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Andrey Rublev is into his third Hamburg Open final after a straight-sets victory over Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday.&nbsp;The Russian, who lost in 2019 but won the tournament a year later, won 6-1, 6-4 against his 30th-ranked opponent.&nbsp;Rublev, the third seed, will meet Italy's Flavio Cobolli in the final on Saturday.&nbsp;The world number 17 was broken just once, winning in an hour and 24 minutes against the sixth-seeded Canadian.&nbsp;In the second set, Rublev broke his opponent's serve at 4-4 and won the match on his own serve.&nbsp;Rublev will be a heavy favourite against Cobolli, who came from a set down to beat Argentine Tomas Etcheverry earlier on Friday. Cobolli, ranked 35th in the world, won 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.&nbsp;The Italian, ranked 35th in the world, looked out on his feet early, with Etcheverry breaking his opponent twice to take the opening set in 46 minutes.&nbsp;The 23-year-old was calm and controlled in the final set, breaking his 55th-ranked opponent in the ninth game to grab hold of the match.&nbsp;Cobolli had never before beaten his Argentinian opponent in four meetings before Friday's clash, including two on clay.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Andrey Rublev will be a heavy favourite against Cobolli, who came from a set down to beat Argentine Tomas Etcheverry earlier on Friday. Cobolli, ranked 35th in the world, won 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Andrey Rublev is into his third Hamburg Open final after a straight-sets victory over Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday. The Russian, who lost in 2019 but won the tournament a year later, won 6-1, 6-4 against his 30th-ranked opponent. Rublev, the third seed, will meet Italy's Flavio Cobolli in the final on Saturday. The world number 17 was broken just once, winning in an hour and 24 minutes against the sixth-seeded Canadian. In the second set, Rublev broke his opponent's serve at 4-4 and won the match on his own serve. Rublev will be a heavy favourite against Cobolli, who came from a set down to beat Argentine Tomas Etcheverry earlier on Friday. Cobolli, ranked 35th in the world, won 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. The Italian, ranked 35th in the world, looked out on his feet early, with Etcheverry breaking his opponent twice to take the opening set in 46 minutes. The 23-year-old was calm and controlled in the final set, breaking his 55th-ranked opponent in the ninth game to grab hold of the match. Cobolli had never before beaten his Argentinian opponent in four meetings before Friday's clash, including two on clay. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Andrey Rublev will be a heavy favourite against Cobolli, who came from a set down to beat Argentine Tomas Etcheverry earlier on Friday. Cobolli, ranked 35th in the world, won 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Andrey Rublev cruises into third Hamburg final ahead of French Open

Napoli climbed back to the top of Italian football after sealing the Serie A title on Friday, bouncing back from disaster to win the Italian championship for the fourth time.&nbsp;Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku netted in a 2-0 win over Cagliari at a packed and wild Stadio Diego Armando Maradona as Napoli secured their second league crown in three years on the final day of the season.&nbsp;Napoli finished the season a point ahead of closest rivals Inter Milan who won 2-0 at Como, the outgoing champions' opponents having to play half the match with 10 men after goalkeeper Pepe Reina was sent off just before half-time of his last ever match.Friday's triumph crowned a season which started with few thinking Napoli could challenge Inter after finishing 10th as reigning champions last term.&nbsp;"It's happened again and it's fantastic... we've had a really great season and it's all thanks to the boys who wanted to put themselves out there, especially those who won the league two years ago," said coach Antonio Conte. &nbsp;Conte has taken Napoli by the scruff of the neck but did nothing to squash rumours that he will leave in the summer after one season in Naples due to his frustrations at a lack of investment from owner Aurelio De Laurentiis.&nbsp;"I have a good relationship with the president and his family," said Conte when pressed on his future by DAZN.&nbsp;"I've had the opportunity to get to know him and him me, we're celebrating together and we're two winners. Maybe we're a bit different, but we're two winners."&nbsp;Inter's win meant nothing as another Scudetto party was kicked off in Naples by the fans' new heroes McTominay and Lukaku, with fans lighting flares and setting off fireworks in the streets in celebration.&nbsp;Scotland midfielder McTominay, named player of the season, signed with the league campaign already underway in August and immediately made an impact on a team still reeling last season's disaster.<h2>Speechless McTominay</h2>His 12th goal of his first Serie A season, three minutes before half-time, was a fitting way for Napoli to break the deadlock as he has been the symbol of the team's renewal under Conte."I'm lost for words. It's incredible you know, the sacrifice that every single player in the group has put forward to the cause," said McTominay.&nbsp;"And the people deserve it because they've been behind us from day one, and for me to come and experience this is a dream."&nbsp;McTominay's acrobatic volley from Matteo Politano's cross broke the ice in a tense stadium, as supporters watched a clutch of good chances come and go while Inter took the lead through Stefan de Vrij in the 21st minute in Como and briefly moved top of the division.&nbsp;And Lukaku made sure that Napoli would secure title glory five minutes after the break when he collected Amir Rrahmani's long pass and held off Yerry Mina before ramming home the goal which sealed the deal.&nbsp;Joaquin Correa doubled Inter's lead just as Lukaku scored, cutting inside Ivan Smolcic before confidently sliding home his second goal of the season.&nbsp;But Inter now turn their attentions to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in Munich, where Simone Inzaghi's team will try to win club football's biggest prize after conceding the Scudetto to Napoli.&nbsp;Twelve points lost from winning positions played their part in Inter losing the title and the second-string team sent out at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia suggested that Inzaghi was already thinking ahead to next weekend.&nbsp;Inter had been gunning to repeat the treble won under Jose Mourinho in 2010 earlier in the season but the Champions League is now their only chance for a trophy from a long, and draining campaign which they could end with nothing.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Napoli climbed back to the top of Italian football after sealing the Serie A title on Friday, bouncing back from disaster to win the Italian championship for the fourth time.

Napoli climbed back to the top of Italian football after sealing the Serie A title on Friday, bouncing back from disaster to win the Italian championship for the fourth time. Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku netted in a 2-0 win over Cagliari at a packed and wild Stadio Diego Armando Maradona as Napoli secured their second league crown in three years on the final day of the season. Napoli finished the season a point ahead of closest rivals Inter Milan who won 2-0 at Como, the outgoing champions' opponents having to play half the match with 10 men after goalkeeper Pepe Reina was sent off just before half-time of his last ever match. Friday's triumph crowned a season which started with few thinking Napoli could challenge Inter after finishing 10th as reigning champions last term. "It's happened again and it's fantastic... we've had a really great season and it's all thanks to the boys who wanted to put themselves out there, especially those who won the league two years ago," said coach Antonio Conte. Conte has taken Napoli by the scruff of the neck but did nothing to squash rumours that he will leave in the summer after one season in Naples due to his frustrations at a lack of investment from owner Aurelio De Laurentiis. "I have a good relationship with the president and his family," said Conte when pressed on his future by DAZN. "I've had the opportunity to get to know him and him me, we're celebrating together and we're two winners. Maybe we're a bit different, but we're two winners." Inter's win meant nothing as another Scudetto party was kicked off in Naples by the fans' new heroes McTominay and Lukaku, with fans lighting flares and setting off fireworks in the streets in celebration. Scotland midfielder McTominay, named player of the season, signed with the league campaign already underway in August and immediately made an impact on a team still reeling last season's disaster. Speechless McTominay His 12th goal of his first Serie A season, three minutes before half-time, was a fitting way for Napoli to break the deadlock as he has been the symbol of the team's renewal under Conte. "I'm lost for words. It's incredible you know, the sacrifice that every single player in the group has put forward to the cause," said McTominay. "And the people deserve it because they've been behind us from day one, and for me to come and experience this is a dream." McTominay's acrobatic volley from Matteo Politano's cross broke the ice in a tense stadium, as supporters watched a clutch of good chances come and go while Inter took the lead through Stefan de Vrij in the 21st minute in Como and briefly moved top of the division. And Lukaku made sure that Napoli would secure title glory five minutes after the break when he collected Amir Rrahmani's long pass and held off Yerry Mina before ramming home the goal which sealed the deal. Joaquin Correa doubled Inter's lead just as Lukaku scored, cutting inside Ivan Smolcic before confidently sliding home his second goal of the season. But Inter now turn their attentions to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in Munich, where Simone Inzaghi's team will try to win club football's biggest prize after conceding the Scudetto to Napoli. Twelve points lost from winning positions played their part in Inter losing the title and the second-string team sent out at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia suggested that Inzaghi was already thinking ahead to next weekend. Inter had been gunning to repeat the treble won under Jose Mourinho in 2010 earlier in the season but the Champions League is now their only chance for a trophy from a long, and draining campaign which they could end with nothing. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Napoli climbed back to the top of Italian football after sealing the Serie A title on Friday, bouncing back from disaster to win the Italian championship for the fourth time.

Napoli back on top in Italy after sealing fourth Serie A crown on dramatic final day

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by 42 runs in Lucknow on Friday (May 23) to dent their hopes of a top-two finish in IPL 2025. SRH won its fifth game this season, with gloveman Ishan Kishan finding form just at the right time, scoring a match-winning unbeaten 93 in the first innings.&nbsp;For the RCB, openers Virat Kohli and Phil Salt were among the runs, but it wasn’t enough as wickets tumbled during fag end of the innings, conceding the chance to go on top of the points table.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-14-year-old-ipl-boss-baby-vaibhav-suryavanshi-receives-warm-welcome-at-home-after-maiden-season-watch-rajasthan-royals-1748021797160">14-year-old IPL boss baby Vaibhav Suryavanshi receives warm welcome at home after maiden season – Watch</a> &nbsp;Sitting at the contrasting ends of the points table, with one team (SRH) out of the playoffs race and the other (RCB) closing in on finishing inside the top two, this top-tier clash had everything for the fans.&nbsp; &nbsp;RCB won the toss and elected to field first, with SRH star openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head adding 54 for the first wicket. After losing two wickets without bothering the score, the attacking pair of Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen stitched a 48-run stand in 27 balls before the Proteas departed. &nbsp;Handy contributions from Aniket Verma (26), Abhinav Manohar (12) and Captain Pat Cummins (12) kept the fans entertained, but what stood out was Kishan’s innings, who scored an unbeaten 94 off 48 balls, hitting five sixes and seven fours. Magnificent batting effort saw them hit 231 for six in 20 overs.<h2>Kohli, Salt show in Lucknow, but for nothing &nbsp;</h2>Virat Kohli and Phil Salt put RCB on top with a blistering start, adding 80 runs for the first wicket inside seven overs. After Kohli’s departure, RCB lost two wickets in Mayank Agarwal and Salt (62 off 32 balls) before Impact Player Rajat Patidar and keeper Jitesh Sharma added 44 for the fourth wicket to put them back in the game. &nbsp;That triggered a late collapse, with the RCB losing the remaining six wickets for just 16 runs; Cummins returned with three wickets, while everyone else bagged too.&nbsp; &nbsp;As a result, SRH folded RCB on 189, winning the contest by 42 runs. &nbsp;While RCB’s last league game is against LSG on Tuesday (May 27), SRH will face KKR on Sunday (May 25).&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Ishan Kishan finds form with bat as SRH beat RCB to dent their top two hopes

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by 42 runs in Lucknow on Friday (May 23) to dent their hopes of a top-two finish in IPL 2025. SRH won its fifth game this season, with gloveman Ishan Kishan finding form just at the right time, scoring a match-winning unbeaten 93 in the first innings. For the RCB, openers Virat Kohli and Phil Salt were among the runs, but it wasn’t enough as wickets tumbled during fag end of the innings, conceding the chance to go on top of the points table. Also read | 14-year-old IPL boss baby Vaibhav Suryavanshi receives warm welcome at home after maiden season – Watch Sitting at the contrasting ends of the points table, with one team (SRH) out of the playoffs race and the other (RCB) closing in on finishing inside the top two, this top-tier clash had everything for the fans. RCB won the toss and elected to field first, with SRH star openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head adding 54 for the first wicket. After losing two wickets without bothering the score, the attacking pair of Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen stitched a 48-run stand in 27 balls before the Proteas departed. Handy contributions from Aniket Verma (26), Abhinav Manohar (12) and Captain Pat Cummins (12) kept the fans entertained, but what stood out was Kishan’s innings, who scored an unbeaten 94 off 48 balls, hitting five sixes and seven fours. Magnificent batting effort saw them hit 231 for six in 20 overs. Kohli, Salt show in Lucknow, but for nothing Virat Kohli and Phil Salt put RCB on top with a blistering start, adding 80 runs for the first wicket inside seven overs. After Kohli’s departure, RCB lost two wickets in Mayank Agarwal and Salt (62 off 32 balls) before Impact Player Rajat Patidar and keeper Jitesh Sharma added 44 for the fourth wicket to put them back in the game. That triggered a late collapse, with the RCB losing the remaining six wickets for just 16 runs; Cummins returned with three wickets, while everyone else bagged too. As a result, SRH folded RCB on 189, winning the contest by 42 runs. While RCB’s last league game is against LSG on Tuesday (May 27), SRH will face KKR on Sunday (May 25).

For the RCB, openers Virat Kohli and Phil Salt were among the runs, but it wasn’t enough as wickets tumbled during fag end of the innings, conceding the chance to go on top of the points table.

