Sports
Cheltenham results in full: Every winner from 2026 Festival and today’s racecard and runners
The Cheltenham Festival is back as the horse racing season gathers pace with the four-day spectacle one of the highlights of the sport’s calendar.
The Festival begins with Champion Day on Tuesday before Ladies Day makes its Festival return on Wednesday ahead of St Patrick’s Thursday and Gold Cup Day bringing the event to a close on Friday 13 March.
This year’s edition looks set to be an unpredictable affair with big names like Constitution Hill, Marine Nationale and Galopin Des Champs out of the running and fewer clear favourites on show.
Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle is set to be a blockbuster event with Dan Skelton’s The New Lion taking on Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth in a field of four or five contenders with each in with a chance at earning glory.
You can find all the latest Cheltenham odds and free bet offers with Independent Sport, and here is the full list of winners and scheduled race card:
Tuesday 10 March – Champion Day
1.20: Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Old Park Star, Mighty Park, Talk The Talk, El Cairos, Mydaddypaddy, Leader Dallier, Sober Glory, Baron Noir, Too Bossy For Us, Eachtotheirown, Koktail Brut, Sageborough
2.00: Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
Kopek Des Bordes, Lulamba, Kargese, Steel Ally, Jax Junior, Mambonumberfive, Hansard
2.40: McCoys Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race (Registered as the Fred Winter) (Premier Handicap)
Saratoga, Winston Junior, Manlaga, Ammes, Glen To Glen, Munsif, Mustang De Breuil, Madness Delle, Pourquoi Pas Papa, The Mighty Celt, Bibe Mus, Ole Ole, Barbizon, Dignam, Hardy Stuff, Harwa, Bertutea, Mino Des Mottes Quinta Do Lago, Kylcot, Lord, Macktoad, Bandjo, Paddockwood
3.20: Trustmarque Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
Jagwar, Iroko, Myretown, Quebecois, Hyland, Handstands, Johnnywho, Blow Your Wad, Konfusion, Blaze The Way, Leave of Absence, The Short Go, Resplendent Glory, Imperial Saint, Knight of Allen, The Doyen Chief, Search For Glory, Patter Merchant, Margarets Legacy, Filanderer, Eyed, Stolen Silver
4.00: Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
Lossiemouth, The New Lion, Brighterdaysahead, Golden Ace, Poniros, Alexei, Anzadam, Tutti Quanti, Workahead
4.40: Sun Racing Plate (A Handicap Steeple Chase) (Premier Handicap)
Madara, McLaurey, Will The Wise, Downmexicoway, Zurich, Down Memory Lane, Booster Bob, No Questions Asked, Peaky Boy, Jipcot, Omoore Park, Midnight It Is, Dee Capo, Guard Your Dreams, Theatre Native, Riskintheground, Jungle Boogie, Boombawn, Moon Durange, Grandeur Dame, Western Zephyr, Yes Indeed, Embittered
5.20: National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Novices’ Handicap Steeple Chase) (Class 2)
Backmercaskme, Newtone Tornado, Wade Out, Iceberg Theory, One Big Bang, King Of Answers, Walking On Air, Grand Geste, Pic Roc, Kurasso Blue, Holloway Queen, Guard The Moon, First Confession, Union Station, Will Do, Silver Thorn, Holokea
Wednesday 11 March – Ladies Day
1.20: Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
No Drama This End, Sober, King Rasko Grey, Ballyfad, Skylight Hustle, Sortudo, Act Of Innocence, I’ll Sort That, Shuttle Diplomacy, Bossman Jack, Taurus Bay, Laurets d’Estruval, Klimt Madrik, Walks In June, Saint Baco, Came From Nowhere, Soldier Reeves, Hurricane Pat, Riskaway, Fortune Timmy, Free Spirit, Zeus Power
2.00: Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
Romeo Coolio, Kaid d’Authie, Final Demand, Wendigo, Koktail Divin, The Big Westerner, Oscars Brother, Western Fold, Kitzbuhel, Salver, Now Is The Hour, Argento Boy, Predators Gold, Thomas Mor, Rushmount, Joystick
