The Times of India

This Friday, Lord's Cricket Ground will make history by hosting its first-ever women's Test match, featuring a thrilling four-day contest between England and India. This significant event marks a pivotal moment, as it comes more than fifty years after the venue's first womens international match. Ticket sales have soared, with over thirty thousand already sold. Unfortunately, India's opener Pratika Rawal will miss the match due to a knee injury.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi faced disappointment after his dismissal in the fourth T20I match. He scored low scores in his first three international matches. Jofra Archer troubled the young batter with short-pitched bowling. Sooryavanshi came with high expectations after a sensational IPL and U-19 World Cup. India trails England three-nil in the ongoing five-match series.

France defeated Morocco 2-0 in a World Cup quarter-final match. This victory extended France's record of winning matches officiated by Argentinian referees. The appointment of an all-Argentinian refereeing team had sparked controversy before the game. Despite the debate, France secured their win and advanced to the next stage. FIFA defended the integrity and independence of its match officials.

FIFA has changed its VAR operations for the remainder of the 2026 World Cup, placing backup VAR officials inside stadiums after growing criticism over refereeing decisions during the knockout stages. The new system keeps Dallas as the central hub while adding on-site support to prevent technical disruptions. FIFA insists the move aims to improve reliability, not influence match decisions.

Kylian Mbappe's penalty was delayed for over three minutes by a VAR review. The France captain's initial penalty attempt was then comfortably saved by the goalkeeper. Despite the missed opportunity, Mbappe scored France's opening goal in the second half. He also assisted Ousmane Dembele for the second goal in their victory. This win secured France's place in the World Cup semifinals for a third consecutive time.

Czech tennis stars Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova will compete in an all-Czech Wimbledon final. This historic achievement guarantees a third Czech champion in four years at the tournament. Noskova defeated Marta Kostyuk, while Muchova survived a thrilling match against Coco Gauff. Both players credit their nation's rich tennis history for their success. This remarkable dominance continues the legacy of Czech champions at Wimbledon.

Kylian Mbapp has moved ahead of Lionel Messi in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot race despite both stars being level on eight goals. FIFAs tiebreaker rules favour Mbapp due to his three assists compared to Messis one. With Erling Haaland and Harry Kane still in contention, the battle for the tournaments top scorer remains wide open.

Kylian Mbappe achieved a rare FIFA World Cup feat by scoring and assisting against Morocco. He joined Lionel Messi in an exclusive club after a remarkable all-round performance. Mbappe recovered from a missed penalty to score his eighth goal of the tournament. He also provided an assist for Ousmane Dembele's crucial second goal. France advanced to the semifinals, continuing their title defense in the competition.

England secured the T20I series with a commanding nine-wicket victory over India. Captain Shreyas Iyer acknowledged the team fell short in all aspects of the game. India posted 158/7 after recovering from an early top-order collapse. England chased down the target quickly thanks to a strong partnership. Iyer expressed disappointment despite his personal unbeaten knock.

France secured a World Cup semifinal spot after defeating Morocco 2-0. Kylian Mbappe scored a crucial goal and assisted another for the team. He later sustained an ankle injury but reassured fans it was not serious. Mbappe's goal places him in contention for the Golden Boot award. France now prepares for a tough semifinal match against Spain or Belgium.

England secured their first bilateral T20I series victory against India. Harry Brook's team achieved this landmark after a commanding nine-wicket win. This defeat marked India's first back-to-back series loss since early 2019. Brook and Phil Salt's unbeaten 146-run partnership powered the chase. England's clinical chase entered their own record books.

Kylian Mbappe has made history in the World Cup by becoming the first player to score eight or more goals in two different tournaments. His remarkable achievement was punctuated with a goal against Morocco in the quarterfinals, bringing his total World Cup tally to twenty goals in only twenty matches. Next, France will go head-to-head with either Spain or Belgium in the upcoming clash.

In a thrilling display, Kylian Mbappe leveled the Golden Boot race with Lionel Messi by netting a vital goal for France in their match against Morocco. This achievement not only puts Mbappe on the same footing as Messi in goals scored but also sees him surpassing Messi in assists during the tournament. The quest for Golden Boot glory continues, with several contenders in the mix.

France booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals with a commanding 2-0 win over Morocco, powered by second-half goals from Kylian Mbapp and Ousmane Dembl. Despite Yassine Bounous penalty save and several crucial stops, Morocco could not withstand Frances relentless pressure. Les Bleus now head to Dallas, where they will face either Spain or Belgium in the semifinals.

