Sports

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, second right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s second goal. (AP Photo) Lionel Messi turned back the clock once again as defending champions Argentina launched their FIFA World Cup title defence in emphatic fashion, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner scoring his first-ever World Cup hat-trick in a commanding 3-0 victory…

Argentina’s Lionel Messi (10) celebrates after scoring the opening goal. (AP Photo) Lionel Messi added yet another extraordinary chapter to his storied career, scoring his first-ever World Cup hat-trick to lead defending champions Argentina to a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria and move level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose atop the tournament’s all-time scoring charts.The…

India’s Harsh Dubey attends a training session in Lucknow. (AP Photo) TimesofIndia.com in Lucknow: It took Surendra Dubey and Jyoti Dubey nearly 24 hours to travel from Nagpur to Lucknow. A delayed train only added to the journey, but nothing could dampen the spirits of the proud parents, who had missed watching their son Harsh…

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi against Sri Lanka A players NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka Cricket has reportedly punished some players involved in the heated scenes that followed the India A vs Sri Lanka A tri-series match in Dambulla. The game ended dramatically with Sri Lanka A winning in the Super Over after both teams scored 265, but the…

Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha stays on the hot seat NEW DELHI: For those unfamiliar with India’s iconic quiz show “Kaun Banega Crorepati” (KBC), hosted by legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, the term “hot seat” may evoke a bizarre image. But, in reality, it is where contestants sit opposite Bachchan in the Indian version of “Who Wants to…

Tino Livramento of England (Getty Images) England have been dealt a setback on the eve of their World Cup campaign after defender Tino Livramento was ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury, prompting a last-minute change to Thomas Tuchel’s squad.The Newcastle United full-back sustained the injury during a training session on Sunday. Following…

France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal of his team during the World Cup Group I soccer match between France and Senegal in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) Kylian Mbappé entered the 2026 FIFA World Cup with an opportunity to add another chapter to…

England’s Ben Stokes (AP Photo) Former England captain Michael Vaughan has backed Ben Stokes to remain England skipper despite the controversy that led to his suspension from the second Test against New Zealand.Stokes was left out of England’s squad for the ongoing Test at The Oval after breaching a team curfew following the opening match…

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Ahead of the second ODI against Afghanistan in Lucknow, India’s spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule backed Rohit Sharma amid renewed discussions over the veteran opener’s future. The 39-year-old has endured a dip in form recently and concerns have resurfaced because of his age, a recent hamstring…

France have named a strong and attacking starting XI for their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Senegal, with Kylian Mbappé captaining a side packed with pace, creativity and technical quality in the final third. France XI: Mike Maignan; Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé, William Saliba, Lucas Hernández; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué,…