By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports
Sports
Dane Miller’s Week 15 Best-in-West Hoops Power Rankings
The battle to make the NCAA Tournament is in full swing.
Several teams from the Mountain West, Big Ten, and WCC are directly on the Bubble.
At this point, only four programs from the West can realistically be considered locks.
The rest are one bad loss away from being out of the projected field or out of contention entirely.
Here’s how I view the Top 10 College Basketball Teams in the West with four weeks to go until Selection Sunday.
1. Arizona (23-2, 10-2)
It may sound like a broken record, but the only thing that matters is what happens in March.
Nobody is going to remember a two-game losing streak in February if the Wildcats make the Final Four.
Even so, the current form of this Arizona team generates concern. The Cats can’t make threes, aren’t rebounding as well, and have multiple players in slumps.
2. Gonzaga (25-2, 13-1)
Gonzaga took care of business against Santa Clara.
The road win over the Broncos re-emphasized that the Zags run the WCC. But under the microscope, the Bulldogs are questionable.
The nonconference resume appears strong, and the metrics are there. Yet, GU was blown out by the only elite team they have played.
3. BYU (19-6, 7-5)
The season-ending injury to Richie Saunders changes BYU’s season outlook.
Fortunately, there’s a month remaining before the NCAA Tournament begins. That should give Kevin Young some time to adjust his rotations and allow other players to step up.
The Cougars still have the talent to make a run, even if the ceiling is now more like a Sweet 16 appearance.
4. Utah State (22-3, 12-2)
Margins of victory matter. Perceptions matter. Who cares how Penny Hardaway and the Memphis players feel?
Run it up, that’s what you’re supposed to do. Crushing the Tigers sent a message to the NCAA Selection Committee.
There’s no way this Utah State is anywhere near an 8-seed or 9-seed. If anything, a 5-seed might be about right.
5. Saint Mary’s (23-4, 12-2)
It was a relatively quiet week for Saint Mary’s in the WCC.
The Gaels beat Pepperdine and Pacific, advancing to 12-2 in the Conference and 23-4 overall. Remaining on the right side of the Bubble, the old adage rings true: “No news is good news.”
With two road games this week, Saint Mary’s can’t afford any missteps.
6. UCLA (17-8, 9-5)
Mick Cronin’s team is dangerously close to missing the NCAA Tournament. Joe Lunardi’s latest projection has UCLA as one of the Last Four In.
The 30-point loss to Michigan shows just how far off this Bruins team is. Facing
Michigan State and Illinois this week, it’s possible that UCLA falls out of the projected field.
7. USC (18-7, 7-7)
The Trojans lost by seven to Ohio State on the road. The defeat doesn’t end USC’s at-large hopes, but it increases the pressure.
This Wednesday’s game against Illinois is a massive opportunity. If the Trojans can beat the Illini at the Galen Center, a bid to the Big Dance becomes more likely.
A blowout loss, on the other hand, could knock SC out of the projected field.
8. San Diego State (18-6, 12-2)
Directly on the Bubble, San Diego State stayed in contention with a double-digit win over Nevada.
But, frankly, the victory has already been forgotten and the focus has shifted to GCU on Tuesday. A loss at home to the Lopes would damage SDSU’s at-large chances.
A convincing win, however, might be enough to boost the Aztecs into the projected field.
9. New Mexico (19-6, 10-4)
Beating GCU on their home floor was noteworthy. The victory keeps New Mexico in contention for an at-large bid.
But there’s still plenty of work left to do. The MWC is not getting any respect this year and deservedly so.
To make the NCAA Tournament, the Lobos might need to either win the conference tournament or make it to the championship game.
10. Santa Clara (22-6, 13-2)
The home loss to Gonzaga was a missed opportunity.
The WCC rarely gets more than one at-large bid, and the Selection Committee is looking for reasons to pack the field with major conference teams.
Even so, Santa Clara is No. 39 in KenPom and No. 42 in the NET. That puts the Broncos right in the mix of at-large contention, although probably on the wrong side of the Bubble.
Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.
