's pace attack, Gleeson ripped through the Sunrisers Leeds batting lineup, returning outstanding figures of 4/25. The veteran seamer struck at crucial moments whenever Sunrisers Leeds looked set to build a partnership. He also came within one delivery of a hat-trick after dismissing Zak Crawley and Benny Howell off successive ****** , putting the opposition under immense pressure.

His disciplined spell restricted Sunrisers Leeds to 143, laying the perfect platform for MI London's chase.
MI London's chase got off to the worst possible start as Brydon Carse produced a fiery opening spell, clocking speeds in excess of 90mph. The Sunrisers Leeds pacer removed Will Jacks and birthday boy Jason Roy cheaply, reducing the defending champions to 4/2. When Nathan Ellis bowled James Vince for 13, MI London found themselves in trouble at 51/3, with the momentum firmly in Sunrisers' favour.

However, the game turned completely after Nicholas Pooran walked to the crease. The West Indies star launched a breathtaking counterattack, smashing 58 off just 22 ****** *, including five fours and five sixes. He raced to his half-century in just 19 deliveries, registering the fastest fifty in MI London's history.

At the other end, captain Sam Curran played the perfect supporting role, remaining unbeaten on 60 off 39 ****** . The duo stitched together an unbroken 93-run partnership off only 40 deliveries, guiding MI London to 144/3 in 84 ****** and sealing a commanding seven-wicket victory with 16 ****** to spare to begin their ****** le defence in style.

#spell #thushara #hundred

England's 2-1 ODI series triumph over India has been rewarded in the latest ICC Men's ODI Batting Rankings, with veteran batter Joe Root returning to the top 10 after a sensational series in which he remained unbeaten throughout.

Root, who was named Player of the Series, produced unbeaten scores of 76, 99 and 74 to anchor England's first bilateral ODI series victory over India since 2018. His consistency has lifted him four places to No. 8 in the ICC rankings, marking his return to the top 10 for the first time since 2020.

England opener Ben Duckett was another major beneficiary after his record-breaking 141 in the third ODI at Lord's. The left-hander jumped 11 places to joint-19th, with his match-winning knock becoming the highest individual score in a Men's ODI at the iconic venue, according to an ICC media release.
Despite India losing the series, several Indian batters made gains in the latest rankings following strong individual performances.

Rohit Sharma's magnificent 138 in the Lord's decider helped him reduce the gap on Virat Kohli to just nine rating points. Rohit remains fourth in the ODI batting rankings, while Kohli occupies third. India captain Shubman Gill continues to hold the No. 2 position and is just one rating point behind New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell, who remains the world's top-ranked ODI batter with 802 rating points.

Middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer also climbed two places to 13th after scoring a fighting 66 in the second ODI at Cardiff.
Rank
Player

#root #player #rohit

We can be honest and direct about this point: Oregon football has definitely exceeded USC by a substantial margin over the past three seasons. USC was better in 2022, but Oregon has been far better since 2023. We don't have to explain this. Yet, for all that Oregon has achieved, and for all that USC has failed to achieve, the Ducks and Trojans do share more than they might care to admit. USA TODAY Sports ranked every Big Ten football program going into the 2026 season. Neither Oregon nor USC are in the top two.
USA TODAY wrote this about Indiana (ranked No. 2 behind Ohio State) very quickly surpassing Oregon despite having been a nowhere program with nothingburger credentials through the 2023 season:
"Last year's unbeaten record and out-of-nowhere national ******* le puts Indiana a hair ahead of Oregon, even if the Ducks' recent and not-so-recent history is far beyond anything the Hoosiers achieved before 2024. Even with it's lack of long-term history, it's hard to argue with a team that has 27 wins in two seasons and looks poised for another playoff run."
USA TODAY then wrote this about Oregon, ranked No. 3:
"Probably the best program in the Bowl Subdivision without a national championship to its name, Oregon played for a pair during the Bowl Championship Series era and then advanced to last year's semifinals before losing to Indiana. The Ducks are 46-8 under coach Dan Lanning and have blended into the Big Ten seamlessly with an unbeaten run to the conference ******* le in their first year and an 8-1 record in 2025."

#indiana #program #last

England all-rounder Jacob Bethell has been ruled out of the 2026 edition of The Hundred after sustaining a right knee injury during the recently concluded ODI series against India.

Bethell, who was retained by Birmingham Phoenix for GBP 340,000 ahead of The Hundred's inaugural player auction, had also been appointed captain for the upcoming season. However, an MRI scan conducted on Monday confirmed the extent of the injury, forcing the 22-year-old to withdraw from the tournament. He is set to begin his rehabilitation programme immediately.

The setback comes after a mixed white-ball series against India, where Bethell produced flashes of brilliance despite inconsistent returns. He struck an unbeaten 76 off 46 **** in the second T20I before finishing the ODI series with a composed 91 in the final match.
Birmingham Phoenix head coach Shane Bond admitted the franchise was disappointed to lose both its captain and one of its most influential players but stressed that Bethell's long-term recovery remains the priority.