2.40: BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Premier Handicap)
Storm Heart, Kateira, Kopeck De Mee, The Yellow Clay, Iberico Lord, I Started A Joke, Jingko Blue, Bunting, Puturhandstogether, Ballyadam, Guard Duty, Lucky Place, Farren Glory, Chart Topper, Beckett Rock, Forty Coats, Colonel Mustard, Give It To Me Oj, HMS Seahorse, Franciscan Rock, Buddy One, Sony Bill, Dargiannini, Rambo T, Minella Rescue, Intense Approach
3.20: Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase
Favori De Champdou, Stumptown, Desertmore House, Vanillier, Final Orders, The Goffer, Conflated, Pied Piper, Fakir d’Oudairies, Latenightpass, Velvet Elvis, Famous Bridge, Horantzau d’Airy, Minella Crooner
4.00: BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)
Majborough, L’Eau du Sud,Il Etait Temps, Quilixios, Irish Panther, Found A Fifty, Saint Segal, Captain Guinness, Libberty Hunter, Brookie
4.40: Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Premier Handicap)
Be Aware, Vanderpoel, Inthepocket, Ryan’s Rocket,Jazzy Matty, Ballysax Hank,Release The Beast, Personal Ambition, Jasko Des Dames, Addragoole, Calico, Touch Me Not, Special Cadeau, Western Diego, Break My Soul, Relieved Of Duties, Rubaud, Golden Joy, Jour d’Evasion, Boothill, Martator, The Other Mozzie
5.20: Weatherbys Champion Bumper (In Memory of Sir Johnny Weatherby) (Grade 1)
Love Sign d’Aunou, The Irish Avatar, Keep Him Company,Quiryn, The Mourne Rambler, Bass Hunter, Mets Ta Ceinture, Our Trigger, Broadway Ted, It’s Only A Game, Charismatic Kid,The Wager, With Nolimit, Boycetown, Diamant Dore, Wilde’s Legacy, The Skecher, Moonverrin, Vango Can Go, Of Land And Sea, Chicker, Tally Ho Back
Thursday 12 March – St Patrick’s Thursday
1.20: Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
Bambino Fever, Oldschool Outlaw, Carrigmoornaspruce, Selma De Vary, Echoing Silence, La Conquiere,Charme De Faust, Mille Et Une Vies, Highland Crystal, Kingston Queen, Future Prospect, Full Of Life, Diamond Du Berlais, Place De La Nation, White Noise, St Irene, Jackie Hobbs, Amen Kate, Manganese, Blue Velvet, Chosen Comrade, Louve D’Irlande, Al Fonce, Scavengers Reign, Belle Montrose
2.00: Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2)
Koktail Divin, Meetmebythesea, Regent’s Stroll, Slade Steel, Jordans Cross,Sixmilebridge,Stencil, Wingmen, Kim Roque, The Bluesman, Kiss Will, Kdeux Saint Fray, King Alexander, Gold Dancer, Joystick, Ol Man Dingle, Western Diego, Jipcot, Relieved Of Duties, Karl Des Tourelles, Moon Rocket, King Of Kingsfield, Western Knight, Dr Eggman, Where’s My Jet, Ben Solo, Intense Approach, Old Cowboy, Koukeo, Lisnagar Fortune, Moore Park, Downmexicoway, Quebecois, McLaurey, Knight Of Allen, Will The Wise
2.40: Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Wodhooh, Jade De Grugy, Feet Of A Dancer, Take No Chances, Jetara, Murcia, Dream On Baby, Nurse Susan, Lavida Adiva, La Pinsonniere, Sunset Marquesa, Siog Geal, Sotchi, Lossiemouth
3.20: Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Teahupoo, Kabral Du Mathan, Honesty Policy, Bob Olinger, Ma Shantou, Ballyburn, Impose Toi, Hewick, Home By The Lee, Feet Of A Dancer, Doddiethegreat, Gowel Road, Gwennie May Boy
4.00: Ryanair Chase (Grade 1)
Fact To File, Heart Wood, Banbridge, Il Etait Temps, Romeo Coolio, Impaire Et Passe, Firefox, Jonbon, Gaelic Warrior, Energumene, JPR One, Matata, Master Chewy, Croke Park
4.40: Pertemps Network Final (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Premier Handicap)
Supremely West, Electric Mason, Minella Emperor, C’Est Different, Impose Toi, Melbourne Shamrock, Ace Of Spades, Absolutely Doyen, Bold Endeavour, Staffordshire Knot, Kikijo, Lavida Adiva, Letos, Gowel Road, Yeah Man, Champagne Chic, Minella Sixo, Ikarak, Red Dirt Road, Classic King, Onewaywest, Ambion View, Duke Silver, Eyed, Millstream Lady, Turndlightsdownlow, Idem, Lihyan, Idy Wood, Ike Sport, 3Found A Diamond, Ontheropes, El Capitaine
