Lionel Messi (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Lionel Messi has secured the MLS MVP award, making history as the first player to claim this honour in consecutive years. As the captain of the MLS Cup champions, Inter Miami, Messi has established himself as the dominant force in Major League Soccer.At 38, the Argentine star continues to break records, adding another milestone to his illustrious career. His outstanding performance included 29 goals and 19 assists during the regular season, leading the league in scoring.Messi joins Preki as only the second player to win multiple MVP awards in MLS history. While Preki won in 1997 and 2003, all other recipients have earned the award only once.“He was fantastic the whole season, with the numbers and also with the commitment,” Inter Miami coach and longtime Messi teammate Javier Mascherano said.Despite playing in only half of Inter Miami’s regular-season games in 2024, Messi’s impact was undeniable. While last year’s vote was close, this year’s decision was clear-cut.The voting results showed Messi receiving 70.4% of total votes. San Diego’s Anders Dreyer finished second with 11.2%, followed by LAFC’s Denis Bouanga at 7.3%, Cincinnati’s Evander at 4.8%, and Nashville’s Sam Surridge at 2.4%.Messi’s career accolades include eight Ballon d’Or titles, eight Pichichi trophies, six La Liga best player awards, three Best FIFA Men’s Player awards, three UEFA Men’s Player of the Year wins, two FIFA World Cup Golden Balls, and 15 selections as Argentina’s best player. He has won 47 trophies with club and country, including the 2022 World Cup.“The reality,” Mascherano said as the regular season was ending, “is that Leo clears all doubts.”Messi becomes the sixth player to win both MVP and a championship in the same MLS season. Only Josef Martinez of Atlanta United in 2018 had previously achieved the triple feat of MVP, title, and Golden Boot in one year, which Messi matched in 2025.In MLS history, only four players have been MVP finalists the year after winning the award: Carlos Valderrama (1996-1997), Marco Etcheverry (1998-1999), David Villa (2016-2017), and Josef Martinez (2018-2019).Messi has committed his future to Inter Miami with a three-year contract extension. He will be present when the team opens its new stadium near Miami International Airport next season.Back-to-back MVPs are common in other major US sports leagues. Recent examples include Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge in baseball, A’ja Wilson in the WNBA, Nikola Jokic in the NBA, Aaron Rodgers in the NFL, and Alex Ovechkin in the NHL.

At least 23 people were injured after a powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off northern Japan late Monday and triggered a tsunami in Pacific coast communities, officials said. Authorities warned of possible aftershocks and an increased risk of a megaquake.

The quake hit at about 11:15 p.m. in the Pacific Ocean, around 80 kilometres off the coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture on Honshu, and prompted a tsunami warning.The US Geological Survey reported second earthquake of magnitude 5.1 early on Tuesday, about 122 kilometres south of Honcho at a depth of 35 kilometres. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning, with one wave hitting a port in the northern region of Aomori, where Misawa is located.Several more waves reached the coast, measuring up to 70 centimetres, JMA reported.Early Tuesday the agency lifted the tsunami warning, according to Kyodo news agency. JMA kept lower-grade advisories in effect for parts of northern Japan for several hours, but those, too, were evenutally cancelled.About 480 residents were sheltering at Hachinohe Air Base, and 18 defence helicopters were mobilised for damage assessment, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said. NHK reported about 200 passengers were stranded overnight at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido.

The meteorological agency cautioned about possible aftershocks in the coming days and said there was a slight increase in the risk of a magnitude 8-level quake and tsunami along Japan’s northeastern coast from Chiba to Hokkaido. It urged residents in 182 municipalities to monitor their emergency preparedness over the next week.“I’ve never experienced such a big shaking,” convenience store owner Nobuo Yamada told the public broadcaster NHK in the Aomori prefecture town of Hachinohe, adding that “luckily” power lines were still operating in his area.Satoshi Kato, vice principal of a public high school in Hachinohe, told NHK he was at home when the quake struck and watched glasses and bowls fall and smash into shards on the floor. He drove to the school, designated as an evacuation centre, and encountered traffic jams and accidents as panicked people fled. “Nobody had yet come to the school to take shelter,” he said.Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in brief comments to reporters that the govt set up an emergency task force to urgently assess the extent of damage. “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she said.Later, she urged residents in the region to pay attention to the latest information from local municipalities. “Please be prepared so you can immediately evacuate as soon as you feel a tremor.”The quake struck about 80 kilometres northeast of Hachinohe, at a depth of about 50 kilometres below the sea surface. It occurred near the same area that suffered a magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami in 2011 that killed nearly 20 000 people and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.(Inputs from agencies)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled a revamped 15-member squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, with young talents G Kamalini and Vaishnavi Sharma receiving their maiden call-ups. The series marks India’s first international outing since clinching their historic maiden Women’s World title last month, adding further excitement to the home campaign beginning December 21.