IPL 2025: Ishan Kishan finds form with bat as SRH beat RCB to dent their top-two hopes

14-year-old <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/vaibhav-suryavanshi">Vaibhav Suryavanshi</a> made headlines for becoming the youngest to make an IPL debut. Representing Rajasthan Royals (RR) in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025">IPL 2025</a>, the left-handed opener debuted against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a home game in Jaipur, sending the cricket world into a frenzy by hitting the first ball of his IPL career for a massive six. Following his maiden IPL season, Vaibhav received a warm welcome at home.&nbsp;Vaibhav’s IPL team (RR) uploaded the video of his friends and family members celebrating his early success on social media.&nbsp; &nbsp;Watch –

14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi made headlines for becoming the youngest to make an IPL debut this season. Representing Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the cash-rich league, the left-handed opener debuted against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a home game in Jaipur, sending the cricket world into a frenzy by hitting the first ball of his IPL career for a massive six. Following his maiden IPL season, Vaibhav received a warm welcome at home.
Vaibhav’s IPL team (RR) uploaded the video of his friends and family members celebrating his early success on social media. 
Watch –
Vaibhav’s breakthrough season
Having already made headlines for becoming the youngest to feature in an IPL auction late last year, Vaibhav shattered all records by opening for Rajasthan at 14 years, later registering a record unlikely to be broken at least anytime soon – hitting a hundred in only his third IPL game.
Facing Gujarat Titans (GT) in Jaipur on April 28, Vaibhav smoked a 35-ball hundred - the quickest by an Indian, second-quickest by anyone and the youngest ever to do so in the tournament history. Former IPL great Yusuf Pathan held the record for scoring a 37-ball hundred (for RR against MI) back in 2010.
Although he got out on single digits in his next two games, including on a duck against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Eden Gardens, Vaibhav hit an impressive 40 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Jaipur and a match-winning 57 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in his side’s last league game in Delhi on past Tuesday (May 20).
Rise to the top
Following his breakout IPL season, Vaibhav got picked in India’s U-19 squad for the away England series, alongside Mumbai and CSK opener Ayush Mhatre. The forthcoming tour will see India Under-19 play England Under-19 in a 50-over warm-up match, a five-match Youth one-day series and two multi-day matches.
Here is India’s U-19 squad for UK tour –
Ayush Mhatre (captain), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Vihaan Malhotra, Maulyarajsinh Chavda, Rahul Kumar, Abhigyan Kundu (vice-capt, wk), Harvansh Pangalia (wk), RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Yudhajit Guha, Pranav Raghavendra, Mohamed Enaan, Aditya Rana and Anmoljeet Singh

<h2>Vaibhav’s breakthrough season &nbsp;</h2>Having already made headlines for becoming the youngest to feature in an IPL auction late last year, Vaibhav shattered all records by opening for Rajasthan at 14 years, later registering a record unlikely to be broken at least anytime soon – hitting a hundred in only his third IPL game. &nbsp;Facing Gujarat Titans (GT) in Jaipur on April 28, Vaibhav smoked a 35-ball hundred - the quickest by an Indian, second-quickest by anyone and the youngest ever to do so in the tournament history. Former IPL great Yusuf Pathan held the record for scoring a 37-ball hundred (for RR against MI) back in 2010. &nbsp;Although he got out on single digits in his next two games, including on a duck against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Eden Gardens, Vaibhav hit an impressive 40 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Jaipur and a match-winning 57 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in his side’s last league game in Delhi on past Tuesday (May 20). &nbsp;<h3>Rise to the top &nbsp;</h3>Following his breakout IPL season, Vaibhav got picked in India’s U-19 squad for the away England series, alongside Mumbai and CSK opener Ayush Mhatre. The forthcoming tour will see India Under-19 play England Under-19 in a 50-over warm-up match, a five-match Youth one-day series and two multi-day matches. &nbsp;Here is India’s U-19 squad for the UK tour – &nbsp;Ayush Mhatre (captain), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Vihaan Malhotra, Maulyarajsinh Chavda, Rahul Kumar, Abhigyan Kundu (vice-capt, wk), Harvansh Pangalia (wk), RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Yudhajit Guha, Pranav Raghavendra, Mohamed Enaan, Aditya Rana and Anmoljeet Singh

14 year old IPL boss baby Vaibhav Suryavanshi receives warm welcome at home after maiden season Watch

14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi made headlines for becoming the youngest to make an IPL debut. Representing Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2025, the left-handed opener debuted against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a home game in Jaipur, sending the cricket world into a frenzy by hitting the first ball of his IPL career for a massive six. Following his maiden IPL season, Vaibhav received a warm welcome at home. Vaibhav’s IPL team (RR) uploaded the video of his friends and family members celebrating his early success on social media. Watch –

Vaibhav’s IPL team (RR) uploaded the video of his friends and family members celebrating his early success on social media.&nbsp;

14-year-old IPL boss baby Vaibhav Suryavanshi receives warm welcome at home after maiden season – Watch

Thomas Tuchel said Friday he will not release England players early for the Club World Cup because he wants to build a close bond with his squad.&nbsp;England play a World Cup qualifier against Andorra on June 7 before a friendly against Senegal in Nottingham three days later.&nbsp;The expanded Club World Cup, involving 32 teams, starts in the United States on June 14.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-boss-arne-slot-says-trent-alexander-arnold-deserves-his-part-in-liverpool-title-party-real-madrid-premier-league-1748011577950">Arne Slot says Alexander-Arnold 'deserves' his part in Liverpool title party</a>&nbsp;Tuchel had considered leaving out players involved in the month-long tournament, but opted to name eight in his squad on Friday and has no intention of allowing them to leave early.&nbsp;"We will start the camp with 26 and finish the camp with the same 26. That's the decision in the end," Tuchel said. "I was an advocate and could see the reasons for the players who go to the Club World Cup to maybe leave a bit earlier, to maybe change the squad.&nbsp;"We even had discussions if we nominate the squad without Club World Cup players, so the discussion was very open in all directions. But very quickly we understood that it is also important for us."&nbsp;Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, who is reportedly set for surgery on a shoulder issue after the tournament, Bayern Munich's Harry Kane and Atletico Madrid's Conor Gallagher are among the Club World Cup participants named in the England squad.&nbsp;Tuchel also called up the Chelsea quintet Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill and Reece James.&nbsp;The German is aware that clubs would prefer he adopted a more flexible approach, but he is determined to give priority to England's World Cup challenge.&nbsp;"It's only one year to go until the World Cup, so why would you send players away? We want to cherish and worship every day together, and what signal would it send to the group to send players away?" asked Tuchel. "I can understand the arguments, especially of the clubs who would love to see their players get a rest, but I think we have the strongest arguments for ourselves, and for our goals that we want to reach.&nbsp;"We are building a togetherness. We want to develop a camaraderie, and this is only possible if we take every day seriously.&nbsp;"The players know it, the clubs know it, and this is our decision."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Thomas Tuchel wont let England stars leave early for Club World Cup

Thomas Tuchel said Friday he will not release England players early for the Club World Cup because he wants to build a close bond with his squad. England play a World Cup qualifier against Andorra on June 7 before a friendly against Senegal in Nottingham three days later. The expanded Club World Cup, involving 32 teams, starts in the United States on June 14. Also read | Arne Slot says Alexander-Arnold 'deserves' his part in Liverpool title party Tuchel had considered leaving out players involved in the month-long tournament, but opted to name eight in his squad on Friday and has no intention of allowing them to leave early. "We will start the camp with 26 and finish the camp with the same 26. That's the decision in the end," Tuchel said. "I was an advocate and could see the reasons for the players who go to the Club World Cup to maybe leave a bit earlier, to maybe change the squad. "We even had discussions if we nominate the squad without Club World Cup players, so the discussion was very open in all directions. But very quickly we understood that it is also important for us." Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, who is reportedly set for surgery on a shoulder issue after the tournament, Bayern Munich's Harry Kane and Atletico Madrid's Conor Gallagher are among the Club World Cup participants named in the England squad. Tuchel also called up the Chelsea quintet Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill and Reece James. The German is aware that clubs would prefer he adopted a more flexible approach, but he is determined to give priority to England's World Cup challenge. "It's only one year to go until the World Cup, so why would you send players away? We want to cherish and worship every day together, and what signal would it send to the group to send players away?" asked Tuchel. "I can understand the arguments, especially of the clubs who would love to see their players get a rest, but I think we have the strongest arguments for ourselves, and for our goals that we want to reach. "We are building a togetherness. We want to develop a camaraderie, and this is only possible if we take every day seriously. "The players know it, the clubs know it, and this is our decision." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

England play a World Cup qualifier against Andorra on June 7 before a friendly against Senegal in Nottingham three days later.

Thomas Tuchel won't let England stars leave early for Club World Cup

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/arne-slot">Arne Slot</a> said Trent Alexander-Arnold "deserves" to be part of Liverpool's title celebrations despite revealing he was unhappy with the defender's performances in training at the start of the season.&nbsp;The England international announced his decision to quit his boyhood club earlier this month and is widely expected to join Real Madrid.&nbsp;He was booed by Liverpool fans when he came on as a second-half substitute in last week's 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Anfield and did not play in the 3-2 defeat at Brighton on Monday.&nbsp;Liverpool, who wrapped up the Premier League title last month with four games to spare, will be presented with the trophy after Sunday's game against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.&nbsp;Slot was asked by reporters on Friday whether he had concerns that the celebrations would be overshadowed by a negative reaction to Alexander-Arnold.&nbsp;He said he had yet to make a decision on the extent of the right-back's involvement.&nbsp;"I haven't decided on that one yet, but I think this should be a day that everybody is going to enjoy," Slot said.&nbsp;"It's been 35 years, everybody is waiting for this moment."&nbsp;Liverpool lifted the 2020 Premier League trophy behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions.&nbsp;Slot, in his first season at Anfield, said celebrations after Liverpool sealed the title against Tottenham were special.&nbsp;"I'm hoping that we can add a moment like this to it, and I think everybody that's in this stadium deserves to be there, the fans, the staff, but also the players," he said.&nbsp;“One of my players is Trent, so he definitely deserves to be there as well because he's been part of an incredibly successful season and an incredibly successful (few) years at this club.”<h2>‘Not happy’</h2>&nbsp;While Slot hopes Alexander-Arnold gets a fond farewell from fans, the Dutchman was critical about the right-back's efforts in training during his early weeks as Liverpool manager.&nbsp;"He's going to leave either way, so maybe it's already a first gift I can give Xabi (Alonso, expected to be the new Real Madrid manager)," he said. "But I wasn't completely happy with every single minute how he was on the training ground. So, in my opinion, in certain moments he could do a bit more, to say it mildly.&nbsp;"I said to him, 'You are a much better defender than everybody tells you, but unfortunately, you don't show it all the time. '"&nbsp;Slot said he told Alexander-Arnold, 26, that if he was focused, there were not many players that could go past him because he is "fast, he's agile, he has a great mentality".&nbsp;"It's about showing it every single game, because in this world we are judged not only on the 34 games we do well, we are mainly judged on the four games that we don't do so well," he said.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Liverpool boss Slot says Alexander-Arnold deserves his part in Liverpool title party

Arne Slot said Trent Alexander-Arnold "deserves" to be part of Liverpool's title celebrations despite revealing he was unhappy with the defender's performances in training at the start of the season. The England international announced his decision to quit his boyhood club earlier this month and is widely expected to join Real Madrid. He was booed by Liverpool fans when he came on as a second-half substitute in last week's 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Anfield and did not play in the 3-2 defeat at Brighton on Monday. Liverpool, who wrapped up the Premier League title last month with four games to spare, will be presented with the trophy after Sunday's game against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace. Slot was asked by reporters on Friday whether he had concerns that the celebrations would be overshadowed by a negative reaction to Alexander-Arnold. He said he had yet to make a decision on the extent of the right-back's involvement. "I haven't decided on that one yet, but I think this should be a day that everybody is going to enjoy," Slot said. "It's been 35 years, everybody is waiting for this moment." Liverpool lifted the 2020 Premier League trophy behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions. Slot, in his first season at Anfield, said celebrations after Liverpool sealed the title against Tottenham were special. "I'm hoping that we can add a moment like this to it, and I think everybody that's in this stadium deserves to be there, the fans, the staff, but also the players," he said. “One of my players is Trent, so he definitely deserves to be there as well because he's been part of an incredibly successful season and an incredibly successful (few) years at this club.” ‘Not happy’ While Slot hopes Alexander-Arnold gets a fond farewell from fans, the Dutchman was critical about the right-back's efforts in training during his early weeks as Liverpool manager. "He's going to leave either way, so maybe it's already a first gift I can give Xabi (Alonso, expected to be the new Real Madrid manager)," he said. "But I wasn't completely happy with every single minute how he was on the training ground. So, in my opinion, in certain moments he could do a bit more, to say it mildly. "I said to him, 'You are a much better defender than everybody tells you, but unfortunately, you don't show it all the time. '" Slot said he told Alexander-Arnold, 26, that if he was focused, there were not many players that could go past him because he is "fast, he's agile, he has a great mentality". "It's about showing it every single game, because in this world we are judged not only on the 34 games we do well, we are mainly judged on the four games that we don't do so well," he said. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The England international announced his decision to quit his boyhood club earlier this month and is widely expected to join Real Madrid.

