MANCHESTER: Manchester City signed Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth on Friday to strengthen its attacking options ahead of the team’s tilt at the Premier League and Champions League titles. Semenyo, who has scored 10 goals and been one of the best attackers in English soccer this season, has moved in a deal worth a reported 65 million pounds ($87 million) and on a 5 1/2-year deal. He’ll provide competition to City’s stock of wingers that already includes Jeremy Doku, Omar Marmoush, Savinho and Oscar Bobb. Savinho and Bobb are currently injured, while Marmoush – currently at the Africa Cup of Nations – has been out of favor this season. The 26-year-old Semenyo also was linked with Manchester United and Liverpool. He was at Bournemouth for 2 1/2 seasons after joining from second-tier Bristol City. “I have so much scope for improvement,” Semenyo said in a City statement, “so to be at this club, at this stage of my career, is perfect for me. It’s a real privilege to be here. “My best football is yet to come, I am sure of that.” God-given talent’Semenyo marked his final game for Bournemouth by scoring a stoppage-time winner from outside the area against Tottenham on Wednesday. “Everything just aligned,” said the forward, whose two-footedness means he is a danger on either wing. “It makes it so difficult for defenders to mark me – it’s my God-given talent,” Semenyo said in quotes provided by City. “I feel very chaotic on the eye, just spontaneous and can do anything at any moment.” City manager Pep Guardiola has showed a willingness to play more on the counterattack this season in a switch of style and the club’s director of football, Hugo Viana, said Semenyo was an “ideal” signing. “We are constantly watching players all over the world. Antoine was the one we most wanted,” Viana said. “He has shown he can perform in the Premier League. He is humble, hard-working, professional and totally focused on being a better footballer.” City is second in the Premier League, six points behind Arsenal in its bid to regain the title after relinquishing it to Liverpool last season. Guardiola’s team is fourth in the 36-club Champions League standings with two rounds of matches remaining in the league phase. The top eight qualify automatically for the round of 16. Semenyo has never played in the Champions League. He could make his debut for City against Exeter in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday and is eligible to play in the English League Cup semifinals, with City playing the first leg at Newcastle on Tuesday.

It’s tough to pinpoint the exact reason why a team goes on to win a long tournament like the World Cup. It will almost always be a culmination of many small things working well together for the team to be successful at that level.To win a Cricket World Cup, all your elements — batting, bowling and fielding — need to collectively work well. Consistency in team efforts, along with a few individuals’ standout performances, makes a team the World Champion.But sometimes a decision, technical or tactical, during the buildup to such a mega event turns out to be a trump card for the team, leading them to massive success. One such tactical decision was made by the Sri Lankan side in the lead-up to the 1996 ODI World Cup, co-hosted by India, Pakistan and the island nation.Little did they, or the cricketing world at large, know back then that the decision to promote wicketkeeper-batter Romesh Shantha Kaluwitharana as an opener in the final series before the mega-event would change their fortune in such a quick time.On This Day, thirty years ago — January 9, 1996 — Kaluwitharana batted as an opener against Australia in Melbourne for the first time in his over five-year ODI career. He had a clear mandate — to blast from the get-go — and he did the same in style.Australia had posted 213 for 5 in their 50 overs after electing to bat first at the MCG, with Ricky Ponting top-scoring with 123 off 138 balls. Ponting added a record 159 runs for the fifth wicket with Michael Bevan, who contributed 65 not out off 87 balls.Sri Lanka lost two early wickets and were at 39/2, but Kaluwitharana kept the scoreboard ticking with captain Aravinda de Silva (35) and added 88 runs for the third wicket. Kaluwitharana was the next wicket to fall, scoring a 75-ball 77 laced with 12 fours. Sri Lanka then lost three more wickets quickly, but Roshan Mahanama (51) and Kumar Dharmasena (28) guided the visitors to victory in the day-night encounter by three wickets with 15 balls to spare in the Benson & Hedges World Series, which included West Indies as the third team.Kaluwitharana had a decent run in the series as an opener as he stitched together a string of good scores. Even though he ended the series with a duck in Sydney, his scores read — 77 (75), 20 (27), 50 (54), 74 (68), 13 (9) & 0 (2).That one tactical move on January 9 inadvertently started a pinch-hitting plan for the Lankans. And within ten weeks from that fateful day, despite Kaluwitharana’s below-par contributions individually, the impact of attacking from the word go played a big part in bringing the World Cup home for Sri Lanka.Opening with Sanath Jayasuriya, who won the Man of the Series at the World Cup, Kaluwitharana was a menace for new-ball bowlers in that tournament. He started the World Cup with a duck against Zimbabwe in Colombo, but the co-hosts persisted with the opening pinch-hitter in Kaluwitharana.His 1996 World Cup record reads — 20 (16) vs India in Delhi, 33 (18) vs Kenya in Kandy, 8 (3) vs England in Faisalabad, 0 (1) vs India in Kolkata and 6 (13) vs Australia in Lahore. He scored just 73, but it came at a 140.38 strike rate, well before the concept of T20 cricket came into being, and along with Jayasuriya’s 221 at a 131.54 strike rate, new-ball bowlers were hit hard by the Lankans.In fact, Sri Lankan batters were trendsetters in that tournament, with De Silva (448 at a 107.69 strike rate) and Arjuna Ranatunga (241 at 114.76 SR) making bowlers search for cover.At a time when a 100 strike rate was a rare commodity, four of Sri Lanka’s top batters were cruising well above it thirty years ago, setting a template widely followed these days even in T20 cricket, especially with powerplay field restrictions.The outcome of the tactical decision was an inadvertent one, but it was a happy move for Sri Lanka and world cricket.

