Former cricketer and coach Simon Katich opined that Scott Boland is the most probable replacement for the injured Australian skipper Pat Cummins in the Ashes opener after it was reported that the regular captain will miss the first Test in Perth on November 21 due to lower back stress.

Cummins is set to miss the Ashes opener in Perth, with the possibility that he may also miss the entire Test series against England, as scans have revealed that his back stress problem has not yet healed.

"Look, Scott Boland, I think, is the first man in if Cummins doesn’t play. I think there's no doubt about that, but it'll give it a great opportunity to some of these other young quicks around the country," Katich said on SEN Afternoons.

River Plate defender Lautaro Rivero was one of three uncapped players included in Argentina's squad on Friday for friendlies against Venezuela and Puerto Rico.

Racing goalkeeper Facundo Cambeses and Palmeiras midfielder Anibal Moreno were also called up for the first time by Albiceleste manager Lionel Scaloni for this month's friendlies in the United States.

In addition, Scaloni recalled Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi, while Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez returns after missing September's World Cup qualifiers due to suspension.

As expected, the 28-man squad is led by captain Lionel Messi and also includes Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, Real Madrid midfielder Franco Mastantuono, Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, and Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez.

 Ben Shelton lost to former World No. 7 David Goffin in the second round at the Shanghai Masters 2-6, 4-6 on Friday and missed the opportunity to boost his ATP Tout Final hopes on his return to tour on Friday.

Shelton, who was competing for the first time since he was forced to retire during the third round at the US Open in August due to a left shoulder injury, was slightly off the pace, committing 22 unforced errors to 11 from Goffin, who beat Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Miami earlier this year.

Goffin saved all three break points he faced against Shelton and leads the sixth seed 2-0 in the pair’s ATP Head2Head series. The 34-year-old, who is a two-time Shanghai quarterfinalist, plays Gabriel Diallo in the third round on Sunday.

Borussia Dortmund extended its unbeaten streak across all competitions with a convincing 4-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao in their group stage clash at Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday.

The host entered the contest full of confidence after four straight league wins, and coach Niko Kovac rotated his lineup in five positions, including the return of top scorer Serhou Guirassy.

Despite the changes, Dortmund quickly found their rhythm and took control of proceedings. Athletic, struggling with form and missing star forward Nico Williams through injury, offered little in the opening stages.

Gabriel Martinelli scored early to set Arsenal on course for a 2-0 win over Olympiacos, maintaining the Premier League side's perfect start in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Martinelli reacted quickest in the 12th minute after Viktor Gyokeres' shot was saved by Konstantinos Tzolakis and deflected onto the post. The Brazilian forward also had a goal and an assist in Arsenal's opening win over Athletic Club.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta rotated heavily, making six changes from the weekend victory over Newcastle.

Australia are all set to defend their championship title at the Women’s World Cup, and skipper Alyssa Healy said that she’s focused on leading the team at the event.

After a dominant campaign in 2022, capped by Alyssa Healy’s unforgettable 170-run masterclass in the final against then-defending champions England, Australia are back and ambitious as ever.

Now under the leadership of Healy herself, the world’s top-ranked side arrives in sub-continent with history, form, and motivation on their side.

England allrounder Chris Woakes on Monday announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect, saying that he’ll continue to play county cricket and explore franchise opportunities in the future.

Woakes, 36, has represented England in 217 games since his debut in 2013. He took three wickets at Lord's against New Zealand, helping England win the 2019 ICC Men's World Cup.

He was also part of England's 2022 World Cup victory, which saw them win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup by defeating Pakistan in Melbourne.

“The moment has come, and I've decided that the time is right for me to retire from international cricket,” Woakes said in a statement he shared on X.

 FC Barcelona went to the top of La Liga after the seventh round of games after Lamine Yamal came off the bench to set up the winning goal in a 2-1 triumph at home to Real Sociedad.

Barca coach Hansi Flick handed a first start to 17-year-old Dro in attacking midfield, while Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres were on the subs' bench.

Barca controlled nearly all of the ball, but were undone by Ander Barrenetxea, who set up Alvaro Odriozola for a simple finish, reports.

Former Spain and Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets will retire at the end of the current season, with the Major League Soccer playoffs marking the final matches of his professional career, his MLS club Inter Miami said.

Since joining Inter Miami CF in 2023 from FC Barcelona, Busquets has been instrumental in the club’s continued growth, contributing his vision and quality in midfield, as well as his experience and leadership, and playing a role in winning both the Supporters’ Shield and the Leagues Cup.