Arne Slot says Alexander-Arnold 'deserves' his part in Liverpool title party

When Mumbai Indians star batter, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/suryakumar-yadav">Suryakumar Yadav</a>, walked out to bat against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/delhi-capitals">Delhi Capitals </a>on Wednesday (21 May), the Mumbai crowd expected a Surya storm: the flicks behind square, ramps over the keeper, and a fully unorthodox innings. But what followed was a complete opposite innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;It wasn’t an ordinary T20 knock but a masterclass in control and maturity. In a must-win game to seal the fourth playoff spot, he quickly understood this wasn't the normal Wankhede pitch. That resulted in him looking for singles and doubles and taking the game deep, similar to what former Indian captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ms-dhoni">MS Dhoni</a> did for India.&nbsp;Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-advantage-pbks-rcb-as-gt-s-defeat-to-lsg-leaves-race-for-qualifier-1-spot-wide-open-1747972119611"> IPL 2025: Advantage PBKS, RCB as GT's defeat to LSG leaves race for Qualifier 1 spot wide open</a>&nbsp;At the sluggish pitch, where Delhi spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam found bite from the surface, Surya controlled his temptations and just looked to tap them. He hit his first six when facing his 21st delivery of Mustafizur Rahman by dancing down the track. Usually, he just takes fewer than 10 balls to hit the first maximum.&nbsp;Interestingly, all of his sixes were hit between the range of extra cover to the deep-mid wicket. This is not the Surya we know. However, defying all odds, this was the Surya who played a playoff-securing knock.&nbsp;What makes this inning praiseworthy is how it was crafted. There were only three boundaries behind the stumps, those too on the off side. The rest of his shots stayed in front of the wicket. No sweeps, no scoops, just pure timing, placement and presence of mind.

Wagonwheel of Surya's boundaries in the innings

At the end of the 18th over, MI were 132/5 and everyone believed 160 was far from reality. But then came the Surya storm, accumulating 47 runs in the last two overs with the support of Naman Dhir. &nbsp; He hit boundaries in the final two overs towards extra covers, deep mid-wicket and a gentle tap between wicketkeeper and short third man. And towards the end, this Surya special innings turned out to be the difference between the two sides. &nbsp; This inning proved that T20 cricket is not just about blind slogging but playing according to the conditions, pitch and team requirements. In a game that could’ve made things worse for Mumbai, he played like their anchor and their finisher.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

What makes this inning praiseworthy is how it was crafted. There were only three boundaries behind the stumps, those too on the off side. The rest of his shots stayed in front of the wicket. No sweeps, no scoops, just pure timing, placement, and presence of mind.

When Mumbai Indians star batter, Suryakumar Yadav, walked out to bat against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday (21 May), the Mumbai crowd expected a Surya storm: the flicks behind square, ramps over the keeper, and a fully unorthodox innings. But what followed was a complete opposite innings. It wasn’t an ordinary T20 knock but a masterclass in control and maturity. In a must-win game to seal the fourth playoff spot, he quickly understood this wasn't the normal Wankhede pitch. That resulted in him looking for singles and doubles and taking the game deep, similar to what former Indian captain MS Dhoni did for India. Also Read | IPL 2025: Advantage PBKS, RCB as GT's defeat to LSG leaves race for Qualifier 1 spot wide open At the sluggish pitch, where Delhi spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam found bite from the surface, Surya controlled his temptations and just looked to tap them. He hit his first six when facing his 21st delivery of Mustafizur Rahman by dancing down the track. Usually, he just takes fewer than 10 balls to hit the first maximum. Interestingly, all of his sixes were hit between the range of extra cover to the deep-mid wicket. This is not the Surya we know. However, defying all odds, this was the Surya who played a playoff-securing knock. What makes this inning praiseworthy is how it was crafted. There were only three boundaries behind the stumps, those too on the off side. The rest of his shots stayed in front of the wicket. No sweeps, no scoops, just pure timing, placement and presence of mind.

What makes Surya's innings against Delhi Capitals(DC) praiseworthy is how it was crafted. There were only three boundaries behind the stumps, those too on the off side. The rest of his shots stayed in front of the wicket. No sweeps, no scoops, just pure timing, placement, and presence of mind

IPL 2025 | Surya's innings against DC proved he is more than 360-degree player

West Indies fast bowler Matthew Forde has equalled former cricket giant <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ab-de-villiers">AB de Villiers</a>’ batting record during the second ODI against Ireland in Dublin on Friday (May 23). The right-handed tailender achieved what no full-time batter could do, scoring the joint-fastest ODI fifty in 16 balls.&nbsp;Forde was on top of the Irish bowlers, accelerating from the ball one. Coming on to bat during the 44th over, when West Indies were reeling at 246 for six, his quickfire fifty saw them hit 106 runs in the remaining 41 deliveries, completing the first innings on 352 for eight. &nbsp;During his knock, he smashed eight sixes and two fours, hitting a brilliant 58 off 19 balls, with batting all-rounder Justin Greaves playing a handy role at the other end, remaining unbeaten on 44 off 36 balls, including one six and four fours. Forde’s fellow bowler, Gudakesh Motie, hit two sixes during his brief stay (18 off eight balls), helping West Indies cross the 350-run mark. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Forde’s knock was a record-breaker on several grounds. While it holds the record for being the joint-quickest fifty in One-Dayers, 56 of his 58 runs have come in boundaries, a percentage of 96.55 – the highest for a fifty-plus score in ODIs. The previous highest, however, was 96.15 by another West Indian, Andre Fletcher, whose 50 of his 52 against Bangladesh in 2009 came through boundaries.<h3>Here’s the list of players with the fastest ODI fifties (by balls faced) – &nbsp;</h3><ul><li>AB de Villiers (RSA) – 16 balls vs West Indies, 2015</li><li>Matthew Forde (WI) – 16 balls vs Ireland, 2025</li><li>Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) – 17 balls vs Pakistan, 1996</li><li>Kusal Perera (SL) – 17 balls vs Pakistan, 2015</li><li>Martin Guptill (NZ) – 17 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2015</li><li>Liam Livingstone (ENG) – 17 balls vs Netherlands, 2022</li></ul><h3>WI’s day out in Dublin &nbsp;</h3>West Indies came into this game following an embarrassing 124-run defeat at the hands of Ireland in the first ODI. With plenty to play and win for, they began the second match on a high after being asked to bat first. After losing two wickets inside the Powerplay, Keacy Carty and captain and keeper Shai Hope stitched an 81-run stand for the third wicket. &nbsp;Although wickets continued to fall till then, not all, Carty held his ground to complete a magnificent hundred (102 off 109 balls).&nbsp;

West Indies bowler equals AB de Villiers batting record in 2nd ODI vs Ireland

West Indies fast bowler Matthew Forde has equalled former cricket giant AB de Villiers’ batting record during the second ODI against Ireland in Dublin on Friday (May 23). The right-handed tailender achieved what no full-time batter could do, scoring the joint-fastest ODI fifty in 16 balls. Forde was on top of the Irish bowlers, accelerating from the ball one. Coming on to bat during the 44th over, when West Indies were reeling at 246 for six, his quickfire fifty saw them hit 106 runs in the remaining 41 deliveries, completing the first innings on 352 for eight. During his knock, he smashed eight sixes and two fours, hitting a brilliant 58 off 19 balls, with batting all-rounder Justin Greaves playing a handy role at the other end, remaining unbeaten on 44 off 36 balls, including one six and four fours. Forde’s fellow bowler, Gudakesh Motie, hit two sixes during his brief stay (18 off eight balls), helping West Indies cross the 350-run mark. Meanwhile, Forde’s knock was a record-breaker on several grounds. While it holds the record for being the joint-quickest fifty in One-Dayers, 56 of his 58 runs have come in boundaries, a percentage of 96.55 – the highest for a fifty-plus score in ODIs. The previous highest, however, was 96.15 by another West Indian, Andre Fletcher, whose 50 of his 52 against Bangladesh in 2009 came through boundaries. Here’s the list of players with the fastest ODI fifties (by balls faced) – AB de Villiers (RSA) – 16 balls vs West Indies, 2015 Matthew Forde (WI) – 16 balls vs Ireland, 2025 Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) – 17 balls vs Pakistan, 1996 Kusal Perera (SL) – 17 balls vs Pakistan, 2015 Martin Guptill (NZ) – 17 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2015 Liam Livingstone (ENG) – 17 balls vs Netherlands, 2022 WI’s day out in Dublin West Indies came into this game following an embarrassing 124-run defeat at the hands of Ireland in the first ODI. With plenty to play and win for, they began the second match on a high after being asked to bat first. After losing two wickets inside the Powerplay, Keacy Carty and captain and keeper Shai Hope stitched an 81-run stand for the third wicket. Although wickets continued to fall till then, not all, Carty held his ground to complete a magnificent hundred (102 off 109 balls).

Coming on to bat during the 44th over, when West Indies were reeling at 246 for six, his quickfire fifty saw them hit 106 runs in the remaining 41 deliveries, completing the first innings on 352 for eight.

West Indies bowler equals AB de Villiers' batting record in 2nd ODI vs Ireland

Former tennis great Andy Murray has spoken on parting ways as Serbian player Novak Djokovic's coach. The partnership, a much talked about at that, went on for some time before both parties called it quits.”It’s been a great ride. We both decided it was time to part ways,” said Murray while talking to UbiTennis. The partnership went on for five months and Murray was also asked what would he not miss.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/india-coach-gambhir-comments-on-test-retirement-of-virat-and-rohit-1747992566460">India coach Gambhir opens up on Test retirement of Virat and Rohit, says 'very individual decision'</a>Murray replied with a tongue in cheek remark and said: “One thing I won’t miss is the food. He was always trying to get me to eat vegan. Man, I don’t want air sandwiches and chickpeas for every meal.”Djokovic also shared his views on calling time on the partnership and, as quoted by BBC, said: “We felt like we couldn’t get more out of that partnership on the court, and that’s all there is to it. My respect towards Andy remains the same, even more actually, I got to know him as a person. I think he has a brilliant tennis IQ, he has a very rare mind of a champion that obviously has achieved what he has achieved, and he sees the game incredibly well.”Djokovic, with Murray, reached the semis of Australian Open 2025 before losing it. He then suffered a loss of form and exited next four of five tournaments played in the first round. In the fifth tournament, Miami Open, he was beaten in the final by 19-year-old Jakub Mensik.Djokovic will now be seen in the French Open 2025 which begins May 25 - Djokovic is searching for the elusive 25th slam title which will put him at the top and one ahead of Margaret Court's 24 - the all-time most slams won by an athlete male or female.

Djokovic will now be seen in the French Open 2025 which begins May 25 - Djokovic is searching for the elusive 25th slam title which will put him at the top.

Former tennis great Andy Murray has spoken on parting ways as Serbian player Novak Djokovic's coach. The partnership, a much talked about at that, went on for some time before both parties called it quits. ”It’s been a great ride. We both decided it was time to part ways,” said Murray while talking to UbiTennis. The partnership went on for five months and Murray was also asked what would he not miss. Also Read - India coach Gambhir opens up on Test retirement of Virat and Rohit, says 'very individual decision' Murray replied with a tongue in cheek remark and said: “One thing I won’t miss is the food. He was always trying to get me to eat vegan. Man, I don’t want air sandwiches and chickpeas for every meal.” Djokovic also shared his views on calling time on the partnership and, as quoted by BBC, said: “We felt like we couldn’t get more out of that partnership on the court, and that’s all there is to it. My respect towards Andy remains the same, even more actually, I got to know him as a person. I think he has a brilliant tennis IQ, he has a very rare mind of a champion that obviously has achieved what he has achieved, and he sees the game incredibly well.” Djokovic, with Murray, reached the semis of Australian Open 2025 before losing it. He then suffered a loss of form and exited next four of five tournaments played in the first round. In the fifth tournament, Miami Open, he was beaten in the final by 19-year-old Jakub Mensik. Djokovic will now be seen in the French Open 2025 which begins May 25 - Djokovic is searching for the elusive 25th slam title which will put him at the top and one ahead of Margaret Court's 24 - the all-time most slams won by an athlete male or female.

Djokovic will now be seen in the French Open 2025 which begins May 25 - Djokovic is searching for the elusive 25th slam title which will put him at the top.

Andy Murray opens up on parting ways with Novak Djokovic, says 'thing I won’t miss is...'