5.20: Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase (0-145)
Jeriko Du Reponet, Waterford Whispers, J’Arrive De L’Est, Herakles Westwood, Kim Roque, Prends Garde A Toi, Road To Home, Daily Present, Hyland, Weveallbeencaught, Will Do, The Enabler, Patter Merchant, Gericault Roque, Il Ridoto, Hunter Legend, Sandor Clegane, King’s Threshold, Search For Glory, Excello, Ask Brewster, Kish Bank, Monbeg Genius, Glengouly, Lucky Lyreen, Kelce, Uncle Bert, Binge Worthy, Insurrection, Lord Accord, Olympic Man, Hung Jury, Cave Court, Chavez, Rexem, No Time To Wait
Friday 13 March – Gold Cup Day
1.20: JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)
Proactif, Selma De Vary, Minella Study, Maestro Conti, Macho Man, Mon Creuset, Charme De Faust, Highland Crystal, Kai Lung, Minella Academy, Apolon De Charnie, Forty Fifty, Manganese, Madness d’Elle, North Shore, One Horse Town, Noemie De La Vis, Barbizon, Tenter Le Tout, Fantasy World, Lord Byron, Indian River, Wolf Rayet, Berto Ramirez, Tillmouth
2.00: William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
Murcia, Khrisma, Karbau, Mondo Man, Sinnatra, Roc Dino, Tellherthename, Puturhandstogether, Sixandahalf, Bowensonfire, Hello Neighbour, Absurde, Workahead, Celtic Dino, Jubilee Alpha, Serious Challenge, Ndaawi, Zillow, Joyeuse, Wilful, Helvic Dream, Secret Squirrel, Wellington Arch, Helnwein, Williethebuilder, Tripoli Flyer, Its Bilbo, Jump Allen, Captain Ryan Matt, Ooh Betty, Bowmore, Charlus, The Kemble Brewery, Hot Fuss, Hamlet’s Night, Wreckless Eric, Sticktotheplan, Sony Bill, Bubble Dubi, Jack Hyde, Welsh Charger, Afadil, Pinot Gris, Cracking Rhapsody, Gibbs Island, Messerschmitt, Ballykinlar, Balko d’Ange, Rubber Ball, Brendas Asking
2.40: Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Steeple Chase (Grade 2)
Dinoblue, Panic Attack, Spindleberry, Only By Night, The Big Westerner, Diva Luna, Jade De Grugy, July Flower, Telepathique, All The Glory, Piper Park, Shakeyatailfeather
3.20: Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Doctor Steinberg, Thedeviluno, No Drama This End, The Passing Wife, Spinningayarn, Espresso Milan, Kazansky, Jalon d’Oudairies, 412Klimt Madrik, Kripticjim, 1Mondoui’boy, Riskaway, Fruit De Mer, Moneygarrow, King’s Bucks, Doctor Du Mesnil, Road Exile, Hipop De Loire, Shuttle Diplomacy, Ubatuba, Park Princess, Johnny’s Jury, Laurets d’Estruval, Minella Emperor, Frankie John, The Price Of Peace, Treasure Memory, Kicour La, Whiskey Yankee, Tackletommywoowoo, Swindon Village, Kasino Des Mottes
4.00: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
Gaelic Warrior, The Jukebox Man, Jango Baie, Inothewayurthinkin, Haiti Couleurs, Grey Dawning, Spillane’s Tower, Envoi Allen, Banbridge, Affordale Fury, Firefox, Stellar Story, Gold Tweet, L’Homme Presse
4.40: Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Steeple Chase
Wonderwall, Its On The Line, Panda Boy, Con’s Roc, Wrappedupinmay, Stattler, Music Drive, Chemical Energy, Barton Snow, Willitgoahead, Golden Son, Gracchus De Balme, Shearer, Carnfunnock, Solitary Man, Kings Jet, Linelee King, Take All, King Alex, What A Glance, Pyleigh Court, Paul Marvel, Haven’t Time, Willewonga, Lift Me Up, Yippee Ki Yay, D’Jango
5.20: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Kel Histoire, Roc Dino, A Pai De Nom, Air Of Entitlement, East India Express, He Can’t Dance, Jump Allen, Wendrock, Nurse Susan, Act Of Authority, Fiercely Proud, Open Secret, Andashan, Its Bilbo, Zanndabad, Siog Geal, Coyote Spirit, John Barbour, Stede Bonnet, Sa Fureur, Fasol, Zillow, Grimaud, Saint Le Fort, De Temps En Temps, Frankie John, Turndlightsdownlow, Newbrook Diamond, Jack Hyde, Idy Wood, Moon d’Orange, La Pinsonniere, Lavender Hill Mob, Farfromnowhere, Karl Des Tourelles, Sony Bill, No Ordinary Joe, Da Capo Glory, Sonigino, Hamsiyann, Charlus, The Nagger Reidy, Hot Fuss, Ballykinlar, Glynn Brae, Sainte Lucie, Intosomethinggood, Kalium, Olympic Man, Intellotto, Lisnagar Fortune, Minella Rescue, Spirits Bay, Rubber Ball
