Apr 25, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Danny Jansen (9) scores at home plate as Athletics catcher Austin Wynns (29) attempts to make the tag during the third inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Josh Jung hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning as the Texas Rangers beat the Athletics 4-3 on Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
Corey Seager had two hits and an RBI for Texas, which evened the three-game series after losing the opener 8-1 on Friday.
Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore allowed three runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts over five innings. Cole Winn (2-1), Jalen Beeks and Jakob Junis each pitched a scoreless inning before left-hander Jacob Latz retired the Athletics in order in the ninth for his first save.
Shea Langeliers and Jacob Wilson had two hits apiece for the Athletics, who lost despite out-hitting the Rangers 7-5. The Athletics were 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and fell back into a tie with the Rangers for first place in the American League West.
The Athletics claimed a 1-0 run in the second inning when Wilson doubled and scored on Darell Hernaiz’s two-out single.
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Gore allowed two more runs in the third. With two on and no outs, Colby Thomas singled in a run before Tyler Soderstrom grounded out. Wilson followed with a sacrifice fly to score Nick Kurtz from third.
Texas answered with two runs in the third against Jeffrey Springs (3-2). The Rangers loaded the bases with no outs and pushed a run across on Brandon Nimmo’s sacrifice fly before Seager singled in a run with two outs.
Springs gave up four runs on five hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out four.
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The Rangers pulled ahead on Jung’s two-run homer in the sixth. Seager hit a leadoff single and Jake Burger flied out before Jung deposited Springs’ 0-1 slider over the right-center field wall.
The 381-foot blast was Jung’s fourth homer of the season. After going 0-for-17 in March, Jung is batting .371 (26-for-70) with 14 RBIs in his last 20 games.
The Athletics put the tying run in scoring position with one out in the eighth on Carlos Cortes’ double, but Jeff McNeil and Austin Wynns each flied out to end the threat.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) lines up against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Jan 13, 2025, focusing on the defense before the snap as he prepares to make an impact in a high-stakes postseason matchup. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
The NFL Draft is done, and the Vikings rumor mill is already spinning again. Fans are quite enthused about the team’s haul, and now it’s time to peek at the second rumor mill update of the weekend.
The draft ended, and Minnesota’s rumor cycle immediately shifted to bigger roster questions.
Things are about to shift gears quickly as Minnesota transitions to the schedule-release portion of the offseason. That will be followed by OTAs and minicamp, kicking off the next phases of spring and summer.
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Post-Draft Chatter Turns Toward Veterans and Roster Fallout
The Purple Rumor Mill is coming at you for Sunday, April 26th.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) secures a touchdown catch against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Oct 1, 2023, pulling in the pass over safety Sam Franklin Jr. (42) during second-quarter action in a road matchup. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports.
Rumor: Mike Florio wanted the Vikings to explore trading Justin Jefferson to the Arizona Cardinals for running back Jeremiyah Love.
Florio rolled out the take on NBC Sports airwaves, stating, “One of the things that Kevin O’Connell told us in Arizona a couple of weeks ago, the Vikings learned down the stretch how to win without a passing game. And he’s been so wired to pass, pass, pass, pass, pass. Great way, great way to take pressure off your quarterback if you bring in your next Adrian Peterson.”
“And that’s one thing my son’s been saying for a couple of years now, the Vikings desperately need a great running back. I mean, Aaron Jones is good, not great. Jordan Mason, is that his name? Yeah, the guy with the 49ers. The guy they traded with the 49ers for.”
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Mason and Jones are in line to share the RB1 duties this season.
Florio continued, “A lot of high hopes, but it did not go well. They need somebody great. That may be too high to come up, and who knows what you’d have to give up to get him? Maybe you have to send Justin Jefferson to Arizona to get him.”
“But you know what? At this point, I love Justin Jefferson. This feels even more blasphemous than making an AI version of myself as Jesus and claiming it was a doctor later. But I would do Justin Jefferson for Jeremiah Love.”
Worth noting: the trade idea came from Florio, and that’s where it remained. There isn’t any active chatter about a Jefferson trade. Trading Jefferson before June 1st would involve a $70 million dead cap hit. Sheer lunacy.
