Northern District have won the Plunket Shield First-Class competition in decisive fashion in Dunedin on Tuesday, for the first time since 2011/12. It is a poetic moment for Neil Wagner, who concludes his domestic career at the same ground he started at back in 2008.

Coincidentally, Wagner’s debut game was for Otago against Northern District. He made the move up north for the 2018/19 season.

The Kiwi pacer retired from international cricket in 2024 and has now secured one of the only honours he had not been able to in 17 years.

Indian women’s hockey stalwart Vandana Katariya has officially announced her retirement from international hockey, bringing an end to an extraordinary career that spanned over 15 years.

With 320 international appearances and 158 goals to her name, Vandana leaves as the most capped player in the history of Indian women’s hockey. But beyond the numbers, she leaves behind an inspiring legacy—a tale of resilience, quiet determination, and a relentless hunger to push Indian women’s hockey to greater heights.

The 32-year-old forward, who made her senior team debut in 2009, was an integral part of some of the most defining moments in the sport, including India’s historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she became the first and only Indian woman to score a hat-trick at the Games.

New Zealand batter Mark Chapman will miss the second Chemist Warehouse ODI against Pakistan in Hamilton, on Wednesday (IST) due to a right hamstring injury. Chapman sustained the injury while fielding during the first ODI in Napier and a subsequent MRI scan revealed a grade one tear which will require a short period of rehabilitation.

Chapman, who scored a career-best 132 in the series opener at McLean Park, will return to Auckland for rehabilitation with the aim to be available for the third and final ODI at Bay Oval on Saturday.

Top-order batter Tim Seifert will replace Chapman in the squad in Hamilton. Seifert joins the squad off the back of a memorable T20I series against Pakistan where he topped the run scoring charts with 249 runs averaging 62.

Jakub Mensik overcame rain and an opponent chasing history when he stunned six-time champion Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 7-6(4) for the Miami Open trophy.

The 19-year-old Czech player stopped Djokovic from claiming the 100th tour-level title of his career to become the second-youngest titlist in tournament history behind Carlos Alcaraz, who lifted the trophy in 2022 as an 18-year-old.

"To be honest I don't know what to say. It feels incredible, obviously. It was probably the biggest day of my life and I did super, which I'm really glad [about], to show the performance

The historic gold medal clinched by the Indian men’s regu team at the Sepak Takraw World Cup 2025 in Patna, has been a result of multiple years of training at various Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres. India defeated Japan 2-1 in a dramatic final showdown in the competition, held from March 20 to 25 at the Pataliputra Indoor Stadium.

The Indian contingent returned home with a total of seven medals, including one gold, one silver and five bronze. The men’s regu team secured gold, while the women’s doubles team clinched silver. Bronze medals were won by the men’s doubles team, women’s regu team, mixed quad team, women’s quad team, and men’s quad team.

Their victory was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took to X to commend the achievement, stating, “This spectacular performance indicates a promising future for India in the global Sepak Takraw arena.”

Lahore Qalandars have appointed Russell Domingo as their new head coach for the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after Darren Gough stepped down due to "unavoidable personal commitments".

Gough was initially named Qalandars' head coach for the Global Super League in Guyana last year, with a long-term plan in place for him to continue in the role for PSL 10. Despite Qalandars' early exit in the group stage of the Super League, the franchise was impressed with Gough’s tactical expertise and had backed him for the upcoming PSL season.

"It's a sad news for myself and the Qalandars that I will not be able to make it to the PSL this year due to personal commitments that were unavoidable. However, my best wishes with the team, as once a Qalandar always a Qalandar.

Bayer Leverkusen kept their Bundesliga title hopes alive after closing the gap on leaders Bayern Munich to three points with a 3-1 victory over VfL Bochum on Saturday.

Leverkusen made their intentions of staying in the title race clear early on. Dominating possession and controlling the tempo, the hosts were rewarded in the 20th minute when Aleix Garcia found space outside the area and curled a shot into the top corner, leaving Bochum goalkeeper Timo Horn with no chance, reported.