How can I watch the Cheltenham Festival on TV and is there a live stream?
You can watch the first six races of each day at the Cheltenham Festival with ITV1, while full coverage of the Festival, including the final race of each day is available through a Racing TV subscription.
Both ITV and Racing TV provide live streams for the coverage through their apps and websites, while fans can of course tune on via the traditional television broadcast.
Can I still get a ticket and how much do they cost?
You can secure access to the first three days of the festival through a daily Club Enclosure ticket from £103.50, while Friday is sold out.
Tattersalls tickets will cost from £73.80 on each of the first three days but again Gold Cup day has sold out.
The cheapest way to experience the festival is through the Best Mate enclosure with a day ticket for the first three days priced from £54.
All details can be found with tickets available to purchase through the Jockey Club here.
Jordan Spieth has a knack for putting himself in dastardly predicaments. Sure, he’s on TV a bunch, so golf fans are prone to seeing his wild, wicked and sometimes even life-threatening lies, but still, the guy seems to be a magnet for messiness.
The latest case in point: the par-4 12th hole at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course, where, in the second round of the Valero Texas Open on Friday, Spieth blocked his tee shot into the native area right of the fairway. When Spieth and his caddie, Michael Greller, arrived in the woods — this was on Spieth’s third hole of the day — they found Spieth’s ball pinned next to a loose impediment that didn’t look, well . . . all that loose. It was either a large rock or a small boulder, and it would take the might of both men to move it.
“Want to try to do it together on [the count of] three?” Spieth said to Greller.
The scene called to mind a famous (infamous?) Tiger Woods episode at the 1999 Phoenix Open. That’s when Woods, in the fourth round, left a stray shot a couple of feet from a thigh-high boulder. After a rules official confirmed that the rock was not attached to the desert floor beneath it, Woods and his caddie, Fluff McCowan, recruited no less than a dozen fans to help remove the impediment from Woods’s intended line of flight.
Spieth and Greller moved their own impediment with far less fanfare, shifting the rock just a few inches to free up Spieth’s ball.
“When you’re Michael Greller, when you wake up, you have no idea what to expect,” a commentator joked.
But Spieth wasn’t done flexing his rules acumen.
After he and Greller had moved the rock, they discovered Spieth’s ball in the vicinity of fire ants, which meant he could seek relief under Rule 16.2: Dangerous Animal Condition. According to this rule, such a condition “exists when a dangerous animal (such as poisonous snakes, stinging bees, alligators, fire ants or bears) near a ball could cause serious physical injury to the player if he or she had to play the ball as it lies.” Rules mavens might recall Bryson DeChambeau seeking — and being denied — this same form of relief at the 2020 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
Spieth, though, was given a favorable ruling. When a presiding official quickly agreed that fire ants were in play, Spieth took a club-length’s relief, leaving himself in a much more manageable position than he’d been in just a couple of minutes earlier.