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Rumor: Harrison Smith’s return remains 50/50.
When asked if he’d been in contact with Smith recently, who turned 37 in February, Vikings skipper Kevin O’Connell said this week, “It’s been a few days, but now that you remind me, I’ll probably bug him today. It’s something where we’re still trying to give Harrison as much space as possible, and I think he’s earned that. If it’s anything at this point, it’s seeing how he’s doing, seeing how his family is, seeing how his golf game is.”
Smith’s offseason has taken an unexpected turn, with his unusual silence becoming a real story. Unlike previous years, and contrary to what Vikings fans have come to expect, he has neither announced his plans nor offered any hints about his future.
Typically, Smith would commit to returning by February or March, providing the Vikings with crucial clarity for their defensive planning. This year, however, that traditional faux deadline passed without any word from him.
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Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) goes through pregame warmups at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Dec 24, 2022, preparing for a matchup against the New York Giants while taking the field ahead of kickoff during a late-season home game. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.
The last significant moment involving Smith was the Vikings’ Week 18 victory over the Packers in January. That game carried the air of a perfect farewell, leading many to anticipate a swift retirement announcement. Yet, none ever materialized.
Since then, Smith has remained conspicuously silent, even as other players made their plans public. Adam Thielen and C.J. Ham, for instance, officially announced their retirements, adhering to the typical offseason timeline. Smith, however, has not followed suit.
Without a retirement declaration, speculation has now shifted toward him playing at least one more season. Eventually, however, Smith will need to make his intentions official. For now, it’s a coin flip. O’Connell will have to bug him for some more.
Rumor: NFL teams’ draftboards had defensive tackle Caleb Banks much higher on their draftboards than the media.
VikesInsider, a Twitter (X) account with nearly 40,000 followers, tweeted Friday, “Multiple teams picking in the 20s had interest in DT Caleb Banks, according to The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis. The Vikings didn’t want to get overly creative by trading back and risk the possibility of missing out on their top prospect.”
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Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88) interacts with fans during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida, on Nov 16, 2024, reaching toward the crowd following a play as the Gators close out a 27-16 win against LSU. Mandatory Credit: Doug Engle-Imagn Images.
This is the same take that followed the Vikings’ draft pick last year: Donovan Jackson. Minnesota knew that the Houston Texans would pick him one selection later, and to get its man, the Vikings had to “reach” by the standards of media-driven draftboards.
The Vikings really, really wanted Banks. They evidently didn’t care that the mock-draft community believed he could be scooped from Round 2.
Apr 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) position themselves for a rebound in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Ayo Dosunmu came off the bench to score a career-high 43 points on 13-for-17 shooting, and the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves pulled away for a 112-96 win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of their Western Conference quarterfinals series on Saturday night in Minneapolis.
The victory, which gave Minnesota a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, came at a cost to the Timberwolves, who lost two starters due to injury.
Anthony Edwards, a four-time All-Star and the team’s top scorer, left in the second quarter and did not return because of a left knee injury. Earlier in the first half, Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo injured his right leg on a non-contact play. Early reports indicated he might have ruptured his Achilles tendon.
Naz Reid added 17 points off the bench for Minnesota. Julius Randle finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, and Rudy Gobert grabbed a game-high-tying 15 rebounds to go along with four points.
Jamal Murray scored 30 points on 10-for-25 shooting to lead Denver. Nikola Jokic finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. However, he shot 8-for-22 from the field and missed all three of his 3-point attempts.
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Thunder 121, Suns 109
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a playoff-career-high 42 points to lift Oklahoma City to a road win over Phoenix.
The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player finished 15 of 18 from the floor with eight assists to give the Thunder a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series. Oklahoma City has won 11 consecutive first-round games. Playing without Jalen Williams, who suffered a hamstring strain in Wednesday’s Game 2 victory, the Thunder leaned even more heavily on Gilgeous-Alexander.
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Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 33 points while Jalen Green added 26 points. Devin Booker scored 16 points, but was held to 6-of-16 shooting from the floor.
Knicks 114, Hawks 98
Karl Anthony-Towns totaled 20 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for his first career playoff triple-double as New York earned a victory over host Atlanta and evened their Eastern Conference first-round series at two games apiece.
