Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif of Pakistan watch the big-screen replay during day two of the 4th Test Match between England and Pakistan at Lord’s on August 27, 2010 in London, England. (left) and archive photo of the front cover of the News of the World newspaper. (Photo/Getty Images)

England has not often been a happy place for Pakistan cricket in recent times. In the ongoing three-Test series, Pakistan have already lost the first two matches by big margins. They suffered an innings defeat in the series opener at Headingley before losing the second Test at Lord’s by 194 runs. The third Test is set to begin at Edgbaston on Wednesday.However, what followed the defeat at Lord’s surprised even those familiar with the unpredictable nature of Pakistan cricket.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent seven players home and called up another seven, with five of the replacements uncapped at Test level.The PCB also removed Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul. They were replaced by Pakistan’s white-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke.Salman Ali Agha, who captained Pakistan at Headingley in the absence of the injured Babar Azam, was among those sent home. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman, who took a five-wicket haul in that Test, was also released.Experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and opener Imam-ul-Haq were also told to leave. Imam did not bat in either innings at Lord’s because of a calf injury.Hesson admitted last week that the changes had added to the uncertainty around the team.“The guys are probably more used to a little bit of chaos than I am. I don’t think anyone wants this to happen in the middle of a series.”The situation took another turn on Monday when the PCB announced an investigation into the squad’s conduct during the England tour, bringing the issue of match-fixing back into focus.As reported by TimesofIndia.com, the changes within Pakistan cricket were driven by reasons that were “more than cricket” and were not simply a response to the team’s poor performances.According to Pakistani outlet 365 News, the players’ devices have been handed over to the PCB and will remain in the board’s custody until the final Test is completed. The report did not reveal which players had their phones taken, while the PCB has not publicly explained why the devices were confiscated.

Horror of 2010

The developments have also brought back memories of Pakistan’s 2010 spot-fixing scandal, one of the biggest corruption cases in cricket.The scandal took place during Pakistan’s tour of England, during the fourth Test at Lord’s. It centred on allegations that Pakistani players had deliberately bowled no-balls at specific points in the match in return for money.When Mohammad Amir overstepped the crease while bowling a no-ball against England on the opening day of the 2010 Lord’s Test, there was no indication that the moment would become part of a fixing scandal that would affect Pakistan cricket for years.Two days later, it emerged that three no-balls — two by Amir and one by his pace partner Mohammad Asif — were part of a betting deal.Pakistan captain Salman Butt had arranged the deliberate no-balls in return for money offered by undercover journalist Mazhar Majeed, who was posing as a bookmaker.The scandal, exposed in the sting by Britain’s now-defunct News of the World tabloid, rocked the cricketing world , and aftershocks can still be felt more than a decade on in Pakistan. Not only did that dark morning at the revered ‘home of cricket’ derail the careers of three players who were banned and jailed, the saga also led to calls for Pakistan to be booted from international cricket. Butt, Amir and Asif were tried in a London court for offences under the Gambling Act and were jailed in November 2011.Announcing the sentences, the judge underscored the severity of the crime. “The image and integrity of what was once a game, but is now a business, is damaged in the eyes of all, including the many youngsters who regarded three of you as heroes,” Justice Jeremy Cooke said. It marked a new low for Pakistan cricket, already reeling from the aftermath of terror attacks in Lahore on the Sri Lankan team a year before, which triggered the suspension of home internationals.In November 2011, after a high-profile trial in London, all three players were found guilty of corruption and conspiracy to accept illegal payments. Salman Butt received a 30-month prison sentence, Mohammad Asif was jailed for a year, and Mohammad Amir, due to his age and early confession, was sentenced to six months.Only one of them, Amir, returned to international cricket after serving the ICC-ban when he made his comeback in 2016.

My Gladiola has finally conquered the Group 1 challenge, clinching victory in the Moir Stakes held at Sandown.

This year’s Group 1 sprint over 1000 metres, usually contested at Moonee Valley, was shifted to Sandown as The Valley undergoes essential reconstruction.