A PGA Tour spokesperson confirmed the sequence of events, saying in a statement: “There was a large rock near the ball and since it was not solidly embedded and could be moved easily, it was deemed a loose impediment by definition and was allowed to be moved. In addition, there were fire ants in that location, so he was granted relief (Rule 16.2).”
As Spieth took relief, a commentator on the broadcast said, “This could end up being a massive break.”
To which another commentator replied, “I would say 90 percent of the field would have just taken an unplayable — not even a thought of doing something like this.”
Spieth still didn’t have much of a look at the green, though. From his new lie, he pitched safely back to the fairway and made a bogey 5.
Still, Spieth’s rules savvy likely saved him at least a shot — and it’s a shot that proved consequential. Spieth signed for a one-under 71 Friday, good enough to make the two-under cutline on the number.
FA Cup on Sportsnet: Manchester City vs. Liverpool
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Congo overcome Jamaica 1-0 in extra time to book FIFA World Cup 2026 berth | FIFA World Cup 2022
Congo scored in extra time to edge Jamaica 1-0 and become the 47th of 48 teams that will play at the World Cup.
Axel Tuanzebe scored following a corner kick in the 100th minute of the intercontinental playoff. The Jamaican defenders failed to clear the ball and Tuanzebe, who plays for Burnley in the English Premier League tapped it into the net.
Congo has never played in a World Cup under that name, although it participated in the 1974 edition in Germany as Zaire.
With its victory in the intercontinental playoff at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, the Congolese team completes Group K at the World Cup, where it will face Colombia, Portugal, and Uzbekistan.
“We’re going to enjoy the qualification, but we’ll keep working. We know we’ll be facing top nations who play in the World Cup every four years,” Congo captain Chancel Mbemba said. “We’ll stay humble, keep our feet on the ground, and continue to work. We’ll give everything to make our supporters and our people proud.”
The Jamaica team, known as the Reggae Boyz, missed out on what would have been a second World Cup appearance. They have only took part once in the world’s biggest football tournament, in 1998.
Congo had chances to take the lead twice during regulation time. Nathanael Mbuku’s 4th-minute effort and Samuel Moutossamy’s in the 85th were ruled out for offside.
The full list of 48 teams participating in the World Cup was set to be finalized later Tuesday in Mexico when Bolivia played Iraq at Monterrey. The winner will join Group I, which already includes France, Norway, and Senegal.
Ademola Lookman’s debut, after joining Atletico Madrid, and his first goal for the club, came against Barcelona, and only a few months later, he’ll now prepare to face off against the LaLiga side a whopping three times in only 10 days. In a unique outcome, that has only happened due to both teams progression in the Copa Del Rey and Champions League, the two clubs will meet six times this season, with Lookman standing to be involved in five of those meetings.
How to watch Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona, odds
- Date: Saturday, April 4 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Riyadh Air Metropolitano — Madrid, Spain
- Live stream: ESPN+
- Odds: Atletico Madrid +210; Draw +290; Barcelona +115
Lookman’s move to join the club from Atalanta during the January transfer window has Atletico Madrid in the midst of one of their best seasons in a while as they’re one win from securing a Copa Del Rey title while also having a chance at knocking Barcelona out of Champions League pla,y but these are things that aren’t suprising Lookman as he looks to help this team in any way that he can.
“I think obviously Atleti is a massive, massive club, on all fronts. You know, I noticed that before I came here, and being here, it’s a lot bigger and it’s right in your face. And I think that the squad is full of amazing players, qualities, and we want to compete,” Lookman said. “We’re competing on all fronts in three different competitions, which is a credit to everybody here, credit to the staff, credit to the players, and credit to the mentality here. The mentality is to win as much as we can, win the games that are in front of us, and we take every game as they come, and we’re looking forward to the games ahead.”
That mentality is part of the effect of playing for Diego Simeone. Lookman said that the manager was demanding when asked to describe what it’s like playing for him, and he also expanded that because he demands so much from his players, it makes him want to perform at his best, which will be needed to win these games. He already has two matches against Barcelona to fall back on when looking for experience, despite them ending in very different ways. Atleti won the first match for their two-legged Copa del Rey semifinal 4-0, before losing the away tie 3-0, to just squeak into the final. On the bright side, winning the two home matches by a crooked scoreline could be more than enough to see Atleti make it to the last four teams standing in the Champions League while also gaining ground in LaLiga.
