Indian cricket administrators and pundits on Monday hailed the Women's Premier League as a huge success after the inaugural tournament ended in fireworks with the Mumbai Indians winning the trophy in front of a huge crowd.Franchise and media rights for the women's version of the Indian Premier League sold for around $700 million, making it the second-most lucrative domestic women's sports competition after US professional basketball.
Kylian Mbappe marked his first game as France captain with a brace in a 4-0 demolition of the Netherlands in Euro 2024 qualifying on Friday, while Romelu Lukaku scored a hat-trick as Belgium began a new era with a 3-0 victory in Sweden.The 41-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic came off the bench for Sweden before Lukaku made it 3-0 with another easy finish.
Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi guided Afghanistan to a six-wicket win over a new-look Pakistan in the first Twenty20 international of a three-game series on Friday.This becomes Afghanistan's first win in four Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan.
England's Nat Sciver-Brunt and Issy Wong starred as Mumbai Indians trounced UP Warriorz by 72 runs in the eliminator match of the inaugural Women's Premier League in Mumbai on Friday. Sciver-Brunt smashed an unbeaten 38-ball 72 to propel Mumbai to 182-4 before fast bowler Wong claimed 4-15.
Bayern Munich announced Friday they had appointed former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel as their new boss after firing Julian Nagelsmann.Nagelsmann will be succeeded by Thomas Tuchel."
Lionel Messi capped a night of unbridled joy with the 800th goal of his career as world champions Argentina celebrated their homecoming with a 2-0 friendly victory over stubborn Panama in Buenos Aires on Thursday.It was clear that this was more a celebration than a football match but Panama clearly had not read the script.
Harry Kane became England's all-time leading goalscorer as the Three Lions enjoyed a perfect start to Euro 2024 qualifying by winning 2-1 away to Italy on Thursday, as Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice on his record 197th cap in Portugal's 4-0 win over Liechtenstein.Elsewhere in Group H, Dion Charles scored twice as Northern Ireland won 2-0 in San Marino, while Slovenia came from behind to win 2-1 away to Kazakhstan. kca/jc
Transgender women will no longer be allowed to compete in female track and field events regardless of their levels of testosterone, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said Thursday, citing fairness over inclusion.Speaking after a meeting of the global track and field federation's decision-making body, Coe said World Athletics had consulted with stakeholders including 40 national federations, the International Olympic Committee and trans groups about the issue of transgender athletes.
British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe made a revised bid to buy Manchester United on Thursday as Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus entered the race to own the Premier League giants."Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS can confirm we have submitted a revised bid," INEOS said in a statement when contacted by AFP. Zilliacus entered the race on Thursday, with a bid he said will give fans the chance to own 50 percent of the club.
Iran on Thursday allowed female football fans into a stadium for a national team match for the first time in more than a year.The Islamic republic has generally barred female spectators from football and other sports stadiums since it was established in 1979.
Liton Das and Tamim Iqbal breezed past Ireland's dismal 101-run total in less than 14 overs for Bangladesh's first-ever 10-wicket win, sealing a 2-0 series victory during Thursday's final one-day-international in Sylhet.The drubbing was Bangladesh's first 10-wicket win in any format, with the hosts smashing records in each match.
The takeover of Swiss bank Credit Suisse leaves many sports stars, teams and tournaments with a big question mark hanging over their lucrative sponsorship deals.The Swiss national football team, the country's top football division, tennis great Roger Federer, golf star Sergio Garcia and Zurich's new stadium were all sponsored by the bank, which is being taken over by Swiss rival UBS. The deal was hastily arranged on Sunday after Credit Suisse's share price plunged.
French government plans to trial surveillance cameras upgraded with artificial intelligence at the 2024 Olympics have opponents fuming at what they say is unnecessary and dangerous security overreach.But opponents say the plans overstep the bounds of the French constitution and European law.
Australian spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar turned the match to hand India their first one-day international series defeat at home since 2019 in a thrilling third and final match in Chennai on Wednesday. Three wickets apiece from Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav left India in need of 270 to win the series, which stood at 1-1 going into the final game.
The world's top-rated Twenty20 batter, India's Suryakumar Yadav, suffered his third consecutive golden duck on Wednesday in a thrilling third and final one-day international against Australia.Yadav was bowled first ball by Ashton Agar in the 36th over of India's chase in the final ODI. That left the hosts reeling at 185-6 with a target of 270 to win the match in Chennai.
Japan came from behind twice to defeat Mexico 6-5 on Monday and set up a World Baseball Classic final showdown with the United States.Japan are chasing a record third World Baseball Classic crown after winning the tournament in 2006 and 2009.
Egypt's fertile Nile Delta may not be the obvious destination for field hockey, but a women's team is blazing a trail in a region that lays claim to the sport's ancient roots.- Hockey vs family - Thousands of years later, the athletes of the Sharqiya women's team -- which has won 25 out of 28 league tournaments in its history -- dribble across the field to the sound of wooden hockey sticks colliding.
New Zealand Rugby on Tuesday announced Scott "Razor" Robertson as the All Blacks coach from 2024, tapping him to lead a once all-conquering side now plagued by on and off-field woes.- Enormous pressure - New Zealand Rugby took the unusual step of starting the recruitment process well before Foster's contract expired, widely seen as an attempt to stop international sides from poaching leading contenders.
The second one-day international between Bangladesh and Ireland was called off due to rain in Sylhet on Monday after the home side posted their highest-ever ODI total.Match officials called the game off shortly after 8:30 pm (2030 GMT) with no prospect of the weather improving at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines hit a scorching final-round 65 to race up the leaderboard and win the DGC Open crown of the Asian Tour at a storm-hit Delhi Golf Club on Sunday.Tabuena's previous Asian Tour wins were the Philippine Open in 2015 and the Queen's Cup in Thailand three years later. stu/mca
Mitchell Starc's 5-53 and a blazing 66 by Mitchell Marsh helped Australia demolish India by 10 wickets in the second one-day international to level the series at 1-1 on Sunday.Openers Travis Head (51) and Marsh, who smashed six sixes in his 36-ball blitz, then took apart the Indian bowling to romp home in 11 overs and level the three-match series with one game left.
New Zealand maintained their dominance over Sri Lanka in the second Test on Sunday, enforcing a follow-on and setting up the likelihood of a series clean sweep with two days to play.Bracewell said he supported the decision by Black Caps captain Southee to enforce the follow-on, with the home side's bowling attack still fresh when Sri Lanka padded up for a second time.
Tottenham manager Antonio Conte lambasted his players after they let a two-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 at Southampton on Saturday, as Chelsea also conceded a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Everton.The visitors had won just once in their last 13 league games but stormed into a 3-0 lead.
Aggressive double centuries for Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls powered New Zealand's dominance in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Wellington on Saturday."Obviously Kane and Henry batted very well.
If the phrase "sumo wrestler" calls to mind a hefty Asian man in a loincloth, Valeria and Diana Dall'Olio, a mother-daughter sumo wrestling team from Brazil, have a message: think again.Diana, 18, says she never had much interest in wrestling -- until she was attracted to sumo by its speed.