Latest posts by Dane Miller (see all)
-
Dane Miller’s Week 15 Best-in-West Hoops Power Rankings
> How the region’s best teams stack up across the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC, MW, Pac-12, and WCC
– February 16, 2026 -
Dane Miller’s Week 14 Best-in-West Hoops Power Rankings
> How the region’s best teams stack up across the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC, MW, Pac-12, and WCC
– February 9, 2026 -
Dane Miller’s Week 13 Best-in-West Hoops Power Rankings
> How the region’s best teams stack up across the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC, MW, Pac-12, and WCC
– February 1, 2026
Continue Reading
West Ham United host Leeds United today, aiming to reach their first FA Cup semi-final in two decades.
The Hammers have moved into the quarter-finals after a dramatic penalty win over Brentford. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo oversaw a strong home run, with the side unbeaten in six at the London Stadium. West Ham have been eliminated from eight of their last ten FA Cup quarter-final ties. They now seek to end that trend tonight.
Advertisement
West Ham team news
Nuno Espírito Santo manages a squad hopeful of a key attacking return. Crysencio Summerville faces a late fitness test after suffering a calf injury in March. Consequently, his availability remains uncertain until shortly before kick-off.
Crucially, Jarrod Bowen enters the match in excellent form against the visitors. He has scored in all three of his previous appearances against Leeds at this venue.
Alphonse Areola will start in goal behind a defence featuring Konstantinos Mavropanos and Axel Disasi. In midfield, Tomáš Souček returns following World Cup qualification success with the Czech Republic.
Advertisement
Mateus Fernandes is also expected to start after making his senior Portugal debut. Notably, West Ham have won their last two FA Cup meetings with Leeds. They will rely on their home dominance to secure a Wembley return today.
West Ham predicted lineup
West Ham United Predicted XI (4-3-3): Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf; Soucek, Magassa, Fernandes; Bowen, Wilson, Traore
When will the match kick off?
The FA Cup quarter-final tie officially begins this Sunday, 5 April, at 16:30 BST.
How to watch West Ham vs Leeds?
UK viewers can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1 and stream via HBO Max.
Advertisement
Read more- Szoboszlai makes alarming Liverpool admission following Man City drubbing
See Also- Slot concerned by ‘reoccurring themes’ as Liverpool exit FA Cup
Follow the Football Faithful on Social Media:
This year’s draft features likely top pick Fernando Mendoza, star running back Jeremiyah Love, combine standouts and sure first-rounders Sonny Styles and Kenyon Sadiq, as well as countless other intriguing players. Perhaps the most fascinating one is someone who has yet to take his first steps on the gridiron.
Nigerian defensive tackle prospect Uar Bernard has become a sweet story in this year’s pre-draft process thanks to his otherworldly athleticism and an article of The Athletic written by Bruce Feldman.
Feldman introduced the draft hopeful: “Jordan Luallen trained some of the most freakish athletes at the 2026 NFL combine: A 245-pound edge rusher who vertical-jumped 41 inches, a jumbo wide receiver who ran a 4.3 40, and a 293-pound defensive tackle who ran 4.8. But Luallen told The Athletic he’s never seen an athlete like the one he’s been training for the past 10 weeks for this year’s NFL draft. Uar Bernard (pronounced “ooh-are”) measured in earlier this week at the NFL’s HBCU showcase at 6-4 1/2, 306 pounds with 11-inch hands and almost 36-inch arms.”
According to analyst Ryan Fowler, the Vikings are one of five teams to have shown interest in hosting Bernard for a visit.
Bernard is a project that will likely take years to provide a return on investment, if he ever can. Yet, teams often spend their later draft picks on players with potential rather than selecting pro-ready athletes and Bernard fits that mold, though perhaps a little more extreme than usual.
Feldman added, “Other people who have spent their lifetimes in football say Bernard looks like a Marvel creation. Bernard’s body fat: 6 percent. He vertical-jumped 39 inches and broad-jumped 10-10, which was 14 inches more than any other defensive tackle did at this year’s combine. His 40-yard dash: 4.63.”
That’s indeed a marvel-like arsenal of physical tools.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he’s the most athletic defensive tackle prospect in over two decades of data. They posted on social media, “We ran Nigerian IPP prospect Uar Bernard’s numbers through the NGS athleticism models (predictive & raw) trained against DTs since 2003. Here’s how he scored relative to the 2026 draft class:
Athleticism Score: 96 (1st)
Raw ATH Score: 10.0 (1st)”
A terrible three-cone time hurt his still-excellent relative athletic score, but it’s worth wondering whether he’s really unable to change direction or if he botched the test. Given his movement skills, the latter theory might be more than just a conspiracy theory.