The 1000-metre weight-for-age contest proved to be a thrilling spectacle. My Gladiola ($9.50), with jockey Jamie Mott in the saddle, surged past Cavalry Girl ($8.50) in the closing stages to win by a short-neck. The $3 favourite, Natural Fling, trailed a further three-quarters of a length behind in third place.

Prior to this Saturday’s triumph, My Gladiola had finished second to Tentyris on two occasions in both the Coolmore Stud Stakes and the Lightning Stakes (1000m), races that are both run on the straight track at Flemington.

Trainer John McArdle commented that it was fitting for My Gladiola to finally break through at the highest level.

“She has run against the best her entire career,” McArdle said.

“We ran second to Tentyris a couple of times, in incredible times and she was deserving of this, but I didn’t think it was going to be today.

“I did before the rain came, but all the team at home have done a great job with her.”

McArdle had contemplated scratching My Gladiola when the rain arrived during the early hours of Saturday morning, softening the track surface.

The trainer had been considering reserving the mare for the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 19.

“Thank God, I second guessed myself a little bit,” McArdle admitted.

“We were thinking about scratching and thankfully they put it up as a (soft) seven.

“If it had been an (heavy) eight, we may not have been here.

“Things went her way today. The wind and the sun dried the track out a bit, and Jamie gave her a great ride.

“Getting a good barrier we didn’t have to go as far back as we normally do and she’s got the job done.”

McArdle expressed that it was particularly pleasing to secure a Group 1 win alongside Mott.

“Motty has been our stable rider for a long time,” McArdle stated.

“When he was getting a couple of rides in the bush, we were putting him on in Group races with Humma Humma.

“I always said, ‘you stick with me, I’ll stick with you’ and we have. We’ve been close plenty of times and now we’ve done it.”

Mott, who achieved his fifth win at the highest level, shared his emotional experience in guiding My Gladiola home.

“Just to do it for John is just unbelievable,” Mott said.

“He’s had a Group 1 winner in the past and he’s loyal to me as a jockey, and I’ve loved working closely with him and his team.

“Obviously with her coming along, she’s been so special. (She was) yet to tick off that Group 1, but we knew she was good enough.

“I’m absolutely over the moon.

“My fifth Group I and I haven’t been this emotional (for the others), so it’s pretty special.”

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Under the rules as they stand, England are unable to call on players such as Toulouse back row Jack Willis – who was voted the best player in France in 2024-25 – as well as Kyle Sinckler, Manu Tuilagi, Billy Vunipola, Lewis Ludlam and former Exeter star Sam Simmonds.

Prem clubs benefit from central payments from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for their England players, with the national side having a greater say on their management as a result.

England’s policy is similar to that of Ireland and New Zealand, while nations such as Scotland, South Africa and Australia do pick players from overseas.

“You can’t pick and choose a model just to decide this is what will be good or bad for a country,” added Baxter.

“For some countries they’re very strict on it and it works really well for them. We’ve got to decide what we’re comfortable with and stick to it.”

India’s para-archer Sheetal Devi, left, and others compete during the World Archery Para Series. (PTI Photo)

India’s para archers enjoyed a strong penultimate day at the World Archery Para Series Stage III, with the men’s recurve and compound teams winning gold while the women’s recurve team secured silver.In the men’s compound team final, reigning world champion Toman Kumar and Shyam Sunder Swami defeated Iraq’s Abbas Kadhim and Anwer Aldawod 152-139 to claim the top prize.The recurve team of double Paralympic medallist Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi also finished on the highest step of the podium after beating Slovakia’s David Ivan and Denis Ivan 6-2.India’s women’s recurve team of Bhawna and Pooja, meanwhile, had to settle for silver after China won the final 6-0. The country also narrowly missed another medal in the women’s compound event, with Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag losing the bronze-medal playoff to China.

