David Warner (Getty Images)

New Delhi: Former Australian opening batsman david warner He pleaded guilty to drink-driving charges after being stopped during a random breath test in Sydney in April, according to the BBC.Warner’s lawyer Bobby Hill confirmed that the former Australian cricketer was pleading guilty to the charges.Warner was charged after failing a random roadside breath test in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on 5 April. Police later took him to Maroubra Police Station, where he gave a blood alcohol reading of 0.104, more than twice the legal limit.“The parties are discussing the facts,” Hill told the court.“He acknowledges that it was a reckless decision, a foolish decision, to get in his car instead of taking an Uber,” Hill said.The lawyer said, “It is not a crime to drink a glass of wine on the Day of the Lord’s Resurrection. In fact, some people would consider it completely appropriate.”“As I said, their crime is foolishly choosing Plan A instead of Plan B,” he said.

Sentencing will take place on August 18

Warner will be sentenced on August 18. He faces a minimum six-month driving ban, a possible fine of up to Australian $2,200 and a maximum nine-month jail sentence.

Another controversy for Warner

The former Australian opening batsman has been involved in several high-profile controversies in the past.In 2018, he was given a 12-month ban over the ball tampering scandal in South Africa, when Cricket Australia found that he had planned to change the condition of the ball by using sandpaper. The incident made him permanently ineligible for national team leadership roles.In 2013, Warner was suspended after punching England batsman Joe Root during an incident in Birmingham.

The Indian boxing contingent faced an inconvenient start to its Commonwealth Games campaign on Tuesday when almost half of the team’s luggage was left behind in Belfast.

The 22-member Indian boxing contingent reached Glasgow after the preliminary training camp in Belfast, but Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg), world champion Jasmine Lamboria (57kg), Parveen Hooda (65kg), Jadumani Singh (55kg), Kapil Pokharia (90kg) and men’s head coach C Kuttappa among others could not accompany them.

Team members said the aircraft was small enough to operate on the short Belfast-Glasgow route. The missing items include training gear and the formal attire the boxers are scheduled to wear for Thursday’s opening ceremony.

The same thing happened to the boxer when he was flying from Doha to Belfast earlier this month.

With the boxing competition starting on Friday, the crew are hoping to have the goods reach Glasgow before final preparations are in full swing. Additionally, the women’s coaches have not been provided the same hotel accommodation as the boxers.

The boxing event starts from Friday.

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India’s T20I vice-captain Tilak Verma

T20I Vice-Captain of Team India Tilak Verma Reflecting on the challenges that have contributed to India’s disappointing defeats in two consecutive T20 series against Ireland and England, he stressed that the team is focusing on learning from the setbacks and gaining momentum.The reigning T20 World Cup champions endured a forgettable tour of the British Isles in July 2026, earning just one win in the entire 10-match trip, while suffering consecutive bilateral series defeats to Ireland and England. India failed to register a single win in the T20I leg of the tour.

‘The conditions in England were a big challenge’

Ahead of India’s upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe, Tilak admitted that adjusting to foreign conditions proved to be a big challenge after playing mainly in Asia in the last two years. He also supported the Captain Shreyas IyerThe importance of remaining calm under pressure and maintaining a positive atmosphere within the team was highlighted.“To be honest, Shreyas Iyer is leading a champion team, so obviously the responsibility is always there. Also, Ireland and England offered completely different conditions. For the last two years, we have been playing mostly in Asia, and then suddenly we had to compete in overseas conditions against a very strong England team, whom we had already seen in the World Cup semi-finals. It is always tough to play against such a quality team in challenging conditions, and naturally There were expectations too,” Tilak said in a video shared by the BCCI. X.

‘Results will come and go, we need to stay positive’

The left-handed batsman insisted that the team has learned valuable lessons from the tour and is determined to bounce back by creating the right atmosphere in the dressing room.“In those situations, you have to remain calm under pressure and generate positive energy within the team. That’s our mentality. Results will go up and down, but what’s important is how we create a good environment and support each individual. It’s just a matter of one match or one series. The last series was a good learning experience, and now we want to execute those learnings and bring the momentum back,” he said.

india tour of zimbabwe

La Liga president Javier Tebas has called on FIFA president Gianni Infantino to step down, accusing world football’s governing body of “destroying the football industry” by expanding international competitions at the expense of domestic leagues and clubs.

