General Sports 3d Briefing
×Cricket & Rugby
Pakistan bbc.com got off to a "perfect start" in their T20 World Cup Super 8 clash with England bbc.com, dismissing opener Phil Salt first ball. Liam Dawson then took back-to-back wickets to reduce Pakistan to 146-7 before Jamie Overton bbc.com showed "terrific athleticism" to take a catch and remove Salman Ali Agha. Earlier, South Africa bbc.com recovered from a slow start to beat India bbc.com by 76 runs in the Super 8s opener, with Tristan Stubbs taking three catches in one over as Keshav Maharaj claimed three wickets.
In the Six Nations, Ireland bbc.com centre Garry Ringrose praised the in-form Stuart Mc Closkey after their 42-21 victory over England bbc.com, a defeat that left former coach Eddie Jones feeling sick. France bbc.com scored five tries to beat Italy and take a four-point lead, while Scotland bbc.com battled back for a thrilling win over Wales bbc.com in Cardiff. Wales bbc.com have released players for the United Rugby Championship but Rhys Davies is ruled out of the Six Nations, and Steve Tandy bbc.com has hired former Scotland full-back Murchie as defence coach. The Welsh Rugby Union bbc.com faces an EGM with a vote of no confidence in chair Richard Collier-Keywood.
Winter Olympics Wrap
The 2026 Winter Olympics bbc.com closed with a ceremony in Verona, passing the torch to the French Alps for 2030. Team GB bbc.com equalled their record-best haul with three golds, but Grant Hardie bbc.com and Bruce Mouat emotionally missed curling gold again. Sweden bbc.com won women's curling gold, while Team GB bbc.com's silver medalists are "open" to a 2030 return but will decide this summer. Menna Fitzpatrick will compete in Milan-Cortina just three months after a significant knee injury. American skier Lindsey Vonn espn.com revealed surgery saved her leg from amputation following an Olympic crash.
College Basketball & Wrestling
Kansas espn.com bounced back from a loss to hand Houston its third straight defeat, while Duke espn.com stunned Michigan to return to No. 1 in the AP poll. Arizona espn.com moved into sole possession of first place in the Big 12 by beating Houston. The NCAA tournament selection committee's early bracket preview had Michigan espn.com as the overall No. 1 seed. Charles Bediako espn.com is asking the Alabama Supreme Court for relief to play this season. Geno Auriemma espn.com broke the record for most AP Top 25 appearances when UConn remained No. 1.
Snooker & Darts
Zhao Xintong bbc.com beat John Higgins 10-7 to win the Players Championship. Earlier, Chang Bingyu bbc.com hit four centuries in a row in an "utterly extraordinary" display against Shaun Murphy. Defending Welsh Open bbc.com champion Mark Selby bbc.com was knocked out in the first round by China's Jiang Jun, prompting Jackson Page to question why the tournament is again in north Wales.
Other Sports Headlines
Floyd Mayweather Jr. espn.com and Manny Pacquiao will meet in a September rematch at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Sandy Ryan bbc.com became a two-weight world champion with a points win in Nottingham. Carlos Alcaraz bbc.com thrashed Arthur Fils inside 50 minutes to win the Qatar Open. Jessica Pegula bbc.com beat Elina Svitolina to win the Dubai Tennis Championships. Sean Strickland espn.com stopped Anthony Hernandez and called for champion Khamzat Chimaev. UCLA espn.com rallied from a 23-point deficit to beat No. 10 Illinois in overtime.
Boxing & MMA
Conor Mc Gregor espn.com teased a return against a "no name" opponent. Ryan Garcia espn.com is in a high-stakes position with Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney looming. Sloane Stephens espn.com and Jozy Altidore are ending their marriage after four years.
Olympic Legacy & Future
Jack Hughes espn.com and Alysa Liu wrote to their retired selves in 2019; in 2026, they added Olympic gold. Eileen Gu espn.com defended her halfpipe gold and then shared her grandmother's death. The U.S. women's hockey team espn.com declined President Trump's State of the Union invite. U.S. espn.com