CRICKET
Sharma retires from Tests
India captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday announced his retirement from Test cricket ahead of a tour of England. The 38-year-old Sharma said that he would continue to represent India in limited-overs cricket. “It’s been an absolute honor to represent my country in whites,” he wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for all the love and support over the years.” Sharma scored 4,301 runs in 67 Tests at an average of 40.57 with 12 centuries. He replaced Virat Kohli as captain in March 2022 and guided India to 12 wins, nine losses and three draws.
Photo: AFP
TENNIS
Taiwan’s Tseng exits
Taiwan’s Tseng Chun-hsin on Wednesday exited at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, beaten in the first round of the men’s singles by Francesco Passaro. The Italian won 6-0, 2-6, 6-3, sending Tseng out in the round of 128 after he had won two qualifiers — 6-2, 6-4 against Gabriele Pirain of Italy on Sunday and 6-2, 6-4 over Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina on Monday — to reach the main draw at the Foro Italico in Rome.
RUGBY UNION
NZR reports loss
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) reported a loss in yearly accounts released yesterday, with NZR chief executive officer Mark Robinson saying the governing body’s commercial model was “not sustainable” despite a private equity cash injection. Robinson pointed to high fixed costs, which include player wages, as the governing body booked losses of NZ$19.5 million (US$11.6 million) in its report for last year. Robinson said that there was “much work to do to get the shape of our game right.” Sponsorship deals and broadcast rights helped to put US$170 million in the body’s coffers last year, the accounts showed, which was a “record level of income,” but foreign exchange turbulence and investment in other areas of the business turned this into a loss.
RUGBY LEAGUE
NRL to add Perth Bears
Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) is to expand westward in the 2027 season with the addition of an 18th club, the Perth Bears, the league and the Western Australian government announced yesterday. The state government said that it had agreed to fund the new team to the tune of A$65.6 million (US$42.36 million) over seven years, ensuring the return of professional rugby league to the state for the first time since the demise of the Western Reds in 1997. “Western Australians love sport and now they have the opportunity to get behind a Perth-based rugby league club that will capture the hearts and minds of fans across the country,” Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys said in a statement. The new team’s name honors the heritage of the North Sydney Bears, one of the nine clubs that founded Australia’s first league in 1908 and which played in the top flight until 1999.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
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