Tebas, who has repeatedly criticized FIFA over fixture congestion and plans to expand the World Cup, said Infantino’s tenure should end.

“In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up,” Tebas told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport when asked if Infantino should resign.

Infantino, who has been FIFA president since 2016, announced in April that he would seek a fourth term. Elections for the 2027-31 cycle are scheduled to be held in Morocco on March 18 next year.

However, Tebas acknowledged that Infantino enjoys strong support among the national federations, making it difficult for anyone to challenge him.

“He shouldn’t stay, but the current situation means he won’t go,” Tebas said.

“There’s no opposition candidate; no one wants to run to lose. That’s the system, and it’s a system that’s flawed from the ground up.”

“I hear a lot of people against Infantino, who don’t agree with what he’s doing. They say so, but then do nothing.”

Balogun ban under investigation

Tebas also criticized FIFA’s decision to postpone the suspension of one match United States striker Folarin Balogun has been sent off after being shown a red card at the World Cup. This decision came after the intervention of US President Donald Trump. In the round of 16, Belgium defeated the United States 4–1.

Tebas said, “It is a very serious matter to have the American player banned. They were fortunate that Belgium excluded the United States, because otherwise it could have resulted in a case that could have cost Infantino his job.”

“Because Belgium won, they managed to hush up the matter. But these things are just the tip of the iceberg.”

His comments come at a time of rising tensions between FIFA and UEFA. UEFA president Aleksandar Ceferin skips Sunday’s World Cup final Following disagreements over disciplinary procedures, refereeing logistics and match officiating, according to a Reuters source.

Tebas opposes World Cup expansion

Tebas also attacked proposals to expand the Men’s World Cup to 64 teams for the centenary edition in 2030, following CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez’s renewed calls for a larger tournament. Infantino had previously said the proposal could be considered in the future.

The La Liga chief said a big World Cup would come at the expense of domestic competitions, which he believes are the foundation of the game.

“There is no point in increasing the number of national teams,” Tebas said.

“The football industry is not just the World Cup, which is the most important event. But everything cannot revolve around the World Cup. It is the national competitions that sustain the game.

“They are destroying the football industry, which creates thousands of jobs, for an event that lasts 40 days and only a minority of players participate in it.”

FIFA World Cup | fifa world cup schedule | fifa world cup points table | football news

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Tilak Verma responded to the criticism (Image: ANI)

India’s T20I vice-captain Tilak Verma Hitting back at criticism over his strike rate during the recent T20 tours of Ireland and England, he insisted he always bats according to the needs of the team rather than individual achievements.The left-handed batsman faced scrutiny after scoring 178 runs at a strike rate of 131.85 in seven T20Is across two tours. While he recorded two half-centuries of 55 against Ireland in the second T20I and 53 against England in the fifth and final T20I, questions were raised about his approach in the middle overs.However, ahead of India’s T20I series against Zimbabwe, Tilak made it clear that he is capable of attacking from the very first ball but chooses his approach depending on the match situation and the needs of the team.

‘I can hit with the first ball, but I play according to the situation’

Explaining his batting philosophy, Tilak said that he needs to take responsibility to adapt to different batting situations and overseas conditions rather than chasing aggressive strike rates.During the pre-match press conference, Tilak told reporters, “In this game, you have to bat in different positions, and especially in those conditions, it is not easy. Also, I have always said that whatever the team needs, I do that. If I have to do something for the team, I will do that. If I have to hit with the first ball, I can do that too.”The 23-year-old pointed out that India’s top order collapsed repeatedly on the Ireland and England tours, forcing the middle order to rebuild the innings rather than playing freely.“From Ireland to England, we were losing four or five wickets inside the powerplay or within the first 10 overs in many matches. There is no point in going in and trying to increase speed immediately in that situation. He is always on my mind. I know I can hit the first ball, but I am playing for the country and that comes with responsibilities.”