"We're all incredibly disappointed for Jacob and gutted he won't be able to join us this year. It's frustrating to lose a player of his quality, not least your captain, this close to the tournament, but his long-term fitness has to be the priority. Everyone at the club wishes him the very best with his recovery and we look forward to seeing him back on the field as soon as possible, " Bond said in the official statement released by the franchise.

Bond also confirmed that Donovan Ferreira will take over the captaincy, backing the South African to lead the side.

"In Donovan Ferreira we have a real leader who knows what it takes to go deep into the competition. He's won it before and will be a great person for the younger members of the squad to learn from. We're lucky to have someone of his stature to step into the captaincy," he added.
Reacting to the injury, Bethell expressed his disappointment at missing the tournament, particularly the opportunity to play in front of Birmingham Phoenix supporters at Edgbaston.

"It's frustrating to miss out on The Hundred, especially representing Birmingham Phoenix in front of our supporters at Edgbaston. Unfortunately, I need to take the time to get back to full fitness, " Bethell said in the statement.
Jacob Bethell played a key role for Birmingham Phoenix during The Hundred 2025, featuring in eight matches as a middle-order all-rounder. He scored 122 runs at a strike rate of 143.53 while also picking up three wickets with his left-arm spin, impressing with his finishing ability and versatility. His performances in the tournament proved to be a springboard to international cricket, earning him selection for England's senior white-ball squads later that year.

#captain

Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer KhabibNurmagomedov believes IslamMakhachev is in for a tricky outing against IanGarry.

Makhachev (28-1) is set to defend his welterweight **** le for thefirst time against Garry (17-1) in the main event of UFC330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.Makhachev's friend and mentor, Nurmagomedov, notes that his protégéhas never faced an opponent as tall as Garry.
Nurmagomedov admits that Garry's elusive style is a difficultpuzzle to crack. "The Eagle" further notes that Makhachev, nearing35, is six years older than Garry. According to the former unbeatenlightweight champion, the stylistic threat from Garry, combinedwith the age difference, makes it a difficult matchup forMakhachev.

"We've never faced an opponent this tall - 193 cm [6'4"],"Nurmagomedov said on the "Smol Talk" podcast. "We'll have to chasehim, close the distance, grab him, and take him down. It will be adifficult fight. And Islam is almost 35. The stylistic matchup andthe age together make this a difficult fight… I expect a hardfight, **** uming we don't get an early finish. Spending five roundswith this opponent won't be easy. The training camp will bedifficult too, first because we have to find someone who canimitate him."

American Kickboxing Academy founder and head coach of theDagestani team, Javier Mendez, recently revealed that Professional Fighters League champion UsmanNurmagomedov is helping Makhachev by mimicking Garry intraining.

Garry has racked up 10 UFC wins and suffered his lone professionalloss to ShavkatRakhmonov, who is sidelined due to an injury. Meanwhile,Makhachev is undefeated in 16 straight Octagon outings, includingsix **** le fights. The latter is tied with AndersonSilva for consecutive UFC wins, and a victory at UFC 330 willsee the Dagestani set a new record.

TimesofIndia.com in Birmingham: All-rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar successfully guided Team India to a 259-run chase in the first ODI against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Tuesday. The six-wicket victory ended India's three-week winless streak in the UK, where they had suffered a 0-2 defeat to Ireland and a 0-4 whitewash against England in the T20I series. The win also extended India's unbeaten run against England in ODIs to six consecutive victories while ending England's seven-match winning streak at Edgbaston.

The 102-run stand between Axar and Washington for the fifth wicket, under the blazing sun, lifted the proverbial clouds that had briefly converged over India's march towards victory. In a matter of 20 minutes, India lost skipper Shubman Gill to cramps, Shreyas Iyer to a run-out, and KL Rahul, who dragged a wide delivery onto his stumps. India went from 149/2 to 160/4 in a jiffy, with the trio back in the hut. England, who had been pegged back by the 101-run partnership between Gill (80 off 75 ****** ) and Iyer (35 off 53 ****** ), were suddenly roaring in celebration, as were the 20,744 in attendance. 'Wonderwall', 'It's Coming Home' and 'Hey Jude' echoed around the ground as the FIFA World Cup fever, fuelled by Harry Kane & Co.'s run to the semi-finals, blended with England's surge at Edgbaston.

With 99 runs still required, the challenge was less about the required run rate of 4.5 an over and more about handling the sudden pressure after the loss of three quick wickets. Both Axar and Washington had just arrived at the crease and faced a daunting task. Instead of being bogged down, the southpaws, the first left-handers in India's XI after the quartet of right-handers, tackled the situation with aplomb.
The duo saw off Will Jacks and Sam Curran, with the four overs yielding just nine runs. Adil Rashid's reintroduction allowed Washington to free his arms with a boundary and a nine-run over. The next two overs, as Curran and Jacks continued, yielded 18 runs, with the duo's confidence evidently growing.

Axar was the main man at this stage. A slog sweep off Jacks and consecutive boundaries off Jofra Archer meant the runs were starting to flow comfortably. At the other end, Washington enjoyed watching his teammate bat.
"The way he batted was magical and it was a treat for me to watch from the other end," he said at the post-match press conference.

