Eden Gardens in Kolkata is hosting the sixth match of IPL 2026 between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) tonight (April 2). Home team captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to field in batting-friendly conditions.
Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma set a great platform for SRH with a blazing 82-run opening partnership in just 5.4 overs. Head smashed three sixes and six fours en route to 46 (21) before perishing in the sixth over. Abhishek also found some rhythm after failing in the previous match, but fell two runs short of a half-century in the ninth over. Varun Chakaravarthy’s sensational diving catch in the deep ended Sharma’s stay at the crease and gave KKR a crucial breakthrough.
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Heinrich Klaasen (52) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (39) then put on an 82-run partnership for the fifth wicket to take SRH over 200. They eventually reached 226/8 in 20 overs, setting a daunting target for the opposition. Blessing Muzarabani scalped four wickets for KKR in the bowling department.
Fans enjoyed the high-scoring first innings of the sixth match of IPL 2026 on Thursday night. They conveyed their reactions by sharing hilarious memes on X (formerly Twitter). Here are some of the best memes:
“Bud is getting 13cr to yawn in the dugout” an X post read.
“Looked like it slowed up during the innings” – Travis Head after 1st innings of SRH vs KKR IPL 2026 clash
During the mid-innings break, SRH opener Travis Head reflected on his team’s batting performance, saying (via Cricbuzz):
“It was nice to get away. Bit dicey in the first over but got some out in the middle. Got off to a good start with Abhi. Looked like it slowed up during the innings. Yeah, good score. If Klaasy normally normally faces that many balls, he’s normally striking, felt it was a little bit difficult in the middle, it slowed which is a good thing for us having runs on the board.”
“It’s always good fun batting with Abhi. We are in a really good space. We got to execute with the ball now. They’ve got some dangerous players at the top. Looks a good score,” Travis added.
What were your favorite moments from the first innings of this IPL match? Let us know in the comments section.
Real Madrid are planning to sign a new midfielder in the summer, as they get set to finally replace Toni Kroos/Luka Modric. The likes of Rodri Hernandez, Vitinha and Kees Smit have been linked with moves to the Bernabeu, but in recent weeks, one name in particular has started to gain a lot of prominence in this regard: Enzo Fernandez.
Fernandez is increasingly keen to leave Chelsea this summer, and if he does push to do so, Real Madrid are expected to rekindle the interest they showed after his fine performances at the 2022 World Cup. The 25-year-old would be open to joining Los Blancos, and he’s not the only one that wants to see him in white for the start of next season.
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Franco Mastantuono is teammates with Fernandez in the Argentine national team, and as per comments to DSports (via ED), he would certainly welcome his compatriot with opens arms if he ends up at Real Madrid this summer.
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“Of course I would like him to come (to Real Madrid).”
Mastantuono could be on his way out of Real Madrid
But even if Fernandez does join Real Madrid in the summer, there is no guarantee that he would be teammates with fellow River Plate alumni Mastantuono. Bernabeu officials are considering letting the teenage forward leave on loan for the 2026-27 season, as they want him to gain prominence elsewhere before returning to the club in a better place – as has, and will, be the case with Endrick Felipe.
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Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, and this is also the case for Fernandez’s possible move to Real Madrid. Chelsea’s delicate financial situation, which saw them record the biggest one-season loss in the Premier League history earlier this week, could mean they look to sell on the Argentine midfielder when the summer transfer window opens at the start of July.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Akeem Ishola Busari as the new head coach of Nigeria’s U-17 girls’ team, the Flamingos.
Busari’s appointment was confirmed on April 2, 2026, marking a new beginning for one of Africa’s most successful youth teams. He replaces Bankole Olowookere, who guided the team to a bronze medal at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2022.
The new coach now faces the task of building on that success while introducing fresh ideas to the team.
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Nigeria is preparing for the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted in Morocco. After receiving a bye in the first round, the Flamingos will play either Niger Republic or Guinea in May in a two-legged tie.
The schedule is tight, leaving little room for mistakes. If the team qualifies, they will face stronger opponents in July. Busari will also need to build a new squad, as players at this level often move on quickly.
Another key task for the coach is to restore confidence in the team. The Flamingos were knocked out in the round of 16 at the last World Cup after a heavy defeat to Italy, a result that still affects the team.
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Busari brings a wealth of experience to the role. He is a CAF A-licensed coach and has worked in both men’s and women’s football in Nigeria and abroad.
Before his appointment, he was Technical Adviser at Pacesetter Queens in Ibadan. He has also coached clubs such as Shooting Stars, Crown FC, Gateway United, and Bayelsa Queens. At Shooting Stars, he helped the club gain promotion to the top flight during the 2008/2009 season.