With Lookman already grabbing a goal and an assist in the Copa Del Rey against Barcelona, this also won’t be an occasion that’s too big for him, although he has learned from the first two matches against them.
“There’s a lot to take away from both games, home and away, and you know, we’ve obviously learned from that, and we’re still learning from that,” Lookman said. “We’re going to take some stuff away from that. And on every occasion, you can expect something unexpected, and that’s football. But for us, it’s obviously preparing the same way that we’ve been preparing in the best way possible to get the best result.”
There’s only so much that a team can switch things up when facing someone so many times in quick succession, so it’s a good time to keep things simple and see what happens in the long run. Lookman, settling in quickly, will have him as a focus for the attack as the club has welcomed him in, and fellow former Atalanta players Juan Musso and Matteo Ruggeri were able to help Lookman get settled.
“Normally, once you join a team, you kind of go to who you’re most familiar with, and obviously, um, I kind of stuck around them in the beginning, of course, and as time goes on, you kind of speak with more people and start to form different relationships with people,” Lookman said.
Now that he’s coming into his own and also growing in the defensive side of his game under Simeone, this is a time where he’ll be expected to impact the side. He has already learned a lot while in LaLiga and is able to use his pace to make an impact, which can give Barcelona’s high line a nightmare in these fixtures. Repetition and being able to improve as an all-around player in a short period of time show how much of a difference things have been for the Nigerian so far. Now, he’ll have to keep it going on the biggest stage.
Paris Saint-Germain went four points clear at the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 win at home against Toulouse on Friday night. Ousmane Dembélé scored the first of his two goals of the evening midway through the first half with an impressive long-range volley.
Across the Channel, Chelsea have sidelined vice-captain Enzo Fernández after the midfielder fuelled speculation of a summer transfer to Real Madrid with comments he made over the international break. The Argentine’s two-game suspension starts from this weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final ties.
The fallout from Italy’s failure to qualify for a third straight World Cup has now seen Gennaro Gattuso resign as national team head coach after less than a year in charge. Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina as well as the team’s delegation head Gianluigi Buffon have also stepped down from their positions in the wake of the play-off defeat.
One of Britain’s longest-running annual sporting events, consisting of a series of boat races between students from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, takes place on the River Thames in West London this Saturday. This year, for the first time, both men’s teams will be captained by French students.
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Why did Suryakumar Yadav replace Hardik Pandya as Mumbai Indians captain vs Delhi Capitals? | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: Just moments before the toss, broadcasters announced that Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya would not play in the match against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Seconds after the announcement, Suryakumar Yadav – smiling, chewing gum, and dressed in the blue and gold jersey – walked out with the team sheet, shook hands with Ravi Shastri, and then greeted Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel.What followed was a loud cheer from the Delhi crowd as they saw their T20 World Cup-winning captain Surya.The big question was: why was Surya leading the team, and why was Hardik missing such an important clash?The moment Axar won the toss and opted to field against Mumbai Indians, and spoke about his team combination, the focus quickly shifted to Surya.“(Hardik Pandya) He’s not well, doesn’t look good, so he was not fit for today’s game. So just getting into his shoes today,” Surya, who was the stand-in captain for the Delhi Capitals clash, said.