‘Team planning comes before personal statistics’

Tilak further revealed that as India’s vice-captain, he is assigned specific responsibilities by the team management and he prefers to execute those plans rather than focusing on individual statistics.Tilak said, “Everything depends on what the team needs at that time. Sometimes I have to bat till the end and sometimes the team’s plans change as per the match situation. As the vice-captain, the management gives me certain responsibilities after careful planning and I want to fulfill those responsibilities. So I play as per the team’s plans.”

Strike rate of 131 in UK Tour

Tilak Verma finished the 2026 UK and Ireland tour with an overall T20I strike rate of 131.85, scoring 178 runs off 135 balls. While his tour included highly explosive cameos, such as a blistering strike rate of 212.00 (53 off 25 balls) in the final T20I in Southampton.

The BCCI has made a significant change in the playing conditions ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season, and now, the bowler will be suspended for the remainder of the match for intentionally bowling a front-foot no-ball or non-landing delivery.

As per the current rules, for such balls the bowler was suspended only for that particular innings.

The BCCI has recently circulated the changes proposed by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) among all state associations.

“A bowler suspended for intentionally bowling a no ball on the front foot cannot bowl for the entire match,” the BCCI circular, accessed by PTI, read. But the on-field umpire will decide to change the game situation (41.8).

Another important rule change pertains to the conclusion of the day, and now, the last over must be completed even if a wicket falls in that over.

At present, the stumps will be removed if a wicket falls in the middle of the last over of the day.

But the MCC and BCCI felt that rule 12.5.2 needed to be amended as it “prevents teams from sending in a new batsman at the end of the day.”

Similarly, teams would henceforth not be allowed to declare or forfeit the last innings of a match (Rule 15.2), as the governing bodies thought “this was used for hypothetical results and was bad for the game.”

Now, the head coach of a team will be allowed to enter the field during the drinks break during domestic ODI matches, as the ICC has also proposed a rule change regarding international cricket.

The proposed changes also provide some relief to wicketkeepers as their gloves must only be behind the stumps at the time of delivery (Law 27.3).

Earlier, keepers had to ensure that their gloves remained behind the wicket after the bowler started his run-up.

In some earlier instances, the ball was called a no-ball as per the law or the stumping was cancelled.

State associations have started informing umpires and match referees about the new rule changes ahead of the domestic season starting with the Duleep Trophy next month.

“There will be some awareness programs for officials, besides the relevant parts of the circular will be made available to them. We have enough time to do all this as the domestic session is about a month away,” an official told PTI.

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Indian cricketer Sanju Samson

sanju samson How is it revealed? Rohit SharmaHis reassuring words during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 initially failed to convince him after he was dropped from India’s playing XI in the latter stages of the tournament. However, the wicketkeeper-batsman eventually regained his confidence and responded with one of the decisive innings of India’s campaign against the West Indies.After Samson’s disappointing performance in the five-match T20 series against New Zealand ahead of the World Cup, Rohit made it clear that the Kerala batsman still has a key role to play in India’s campaign.“Don’t be sad brother. It’s a long tournament, the opportunity may come any time.” (“Don’t be disappointed brother. It’s a long tournament. You will get a chance. The chance can come any time”) Rohit had said while hugging Samson.

‘At that time I did not trust Rohit’

Reflecting on that difficult period, Samson admitted that he was too disappointed to believe his captain’s words at that time.Samson told GeoStar, “To be honest, I didn’t believe him at that time. Sorry. He may have spoken from his heart or from his experience, but that day I was not able to see what he was seeing. You could see it on my face; I was a little sad that day.”The Kerala batsman said disappointment persisted even after the start of India’s World Cup campaign, making it difficult for him to move forward immediately.“Our World Cup campaign started two days after the New Zealand series and it took me at least a week to recover from that. I don’t like to dwell on things, so if I’m not feeling 100 per cent it shows on my face. I went through that phase for four or five days before I got myself back on track,” he said.

