Scott Kuggeleijn made history in New Zealand first-class cricket by scoring the fastest fifty ever. The Northern Districts all-rounder accomplished the feat in just 19 balls against Otago in the final round of the 2024-25 Plunket Shield at Dunedin. His blazing performance eclipsed Andre Adams' 27-year-old record of 50 runs off 20 deliveries for Auckland against Otago on his first-class debut. In an unexpected move, Northern Districts promoted Kuggeleijn to open the second innings. The decision proved to be a masterstroke, as he scored 71 runs at an incredible strike rate of 273.07. His inn
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are reportedly planning a combined bid to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup. If successful, it would be the first time the prestigious tournament has been organised in the Middle East and the first time multiple nations have hosted it, following in the footsteps of football's 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Rugby Asia supports the application, hoping to return the championship to the continent following Japan's successful 2019 World Cup. Rugby Asia President Qais Al Dhalai feels that a multi-city hosting concept might boost rugby's worldwide appeal.
Novak Djokovic made history as the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semifinalist, defeating Sebastian Korda in straight sets in a rescheduled quarterfinal match from Wednesday. The Serbian great won 6-3, 7-6(4), maintaining his supremacy on tour. Djokovic broke Roger Federer's record of 37 years and seven months, set when he reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells and Miami in 2019. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is in his eighth Miami semifinal and a record-breaking 79th Masters 1000 round. Djokovic, a six-time Miami Open champion, is attempting to win his 100th career championship and tie A
FIFA has set a record-breaking USD 1 billion prize pool for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the most money ever distributed in a club football tournament. The decision was made after thorough negotiations with key stakeholders, including the European Club Association, and has been accepted by the FIFA Council. The redesigned competition will feature 32 clubs and provide a significant financial incentive for players. FIFA President Gianni Infantino emphasised that the new distribution scheme reflects the tournament's grandeur, with the champion club potentially collecting up to USD 125 millio
Sunil Kumar, an Indian wrestler, won a bronze medal in the 87kg Greco-Roman event at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2025 in Amman, Jordan. Despite a setback in the semifinals, he fought hard in the bronze medal match, defeating China's Jiaxin Huang. Sunil started the competition strong, winning his quarterfinal match against Tajikistan's Sukhrob Abdulkhaev 10-1. He scored all of his points in the second period, demonstrating his tactical abilities. However, his run to the final was cut short by Iran's Yasin Yazdi, who beat him 3-1 in the semifinals. Sunil, who won a silver medal in 2
Reece James scored on his return to England's starting lineup as the Three Lions defeated Latvia 3-0 in the World Cup qualifier. The 25-year-old, who last played for England against Italy in March 2023, came in as a substitute against Albania before starting under former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel. James opened the scoring in the first half, striking a well-placed free kick beyond the Latvian goalkeeper. The defender stated he was startled when his shot went in, but he was happy to help. Speaking to ITV Sport, he highlighted his delight at rejoining the group after a difficult spell. "I
Baseball United, the first professional baseball league in the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, has revealed its debut season schedule. The games will be played at Baseball United Ballpark in Dubai from November 14 to December 14, marking a historic moment in regional baseball history. The league's original teams—the Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Arabia Wolves, and Mid East Falcons—will each play nine regular-season games, facing each other three times. The season concludes in a best-of-three United Series on December 12 to determine the first-ever champion. A total of 21 ga
Alexandra Eala, a Philippine wild card, stunned fifth seed Madison Keys at the Miami Open, winning her 6-4, 6-2. The 19-year-old, who had already defeated 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, extended her winning streak by defeating the Australian Open champion. Eala, who has been training at Rafael Nadal's Mallorca academy since the age of 13, battled through a medical stoppage due to a leg injury but fought back from the baseline. Despite Keys' recent good form, including a semi-final appearance at Indian Wells, the American was unable to handle Eala's aggressive approach. "I k
Thailand plans to bring Formula One to Bangkok by 2028. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula One chief Stefano Domenicali and announced plans for a feasibility study. The proposed race would take place on a street circuit in the capital. Formula One's calendar already includes 24 events, including four in Asia-Pacific. The Singapore Grand Prix is held in Southeast Asia, however, Thailand is keen to join the circuit. The country's FIA-accredited Buriram track presently hosts MotoGP, but organisers want a city race to increase global exposure. Shinawatra high
Samyuktha Narayanan of Madurai, aged seven, has set a new Guinness World Record as the youngest Taekwondo instructor. She stunned the world with her martial arts abilities at the young age of seven years and 270 days. Samyuktha started training in Taekwondo at the age of three, under the supervision of her parents, Shruthy and Narayanan, who own the Madurai Taekwondo Academy. Both parents hold Guinness World Records. Narayanan set records for smashing blazing concrete blocks and marble slabs, while Shruthy retains the record for the most full-contact elbow strikes per minute. Samyuktha