CRICKET
Punjab Kings disappoint
Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer said it was “back to the drawing board” after their big loss to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first IPL qualifier. League toppers Punjab have another chance to reach Tuesday’s final, but they will have to perform a lot better than they did in going down by eight wickets to Bengaluru after being bowled out for 101 at Mullanpur in New Chandigarh on Thursday. Punjab can still meet Bengaluru in the title clash if they beat the winners of the eliminator — which was to be played between the Gujarat Titans and the Mumbai Indians after press time last night — in the second qualifier in Ahmedabad tomorrow. “Not a day to forget, but we have to go back to the drawing board,” Iyer said. “We were befuddled and lost a lot of wickets. Something to go back and study.”
Photo: AFP
BASEBALL
Chris Sale makes history
Chris Sale made history on Thursday with his last pitch of the night. The Atlanta Braves ace fanned the Philadelphia Phillies’ Edmundo Sosa to end the sixth inning, the 2,500th strikeout of Sale’s career. The left-hander became the fastest in MLB history to reach the 2,500-K milestone, getting there in 2,026 innings. The record previously was held by Randy Johnson, when he fanned his 2,500th batter after 2,107-2/3 innings in 1999. “I appreciate it for what it is, but I try not to get too caught up in stuff like that right now,” Sale said after the Braves closed out a 9-3 win to gain a split of a day-night doubleheader in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won the opener 5-4. “I know what our job is here. And no matter whether you have a good one or a bad one, the next one is the most important one.” Elsewhere on Thursday, the Houston Astros were beaten 13-3 by the Tampa Bay Rays, the Seattle Mariners went down 9-3 to the Washington Nationals in 10 innings and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland Athletics 12-0.
Photo: Bill Streicher / Imagn Images
SOCCER
Paris bumps up security
Paris was to deploy 5,400 police officers for today’s UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter, police chief Laurent Nunez said yesterday in an interview with French broadcaster Cnews. Although the match is to be played in Munich, Germany, a PSG victory would be expected to spark celebrations in the club’s home city that could escalate into disturbances. In light of an incident in Liverpool, England, earlier this week in which a car ploughed into soccer fans, Nunez said that traffic around the Arc de Triomphe would be blocked from midday today, with the Champs-Elysees boulevard and nearby streets also closed that evening. “Individuals who come solely to commit vandalism and loot businesses, that’s a pattern we’re obviously working to systematically put an end to,” he said. “That will also be the case on Saturday evening.”
Photo: Reuters
SOCCER
AC Milan fire Conceicao
AC Milan on Thursday fired Sergio Conceicao as expected following a disappointing season that saw the Rossoneri fail to qualify for Europe. The seven-time European champions have reportedly reached an agreement with Massimiliano Allegri to return as coach. Milan finished eighth in Serie A, 19 points behind champions SSC Napoli.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Aaron Civale got a little wild in the right-hander’s first start for the Chicago White Sox two days after he was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers. Civale on Sunday walked four of the first seven hitters he faced in a 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. The 30-year-old finished with four walks, one off his career high, while allowing six hits and two runs in five innings. He threw 65 strikes and 39 balls. Chicago trailed 2-1 when he was replaced by Dan Altavilla to start the sixth. “Not the cleanest,” Civale said. “It’s been a whirlwind of a week. First couple
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
DOMINANT JUVENTUS: Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao both scored braces as Juventus made a statement in their opener with a big win over Al-Ain Phil Foden on Wednesday scored two minutes into the match and later had an assist to lead Premier League powerhouse Manchester City past Moroccan club Wydad AC 2-0 at the FIFA Club World Cup. City broke Wydad’s five-man defensive line early when Foden scored on a deflected cross by goalkeeper El Mehdi Benabid. Jeremy Doku doubled City’s lead in the 42nd minute off a corner-kick from Foden. Shortly afterward, an animal-rights advocate ran onto the field to protest Morocco’s treatment of stray dogs and cats. The man was tackled by security workers and escorted out of Lincoln Financial Field, which was just over
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