Rana, Hasaranga help Rajasthan Royals to first season win in IPL

Rajasthan Royals’ Wanindu Hasaranga celebrates after taking the wicket of Chennai Super Kings’ Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Reuters)
Rajasthan Royals’ Wanindu Hasaranga celebrates after taking the wicket of Chennai Super Kings’ Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Reuters)
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Updated 31 March 2025
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Rana, Hasaranga help Rajasthan Royals to first season win in IPL

Rana, Hasaranga help Rajasthan Royals to first season win in IPL
  • Rana reached his fifty in 21 balls and bludgeoned the bowlers with 10 fours and five sixes

GUWAHATI, India: Nitish Rana’s batting blitz combined with a four-wicket haul by Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga led Rajasthan Royals to their first victory of this IPL season against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday.

Rajasthan depended on a 36-ball 81 by Rana to post 182-9 after being invited to bat first at their second home in Guwahati.

Hasaranga then turned on the heat with his leg-spin to help restrict Chennai to 176-6 and a six-run win to bounce back from two losses in the T20 tournament.

The left-handed Rana put on 82 for the second wicket with Sanju Samson to lay the foundations.

Afghanistan left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad once again proved his worth as he broke the stand with the wicket of Samson, who is Rajasthan’s regular captain but playing only as a batsman due to an injury.

Rana reached his fifty in 21 balls and bludgeoned the bowlers with 10 fours and five sixes in his stay at the crease.

Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin cut short Rana’s knock as he had the batsman stumped to check Rajasthan’s surge.

Stand-in-skipper Riyan Parag hit 37 off 28 balls before being bowled by Sri Lankan pace bowler Matheesha Pathirana.

Pace spearhead Khaleel Ahmed dismissed Jofra Archer for a duck for his second wicket.

Noor and Pathirana both returned figures of 2-28.

In Chennai’s reply, Archer struck in the first over to have Rachin Ravindra caught behind for a duck as he celebrated his first wicket this IPL season.

Archer had a disastrous start to the tournament when he went for 76 in his four overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad for the league’s most expensive bowling figures ever.

Hasaranga struck with his first ball to send back Rahul Tripathi before skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad attempted to put the chase on track in his 63 off 44 balls.

Hasaranga claimed a wicket each in his next two overs including impact player Shivam Dube to dent the opposition chase but Gaikwad stood strong to reach his fifty.

Hasaranga dismissed Gaikwad in his last over to return figures of 4-35.

M.S. Dhoni attempted to see his team over the line in his late blitz of 16 but fell to a stunning catch in the deep by Shimron Hetmyer off Sandeep Sharma who defended 20 runs in the final over.

Ravindra Jadeja hit a valiant 32 not out as Chennai suffered their second straight loss after they started the season with a win over Mumbai Indians.


Mbappe and PSG set for reunion as Real Madrid eye final

Mbappe and PSG set for reunion as Real Madrid eye final
Updated 12 sec ago
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Mbappe and PSG set for reunion as Real Madrid eye final

Mbappe and PSG set for reunion as Real Madrid eye final
  • Mbappe should be remembered as a PSG legend, having spent seven prolific campaigns there and eventually departing as their all-time top scorer with 256 goals in 308 games

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey: Kylian Mbappe will come up against Paris Saint-Germain for the first time since leaving the French club a year ago as Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid revolution gets its biggest test yet in Wednesday’s Club World Cup semifinal.

Mbappe should be remembered as a PSG legend, having spent seven prolific campaigns there and eventually departing as their all-time top scorer with 256 goals in 308 games.

But his legacy was a little tainted by the manner of his departure, the sense among many that for the last half of his time in Paris he was just waiting for the right moment to move to Madrid, the club he had dreamed of representing as a young boy.

PSG, under their Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, were not happy with the way in which Mbappe chose to run down his contract in order to sign for Real in 2024, denying them a transfer fee.

A bitter legal dispute has gone on between the parties for much of the time since, with Mbappe claiming he is owed €55 million ($64.4 million) in unpaid wages and bonuses from his spell in Paris.

The latest twist came just this week, when one of Mbappe’s lawyers told AFP that the France captain had withdrawn a complaint of moral harassment against his former employers.

That was after the Paris prosecutor’s office revealed last month that an investigation had been opened following a complaint by the player over the way he was treated by PSG in the summer of 2023.

He believes he was sidelined by PSG and made to train with players the club were looking to offload after refusing to agree a new contract.

Mbappe missed a pre-season tour to Japan and the start of the next campaign before eventually being reintegrated into Luis Enrique’s squad.

All that should have been behind Mbappe long ago, given the way his first season at Real has gone on a personal level.

The 26-year-old, a World Cup winner in 2018, scored 43 goals in 56 matches for his new club across all competitions up to the end of the campaign in La Liga, a remarkable tally.

