Fast bowler Mitchell Starc inspired table-toppers Delhi Capitals to a tense victory in the super over against Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday. Starc forced the game into the super over with a brilliant eight-run 20th over as Rajasthan finished at 188-4 in reply to Delhi’s 188-5. Two run-outs in Starc’s super over limited Rajasthan to 11-2 before Lokesh Rahul and Tristan Stubbs smashed Sandeep Sharma’s first four balls for 13 runs and took Delhi on top of the points table with five wins from six games. Rajasthan has plenty to catch-up as they dropped to No. 8 with just two wins from seven games. Rajasthan slips against Starc Rajasthan seemed to have controlled the chase until Starc nailed a perfect yorker to half century-maker Nitish Rana (51) in the 18th over and had the left-hander plumb leg before wicket. Starc bowled four more yorkers in the final over and with two needed on the final ball, Dhruv Jurel drove Starc to mid-wicket but got run out while going for the winning run. Rajasthan had an injury scare when their captain Sanju Samson walked off with a side strain after he had provided a brisk start with Yashasvi Jaiswal (51). India to tour Bangladesh for white-ball series in August Samson clutched his left side in pain after hitting three sixes and two boundaries in his 19-ball knock of 31 balls as he walked off in the sixth over with Rajasthan cruising to 61-0. Delhi captain Axar Patel finally got his first wicket of the season when he clean bowled Riyan Parag for 12 and Jaiswal holed out at long-on soon after completing his third half century of the season. Patel should have dismissed Rana on 20 in the 15th over but Stubbs dropped a sitter at long-on before Rana eased the target by smashing Kuldeep Yadav for a six and a four in the next over. However, Starc turned the tide in his return spell with flurry of yorkers and pushed the game into the super over. Delhi prospers in death overs Opening batter Abishek Porel smashed fast bowler Tushar Deshpande for four boundaries and a six in the second over but Jake Fraser-McGurk’s poor season continued when he holed out in Jofra Archer’s second over after scoring nine off six balls. Rahul and Porel put on 63 runs off 57 balls, but the slowness of the wicket didn’t allow them to accelerate against either spin or pace. Rahul was eventually dismissed in the 13th over when he pulled Archer to mid-wicket where Shimron Hetmyer took a good low catch and Porel got dismissed by Wanindu Hasaranga when he holed out at long-off after scoring 49 off 37 balls as Delhi slipped to 4-105. Kolkata thrashes Chennai, extends their IPL losing streak But Patel and Stubbs provided late flurry by contributing 34 runs each. Axar countercharged against Hasaranga and smashed 34 off 14 balls while Stubbs, dropped on 18 off Hasaranga, consumed 18 balls for his unbeaten 34 as the last three overs provided Delhi 42 runs.

 Arsenal defeated defending champion Real Madrid 2-1 on Wednesday to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2009 in a match where VAR played a key role in two penalty decisions. Arsenal advanced 5-1 on aggregate after winning 3-0 in London last week, keeping alive its chances of winning Europe’s top club competition for the first time. It will face Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals. Inter Milan advanced past Bayern Munich on Wednesday and will meet Barcelona in the semifinals. There was no historic comeback for Madrid this time. No late goals, no high drama, no magic at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. The 15-time European champions fell short of the last four for the first time since 2020, ending its shot at a third Champions League title in four seasons. “There was a lot of talk coming here about (Real Madrid) coming back, because they’ve done it so many times before, but we had so much belief and confidence from that first game to come here and win,” Arsenal's Declan Rice said. "We had it in our minds and now we’ve done it in real life.” Momentum shift Madrid's hopes of staging another comeback took a big hit when a five-minute VAR review overturned a penalty for a hold on Kylian Mbappé in the first half with the game tied 0-0. Arsenal earlier had been awarded a penalty after a video review, but Bukayo Saka missed his spot kick. Barcelona protects its La Liga lead with a narrow win at Leganes Saka was able to put Arsenal ahead from inside the area after Mikel Merino's pass in the 65th minute, and Madrid couldn’t manage more than an equalizer by Vinícius Júnior a couple of minutes later after a defensive blunder by William Saliba. Gabriel Martinelli completed the