The NFL has been trying to grow the game internationally and the number of foreign players in the NFL is slowly rising. Few have turned out to become star players or even starters. The most prominent one is Eagles All-Pro tackle Jordan Mailata, an Australian with zero football experience prior to the 2018 draft.
Feldman noted, “Bernard began the training program Jan. 18 in Florida with Luallen. He came in at 295 pounds with 11 percent body fat. He vertical-jumped 32 inches and broad-jumped 9-4. To see the improvement in the 10 weeks of training is unlike anything Luallen has experienced. ‘He was very naturally gifted when he walked in, but he made substantial improvement on everything. He’s super freakin’ flexible, and he is way more fluid now.’”
Bernard grew up in a small village in Nigeria and wanted to pursue a career in real estate. Most people from there are farmers, he said, according to Feldman.
His football journey started when he was playing basketball and a coach suggested he should pick up football. A few football camps later, he was chosen by the International Pathway Program.
That program is working with former players and coaches to teach the prospects the sport. YouTube has been another way for him to study defensive line play, especially Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald, who have caught his attention.
Without any college experience, there’s a good chance Bernard lacks the fundamentals to thrive in the NFL, needing a lot of work. However, players with such athletic feats will always draw attention as long-term projects.
Vikings defensive line coach Marcus Dixon left this offseason for the Dallas Cowboys. Ryan Nielsen was hired in that role. Nielsen has been a defensive line coach for two decades and a guy with his experience appears to be primed for that assignment.
Based on potential alone, he’ll likely hear his name called late in the draft as a flier and the Vikings could be the ones pulling that trigger.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will lock horns with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 10th game of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium will host the afternoon game on Sunday, April 5. The Ishan Kishan-led side will look to continue their good form after beating the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 65 runs in their previous game. The batting unit, including openers Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Heinrich Klaasen, will look to deliver again against the Super Giants.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant’s LSG will be keen to fight back after losing to the Delhi Capitals (DC) by six wickets in their opening game this season. The batting unit looked dismal as they were bundled out for 141 in 18.4 overs.
Here are three players who are likely to emerge as the leading run-scorers in the SRH vs LSG IPL 2026 match:
Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma enjoys a promising record against LSG in IPL. The southpaw slammed 59 runs off 20 balls against them last year. He previously smashed an unbeaten 75 off 28 deliveries against the same franchise in 2024. The 26-year-old also boasts a promising record in Hyderabad, amassing 521 runs in 19 innings with the help of one century and three fifties. When Abhishek gets going, he is tough to stop. The Punjab-born player slammed 141 off 55 balls against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the same venue last year. In the IPL, he has 1871 runs in 79 matches at a strike rate of 163.69, comprising one ton and nine fifties. Overall, in T20s, the left-hander has 5,296 runs in 183 games, comprising eight centuries and 32 fifties.
Travis Head
Like Abhishek Sharma, his SRH opening batter, Travis Head, also enjoys a good record against LSG in the IPL. The Aussie opener has slammed 89* (30) and 47 (28) in his two innings against the Lucknow-based franchise. Interestingly, both his knocks came at the same venue in Hyderabad. The 32-year-old has amassed 459 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 181.42, including five fifties at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. In the IPL, Head has 1203 runs in 40 matches at a brilliant strike rate of 170.88, including one century and eight 50s. Overall in T20s, he has scored 4609 runs in 176 games, comprising two tons and 27 half-centuries.
Nicholas Pooran
LSG’s Nicholas Pooran has a stunning record against LSG in the IPL. The wicketkeeper-batter has amassed 356 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 202.27, including two half-centuries. In his last four innings against the Super Giants, he has returned with scores of 45 (26), 70 (26), 48* (26), and 44* (13), respectively. In Hyderabad, Pooran has 183 runs in four innings at a stunning strike rate of 244, including the aforementioned 70.
Pooran has amassed over 10,000 runs in T20s. The left-hander has 10,379 runs in 444 matches at a strike rate of 147.89, including four tons and 63 fifties. In the IPL, he has scored 2301 runs in 88 innings at an even higher strike rate of 168.57, hitting 14 fifties.