He has also won several State FA Cup titles with Gateway United and Shooting Stars. At Bayelsa Queens, he served as Technical Director, gaining valuable experience in both coaching and administration.
Outside Nigeria, Busari has coached clubs in the Benin Republic, including Espoir FC and JSP Benin.
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He is known for an attacking style of play, with his teams pressing high and moving the ball quickly. This style could suit the Flamingos, who are known for their speed and energy.
Off the pitch, Busari has also contributed to coaching development. A graduate of Lead City University, he has worked with the Lagos State Coaches Association, helping to train young coaches.
His new role with the Flamingos will focus on developing young players, maintaining Nigeria’s strong record in youth football, and preparing players for the senior national team.
The Tigers earned a crucial 3-0 win over Stockton Town in their bid to avoid relegation from the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division.
Jonathan Reynolds MP hailed the power of community when he visited Hyde United for Non-League Day.
The government Chief Whip met the club’s volunteers, and even had a go at helping out himself, as the Tigers earned a crucial 3-0 win over Stockton Town in their bid to avoid relegation from the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division.
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Almost 600 were in attendance at the Project Solar Stadium on a day that put the lower levels of the pyramid in the spotlight, and Reynolds was full of praise for those who keep the club running.
“It’s a wonderful way to recognise the volunteers and what they do for a club like this,” he said.
“We are so blessed in this area. I represent three different non-League clubs and what they have all got in common, as well as a bit of rivalry, is that they are run by volunteers and community power.
“It is not just about sport, it is about local identity, local community. Maybe sometimes people take for granted the depth of the English football pyramid.
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“In a place like this we do recognise and value what these clubs bring and the contribution these people make.”
The Tigers have battled against the drop all season but are in with a chance of survival heading into the final month.
Victory over play-off chasing Stockton was a huge boost to their chances but commentator Ian Burke believes the club is about far more than just the 90 minutes every Saturday.
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Non-League clubs like Hyde are fuelled by volunteers, with league sponsors Pitching In providing fans an easy way to find opportunities to help out at their nearest club through its Volunteer Hub.
And Burke hopes Non-League Day may have encouraged a few more fans to discover the lower leagues and maybe even volunteer themselves.
“Non-League Day is important. It exposes people who aren’t used to the non-League game to it,” he added.
“It is almost like the biggest minority sport in the country. People know it’s there, but it is totally different from what you see in the Premier League.
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“Non-League football runs on volunteers. There’s people who grumble constantly who work on the gates or around the ground. Everyone who works here does it for the love of it.”
Terence Crawford remains unwilling to return to the sport after his December retirement, but has named the two active and undefeated fan-favourite fighters that swerved a showdown with him when he was campaigning as a welterweight.
The Omaha operator then moved up to the super-welterweight division and dethroned Israil Madrimov for the WBA super-welterweight crown on his way up to the super-middleweight division.
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Up at 168lbs, Crawford decisioned Canelo Alvarez in a legacy-defining win, becoming boxing’s sixth five-division world champion, joining Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather and Pacquiao in that extremely elite club.
However, in an clip captured by Jai McAllister, Crawford revealed that he was willing to face the up-and-comers during his welterweight reign, but that Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr. avoided a shot at his WBO strap.
“I had the opportunity to fight Boots but Boots chose to drop out of the WBO rankings, him and Vergil [Ortiz Jr.]. So that is why I ended up fighting Shawn Porter.”
Ennis is a former unified welterweight world champion while Ortiz is the reigning WBC interim super-welterweight champion. The pair looked to be on a collision course with one another, but issues between Ortiz and his promoter Oscar De La Hoya ended those plans.
Instead, ‘Boots’ will attempt to become a two-division world champion when he challenges WBA and WBO titleholder Xander Zayas at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 27.
Michigan star Elliot Cadeau has rejoined his teammates for the Final Four a day after being rushed to the hospital.
The starting point guard revealed that he was hospitalized due to an allergic reaction after an accidental exposure to nuts.
“I just ate something I was allergic to,” the junior said as he sat at his locker at Lucas Oil Stadium two days before the Wolverines meet fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the national semifinals.
Coach Dusty May said Cadeau, who averages 10.2 points and 5.8 assists, is “fine.”
Cadeau’s treatment came as his teammates were flying to the Final Four, though Cadeau said a Michigan staffer had driven him to Indianapolis to rejoin teammates ahead of Thursday’s locker-room interviews and other pregame promotional activities.