Team India continues to deal with massive blows in its preparation for the away England tour starting June 20 in Leeds. While they are already without their premier batters and former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, owing to their Test retirements, they will also be without ace quick <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mohammed-shami">Mohammed Shami</a> for the challenging England Tests.&nbsp;While Shami is fit to bowl for SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the remaining league phase games, an ESPNcricinfo report suggests that he has not built up the necessary workload for Tests, having not played one since losing the last World Test Championship (WTC) Final to Australia in June 2023. &nbsp;The report read that a BCCI medical staff member travelled to Lucknow this week to assess Shami ahead of SRH’s game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB); it remains unclear if the selectors have made up their minds about Shami’s selection, but they are likely to play safe and keep him in reserves unless a favourable report from the medical team comes out. &nbsp;Shami, 34, missed out on over one year of cricket following the home ODI World Cup final in 2023 due to several injuries, the ankle one to begin with. Though Shami recovered from that in February 2024, but began experiencing pain in his right knee, for which he has been undergoing treatment since. &nbsp;Shami returned to the cricket field late last year in the Ranji Trophy but took his time before returning to the Indian Team for the 2025 Champions Trophy, leading the pace attack in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. He fared well in the eight-team tournament, helping India lift the trophy for the record third time.&nbsp; &nbsp;But what that knee pain did to him was hinder his plan to increase his workloads towards Test cricket levels. That, however, made the selectors think twice about having him onboard for the away England Tests.<h2>Shami before and after injury &nbsp;</h2>Before getting injured, Shami was the leading run-scorer in the ODI WC, returning with 23 wickets in just seven matches, helping India reach the finale. His semi-heroics, wherein he returned with seven wickets against New Zealand at the Wankhede, had everyone cheering for him. That, however, was the beginning of the end of his brilliant run, as injuries marred his career soon after. &nbsp;Fast forward to IPL 2025, Shami hasn’t been at his best at SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). He played in nine of the 13 contested matches, picking just six wickets, averaging 56.16, and at an economy rate of 11.23.&nbsp;

After Kohli and Rohit, another top star to miss England Tests, this time a pacer – Report

Team India continues to deal with massive blows in its preparation for the away England tour starting June 20 in Leeds. While they are already without their premier batters and former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, owing to their Test retirements, they will also be without ace quick Mohammed Shami for the challenging England Tests. While Shami is fit to bowl for SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the remaining league phase games, an ESPNcricinfo report suggests that he has not built up the necessary workload for Tests, having not played one since losing the last World Test Championship (WTC) Final to Australia in June 2023. The report read that a BCCI medical staff member travelled to Lucknow this week to assess Shami ahead of SRH’s game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB); it remains unclear if the selectors have made up their minds about Shami’s selection, but they are likely to play safe and keep him in reserves unless a favourable report from the medical team comes out. Shami, 34, missed out on over one year of cricket following the home ODI World Cup final in 2023 due to several injuries, the ankle one to begin with. Though Shami recovered from that in February 2024, but began experiencing pain in his right knee, for which he has been undergoing treatment since. Shami returned to the cricket field late last year in the Ranji Trophy but took his time before returning to the Indian Team for the 2025 Champions Trophy, leading the pace attack in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. He fared well in the eight-team tournament, helping India lift the trophy for the record third time. But what that knee pain did to him was hinder his plan to increase his workloads towards Test cricket levels. That, however, made the selectors think twice about having him onboard for the away England Tests. Shami before and after injury Before getting injured, Shami was the leading run-scorer in the ODI WC, returning with 23 wickets in just seven matches, helping India reach the finale. His semi-heroics, wherein he returned with seven wickets against New Zealand at the Wankhede, had everyone cheering for him. That, however, was the beginning of the end of his brilliant run, as injuries marred his career soon after. Fast forward to IPL 2025, Shami hasn’t been at his best at SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). He played in nine of the 13 contested matches, picking just six wickets, averaging 56.16, and at an economy rate of 11.23.

Shami, 34, missed out on over one year of cricket following the home ODI World Cup final in 2023 due to several injuries, the ankle one to begin with.

Crisis at Manchester United are set to continue as the club’s latest round of layoffs is likely to affect around 200 club employees according to a report on Friday (May 23). United fresh from their defeat in the Europa League final at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur are likely to inform around 200 club employees of the redundancy ahead of their match against Aston Villa. The club in addition are also set to learn their final position in the Premier League table on Sunday, which could be as low as 17th if results go against them.&nbsp;<h2>United set for latest round of redundancy?</h2>“Some of the 200 employees facing redundancy will be informed of their fate this week, surprises at the timing of the news, coming so soon after the defeat in Bilbao, but the club appears keen to make savings as soon as possible,” prominent journalist Craig Hope added in his article.&nbsp;In the last 12 months, United have carried out rounds of redundancy, laying off employees from different departments. The cost-cutting spree has also seen Sir Alex Ferguson relieved from his duties as club ambassador. The club has also stopped serving free food for non-first team players in the club canteen.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the other hand, it was also revealed at the start of the week that in case United manage to win the Europa League, there won’t be an open bus parade as other sides have done. Instead United planned for a club dinner party to reduce the cost deposit.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the other hand, United are sitting 16th in the Premier League table and could finish as low as 17th, a place above the relegation zone. United’s game against Aston Villa will be the club’s last home game of the season with fans expected to give a cold reception to the team and the management. The defeat in the Europa League final also saw United miss out on Champions League football, with a return to Europe looking unlikely in the near future.

Crisis at Manchester United are set to continue as the club’s latest round of layoffs is likely to affect around 200 club employees according to a report on Friday (May 23).

Crisis at Manchester United are set to continue as the club’s latest round of layoffs is likely to affect around 200 club employees according to a report on Friday (May 23). United fresh from their defeat in the Europa League final at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur are likely to inform around 200 club employees of the redundancy ahead of their match against Aston Villa. The club in addition are also set to learn their final position in the Premier League table on Sunday, which could be as low as 17th if results go against them. United set for latest round of redundancy? “Some of the 200 employees facing redundancy will be informed of their fate this week, surprises at the timing of the news, coming so soon after the defeat in Bilbao, but the club appears keen to make savings as soon as possible,” prominent journalist Craig Hope added in his article. In the last 12 months, United have carried out rounds of redundancy, laying off employees from different departments. The cost-cutting spree has also seen Sir Alex Ferguson relieved from his duties as club ambassador. The club has also stopped serving free food for non-first team players in the club canteen. On the other hand, it was also revealed at the start of the week that in case United manage to win the Europa League, there won’t be an open bus parade as other sides have done. Instead United planned for a club dinner party to reduce the cost deposit. On the other hand, United are sitting 16th in the Premier League table and could finish as low as 17th, a place above the relegation zone. United’s game against Aston Villa will be the club’s last home game of the season with fans expected to give a cold reception to the team and the management. The defeat in the Europa League final also saw United miss out on Champions League football, with a return to Europe looking unlikely in the near future.

Crisis at Manchester United are set to continue as the club’s latest round of layoffs is likely to affect around 200 club employees according to a report on Friday (May 23).

Crisis continue at Manchester United after Europa League final defeat, employees face latest round of redundancy - Report

The BCCI selectors will announce India’s Test squad for the away England tour on Saturday (May 24), and per the latest reports, they are unlikely to take any surprising decisions. While ace batter Shubman Gill remains the frontrunner to succeed Rohit Sharma as the new Test captain, talks of selectors rewarding Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair with spots in the Test squad are doing the rounds.&nbsp;Following the IPL 2025 final on June 3, the Indian players will shift their attention to the five-match Test series against England starting June 20 in Leeds, for which the men's selection committee will meet in Mumbai over the weekend to finalise the squad.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-test-retirement-spree-continues-as-sri-lanka-batting-great-angelo-mathews-latest-to-call-time-on-red-ball-career-1747996581980">Test retirement spree continues as Sri Lanka batting great latest to call time on red-ball career</a> &nbsp;A Cricbuzz report suggests that barring a few names, the Test squad would likely look the same as that that travelled Down Under for the previous tour. Outside of the batting greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who announced their Test retirements earlier this month, the Indian Test team would appear almost similar. &nbsp;While the selectors are keen to have domestic giant Karun Nair on the board for the away England Tests, they are also sure of rewarding the left-handed Sudharsan for a brilliant batting display in the domestic tournaments and IPL 2025 lately.&nbsp; &nbsp;During the past season, Karun was among runs across formats, scoring 863 runs in nine Ranji Trophy games, including four centuries, and 779 in eight contested Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, bettering his hundreds’ record (five). &nbsp;On the other hand, Sudharsan, 23, is the leading run-getter thus far in IPL 2025, having scored 638 runs in 13 outings.&nbsp; &nbsp;Both batters are part of the India-A squad for the three-match shadow tour, including two against the England Lions and one against the senior men’s team. While Karun would depart with the first batch within two days, the selectors named Sai for the second match as his IPL team (Gujarat Titans) reached the playoffs, which will conclude with the final in the first week of June. &nbsp;However, unlike at GT, where he opens alongside Gill, Sai would not open in England, with the selectors likely sticking with the pair of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top. Although the report suggested that head coach Gautam Gambhir has communicated his stance on the batting order, Sai’s batting position hasn’t been discussed yet.&nbsp; &nbsp;Also, given that Gill might move down to number four, taking over the spot that two former greats – Sachin Tendulkar and Kohli occupied for close to 30 years combined, one of Sai or Nair would bat at number three. &nbsp;Moreover, the selectors are also reported to have chatted about bringing back Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara for the challenging England series; they are unlikely to go ahead with that as they wish to move forward and not fall back on their ageing stars.&nbsp;

Selectors to reward Sai Sudharsan Karun Nair in line for India return for England Tests Report

The BCCI selectors will announce India’s Test squad for the away England tour on Saturday (May 24), and per the latest reports, they are unlikely to take any surprising decisions. While ace batter Shubman Gill remains the frontrunner to succeed Rohit Sharma as the new Test captain, talks of selectors rewarding Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair with spots in the Test squad are doing the rounds. Following the IPL 2025 final on June 3, the Indian players will shift their attention to the five-match Test series against England starting June 20 in Leeds, for which the men's selection committee will meet in Mumbai over the weekend to finalise the squad. Also read | Test retirement spree continues as Sri Lanka batting great latest to call time on red-ball career A Cricbuzz report suggests that barring a few names, the Test squad would likely look the same as that that travelled Down Under for the previous tour. Outside of the batting greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who announced their Test retirements earlier this month, the Indian Test team would appear almost similar. While the selectors are keen to have domestic giant Karun Nair on the board for the away England Tests, they are also sure of rewarding the left-handed Sudharsan for a brilliant batting display in the domestic tournaments and IPL 2025 lately. During the past season, Karun was among runs across formats, scoring 863 runs in nine Ranji Trophy games, including four centuries, and 779 in eight contested Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, bettering his hundreds’ record (five). On the other hand, Sudharsan, 23, is the leading run-getter thus far in IPL 2025, having scored 638 runs in 13 outings. Both batters are part of the India-A squad for the three-match shadow tour, including two against the England Lions and one against the senior men’s team. While Karun would depart with the first batch within two days, the selectors named Sai for the second match as his IPL team (Gujarat Titans) reached the playoffs, which will conclude with the final in the first week of June. However, unlike at GT, where he opens alongside Gill, Sai would not open in England, with the selectors likely sticking with the pair of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top. Although the report suggested that head coach Gautam Gambhir has communicated his stance on the batting order, Sai’s batting position hasn’t been discussed yet. Also, given that Gill might move down to number four, taking over the spot that two former greats – Sachin Tendulkar and Kohli occupied for close to 30 years combined, one of Sai or Nair would bat at number three. Moreover, the selectors are also reported to have chatted about bringing back Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara for the challenging England series; they are unlikely to go ahead with that as they wish to move forward and not fall back on their ageing stars.

During the past domestic season, Karun was among runs across formats, scoring 863 runs in nine Ranji Trophy games, including four centuries, and 779 in eight contested Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, bettering his hundreds’ record (five).

Selectors to reward Sai Sudharsan; Karun Nair in line for India return for England Tests - Report

Carlo Ancelotti has officially confirmed his exit from Real Madrid as the La Liga season comes to an end this weekend. In a statement released on Friday (May 23) by Ancelotti, he thanked the club and leaves with great admiration. Ancelotti bows out of the Madrid job with two Champions League and as many La Liga titles in his second spell as his next chapter includes a stint with the Brazilian national team.&nbsp;<h2>Ancelotti waves goodbye</h2>"Today we go our separate ways again. Today, once again, I carry in my heart every moment experienced in this wonderful second spell as Real Madrid coach. They've been unforgettable years, an incredible journey full of emotions, trophies and, above all, the pride of representing this badge," Ancelotti wrote in a post on Instagram.&nbsp;"Thanks to the president Florentino Perez, to the club, to my players, to my staff and, above all, to this unique fanbase that has always made me feel like one of them.”&nbsp;This was the Italian manager’s second spell with the Spanish side with whom he won the 2022 and 2024 Champions League and along with La Liga in the same season. He also helped the club win the 2023 Copa del Rey along with the Club World Cup in both his stints. His 2022 La Liga success was a special feat as he became the first and only manager to win all five major European leagues as manager.&nbsp;&nbsp;During his first spell as manager, Ancelotti won the Champions League and Copa del Rey double in 2014 before going trophyless in 2015.&nbsp;&nbsp;He will be succeeded by former Real player Xabi Alonso with the Spanish gaffer set to take charge during the Club World Cup in the United States.&nbsp;&nbsp;The former AC Milan boss will take charge of the Brazilian national team as they look to end their 24-year drought for a FIFA World Cup title in 2026.

Carlo Ancelotti bows out of the Madrid job with two Champions League and as many La Liga titles in his second spell as his next chapter includes a stint with the Brazilian national team. 

Carlo Ancelotti has officially confirmed his exit from Real Madrid as the La Liga season comes to an end this weekend. In a statement released on Friday (May 23) by Ancelotti, he thanked the club and leaves with great admiration. Ancelotti bows out of the Madrid job with two Champions League and as many La Liga titles in his second spell as his next chapter includes a stint with the Brazilian national team. Ancelotti waves goodbye "Today we go our separate ways again. Today, once again, I carry in my heart every moment experienced in this wonderful second spell as Real Madrid coach. They've been unforgettable years, an incredible journey full of emotions, trophies and, above all, the pride of representing this badge," Ancelotti wrote in a post on Instagram. "Thanks to the president Florentino Perez, to the club, to my players, to my staff and, above all, to this unique fanbase that has always made me feel like one of them.” This was the Italian manager’s second spell with the Spanish side with whom he won the 2022 and 2024 Champions League and along with La Liga in the same season. He also helped the club win the 2023 Copa del Rey along with the Club World Cup in both his stints. His 2022 La Liga success was a special feat as he became the first and only manager to win all five major European leagues as manager. During his first spell as manager, Ancelotti won the Champions League and Copa del Rey double in 2014 before going trophyless in 2015. He will be succeeded by former Real player Xabi Alonso with the Spanish gaffer set to take charge during the Club World Cup in the United States. The former AC Milan boss will take charge of the Brazilian national team as they look to end their 24-year drought for a FIFA World Cup title in 2026.