Get real-time updates on IPL 2025, live scores, IPL Prediction, match schedule, points table,Result & squad –CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS
Edited by James Kuanal
Sports
Anthony Joshua at Chisora vs Wilder: AJ’s first public appearance in UK since surviving car crash
Anthony Joshua has made his first public appearance since the death of close friends Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, arriving at the O2 Arena to support Derek Chisora.
Former two-time world heavyweight champion Joshua was involved in a fatal car crash in Nigeria on 29 December, which killed Ghami and Ayodele.
Joshua has kept a low profile in recent months after he attended the funeral of his close friends, and Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has reiterated “AJ” needs time to heal.
But the duo were together on Saturday for Chisora’s 50th and final fight of his career, as he took on Deontay Wilder in London.
Dressed in a white tracksuit, Joshua emerged with Hearn from a black people-carrier and cut a calm figure as he walked into the arena past a number of camera crews.
There was no friendly welcome from old rival Wilder, who was repeatedly linked with a world-title bout with Joshua during the peak of their powers, as the American went straight past the London heavyweight without any acknowledgement in a tight corridor inside the O2.
Joshua last fought before Christmas when he stopped YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami, but speculation continues over a potential bout with Tyson Fury.
During a short ringside interview with DAZN, Joshua backed fellow Finchley boxer Chisora to win, but “Delboy” lost a razor-close decision after 12 rounds.
“It amazing to be here. Boxing, especially British boxing, is booming,” Joshua said.
Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing
Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing
Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
“I’m obviously bias, I’m rocking with Derek regardless, so I’m Team Chisora.”
Renato Moicano and Chris Duncan have trained together frequently over the years on the mats at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla., however on Saturday night in Las Vegas they served as main event opponents.
The lightweights headlined a 13-bout card at the Meta Apex with Moicano dominating his younger teammate and earning a second-round submission victory.
“He (expletive) me up many times in the gym when I first started going there, so I learned a lot from him,” Duncan said of Moicano three days prior to their fight. “He was kind enough to share some (wisdom and techniques). He’s a good guy and we’re just going to fight on Saturday night.”
Moicano, 36, acknowledged this week he felt the atmosphere in gym while preparing for Duncan “was not great because to be seeing your opponent (constantly while training) was not good.”
If knowing Duncan affected Moicano at all, he hid it well in the cage because he had his best performance in a couple years.
-
Get the skills to pay the bills
Skilled Trades College is where hands-on training meets real-world opportunity, helping students build in-demand skills and take the next step toward lasting careers in the trades.
Brazil’s Moicano started off strong by checking Duncan with low kicks and finding a home for his jab in the opening round then he rocked Duncan in Round 2 with a check left hook before taking back control and working for a rear-naked choke.
Scotland’s Duncan, 32, was looking for his fifth consecutive win and defended Moicano’s first choke attempt but the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt was relentless and capitalized on a Duncan mistake and locked up a fight-ending face crank.
The win snapped a two-fight skid for Moicano. He had lost consecutive fights to Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev, the latter of which was a title fight Moicano accepted on just one day’s notice in January 2025.
Moicano was supposed to begin his 2026 campaign with a rematch against Brain Ortega but an injury to Ortega freed up Moicano to accept this main event spot against Duncan.
There was plenty of mutual respect in the buildup Saturday’s featured bout.
Moicano, who should maintain his spot as the No. 10 contender in the 155-pound contender rankings, described Duncan as “very dangerous, a very good striker and has a good guillotine. … I don’t take anything from him. He’s younger than me and he’s hungry.”
This was Moicano’s seventh submission victory of his UFC career and his first such win since 2022.
Virna Jandiroba returned to the win column with a unanimous decision over Tabatha Ricci in the co-main event. Jandiroba, 37, fell short in her vacant title fight with Mackenzie Dern this past October but should maintain her No. 3 spot in the UFC’s strawweight contender rankings. Ricci had been riding high off the first KO/TKO win of her UFC career. She entered the weekend ranked No. 7 at 115 pounds.
Also on the card, hyped featherweight prospect Tommy McMillen stayed undefeated with a chaotic opening-round technical knockout win over Manolo Zecchini. McMillen is now 10-0 as a pro and a teammate of former men’s bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley. The 28-year-old earned a UFC contract in September through Dana White’s Contender Series.