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women kicked off their WPL 2026 campaign in some style against Mumbai Indians Women in the opening match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Friday. The match went right down to the final ball and kept fans on the edge of their seats. “It was de Klerk’s night in Navi Mumbai,” the commentator roared as Nadine de Klerk hit the winning boundary.

With two runs needed off the last ball, De Klerk showed great courage. She went for a lofted shot, and it worked perfectly, sealing a three-wicket win for RCB in style.Earlier in the evening, Mumbai Indians were put in to bat after RCB won the toss and chose to bowl. MI struggled to get going at the top. Big names like Amelia Kerr (4) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (4) fell early. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur (20) tried to steady the innings but could not stay long.The main fight came from Sajeevan Sajana and Nicola Carey. Sajana played an aggressive knock of 45 runs off just 25 balls. Carey added a steady 40 from 29 deliveries. Their partnership powered Mumbai to a fighting total of 154 /6 in 20 overs. For RCB, Nadine de Klerk was the standout bowler as she picked up four wickets and broke the back of the MI batting.Chasing 155, RCB started brightly. Grace Harris attacked from the start with 25 off 12 balls. Smriti Mandhana also looked fluent before getting out early for 18. However, quick wickets in the middle overs put RCB under pressure.That’s when Nadine de Klerk stepped up with the bat. She played with her known bravery, having amassed 63 not out from 44 balls. She found great support from Arundhati Reddy, who added 20 crucial runs. Even after losing a few wickets late, RCB stayed in the chase, thanks to the South African all-rounder. With nerves taking over in the final over, De Klerk held her composure. She finished the match with a bold stroke as RCB went past the target at 157/7 in 20 overs.The win gave Royal Challengers Bengaluru a perfect start to their WPL 2026 journey. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians were left to reflect on missed chances with their sloppy fielding and dropped catches despite a competitive total.

AHMEDABAD: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Dr P T Usha on Friday expressed satisfaction about the efforts put in by the Gujarat government to create sports infrastructure to strengthen India’s prospects to host the 2036 Olympics.Ahead of IOA’s annual general meeting here on Friday, the Gujarat government gave a detailed presentation to IOA office-bearers on facilities and infrastructure being created keeping in mind India’s plan to bid for the Olympics, said the association’s senior vice president Ajay Patel.

Speaking at a press conference after the AGM, Usha said Ahmedabad’s sports facilities are becoming excellent.“A lot of new infrastructure is coming up. They have done a great job in building that indoor stadium where our event took place today. Ahmedabad is on its way to become a sports hub in the future,” the former athlete said.“They presented very nicely. Everyone was happy with the steps being taken by the Gujarat government,” she added.Patel said Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya were present at the meeting.“Gujarat government gave a presentation about the infrastructure that is being developed to strengthen India’s Olympic bid. Everyone present in the meeting were extremely satisfied with the steps being taken,” he added.Union home minister Amit Shah has said that India aspires to host the 2036 Olympics, and ten big stadiums will be built at the Sardar Patel Sports Complex in the Motera area to host the mega event.Last month, Shah had expressed confidence that Ahmedabad city will bag the hosting rights for the 2036 Olympic Games.Recently, Ahmedabad was awarded the hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

NEW DELHI: The BCCI on Friday said it was not its place to comment on Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup, stating that the matter falls under the International Cricket Council’s jurisdiction. The clarification came after a review meeting of the board’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.Bangladesh have asked the ICC to move their T20 World Cup matches out of India after the BCCI instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Mustafizur Rahman, “due to the recent developments”.