Towns ensured Game 5 on Tuesday in New York will not be an elimination game for the Knicks and also ensured the series returns to Atlanta for Game 6 on Thursday. Towns posted his fifth career triple-double in any game. He also notched the seventh postseason triple-double in New York’s history. Anunoby led the Knicks with 22 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth career playoff double-double.
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CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 17 points but was held to three points after halftime. Nickell Alexander-Walker added 15 and hit five 3s, but the Hawks were a dreadful 10 of 41 (24.4%) from behind the arc.
Magic 113, Pistons 105
Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane scored 25 points apiece as Orlando withstood a fourth-quarter rally to beat visiting Detroit in Game 3 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
Banchero had 12 rebounds and nine assists for the eighth-seeded Magic, who improved to 7-1 in their last eight home postseason games, including play-in tournament games. Bane was 7-for-9 from 3-point range.
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Cunningham scored 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for the Pistons. Tobias Harris scored 23 points, Ausar Thompson had 17 and Duncan Robinson added 10.
The Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series (BMPS) 2026 will be hosted from May 6 to June 21, 2026. A total of 64 BGMI teams will battle for the trophy. The initial prize pool of the event is ₹2 crore, and it will be increased after the In-Game event, similar to the previous edition of the Pro Series. The Grand Finals of the event will take place in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
The BMPS 2026 is the second major BGMI tournament of the year. The BGIS 2026 was held in February and March, and featured an enormous prize pool of ₹4 crore. Popular club Team Soul clinched the title and took home a huge cash prize of ₹1 crore. Krafton is now all set to host the second official BGMI event of 2026.
BMPS 2026 calendar and dates
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The Pro League 2026 will be held in eight different stages. Each of the first six stages will be held across four days. The Last Chance will be played across two days, while the Grand Finals will be conducted across three days. Krafton has not yet revealed the full format for the contest. With that said, here is the event calendar:
Qualifier Round 1 – May 6 to 9
Qualifier Round 2 – May 11 to 14
Qualifier Round 3 – May 16 to 19
Qualifier Round 4 – May 28 to 31
Survival Stage – June 2 to 5
Semifinals – June 9 to 12
Last Chance – 13 and 14
Grand Finals – 19 to 21
India has received two spots in the PUBG Mobile World Cup 2026, which will be held in August in Saudi Arabia. Krafton has not yet unveiled the qualification process for the two Indian teams. The winning team of the Pro League 2025 had represented India in the PUBG Mobile World Cup 2025.
Many top tier teams like Soul, GodLike, Revenant XSpark, and Orangutan will be seen playing in the BMPS 2026. These clubs have delivered impressive performances in the previous official tournaments. The publisher will invite 64 teams based on their performances in their past events.
Several clubs have made some changes in their roster ahead of the BMPS 2026. Jonathan Gaming recently left GodLike and announced his own organisation named Team Apex Gaming. GodLike has signed Saumya. Revenant XSpark has parted ways with PUNK and signed Proton.
How to watch BMPS 2026
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All matches of the BMPS 2026 will only be live-streamed on the YouTube channel of Krafton India Esports in many languages, including English and Hindi.
Moses Itauma is willing to face a hard-hitting heavyweight veteran following his last outing, a methodical fifth-round stoppage victory over Jermaine Franklin.
The 21-year-old showed his world-class potential last month, scoring a third-round knockdown before halting the typically durable Franklin with a thunderous uppercut.
Since then, Itauma has been confirmed as the WBO’s mandatory challenger, placing him in pole position to face the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, which takes place at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena on May 9.
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Equally, though, the precocious talent is ranked No.1 with the WBA and No.2 with the WBC, giving him several options to consider ahead of his next assignment.
With Itauma reportedly set to return in July, a selection of contenders are already being discussed as possible opponents, including the likes of Murat Gassiev and Filip Hrgovic.
“If he wins, yeah. You’ve got to kind of weigh up the risk to reward. What do you gain [from fighting] him?
“He is a legend in the sport and I do respect him, but you need to weigh up the pros and cons.”