Carlo Ancelotti bows out of the Madrid job with two Champions League and as many La Liga titles in his second spell as his next chapter includes a stint with the Brazilian national team.&nbsp;

Carlo Ancelotti officially confirms Real Madrid exit as stern test awaits with Brazilian national team

Sri Lanka’s third-highest Test run-scorer, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/angelo-mathews">Angelo Mathews</a>, is the latest batting great to call time on his red-ball career. Taking to social media, Mathews, who made his Test debut 16 years ago in 2009, revealed he will retire from Tests following the first game against Bangladesh in Galle starting June 17. His announcement, however, includes that he remains available for selection in white-ball cricket ‘if and when his country needs him’.&nbsp;Given Sri Lanka is not playing any Tests beyond the home series against Bangladesh at least until next year, Mathews, who turns 38 next week, decided to call it quits from the format. Having played 119 matches, Mathews has scored 8167 runs - the third-most for Sri Lanka after Kumar Sangakkara (12,400) and Mahela Jayawardene (11,814). The right-handed batter has hit 16 centuries, averaging just over 44 (44.62).&nbsp; &nbsp;However, he only picked 33 wickets in the whites. &nbsp;"The past 17 years of playing cricket for Sri Lanka has been my highest honour and pride," Mathews wrote in a note on his social media handles.&nbsp; &nbsp;"I have given everything to cricket, and cricket has given me everything in return and made me the person I am today. Whilst I bid adieu to the Test format, as discussed with selectors, I will remain available for selection for the white ball format, if and when my country needs me."&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/nqsnpkpekD">pic.twitter.com/nqsnpkpekD</a>&mdash; Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) <a href="https://twitter.com/Angelo69Mathews/status/1925827680307405091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Meanwhile, with Sri Lanka due to co-host the T20 World Cup with India early in 2026, chances of Mathews getting picked are there.&nbsp;<h2>Sri Lanka under Mathews &nbsp;</h2>Mathews even captained Sri Lanka in Tests in 34 games, leading them to some of their best wins recorded, including one against England in Leeds 11 years ago, where his 160 in the second innings turned the tide for the visitors.&nbsp; &nbsp;During 2013 and 2015, when his Test form peaked, Mathews amassed 2378 runs, averaging close to 60 (59.45), while all those runs came batting lower down the order at number five or six. Though he never came close to achieving that feat, he contributed to Sri Lanka’s batting success afterwards, scoring 2141 runs across two years (2022 and 2023), averaging 51.15.&nbsp; &nbsp;His last Test hundred came a year ago against Afghanistan in February 2024.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, Mathews is the third high-profile name who announced his Test retirement this month, after the Indian batting pair of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>.&nbsp;

Test retirement spree continues as Sri Lanka batting great latest to call time on red-ball career

Sri Lanka’s third-highest Test run-scorer, Angelo Mathews, is the latest batting great to call time on his red-ball career. Taking to social media, Mathews, who made his Test debut 16 years ago in 2009, revealed he will retire from Tests following the first game against Bangladesh in Galle starting June 17. His announcement, however, includes that he remains available for selection in white-ball cricket ‘if and when his country needs him’. Given Sri Lanka is not playing any Tests beyond the home series against Bangladesh at least until next year, Mathews, who turns 38 next week, decided to call it quits from the format. Having played 119 matches, Mathews has scored 8167 runs - the third-most for Sri Lanka after Kumar Sangakkara (12,400) and Mahela Jayawardene (11,814). The right-handed batter has hit 16 centuries, averaging just over 44 (44.62). However, he only picked 33 wickets in the whites. "The past 17 years of playing cricket for Sri Lanka has been my highest honour and pride," Mathews wrote in a note on his social media handles. "I have given everything to cricket, and cricket has given me everything in return and made me the person I am today. Whilst I bid adieu to the Test format, as discussed with selectors, I will remain available for selection for the white ball format, if and when my country needs me."

Having played 119 matches, Mathews has scored 8167 runs - the third-most for Sri Lanka after Kumar Sangakkara (12,400) and Mahela Jayawardene (11,814).

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has reacted to sudden retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Test cricket. The duo, who retired in a week of each other earlier this month, has left a huge gap in India's batting line up. The coach, however, acknowledges that retiring is an 'individual decision.'"I think, when you start the game and when you want to finish, it's a very individual decision. No one has the right," said Gambhir while talking to Cricket Next."Be it the coach, the selector, be it anyone in this country, has any right to tell someone when to retire and when not to retire. So it comes from within," he added.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/marsh-brothers-shaun-115-and-mitchell-117-become-only-sibling-duo-to-score-hundreds-in-ipl-history-1747988581871">'Got the golden ticket': Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, become only sibling duo to score hundreds in IPL history</a>Gambhir also acknowledged that 'it'll be tough for India' when they travel to England next month for five-Test series. The coach, however, was confident of other players standing up just like they did in Champions Trophy in absence of Jasprit Bumrah."Yes, we've got to be without two senior players. And sometimes I believe that it's the opportunity for some other people to put their hand up and say, Okay, I'm ready for it. So yes, it will be tough, but then there'll be people putting their hand up for sure because this question was asked to me before," Gambhir said."Champions Trophy as well. When Jasprit Bumrah wasn't there, I said exactly the same thing: someone missing out might give another person an opportunity to do something special for the country. Hopefully, there'll be other guys waiting for that opportunity," he added.Rohit announced his retirement on May 7 while Kohli stepped away on May 12. In addition to them, veteran spinner Ravi Ashwin had also announced his retirement immediately after the Test tour of Australia earlier this year.India would be very different team on England tour with a new captain and a couple of new batters in the middle order.

Rohit announced his retirement on May 7 while Kohli stepped away on May 12. In addition to them, veteran spinner Ravi Ashwin had also announced his retirement immediately after the Test tour of Australia earlier this year.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has reacted to sudden retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Test cricket. The duo, who retired in a week of each other earlier this month, has left a huge gap in India's batting line up. The coach, however, acknowledges that retiring is an 'individual decision.' "I think, when you start the game and when you want to finish, it's a very individual decision. No one has the right," said Gambhir while talking to Cricket Next. "Be it the coach, the selector, be it anyone in this country, has any right to tell someone when to retire and when not to retire. So it comes from within," he added. Also Read - 'Got the golden ticket': Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, become only sibling duo to score hundreds in IPL history Gambhir also acknowledged that 'it'll be tough for India' when they travel to England next month for five-Test series. The coach, however, was confident of other players standing up just like they did in Champions Trophy in absence of Jasprit Bumrah. "Yes, we've got to be without two senior players. And sometimes I believe that it's the opportunity for some other people to put their hand up and say, Okay, I'm ready for it. So yes, it will be tough, but then there'll be people putting their hand up for sure because this question was asked to me before," Gambhir said. "Champions Trophy as well. When Jasprit Bumrah wasn't there, I said exactly the same thing: someone missing out might give another person an opportunity to do something special for the country. Hopefully, there'll be other guys waiting for that opportunity," he added. Rohit announced his retirement on May 7 while Kohli stepped away on May 12. In addition to them, veteran spinner Ravi Ashwin had also announced his retirement immediately after the Test tour of Australia earlier this year. India would be very different team on England tour with a new captain and a couple of new batters in the middle order.

Rohit announced his retirement on May 7 while Kohli stepped away on May 12. In addition to them, veteran spinner Ravi Ashwin had also announced his retirement immediately after the Test tour of Australia earlier this year.

India coach Gambhir opens up on Test retirement of Virat and Rohit, says 'very individual decision'

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) batter Mitchell Marsh hit his maiden IPL hundred on Thursday (May 22) and that propelled him to the fourth place on orange cap leaderboard. He now has 560 runs in 12 matches at an average of 46.66 and a strike rate of nearly 162. He has also hit five fifties to go with is 64-ball 117 against Gujarat Titans on May 22.With the century, Mitchell Marsh, along with his brother Shaun Marsh, became the only sibling duo to have tons in the Indian Premier League (IPL) - a proud moment for Marsh family. Shaun (115) had hit a century in his maiden IPL season in 2007/08 for Kings XI Punjab (Punjab Kings).Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/lsg-to-drop-27-crore-rishabh-pant-for-next-season-skipper-responds-with-a-post-on-x-1747924433694">IPL 2025 | LSG to drop Rishabh Pant for next season? skipper responds with a post on X</a>What helped Mitchell this season to perform to the best of his ability, however, was the deal to be just a batter. The all-rounder had hobbled off the field after getting injured in the previous IPL season and it was devastating for fans and franchise (Delhi Capitals) alike.This year he was picked up by LSG for INR 3.4 crore ($400,000) - a steal as former SRH coach Tom Moody described him after the innings. Moody also explained how it helped Marsh that he was playing just as pure batter in the IPL 2025."I think firstly he is fit. I think in previous seasons we've seen Mitch Marsh sort of start but then find himself injured. I think a lot of that's the workload of trying to be the allrounder," Moody said on ESPNcricinfo. "He's not bowling now, so he's exclusively a batter that doesn't field. So he's got the golden ticket. Now he sort of understands his game. This is not just recent but the last three years, four years, he's really come to terms with his game and what he needs to bring to the party. And that's what we saw tonight, just take the game on and just intimidate the opposition with his presence."LSG, nonetheless, are out of the playoff race with 12 points after losing seven and winning six out of the 13 games played and one more match left in the season for them.

With the century vs GT on May 22, Mitchell Marsh, along with his brother Shaun Marsh, became the only sibling duo to have tons in the Indian Premier League (IPL) - a proud moment for Marsh family.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) batter Mitchell Marsh hit his maiden IPL hundred on Thursday (May 22) and that propelled him to the fourth place on orange cap leaderboard. He now has 560 runs in 12 matches at an average of 46.66 and a strike rate of nearly 162. He has also hit five fifties to go with is 64-ball 117 against Gujarat Titans on May 22. With the century, Mitchell Marsh, along with his brother Shaun Marsh, became the only sibling duo to have tons in the Indian Premier League (IPL) - a proud moment for Marsh family. Shaun (115) had hit a century in his maiden IPL season in 2007/08 for Kings XI Punjab (Punjab Kings). Also Read - IPL 2025 | LSG to drop Rishabh Pant for next season? skipper responds with a post on X What helped Mitchell this season to perform to the best of his ability, however, was the deal to be just a batter. The all-rounder had hobbled off the field after getting injured in the previous IPL season and it was devastating for fans and franchise (Delhi Capitals) alike. This year he was picked up by LSG for INR 3.4 crore ($400,000) - a steal as former SRH coach Tom Moody described him after the innings. Moody also explained how it helped Marsh that he was playing just as pure batter in the IPL 2025. "I think firstly he is fit. I think in previous seasons we've seen Mitch Marsh sort of start but then find himself injured. I think a lot of that's the workload of trying to be the allrounder," Moody said on ESPNcricinfo. "He's not bowling now, so he's exclusively a batter that doesn't field. So he's got the golden ticket. Now he sort of understands his game. This is not just recent but the last three years, four years, he's really come to terms with his game and what he needs to bring to the party. And that's what we saw tonight, just take the game on and just intimidate the opposition with his presence." LSG, nonetheless, are out of the playoff race with 12 points after losing seven and winning six out of the 13 games played and one more match left in the season for them.

With the century vs GT, Mitchell Marsh, along with his brother Shaun Marsh, became the only sibling duo to have tons in the Indian Premier League (IPL) - a proud moment for Marsh family.

'Got the golden ticket': Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, become only sibling duo to score hundreds in IPL history

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has voiced his opinion on having a two-tier World Test Championship (WTC) format while speaking on Thursday (May 22). Vaughan who famously led England to the 2005 Ashes win spoke on having a revamped system where all teams are given equal chances and compete on even terms. The current WTC format contains a lot of inconsistencies and calls have been firm for a revamped format to be introduced.&nbsp;<h2>Two-tier system in WTC?</h2>"I think it's very confusing if you look at the number of games South Africa have played compared to what Australia, India, or England have played. It's very hard for the average cricket fan to understand who's the best team in the world and how exactly the top two teams make it to the final. I'd just like it to be a lot clearer. I'd have two leagues," Vaughan told BBC Sport.&nbsp;"I just think Test cricket needs more of a narrative. At the minute, it's very confusing, and it's very hard for the public to understand," he added.&nbsp;In the previous WTC cycle, England played 22 matches compared to South Africa’s 12 matches while both India and Australia were involved in 19 matches each. The cycle also had several inconsistencies which included certain nations not playing the same number of series and matches.&nbsp;&nbsp;Interestingly, few teams did not go head-to-head including India-Pakistan matches in the 2023-25 cycle. On the other hand, India-South Africa matches were also not part of the tour calendar in the 2021-23 cycle.&nbsp;&nbsp;The two-tier system, if launched could have a promotion-relegation format where teams from the higher division will compete for the WTC and avoid getting relegated to the lower tier. Teams from the lower division will compete for a place in the higher division with promotion on the agenda. It will be interesting to see how ICC plans to revamp the format as a serious case has been made.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has voiced his opinion on having a two-tier World Test Championship (WTC) format while speaking on Thursday (May 22).

