Saturday, May 09
Lando Norris clinched his maiden Formula 1 world championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, narrowly beating Max Verstappen by two points. While Verstappen won the race, Norris's third-place finish secured the title. Oscar Piastri completed a strong McLaren showing by finishing second in the race and third in the championship, marking a significant upset for Norris.
Yashasvi Jaiswal's maiden ODI century (116*) powered India to a commanding nine-wicket victory over South Africa, clinching the series 2-1. Rohit Sharma also shone with 75 runs, crossing 20,000 international runs. The duo's 155-run opening stand set the stage for a dominant chase, with Virat Kohli adding an unbeaten 65.
India's Sanskar Saraswat clinched his maiden Super 100 title at the Guwahati Masters, defeating compatriot Mithun Manjunath in a thrilling men's singles final. In the women's singles, Tanvi Sharma secured the runner-up position after a close match against Chinese Taipei's Tung Ciou-Tong. The Indian men's doubles pair also finished as runners-up.
England head coach Brendon McCullum believes his team "trained too much" ahead of their heavy Ashes Test defeat in Brisbane. He suggested excessive preparation may have contributed to the team's struggles to adapt to conditions. McCullum emphasized the need for players to be physically and mentally fresh for crucial decisions during matches.
Australia have taken a commanding 2-0 lead in the Ashes series as they defeated England by eight wickets in the Brisbane day-night Test on Sunday. Joe Root scored his first Test century in Australia, but Australia established a significant first-innings lead. England fought back but ultimately fell short. With this win, Australia remain at the top of the World Test Championship standings.
Yashasvi Jaiswal will join the Mumbai team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy knockouts. This comes after his impressive maiden ODI century against South Africa. Jaiswal replaces Ayush Mhatre who will lead the India Under-19 team. The knockout stage begins on December 9 in Pune. Mumbai qualified for the knockouts after a strong league stage performance.
England captain Ben Stokes admitted his team struggled to handle pressure in key moments during their second Test defeat to Australia, leading to a 2-0 series deficit. Despite dropped catches and a lack of required mindset, Stokes believes a 3-2 Ashes victory is still possible if the team addresses issues quickly.
Australia captain Steve Smith downplayed his on-field verbal spat with England's Jofra Archer during their recent Ashes Test victory. Smith described the exchange as "good banter" between fierce competitors, emphasizing that any tension remained on the field. The incident occurred late in Australia's chase, but ultimately had no impact on the match's outcome.
Australia secured an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the second Test, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the Ashes series. England's performance drew heavy criticism from legend Ian Botham, who questioned the team's preparation and fitness, suggesting supporters deserve refunds. The defeat exposed significant weaknesses in England's batting, bowling, and fielding.
Australia secured an eight-wicket victory in the second Ashes Test, taking a 2-0 series lead. During Australia's chase, Steve Smith and Jofra Archer engaged in a verbal exchange after Archer bowled a series of aggressive deliveries. Smith responded with boundaries, including a six, to finish the match.