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev showed why he was the biggest betting favourite on the card by making quick work of Brendson Ribeiro in the 205-pound division. Yakhyaev tapped out Ribeiro with a rear-naked choke midway through the opening round to improve to 9-0 in mixed martial arts as Ribeiro’s UFC record dropped to 2-5 with his past three fights each ending in a first-round stoppage loss.
Ethyn Ewing became the first fighter to defeat Rafael Estevam, using a crisp liver shot to earn a third-round stoppage in bantamweight action. Ewing is making a habit of expelling foes from the ranks of the unbeaten after handing touted bantamweight prospect Malcolm Wellmaker his first loss in November on just two days’ notice. The 28-year-old who trains out of CSW Training Center in Fullerton, Calif., has won 10 consecutive fights since beginning his career 0-2.
It wasn’t the only finish on the card due to a body punch.
Alessandro Costa put fellow flyweight Stewart Nicoll away with a perfect left hand to the body that left Nicoll crumpled on the canvas. Costa, 30, is a member of the Legacy MMA/Brazilian Warriors team that trains out of Puebla, Mexico and had several high-profile teammates in attendance supporting him. He had two-time UFC featherweight title challenger Diego Lopes in his corner and teammate Alexa Grasso, the former women’s flyweight champion, cheering him on in the stands.
Alice Pereira earned her first UFC win with a second-round knockout of Hailey Cowan on the preliminary card. The 20-year-old Brazilian timed a step-in knee that put Cowan to sleep in their 125-pound bout.
Tresean Gore submitted Azamat Bekoev in the third round of their middleweight matchup. Gore used a guillotine choke to put Bekoev to sleep — each of his three most recent wins in the UFC have all been via guillotine.
Bekoev debuted in the UFC in 2025 as a Legacy Fighting Alliance champions and got off to a 2-0 start with first-round knockouts of Zach Reese and Ryan Loder, however he has now lost two in a row after also getting stopped in the third round by Yousri Belgaroui six months ago.
Kai Kamaka III and Dakota Hope had a spirited tilt to kick off the preliminary card. Kamaka, who was returning to the UFC for the first time in five years, got the split decision win over the debuting Hope.
Apr 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda (8) hits a two run double against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Diaz drove in two runs apiece, and the Tampa Bay Rays cruised to a 7-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night in Minneapolis.
Ben Williamson and Hunter Feduccia added one RBI apiece for the Rays, who evened the three-game series at one win apiece with the rubber match set for Sunday. Cedric Mullins and Chandler Simpson finished with two hits apiece.
Brooks Lee drove in the lone run for Minnesota. The Twins managed only three hits, none of which went for extra bases.
Rays left-hander Steven Matz (2-0) allowed one run on two hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out eight.
Twins right-hander Mick Abel (0-2) surrendered four runs on six hits in four innings. He walked three and struck out three before giving way to the bullpen.
The Rays jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second as Abel struggled early with his command. He hit Richie Palacios with a pitch to load the bases, and then he plunked Diaz to bring in the first run. Aranda ripped a two-run double in the next at-bat to make it 3-0.
Matt Wallner led off the bottom of the second with a single and scored later in the inning on an error after Lee’s single to center. That cut the Twins’ deficit to 3-1.
The Rays added a run in the third to go ahead 4-1. Mullins led off the inning with a bunt single before stealing second, advancing to third on a single by Simpson and scoring on a double-play groundout by Williamson. In the fifth, Tampa Bay scored two more runs to increase its lead to 6-1. Williamson ripped an RBI single to score Mullins, and Feduccia hit an RBI single to right to score Williamson.
Diaz added an RBI triple in the eighth to increase the Rays’ lead to 7-1. It was his first triple of the season and the eighth of his 10-year career.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rohit Sharma’s Bluff Forces Kuldeep Yadav, Delhi Capitals To Make DRS Blunder During IPL 2026 Game
Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma played some mind games with Delhi Capitals during an Indian Premier League 2026 match between the sides at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, on Saturday. The incident took place on the fifth ball of the ninth over of the MI innings. DC spinner Kuldeep Yadav bowled a delivery down the leg side, and Rohit tried to play a sweep shot. The MI batter missed the ball, and wicketkeeper KL Rahul collected it behind the stumps. While Kuldeep and Rahul felt Rohit had nicked the ball, the umpire thought otherwise.