Kylian Mbappe became the youngest player to reach twenty World Cup appearances. He achieved this milestone at twenty-seven years and two hundred one days old. Mbappe made his World Cup debut in 2018, helping France win the trophy. He also won the Golden Boot in Qatar 2022 with eight goals. Mbappe continues to break records and chase Messi's appearance total.

England secured a dominant nine-wicket victory over India in the fourth T20I match. This emphatic win sealed the five-match series for England with an unassailable 3-0 lead. Captain Harry Brook and opener Phil Salt led the successful chase with a strong partnership. Shreyas Iyer's unbeaten 80 was the lone highlight for the Indian batting lineup. The hosts achieved the target with 37 balls remaining in the contest.

England secured a quarter-final spot after a thrilling 3-2 victory against Mexico. This dramatic match became Mexico's most-watched FIFA World Cup game of the 21st century. The high-octane encounter also set new audience records in the United States. England will now face Norway in their next World Cup quarter-final match. The winner advances to face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals.

Shreyas Iyer equalled Virat Kohli's record of six consecutive toss wins as India captain in T20Is and is now one shy of MS Dhoni's record of seven. Despite Iyer's luck at the toss, India have lost their last two matches to England. Injuries to Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy have further dented India's hopes ahead of the final two T20Is.

Sanju Samson's coach Biju George expressed disappointment over his omission from the Zimbabwe T20Is. George stated Samson deserved more opportunities after his World Cup heroics. He questioned the selectors' decisions regarding player treatment and opportunities. Samson's past junior career also saw similar perceived unfairness. The coach hopes Samson proves his critics wrong with future performances.

Argentina's Facundo Tello will referee the France-Morocco World Cup quarter-final, drawing attention for his strict officiating style after famously showing 10 red cards in an Argentine Super Cup match. FIFA's decision to appoint an all-Argentine refereeing team has sparked debate, but France's players dismissed concerns, insisting they are focused solely on preparing for Morocco.

Axar Patel will play his 100th T20 International match soon. This milestone follows his 100th T20I wicket taken recently. He expressed surprise at reaching this significant career landmark. Axar credited teammates, coaches, and family for his success. Representing India remains a cricketer's ultimate dream.

At just 15, Sooryavanshi has already made a name for himself after finishing as the highest run-scorer, leading six-hitter and Most Valuable Player in this year's Indian Premier League.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes the historic women's Test against England at Lord's is a chance to restore confidence after the T20 World Cup disappointment. She called playing at Lord's a dream and admitted adapting to red-ball cricket is challenging. Harmanpreet also hopes for more women's Tests in future and backed debutant spinner Shree Charani to make an impact.

Former Romania midfielder Gabriel Muresan has died at 44 after drowning in a lake near Apold, where he had served as mayor since 2020. The Romanian Football Federation and local authorities paid tribute to him. Muresan earned nine caps for Romania, won three league titles and three domestic cups with Cluj, and played in the UEFA Champions League.

Harmanpreet Kaur on Lord's Test, Team India's preparation & womens cricket

The video was shared on X, with footage showing how one passenger's laptop became the centre of attention during the flight.

Parthiv Patel believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will continue facing short-pitched bowling as opponents target his weakness against pace and bounce. After the youngster's modest scores against England, Patel said the tactic was evident during the IPL. He also urged India's batters to show greater patience, adapt to English conditions, and avoid rushing their innings after the third T20I collapse.

Expressing his discontent, former cricketer Mohammad Kaif criticized the team selectors for their choice of leaders, specifically targeting Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma. Kaif feels these selections have had a negative impact on Sanju Samson's potential role in the squad. He argues that the selectors should face accountability for their choices, while Iyer and Varma maintain their leadership in the ongoing series.

Ravichandran Ashwin supports maintaining the same Indian team for the fourth T20I match. He believes this stability sends a strong message to the squad. The spinner acknowledges Sanju Samson will likely miss out again. Ashwin noted India's young batting unit struggles in different conditions. He hopes the team gains experience and improves with time.

Ravichandran Ashwin voiced strong disapproval of Sanju Samson's exclusion from the T20I squad. He believes frequent team changes create player insecurity and harm the T20 setup. Ashwin questioned the logic behind dropping Samson after a few recent poor scores. He warned that players might focus on self-preservation instead of winning matches. This decision has sparked considerable debate within Indian cricket circles.