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After scoring two knockdowns to defeat Chisora by split decision earlier this month, former world champion Wilder is now sniffing around for his next opportunity.
Speaking with ESPN, the 40-year-old said he is in no mood to duck any potential opponents, including Itauma, who he found mightily impressive against Franklin.
“I’m in the heavyweight division. All these other characters are in the heavyweight division. Why not? I’m not [dodging] anyone.
“I didn’t know who Moses was but I saw his last fight with Franklin… What a hell of a KO. He seems like a potential champion. Why not test him?”
Since their chaotic encounter, Chisora has demanded an immediate rematch with Wilder, who is likely to face an alternative opponent in his next outing.
NEW DELHI: Former India coach Vimal Kumar has strongly criticised the Badminton World Federation’s decision to introduce a new scoring system, saying it could harm the sport rather than improve it.The BWF recently approved a 3×15 format, replacing the long-standing 21-point system, with the change set to come into effect from January 2027.
‘This is not evolution, this is dilution’
Vimal didn’t hide his disappointment over the decision and the support it received. “Extremely disappointed with the BWF decision to alter the scoring system…and even more concerning is the overwhelming support it has received from the Council members. It’s disheartening to see a sport followed so passionately, especially across Asia, being reshaped for reasons that do not address its real challenges,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).He believes the current system offers a fair contest across different playing styles and tests players fully. “The existing (21-point) format ensured a true level-playing field across playing styles, especially in the premier events,” he added.Vimal also questioned the idea that shorter matches would make badminton more exciting. “Badminton has never lacked excitement — what it has offered is sustained intensity,” he said, warning that reducing match length could take away from what makes the sport special.
Concerns beyond scoring system
According to Vimal, if changes were needed, they could have been applied only to doubles, keeping singles untouched. “If change was necessary, why not apply it selectively to doubles formats… This is not evolution. This is dilution.”He also pointed out bigger issues that, in his view, deserve more attention. “Equally concerning is the continued neglect of player welfare and voice: No prize money for the World Championships… No implementation of a review/referral system,” he said.Vimal further added, “Players are expected to adapt — but are rarely heard,” stressing that badminton risks moving in the wrong direction if athletes’ concerns continue to be ignored.
Akwa United FC and Ibom Angels FC have emerged champions of the 2026 Akwa Ibom State FA Cup after both teams successfully defended their titles in a colourful grand finale held on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Uyo Township Stadium.
The day’s action began with the women’s final at 2 pm, where Ibom Angels defeated Solo Wonders 2–0 to retain their crown. The champions scored one goal in each half in a composed performance that sealed another FA Cup triumph. The Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Football Association, Samuel Umoh, later decorated Ibom Angels as winners of the women’s category.
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Attention later shifted to the men’s final, which was keenly contested between Akwa United FC and Godswill Akpabio United FC. Despite several chances from both sides, regulation time ended goalless, forcing the game into a penalty shootout.
Akwa United goalkeeper Okechukwu emerged as the hero of the day, saving three spot kicks to guide the Promise Keepers to a 5–4 victory on penalties and secure a record extending title.
Special Guest of Honour, Dušan Vujačić, performed the ceremonial kick off for the men’s final and later presented medals and the trophy to Akwa United following their triumph.
Dušan Vujačić, performed the ceremonial kick off for the men’s final
Earlier on arrival, Vujačić, a FIFA licensed agent and Chief Executive Officer of Dukaso Sports, was received at the Uyo Township Stadium by the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Football Association, Samuel Umoh.
He was accompanied by a delegation that included eight foreign scouts, Nigerian coach Abdul Maikaba, and President and Chief Executive Officer of P Sports FA, Ojo Paul Omamomo. The group was in attendance to scout talents during the finals.
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Vujačić, who manages several players and coaches globally, including Carlos Queiroz, added international presence to the competition, which once again showcased the growing standard of football in Akwa Ibom State.
The finals also had in attendance respected Nigerian coaches Monday Odigie and Patrick Udoh, Akwa Ibom State FA Board members, football stakeholders, and a cheering crowd of supporters who were thrilled by the entertaining performances.