What made things interesting was Rohit’s reaction. The MI batter started walking off, hinting that he had nicked the ball. This might have prompted Kuldeep and Rahul to go for a DRS, and it turned out to be a wrong move. As the decision went upstairs, UltraEdge confirmed that Rohit didn’t get any bat on it, and the ball had in fact come off his pad.
> Kuldeep was bowling.
> Ball hit Rohit’s pad, KL took the catch.
> Rohit pretended to be OUT.
> Axar took the DRS after looking at Rohit.
> DRS successfully wasted.That was the Peak SHAANA moment. pic.twitter.com/IfUWsmbiLg
— (@ImHydro45) April 4, 2026
After the match Rohit opened up on his tactical bluff, saying: “I know Kuldeep pretty well, likes to take the DRS. So, yeah, I was just trying a little bit of luck there. But again, I got out pretty much in the next over. I couldn’t carry on. I wanted to take the game as deep as possible, but couldn’t do so. But yeah, a little bit of fun there with the guys out there. I was just trying to be, I was just trying to walk there. So, I know Kuldeep, he likes to take the DRS as soon as there is a 50-50 chances. So I was just trying my luck there. It turned out in our favour, but like I said, I got out in the next over. Wanted to bat deep, but couldn’t do so.”
Mind games, ft. Rohit Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav
Hear Rohit’s take on the eventful DRS call involving the duo #TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #DCvMI | @ImRo45 | @imkuldeep18 | @DelhiCapitals | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/vUw7eAZhwX
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 4, 2026
Mumbai Indians lost the game to Delhi Capitals by six wickets. Batting first, MI posted a below-par total of 162/6 and had a good start with the ball, but Sameer Rizvi’s sensational knock guided DC home in 18.1 overs. Rizvi scored 90 off 51 balls with the help of seven fours and as many sixes.
Featured Video Of The Day
IPL Highlights | RCB Register Win Over SRH In Season Opener With A Kohli Special
Topics mentioned in this article
Chelsea reached the FA Cup semi-finals in style with a convincing 7-0 win over Port Vale, easing the pressure on manager Liam Rosenior.
Chelsea were in control from the start against the League One side, with six different players scoring and an own goal from Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel adding to the tally.
The hosts were already 3-0 up at half-time. Jorrel Hato opened the scoring early on, before Joao Pedro added a second. Lawrence-Gabriel then turned the ball into his own net just before the break.
Chelsea continued their dominance in the second half. Tosin Adarabioyo made it four with a powerful header, while Andrey Santos, Willian Estevao, and Alejandro Garnacho all got on the scoresheet to complete the rout.
It had been a difficult period for Rosenior, with his team losing four matches in a row before this game. Midfielder Enzo Fernandez was also absent after being suspended by the club following comments about wanting to live in Madrid.
Chelsea made a perfect start, scoring after just over a minute when Hato finished from a corner. Pedro doubled the lead midway through the first half after good work on the wing, and the third goal came late in the half after a save led to the ball going in off Lawrence-Gabriel.
There was no let-up after the break, as Chelsea kept attacking and added more goals to seal an easy victory and a place in the semi-finals.
Two bidders are in contention to acquire the combined commercial rights of the Indian Super League (ISL) and Federation Cup with one of them offering more than Rs 2100 crore for a 20-year period after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) opened the bids on Friday.
FanCode and Genius Sports submitted bids for the commercial rights relating to the ISL and the Federation Cup (or the Super Cup), while Capri Sports placed bids for the commercial rights of the Indian Women’s League first division and the Indian Women’s League 2.
It is learnt that Genius Sports, the official data feed provider for the English Premier League, the Championship, and the Scottish league, made a bid of Rs 2129 crore over 20 years.
FanCode’s bid amount was approximately Rs 1190 crore, nearly half that of the London-headquartered Genius Sports.
Capri Sports is the lone bidder for the commercial rights of the Indian Women’s League first division and the Indian Women’s League 2. They have made a bid of Rs 150 crore over 20 years, it is learnt.