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Fans were concerned after Detroit radio station WWJ 950 posted a video on X Wednesday showing Cadeau being wheeled out of Michigan’s player development center on a gurney (Getty Images)
Cadeau described it as “just a minor inconvenience for me.”
“I just had a little bit of hives so that’s why I went to the hospital, just to prevent anything further from happening,” he said.
Detroit radio station WWJ 950 posted a video on X Wednesday showing a covered individual sitting upright while being wheeled out of Michigan’s player development center on a gurney and loaded into an ambulance.
Michigan later confirmed it was Cadeau, who had complained of a possible allergic reaction and received medical supervision “out of an abundance of caution.”
“If it’s the worst thing that happens to us, then we’re very blessed,” May said Thursday. “It also just shows him how much he means to his teammates. They were very concerned, obviously, like we all would be for a reaction like that.
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“But just grateful that he’s fine. We have great medical care, and he’s back with us. Dude is a warrior. He’ll be fine.”
At the conclusion of last week’s Houston Open, Augusta National officially invited the winner (Gary Woodland) as well as four pros who’d cemented their spots inside the OWGR top 50 (Nicolai Hojgaard, Jake Knapp, Matt McCarty, Daniel Berger) before the final deadline. (Here’s hoping they got overnight delivery on some green envelopes from Augusta. Plus maybe an email confirmation?)
Because Augusta invites every PGA Tour winner from a full-field event since last year’s Masters, this week’s Valero Texas Open includes the last-chance exemption. Should someone already exempt win this week — Tommy Fleetwood, say, or Ludvig Aberg, two pre-tournament favorites — that spot evaporates. But there are dozens of talented pros just four great rounds from earning the chance to play four more great rounds.
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Here are five of those players.
1. Rickie Fowler
Fowler bogeyed two of his first four holes at TPC San Antonio, only steepening his climb — but as I type these words has bounced back with a four-under back nine to open in two-under 70. Fowler has quietly put together a very consistent stretch of golf dating back to last summer. Before he missed last week’s cut he’d logged six top-20s in eight starts. DataGolf still has him as the world’s 25th-ranked golfer, the highest of any player not in the Masters field. But the OWGR rewards very high finishes over consistency, and despite his run of strong play, Fowler doesn’t have a top five since 2024, so he’s No. 65 in the OWGR and on the outside looking in. Fowler has somehow played just one of the last five Masters tournaments; he’s hunting his final chance to make that two in six.
2. Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris just made eight birdies in an opening round of five-under 67 and sits just a shot off the lead. We’re only a quarter of the way through, so it’s early for anything besides what-ifs and wild speculation, but the golf world would be thrilled to see Zalatoris stamp his comeback with a victory and a major berth.
Zalatoris didn’t tee it up on the PGA Tour between the PGA Championship last May to this January’s American Express, where he finished T18. He withdrew from the Cognizant shortly before his first-round tee time with an ankle injury — reportedly unrelated to his previous back procedures. He’s No. 299 in the OWGR, so this would come from left field. What a story it would be.
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3. Michael Thorbjornsen
Thorbjornsen looked like he might lock up his spot in the OWGR top 50 via the Players Championship, where he played his way into the final pairing but struggled to a Sunday 77 that sent him plummeting to T22. He also stalled out with a Sunday 72 at the Houston Open, leaving him T14 — and No. 54 in the OWGR.
Nobody’s doubting Thorbjornsen’s tremendous talent; he’s ascendant, he seems like he’ll be a central figure on the PGA Tour for years to come and it seems extremely likely that he’ll be at next year’s Masters. He just might not squeak into this one.
4. Tony Finau
As pointed out by Jeff Eisenband below, Tony Finau is on the verge of ending his streak of major championships played at 33. Finau is No. 107 in the OWGR, though he’s shown flashes of strong form with three top-20s in seven starts in 2026. It feels like there are more chapters of Finau’s major-championship story left to write; check out those nine top-10s from 2018-2021! That next rally could start this week.
Tony Finau has played in 33 straight major championships. He’s played in every @TheMasters since 2018. He hasn’t missed a major start since the 2017 U.S. Open.
Cashmere Keith is another pro in relatively strong form — he’s made 12 cuts in a row, including five top-20s — but although he’s No. 44 in DataGolf’s ranking he’s just No. 104 in the OWGR. There’s plenty of good news with Mitchell’s game; he’s been consistently excellent off the tee, his iron play has been strong, he’s top 20 on Tour from tee to green. If he finds a hot putter this week, who knows? Mitchell could be in his third career Masters.
Otherwise these five will look to next year. Plenty of others will, too.