With the Akwa Ibom State FA Cup final now concluded in style, all four finalists Akwa United FC, Godswill Akpabio United FC, Ibom Angels FC and Solo Wonders will represent the state at the 2026 Nigeria President Federation Cup.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan (BCCI/IPL Photo)
NEW DELHI: Watching Vaibhav Sooryavanshi go full throttle almost left Ishan Kishan stunned, as the Sunrisers Hyderabad batter stood on the field witnessing the 15-year-old launch towering sixes from the crease into the stands. Sooryavanshi smashed his second IPL century – a blistering 103 off 37 balls – against the Pat Cummins-led SRH.Sooryavanshi’s knock came at a breathtaking pace, as he raced to the third-fastest hundred in IPL history, reaching the milestone in just 36 balls and powering Rajasthan Royals to a formidable 228/6.However, SRH had the final say, chasing down the 229-run target with nine balls to spare. Ishan led the charge with a 31-ball 74, while Abhishek Sharma chipped in with 57 off 29 deliveries, guiding SRH to 229/5 in 18.3 overs.
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‘We haven’t played good cricket’ – Mahela Jayawardene after MI’s biggest IPL loss vs CSK
It wasn’t just a high-scoring thriller in Jaipur – it also featured a light-hearted yet telling exchange between Ishan and the teenage sensation Sooryavanshi.After the match, Ishan revealed that he had a chat with the youngster, who lit up the contest with his explosive innings.“I was just telling him about the madness with which he is batting and how he is hitting. Sometimes, you are even scared thinking about what the scorecard could have looked if he had stayed for a few more overs.“So, it was important for us to get his wicket. It was 228, it could have easily been 258. Cricket is all about comebacks. We got him out and made a little comeback there. That’s what I told him, ‘When I am playing against you, please go a little easy on my team. I know all your secrets and inside stories’,” joked Ishan.Ishan’s comeback storyFor Ishan, the moment also underlined how far he has come. His time away from the Indian team was frustrating, but the left-hander continued to put in the hard yards in domestic cricket, waiting patiently for his opportunity – and making it count when it arrived.He returned to Team India earlier this year for the T20I series against the New Zealand national cricket team and the T20 World Cup, earning a recall after a prolific domestic season in which he captained Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title with over 500 runs.Reflecting on that phase, Ishan said he chose not to dwell on his absence and instead focused on improving his consistency.“When I wasn’t playing and was out of the team, I told myself I can’t cry or sulk about it. It’s the easiest thing to do for any sportsman. It might earn you the sympathy of a few people, you might even feel good about it, but it won’t get you anywhere,” Ishan told JioHotstar.“The only thing that could have gotten me back into the reckoning was runs. So, I just wanted to improve my game and score as many runs as I could, even if that meant hitting more sixes than any other batter.”He added that the phase only made him hungrier.“Only consistent run-scoring can bring you back into the team. If 300 runs in a season are not enough, score 400; if not that, score 500. At the end of the day, cricket is our daily bread.“When you’re out of the team, you understand its importance and start respecting every game. You become hungrier, and that was my focus: to become the best,” he added.Now batting at No. 3, Ishan showcased that maturity with a blistering 31-ball 74 in the same match, steering SRH through a steep chase.“After having played for so many years as a No. 3 batter, if you are set, you look to score big and bat till the end. It makes the job easier for the other batters with you, as they don’t feel the pressure.“That is my only thinking, to keep things as simple as I can, be in a good headspace, and just take it one match at a time. If we play good cricket, the rest of the team will learn from it.“In the end, it’s a team sport. When you play good cricket, it rubs off on the others. I have also made a lot of mistakes, so my only aim is not to repeat them, which unfortunately, I did in the end in this game,” he added.
Apr 25, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders defender Alex Roldan (16), left, and Dallas FC midfielder Ran Binyamin (6) battle for the ball during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Jordan Morris had a goal and an assist as the Seattle Sounders defeated visiting FC Dallas 2-1 Saturday night.
Jesus Ferreira also scored and goalkeeper Andrew Thomas made five saves for the Sounders (6-1-1, 19 points), who extended their unbeaten streak in league play to six matches (5-0-1).