“The meeting was about CoE and other cricketing matters. It’s not our domain to talk about that (as the ICC has the final say on Bangladesh’s participation in T20 World Cup),” Saikia said, as cited by news agency PTI.The meeting in Mumbai focused on the functioning of the CoE and planning future India Under-19 and India A tours. The CoE became fully operational in April last year, but several key technical posts remain vacant, including head of education and head of sports science. The meeting was attended by BCCI president Mithun Manhas, vice-president Rajeev Shukla and head of cricket at the CoE, VVS Laxman.“We assessed the vacancies at CoE and decided to go ahead with the recruitment process soon. There is acute shortage of technical personnel worldwide but we are trying to fill the positions at the earliest,” Saikia was quoted as saying by PTI.Explaining the review, Saikia added: “We thought it was an appropriate time to review the preparations and activities of CoE. We are hosting matches in the three grounds there (including the ongoing Vijay Hazare). We also talked about how the A tours need to be scheduled going forward.”“In certain situations, the A side and senior team are touring together at the same time. We need to ensure that there is no overlapping. A tour is an important supply line of cricketers,” said the former cricketer-turned-lawyer from Assam.Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board on Thursday sent a second letter to the ICC, detailing specific security concerns related to travel to India for the T20 World Cup and again requested that the matches be shifted to Sri Lanka.

NEW DELHI: The opening match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 had fans talking even before the first ball was bowled on Friday. After the toss at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, the opening ceremony got underway and quickly grabbed everyone’s attention.The ceremony began with a performance by Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu, followed by Jacqueline Fernandez, who kept the crowd entertained.

The biggest surprise, however, came when popular rapper Honey Singh made his entry. His arrival instantly drew the spotlight, especially because both team captains, Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, were seated right next to him.While the moment looked glamorous on screen, the captains seemed caught off-guard.As Honey Singh appeared, both Mandhana and Harmanpreet stood up but appeared unsure of what to do next. Harmanpreet began clapping along to the music, while Mandhana stood still with her hands folded for a few seconds before awkwardly joining in. The brief moment quickly went viral on social media.Watch:Royal Challengers Bengaluru had already won the toss and chose to bowl first against defending champions Mumbai Indians. This is the first time the WPL is being played in the January–February window.After the toss, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana explained her decision and named the overseas players for the match. “Dew plays a huge role at this venue, especially in the second half, and it’s a ground where conditions can change quickly. We want to bowl tight lines early and restrict the opposition. It’s been amazing,” she said.“The girls have gelled really well. It’s a young group, the overseas players have settled in nicely, and it’s been a fun environment. Everyone’s worked extremely hard, and we’re really excited to get started.”Mumbai Indians, who have won the title twice, will miss all-rounder Hayley Matthews due to illness.MIW vs RCBW Playing XIs:Mumbai Indians: Nat Sciver-Brunt, G Kamalini (wk), Amelia Kerr, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amanjot Kaur, Nicola Carey, Poonam Khemnar, Shabnim Ismail, Sanskriti Gupta, Sajeevan Sajana, and Saika IshaqueRoyal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (c), Grace Harris, Dayalan Hemalatha, Richa Ghosh (wk), Radha Yadav, Nadine de Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Prema Rawat, Linsey Smith, and Lauren Bell

Australia all-rounder and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) player Ellyse Perry made her presence felt ahead of the team’s opening match of WPL 2026 against Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium, despite pulling out of the tournament. Perry, who has withdrawn citing personal reasons, shared a video message for the team and fans on Friday morning.The 2024 WPL champions RCB posted the video on Instagram with the caption, “A familiar voice wishing strength and support. Perry sends her love and luck to the squad for the WPL 2026 season ahead.”

In the video, Perry addressed her teammates and the “RCB Bold” fanbase, highlighting the connection she has built with the franchise and the city over the past three years.Though she will not take part in the matches, Perry said she would follow the tournament from home and support the team. She also asked fans to back the side through the season.“Hey team, all the very best tonight and for all of the WPL. I hope you guys have a great time. You’ve got the best fans in the world, and I’m sure they’ll be there cheering you on, as will I from home. Go well, have a great time,” Perry said in RCB’s Instagram post.Perry’s absence from WPL 2026 ends a run of consistent performances in the league. She was retained by RCB for Rs 2 crore ahead of the season. Across three WPL seasons, she has scored 972 runs.In the 2024 edition, Perry won the Orange Cap after scoring 347 runs at an average of 69.40. She has taken 14 wickets in the league and holds the record for the best bowling figures in WPL history, 6/15 against Mumbai Indians. Perry has played a key role for RCB with both bat and ball, contributing in the middle order and with timely wickets.

Mumbai Indians Women vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Live Score: The Women’s Premier League 2026 is set for a thrilling start as defending champions Mumbai Indians take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the 2024 winners, in the opening match at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday.

Often dubbed the most fierce rivalry of the WPL, the clash brings together two of the league’s strongest franchises and sets the tone for the season ahead.