scoring three minutes into stoppage time, also after an assist by Merino. “This is one of the best nights in my football career, for sure," Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said. "It’s a really special one against a team that has been an inspiration for a lot of us in this competition. To win this tie in the manner that we have, we can be very proud.” Injured Mbappe Mbappé was replaced by Brahim Díaz in the 75th with an apparent injury and part of the crowd at the Bernabeu jeered the France star when his substitution was announced. It was another lackluster performance for Mbappé, who is yet to win a Champions League title. “It’s a tough moment,” Madrid’s Lucas Vazquez said. “We tried but in the end we couldn’t achieve our goal. We’ll come back stronger. Madrid always does.” It was a tough assignment for Madrid from the start. Arsenal hasn't lost by a three-goal margin in nearly three years, and only four times has a home team erased a first-leg deficit of three goals or more in the Champions League era, according to UEFA. Arsenal hadn’t lost to Madrid in the teams’ three previous meetings. It also overcame Madrid in the Champions League knockout stage in 2005-06, when it reached the final and eventually lost the title to Barcelona. Ancelotti's perspective “We have to hold our heads high because we did very well in this competition in recent years,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "This year we have to endure and suffer. In sport, this can happen because there are no invincible teams. I was clear with my players. We have to keep our heads up, we have to learn from it and fight for the next game.” Ancelotti said he didn't know if the loss would mean his last Champions League match with Madrid, “Maybe the club will decide to make a change. It could be this year or next year, when my contract runs out," he said. “The day I finish here I can only do one thing and that is to thank this club. It could be tomorrow, in 10 days or in a year and the only thing I will do is thank the club.” Mohammedan boost title hopes beating Bashundhara Kings Backed by a raucous crowd at the Bernabeu, Madrid tried to get off to a strong start. It found the net in the second minute but Mbappé's effort was disallowed for a clear offside. Arsenal had a chance to increase its advantage after being awarded a penalty about 10 minutes later, but Saka’s chip from the spot was saved by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The penalty was awarded after Raúl Asencio held Mikel Merino inside the area during a corner kick in an action that was missed by French referee François Letexier. But he was called over to the pitchside monitor by the VAR to review the incident and then pointed to the spot. Video review played a role again in the 23rd, after Mbappé was held inside the area by Rice. Letexier pointed to the spot but after a lengthy VAR check he had to reverse his decision.

Krishna Rani Sarkar,  the senior footballer of the SAFF Women's champions Bangladesh football team finally left Dhaka for Thimphu on Wednesday to play in the Bhutan Women's National Football League. Krishna, who was supposed to fly Bhutan last Sunday along with five other Bangladeshi booters, failed the missed the trip for not getting work permit in time and finally reached Bhutan on Wednesday. Earlier on last Sunday, five more senior footballers of the SAFF Women's champions Bangladesh team left the capital for Thimphu to play in the Bhutan National Women's Football League beginning there on April 15. They are ---Sanjida Akter, Maria Manda, Shamsunnahar Sr,  Masura Parvin and Rupna Chakma . Four players --Bangladesh captain Sabina Khatun, SAFF's best player Ritu Porna Chakma, reliable national booters Monika Chakma and Matsushima Sumaya--reached Thimphu in the first week of this month to play for Paro FC in the Bhutan league. Six-team super league of Dhaka Premier Division Cricket kicks off Thursday With the inclusion of Krishna, a record 10 players from Bangladesh playing togather for first time in foreign league. Apart from Paro FC,'s Sabina, Ritu Porna, Monika and Sumaiya, national defender Masura Parvin, SAFF's best goalkeeper Rupna Chakma and Krishna Rani Sarkar will play for the Transport United while Maria Manda, Sanjida Akter and Shamsunnahar Sr will play for Thimphu City. Earlier, Captain Sabina Khatun also played in the Maldives league while Sanjida Akter played for Kolkata East Bengal Club. Besides, four Bangladeshi players--Sabina Khatun ,Ritu Porna, Maria Manda and Monika Chakma -- played for Royal Thimphu College FC of Bhutan in the AFC Women's Champions League in August last year.