Toman and Swami deliver compound gold

Toman and Swami overcame a sluggish beginning to take control of the men’s compound final.The Indian pair managed only an 8 in the opening end but quickly raised their level. Their accuracy improved over the next 12 arrows, during which they dropped just five points.That consistency allowed the Indians to build a substantial advantage over their Iraqi opponents. They maintained their scoring pressure through the remainder of the contest to complete a convincing victory and secure the gold medal.

Harvinder leads recurve fightback

Harvinder and Sundi had to recover from an early setback before securing India’s second men’s team gold of the day.The Slovakian pair took the opening set 37-34 after India managed a 7 without finding a 10. The Indians responded immediately, producing stronger scores in the following sets.Harvinder, who won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics before becoming the first Indian archer to win Paralympic gold at Paris 2024, played a key role in India’s recovery.India moved ahead 4-2 after winning the third set 38-34, with the pair producing three 10s. They then held their nerve in the fourth set, winning it 35-31 to complete the 6-2 victory.

Bhawna and Pooja take silver

Bhawna and Pooja could not match China in the women’s recurve final, losing 0-6.China took the opening set 34-23 after India struggled with scores of 4, 5 and 6. The Indians improved in the second set, shooting three 8s and a 9, but still lost 33-35.The third set remained tight at 30-31, but India again struggled for consistency and failed to register a single 10 across the entire final.China did not produce its most clinical performance either, but India’s inconsistent arrow placement allowed the Chinese pair to retain their advantage and secure gold.

Sheetal and Payal miss bronze

Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag were also left without a medal after China’s Wang Huiting and Gao Fangxia won the women’s compound bronze-medal playoff.The Indian pair found it difficult to maintain their scoring level across the 16-arrow contest. Their strongest spell came in the second end, when they trailed by just one point at 73-74.However, a poor third end allowed China to open up a decisive gap. India could not recover from there and eventually had to settle for fourth place.With two golds and a silver on the penultimate day, India remain in contention for a strong finish at the World Archery Para Series Stage III.

JJ Gabriel made his Man Utd debut at the age of 15 on Saturday and Leny Yoro believes the teenager has a big future in the game.

Leny Yoro was just 16 when he made his competitive debut for Lille and when he moved to Manchester United for £52million in the summer of 2024, he became the most expensive footballer aged 18 or under in the history of the game. So he is well placed to talk about JJ Gabriel.

The United teenager lit up the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm on Saturday with a lively late cameo in the 2-1 win against Atletico Madrid, making his first senior appearance at the age of 15 as his talent continues to bloom.

Gabriel trained regularly with the first team last season and travelled to Trondheim for last weekend’s win against Rosenborg, but this was his first outing for Michael Carrick’s side and even though it was a pre-season friendly, he still caught the eye.

He scored 26 goals in 26 games in the Under-18 Premier League last season and has attracted interest from Barcelona, with United desperate to keep hold of a forward who looks like a generational talent, and Yoro has been impressed.

“He’s a really good player,” he said. “Still really young, still a lot to learn, a lot to improve. He’s really humble, still working, so I’m happy for him to get his first minutes, so I hope for him it’s going to continue like that.”

As a fellow teenage sensation who made waves early in his career, Yoro knows what the attention on Gabriel is going to be like now and can see similarities in his own journey to the one the United youngster is embarking on.

“I can see myself,” he said. “[I would say] stay humble, just want to work, and this is what we need in the team, even for the young guys.

“They’re all doing really well, and JJ is one of them, so I hope he’s going to learn a lot, continue like that, improve, yeah. But he’s really good, a good player.”

Emerse Faé’s contract as manager of the In Ivory Coast’s Elephants expires on August 1. The Ivorian Football Federation has announced that it will not be renewing his contract. He will therefore step down, having led the team to victory in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations and guided the Ivorians to a historic run at this summer’s World Cup. In Italy, the football world is mourning one of its legends: Franco Baresi, who died at the age of 66.

Lorena Wiebes sprinted to victory on the opening stage of the Tour de France Femmes in Lausanne on Saturday to claim the race leader’s yellow jersey.

The 27-year-old Dutch rider beat Mauritian Kim Le Court into second with European champion Demi Vollering third.