From Rajasthan to Texas Super Kings: Abhimanyu Lamba's Untold Story

Ben Stokes posted Sack him... on social media, reigniting retirement speculation. The International Cricket Council is investigating the England and Wales Cricket Board over footage. This footage was filmed inside the dressing room before Stokes announced his retirement. The ICC alleges the ECB breached regulations by releasing the video early. The investigation occurs as the ECB searches for a new Test captain.

Afghanistan cricket bid an emotional farewell to former fast bowler Shapoor Zadran. He passed away in India at the age of 38 after a prolonged illness. Zadran represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is between 2009 and 2020. He had been undergoing treatment in New Delhi for a rare life-threatening condition. His contributions and fighting spirit will remain an important part of cricket history.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 final will feature a historic halftime show. Justin Bieber joins Madonna, Shakira, and BTS as co-headliners for this event. Chris Martin is curating the eleven-minute performance which supports children's education. Burna Boy and Gustavo Dudamel will also perform during the groundbreaking show. This landmark event aims to unite sport, music, and social impact globally.

Chasing a modest target of 144, the young South African wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 102 off just 52 balls, hitting 10 fours and five sixes. He reached his maiden T20 hundred at a strike rate of 196.15 and guided the Unicorns home in just 15.4 overs. Pretorius was adjudged Player of the Match. The massive victory helped San Francisco Unicorns move to the top of the points table.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani voiced support for Egypt after their World Cup loss. He stated that the African team was obbed during their match against Argentina. This remark quickly gained attention amid ongoing officiating debates. Egypt's players and fans also alleged unfair refereeing decisions favoured Argentina. FIFA's head of refereeing defended the VAR interventions and warned against unfounded claims.

Texas Super Kings pacer Abhimanyu Lamba opens up on leaving Rajasthan to pursue cricket in the USA, overcoming homesickness, working as a part-time coach, and earning his place in the Major League Cricket (MLC). He also discussed cricket's rapid growth in America and his dream of one day representing the USA.

Shreyas Iyer's sister has supported him after recent T20I losses. She believes he will become one of India's greatest captains. India suffered their biggest T20I defeat by runs against England. Iyer's captaincy has seen one win and ten defeats in twelve matches. India must win the next match to keep the series alive.

India's 98th Grandmaster, Aswath S, achieved the coveted title after securing his final GM norm at the Pune International GM Round Robin 2026. The Tamil Nadu teenager overcame a four-month break for his Class 10 board exams, drawing inspiration from his family of chess coaches and mentors, and now has his sights set on breaking into the world's elite.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino faces a formal ethics complaint to the IOC. This complaint stems from alleged breaches of political neutrality rules. The issue arose after Folarin Balogun's World Cup suspension was overturned. US President Donald Trump publicly claimed credit for influencing FIFA's decision. FairSquare organisation lodged the complaint, citing Infantino's conduct and ties.

Rohit Sharma is aware of the challenges of playing in these conditions and wants to be fully prepared before action gets underway. The 39-year-old enjoys playing in England and has a phenomenal ODI record. In the 27 matches, the right-hander has accumulated 1428 runs at an average of 64.9 and hit seven hundreds - the most by a visiting batter.

Morocco's forward Ismael Saibari is out of the France quarter-final match due to a hamstring injury. Coach Mohamed Ouahbi confirmed the influential player's absence before the crucial game. Despite this setback, Ouahbi stated Morocco will maintain their established playing style against France. France enters the match with a perfect record and aims for a third consecutive semi-final appearance.

Following a troubling series of defeats, the Indian T20 cricket team faces a critical juncture. Team captain Shreyas Iyer has criticized the current batting efforts, labeling them unacceptable. In light of recent lineup changes, head coach Gautam Gambhir describes this phase as a vital 'reset.' The team must overcome difficulties in adjusting to international playstyles while shedding IPL habits for enhanced future performance.

Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla intensified her verbal attacks on Kylian Mbappe. She accused the French captain of disrespecting Paraguay's goalkeeper after their match. Amarilla refused to apologise for her earlier racist and dehumanising remarks. The controversy has drawn condemnation from French and international bodies. Mbappe remains focused on the World Cup despite the ongoing off-field dispute.

Young Indian tennis player Arnav Paparkar reached the Wimbledon boys' singles quarterfinals. He became the first Indian in 36 years to achieve this prestigious feat. Paparkar defeated Japan's Ryo Tabata in a dominant performance on Wednesday. This historic achievement places him among elite Indian tennis players. He will now face American qualifier Jordan Lee in the next round.