The six-team super league of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket begins on Thursday (Apr 17) with three teams playing at three separate venues in the capital and adjoining areas. Six top teams of the 12 teams Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League --have earned the rights to play in the Super League, the main battle for the league crown. The six super league teams are: Dhaka Mohammedan SC, Dhaka Abahani Limited, Gazi Group Crickters, Gulshan Cricket Club, Agrani Bank CC and Legends of Rupganj Siddiquee, Robiul, Ahrar star as DPL sees bowling brilliance and big runs On the opening day (Thursday), league leader Dhaka Mohammedan SC will play Legends of Rupganj at the Sher-e- Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka Abahani Ltd will face Agrani Bank CC at BKSP ground -3 while Gazi Group Cricketers will encounters Gulshan Cricket Club at BKSP ground -4 All the matches will kick- off at 9: am and the points of the first phase league will added in the super and delegation leagues Every match will have a reserve day after one round. Meanwhile, the delegation league of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket will begin on April 18. In the delegation league, Partex SC will play Shinepukur Cricket Club on Friday, Brothers Union Club will play Shinepukur CC on Monday while Brothers Union will play Partex SC on April 24 in the last match.

Bangladesh came close to qualify for the ICC Women's World Cup beating Scotland by 34 runs in their 3rd match of the six- nation ICC Women's World Cup Qualifiers at the flood light Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore Tuesday night. This was the 3rd consecutive victory for Bangladesh in the ongoing Women's World Cup qualifiers after beating Thailand and Ireland and now they needed just a victory in their remaining two matches against West Indies and hosts Pakistan to assure their World Cup berth. After the day's match, Bangladesh topped the six- team list securing full six points from straight three matches with comfortable net run rate of 1.494 while hosts Pakistan also bagged full six points from three matches and were in the 2nd slot with net run rate of 0.857 Bangladesh, which made a flying start crushing Thailand by a massive 178 runs in the first match featuring a lot of records last Thursday, were struggled hard in the l 2nd match last Sunday. But, a sensible and career best batting in a disasterous position by player of the match Ritu Moni powered Bangladesh to beat Ireland by two wickets with eight balls remaining in the 2nd match last Sunday In the remaining league basis matches of the ongoing meet, Bangladesh will play West Indies on April 17 and hosts Pakistan on April 19.  Siddiquee, Robiul, Ahrar star as DPL sees bowling brilliance and big runs In the day's 3rd match, Bangladesh opened the innings first after winning the toss piled up a good total of 276 runs for 6 in quota 50 overs featuring three half centuries by captain Nigar Sultana Joty, opener Fargana Hoque and one down Sharmin Akhter. Captain cum number four batter Nigar Sultana, who made her maiden and Bangladesh's quickest century against Thailand in the first match, today also scored the team highest not out 83 runs off just 59 balls, featuring eleven boundaries. Sharmin Akhter and Fargana Hoque made 57 runs each playing 79 and 84 balls and hitting seven and six boundaries respectively. Besides, lower order Fahima Khatun (26), opener Ishma Tanjim (14) and Ritu Moni (12) were the other Bangladesh batters reaching the double figures Kathryn Bryce took two wickets giving away 58 runs. Chasing a target of 277 runs, the Scotish Women's scored 242 runs for 9 in stipulated 50 overs featuring 115 runs runs in the 8th wickets stand by Priyanaz and Rachel Slater. Number eight batter Priyanaz Chatterji contributed 61 runs off 63 balls hitting seven fours while number nine Rachel Slater also scored 61 runs off 73 balls with five boundaries. Besides, middle order batter cum wicket keeper Sarah Bryce made 58-ball 42 runs including three hits to the fence while Ailsa Lister and opener Pippa Sproul added 18 and 17 runs respectively. Nahida Akhter took four wickets for 40 runs, Jannatul Ferdous grabbed two wickets for 43 runs while Marufa Akter and Rabeya Khan took one wicket each. Mohammedan break 9-year hoodoo against Abahani with DPL win Earlier, Bangladesh women's made a very good practices too in Pakistan crushing hosts Pakistan Women's by a massive 167 runs in their second warm-up match after beating Scotland by five wickets in the first warm up match ahead of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.