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has voiced his opinion on having a two-tier World Test Championship (WTC) format while speaking on Thursday (May 22). Vaughan who famously led England to the 2005 Ashes win spoke on having a revamped system where all teams are given equal chances and compete on even terms. The current WTC format contains a lot of inconsistencies and calls have been firm for a revamped format to be introduced. Two-tier system in WTC? "I think it's very confusing if you look at the number of games South Africa have played compared to what Australia, India, or England have played. It's very hard for the average cricket fan to understand who's the best team in the world and how exactly the top two teams make it to the final. I'd just like it to be a lot clearer. I'd have two leagues," Vaughan told BBC Sport. "I just think Test cricket needs more of a narrative. At the minute, it's very confusing, and it's very hard for the public to understand," he added. In the previous WTC cycle, England played 22 matches compared to South Africa’s 12 matches while both India and Australia were involved in 19 matches each. The cycle also had several inconsistencies which included certain nations not playing the same number of series and matches. Interestingly, few teams did not go head-to-head including India-Pakistan matches in the 2023-25 cycle. On the other hand, India-South Africa matches were also not part of the tour calendar in the 2021-23 cycle. The two-tier system, if launched could have a promotion-relegation format where teams from the higher division will compete for the WTC and avoid getting relegated to the lower tier. Teams from the lower division will compete for a place in the higher division with promotion on the agenda. It will be interesting to see how ICC plans to revamp the format as a serious case has been made.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has voiced his opinion on having a two-tier World Test Championship (WTC) format while speaking on Thursday (May 22).

Two-tier system in Test cricket? Michael Vaughan shares thoughts to revamp WTC format

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are likely to receive a huge boost ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) Playoffs with Josh Hazlewood likely to return. According to prominent media reports on Friday (May 23), Hazlewood is in line to return after a shoulder injury saw him miss the restart of the IPL 2025. The Aussie speedster missed RCB’s final match before the IPL 2025 was halted due to the near-war situation between India and Pakistan.&nbsp;<h2>Hazlewood to return for IPL Playoffs?</h2>According to a report from Espncricinfo, RCB star Josh Hazlewood is likely to return for the Playoffs leg which begins on May 29. Hazlewood has scalped 18 wickets in the IPL 2025 so far and was in the race for Purple Cap before the season was halted. He has played in 11 matches for the South Indian franchise as they bid for their maiden IPL title.&nbsp;RCB are yet to play in the IPL 2025 after it resumed last Saturday as their first match against Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out due to rain in Bengaluru. They are in action on Friday against SunRisers Hyderabad and could take a step closer to the top two spots. They are already guaranteed a spot in the Playoffs, but finishing second could give them two chances to qualify for the summit clash on June 3.&nbsp;<h2>RCB’s bid for Qualifier 1</h2>Currently in the second spot on NRR, RCB play SunRisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants in their remaining matches. If they win both their matches and maintain a healthy NRR, they will book their place in Qualifier 1. A defeat for RCB in either match could still see them qualify for Qualifier 1, but they will need favours from other sides and hope PBKS or GT lose at least one of their matches.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are likely to receive a huge boost ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) Playoffs with Josh Hazlewood likely to return.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are likely to receive a huge boost ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) Playoffs with Josh Hazlewood likely to return. According to prominent media reports on Friday (May 23), Hazlewood is in line to return after a shoulder injury saw him miss the restart of the IPL 2025. The Aussie speedster missed RCB’s final match before the IPL 2025 was halted due to the near-war situation between India and Pakistan. Hazlewood to return for IPL Playoffs? According to a report from Espncricinfo, RCB star Josh Hazlewood is likely to return for the Playoffs leg which begins on May 29. Hazlewood has scalped 18 wickets in the IPL 2025 so far and was in the race for Purple Cap before the season was halted. He has played in 11 matches for the South Indian franchise as they bid for their maiden IPL title. RCB are yet to play in the IPL 2025 after it resumed last Saturday as their first match against Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out due to rain in Bengaluru. They are in action on Friday against SunRisers Hyderabad and could take a step closer to the top two spots. They are already guaranteed a spot in the Playoffs, but finishing second could give them two chances to qualify for the summit clash on June 3. RCB’s bid for Qualifier 1 Currently in the second spot on NRR, RCB play SunRisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants in their remaining matches. If they win both their matches and maintain a healthy NRR, they will book their place in Qualifier 1. A defeat for RCB in either match could still see them qualify for Qualifier 1, but they will need favours from other sides and hope PBKS or GT lose at least one of their matches.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are likely to receive a huge boost ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) Playoffs with Josh Hazlewood likely to return.

IPL 2025: RCB likely to receive Josh Hazlewood boost ahead of Playoffs - Report

The race for a spot in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) took a twist on Thursday (May 22) after already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants beat Gujarat Titans by 33 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The defeat for GT means, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings are now in pole position to book their place in the top two, which guarantees two shots for a place in the IPL 2025 final.&nbsp;<h2>Why race for top-two spot heats up?</h2>Finishing in the top-two spots guarantees a place in Qualifier 1, therefore meaning a team can have two opportunities to qualify for the IPL 2025 final. According to the IPL format, teams finishing in the top two spots qualify for Qualifier 1, the winner of which directly books a place in the final. At the same time, the loser gets another opportunity to qualify for the summit clash. The loser of Qualifier 1 plays the winner of Eliminator (clash between 3rd and 4th placed sides in the league phase) in Qualifier 2.<h2>Who is in the race for top-two spot?</h2>At the time of writing, Gujarat Titans sit top of the table with 18 points from 13 matches, followed by RCB and PBKS with 17 points each from 12 games. RCB and PBKS are separated by Net Run Rate (NRR), meaning the race for the top two could go down to the wire. Mumbai Indians sit fourth with 16 points from 13 matches and can reach a maximum of 18 points.&nbsp;<h2>Gujarat Titans</h2>Still, on top of the IPL 2025 standings, GT now need a favour from other teams to book their place in Qualifier 1. They can reach a maximum of 20 points if they manage to beat Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. However, both RCB and PBKS can reach a maximum of 21 points if they win their respective remaining matches, putting them in pole position for a Qualifier 1 spot.&nbsp;<h2>Royal Challengers Bengaluru</h2>Currently in the second spot on NRR, RCB play SunRisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants in their remaining matches. If they win both their matches and maintain a healthy NRR, they will book their place in Qualifier 1. A defeat for RCB in either match could still see them qualify for Qualifier 1, but they will need favours from other sides and hope PBKS or GT lose at least one of their matches.&nbsp;<h2>Punjab Kings</h2>Sitting in the third spot, PBKS will need to match RCB’s results in their remaining matches to book their place in the top two spots. GT’s defeat means they can leapfrog the 2022 IPL champions with wins in the remaining matches. NRR will no longer be an issue for PBKS as they and RCB both can finish in the top two spots. They play Delhi and Mumbai on Saturday and Monday, respectively, to end the league phase.&nbsp;<h2>Mumbai Indians</h2>The five-time champions booked their place in the IPL 2025 Playoffs on Wednesday with a 59-run win over Delhi. Mumbai would still need either PBKS or RCB to lose both their remaining matches while also hoping CSK beat GT on Sunday. If this set of results is achieved with a win for MI against PBKS on Monday, they will finish in the Qualifier 1 spot. NRR won’t be a factor as they already have a better tally than GT and won’t finish with the same points as RCB and PBKS.

The race for a spot in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) took a twist on Thursday (May 22) after already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants beat Gujarat Titans by 33 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium. 

The race for a spot in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) took a twist on Thursday (May 22) after already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants beat Gujarat Titans by 33 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The defeat for GT means, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings are now in pole position to book their place in the top two, which guarantees two shots for a place in the IPL 2025 final. Why race for top-two spot heats up? Finishing in the top-two spots guarantees a place in Qualifier 1, therefore meaning a team can have two opportunities to qualify for the IPL 2025 final. According to the IPL format, teams finishing in the top two spots qualify for Qualifier 1, the winner of which directly books a place in the final. At the same time, the loser gets another opportunity to qualify for the summit clash. The loser of Qualifier 1 plays the winner of Eliminator (clash between 3rd and 4th placed sides in the league phase) in Qualifier 2. Who is in the race for top-two spot? At the time of writing, Gujarat Titans sit top of the table with 18 points from 13 matches, followed by RCB and PBKS with 17 points each from 12 games. RCB and PBKS are separated by Net Run Rate (NRR), meaning the race for the top two could go down to the wire. Mumbai Indians sit fourth with 16 points from 13 matches and can reach a maximum of 18 points. Gujarat Titans Still, on top of the IPL 2025 standings, GT now need a favour from other teams to book their place in Qualifier 1. They can reach a maximum of 20 points if they manage to beat Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. However, both RCB and PBKS can reach a maximum of 21 points if they win their respective remaining matches, putting them in pole position for a Qualifier 1 spot. Royal Challengers Bengaluru Currently in the second spot on NRR, RCB play SunRisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants in their remaining matches. If they win both their matches and maintain a healthy NRR, they will book their place in Qualifier 1. A defeat for RCB in either match could still see them qualify for Qualifier 1, but they will need favours from other sides and hope PBKS or GT lose at least one of their matches. Punjab Kings Sitting in the third spot, PBKS will need to match RCB’s results in their remaining matches to book their place in the top two spots. GT’s defeat means they can leapfrog the 2022 IPL champions with wins in the remaining matches. NRR will no longer be an issue for PBKS as they and RCB both can finish in the top two spots. They play Delhi and Mumbai on Saturday and Monday, respectively, to end the league phase. Mumbai Indians The five-time champions booked their place in the IPL 2025 Playoffs on Wednesday with a 59-run win over Delhi. Mumbai would still need either PBKS or RCB to lose both their remaining matches while also hoping CSK beat GT on Sunday. If this set of results is achieved with a win for MI against PBKS on Monday, they will finish in the Qualifier 1 spot. NRR won’t be a factor as they already have a better tally than GT and won’t finish with the same points as RCB and PBKS.

The race for a spot in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) took a twist on Thursday (May 22) after already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants beat Gujarat Titans by 33 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium.&nbsp;

IPL 2025: Advantage PBKS, RCB as GT's defeat to LSG leaves race for Qualifier 1 spot wide open

Novak Djokovic overcame soggy conditions on his 38th birthday to beat Matteo Arnaldi on Thursday and reach the Geneva Open semi-finals in a tune-up event for Roland Garros.The former world number one retrieved a break in the second set to claim a 6-4, 6-4 win over the 39th-ranked Italian who dumped him out at the first hurdle in Madrid last month.Djokovic is hunting the 100th title of his career on the eve of the French Open having not won a tournament since capturing Olympic gold in Paris last August.&nbsp;"It's great to be in the semi-finals again. Last year I played the semi-finals. Hopefully this year I can go at least a step further. That's the goal," said Djokovic.&nbsp;Djokovic, who received a wild card to play in Geneva after skipping Rome, will meet British qualifier Cameron Norrie for a place in Saturday's final.&nbsp;The 24-time Grand Slam champion had not won a match on clay this season after also losing his Monte Carlo opener at the start of April to Alejandro Tabilo.&nbsp;A single break early in the first set enabled Djokovic to take control, but the sixth-ranked Serbian had to rally from 4-1 down in the second.&nbsp;He drew audible gasps from the crowd when he grabbed his right knee after stretching for a shot in the fifth game.&nbsp;But Djokovic, who had surgery last year to repair a torn meniscus suffered at the French Open, quickly rebounded and let out a mighty roar as he broke to go 5-4 ahead before putting away Arnaldi.&nbsp;He said an angry outburst after dropping serve helped him reset as he won the final five games.&nbsp;"I think I'm playing really, really good tennis," said Djokovic, who was presented on court with a chocolate cake topped with sparklers after his victory.&nbsp;"Today it was a lot of tension on the court. A straight-sets win but it was much closer than maybe the score indicates.&nbsp;"I was 4-1 down in the second. Somehow after that racquet breaking I didn't lose a game and kind of found my optimal state and balance, mentally and emotionally."&nbsp;Norrie ousted Australian fifth seed Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 in the day's last quarter-final.&nbsp;Hubert Hurkacz put out top seed Taylor 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) earlier and will play Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner in the other semi-final.&nbsp;The 128th-ranked Ofner came from behind to beat fourth seed Karen Khachanov 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic overcame soggy conditions on his 38th birthday to beat Matteo Arnaldi on Thursday and reach the Geneva Open semi-finals in a tune-up event for Roland Garros.

Novak Djokovic overcame soggy conditions on his 38th birthday to beat Matteo Arnaldi on Thursday and reach the Geneva Open semi-finals in a tune-up event for Roland Garros. The former world number one retrieved a break in the second set to claim a 6-4, 6-4 win over the 39th-ranked Italian who dumped him out at the first hurdle in Madrid last month. Djokovic is hunting the 100th title of his career on the eve of the French Open having not won a tournament since capturing Olympic gold in Paris last August. "It's great to be in the semi-finals again. Last year I played the semi-finals. Hopefully this year I can go at least a step further. That's the goal," said Djokovic. Djokovic, who received a wild card to play in Geneva after skipping Rome, will meet British qualifier Cameron Norrie for a place in Saturday's final. The 24-time Grand Slam champion had not won a match on clay this season after also losing his Monte Carlo opener at the start of April to Alejandro Tabilo. A single break early in the first set enabled Djokovic to take control, but the sixth-ranked Serbian had to rally from 4-1 down in the second. He drew audible gasps from the crowd when he grabbed his right knee after stretching for a shot in the fifth game. But Djokovic, who had surgery last year to repair a torn meniscus suffered at the French Open, quickly rebounded and let out a mighty roar as he broke to go 5-4 ahead before putting away Arnaldi. He said an angry outburst after dropping serve helped him reset as he won the final five games. "I think I'm playing really, really good tennis," said Djokovic, who was presented on court with a chocolate cake topped with sparklers after his victory. "Today it was a lot of tension on the court. A straight-sets win but it was much closer than maybe the score indicates. "I was 4-1 down in the second. Somehow after that racquet breaking I didn't lose a game and kind of found my optimal state and balance, mentally and emotionally." Norrie ousted Australian fifth seed Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 in the day's last quarter-final. Hubert Hurkacz put out top seed Taylor 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) earlier and will play Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner in the other semi-final. The 128th-ranked Ofner came from behind to beat fourth seed Karen Khachanov 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic overcame soggy conditions on his 38th birthday to beat Matteo Arnaldi on Thursday and reach the Geneva Open semi-finals in a tune-up event for Roland Garros.