However, Mbappe has endured frustration at the Club World Cup, not featuring at all during the group stage due to a stomach bug which led to him requiring hospital treatment.

In his absence, young forward Gonzalo Garcia has made the step up in impressive fashion, starting all five matches in the US and scoring four goals.

The last of those was the opener in the 3-2 quarterfinal win over Borussia Dortmund at the MetLife Stadium on Saturday, but it was Mbappe who got what was ultimately the deciding goal.

He came off the bench midway through the second half and scored a brilliant, acrobatic overhead kick for Real’s third of the afternoon in stoppage time.

“He is still not perfect, not 100 percent, but he is getting better every day,” Alonso said of Mbappe after that match.

“Now he will have three days to keep progressing and feeling better ahead of the semifinal.”

It is hard to imagine Mbappe not getting his first start of the tournament against PSG, the club who won the Champions League in the season following his departure after so many years of disappointment in Europe with him in the team.

PSG came to the US fresh from crushing Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final. They reached the last four with a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in Atlanta in the last eight — despite having Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez sent off — and need not fear Real.

“It doesn’t matter who we play in the semifinals. All that matters is that we are there and that we want to get to the final,” said Luis Enrique, for whom this is also a special occasion given that he spent five years at Madrid as a player in the 1990s.

Alonso has just taken over as Real coach after an outstanding spell with Bayer Leverkusen and has already displayed great tactical flexibility, flitting between a back four and a three-man central defense at the tournament.

It will be fascinating to see which system he opts for here, and if Mbappe starts as he prepares to play against PSG for the first time since July 2017, when he was still a thrilling teenager at Monaco.


Turki Alalshikh announces The Ring IV in Riyadh Season featuring four world title fights

Turki Alalshikh announces The Ring IV in Riyadh Season featuring four world title fights
Updated 08 July 2025
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Turki Alalshikh announces The Ring IV in Riyadh Season featuring four world title fights

Turki Alalshikh announces The Ring IV in Riyadh Season featuring four world title fights
  • Leading the fight card is the WBO world welterweight title clash between American star Devin Haney and compatriot Brian Norman Jr.
  • In the second title bout, David Benavidez, the reigning WBC light heavyweight champion, takes on British contender Anthony Yarde

RIYADH: Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and chairman of the Saudi Boxing Federation, officially announced the fourth edition of the global boxing event The Ring IV, scheduled to take place on Friday, Nov. 22, at ANB Arena in Riyadh.

Part of Riyadh Season, the event will feature four headline bouts for major world titles.

Leading the fight card is the WBO world welterweight title clash between American star Devin Haney and compatriot Brian Norman Jr. Haney enters the bout with a perfect record of 32 wins (15 by knockout), aiming to become a three-division world champion. This is his second fight at welterweight after defeating Arnold Barboza Jr. in the inaugural The Ring event held at Times Square.

Norman Jr., who also has an undefeated record of 28 wins (22 by knockout), comes into the fight fresh off a dominant KO victory against Japan’s Jin Sasaki, whom he stopped with a powerful left hook in the fifth round.

In the second title bout, David Benavidez, the reigning WBC light heavyweight champion, takes on British contender Anthony Yarde. Benavidez is unbeaten in 30 fights, including 24 knockouts, and will be making his first title defense. Yarde enters the ring with a record of 27 wins (24 by knockout) and three losses, seeking to dethrone the American in what is expected to be an explosive encounter.

In the lightweight division, American Abdullah Mason will face Britain’s Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight title. Mason brings a flawless record of 19 wins, 17 by knockout, while Noakes comes in undefeated as well, with 17 victories, 15 by knockout. With both fighters known for their high knockout ratios and aggressive styles, this bout is considered one of the most anticipated matchups among the new wave of lightweight contenders.

The night will conclude with a super flyweight (super bantamweight) showdown between US champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Argentina’s undefeated Fernando Martinez. Rodriguez has 21 wins (14 by knockout), while Martinez has 18 wins, including 9 knockouts, with no losses. The fight will be contested for the prestigious The Ring title and is expected to deliver a high-level tactical and fast-paced boxing display.


Injured Rauf and Shadab to miss Pakistan’s T20 series in Bangladesh

Injured Rauf and Shadab to miss Pakistan’s T20 series in Bangladesh
Updated 08 July 2025
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Injured Rauf and Shadab to miss Pakistan’s T20 series in Bangladesh

Injured Rauf and Shadab to miss Pakistan’s T20 series in Bangladesh
  • Haris Rauf injured a hamstring in Major League Cricket in the United States last week
  • Uncapped fast bowlers Ahmed Danial and Salman Mirza were picked in a 15-man squad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf and allrounder Shadab Khan were injured and will miss the Twenty20 series in Bangladesh this month.