The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will feature baseball at Dodger Stadium in its return to the program with surfing and cricket held outside the city as part of an updated venue plan released Tuesday by the organizing committee. Surfing will be at Trestles Beach, a renowned collection of surfing spots between northern San Diego County and southern San Clemente in Orange County, about an hour’s drive south of downtown Los Angeles. It formerly hosted a World Surfing League competition and attracts about 2.5 million visitors every year. “We’ve promised the world an incredible Olympic Games and today we’re proud to share the plan that will make it happen,” LA28 chief executive officer Reynold Hoover said in a statement. Cricket will return to the Olympics for the first time in a century in a temporary structure at the Fairgrounds in Pomona, about 35 miles from LA. Host committee chairman Casey Wasserman had initially said it was likely to be played on the East Coast, which would have better aligned with the time zone in India, home of the sport's biggest fan base. Squash will make its Olympic debut on the Universal Studios lot, famous as the setting for movies and television shows. Beach volleyball is going to Long Beach after negotiations fell through with the city of Santa Monica. Triathlon is moving from Long Beach to famed Venice Beach on the west side of LA. Joining the sports in Long Beach are target shooting at a temporary indoor range at the city's convention center. Sport climbing will take place outside in the parking lot. Already planned for Long Beach is the new event of coastal rowing as well as marathon swimming. IOC board approves boxing for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Venice Beach will also be the starting location for the marathon and cycling road courses. The course layouts and finishing sites for both events will be announced later. Boxing returns to the Olympic program with preliminary matches at the Peacock Theater across from Crypto.com Arena, which will host the final stages in downtown LA. Weightlifting also will be at Peacock, while artistic gymnastics and trampoline will be in Crypto.com Arena. Volleyball will be at Honda Center in Anaheim, about 27 miles from downtown Los Angeles. The city of Carson will host archery at Dignity Health Sports Park after the Rugby Sevens tournament. Shotgun shooting will be in South El Monte, about 14 miles from downtown LA. Equestrian is set for Santa Anita racetrack in suburban Arcadia, which hosted the sport during the 1984 Los Angeles Games. Rhythmic gymnastics will be at Galen Center on the University of Southern California campus, along with badminton. The Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in the San Fernando Valley north of downtown LA will host 3x3 basketball, as well as modern pentathlon, BMX freestyle, BMX racing, skateboarding and skateboarding street.  Esports Olympics to debut in Saudi Arabia later than expected in 2027 The updated plan was announced after being approved last week by the International Olympic Committee's executive board. Still to come is an updated Paralympic venue plan.