Speaking ahead of the opener on JioHotstar, Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur spoke about handling pressure and enjoying the game. “You feel pressure in any format, whether it is WPL, international cricket or domestic matches. You set a high standard for yourself and expect a lot.

But the most important thing is to enjoy yourself on the field. Other than taking pressure, I would love to enjoy my game,” Harmanpreet said. She added that her role as captain is to help players feel comfortable and confident, even while leading a title-winning side.

RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana echoed a different but equally focused approach, emphasising discipline and consistency.

“I think the whole RCB squad is very balanced this season. We had a good mega auction. I always tell the team we have to focus on our work ethic. What happens on the field is not in our hands,” Mandhana said. She also expressed her desire to continue her strong batting form, adding, “I have been batting well in the last two years, and I want to bring that success from international cricket to the WPL.”

JioStar expert Veda Krishnamurthy noted that Mandhana will carry added responsibility this season, especially with Ellyse Perry unavailable.

“Smriti Mandhana has evolved as a cricketer. She uses her feet more and plays the leg side against spin, which is an added advantage. But Ellyse Perry’s absence is a big question,” Veda said. “Smriti will not just play a captain’s role, but also take on the responsibility of carrying the team forward.”

Veda also highlighted Mumbai Indians’ depth and balance, pointing to a strong core of international stars and match-winners. With the WPL 2026 underway, the opener promises a high-quality contest between a settled MI outfit and an RCB side looking to adapt and thrive.

NEW DELHI: Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma could not hide his happiness when ICC chairman Jay Shah called him “our captain” at a recent public event. A video of the moment has gone viral on social media, showing Rohit smiling widely as he listened. His wife, Ritika Sajdeh, was also seen smiling beside him.This moment stood out because Rohit is no longer India’s official ODI captain. He was replaced by Shubman Gill ahead of India’s tour of Australia in October 2025. Even so, Rohit’s reaction showed how special the recognition still was for him.

Watch:Rohit had a very successful time as India’s captain. Under his leadership, India won two major ICC titles. The team lifted the T20 World Cup in 2024 and followed it up with the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. These victories made Rohit one of India’s most successful captains in recent years.Earlier, Rohit had announced his retirement from T20 Internationals and Test cricket. Suryakumar Yadav took charge of the T20I team, while Shubman Gill was named Test captain.With the ODI World Cup scheduled for 2027 and Rohit now 38 years old, the selectors felt it was the right moment to hand over the ODI captaincy to Gill so he could grow into the role.Rohit was named Virat Kohli’s successor as India’s ODI captain in December 2021 and went on to lead the team in 56 matches.Now, Rohit is set to return to action as a player. He will feature in India’s upcoming three-match ODI series, which begins on January 11.

SG Pipers had a forgettable season in the last edition of the Women’s Hockey India League (WHIL). They finished last with just one win in regulation time. However, they turned it around this season and will be facing Shrachi Bengal Tigers in the final on Saturday.They lost their final group match 2-5 against Ranchi Royals in Ranchi on Thursday but still finished on top of the table with 11 points from six matches.And one of the key factors behind the transformation has been the way their young stars have performed. Be it Sunelita Toppo, Jyoti Singh or Ishika, they have been incredible.The trio came into the tournament after a below-par showing for India in the junior World Cup but the way they picked themselves up and performed in WHIL was more than impressive.“Not many people follow junior hockey, so this was a chance for us to show what we are capable of and perform alongside the overseas players,” said junior India skipper Jyoti, who has tried to learn as much as possible from defenders Valentina Costa Biondi and Lola Reira.Besides the overseas players, their coach Sofie Gierts is the one who made the biggest difference. “As a player, it matters a lot how much trust the coach has in you. Sofie does that and it helped us to grow in confidence,” said Ishika, who scored two goals during the Junior World Cup in Santiago last year.India senior player and Pipers captain Navneet Kaur also played a major role as she guided them and gave them all the support on and off the field.“As a junior you can be good, but you need someone to push you. Especially after making mistakes, you start doubting yourself. This is where the seniors use their experience to guide us,” said Jyoti.Few have made better use of this support than Sunelita and she scored two lovely goals in the tournament.“Navneet di kept telling me to read the situation better, when to speed up and when to attack. I have been trying to do it since I made it to the senior team, but I was finally able to do it successfully during the match against Soorma,” added the youngster from Odisha.It definitely made Navneet proud, and she hopes to see them get even better in the coming days. “They have improved a lot since last year. We keep telling them to play freely, concentrate on their game,” said Naveet, who scored both the goals for Pipers on Thursday.This kind of support has given them confidence, and it has shown in the way they performed. It now remains to be seen whether they can keep it up on Saturday and lead Pipers to victory.