But the visitors, desperate for points in their relegation battle, made quick response. Six minutes later, Felix Passlack stunned the home crowd with a volley from the edge of the area to level the scores.

Brazilian football is once again in search of a leader after the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced the dismissal of head coach Dorival Junior on Friday. The decision comes after a series of underwhelming performances, culminating in a crushing 4-1 defeat to Argentina in Buenos Aires—Brazil’s worst loss in a World Cup qualifier.

CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues confirmed Junior’s departure at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, signaling the beginning of yet another coaching hunt.

“The confederation announces that Dorival Júnior’s cycle is over,” Rodrigues stated. “From now on, we will work in the search for a substitute. Much has been said about (the confederation) contacting A, B or C coach, but I should say that (comment) was never coming from this president or anyone that the president authorized.”

Jessica Pegula has ended the Cinderella run of teenage wildcard Alexandra Eala of the Philippines with a 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-3 victory in the Miami Open semifinal on Friday.

From 5-2 down to start the match, Pegula turned around the opening set, crucially breaking serve at 5-3 after Eala double-faulted on set point, on the way to a 2-hour and 26-minute win.

No. 140-ranked Eala, whose run this fortnight has included wins over Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Keys and No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek, became just the second wild card to defeat three or more Grand Slam champions in a single tour-level event, following Elina Svitolina at Wimbledon 2023. The 19-year-old also became the first player from the Philippines to reach a tour-level semifinal after her huge upset win over Swiatek on Thursday.

Serbian great Novak Djokovic defeated Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6(4) in a quarterfinal clash that was postponed from Wednesday and became the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist in the series history.

At 37 years and 10 months, Djokovic is the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist in series history (since 1990), surpassing Roger Federer, who reached the last four in Indian Wells and Miami at 37 years and seven months in 2019.

Djokovic, into his eighth Miami semifinal and a record-extending 79th at Masters 1000 level, will next face 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov, whom he leads 12-1 in their ATP Head-to-Head series.

The Serb, who is seeking his record-breaking seventh title in south Florida and a 100th tour-level trophy, is aiming to break his tie with Andre Agassi for most titles at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Zimbabwe is all set to host South Africa and New Zealand for two Tests each and a T20I tri-series from June to August, said Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) on Thursday. Zimbabwe’s highly anticipated home season will begin with them hosting South Africa in a two-match Test series at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

The first Test is scheduled to be held from June 28 to July 2, with the second game happening from July 6-10. After that, Zimbabwe and South Africa will shift their focus to the T20I tri-series, with New Zealand joining them as the third team at the Harare Sports Club.

The T20I tri-series will begin on July 14 with Zimbabwe facing South Africa and two days later, South Africa taking on New Zealand. On July 18, Zimbabwe will meet New Zealand, before playing South Africa again on July 20. South Africa and New Zealand will face off once more on July 22, while Zimbabwe will close their group-stage campaign against New Zealand on July 24.

Off-spinner Charlie Dean has said she wouldn't say no if an offer comes her way of becoming the next captain of the England women’s team.

The 24-year-old Charlie's name is coming up for the England women's captaincy job comes after Heather Knight stepped down from the role last week, following a 16-0 sweep in the Women’s Ashes in Australia.

"I've had no real conversations about it. Leadership is something I'm growing into - I wouldn't say no, but whether now is the right time, I'm not sure. It's one of the biggest compliments you can get, being held in that regard. But it's about getting a bit more experience in those positions so that if you do get asked, you can give 100 per cent to it," Charlie was quoted as saying by BBC Sport on Thursday.

America's No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula completed the semifinal lineup at the Miami Open with a 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2 victory over Briton Emma Raducanu on Thursday (IST) at Hard Rock Stadium.