"I feel like the time has come to say goodbye to my career as a professional footballer. It’s been almost 20 years of enjoying this incredible story I always dreamed of,” Busquets said in a farewell video he shared on his Instagram.

Former coach Gary Stead has returned to New Zealand Cricket as high performance coach, where he will be tasked with supporting player and coach development, as well as high performance programmes.

NZC Chief High Performance Officer Daryl Gibson said that Stead's role is a commitment of three days a week on average over the year.

Stead, who concluded a highly successful eight-year stint as BlackCaps coach in June, was recently appointed as the head coach of Indian domestic side Andhra for the 2025-26 edition of the Ranji Trophy, and he will be working outside NZC to develop his skills further.

Meg Lanning, a two-time ICC Women's Cricket World Cup champion, has emphasised the significance of India starting their campaign with a victory against Sri Lanka in the tournament opener on September 30, saying that a win in the opener could set the tone for their campaign.

The former Australia captain, while discussing the challenges of hosting a home World Cup explained how India’s opening match against Sri Lanka might impact their overall campaign.

“I think it's a crucial game for them because it can almost release the pressure a little bit. If they can play a good, solid game up front, get the win on the board, then I think that might just calm them down a little bit. Because yeah, home World Cups, there'll be obviously a lot of pressure and expectation on them to do well.

Ireland women’s spin bowler Freya Sargent has taken the decision to step away from international cricket for a time for personal reasons, Ireland Cricket said.

Sargent, 19, made her international debut in 2023 and has 16 ODI caps and 16 T20I caps, claiming 33 wickets across the formats. She also featured prominently at the first two ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cups in 2023 and 2025.

Sargent recently returned from injury and appeared for Ireland most recently at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup European Qualifier in August. She had missed Ireland's most recent white-bal series against Zimbabwe.

Football fans in Kerala are in for a historic treat as Lionel Messi and Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad are set to play in Kochi this November.

The highly anticipated international friendly will see Argentina face Australia, according to officials, with the match likely scheduled between November 15 and 18 at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium.

While speculation had been rife in recent weeks about Argentina’s opponent and the logistics of the high-profile game, clarity has now emerged.

Hockey India, on Monday, announced the 18-member junior men’s hockey team set to participate in the upcoming edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia. Defender Rohit has been named as captain.

The squad includes goalkeepers Bikramjit Singh and Princedeep Singh; defenders Rohit, Talem Priyobarta, Anmol Ekka, Amir Ali, Sunil P B, and Ravneet Singh; midfielders Ankit Pal, Thounaojam Ingalemba Luwang, Adrohit Ekka, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Rosan Kujur, and Manmeet Singh; and forwards Arshdeep Singh, Sourabh Anand Kushwaha, Ajeet Yadav, and Gurjot Singh.

"The team has been preparing well for the Sultan of Johor Cup. We have a good team, and with the Junior World Cup coming up, this tournament will be a good platform and rehearsal for the players to test themselves against strong opponents and gain valuable international experience. We are looking forward to putting up a good performance in Malaysia," Coach PR Sreejesh said.

The Indian Women’s team will wear a special pink-coloured jersey against Australia Women in the third and final ODI of the series to raise awareness for breast cancer. With the series currently tied at 1-1, the upcoming game is one to watch.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a heartwarming video across their social media platforms, where the players donned special pink jerseys, with ‘thanks a dot’ printed on it, while speaking of the importance of this initiative.

BCCI, sharing the video on their social media, wrote: “Thanks A Lot #TeamIndia will be wearing special pink-coloured jerseys in the Third ODI today to promote Breast Cancer Awareness.”

Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden said that Erling Haaland’s goalscoring feats are unique after the Norwegian became the fastest player ever to score 50 Champions League goals in City's 2-0 win over Napoli and added the Norwegian seems to break every record going forward.

After a goalless first half with the Italian champions at the Etihad Stadium, Haaland broke the deadlock shortly after half-time when flicking home a Foden scoop.

It means he’s reached a half century in European football’s premier competition in just 49 matches, surpassing Ruud van Nistelrooy who notched the same amount in 62 outings

Veteran New Zealand batter Suzie Bates is banking on a pre-tournament camp in Dubai to help the White Ferns acclimatise to the hot and humid conditions expected at the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, which begins on September 30 in India and Sri Lanka.

New Zealand landed in Dubai earlier this week, where they will also play two unofficial warm-up games against England. For Bates and her teammates, the return to the city brought back fond memories of their maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title last year.

World No. 1 women's tennis player Aryna Sabalenka has withdrawn from the China Open due to a minor injury, tournament organisers said.

The Belarusian, who broke through with her first major title of the year in the final Grand Slam, reached the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event in Beijing last year.