‘I started to discover myself again’

Samson said the setback ultimately turned into an opportunity for self-reflection, which helped him reconnect with his purpose as a cricketer.“You know you’ve failed, so what’s next? You’re at the bottom, so from there you can only go up. I started working on myself mentally. I started asking myself questions like why do I play cricket? What’s my purpose? It was like I was reinventing myself when the World Cup was going on. And then everything came back,” Samson said.

Sanju Samson’s redemption

Sanju Samson scripted one of the biggest redemption stories in T20 World Cup history, finishing as the Player of the Tournament as India won the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on home soil. After initially being left out of the playing eleven due to poor form, Samson returned to the team and ended the tournament as India’s leading run-scorer and third-highest run-scorer overall, scoring 321 runs in just five matches at an impressive average of 80.25 and a tremendous strike rate of 199.37. He also hit a tournament-record 24 sixes, the most by any batsman in a single T20 World Cup edition.

The Australian Open will impose daily limits on its popular low-cost ground passes for the first time in tournament history due to crowds and long queues at parts of the 2026 edition in Melbourne. Organizer Tennis Australia announced on Tuesday that the allocation of A$49 ($34) tickets will be limited during the opening week of the 2027 tournament as demand continues to rise for the season’s first Grand Slam.

The decision comes after the Australian Open broke attendance records this year, attracting 1,368,043 spectators over its three-week event and cementing its position as the most attended Grand Slam in tennis. The figure represents a sharp increase compared to the 1,218,831 fans attending the 2025 edition and the 1,110,657 spectators in 2024.

Also read: Tennis body makes one-time eligibility test mandatory for female players

Ground passes, which allow fans to move freely around Melbourne Park and watch matches on the outdoor courts, have long been considered the tournament’s best value ticket. Holders also have access to popular venues such as John Cain Arena, which has earned the nickname “The People’s Court” due to its accessibility for fans purchasing the cheapest tickets.

“This decision reflects the growing popularity of AO and will help ensure fans can make the most of everything the complex has to offer,” Tennis Australia said in a statement.

Record crowds at Melbourne park highlight challenges

The need for tighter controls became clear during the early days of the 2026 tournament, when thousands of spectators became frustrated with long queues and confusion over ticket sales. Reuters reported that a record 73,235 people entered Melbourne Park for the first day’s session alone, surpassing the previous mark of 68,883 set in 2019.

Crowd problems also affected access to many outdoor courts, with fans complaining of packed walkways and difficulties securing seats for marquee matches. The problems highlighted the challenge facing organizers as the tournament’s popularity continues to grow in Australia and internationally.

The 2026 Australian Open concluded with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz winning the men’s singles title and Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina winning the women’s crown. With demand expected to be even stronger next year, Tennis Australia hopes the ticket cap will strike a balance between affordability and an improved fan experience at Melbourne Park.

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India’s Washington Sundar. (Photo by AP/PTI)

New Delhi: Men’s senior selection committee chaired by Ajit AgarkarHe is likely to select the squad for the upcoming two-Test tour of Sri Lanka starting on August 15 in Galle. Informal discussions were held on the sidelines of the white-ball tour of England and a formal meeting will be called soon for the important series. It is learned that the selectors are waiting for clarity on Washington Sundar, who was injured during the three-match ODI series. The all-rounder was forced to miss the series decider at Lord’s and is likely to check into the BCCI Center of Excellence (COE) for necessary clearances.The official statement from the Indian Cricket Board mentioned a right hamstring injury. TimesofIndia.com has learned that the pain subsided when he reached London, but he was asked to undergo scans, which were later shared with experts for opinion. It is further understood that even if it is just a strain or a Grade 1 injury, it could take at least two weeks for the 26-year-old to regain full match fitness. Since the Indian team is likely to leave for Sri Lanka as early as August 4 to begin preparations, it remains to be seen how the selectors will handle the situation in Washington. The Shubman Gill-led team will also be involved in a four-day practice match before the Galle Test.There are sure to be changes in the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan last month, as players like Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja are expected to return. It remains to be seen whether Harsh Dubey retains his place if Washington is unable to regain fitness, or whether the selectors opt for an off-spinner like Saransh Jain to maintain variety in the spin-attack. Manav Suthar and Kuldeep Yadav are likely to retain their places, while the pace attack is expected to include Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna. Jadeja was not selected for the match against Afghanistan after the IPL, but Agarkar said the experienced all-rounder remains the “No. 1 spinner in the format”. With regard to batting, the usual names will continue and a decision is likely to be taken on the two all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sundar. Will the selectors pick the seam-bowling all-rounder currently undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE, or will they look towards a specialist? These few calls from what promises to be an otherwise expected team will be interesting.India have struggled in Test matches under head coach Gautam Gambhir, having been defeated by New Zealand and South Africa on home soil. They need a strong series in Sri Lanka to keep their chances of World Test Championship final qualification alive. After the Sri Lanka tour, India will play New Zealand in New Zealand, before hosting Australia for five Test matches on home soil.