Mumbai Indians began their IPL 2026 campaign with a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders.Mumbai Indians brought in Deepak Chahar in place of Pandya.“(On the win against KKR) If you win the first game after 13-14 years, there’s a lot of positivity in the camp, and we’re very happy, but completely different venue here from Wankhede. We have to take good responsibility and have a good game here. (On the surface) Looks good, The toss was irrelevant. We wanted to bat first, they wanted to bowl first, but yeah, very happy to bat first. Looks good one. We’ve done here really well when we’ve batted first and defended. Quite a few changes. Deepak Chahar comes in for Hardik. Corbin Bosch comes in for Boulty, that’s a tactical change. Boulty had a good game in the last game at Wankhede. And Mitch Santner comes in for Allah Ghazanfar,” Surya said.Axar went with the same side against Mumbai Indians. “I choose to bowl first. First match at home, I want to see how the wicket is behaving. It looks a bit dry, a bit hard. We chased well in the last match. To chase down the target from 26/ 4 in the powerplay, it gives a lot of confidence to the group. Even the top-order know that there are batters in the lower order who can step up if they fail. Playing a home game is always beneficial. Our DC supporters will cheer for us. Same team,” Axar said. Teams:Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): KL Rahul(w), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Axar Patel(c), Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Vipraj Nigam, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh KumarMumbai Indians (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Naman Dhir, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Corbin Bosch, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit BumrahHere are the Impact substitutes for both the teams:Delhi Capitals Impact subs: Ashutosh Sharma, Auqib Nabi Dar, Sameer Rizvi, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun NairMumbai Indians Impact subs: Mayank Markande, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar
Now that the Jacksonville Jaguars have extended Travon Walker, there are two other players on the roster who are obvious extension candidates as well — Brenton Strange and Parker Washington.
Both players are set to enter the final year of their rookie deals in 2026.
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Coming out of the NFL league meetings last week, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco reported that, along with Walker, the Jaguars had contract extension talks with Strange and Washington.
DiRocco called these “preliminary discussions,” and then had this to say:
“General manager James Gladstone is optimistic about the chances of extending them this offseason, saying the Jaguars are ‘probably within striking distance to see things come to light,’” DiRocco wrote.
As the 2025 season progressed, Washington saw his opportunities increase. And from there, he became a go-to target for Lawrence, and by the end of the season, he was one of the most productive receivers in football.
Washington would lead the Jaguars in receiving this past season, totaling 954 receiving yards. This included Washington eclipsing the 100-yard mark in three of the Jaguars’ final four games.
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Strange, meanwhile, was a very reliable target in the passing game and totaled 549 receiving yards with three touchdowns. However, his do-it-all presence as a blocker and someone who can line up across the formation helped expand the call sheet for Liam Coen and add some unpredictability to the offense.
Back in January, and not surprisingly, Gladstone hinted at that time that keeping Strange and Washington around for the long-term would be a priority, saying, “we feel Brenton Strange and Parker Washington are people we align with moving forward.”
With both players under contract through the 2026 season, the Jaguars have time to get deals done, but the price tag for both players may only continue to rise if these negotiations extend into the season.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Parker Washington, Brenton Strange other Jaguars contract extension candidates
Apr 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) moves to the ball past Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Franz Wagner went for 18 points in just 17 minutes, Wendell Carter Jr. led the way with 28 and the Orlando Magic used balanced scoring to easily overcome Cooper Flagg’s historic 51 in a 138-127 triumph over the host Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
Desmond Bane chipped in with 27 points and Tristan da Silva and Jalen Suggs added 19 apiece for the Magic (41-36), who matched wins by the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets in a tightly bunched competition for the final two automatic Eastern Conference playoff spots and top three play-in berths.
Flagg, 19, became the first teenager in NBA history to produce a 50-point game. The rookie shot 19-for-30 for the Mavericks (24-53), who lost for the eighth time in the past nine games.
Max Christie buried a pair of 3-pointers and Flagg nailed a third as the Mavericks got the better of the visitors for most of the first six minutes, building a 17-14 lead.
Orlando dominated the rest of the way, running up 38- and 33-point quarters to go up 71-58 by halftime, before putting the hammer down with a 40-point uprising in the third period en route to a 30-point lead in the fourth.
The 138-point total was Orlando’s second-highest of the season behind only a 144-point effort in November at Philadelphia.
In just his second game back from a sprained left ankle that had sidelined him since Feb. 11, Wagner was able to call it a night early after having hit eight of 12 shots. He had played 20 minutes on Wednesday against the Hawks.
The Magic outshot the Mavericks 56% to 46.3% overall and 53.8% to 33.3% from beyond the 3-point arc. Carter’s season-high total came in 36 minutes as he fell two points shy of his career-best. He did a lot of his damage at the free throw line, where he went 10-for-10.
Bane tied Paolo Banchero, who had 10 points, for Orlando rebounding honors with seven, while Suggs was the game leader in assists with nine. Both Bane and Suggs also found time for three steals.
