Sports

DHAKA: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said on Wednesday that the upcoming tour by Afghanistan has been trimmed to avoid player “burnout” ahead of the Asia Cup and World Cup. Afghanistan were scheduled to play two Tests, three One-day Internationals and three T20 Internationals when they tour Bangladesh in June. But the board said the visitors would now play only …

ROME: World number seven Holger Rune beat a frustrated Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 on Wednesday, sending the top seed spinning out in a dramatic rain-interrupted quarter-final at the Italian Open. The Serb, who will drop to second on Monday in the rankings behind Carlos Alcaraz, admitted that he was outplayed in heavy, wet conditions after a week of rain …

Manchester City marched into the Champions League final for the second time in three seasons after outclassing holders Real Madrid 4-0 for a 5-1 aggregate victory at a raucous Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.     Bernardo Silva’s first-half double put City in control against the 14-time European champions, while an own goal by Eder Militao after the break and a …

LONDON: England’s James Anderson said he is expecting to return from his groin injury in “a couple of weeks” but the veteran fast bowler will not aim for a comeback for the one-off Test against Ireland so that he can be fully fit in time for the Ashes. Anderson suffered a groin injury playing for Lancashire last week but was …

KARACHI: While the cricket boards of Pakistan and India tussle over the hosting of the Asia Cup, things are relatively calmer bet­ween the football federations of the two countries. India is looking forward to hosting Pakis­tan’s football team for the SAFF Championship in Bengaluru next month, the two sides pitted together in the same group after the draw for South …

LEICESTER: Two goals from Curtis Jones and a sublime finish from Trent Alexander-Arnold gave Liverpool a 3-0 win away to Leicester City in the Premier League on Monday, boosting their Champions League hopes while deepening the Foxes’ relegation worries. Liverpool are fifth in the table on 65 points after 36 games, one behind fourth-placed Manchester United, who have a game …

LONDON: England fast bowler Jofra Archer was on Tuesday ruled out of the Ashes series against Australia starting next month but a fit-again Jonny Bairstow has returned to the Test squad for the one-off match against Ireland on June 1. Archer spent 17 months on the sidelines following elbow and back injuries before returning to international cricket in January. The …

QUETTA: Wapda’s women’s softball team bagged the first gold on offer at the National Games before their women’s badminton team, lead by Pakistan’s top-ranked Mahoor Shehzad, brought them more glory here on Tuesday. Pakistan Army took gold in the men’s badminton team event and their women’s hockey team advanced to the final where it will face Wapda. Madiha, Ayesha and …

LAHORE: Pakistan international and advisor to the Government of Punjab on sports Wahab Riaz has called for an amicable agreement between the country’s cricket board and its Indian counterpart over the teams’ participation in the Asia Cup and the World Cup later this year. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are …

GILGIT: Two Pakistani women climbers stunned the mountaineering fraternity, and brought glory to their country, on Tuesday by scaling Lhotse, the world’s fourth highest peak at 8,516 metres in Nepal. The feat by Naila Kiani and Nadia Azad comes on the heels of another achievement by them just two days ago when they summited Mount Everest, the highest peak. They …