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New Delhi: England manager Thomas Tuchel has named a 35-man squad for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, offering the final opportunity for players to stake their claim ahead of the FIFA World Cup this summer. There were several interesting picks from the German manager but the announcement drew attention for the omission of Real Madrid full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, a decision Tuchel described as “tough.” “I know what Trent can give us and I decided still to stick to the players with us,” Tuchel said, explaining that other players, including Tino Livramento, Djed Spence, and Jarell Quansah, provide “a…

Kolkata: Angkrish Raghuvanshi gave a strong indication of his preferred batting role during a Kolkata Knight Riders intra-squad match at Eden Gardens. He delivered a match-winning century in the game while batting at number three. The youngster, whose ideal spot in the lineup has been widely debated, walked in early during a 200-run chase at the Eden Gardens. He began cautiously, scoring at a steady rate before shifting gears in the middle overs. Once settled, Raghuvanshi accelerated fluently, eventually reaching a hundred off 55 deliveries and guiding his side to victory. Finn Allen provided early momentum with a brisk 23,…

New Delhi: Cristiano Ronaldo has been excluded from Portugal’s squad for the upcoming pre-World Cup friendlies against Mexico and the United States as he recovers from a hamstring injury. The 41-year-old has not appeared for his Saudi club Al-Nassr since late February and is expected to regain full fitness in the next week or another. In the meantime, national team coach Roberto Martinez emphasised that even though he is currently out of the squad, Ronaldo’s World Cup spot remains secure. “It’s a minor injury,” Martinez said at a press conference, adding that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner could be back…

Chandigarh: Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has set his sights firmly on the IPL title in 2026, after narrowly missing out in 2025, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final. The side reached the final for the second time in their history and earned their third-ever playoff appearance in 2025 and seemed the favourite to get the job done, but RCB were a force to reckon with as well.  However, Iyer is determined to change the silver to gold this time around and mentioned that there’s tremendous excitement in the air, but his goals are clear. "Expectations are high,…

Mumbai: Cricket fans can brace themselves for another electrifying chapter of the International Masters League (IML), as the much-anticipated Season 2 prepares to make its return to Indian shores. After a successful debut season, the league is set to run from October 24 to November 14, 2026, with matches being hosted across Mumbai, Vadodara, and Vizag. The India Masters emerged victorious in season 1 of the IML, beating West Indies by six wickets in the summit clash. This season, the league features an incredible lineup of cricketing legends, including some of the game’s biggest names such as Sachin Tendulkar, Brian…

Chennai: Former India cricketer Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has announced his decision to retire from commentary assignments with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He has served for over two decades, spanning international, domestic and franchise cricket. The 60-year-old shared his decision on social media, sparking widespread discussion as the Chennai-born has accused racism behind his decision to retire. His remarks drew attention for the concerns he raised about his experience during his time in broadcasting. Sivaramakrishnan indicated that he had repeatedly been excluded from key roles such as toss coverage and post-match presentations, while Ravi Shastri and others…