One of Diego Maradona's daughters testified Tuesday in the trial of seven medical professionals accused of negligence in the soccer great's death, describing the room where her father underwent home hospitalization in 2020 as “disgusting” and “smelling of urine.” Dalma Maradona said she and her siblings were deceived by the doctors treating their father. “They promised us a home hospitalization that never happened,” said Dalma, the eldest of the former Argentina captain’s five children and the first of them to testify in court. “They made us believe in something that never happened. They deceived us in the cruelest way to support that,” she added. Maradona, who led Argentina to the World Cup title in 1986, died on Nov. 25, 2020 while undergoing home hospitalization on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, days after undergoing surgery for a hematoma that formed between his skull and brain. He was 60. Dalma said the facility was not fit for medical treatment. “It smelled like urine, the bed was disgusting,” she said. "There was a portable toilet. There was this panel on the windows to keep out the light. There was nothing. It was horrible. The kitchen was disgusting.” Doctors testify Maradona should not have undergone surgery before his death Seven healthcare professionals, including a neurosurgeon and a psychiatrist, are on trial for failing to provide adequate care and could face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Dalma recalled that after the hematoma surgery, neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, and psychologist Carlos Díaz — three of the defendants whom she identified as “my father’s doctors” — suggested home hospitalization since Maradona did not want to remain hospitalized. “There were three options (voluntary hospitalization, forced hospitalization, and home hospitalization), but they made us understand that home hospitalization was the only option,” Dalma said. “They promised us 24-hour nurses to monitor his blood pressure and to give him medication.” Last week, Diego Maradona’s ex-wife and a doctor also questioned the decision to take him to a private home following the surgery instead of admitting him to a rehabilitation center. The deficiencies in Maradona’s home care are one of the prosecution’s key pieces of evidence against the defendants. Dalma Maradona said the last time she saw her father alive was at the hospital as she had not been allowed access to the house where he was rehabilitating until after he was dead. “I went into the room (after he died), he was very swollen. He was covered with a sheet, but you could see he was swollen,” she said. “I threw myself on him because I thought he was going to wake up. His face was very swollen, his hands, his face. His stomach, his body. Everything.” Experts involved in Maradona’s autopsy testify that he had an abnormally large heart She added: “I miss him every day of my life, and what pains me the most is knowing that if they (the doctors) had done their job, this could have been avoided,” Dalma concluded. “It’s still very painful to remember the abuse he suffered, and I didn’t know. If I had known this was going to be the outcome, I would have handled it differently. But I never thought about it.”

Coming fron behind, defending champions Bashundhara Kings reached the final of the Bashundhara Group Federation Cup Football '2025 eliminating Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society by 2-1 goals in the extra time of the qualifier-2 at their home ground of Bashundhara Kings Arena Tuesday afternoon. Bashundhara Kings, which suffered a 2-4 goal defeat in penalty shootout against 10- man Dhaka Abahani Ltd last Tuesday in Cumilla, will battle again with Dhaka Abahani Limited in the final on April 22 . Like the qualifier -1, the day's 2nd qualifier match between Basundhara Kings Kings and Rahmatganj MFS was also locked in 1-1 goals in the stipulated 90 minute. After a barren first half, Gambian midfielder Soloman Kings put the old Dhaka outfit Rahmatganj ahead in the 76th minute by a placing shot near opponent custodian, off a Nabib Newas Jibon pass, with the frustration of the home Fans (1-0). But , their leading joy was very short lived as national coloured defender Saad Uddin gave relief the home Fans scoring the match equaliser by a header in the 82nd minute (1-1) to go for the extra session of 30 minutes (1-1). Later, he was adjudged player of the match. Finally, substitute defender Insan Hossain scored the match winning goal for the Kings in the extra time of 113th minute also by a good header, off a Rakib Hossain pass with the satisfaction of Kings supporters (2-1). Although Rahmatganj lost the day's match, but they fought equally with star studded Kings till the final whistle Earlier in qualifier -1 on last Tuesday, coming from behind , a 10-man Dhaka Abahani Limited smartly reached the final of the ongoing Federation Cup Football as the first team beating Bashundhara Kings by 4-2 goals in penalty shootout The nerve shattering match between 12th times champions Dhaka Abahani Ltd and three times champions Basundhara Kings were locked in 1-1 goals in the stipulated 90-minute and also in the 30 -minute extra session. This was the 2nd win for Dhaka Abahani Ltd against Bashundhara Kings in the ongoing season after beating them in the Bangladesh Premier League ( BPL) Football.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday confirmed the itinerary for India’s upcoming white-ball tour of Bangladesh in August this year. The series will feature three OdIs and three T20Is. The Indian team is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on August 13. The ODI series will kick off on August 17 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Mirpur. The second ODI, also at Mirpur, will follow on August 20. The third and final ODI is scheduled for August 23 at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Motiur Rahman Cricket Stadium — which was formerly known as Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium— in Chattogram. Women's World Cup Qualifiers: Ritu Moni power Bangladesh to a precious two-wicket win over Ireland The T20I series will begin on August 26 in Chattogram and then move back to Mirpur for the remaining two matches on August 29 and 31, respectively.  This will be the first time Bangladesh hosts a bilateral T20I series against India on home soil. “India has set the benchmark in international cricket across all formats. The cricket-loving millions in both countries are sure to enjoy this contest,” BCB Chief Executive Officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said. “Bangladesh and India have played some very competitive matches in recent years, and I am confident that this will be another hard-fought and entertaining series,” he added.    