Novak Djokovic avenges Matteo Arnaldi loss in Geneva, to face Cameron Norrie in semis

The Denver Nuggets confirmed David Adelman as the franchise's new head coach on Thursday following the team's elimination from the NBA playoffs.&nbsp;Adelman had worked as Denver's interim head coach after the shock dismissal of Michael Malone in early April in the final days of the regular season.&nbsp;Adelman subsequently oversaw the Nuggets' first round playoff series victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, before taking the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the Western Conference semi-finals.&nbsp;The 44-year-old Adelman has been on Denver's payroll since joining as an assistant coach in 2017 following coaching stints in Orlando and Minnesota.&nbsp;Adelman is widely credited with reinvigorating the Nuggets during the postseason in the wake of the turmoil surrounding Malone's exit.&nbsp;Speaking after Denver were eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday following a 125-93 drubbing by Oklahoma City, Adelman said he was uncertain what the future would bring."Decision-makers will make that decision," Adelman said when asked if he expected to return as head coach next season.&nbsp;"Obviously blessed to have this opportunity. If I'm not back next year, I'll never forget this. It's been an incredible experience."&nbsp;Denver star Nikola Jokic praised Adelman's influence in getting the Nuggets' season back on track.&nbsp;"It's a tough, tough spot to be in," Jokic said of Adelman. "He had three games to change something, and I think he changed the energy. I think the guys were woken up a little bit, the guys had more energy.&nbsp;"He made us believe in something, and we played well. We played a seven-game series with probably the best team in the NBA, and we had opportunities, we had chances. I think he did a really good job."&nbsp;Denver stalwart Aaron Gordon was in no doubt that Adelman should be retained."I love DA. I hope he's here next year, I hope he's our coach," Gordon said. "I hope he gets an entire training camp, a whole offseason, and a full training camp to figure out his philosophy... he's excellent for us."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Denver Nuggets confirmed David Adelman as the franchise new head coach on Thursday following the team elimination from the NBA playoffs.

The Denver Nuggets confirmed David Adelman as the franchise's new head coach on Thursday following the team's elimination from the NBA playoffs. Adelman had worked as Denver's interim head coach after the shock dismissal of Michael Malone in early April in the final days of the regular season. Adelman subsequently oversaw the Nuggets' first round playoff series victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, before taking the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the Western Conference semi-finals. The 44-year-old Adelman has been on Denver's payroll since joining as an assistant coach in 2017 following coaching stints in Orlando and Minnesota. Adelman is widely credited with reinvigorating the Nuggets during the postseason in the wake of the turmoil surrounding Malone's exit. Speaking after Denver were eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday following a 125-93 drubbing by Oklahoma City, Adelman said he was uncertain what the future would bring. "Decision-makers will make that decision," Adelman said when asked if he expected to return as head coach next season. "Obviously blessed to have this opportunity. If I'm not back next year, I'll never forget this. It's been an incredible experience." Denver star Nikola Jokic praised Adelman's influence in getting the Nuggets' season back on track. "It's a tough, tough spot to be in," Jokic said of Adelman. "He had three games to change something, and I think he changed the energy. I think the guys were woken up a little bit, the guys had more energy. "He made us believe in something, and we played well. We played a seven-game series with probably the best team in the NBA, and we had opportunities, we had chances. I think he did a really good job." Denver stalwart Aaron Gordon was in no doubt that Adelman should be retained. "I love DA. I hope he's here next year, I hope he's our coach," Gordon said. "I hope he gets an entire training camp, a whole offseason, and a full training camp to figure out his philosophy... he's excellent for us." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Denver Nuggets confirmed David Adelman as the franchise's new head coach on Thursday following the team's elimination from the NBA playoffs.

Denver Nuggets confirm David Adelman as permanent head coach

Olympic javelin champion, Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan, refused to talk on Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra's recent statement about their relationship.&nbsp;&nbsp;Arshad was asked about Neeraj during a press conference in Lahore ahead of the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships.&nbsp;"I don't want to make any comments about Neeraj because of the ongoing conflict with India," said Arshad on Thursday (May 22). "I come from a village, and I will only say that my family and I will always stand with our army," he added. Last week, Neeraj Chopra &nbsp;broke his silence over his relationship with Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem in the wake of the Indo-Pak war between the nations. Answering a question on Thursday (May 15) ahead of the Doha Diamond League, Neeraj opened up on his relationship with Arshad, who is the defending Olympic champion. Both Neeraj and Arshad have shared the same podium on multiple occasions.&nbsp;"First, we were never really close friends or something. And things won't be the same after this (referring to the recent Indo-Pak tensions) but if someone talks to me respectfully I reciprocate the respect," Neeraj said on his relationship with Arshad.&nbsp;Neeraj was the Olympic champion when he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The reign came to an end in the Paris Olympics when Arshad threw 92.97 metres to win the gold medal. On the other hand, Neeraj won a silver medal with a throw of 89.45 metres in Paris.&nbsp;At the Doha Diamond League 2025, the two-time Olympic medalist and India's ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finally crossed the elusive 90m mark at the 2025 Doha Diamond League on Friday (May 16). Neeraj kicked off the event with a 88.44m throw. His second attempt was not a valid one. He breached the 90m mark in his third attempt. In his fourth attempt, the 27-year-old threw 80.56m, while his fifth throw was not valid and his last throw, he threw 88.20m.

Arshad Nadeem responds to Neeraj Chopras not close friends remark

Olympic javelin champion, Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan, refused to talk on Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra's recent statement about their relationship. Arshad was asked about Neeraj during a press conference in Lahore ahead of the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships. "I don't want to make any comments about Neeraj because of the ongoing conflict with India," said Arshad on Thursday (May 22). "I come from a village, and I will only say that my family and I will always stand with our army," he added. Last week, Neeraj Chopra broke his silence over his relationship with Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem in the wake of the Indo-Pak war between the nations. Answering a question on Thursday (May 15) ahead of the Doha Diamond League, Neeraj opened up on his relationship with Arshad, who is the defending Olympic champion. Both Neeraj and Arshad have shared the same podium on multiple occasions. "First, we were never really close friends or something. And things won't be the same after this (referring to the recent Indo-Pak tensions) but if someone talks to me respectfully I reciprocate the respect," Neeraj said on his relationship with Arshad. Neeraj was the Olympic champion when he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The reign came to an end in the Paris Olympics when Arshad threw 92.97 metres to win the gold medal. On the other hand, Neeraj won a silver medal with a throw of 89.45 metres in Paris. At the Doha Diamond League 2025, the two-time Olympic medalist and India's ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finally crossed the elusive 90m mark at the 2025 Doha Diamond League on Friday (May 16). Neeraj kicked off the event with a 88.44m throw. His second attempt was not a valid one. He breached the 90m mark in his third attempt. In his fourth attempt, the 27-year-old threw 80.56m, while his fifth throw was not valid and his last throw, he threw 88.20m.

Arshad Nadeem reiterated that his ultimate goal is to cross the 100-metre mark in men's javelin event

Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem responds to Neeraj Chopra's 'not close friends' remark

Mitchell Marsh struck his first Indian Premier League century as Lucknow Super Giants pulled off an upset 33-run win against table-toppers Gujarat Titans on Thursday.&nbsp;Marsh smashed 117 off 64 balls studded with 10 fours and eight sixes to help Lucknow post a formidable 235-2 off 20 overs.&nbsp;Gujarat, who have already qualified for the playoffs, could only make 202-9 in reply at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;"We gave 15-20 runs extra. If we'd stopped them at 210-220 it would've been better, that was a huge difference," said Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill.&nbsp;"Getting momentum back will be key in the next game."&nbsp;Lucknow were playing for pride after being eliminated from the playoffs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gujarat lost in-form opener and the tournament's highest run-getter Sai Sudharsan for 21, caught by Aiden Markram off Will O'Rourke, who ended with figures of 3-27.&nbsp;Sudharsan's opening partner Gill looked in good touch before he was caught in the deep by Abdul Samad off Avesh Khan for 35.&nbsp;Jos Buttler (33) tried to steady the innings but was dismissed by Akash Singh in the 10th over.&nbsp;Shahrukh Khan (57) and Sherfane Rutherford (38) revived hopes of a comeback but O'Rourke took two wickets in the 17th over to seal Gujarat's fate.&nbsp;"We had a lot of fun out there, T20 is fickle," said O'Rourke.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-test-eng-vs-zim-england-top-order-dominates-as-hosts-hit-498-3-on-day-1-zak-crawley-ben-duckett-ollie-pope-1747937646726">ENG vs ZIM: England top order dominates as hosts hit 498/3 on day 1</a>&nbsp;Earlier, Marsh combined with Markram to give Lucknow a steady start, putting on 91 runs for the opening wicket after Gujarat won the toss and elected to bowl.&nbsp;Markram (36) hit fellow South African Kagiso Rabada for two sixes in a row before being caught by Shahrukh near the boundary off Sai Kishore.&nbsp;Marsh continued his onslaught at the other end, hitting Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan for 25 runs in his first over of the game.&nbsp;The right-hander, who raced to his century off just 56 balls, was finally caught by a diving Rutherford off paceman Arshad Khan for 117.&nbsp;Nicholas Pooran also impressed, making an unbeaten 56 runs off 27 balls with four fours and five sixes.&nbsp;Lucknow's struggling skipper Rishabh Pant made 16 not out.&nbsp;The IPL resumed last Saturday after being paused due to a deadly conflict between India and Pakistan, forcing overseas players to revisit their season plans.

IPL 2025 Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat

Mitchell Marsh struck his first Indian Premier League century as Lucknow Super Giants pulled off an upset 33-run win against table-toppers Gujarat Titans on Thursday. Marsh smashed 117 off 64 balls studded with 10 fours and eight sixes to help Lucknow post a formidable 235-2 off 20 overs. Gujarat, who have already qualified for the playoffs, could only make 202-9 in reply at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. "We gave 15-20 runs extra. If we'd stopped them at 210-220 it would've been better, that was a huge difference," said Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill. "Getting momentum back will be key in the next game." Lucknow were playing for pride after being eliminated from the playoffs. Gujarat lost in-form opener and the tournament's highest run-getter Sai Sudharsan for 21, caught by Aiden Markram off Will O'Rourke, who ended with figures of 3-27. Sudharsan's opening partner Gill looked in good touch before he was caught in the deep by Abdul Samad off Avesh Khan for 35. Jos Buttler (33) tried to steady the innings but was dismissed by Akash Singh in the 10th over. Shahrukh Khan (57) and Sherfane Rutherford (38) revived hopes of a comeback but O'Rourke took two wickets in the 17th over to seal Gujarat's fate. "We had a lot of fun out there, T20 is fickle," said O'Rourke. Also read | ENG vs ZIM: England top order dominates as hosts hit 498/3 on day 1 Earlier, Marsh combined with Markram to give Lucknow a steady start, putting on 91 runs for the opening wicket after Gujarat won the toss and elected to bowl. Markram (36) hit fellow South African Kagiso Rabada for two sixes in a row before being caught by Shahrukh near the boundary off Sai Kishore. Marsh continued his onslaught at the other end, hitting Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan for 25 runs in his first over of the game. The right-hander, who raced to his century off just 56 balls, was finally caught by a diving Rutherford off paceman Arshad Khan for 117. Nicholas Pooran also impressed, making an unbeaten 56 runs off 27 balls with four fours and five sixes. Lucknow's struggling skipper Rishabh Pant made 16 not out. The IPL resumed last Saturday after being paused due to a deadly conflict between India and Pakistan, forcing overseas players to revisit their season plans.

Gujarat, who have already qualified for the playoffs, could only make 202-9 in reply at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

IPL 2025: Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat

England's top three of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope all made hundreds as they piled on the agony for a hapless Zimbabwe in a one-off four-day Test in Nottingham on Thursday.&nbsp;At stumps on the first day at Trent Bridge, an utterly dominant England were 498 for three after number three Pope top-scored with 169 not out at better than a run-a-ball.&nbsp;Pope's fourth score of over 150 at this level further emphasised the gulf between the sides in what is Zimbabwe's first Test in England in 22 years.&nbsp;Left-hander Duckett led the initial run-spree with 140 on his Nottinghamshire home ground and opening partner Crawley made 124.&nbsp;Not since the same trio all reached three figures against Pakistan at Rawalpindi in December 2022 had England's top three all made hundreds on the first day of a Test.&nbsp;Crawley's century came after he had managed just 212 runs in his previous eight Tests at an average of 15.14, with Thursday's innings just his fifth hundred in 54 matches at this level.&nbsp;But all three hundreds were made against a callow Zimbabwe attack which bore little relation to the sterner challenges awaiting England in an upcoming five-Test series at home to India before they head to Australia for the Ashes later this year.<h2>Ngarava injury</h2>&nbsp;Zimbabwe were further handicapped when Richard Ngarava, arguably the pick of their four pacemen with none for 42 in nine overs, left the field shortly after lunch having pulled up clutching his back and hamstrings when chasing a ball.&nbsp;Ngarava returned late in the final session but did not bowl again before leaving the field once more.&nbsp;Earlier, Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine opted to bowl after winning the toss in the hope his attack could utilise the cloud cover above Trent Bridge, a ground renowned for aiding pacemen.&nbsp;His decision to field was all the more understandable given Zimbabwe's 138-run thrashing by a youthful County Select XI in their lone warm-up match last week.&nbsp;But while Zimbabwe's four quicks got the occasional ball to deviate sharply, they also repeatedly over-pitched and bowled too short.&nbsp;At lunch, England were 130 without loss off 26 overs, with Duckett 75 not out and Crawley unbeaten on 53.&nbsp;It was not long before the aggressive Duckett completed a hundred off exactly 100 balls, including 15 fours.&nbsp;Having got to three figures, Duckett hit the first six of the match when he pulled Tanaka Chivanga, whose 12 wicketless overs cost an expensive 83 runs.&nbsp;Duckett, however, exited in familiar fashion.&nbsp;Having thrashed spinner Wessly Madhevere's first ball through the covers for four and pulled the second for six, Duckett tamely chipped the third to cover where Ben Curran -- the brother of England internationals Sam and Tom and the son of the late Zimbabwe all-rounder Kevin -- held the catch that ended a blistering innings.&nbsp;England were then 231-1 following their first three-figure opening partnership since Duckett and Crawley put on 109 against Ireland at Lord's in 2023.&nbsp;Come tea, Crawley was 93 not out and Pope unbeaten on 49.&nbsp;Crawley, after a trademark cover-driven four got him to 98, went to a 145-ball century, including 12 boundaries, with a sedate single.&nbsp;But having suffered what appeared to be an attack of cramp, Crawley was lbw trying to sweep spinner Sikandar Raza to the delight of a small but voluble band of Zimbabwe supporters.&nbsp;Pope completed a century when he forced Raza for his 14th four as he extended his own record by becoming the first batsman to score his first eight Test hundreds against different opponents.&nbsp;Such was England's dominance it made little difference when star batsman Joe Root holed out off persevering paceman Blessing Muzarabani for 34.&nbsp;England captain Ben Stokes is making a comeback to cricket this week after the all-rounder's lengthy rehabilitation from his latest hamstring tear.