"Hi all - I am sad to announce my withdrawal from the China Open this year after sustaining a small injury after the US Open. I am going to focus on being 100% healthy for the rest of the year and I can't wait to see my Chinese fans soon! I look forward to returning to Beijing next year and wish the tournament good luck," Sabalenka said in a statement

 Inter Miami CF returned to winning ways with a dominant 3-1 home win over Seattle Sounders FC.

Stellar performances from captain and Royal Caribbean Icon of the Match, Lionel Messi, and defender Jordi Alba - who scored a goal and dished out an assist each - and a goal from Academy product Ian Fray led Inter Miami to victory on the evening at Chase Stadium.

Inter Miami got off to a quick start with Alba finding the opener early in the 12th minute. Bright recovered possession close to the halfway line to kickstart a counter. Messi subsequently picked up the ball and cleared his path before finding Alba on the left side, where the Spanish defender took a touch before finding the back of the net with a left-footed finish.

FC Barcelona produced a performance of sheer brilliance as they swept aside Valencia CF 6-0 at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Sunday night. Two goals apiece from Fermín López, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski ensured a commanding victory that underlined the Catalans’ dominance despite the absence of several key players, including the injured Lamine Yamal.

The contest, relocated from the iconic Camp Nou, quickly turned into a showcase of Barcelona’s attacking depth and authority. Despite controlling 74% of first-half possession and registering 11 attempts without reply, Barça reached the interval with only a single goal—courtesy of Fermín, who converted superbly following Ferran Torres’ pinpoint assist. Valencia, offering little resistance, were fortunate to trail by just one at the break.

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes believes he can’t change how he is perceived by the public but does not think too much about it.

United will face local rivals Manchester City in the first Manchester Derby of the season on Sunday and the Portuguese maestro has the chance to mark the occasion with his 100th goal for the club.

As Australia gear up to play a three-match series against India, also serving as vital preparation for the Women’s ODI World Cup, on Sunday, leg-spinner Georgia Wareham said the contests against the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side are a timely chance for the visitors to get accustomed to subcontinental conditions that are difficult to replicate back home.

Georgia had been ruled out of the remainder of The Hundred due to a groin injury, but was able to recover in time and be selected for the ODIs against India and the World Cup, set to start on September 30. She will be expected to shoulder spin-bowling duties with fellow leg-spinner Alana King and off-spin bowling all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner.

Middle-order batter Towhid Hridoy has defended Bangladesh's approach during their chase against Hong Kong in their Asia Cup opener, insisting that his side was more focussed on winning the game rather than focusing on net run-rate.

Skipper Litton Das starred with a fluent 59 off 39 balls as Bangladesh registered their first-ever T20I win over Hong Kong by cruising to a seven-wicket victory in their Asia Cup Group B game at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Chasing 144, Litton Das' partnership of 95 off 69 balls for the third wicket with Towhid Hridoy (35 not out) helped Bangladesh reach the target with 14 balls to spare.

Alexandra Eala continued her surge Wednesday with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Julia Riera to reach the quarterfinals of Sao Paulo Open.

It marks Eala’s third quarterfinal of the season, coming on the heels of her WTA 125 title in Guadalajara and a first-round upset of Clara Tauson at the US Open in recent weeks.

The Filipino star converted all three break points to take the opening set in just over 30 minutes.

Australia A have suffered another blow ahead of their multi-format tour of India with allrounder Aaron Hardie sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Hardie injured his left shoulder at state training last Friday and is expected to be sidelined for around a month.

England skipper Harry Kane, who became the fifth-most capped Three Lions player, reflected on a 5-0 win over Serbia

Kane reached yet another milestone with victory over Serbia in the Three Lions’ 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign.

The skipper surpassed Bobby Moore to become the fifth-most capped England player with 109 appearances and counting after featuring in tonight’s game in Belgrade, scoring his 74th goal for his country in the process.

Gennaro Gattuso continued his excellent start as Italy coach as Moise Kean scored twice in an epic 5-4 victory against Israel in the European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to move second in Group I.

Italy edged a pulsating game to make it six points from a possible six under Gennaro Gattuso. A sliding Manuel Locatelli inadvertently put Israel ahead in Debrecen but, after he’d hit the bar at the other end, Moise Kean equalised.

Following exquisite footwork from Manor Solomon, Dor Peretz rammed the ball into the top corner to restore Israel’s advantage, only for Kean to level again. Matteo Politano stylishly volleyed Italy in front after a glorious flick from Mateo Retegui, before Giacomo Raspadori’s canny, close-range finish, FIFA reports.