Griffin, 20 later this month, will be the first teenager to appear in the big leagues since Elvis Luciano and Juan Soto in 2019. The No. 9 pick in the 2024 Draft skyrocketed through the minors last season, slashing .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs and 65 steals while climbing from Low Class-A to Double-A. Griffin is 7 for 16 (.438) with three doubles in five Triple-A games this year.
The rap on Griffin during his amateur days was that he had every tool but the hit tool, the most important of the bunch. It was encouraging, then, to see him ease concerns about his swing-and-miss during his first pro season. He connected on more than 75% of his attempts while showing off the power (he cleared the 114 mph threshold) and speed (he stole 65 bases) combination that gave him a high ceiling. Griffin even kept his strikeout rate under 24% during a 21-game stint in Double-A, suggesting that he wasn’t just feasting on younger pitchers or those with less raw talent. Knowing when to adjust priors is one of the trickiest parts of evaluating players. Given everything about Griffin’s year, it would be silly to ignore how much higher his chances of reaching his star ceiling are now than they were 365 days ago.
It should be noted there are not service time games being played here. Griffin did not spend enough time in the minors this year to push his free agency back. The Pirates will control him from 2026-31, though if the two sides complete their reported nine-year extension, service time will be moot, and Griffin will be tied to the Pirates for nine years.
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Griffin is being called up early enough that he will accrue a full year of service time and thus be eligible for a Prospect Promotion Incentive pick. Those are extra draft picks given to teams that do not manipulate the service time of top 100 prospects. To get a pick for Griffin, he would need to win Rookie of the Year, or finish top three in the MVP voting in one of his pre-arbitration seasons between 2026 and 2028. (The extension would also have to be signed after he appears in a game.)
The Pirates are 3-3 in the early going. Thursday is a team off-day, then they’ll take on the Baltimore Orioles in Friday’s home opener. Utility man Jared Triolo has started five of the team’s six games at shortstop. Nick Gonzales has started the other.
A nine-year extension would still allow Griffin to become a free agent at age 28.
Three-time champion Phil Mickelson will miss this year’s Masters and step away from golf “for an extended period” because of a family health matter.
The American has only missed the tournament on three other occasions since making his debut at Augusta National in 1991.
In a post on X, Mickelson wrote: “Unfortunately, I will not play in the Masters Tournament next week and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter.
“I have great respect for Augusta National Golf Club and it is definitely the most special week of the year. I wish everyone the best of luck and will be watching.”
His absence this year, for the tournament that runs from 9 to 12 April, means it will be the first time since 1994 that both Mickelson and Tiger Woods will not feature in the Masters.
Mickelson sat out of the first four events of the 2026 LIV Golf season, at Riyadh, Adelaide, Hong Kong and Singapore. He also cited a “family health matter” when announcing his initial absence on 1 February.
Although he returned to action last month at Steyn City in South Africa, where he finished tied for 48th place, it was unclear whether he would play at Augusta.
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Mickelson, who missed the cut at last year’s Masters, has also won the US PGA Championship twice and triumphed at the Open Championship, at Muirfield, in 2013.
Only Jack Nicklaus (six), Woods (five) and Arnold Palmer (four) have won more Masters titles than Mickelson.
If you’ve been scoping punters for the Minnesota Vikings in the upcoming draft, the best one might fly off the board in Round 2. He’s Brett Thorson, and there’s a wild new theory about his draft stock.
Minnesota could use draft capital on a punter if Thorson keeps climbing boards this spring.
The Vikings almost certainly won’t use a 2nd-Rounder on a punter, but the idea is out in the rumor mill as of this week for Thorson.
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Thorson Could Become an Option for Minnesota — But Not in Round 2
A 2nd-Rounder on a punter is wild.
Georgia punter Brett Thorson drives through the football during a combine drill, showcasing hang time and directional control for scouts evaluating specialist consistency and leg strength Feb 25, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, during the NFL Scouting Combine as teams assessed punting prospects ahead of the 2026 draft cycle. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Report: Teams Could Spend Day 2 Pick on Thorson
Get familiar with the name Brett Thorson because his draft placement could blow your socks off.
NFL insider Jason La Canfora quoted an anonymous personnel executive this week: “I don’t know that you can justify taking a punter above the third round, but if that’s the threshold then he meets it. Maybe he even goes late second round.”
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“He has elite hang time and distance, and a lot of special teams coaches now seem to be getting more into that and not as much solely looking for the directional stuff… And he can do that too.”