ENG vs ZIM England top order dominates as hosts hit 498/3 on day 1

England's top three of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope all made hundreds as they piled on the agony for a hapless Zimbabwe in a one-off four-day Test in Nottingham on Thursday. At stumps on the first day at Trent Bridge, an utterly dominant England were 498 for three after number three Pope top-scored with 169 not out at better than a run-a-ball. Pope's fourth score of over 150 at this level further emphasised the gulf between the sides in what is Zimbabwe's first Test in England in 22 years. Left-hander Duckett led the initial run-spree with 140 on his Nottinghamshire home ground and opening partner Crawley made 124. Not since the same trio all reached three figures against Pakistan at Rawalpindi in December 2022 had England's top three all made hundreds on the first day of a Test. Crawley's century came after he had managed just 212 runs in his previous eight Tests at an average of 15.14, with Thursday's innings just his fifth hundred in 54 matches at this level. But all three hundreds were made against a callow Zimbabwe attack which bore little relation to the sterner challenges awaiting England in an upcoming five-Test series at home to India before they head to Australia for the Ashes later this year. Ngarava injury Zimbabwe were further handicapped when Richard Ngarava, arguably the pick of their four pacemen with none for 42 in nine overs, left the field shortly after lunch having pulled up clutching his back and hamstrings when chasing a ball. Ngarava returned late in the final session but did not bowl again before leaving the field once more. Earlier, Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine opted to bowl after winning the toss in the hope his attack could utilise the cloud cover above Trent Bridge, a ground renowned for aiding pacemen. His decision to field was all the more understandable given Zimbabwe's 138-run thrashing by a youthful County Select XI in their lone warm-up match last week. But while Zimbabwe's four quicks got the occasional ball to deviate sharply, they also repeatedly over-pitched and bowled too short. At lunch, England were 130 without loss off 26 overs, with Duckett 75 not out and Crawley unbeaten on 53. It was not long before the aggressive Duckett completed a hundred off exactly 100 balls, including 15 fours. Having got to three figures, Duckett hit the first six of the match when he pulled Tanaka Chivanga, whose 12 wicketless overs cost an expensive 83 runs. Duckett, however, exited in familiar fashion. Having thrashed spinner Wessly Madhevere's first ball through the covers for four and pulled the second for six, Duckett tamely chipped the third to cover where Ben Curran -- the brother of England internationals Sam and Tom and the son of the late Zimbabwe all-rounder Kevin -- held the catch that ended a blistering innings. England were then 231-1 following their first three-figure opening partnership since Duckett and Crawley put on 109 against Ireland at Lord's in 2023. Come tea, Crawley was 93 not out and Pope unbeaten on 49. Crawley, after a trademark cover-driven four got him to 98, went to a 145-ball century, including 12 boundaries, with a sedate single. But having suffered what appeared to be an attack of cramp, Crawley was lbw trying to sweep spinner Sikandar Raza to the delight of a small but voluble band of Zimbabwe supporters. Pope completed a century when he forced Raza for his 14th four as he extended his own record by becoming the first batsman to score his first eight Test hundreds against different opponents. Such was England's dominance it made little difference when star batsman Joe Root holed out off persevering paceman Blessing Muzarabani for 34. England captain Ben Stokes is making a comeback to cricket this week after the all-rounder's lengthy rehabilitation from his latest hamstring tear.

Pope's fourth score of over 150 at this level further emphasised the gulf between the sides in what is Zimbabwe's first Test in England in 22 years.

ENG vs ZIM: England top order dominates as hosts hit 498/3 on day 1

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/real-madrid">Real Madrid</a>'s Croatian midfielder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/luka-modric">Luka Modric</a> said Thursday he would leave the Spanish giants after the Club World Cup this summer."Everything in life has a start and an end... on Saturday I will play my last match at the Santiago Bernabeu," said Modric, 39, in a post on Instagram, as he reaches the end of his contract with Los Blancos.&nbsp;"I'm leaving with a full heart, filled with pride, gratitude and unforgettable memories.&nbsp;"And even though, after the Club World Cup, I'm no longer going to wear this shirt on the pitch, I will always be a Madrid fan."&nbsp;The Croatian has played nearly 600 games for Real Madrid since joining from Tottenham in 2012, winning the Champions League six times, the Copa del Rey twice and four La Liga titles among 28 trophies in total.&nbsp;Modric struggled at the start of his Madrid career after a move worth around 35 million euros ($40 million) but quickly found his footing and developed into one of the world's best midfielders.&nbsp;Modric, who became Madrid captain last summer, won the Ballon d'Or in 2018 for his performances with Madrid and also his country, as Croatia finished as runners-up at the World Cup in Russia.&nbsp;"Throughout these years I've experienced incredible moments, comebacks that seemed impossible, finals, celebrations and magical nights at the Bernabeu," continued Modric.&nbsp;“We won it all, and I was very happy. Very, very happy.”<h2>‘Unforgettable era’ &nbsp;</h2>Modric signed a one-year contract extension until June 30, 2025 last summer, but may stay a few days beyond that if Madrid progress from their Club World Cup group as expected. The tournament finishes on July 13.&nbsp;"Real Madrid and our captain Luka Modric have agreed to end an unforgettable era... after the Club World Cup that our team will compete in from June 18 in the United States," said Madrid in a statement.&nbsp;"Real Madrid want to show their gratitude and affection to someone who is one of the biggest legends at our club and in world football...&nbsp;"Modric is one of the five players who, in the whole of football history, has managed to win six European Cups, and he is the player with the most trophies in 123 years of Real Madrid's existence."&nbsp;The midfielder scored 43 goals for Madrid in 590 games, and is the club's ninth-highest appearance maker. Former striker Raul is first with 741 games.&nbsp;"Modric will always stay in the hearts of all Madrid fans as a unique and exemplary footballer, who has always represented Madrid's values," said Madrid president Florentino Perez.&nbsp;"Madrid fans and all fans in the world fell in love with his football, his legacy will remain forever."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Luka Modric confirms Real Madrid exit after Club World Cup

Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric said Thursday he would leave the Spanish giants after the Club World Cup this summer. "Everything in life has a start and an end... on Saturday I will play my last match at the Santiago Bernabeu," said Modric, 39, in a post on Instagram, as he reaches the end of his contract with Los Blancos. "I'm leaving with a full heart, filled with pride, gratitude and unforgettable memories. "And even though, after the Club World Cup, I'm no longer going to wear this shirt on the pitch, I will always be a Madrid fan." The Croatian has played nearly 600 games for Real Madrid since joining from Tottenham in 2012, winning the Champions League six times, the Copa del Rey twice and four La Liga titles among 28 trophies in total. Modric struggled at the start of his Madrid career after a move worth around 35 million euros ($40 million) but quickly found his footing and developed into one of the world's best midfielders. Modric, who became Madrid captain last summer, won the Ballon d'Or in 2018 for his performances with Madrid and also his country, as Croatia finished as runners-up at the World Cup in Russia. "Throughout these years I've experienced incredible moments, comebacks that seemed impossible, finals, celebrations and magical nights at the Bernabeu," continued Modric. “We won it all, and I was very happy. Very, very happy.” ‘Unforgettable era’ Modric signed a one-year contract extension until June 30, 2025 last summer, but may stay a few days beyond that if Madrid progress from their Club World Cup group as expected. The tournament finishes on July 13. "Real Madrid and our captain Luka Modric have agreed to end an unforgettable era... after the Club World Cup that our team will compete in from June 18 in the United States," said Madrid in a statement. "Real Madrid want to show their gratitude and affection to someone who is one of the biggest legends at our club and in world football... "Modric is one of the five players who, in the whole of football history, has managed to win six European Cups, and he is the player with the most trophies in 123 years of Real Madrid's existence." The midfielder scored 43 goals for Madrid in 590 games, and is the club's ninth-highest appearance maker. Former striker Raul is first with 741 games. "Modric will always stay in the hearts of all Madrid fans as a unique and exemplary footballer, who has always represented Madrid's values," said Madrid president Florentino Perez. "Madrid fans and all fans in the world fell in love with his football, his legacy will remain forever." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The Croatian has played nearly 600 games for Real Madrid since joining from Tottenham in 2012, winning the Champions League six times, the Copa del Rey twice and four La Liga titles among 28 trophies in total.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajasthan-royals">Rajasthan Royals (RR)</a> opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yashasvi-jaiswal">Yashasvi Jaiswal</a> took his time but changed the caption of his latest Instagram post amid rumours of him exiting the franchise following IPL 2025. Jaiswal’s RR failed to reach the IPL 2025 playoffs; they lost ten out of the 14 contested matches, collecting just eight points. Since their tournament has now concluded, he took to social media to thank the fans for their support while hinting at his future.&nbsp;Taking to his Instagram handle, his post’s earlier caption read, "Thank you, Rajasthan Royals, for everything. Not the season we hoped for, but grateful for the journey. On to the next challenge and whatever the future brings. YBJ 64."&nbsp; &nbsp;The fans were quick to jump onto reading between the lines, especially about what he meant by writing, ‘on to the next challenge’ and ‘whatever the future brings,’ with several speculating his intentions to part ways with the Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2026.&nbsp; &nbsp;Upon realising how quickly his post is garnering attention for all wrong reasons, Jaiswal quickly altered the caption - from ‘grateful for the journey’ to ‘continue to be grateful for our journey together, adding a tri-colour emoji after the phrase ‘on to the next challenge’, possibly referring to India’s upcoming tour of England starting June 20 in Leeds.

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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7K-0rSJi0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Yashasvi Jaiswal (@yashasvijaiswal28)</a></div></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal was RR’s top run-getter this season, scoring 559 runs in 14 matches, striking at close to 160 (159.71). His tally, however, is almost 200 runs more than the second-best RR batter this season.<h2>Fallout? &nbsp;</h2>Amid his run-scoring spree, there was chatter about Jaiswal being unhappy with RR management for not picking him as Sanju Samson’s successor while the skipper was out with a thumb injury. Rajasthan appointed Riyan Parag to lead the team in Samson’s absence, only to see the side fall flat in IPL 2025, losing ten matches. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Jaiswal will now turn his attention to red-ball cricket after the selectors picked him in the India-A squad for the shadow UK tour. The team picked (for three practice matches) also includes several Test hopefuls, led by opener Abhimanyu Easwaran.<h3>India-A squad for England tour - &nbsp;</h3>Abhimanyu Easwaran (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (vice-capt &amp; wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (wk), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande and Harsh Dubey

IPL 2025 Yashasvi Jaiswal edits Instagram post caption amid RR exit rumours

Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Yashasvi Jaiswal took his time but changed the caption of his latest Instagram post amid rumours of him exiting the franchise following IPL 2025. Jaiswal’s RR failed to reach the IPL 2025 playoffs; they lost ten out of the 14 contested matches, collecting just eight points. Since their tournament has now concluded, he took to social media to thank the fans for their support while hinting at his future. Taking to his Instagram handle, his post’s earlier caption read, "Thank you, Rajasthan Royals, for everything. Not the season we hoped for, but grateful for the journey. On to the next challenge and whatever the future brings. YBJ 64." The fans were quick to jump onto reading between the lines, especially about what he meant by writing, ‘on to the next challenge’ and ‘whatever the future brings,’ with several speculating his intentions to part ways with the Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2026. Upon realising how quickly his post is garnering attention for all wrong reasons, Jaiswal quickly altered the caption - from ‘grateful for the journey’ to ‘continue to be grateful for our journey together, adding a tri-colour emoji after the phrase ‘on to the next challenge’, possibly referring to India’s upcoming tour of England starting June 20 in Leeds.

Yashasvo Jaiswal’s RR failed to reach the IPL 2025 playoffs; they lost ten out of the 14 contested matches, collecting just eight points.

IPL 2025: Yashasvi Jaiswal edits Instagram post caption amid RR exit rumours

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