“The AIFF opened the bids for the Request for Proposal (RFP) for Commercial Rights Relating to Competitions and Properties Owned by AIFF. Rights for the Indian Super League (ISL), Federation Cup (formerly Super Cup), the Indian Women’s League (IWL), and the IWL 2 were bid on,” the AIFF said in a statement.
“Bids were received from three organisations. FanCode and Genius Sports submitted bids for the commercial rights relating to the Indian Super League and the Federation Cup (or the Super Cup). Meanwhile, Capri Sports placed bids for the commercial rights of the Indian Women’s League and the Indian Women’s League 2.
“The bids have been submitted for a 15-year term with a provision for an additional five-year extension, with the bidder having the right of first refusal. The proposal also includes a five per cent increase in value every year over the duration of the agreement.”
The bid evaluation report will be placed before the AIFF Executive Committee, which will meet on Sunday. A decision is expected on the same day.
AIFF Deputy General Secretary M. Satyanarayan rubbished reports of Genius Sports being connected with betting and bookmaking.
“Genius Sport is not a betting company. They are a data and statistics provider. They work with FIFA, AFC and over 100 clubs,” Satyanarayan told PTI.
On March 2, the AIFF invited bids for the commercial rights of both men’s and women’s club competitions for a period of 15 years minimum starting with the 2026-2027 season.
The AIFF has offered two packages for bidding pertaining to men’s and women’s club competitions.
Package A consists of Indian Super League (or seniormost men’s league) and Federation Cup (or seniormost cup competition). Package B comprises Indian Women’s League (IWL) and IWL 2, and at the bidder’s option, Women’s Federation Cup — which is likely to be introduced later on.
The bids for the commercial rights of the recently rechristened Indian Football League (earlier I-League) were not included in the latest Request for Proposal (RFP).
However, unlike in the past, the RFP was not made publicly available. Instead, interested parties will have to purchase the document for Rs 2.5 lakh from the AIFF.
The latest tender process came against the backdrop of prolonged uncertainty surrounding the start of the ongoing ISL season which began on February 14 in a truncated format.
The start of 2025-2026 ISL was delayed by around five months after crisis hit the country’s football after the national federation and its previous commercial partner FSDL failed to renew the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) beyond December 8 last year.
A tender was floated by the AIFF for the selection of a new commercial partner under the supervision of a Supreme Court-appointed committee, but it found no takers.
But, after the intervention of the sports minister and following some tough negotiations, all the 14 clubs confirmed participation in the truncated ISL with 91 matches set to be played on home and away basis.
The ISL clubs would share 60 per cent of the financial cost (around Rs 1 crore per club) for the 2025-26 season of the league, while the AIFF’s contribution would be around Rs 9 crore. The total cost for the 2025-25 season has been pegged at around Rs 24 crore.
On January 18, the AIFF issued the Request for Proposal (RFP) document for broadcast rights relating to the truncated ISL.
The AIFF, on February 2, awarded the exclusive global broadcast rights of the truncated ISL 2025-26 to FanCode for Rs 8.62 crore.
Kaleidoscope Production and Services (KPS Studios) was awarded the production rights of the league — global as well as domestic.
