CRICKET
Jaiswal hits double-ton
Yashasvi Jaiswal yesterday scored his maiden double-hundred as India were bowled out for 396 shortly before lunch on Day 2 of the second Test against England. Jaiswal finished with 209 runs, including 19 fours and seven sixes, as the opener almost single-handedly kept India’s innings together. England were bowled out later yesterday for 253, with Zak Crawley’s 76 the top score. Jasprit Bumrah claimed 6-45 to give India a first-innings lead of 143, which they extended to 171 at stumps by reaching 28-0.
Photo: Reuters
SOCCER
Laporta outlines plans
Barcelona president Joan Laporta said that the planned European super league could take off next season or at least by the 2025-2026 season, but if it fails to, the La Liga side would have to re-evaluate everything. The Court of Justice of the EU in December last year ruled that European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, and its global counterpart, FIFA, breached EU law when they prevented 12 clubs from forming a super league. Barca and Real Madrid are the only clubs still supporting the breakaway project. “The super league could start next season, or it will be in 2025-[20]26, and if not, I will rethink everything,” Laporta told Catalan radio station RAC1. The Premier League has said its sides would face a 30-point deduction and a fine for attempting to join a breakaway attempt. “Whether or not the English come, I don’t care. They already have a Super League with the Premier League,” Laporta said.
SOCCER
Lecce beat Fiorentina
US Lecce on Friday scored twice in the last three minutes to beat ACF Fiorentina 3-2 in Serie A. Lecce dominated the early action and went 1-0 up after 17 minutes when Remi Oudin scored direct from a free-kick. Fiorentina took control in the second half and Rolando Mandragora equalized for the visitors five minutes in when he picked up a clearance 30m from goal and rifled in a low shot. Lucas Beltran made it 2-1 midway through the second half thanks to an atrocious mistake in the Lecce defense. Goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone was slow in clearing the ball and his interception rebounded off Beltran and into the empty net. Just when Lecce looked doomed, Piccoli scored with a header in the 90th minute. Then Patrick Dorgu sent the home crowd wild when he grabbed the winner two minutes into stoppage-time.
SOCCER
Mbappe gifted opener
Kylian Mbappe on Friday had a penalty brilliantly saved, but was gifted the opening goal as champions Paris Saint-Germain edged RC Strasbourg 2-1 in Ligue 1. Goalkeeper Alaa Bellaarouch saved Mbappe’s well-struck penalty in the fifth minute to leave the superstar striker holding his head, but Mbappe took his 20th league goal of the campaign after a panicked clearance from the rookie in the 30th minute.
Manchester City have reached do-or-die territory in the UEFA Champions League earlier than expected ahead of what Pep Guardiola has described as a “final” against Club Brugge today. City have disproved the suggestion a new format to Europe’s top club competition would remove any jeopardy for the top clubs as Guardiola stares down the barrel of failing to make the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in his career. The English champions have endured a torrid season both in their English Premier League title defense and on the continent. A run of one win in 13 games, which included Champions League
Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday poured in 35 points as the Thunder grabbed a bounce-back 118-108 victory in Portland to push their NBA-best record to 37-8. The Thunder, surprised by the short-handed Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, fended off a late surge from the Trail Blazers to snap their four-game winning streak. Jalen Williams scored 24 points and Isaiah Joe added 16 off the bench. Center Isaiah Hartenstein, back after a five-game absence with a calf injury, added 14 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a big block. The Western Conference leaders were under pressure late as Portland, trailing by 15 heading
The Golden State Warriors on Wednesday withstood Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 52-point outburst to beat the Western Conference leading Thunder 116-109. Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points and Warriors superstar Stephen Curry scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half as Golden State erased a double-digit deficit and pulled away late for the victory. “We just stayed solid,” said Curry, who entered the contest mired in a shooting slump and had just four points on one basket in the first half. “Just all-around effort.” The Thunder, fueled by 31 first-half points from Gilgeous-Alexander, led by as many as 14 in the
Ousmane Dembele on Wednesday scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain romped to a 4-1 win at VfB Stuttgart and qualified for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. PSG were at risk of elimination after a disappointing league stage, with three losses and a draw, but were utterly dominant against an outclassed Stuttgart side as they confirmed their place in the playoffs. With six minutes gone, Bradley Barcola headed PSG in front after Desire Doue stood a cross up at the back post following a corner. Stuttgart probed for an equalizer, but PSG hit on the counterattack, Dembele tapping a Barcola pass into an
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