G Kamalini and Vaishnavi Sharma take their first big step

In a clear sign of India’s growing trust in its youth pipeline, wicketkeeper-batter Kamalini and teenager Vaishnavi have broken into the senior setup after standout displays at the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year. Both were pivotal to India’s campaign in Malaysia and were subsequently named in the tournament’s best XI—an achievement that kept them firmly on selectors’ radar.

Kamalini, who made her WPL debut for Mumbai Indians earlier this year, has been chosen as the secondary wicketkeeper. Her rapid progression comes at a crucial time, with regular keeper Yastika Bhatia currently in rehab following an ACL injury sustained ahead of the 2025 ODI World Cup. Kamalini’s sharp glovework and improving batting consistency have made her a strong contender for long-term grooming.

Vaishnavi, at just 19, has been one of the most promising spin prospects in the domestic circuit. The left-arm spinner dominated the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, finishing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 21 dismissals in 11 games at a remarkable economy rate of 4.5. Her accuracy, flight variation, and temperament under pressure played a major role in Madhya Pradesh’s run to the final.

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Shafali Verma retains her spot; several players miss out

Shafali Verma continues to be backed by the selectors after a prolific run in domestic cricket, which also earned her a last-minute place in the ODI squad ahead of the World Cup semifinal. Her power-hitting remains a crucial asset in India’s top order as they prepare for a busy T20 calendar leading into next year.

However, India have made notable exclusions compared to their previous T20I series in England. Sayali Satghare, Radha Yadav, and Shuchi Upadhyay have been omitted to make way for the returning Renuka Singh Thakur and the new entrants. Seamers Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, and Sree Charani retain their spots after steady performances.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana will continue to lead a balanced unit comprising experience and youth across departments.

The much-anticipated series gets underway on December 21 in Visakhapatnam, which will also host the second T20I. The teams will then shift to Thiruvananthapuram for the remaining three matches, promising packed stadiums and high-stakes cricket as India resume action post their world title triumph.

India’s squad for the T20I series vs Sri Lanka

Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Richa Ghosh (WK), G Kamalini (WK), Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

Hardik Pandya plays a shot during the first T20 International cricket match between India and South Africa in Cuttack, India, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP)

Ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya returned to competitive cricket with a half-century that helped India reach 175/6 in the first T20I against South Africa on Tuesday.Playing his first match after 74 days, Pandya came back following a left quadricep injury that had ruled him out of the Asia Cup. He walked in at No. 6 and changed the pace of the innings.

India lost six wickets across the powerplay and middle overs. Pandya, who had shown his fitness earlier by scoring an unbeaten 77 off 42 balls for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, took on the South African bowlers and finished on 59 not out off 28 balls.This was his sixth fifty in T20 internationals.Pandya began by hitting two sixes off Keshav Maharaj after Tilak Varma was dismissed for 26. He then scored 17 runs in an over from Anrich Nortje, including a four off a 149kph delivery. Marco Jansen bowled short balls, but Pandya responded with a pull shot before moving close to his half-century. He later hit a six and a four off Lutho Sipamla, who finished with figures of 2/38, in the 19th over.Pandya reached his fifty in 25 balls with a six over third man off Nortje in the final over. He acknowledged the milestone with a brief raise of the bat.India scored 53 runs in the final five overs. Nortje, playing his first match after injury, gave away 41 runs in four overs, including 12 in the last over.

Pandya becomes fourth Indian to smash 100 T20I sixes

Pandya’s innings included six fours and four sixes. With this knock, he became the fourth Indian batter to hit 100 sixes in T20 internationals.He joined Rohit Sharma (205), Suryakumar Yadav (155), and Virat Kohli (124) on the list. KL Rahul is next with 99 sixes.