A sensible batting by lower order Ritu Moni in a disasterous moment powered Bangladesh to achieve a precious two wickets victory over Ireland in their 2nd match of the six- nation ICC Women's World Cup Qualifiers at the flood light Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore  Sunday night. A marvelous batting of the match highest 67 runs off  61 balls featuring six four and one six  by number six batter Ritu Moni gave lifeline to Bangladesh in the day's  crucial victory with eight balls remaining. This was the 12th victory for Bangladesh women's in their 17th ODI  meeting with the Ireland since 2011.  With the day's  victory, Bangladesh topped the list in. the six-team tournament securing full four points from straight two matches with a comfortable net run rate of + 1,899. Hosts Pakistan and scotland followed Bangladesh also four points each playing two and three matches respectively. Bangladesh, which made a flying start in the ongoing meet crushing Thailand by a massive 178 runs featuring a lot of records last Thursday, today faced initial batting collapses losing first two wickets for just two runs in 4.2 overs. Chasing a target of 236 runs, Bangladesh lost top two wickets of Fargana Hoque (0) and Ishma Tanjim (2) cheaply but finally reached their target scoring 240 runs  for eight in 48.4 overs. Later, one down Sharmin Akter pairing captain Nigar Sultana Joty tried their best to repair the early damage scoring 52 runs in the 3rd wicket stand. Women’s World Cup Qualifiers: Bangladesh to face Ireland Sunday Nigar Sultana Joty, who guided Bangladesh in their record margin victory against Thailand in the first match scoring her maiden and quick century, today also made a half century with 51 runs off 68 balls,  featuring seven boundaries, apart from Ritu Moni's brilliant innings. Besides,  lower order Fahima Khatun made 38-ball 28 runs including two boundaries,one down Sharmin Akter scored a patient 24 runs off 45 balls hitting two fours, Orla Prendergast and Arlene Kelly captured two wickets each giving awar runs respectively. Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, the Irish women's  scored a moderate 235 runs for 8 in stipulated 50 overs featuring a 72- run 4th wicket partnership by Orla Prendergast and Laura Delany. Number five batter Laura Delany contributed the match  highest 63 runs off 75 balls hitting six boundaries while two down Orla Prendergast scored 64-ball 41 runs with the help of three fours. Besides, one down Amy Hunter (33), captain cum opening batter Gaby Lewis (24), lower order Arlene Kelly (24), Leah Paul (19) and Christina Coulter Reilly (10) were other notable scorers for Ireland reaching the double figures.. Spinner Rabeya Khan was the successful among the Bangladesh bowlers claiming three wickets for 39 runs in her 10 over spell, Fahima Khatun grabbed two wickets for 50 runs in eight overs while Jannatul Ferdous took one for 42 runs. In the remaining league basis matches of the ongoing meet, Bangladesh will play Scotland on April 15 (Tuesday), West Indies on April 17 (Thursday) and hosts Pakistan on April 19 (Saturday).