General Sports 3d Briefing
×Cricket Highlights
England's T20 World Cup campaign bbc.com received a dramatic boost as Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks guided them to a thrilling four-wicket victory over New Zealand. The win came after Jos Buttler's miserable run bbc.com continued with another two-ball duck, marking his fifth consecutive innings without reaching double figures. England's management is now considering spinner Ahmed bbc.com for their next match, anticipating turning conditions in Colombo.
Pakistan's T20 World Cup hopes bbc.com ended despite Sahibzada Farhan's superb century against Sri Lanka. The team missed out on a semi-final spot on net run-rate after their five-run victory. Earlier in the tournament, Farhan had hit his second century bbc.com of the competition, boosting Pakistan's chances of reaching the knockout stages. Sri Lanka's campaign saw moments of brilliance including Dashun Shanaka's three consecutive sixes bbc.com, though they ultimately fell short in their must-win match.
India's T20 World Cup Super 8s campaign bbc.com gained momentum as Abhishek Sharma overcame his recent struggles to score a half-century off just 26 balls against Zimbabwe. The innings came after Sharma had been dismissed for three consecutive ducks in the tournament. Meanwhile, South Africa booked their semi-final berth bbc.com with a dominant nine-wicket victory over the West Indies, powered by Aiden Markram's unbeaten 82 off 46 balls.
Rugby Union Developments
Connacht's dramatic victory bbc.com over Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship came courtesy of Sean Jansen's last-gasp try, denying the Warriors the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table. In another URC fixture, Edinburgh mounted a comeback bbc.com to beat Scarlets 24-19, securing a crucial bonus-point win in their play-off bid. Cardiff also boosted their play-off hopes by ending Leinster's 11-game winning streak bbc.com, their first victory over the champions in four years.
England's Six Nations campaign bbc.com continued to struggle as head coach Steve Borthwick admitted feeling the "disappointment and frustration" more than any supporter following back-to-back defeats. The RFU is set to confirm radical changes bbc.com to English rugby, including scrapping traditional promotion and relegation from the 2026-27 season. These changes have prompted warnings that Welsh rugby faces a "step backwards" bbc.com unless they reduce to three teams for sustainability.
France's Thibaud Flament made headlines by revealing his fertility treatment bbc.com, explaining his absence from France's Six Nations opener. The second row expressed surprise at how many people go through similar processes. Meanwhile, New Zealand great Portia Woodman-Wickliffe announced her retirement bbc.com from international rugby for a second time, ending her illustrious career as the country's leading try-scorer.
Football and Other Sports
Nottingham Forest's Netball Super League debut bbc.com ended in a thrilling one-point victory over London Mavericks, with Tash Pavelin praising her team's "grit and determination." The match marked the return of the Netball Super League, with London Pulse starting as defending champions bbc.com. In snooker, Barry Hawkins reached the Welsh Open final bbc.com with a 6-4 victory over Wu Yize, while John Higgins stayed on course bbc.com for a sixth Welsh Open title after defeating Zhou Yuelong in the quarter-finals.
Warrington Wolves bbc.com extended their winning start in Super League by withstanding a strong Wakefield Trinity fightback at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. Castleford also secured their first Super League win bbc.com of the season, with Ashton Golding scoring on his debut against former club Huddersfield Giants. York Knights continued their impressive form by claiming another shock win, this time at Hull FC thanks to Danny Richardson's drop-goal.
In tennis, Daniil Medvedev won the Dubai Tennis Championships bbc.com after Tallon Griekspoor withdrew due to injury, though the Russian admitted it was "not how I wanted to win." Britain's Katie Boulter secured her seventh consecutive WTA win bbc.com by reaching the quarter-finals of the Merida Open in Mexico as Camila Osorio retired with injury.
Combat Sports and Motorsport
The UFC announced a vacant light heavyweight title bout espn.com between Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg at UFC, following Alex Pereira's decision to vacate his belt. Veteran promoter Frank Warren confirmed he is considering legal action bbc.com against Saudi Arabian-owned Sela and American company TKO over the Zuffa Boxing launch. British fighter Lone'er Kavanagh described facing former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno in Mexico City as a "legendary moment" in his career.
The UFC is set to spend around $60 million bbc.com on its unique event at the White House, according to TKO Group Holdings chief Mark Shapiro. The event, scheduled for US President Donald Trump's birthday, has drawn mixed reactions from fighters, with Britain's Tom Aspinall among those sharing their thoughts on the proposed showcase.
In Formula, Cadillac and Audi bbc.com entered the sport with the ultimate goal of becoming world champions, though both acknowledge they have significant progress to make. The release of Netflix's eighth series of Drive To Survive has sparked debate about whether F1 has become "one big star playground," with questions about whether drivers will still make a difference bbc.com under the new 2026 rules.
Basketball and American Sports
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bbc.com marked his return from injury with 36 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 127-121 in overtime. The Spurs extended their winning run to close the gap on the Western Conference leaders. In college basketball, No. 3 Michigan espn.com defeated No. 10 Illinois 84-70 to clinch the Big Ten regular-season title, while Cornell pulled off an upset by stunning first-place Yale 72-69 on Jake Fiegen's last-second three-pointer.
The NCAA's football oversight committee is proposing stiff penalties espn.com for schools and coaches who violate transfer portal window rules. Cincinnati has taken legal action by suing former quarterback Brendan Sorsby espn.com, alleging he breached his NIL contract by refusing to pay a $1 million exit fee after transferring to Texas Tech. Meanwhile, Oregon State men's basketball coach Wayne Tinkle will not return for a 13th season espn.com after 12 years at the helm.
Other Notable Stories
The GAA's Annual Congress at Croke Park was disrupted by a protest bbc.com calling for the association to cut ties with sponsor Allianz. In a heartwarming story, six-year-old Harry Westlake's rendition of the national anthem as a Twickenham mascot went viral eleven years ago, and he is now ready to sing as an England Under-18 prospect bbc.com. Hayley Ladd began World Cup qualifying with Wales believing her recent move to Crystal Palace came at "the right time."
The England Lions squad in the UAE are "following official advice" after Iran launched attacks throughout the Middle East, with the ECB in touch with the government regarding their safety. In a unique story from rugby union, Reading West Indians RUFC, created in the 1970s, went on to inspire generations of black players bbc.com. Cameron Brink revealed how she met her fiancé via email, eschewing social media direct messages for a more unconventional approach.