Sprint specialist Wiebes, a two-time former European champion, leads the overall standings by four seconds from Le Court and six seconds to Vollering thanks to bonus seconds on the line.

This was Wiebes’s 10th Tour stage victory overall and the 132nd victory of her career.

Amongst the likely overall contenders, Vollering stole a march on some of her rivals by taking four bonus seconds on the line.

That gave her an advantage over the last two winners of this race, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Kasia Niewiadoma, who finished eighth and ninth respectively in the same time as the stage winner.

Other potential contenders, Paula Blasi and Anna van der Breggen conceded an extra eight seconds to Vollering, coming home in 12th and 13th.

Read moreTour de France 2026 routes feature peaks, passes and Montmartre

Four riders had escaped up the road early on in the 138km stage around Lausanne.

Czech Nikola Noskova, Spaniard Idoia Eraso, Dutch rider Maud Rijnbeek and Frenchwoman Oceane Mahe built up a maximum lead of six minutes but they were reeled in 6km from the finish.

Sunday’s second stage remains in Switzerland and is a hilly 147.9km from Aigle to Geneva.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP) 

ATHLETICS

Men’s Triple Jump Final: Praveen Chithravel, Selva Prabhu Thirumaran at 2.40 PM.

Women’s 10,000m Race Walk Final: Priyanka Goswami, Ravina Gayakwad at 3.00 PM.

Men’s Pole Vault Final: Dev Kumar Meena, Kuldeep Kumar at 11.35 PM.

Men’s 5000m Final: Gulveer Singh at 12.15 AM (August 2).

Mixed 4x400m Relay Final at 1.50 AM (August 2).

PARA ATHLETICS

Men’s Shot Put F57 Final: Soman Rana, Shubham Juyal at 2.35 PM.

Men’s 1500m T54 Final: Ramesh Shanmugam at 2.50 PM.

BOXING

Women’s 54kg Final: Preeti at 3.30 PM.

Women’s 57kg Final: Jaismine at 3.45 PM.

Men’s 55kg Final: Jadumani Singh Mandengbam at 4.45 PM.

Women’s 51kg Final: Sakshi at 9.00 PM.

Women’s 60kg Final: Priya at 9.15 PM.

Women’s 70kg Final: Arundhati Choudhary at 9.45 PM.

Women’s 75kg Final: Lovlina Borgohain at 10.15 PM.

Men’s 60kg Final: Sachin at 10.45 PM.

Men’s 80kg Final: Ankush Panghal at 11.15 PM.

Men’s 90 kg Final: Narender at 11.45 PM.

JUDO

Women’s 63kg Round of 16: Unnati Sharma at 3.30 PM onwards.

Men’s 90kg Round of 16: Karanjit Singh Maan.

Men’s 81kg Quarterfinal: Harsh Tokas.

Women’s 70kg Quarterfinal: Inunganbi Takhellambam.

TRACK CYCLING

Men’s Sprint Qualifying: David Beckham, Ronaldo Singh, Rojit Singh at 2.30 PM.

Men’s 10km Scratch Race Qualifying: Harshveer Singh Sekhon, Dinesh Kumar at 4.19 PM.

LAWN BOWLS

Men’s Pairs Sectional Play: Navneet Singh & Dinesh Kumar at 3.50 PM.

Women’s Singles Sectional Play: Nayanmoni Saikia at 10.20 PM

India’s Priya Ghanghas added another gold to the country’s remarkable boxing campaign, defeating Canada’s Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh by a 4-1 split decision in the women’s 60kg final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Saturday. The victory marked India’s fourth boxing gold medal of the day, continuing the nation’s dominance inside the ring at Glasgow 2026.

Al-Ahmadieh edges the opening round

Priya entered the bout with a clear height and reach advantage, while Al-Ahmadieh looked to close the distance with aggressive attacks. The Indian boxer landed several clean punches with greater efficiency, but the Canadian finished the round strongly. The judges narrowly favoured Al-Ahmadieh, awarding her the opening round by a 3-2 split decision.The second round saw Priya struggle to find her rhythm initially as Al-Ahmadieh continued to press forward. Despite appearing fatigued at times, the Indian relied on well-timed counter punches and produced a strong finish to the round. Her late surge impressed the judges, who scored it 4-1 in her favour, setting up a winner-takes-all final round.