Nolan Norris scored for Dallas (3-3-4, 13 points), which is winless in its past four (0-2-2). Goalie Michael Collodi made four saves, including one on a penalty kick.
Dallas is 1-13-4 all-time at Lumen Field, with the lone victory coming in 2011.
Dallas dominated possession in the opening 15 minutes, spending most of it in the Seattle end, but it was the Sounders who struck first.
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Jackson Ragen sent a long ball down the right wing to Morris. With Danny Musovski charging toward the net, Morris passed to Ferreira, who was trailing the play just inside the top of the 18-yard box. The former Dallas standout took a shot that deflected off defender Lalas Abubakar and past Collodi.
The Sounders doubled their lead in the 30th minute. Hassani Dotson made a pass from his own side of midfield to Snyder Brunell, who took a couple of strides and sent a through ball to Morris for a breakaway. As Collodi charged toward him, Morris lifted a shot over the goalie with the outside of his right foot.
Dallas pulled within 2-1 in the 40th minute. Santiago Moreno’s corner kick from the left wing found Norris outside the near post and he flicked a header into the far side netting for his first MLS goal.
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Ferreira had a chance for a brace on a penalty kick in the 54th minute, but Collodi made a diving save to his left. The penalty was awarded when Abubakar tripped Paul Rothrock near the end line on the left edge of the 18-yard box.
Dallas played without its top two scorers in Petar Musa, who leads MLS with nine goals, and Logan Farrington, who were both left out of the lineup due to lower-body injuries.
The Sounders were without midfielders Albert Rusnak (hamstring) and Cristian Roldan (concussion protocol).
Jaden McDaniels has been needling the Denver Nuggets throughout their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After Minnesota’s Game 2 win, McDaniels was asked what was working for the Timberwolves offensively. “Go after [Nikola] Jokić, Jamal [Murray], all the bad defenders,” McDaniels said. “Tim Hardaway. Cam Johnson. Aaron Gordon. The whole team. Just go at them. …They’re all bad defenders.”
The rest of the series, to this point, hasn’t exactly disproven his point. The Timberwolves have now won three games in a row in the series and are one win shy of advancing to the second round. On Saturday, the Timberwolves lost Donte DiVincenzo to a torn Achilles and Anthony Edwards to a knee injury, but still managed to win with backup guard Ayo Dosunmu scoring 43 points, the second-most bench points ever in a playoff game.
To put a capper on the victory, McDaniels went up for an uncontested layup with a 14-point lead and the final seconds ticking off the clock. Jokić took offense to that, and immediately ran down the court to confront him. The two grabbed one another before needing to be separated by teammates and coaches. No punches seem to have been thrown, but Jokić and Julius Randle were ejected after the skirmish.
Jokić wasn’t the only Nugget annoyed with McDaniels’ layup. “I didn’t like what McDaniels did,” Denver coach David Adelman shared. “The game was over…in 2026 that stuff just doesn’t happen anymore, that’s something that happens in the 80s where teams would continue to score, but that’s who he is.”
Jokić, for his part, said he didn’t regret confronting McDaniels.
McDaniels, in defiance with the unwritten rules of the sport, declared simply that the “clock still be running, so I’m going to go score.” When asked what Jokić said to him in their confrontation, he claimed ignorance. “I don’t know what he said, to be honest. I just seen someone who was big as hell.”
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It is generally rare for players, especially seasoned veterans like McDaniels, to put points on the board once a game has been decided. It’s treated as a courtesy not to embarrass losing opponents. But if that were a concern for McDaniels, well, he probably wouldn’t have said what he said after Game 2, either. These two teams share a mutual distaste for one another after facing each other in three of the past four postsesaons, and that almost inevitably leads to chippy moments like this.
McDaniels has the Timberwolves up 3-1 in the series, and he’s clearly gotten under Denver’s skin. Now the Nuggets are on the ropes, and they’re going to have to keep their cool if they’re going to mount a serious comeback attempt in the series.
NEW DELHI: There are days in IPL history that live forever. Days when the game exceeds itself, goes somewhere it has never been before, and leaves you wondering whether you actually witnessed what you think you did. Saturday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was unquestionably one of those days.