Rauf injured a hamstring in Major League Cricket in the United States last week, and Shadab recently underwent shoulder surgery.

Uncapped fast bowlers Ahmed Danial and Salman Mirza were picked in a 15-man squad on Tuesday to supplement Abbas Afridi and fast bowling allrounder Faheem Ashraf.

Left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem was also recalled after he was overlooked for the last home series against Bangladesh.

Spin allrounder Mohammad Nawaz has also made his way back into the national squad since last appearing in January 2024 against New Zealand, after impressive performance in the Pakistan Super League.

The three-match T20 series will be played in Mirpur from July 20-24.

Pakistan: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Sufiyan Muqeem.

 


UAE Team Emirates–XRG to wear first global GEN AI-designed helmet at Tour de France

UAE Team Emirates–XRG to wear first global GEN AI-designed helmet at Tour de France
Updated 08 July 2025
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UAE Team Emirates–XRG to wear first global GEN AI-designed helmet at Tour de France

UAE Team Emirates–XRG to wear first global GEN AI-designed helmet at Tour de France
  • G42, the UAE’s leading AI and technology holding group, has teamed up with the cycling team and MET Helmets for the launch

ABU DHABI: G42, the UAE’s leading artificial intelligence and technology holding group, has teamed up with UAE Team Emirates–XRG and MET Helmets to launch the world’s first GEN AI-designed helmet for the team to wear at the Tour de France today.

Designed using G42’s advanced generative AI technology, the unique livery blends data, performance and creativity, interpreting movement through airflow and negative space, for the riders on all terrain.

From the helmet came the idea for a global community-driven project known as Helmetverse, a design challenge that invites cycling fans to design their own AI-generated head gear.

Live now at helmetverse.ai, the digital platform allows fans worldwide to design custom cycling helmets using cutting-edge AI tools. With simple text prompts, users can generate unique helmet designs in seconds.

All submissions can be viewed, shared and voted on, with the 10 most-voted entries reviewed by a panel of judges from G42, UAE Team Emirates–XRG and MET Helmets.

Andrew Jackson, G42’s group chief AI officer, said: “Partnering with a world-class team like UAE Team Emirates-XRG allows us to showcase the power of AI, not just in performance, but also in creativity.

“Helmetverse is an example of human-AI collaboration, providing a platform for people to design something personal. It’s AI at its most accessible, and most exciting.”

The winning helmet will be produced and worn by UAE Team Emirates–XRG during the 2026 UAE Tour, becoming a first for fan-created AI design in a UCI WorldTour race. Submissions are open and will close on Sept. 15, 2025.

Faheem Ahamed, G42’s group chief marketing officer, said: “Helmetverse gives cycling fans a new way to get involved with UAE Team Emirates-XRG, the world’s best cycling team.

“It puts creativity at the forefront of innovation, bringing more people closer to the sport, with the chance to see their creation on the WorldTour stage.”

Mauro Gianetti, UAE Team Emirates-XRG team principal and CEO, said: “Cycling is a unique sport because it is not only about competition and racing — both professional cyclists and casual riders can share the same roads and enjoy the ride together.

“Helmetverse gives fans a new way to be part of that journey. It’s an open, inclusive idea that brings fresh energy to the sport and reflects our ambition to lead both on and off the road.”

A key pillar of this partnership will have G42 act as the official AI partner of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, working closely to explore new opportunities across cycling, including optimizing training, race strategies, team performance, and fan engagement.


Tottenham sign Japan defender Takai from Kawasaki Frontale

Tottenham sign Japan defender Takai from Kawasaki Frontale
Updated 08 July 2025
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Tottenham sign Japan defender Takai from Kawasaki Frontale

Tottenham sign Japan defender Takai from Kawasaki Frontale
  • Europa League champions reportedly paid a fee of $6.82 million for the 20-year-old
  • Kota Takai is the third center back to join the north London club this summer

Tottenham Hotspur have signed Japan defender Kota Takai on a five-year contract from J-League side Kawasaki Frontale, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.

Financial details were not disclosed but British media reports said Europa League champions Tottenham paid a fee of $6.82 million (£5 million) for the 20-year-old.

Takai, a product of Frontale’s youth academy, was part of the side that missed out on the Asian Champions League Elite title after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli in the final in May.

He has also made four appearances for Japan’s national team.

Takai is the third center back to join the north London club this summer, further bolstering their defense after the arrivals of Luka Vuskovic from Hajjduk Split and Kevin Danso, whose loan move from RC Lens was made permanent.

Tottenham ended their 17-year trophy drought with their Europa League victory last season, but also endured their worst domestic campaign for nearly half a century and finished 17th in the Premier League.