Split decision seals another gold for India

With the title on the line, both boxers came out aggressively in the final round. Priya started brightly before Al-Ahmadieh responded with several solid combinations in a fiercely contested exchange. The Indian continued to throw powerful punches despite showing signs of exhaustion, while the crowd created a vibrant atmosphere throughout the closing moments.The judges’ scorecards reflected the intensity of the bout. Three judges awarded the contest to Priya by margins of 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27, while one judge scored it 29-28 in favour of the Canadian. The split verdict ultimately went India’s way, sealing another boxing gold for the country in Glasgow.She joined Sakshi, Jaismine and Preeti, who won gold medals earlier in the day, to continue India’s superb run in the Commonwealth Games 2026.

Full list of India’s medal winners in boxing at the Commonwealth Games 2026:

Indian boxing has already improved on its performance from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Four years ago, India returned with seven medals, including three golds, one silver and three bronze from a 12-member contingent. Glasgow has already witnessed India surpass that gold tally with four titles, while several finals still remain.

The country’s medal conversion rate has also improved significantly, underlining the remarkable progress of Indian boxing on the international stage.

How India’s golden day unfolded 

Preeti Pawar outclasses Scarlett Delgado

Preeti Pawar gave India the perfect start by defeating Canada’s Scarlett Delgado via unanimous decision to win the women’s 54kg gold medal.

The World No. 3 controlled proceedings from the opening bell with sharp footwork and crisp combinations before forcing Delgado into a standing count in the second round. She comfortably closed out the contest as all five judges awarded her the bout.

Jaismine Lamboria lives up to world champion billing

Reigning world champion Jaismine Lamboria followed it up by defeating Northern Ireland’s Michaela Walsh in the women’s 57kg final.

After edging a closely-fought opening round, Jaismine completely dominated the second with precise punching and intelligent movement before comfortably seeing out the contest to secure India’s second gold of the day by unanimous decision.

Jadumani Singh settles for silver

India’s winning run briefly paused in the men’s 55kg final as Jadumani Singh went down to Australia’s Jye Dixon.

Jadumani made a bright start and edged the opening round before Dixon responded strongly in the second with accurate counter-punching. Despite a spirited finish from the Indian, the Australian claimed the gold through a unanimous decision, leaving Jadumani with a well-deserved silver medal.

Priya Ghanghas delivers India’s third gold

India returned to the top step of the podium thanks to Priya Ghanghas, who edged Canada’s Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh in a fiercely contested women’s 60kg final.

The bout remained evenly poised heading into the final round, with both boxers exchanging heavy punches in front of a vocal crowd. Despite showing visible signs of fatigue, Priya continued to attack until the final bell.

The judges eventually awarded the Indian a 4-1 split-decision victory, sparking loud celebrations among the Indian supporters as she secured India’s third boxing gold of the day.

Sakshi Chaudhary makes it four

Sakshi Chaudhary ensured India’s golden run continued by defeating England’s Ruby White in the women’s 51kg final.

The Indian remained in complete control throughout the contest, successfully neutralising White’s attacks with solid defensive work before landing sharp right-hand counters. Even as the English boxer attempted to mount a late comeback, Sakshi stayed composed and dictated the pace.

When the final bell rang, the judges unanimously declared Sakshi the winner, handing India its fourth boxing gold medal of the Games. The two boxers embraced after the bout in a show of mutual respect, bringing an end to another commanding performance from the Indian.

More golds still up for grabs

India’s remarkable boxing campaign is far from over.

With Lovlina Borgohain, Arundhati Choudhary, Sachin Siwach, Ankush Panghal and Narender Berwal still scheduled to contest their respective finals, India has an opportunity to finish with its greatest-ever boxing medal haul at the Commonwealth Games.