After KL Rahul’s staggering 152 not out had already redrawn the boundaries of what seemed possible in a scorching Delhi afternoon, Punjab Kings walked out to chase 265. Not 200. Not 220. Two hundred and sixty five. And they got there with seven balls to spare and six wickets remaining. Let that settle.
Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya made sure the chase never felt like a tall order. From the very first ball, this was not a team operating under the weight of an impossible target. This was a team that had simply decided the target was irrelevant. Prabhsimran (76 off 23b; 9×4, 5×6), in particular, was something otherworldly. He played an innings that was viscerally violent.
Priyansh Arya (43 off 17b; 2×4, 5×6), at the other end, was no passenger. Together they crashed 116 runs in the Powerplay, nine fours and ten sixes between them, reducing what should have been a fortress total into something that felt negotiable. It was the second highest Powerplay score ever in the IPL.
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Then came the wobble. Axar Patel removed Arya, Kuldeep Yadav trapped Prabhsimran lbw, and Cooper Connolly fell too, bowled by a Kuldeep googly. In the space of 16 balls, Punjab had gone from 126 for none to 145 for 3, and suddenly Delhi sensed something. A game that had felt over began to breathe again.
Enter Shreyas Iyer. Calm. Precise. Completely unruffled.
Iyer’s unbeaten 71 off 36 balls (3×4, 7×6) was not the flashiest innings of the day. But it was, arguably, the most important. With Shashank Singh providing sensible company at the other end with 19 not out off 10 balls, Iyer guided Punjab home by six wickets as if the whole exercise was a mere formality.
With this win, Punjab Kings now hold the record for the highest successful run chase across all men’s T20 cricket, not just the IPL.
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Earlier, KL Rahul (152* off 67b; 16×4, 9×6) scripted an innings that felt less like a return to form and more like a reclamation of identity. Rahul didn’t just score a breathtaking ton for Delhi Capitals — he dismantled, dictated and, at times, dazzled with a freedom that has often eluded him in the shortest format.
For the longest time, Rahul’s T20 career has resembled a man dragging a heavy suitcase of strike-rate anxieties. But that was not the case on Saturday, as Rahul decided to abandon the suitcase.
It could have been very different though. Rahul began with a couple of crisp boundaries off Xavier Bartlett; however, the defining moment came when Shashank Singh spilled a chance at deep square leg off Arshdeep Singh. It wasn’t a sitter, but it was one of those opportunities that, when missed against a batter of Rahul’s calibre, tend to echo through the rest of the innings. Punjab would spend the next two hours chasing that moment.
If Rahul’s early strokes were about timing, Nitish Rana’s were about intent. Rana set the tempo, taking on the bowlers, especially Bartlett, whose one over went for 28 and shifted the momentum irreversibly. Rana’s 91 off 44 balls (11×4, 4×6) ensured Delhi never dipped after losing Pathum Nissanka early to a miscued pull off Arshdeep Singh’s bowling, as wicketkeeper Prabhsimran Singh grabbed an easy catch behind the stumps.
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What followed was a partnership that will be spoken about in IPL folklore. Rahul and Rana stitched together 220 runs for the second wicket — the second-highest stand in the league’s history, only behind the 229-run blitz by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in 2016.
Rahul’s half-century came in just 26 balls; and after reaching the milestone, he just went into overdrive. There was a clarity in his shot selection, an absence of the tentativeness that has crept into his T20 game in recent years. He took apart Arshdeep for 20 in an over, then reached his hundred off 47 balls against Marco Jansen. Each phase of his innings felt like a shedding of layers — from caution to control, and finally to complete command.
For a player often critiqued for pacing his innings too conservatively in T20s, this was Rahul unburdened. He accessed all parts of the ground, not with reckless abandon but with calculated authority.
Rana, meanwhile, played the perfect co-author. His innings ensured Punjab never got a foothold. When he fell, dismissed by Bartlett, it brought an end not just to a monumental stand but had effectively broken the spirit of the Punjab bowlers.
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Rahul, though, was far from done. He surged past 150, finishing unbeaten on 152 — the highest individual T20 score by an Indian and the third highest in IPL history, behind Chris Gayle’s 175* and Brendon McCullum’s 158*.
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