Lionel Messi has broken his silence following Argentina’s heartbreaking defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup final and admitted the pain of losing the title was “extreme”, while also expressing pride in his team’s journey to a second consecutive final.

Argentina’s bid to defend its World Cup title ends Spain beat the holders 1–0 after extra time at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute to give La Roja their second FIFA World Cup title and extend their unbeaten run to a European-record 38 matches.

A day after the defeat, Messi reflected on the defeat on Instagram, saying that results would take time but he stressed that the team’s achievements should not be overlooked.

Spain vs Argentina, FIFA World Cup Final: highlighted

“There is a lot of pain, and this wound will take time to heal. But I also hold on to all the good things… the matches we overcame, the ones we gave our all, the matches that will always remain in our memories, the support of the entire country, which, along with the hard work and effort of this group, made us once again one of the best in the world. Today it is difficult to fully appreciate what we achieved, but this group reached two World Cup finals in a row,” Messi wrote.

Messi congratulated Spain

The Argentina captain thanked the supporters for supporting the team throughout the tournament and congratulated Spain on winning the trophy.

He added, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every congratulations and every message. Once again, we managed to unite as a country and live together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentines. I would also like to congratulate Spain on winning the championship.”

Argentina arrived in the United States as defending champions following their memorable victory four years ago and once again emerged as one of the tournament’s standout teams. Under Messi’s leadership, La Albiceleste repeatedly found a way through adversity in the knockout stage, defeating Egypt in the Round of 16 after coming from two goals down and then making another dramatic comeback against England in the semi-finals.

Those wins cemented Argentina’s reputation for performing well under pressure, with Messi once again delivering in the biggest moments. However, Luis de la Fuente’s Spain ended their title defense with a disciplined and brilliant performance in the final.

Spain denied Argentina the space they had exploited throughout the tournament and kept Messi out of dangerous areas for almost the entire match. Ferran Torres eventually settled the contest in extra time after coming off the bench and sealed Spain’s first World Cup title since 2010.

Messi, who finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists, was unable to make the decisive impact that had defined Argentina’s campaign. The captain had either scored or assisted in each of the knockout matches in the last two World Cups, but Spain’s organized defensive display ensured he remained largely quiet.

The statistics underlined Argentina’s struggles. The defending champions became the first team not to register a single shot during 90 minutes of a World Cup final. Their first effort, on or off target, came only in the 116th minute, by which time they were already 1–0 down and reduced to 10 men after midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off.

Argentina’s dependence on Messi was also clearly visible in the final. Throughout the tournament, the 39-year-old had repeatedly saved his team with important goals and assists, but Spain prevented him from dictating the game and reduced Argentina’s attacking threat.

Spain, meanwhile, got fresh energy from the bench. Match-winner Ferran Torres and fellow substitute Nico Williams added pace and directness in the closing stages, helping La Roja eventually break down Argentina’s resistance.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said after the win, “I think the match should have been decided much earlier. Emiliano Martínez’s defense prevented us from winning early.”

“But it is a World Cup final and you have to work hard even against 10 players and we were ready for anything.”

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