The American advanced to her third semifinal in Miami in the last four years by topping the 2021 US Open champion for a second time in three career meetings.

Pegula failed to seal the match in two sets after a strong rally from Raducanu in the second, where she saved four set points and fought back from a 5-2 deficit to force a tiebreak. Despite receiving medical treatment on a muggy Miami evening, Raducanu kept pushing hard. However, an early break of serve in the third set gave Pegula a lead she never gave up.

Novak Djokovic and Sebastian Korda’s quarter-final clash at the Miami Open, scheduled for late wednesday night (IST), has been postponed until Friday early morning (IST).

"Novak Djokovic and Sebastian Korda’s quarter-final clash at the Miami Open has been postponed until Thursday (local time)", the tournament announced.

In accordance with ATP rules that do not allow for a match to go on court after 11 p.m (local time), the quarterfinal meeting between Djokovic and Korda will be the third match after the quarterfinals starts at 1 p.m. local time ( 10:30 p.m IST) Thursday.

The quarterfinals between Djokovic is now scheduled to take place at 1:40 a.m (IST) on Friday.

The 37-year-old Djokovic is three victories from a record-breaking seventh Miami trophy. Should he capture his first title at the hard-court event since winning at Crandon Park in 2016, it would also mark Djokovic’s 100th tour-level crown. Korda, 24, will aim for his third Masters 1000 semi-final.

Teenage wild card Alexandra Eala staged a huge upset in her history-making breakout run at the Miami Open, dispatching No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek 6-2, 7-5 to make the first WTA semifinal of her career.

Eala, 19, is the first player from the Philippines to reach a tour-level semifinal and is now guaranteed to become the first Filipina to be ranked inside the Top 100 of the WTA Rankings next Monday.

"I'm in complete disbelief right now, I'm on cloud nine. It's so surreal. I feel like I'm the exact same person as I was in that photo. But of course, circumstances have changed! I'm so happy and so blessed to be able to compete with such a player on this stage... My coach told me to run, to go for every ball, to take all the opportunities I can, because a five-time Slam champion is not going to give you the win," Eala said in her on-court interview.

FIFA has confirmed the distribution model for its new club competition that includes USD 1 billion prize money for the 32 participating clubs, plus a substantial and groundbreaking global solidarity model. The winner of the tournament can earn up to USD 125 million.

Teams competing in the Group Stage will earn USD 2 million for each win and USD 1 million for a draw, across the six group games. As clubs progress to the knockout rounds, the financial rewards increase significantly, with the Round of 16 earning an additional USD 7.5 million, the Quarter-finals adding USD 13.125 million, the Semi-finals contributing USD 21 million, and the finalist receiving a further USD 30 million. The winner of the tournament will receive an impressive USD 40 million.

“The distribution model of the FIFA Club World Cup reflects the pinnacle of club football and represents the biggest-ever prize money for a football tournament comprising a seven-match group stage and playoff format with a potential payout of USD 125 million foreseen for the winners,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

New Zealand wrapped up a 4-1 series win against Pakistan after securing an eight-wicket win in the fifth and final T20I here at Sky Stadium on Wednesday.

Riding on Jimmy Neesham's five-wicket haul, New Zealand restricted Pakistan to 128-9. In reply, Tim Seifert smashed an unbeaten 97 off 38 as New Zealand needed just ten overs to chase down the target.

Winning the toss and opting to field first, New Zealand’s bowlers immediately put Pakistan under pressure. Will O’Rourke and Jacob Duffy struck early, reducing the visitors to 24/3 within the powerplay. Pakistan’s innings never gained momentum, with Neesham wreaking havoc in the middle overs as his spell saw Pakistan slump to 52 for 5 at the halfway mark.

The Argentina national football team, led by Lionel Messi, will visit India in October 2025 for an international exhibition match, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) made the announcement on Wednesday.

This visit comes as part of Argentina’s global outreach efforts ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualification final matches.