Vijay Shankar (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

The IPL 2026 auction has sparked discussions due to an unusual listing of Vijay Shankar, a former India all-rounder, in the uncapped players’ category. The auction, scheduled for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, features 350 shortlisted cricketers.

Shankar’s inclusion in the uncapped category is noteworthy given his previous international experience of 12 ODIs and nine T20Is for India. His classification stems from a new IPL regulation implemented before the 2025 season.The regulation states that Indian players who haven’t played in India’s starting XI across any format in the past five calendar years and don’t hold a current BCCI central contract can be classified as uncapped. This rule applies exclusively to Indian cricketers.This regulation was previously applied in the case of MS Dhoni and Sandeep Sharma, who were retained as uncapped players by Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals respectively at a capped retention salary of Rs 4 crore last year.Shankar’s recent performance has been less than impressive after being released by Chennai Super Kings following a disappointing IPL 2025 season. His Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign for Tripura showed limited success, with only two scores above 30 runs in seven matches and a highest score of 50.Despite his recent form, Shankar’s base price of Rs 30 lakh makes him an economical option for teams seeking experienced players. At 34 years old, he will be listed in the seventh auction set among uncapped all-rounders.Other players in his category include Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Tanush Kotian, Auqib Nabi, Mahipal Lomror, and Prashant Veer. While Shankar may not be a first-choice player, his experience and versatility could attract teams looking for squad depth.The auction will reveal whether Shankar’s new uncapped status and experience will generate interest among the franchises. His situation has become one of the notable aspects of this year’s auction proceedings.

You grab your boarding pass, settle into that cramped seat, and treat air travel like a normal commute. Pop in headphones, scroll your phone, sip a drink. Easy day, right? Your body sees it differently. At cruising altitude, low pressure, bone-dry air, and hours of sitting turn a routine flight into a full-body stress test. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Ajinkya Desale treats patients who land feeling wrecked-stiff necks, throbbing backs, swollen ankles, knees that scream for mercy. He breaks down the four hidden ways flying hits your joints and muscles hardest, plus simple fixes to step off the plane feeling human again.

Cabin pressure drops fast as the plane climbs to 30,000 feet. Gases in your body expand with less air pressure squeezing them. You notice it first in your gut with bloating or that urge to burp. The same ballooning happens around joints and in tissues. If you live with arthritis, a bulging disc, old sports injuries, or any inflammation, this extra internal push makes pain flare sharp. Symptoms often build mid-flight and peak after landing when your body readjusts to sea level. It feels like your joints swelled overnight.

Plane cabins are among the driest places on earth. Humidity drops below 20 percent, drier even than the Sahara. And in this vacuum, you lose water constantly through breathing and skin, just sitting still. Dry mouth and nose get your attention. What hurts more stays hidden: spinal discs and joint cartilage rely on constant hydration to remain plump and cushioned, like shock absorbers. And dehydration stiffens them fast. Neck kinks, lower back aches, hip tightness, and knee grinds worsen. That “travel stiffness” lingers days if you fly often.

Cramped seats lock hips and knees bent for hours. On the ground, walking squeezes calf muscles like a pump, sending blood up to your heart. No movement kills that pump, and blood pools in lower legs and feet; ankles balloon. Deep vein thrombosis risk climbs, especially on flights over four hours. The odds are higher for older adults, pregnant travelers, people with a history of clotting, or extra weight.Swelling presses on nearby joints, adding pain to knees and hips. Less oxygen fuels inflammation Air in the cabin feels thinner because it simulates altitudes of 6,000 to 8,000 feet. Oxygen decreases by 10-15 percent. Healthy lungs are not a problem, but for anyone with chronic joint problems or any kind of inflammation, it is rough.

This sharpens pain-muscles tire more easily, and headaches and general fatigue begin to make every twist or stretch hurt even more.

Prep smart: drink 16 ounces of water per flight hour. Stand, walk the aisle hourly. Do seated ankle pumps and calf raises. Slip on compression socks for leg flow. Gently stretch your neck side to side. Prehydrate days in advance with electrolyte drinks. immediately after landing, walk briskly and hydrate heavy. For long-haul flyers, especially those prone to joint pain, consult with your doctors about aspirin or using compression stockings. These tips significantly reduce stiffness, clots, and soreness. Fly smarter, land stronger.