The 51 points by Flagg surpassed the 49 he put up against Charlotte in January. He also had a 42-point game at Utah in December, giving him the three highest-scoring games this year among rookies.
Brandon Williams backed Flagg with 23 points, while Klay Thompson had 18 and Christie 14. Ryan Nembhard led the Mavericks in rebounds with a game-high-tying seven while matching Williams for team honors in assists with five. –Field Level Media
Sports
Today IPL match, GT vs RR: Team prediction, head-to-head, pitch report, Ahmedabad weather update
NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals, under new captain Riyan Parag, began their IPL 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion, thrashing Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets in their opener. They will now look to build on that momentum and extend their winning run.
Gujarat Titans, meanwhile, will be eager to get their campaign back on track after suffering a defeat to Punjab Kings in their opening game.
Ahead of the high-voltage clash between GT and RR, the contest between express pacer Jofra Archer and Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill promises to be a key subplot.
Archer has enjoyed the upper hand in this battle so far in T20s, dismissing Gill three times in 19 deliveries while conceding just 16 runs.
The England pacer was also in fine form in the previous game against CSK, returning impressive figures of 2/19 in four overs, including the crucial wicket of skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Gill, on the other hand, looked in good touch despite GT’s loss in their opener, scoring 39 off 27 balls with six boundaries.
Another intriguing face-off will be between Kagiso Rabada and the in-form Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Sooryavanshi, known for his aggressive strokeplay, was in devastating form against CSK, smashing a 15-ball half-century to power Rajasthan Royals to a dominant win.
Rabada will have the task of containing the young batter and breaking his rhythm early.
Gill is also closing in on a significant milestone in the IPL. The GT skipper is just 95 runs away from reaching 4,000 runs in the tournament.
So far, he has scored 3,905 runs in 119 matches (116 innings) at an average of 39.44 and a strike rate of 138.77, including four centuries and 26 half-centuries. His highest score remains 129.
GT vs RR: Head-to-head
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Gujarat Titans have the upper hand and have clearly dominated this rivalry, winning six of the eight encounters, while Rajasthan Royals have managed just two victories.
The two sides notably met in the IPL 2022 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where Gujarat Titans clinched the title with a convincing seven-wicket win.
However, in their most recent meeting, Rajasthan Royals turned the tables in style, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashing a sensational 101 off just 38 balls to power his side to a remarkable 210-run chase in under 16 overs at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
GT vs RR: Ahmedabad weather report
The weather in Ahmedabad on Saturday is expected to be hot and humid with partly cloudy skies. There is only a minimal chance of rain during the match, making interruptions unlikely. As it is an evening game, a light breeze could set in, which might offer some assistance to the fast bowlers. Temperatures are likely to hover between 26°C and 32°C during match hours. Overall, conditions look favourable for a full, uninterrupted contest between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals.
GT vs RR: Pitch report
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is expected to favour the batters, setting the stage for a potential run-fest on Saturday evening. A high-scoring contest is on the cards in the clash between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, with the pitch likely to offer good bounce. The true surface should allow stroke-makers to play their shots freely, ensuring an enjoyable outing for the batters.
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GT vs RR: Predicted XIIs
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada/Jason Holder, Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Rajasthan Royals: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma
GT vs RR: SQUADS
Gujarat Titans Squad: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Jos Buttler(w), Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Jason Holder, Jayant Yadav, Manav Suthar, Kumar Kushagra, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Ishant Sharma, Luke Wood, Tom Banton, Kulwant Khejroliya, Anuj Rawat, Arshad Khan, Gurnoor Brar, Nishant Sindhu
Rajasthan Royals Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Sushant Mishra, Tushar Deshpande, Adam Milne, Dasun Shanaka, Kuldeep Sen, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Shubham Dubey, Kwena Maphaka, Vignesh Puthur, Aman Rao Perala
Sports
Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians LIVE Score, IPL 2026: MI Boosted By 138 T20I Veteran's Return, Worry For DC
DC vs MI Live Score, IPL 2026 LIVE Cricket Score: After starting their campaign with a thumping win over Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals will take on Mumbai Indians in their next IPL 2026 clash on Saturday in Delhi.
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