Another source told La Canfora: “It’s crazy to talk this way about a punter, but the Georgia kid might be kind of special. If you really need a punter, and you have a coach who wants to be able to flip the field, there’s value to having a great punter.”
La Canfora added personally, “Thorson is a native of Australia with a tough-minded mentality and a willingness to throw his body into traffic to make a tackle.”
“It can, and has, led to injuries, but teams who have met with him love him and his metrics are off the charts and if nothing else there is a strong sense among teams I spoke to that he will be selected somewhere on the second day of the draft (second and third round).”
In the last half-decade, the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have drafted punters in Round 4, picks that drew scorn from the general public because most specialists can be plucked from later rounds or undrafted free agency.
Taking Thorson in Round 2 — or even Round 3 — would take the cake. And yes — even the men drafted in Round 4 recently were advertised as game-changers, just like Thorson.
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Short and simple: drafting punters anywhere in Round 2 or Round 3 is lousy business. It’s an example of a general manager getting carried away or getting too cute.
Thorson’s Scouting Report
The Australian is 6’1″ and 240 pounds. The only knock on him might be a lack of experience in poor weather; they don’t really have that in Australia or at the University of Georgia.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein on Thorson: “Australian punter with adequate drive power and above-average hang time. Thorson gets good leg extension and has the ability to generate consistent lift, allowing the cover team to swarm when punts are returnable. He displayed vast improvement in touch with his coffin-corner kicks in 2025 and checks the boxes to be a Day 3 pick.”
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Georgia punter Brett Thorson (92) launches a high, spiraling kick in early action as field position battles take shape, delivering a clean strike off his foot in a championship setting Dec 3, 2022, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, during the SEC Championship game with special teams playing a critical role. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports.
SI.com‘s Ethan Hurwitz on the Georgia punter: “The winner of the Ray Guy Award (given to the nation’s best punter) in 2025, and a finalist of the award one year prior, the two-time All-American was invited to the NFL Combine this past offseason and wowed teams with his strong leg. The Australia native regularly pins teams inside their own 10-yard line and can change the game with one swing of his right leg.”
“In his college career, Thorson punted the ball 156 times for 7,115 yards. His longest punt went 75 yards and he averaged 45.6 yards per punt. Though he’s still adjusting the NFL-sized fields coming from Australia, he’s continued to get better through the draft process, which included a stop at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.”
Vikings Have Johnny Hekker
Moreover, the Vikings have a new punter; his name is Johnny Hekker. Once upon a time, Hekker was the best punter in football, claiming six All-Pros, four Pro Bowls, and a Super Bowl to his name. But that was then, and this is now.
Hekker represented an average punter by the numbers in 2025, and if he takes off in the Twin Cities, it will require a turn back of the clock.
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Los Angeles Rams punter Johnny Hekker (6) prepares and swings through a punt, sending the ball deep downfield as coverage units sprint into lanes, illustrating veteran technique and field-flipping ability Dec 23, 2018, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, during a matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.
It’s also worth noting that Hekker’s contractual structure puts him in line to be the primary punter next season. Minnesota would have to swallow a bit of dead cap if it drafted Thorson and cut Hekker. Teams don’t typically keep two punters.
Thorson might be an option for the Vikings, but if he’s truly a 2nd-Rounder, you can rule him out.
Minnesota’s punter from the last four years, Ryan Wright, left the Vikings in free agency for a large contract with the New Orleans Saints.
Dmitry Bivol may not get the fights he wants this year – or be forced to go through with them one belt down.
The Russian pound-for-pound star has been out since his rematch with Artur Beterbiev in February 2025, a points win after losing the first fight.
Bivol’s undisputed reign lasted just a couple of months before he dropped the WBC belt rather than fight mandatory challenger David Benavidez – who was upgraded to full champion – in favour of a trilogy with Beterbiev.
He has also named a hit list of opponents that includes the third fight with Beterbiev – whose team are becoming frustrated by the delay – Benavidez and perhaps a rematch with Canelo Alvarez. Bivol has also not ruled out moving up to cruiserweight to become a two-division world champion.
Those plans will please fans, but the sanctioning body rotation is now in motion and, as reported by the Ring Magazine, the WBO are set to order Bivol to face the winner of Callum Smith vs David Morrell, which takes place on April 18 in Liverpool for the interim title.
Should Bivol want to keep hold of the WBO belt, which he holds alongside the WBA and IBF, it could have major repercussions for the division.
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Benavidez intends to drop back down to light-heavyweight after his cruiserweight world title challenge against Gilberto Ramirez in May, but the lack of an undisputed clash with Bivol may make him reconsider, or instead pursue Beterbiev.
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