Sports

SYDNEY: Australia should split up the opening pairing of David Warner and Usman Khawaja for the Ashes series as England seam duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad would exploit a left-handed partnership in home conditions, Michael Vaughan said. Opener Warner has managed just one hun­dred in more than three years in the longest format but was retained for the Wor­ld …

LONDON: Skin cancer prevention should be a priority for cricketers and fans spending hours under the sun, England wicket-keeper Sam Billings has warned after suffering a scare last year. Billings underwent two operations last year to remove a malignant melanoma on his chest following a routine screening organised by his county Kent. The 31-year-old said his melanoma was caught just …

NEW DELHI: England fast bowler Jofra Archer is a doubt for the Ashes after he was ruled out for the remainder of this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday due to a nagging elbow injury. Archer spent 17 months on the sidelines following elbow and back injuries before returning to international cricket in January. The 28-year-old played only five …

LAHORE: Sterling performances by Pakistan’s opening batter Fakhar Zaman helped him to attain the International Cricket Council Men’s Player of the Month award for April, cricket governing body announced on Tuesday. Fakhar smashed centuries in each of the opening two games of Pakistan’s five-match One-day International series against New Zealand. His 180 not out in the second match in Rawalpindi, …

MUMBAI: Ishan Kis­han will replace the injured K.L. Rahul in India’s squad for next month’s World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said on Monday. Rahul was ruled out of the rest of the Indian Pre­mier League (IPL) season and the WTC final after tearing a tendon in his right leg while fielding for the …

LONDON: Leicester City’s chances of Premier League survival suffered a blow as they collapsed to a 5-3 at Fulham on Monday. Willian and Tom Cairney both scored twice for the Cottagers as they closed in on a top-half finish on their return to the top flight. But the Foxes, who won the Premier League in stunning fashion in 2016 and …

MANCHESTER: Two of the best attacking teams in Europe face off in the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday, with Manchester City’s record-seeking Erling Haaland going against Real Madrid’s red-hot trio of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes and Karim Benzema. It will be a rematch of last year’s semi-final, when Real got the better of a City team that didn’t have Haaland …

SEVILLE: Rodrygo struck twice and Vinicius Jr dazzled as Real Madrid beat Osasuna 2-1 on Saturday to win their 20th Copa del Rey title and first since 2014. Brazilian Rodrygo scored the opener after two minutes but Carlo Ancelotti’s side were pegged back when Lucas Torro equalised 13 minutes after the break. Rodrygo, however, tapped in a loose ball in …

TEHRAN: The head of Iran’s athletics federation resigned on Sunday over a sporting event featuring women without the mandatory headscarf, state media reported, as the Islamic republic toughens enforcement of hijab rules. “Hashem Siami resigned from his post due to the controversies that arose from the endurance (running) race organised in Shiraz” in Iran, official news agency IRNA said. According to images …

NEW DELHI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes Matheesha Pathir­ana could become a limited-overs asset for Sri Lanka with a light workload that does not include any Test cricket. Operating with a slingy action, Pathirana has proved his death-overs skills in the Indian Premier League inviting comparisons with compatriot Lasith Malinga, who troubled the best batters of his time with a similar …