The next four overs reflected the same level-headed approach. As the fifty-run partnership came and went, the duo collected nine runs in three overs while seeing off Archer's full quota of 10 overs. The following two overs produced another 19 runs, allowing Axar and Washington to slow things down again over the next three overs.

Having navigated the chase to perfection, the duo grew in confidence and momentum, fittingly capped by Washington's cracking shot in the 45th over that sealed the match. A floated delivery from Adil Rashid was too full and in the slot for

Lamine Yamal and Spain are through to the finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In a highly anticipated semifinal matchup between Spain and France, it was Lamine Yamal’s side who ended up victorious.
Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro netted two goals to give the Spaniards a memorable 2-0 win over the World Cup favorites as the French were unable to find a way to beat Spain’s defense.
The 2-0 win over France marked Spain’s 37th consecutive game where the team either won or drew the game in all competitions.
According to OptaJoe on X, this win has helped the 2010 World Cup champs equal Italy’s unbeaten record from 2018 to 2021.

Over 70,000 fans in Arlington witnessed France fizzling out in a disastrous defeat to Spain in the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Luis de la Fuente’s unbeaten run with Spain in tournaments remains intact as he guided his nation to its only second Men’s World Cup grand final.
The manner of the defeat is worse than the result for France as they were thoroughly contained by Spain. Taking their shots with deadly precision, La Roja shook Les Bleus out of the game and never let them back in again. Here are the match observations from this clash.
You have to give it to the Spaniards this one. They read France like a book. The flicks, turns, feints and through ******* had very little effect in getting past Rodri, Fabián Ruiz and their defenders. Their individual awareness and team cohesion was too strong for the likes of Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappé to flair their way.
The through ball anticipation really killed many attacks before they even started. Olise was neutralized by numbers and good anticipation from Spain. With the CAM effectively out of attacks, Deschamps’ men had a very difficult time in creating from just the wings. Not only did Spain have more than 50 percent tackles than France, but several of their 22 tackles forced the opponents to restart from the scratch which took the sting out of the French attack.
The early penalty scored by Mikel Oyarzabal gave his side a huge edge. There wasn’t much to separate the two sides for most of the first half. However, a controversial penalty call offered Spain the opportunity to get a perfect start. We had previously pointed out how inefficient France have been in front of goal and a team that can take its chances were always going to be a huge threat to them.

It's match day for France and Spain as the teams prepare to play in the World Cup semifinals.
France is coming off a dominant 2-0 win over Morocco, where Kylian Mbappe scored his eighth goal of the tournament. Meanwhile, a stout Spanish team enters Tuesday's match after a late goal from Mikel Merino, which put La Roja up 2-1 in its quarterfinal victory over Belgium and extended its unbeaten streak to 37 matches.
When the game kicks off at 3 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, France and Spain will battle for a spot in the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Here's what color jerseys France and Spain will be wearing on Tuesday:
France will wear its blue jersey against Spain on Tuesday afternoon in Arlington. Spain will wear its white jerseys.

Paulo Costa is itching to keep his momentum rolling in the UFC light heavyweight division. Yet it hasn't been easy to find the right fight for the final fight of his contract.
In a recent social media tirade, Costa, 35, vented his frustrations over being sidelined. "Borrachinha" last fought in March, when he scored an impressive knockout of the previously unbeaten Azamat Murzakanov. The layoff has tested the patience of the Brazilian contender.
Speaking in-studio in Las Vegas on Monday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show," Costa revealed he was contacted about replacing Khalil Rountree Jr. in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event on July 25 against Magomed Ankalaev. Instead, Costa declined what would've been the final fight of his deal, prompting Bogdan Guskov to take Rountree's place.
"I'm looking for a fight, but not a short-notice, five-round fight in Abu Dhabi," Costa told Uncrowned. "They offered that fight just to get a no as an answer from me. They extended [my contract] for six months [because of that]. I think there were some misunderstandings and mistakes — I don't understand exactly how they configure these things, and extensions and stuff. I'm not a lawyer. You need to know the small letters on the contract stuff. But I'm a fighter. I just fight.
"Dana White and [UFC CBO] Hunter [Campbell] came up to me after my last fight and said, 'I think this is the biggest victory of your career.' Maybe. And now, nothing's happened.

Ireland ***** istant coach Andrew Goodman has confirmed that Rob Baloucoune and Jeremy Loughman are fit ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship match against New Zealand in Auckland.
Wing Baloucoune has not been involved so far during the inaugural Nations Championship after being forced to withdraw from the line-up for the opening match against Australia due to a hamstring issue.
Munster prop Loughman sustained a head injury in the second half of the narrow win over the Wallabies, which ruled him out of last weekend's win over ***** an.
However, both players have returned to training with Andy Farrell's 36-man squad available when Ireland attempt to end the All Blacks' 52-game unbeaten run at Eden Park.
"It was great to see everyone out there on the fourth week, everyone is fit and available. It is a good place to be at the end of the tour," said Goodman.