AFA President Claudio Fabian Tapia hailed the initiative as a milestone in Argentina’s international growth. "A new milestone has been achieved for the expansion of our team, opening new opportunities in both India and Singapore. We look forward to consolidating our presence in multiple regions as we progress in 2025 and 2026,” Tapia said.

Host Pakistan have announced a 15-member squad for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday, with pace all-rounder Fatima Sana, who led Pakistan at last year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup , continuing to lead the team in the 50-over event

Hosting the six-team tournament between April 9-19 at the Gaddafi Stadium and LCCA ground in Lahore, Pakistan, are among the six nations vying for the remaining two spots at the 13th edition of the 50-over World Cup later this year in India.

Shawaal Zulfiqar makes a comeback to the national side after suffering from a shoulder injury during the tour of New Zealand in December 2023. Bowling all-rounder Nida Dar is a major name missing in the squad, having been among the 19 players who were called to the training camp ahead of the qualifier tournament.

Indian men’s hockey team stalwart Amit Rohidas has shared his reaction after being honoured with the Pargat Singh Award for Defender of the Year 2024 at the recently held Hockey India 7th Annual Awards and expressed his surprise and gratitude, reflecting on the hard work and teamwork that contributed to this achievement.

Sharing his thoughts when nominated, Rohidas said, “Apart from me, there were three more nominations - Sanjay, Harmanpreet Singh, and Udita, and all of them are top players. I couldn’t predict who would win because everyone has been playing well and contributing to their team. I was just happy to be nominated. When I actually won, I was surprised and overjoyed. It was an incredible feeling.”

Rohidas, who is considered as one of the world's best first-rushers, explained that he hadn’t discussed his nomination with his teammates but acknowledged the excitement and support he received from friends and well-wishers.

Six-time champion Novak Djokovic jas entered the quarterfinals of the ATP Miami Open with a 6-2, 6-2 win against 15th seed Lorenzo Musetti on Wednesday (IST).

The 37-year-old, who is now three victories from his 100th tour-level title, will next gace American Sebastian Korda.

This is Djokovic’s first appearance in Miami since 2019. He had not advanced to the quarter-finals since winning the title at Crandon Park in 2016, according to ATP.

Djokovic fell behind an early break, and was given a time violation warning. That moment proved pivotal, as the 40-time Masters 1000 winner snapped into gear from there. The fourth seed won nine consecutive games to turn a deficit into a landslide, ultimately sealing his place in the last eight after one hour and 23 minutes.

Reigning Champions Champions Argentina have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 without kicking a ball after Bolivia's goalless draw at home to Uruguay in the qualifiers.

Argentina became the sixth nation to enter the field following the three co-hosts, Canada, Mexico and USA, as well as Iran, Japan and New Zealand.

Bolivia, the only team outside the automatic places who could have caught Argentina in the South American preliminaries, drew 0-0 against Uruguay on to leave themselves an insurmountable gap in the South American qualifiers.

Real Madrid are working to close Trent Alexander-Arnold's pre-contract agreement as quickly as possible. The English wingback has been on Los Blancos' radar for two years and talks are undergoing between both parties in hopes of striking a deal before the end of the season.

If an agreement is signed, then Real will be legally obligated to tell Liverpool of the deal which has not happened as of yet, as reported by The Athletic.

Madrid had identified Trent as their top priority transfer target for next season as per reports in October. Los Blancos are aiming to bring in defensive reinforcements at the end of the ongoing season and are admirers of Trent, who will be out of contract in June.

The Gabba, Brisbane’s iconic stadium, is set to be demolished following the 2032 Olympic Games, with cricket moving to a new 60,000-capacity venue in the Victoria Park area. This state-of-the-art stadium is being built as part of the Olympic infrastructure.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli unveiled the plans for the future of the state's sports venues on Tuesday, highlighting cricket’s central role in the decision. The sport had been in limbo due to the uncertainty surrounding the Gabba’s future after the state won the 2032 Olympics bid in 2021. This development provides much-needed clarity following years of speculation and shifting proposals.