Joe Root was full of praise for rising phenom Jacob Bethell, claiming the left-handed batter is ‘wise beyond his years’ after he scored his maiden ODI century in England’s historic 342-run win over South Africa in the third ODI on Sunday.

Coming into the third ODI with the series already lost 2-0, England were determined to avoid a whitewash. Sent in to bat first, they made an explosive start, reaching 100 runs in just 13.4 overs. The momentum continued as Root and Bethell produced a game-changing 182-run stand.

Bethell, just 21 years old, raised a stunning 110 off 82 balls - becoming the second-youngest Englishman to score a hundred in the men’s ODIs. Root added to the fireworks with a composed knock, bringing up his 19th ODI century. Jos Buttler piled on the pressure late in the innings with a blistering 62 off 32, propelling England to a mammoth 414-run total.

Germany bounced back from its midweek defeat in Slovakia with a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland in FIFA World Cup qualifying Group A.

Looking to recover from Thursday's 2-0 loss in Bratislava, coach Julian Nagelsmann made five changes to his starting lineup, and the reshuffle paid off quickly.

Serge Gnabry opened the scoring in the seventh minute, latching onto a Nick Woltemade pass and lifting the ball over goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell. Germany looked poised to extend its lead but wasted good chances through Woltemade and David Raum, reports.

Ben Shelton continued his red-hot streak at the Cincinnati Open, where he ousted Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

The 22-year-old became the first American man to reach the last eight in Canada and Cincinnati in the same season since Mardy Fish in 2012.

In a warm conditions in Cincy, Shelton’s booming serve raced through the court. The lefty dropped just six points behind his first delivery, including a 141 mph ace when serving out the match. He crucially broke Lehecka’s serve at 4-4 in each set and the fifth seed advanced after one hour, 21 minutes, ATP reports.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner earned a a dominant 6-0, 6-2 victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime to reach the semifinals at the Cincinnati Open.

Auger-Aliassime struggled to hang with Sinner in the opening set, committing 13 unforced errors. The 23rd seed did lead 2-0 at the start of the second but quickly faded. He struck eight double faults and could not find his rhythm from the baseline, with the 23-year-old too consistent to storm to victory, ATP reports.

With his triumph, Sinner extended his winning streak on hard courts to 25 matches. The Italian is just the fifth man this century to record 25 consecutive victories on the surface alongside Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal Andy Murray.

New Zealand men's cricket team selector Sam Wells will step down from his role to concentrate on his work commitments, NZC said on Friday.

NZC said that Wells, who is a dispute resolution specialist, was made partner of Dunedin law firm Gallaway Cook Allan late last year, a responsibility that has prompted him to step down from the selection position he’s filled since September 2023.

Wells oversaw a successful period of transition for the BlackCaps, as players such as Rachin Ravindra, Muhammad Abbas, Will O’Rourke, Nathan Smith, Ben Sears, Mitch Hay, and Zak Foulkes, found their feet at international level.

During his tenure Wells saw New Zealand made the final of the 2024 ICC Champions Trophy and scored a historic three-nil Test series win in India – the first time the New Zealand men’s team had won a series in India.

Former Liverpool player Stephen Warnock honoured the late Diogo Jota’s legacy and praised the club for retiring his No. 20 shirt, calling the decision ‘something that has been echoed globally as the right thing to do.

In honour and memory of Jota across all levels, Liverpool retired squad number 20. Jota and his brother Andre Silva passed away in a car accident in the Spanish province of Zamora.

“When you think of Diogo Jota, the constant smile he played with is exactly what you want to see from footballers — someone who truly enjoyed every day on the pitch. He never took his football for granted, especially being at Liverpool.

World no.1 Aryna Sabalenka and no. 3 seed Iga Swiatek advanced to Cincinnati Open quarterfinal here on Thursday (IST).

Defending champion Sabalenka beat Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-1, 7-5. This was her 50th win of the season.

She will face former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who beat Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-2.

Swiatek advanced to her third straight Cincinnati Open quarterfinal with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat over Sorana Cirstea in 1 hour and 35 minutes.

Australia have been dealt a major injury blow as their three key players will miss three-match ODI series against South Africa, that commences in Cairns on August 19.

Matt Short and Lance Morris both ruled out of the white-ball series with injuries, while Mitch Owen's potential ODI debut will have to wait with the rising star ruled out of the remainer of the white-ball series against South Africa with concussion.

Short hasn't recovered from the side injury he picked up at training during the recent white-ball series against the West Indies in the Caribbean, while Morris has reported back soreness and been sent back to Perth for further examination.