World No. 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland moved a step closer to her first title of the year with a hard-fought 7-6(5), 6-3 victory over No. 22 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the Round of 16 at the Miami Open.

Swiatek needed 2 hours and 5 minutes to battle past former World No. 3 Svitolina, completing the quarterfinal lineup at the year's fourth WTA 1000 event on Tuesday morning, WTA reports.

Swiatek is eyeing her second Miami Open title -- she won this event in 2022 to complete the Sunshine Double (winning Indian Wells and Miami in the same year). The only other women to complete the Sunshine Double are Stefanie Graf (twice), Kim Clijsters and Victoria Azarenka.

Swiatek will now face an unexpected opponent in the quarterfinals: 19-year-old wild card Alexandra Eala of Philippines, who is in her sixth WTA 1000 event

A glorious free-kick from Reece James set England en route to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Latvia in the UEFA qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

An inch perfect free kick from James, a composed finish from captain Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze’s deflected effort secured all three points to put England top of their World Cup qualifying group.

England monopolised possession from the outset, but Latvia packed their penalty area and limited their opponents to shooting from examining angles or distance. Reece James made the breakthrough in spectacular fashion, meshing pace and curl to send a free-kick into the top corner.

Declan Rice laid the ball across goal for Harry Kane to make it two, before substitute Eberechi Eze jinking his way into a shooting position and sealed victory.

Thomas Tuchel’s charges now sit on maximum points from two games, while Paolo Nicolato’s team remain on three.

The Khelo India Para Games 2025 has become a major platform for para athletes to make their mark on the national stage, the participants in the tournament said. Over 1300 para athletes across six disciplines registered their names for the second edition of the tournament this year.

By the end of day 4, 132 medals were decided across five sports, and the tournament also saw major upsets, thrilling finishes, and several new emerging stars.

Svayam, the accessibility partners of KIPG 2025, conducted in-depth accessibility audits of the venues, including stadiums, hotels, hostels, and parking facilities, to ensure that they met the highest standards for barrier-free access.

As the countdown intensifies for the ‘Legends Faceoff’, eight more football greats, including the likes of Xavi Hernandez and Michael Owen, are set to join the historic showdown between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid Legends, scheduled for April 6 at the iconic DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.

Stepping onto the pitch to add even more magic to this clash of titans other than Hernandez and Owen are Rivaldo, Javier Saviola, Pepe, Phillip Cocu and Christian Karembeu.

Hernandez is a midfield maestro and one of the greatest passers in football history. He won eight La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies with FC Barcelona. He was also instrumental in Spain’s 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008 & 2012 victories.

Pune will host the prestigious Billie Jean King Cup Asia-Oceania Group-1 tournament for the first time in tennis history of the country, while Maharashtra will be hosting the event after a gap of 25 years from April 8 to 12 at the Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Complex.

Six teams from the Asia Oceania Zone including New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Korea and Thailand, apart from host India, will be playing in a round-robin format with all ties consisting of three matches - two singles followed by doubles.

"After the success of Mumbai Open WTA and the Maha Open ATP Challenger, MSLTA in association with AITA and PMDTA is thrilled to get another event of the highest level," said MSLTA secretary Sunder Iyer.

"MSLTA has hosted nearly all the big tennis events in Pune but we have never hosted the BKJC or the FED Cup. AITA and MSLTA bid for this event to make it easier for the girls to compete at the highest levels in the home conditions," added Iyer.

Lewis Hamilton delivered a statement win in the Sprint Race at the Chinese Grand Prix, securing his first victory for Ferrari and silencing the doubts surrounding his switch to the Italian team.

The seven-time World Champion, who has dominated at the Shanghai International Circuit in the past with six Grand Prix wins, put in a commanding performance to finish 6.889 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

The victory comes as a huge boost for Hamilton, who endured a difficult outing in Australia, where he struggled to get comfortable in the SF-25. After his disappointing performance in Melbourne, critics were quick to question whether he could adapt to his new surroundings at Ferrari. However, Hamilton hit back at those doubts, highlighting the challenges of transitioning to a new team.

“The first race was difficult, and I really do feel a lot of people underestimated how steep the climb is to get into a new team, to become acclimatised, to understand communication, and all sorts of things,” Hamilton said after his win.

Ashleigh Gardner has been ruled out for the rest of Australia's T20I tour of New Zealand due to a finger injury, with uncapped Brisbane Heat and Queensland all-rounder Charli Knott being called up as a replacement.

Gardner left the field immediately after being struck on her right index finger while attempting to catch a powerful return shot from Sophie Devine during the 17th over of Friday's first T20I in Auckland. She was taken for scans, which revealed a fracture in her right index finger. Gardner will undergo further scans and consult with a specialist upon returning to Sydney.

Serving as vice-captain to Tahlia McGrath on this tour, Gardner’s replacement for Sunday’s second T20I has yet to be confirmed.

South Korea’s Byeong Hun An hopes a mind shift in his mental approach will steer him to a maiden PGA Tour victory after charging into contention at the Valspar Championship with a 4-under 67 on Friday.

The 33-year-old An hit five birdies against a lone bogey at Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Course) in Palm Harbor, Florida where his 5-under total was good for tied second place alongside Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune (66) and 2023 FedExCup champion, Viktor Hovland (67). American Jacob Bridgeman leads the USD 8.7 million tournament by one stroke after a 69.

Chinese Taipei’s Kevin Yu and three-time PGA Tour winner, Tom Kim sit in a share of 14th after rounds of 68 and 66 respectively as the Asian contingent showed up in strength on the second day.

Carlos Alcaraz was defeated 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 by Belgium’s David Goffin in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday (local time). Goffin managed to break the second seed in each set, sealing the win on his second match point when Alcaraz, sliding across the court, couldn't return a forehand that Goffin expertly placed in the corner.

Next for Goffin is American Brandon Nakashima, who triumphed 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 over Roberto Carballes Baena.

Six-time Miami Open champion Novak Djokovic marked his highly anticipated return to the tournament with a dominant 6-0, 7-6(1) win over Australia's Rinky Hijikata, advancing to the third round. This was Djokovic’s first Miami appearance since 2019 and his victory was his 410th ATP Masters 1000 match win, tying him with Rafael Nadal for the most all-time wins in the series.

"I wanted to make a statement to myself and to others, as well, that I'm still able to play on a high level," Djokovic told reporters.

Lewis Hamilton has claimed victory in the first Sprint of the 2025 season at the Chinese Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver putting in an assured drive to add to his tally of wins in Shanghai and claim his debut P1 for the Scuderia.

After a strong start when the lights went out, Hamilton went on to build a commanding lead and – while it was not entirely smooth sailing, his SF-25 experiencing graining on the tyres at one stage – the seven-time World Champion looked in stunning form across the 19-lap event.

Max Verstappen spent much of the Sprint running in second but lost out to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri with a few laps to spare, putting the Red Bull in third, while Mercedes’ George Russell held onto fourth despite a late-race battle with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, the latter having to settle for fifth.

Holger Rune overcame Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Indian Wells fourth round to snap the Greek’s seven-match winning streak.

Rune flashed his entire repertoire in a 6-4, 6-4 win over Tsitsipas that upped his record against the Greek Grand Slam finalist to 4-0. He pulled off perhaps one of the shots of the year in the second set, a tweener lob.

Rune is into his ninth Masters 1000 quarter-final, with his best result at this level a title run in Paris in 2022 when he was just 19. Having reached the same stage in Indian Wells last year, the 12th seed is the first Scandinavian since Stefan Edberg in 1994-95 to advance to consecutive quarter-finals in the California desert, ATP reports