Chennai Super Kings’ Matt Henry and teammates (ANI Photo)
Chennai Super Kings head into a crucial clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday, looking to bounce back after a disappointing five-wicket loss to Punjab Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Despite posting 209 on the board, powered by a fluent 73 off 43 balls from Ayush Mhatre, CSK failed to defend the total as Punjab chased it down with eight balls remaining. Shreyas Iyer led the charge with a composed fifty, while early fireworks from Priyanshu Arya (39 off 11) set the tone for the chase. Following the defeat, Ravichandran Ashwin called for patience from fans, urging them not to target the younger players. “My request to CSK fans is, please do not slam any player. Support each and every one of them,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “Being a fan of a team isn’t just about winning. The five titles CSK have won is a legacy, but the youngsters shouldn’t be burdened with the weight of it,” he explained. “The burden shouldn’t fall on Ayush Mhatre or Urvil Patel. They have to go out and play with joy. They willl learn and couple of years down the line, the side will become invincible again,” he revealed. CSK’s innings had begun with Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad opening, but Samson’s struggles continued as he fell cheaply once again. Mhatre then steadied things alongside Gaikwad, racing to a 29-ball fifty and taking CSK past 100 inside 10 overs before Yuzvendra Chahal removed the skipper for 28. Mhatre carried on before being dismissed by Vijaykumar Vyshak, who also climbed to the top of the Purple Cap standings. However, the bigger concern for CSK remains their bowling unit. Across two matches, they have leaked 338 runs in just 30.5 overs while taking only seven wickets. Even their spinners, Noor Ahmad and Rahul Chahar, were expensive against Punjab, conceding 84 runs in eight overs without the challenge of dew. The pace attack of Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj has also struggled to make an impact. Things do not get easier for CSK as they now face a confident RCB side that looks far more balanced than in previous seasons. Led by Virat Kohli at the top, RCB’s batting unit appears settled, with Devdutt Padikkal rediscovering form through a blistering 26-ball 61 in their previous outing and skipper Rajat Patidar anchoring the middle order effectively. RCB’s bowling, once considered their weak link, has shown significant improvement. In the absence of Josh Hazlewood, Jacob Duffy impressed with a three-wicket haul, using sharp short-pitched deliveries to trouble opposition batters. The team may also consider bringing in left-arm pacer Mangesh Yadav in place of Abhinandan Singh. Meanwhile, Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma have provided control in the middle overs. For CSK, much will depend on Samson rediscovering form quickly. With scores of 6 and 7 so far, the T20 World Cup winner has not provided the strong starts expected of him. A clash against RCB could be the perfect stage for a turnaround, but unless their bowling unit improves significantly, CSK face an uphill battle against an in-form Bengaluru side.
News Videos3 minutes ago
48K Salary, 7L Loan – What is the PLAN?! | Money Matters Ep. 106 | Ankur Warikoo Hindi
NewsBeat3 minutes ago
How to track Storm Dave as heavy snow and wind to hit UK
Sports8 minutes ago
West Ham Utd vs Leeds Utd – Predicted lineup and team news
Crypto World2 months ago
Smart energy pays enters the US market, targeting scalable financial infrastructure
Politics2 months ago
Why Israel is blocking foreign journalists from entering
News Videos2 months ago
Bitcoin: We’re Entering The Most Dangerous Phase
News Videos3 minutes ago
48K Salary, 7L Loan – What is the PLAN?! | Money Matters Ep. 106 | Ankur Warikoo Hindi
News Videos10 minutes ago
DAVID SCHWARTZ: XRP Bombshell! +70% Market Domination Confirmed!!!
News Videos38 minutes ago
War, Gold and Dollar: How To Protect Your Money Now and What to Avoid Next | Kishore Narne | FWS 106
-
NewsBeat2 days agoSteven Gerrard disagrees with Gary Neville over ‘shock’ Chelsea and Arsenal claim | Football
-
Business2 days agoNo Jackpot Winner and $194 Million Prize Rolls Over
-
Fashion1 day agoWeekend Open Thread: Spanx – Corporette.com
-
Entertainment6 days ago
Fans slam 'heartbreaking' Barbie Dream Fest convention debacle with 'cardboard cutout' experience
-
Crypto World3 days agoGold Price Prediction: Worst Month in 17 Years fo Save Haven Rock
-
Tech6 days agoThe Pixel 10a doesn’t have a camera bump, and it’s great
-
Crypto World5 days ago
Dems press CFTC, ethics board on prediction-market insider trades
-
Tech6 days agoAvatar Legends: The Fighting Game comes out in July and it looks pretty slick
-
Business3 days agoLogin and Checkout Issues Spark Merchant Frustration
-
Sports8 hours agoIndia men’s 4x400m and mixed 4x100m relay teams register big progress | Other Sports News
-
Tech6 days agoApple will hide your email address from apps and websites, but not cops
-
Tech5 days agoEE TV is using AI to help you find something to watch
-
Sports5 days agoTallest college basketball player ever, standing at 7-foot-9, entering transfer portal
-
Politics5 days agoShould Trump Be Scared Strait?
-
Tech5 days agoFlipsnack and the shift toward motion-first business content with living visuals
-
Tech7 days agoElon Musk’s last co-founder reportedly leaves xAI
-
Fashion6 days agoThe Best Spring Trends of 2026
-
Tech5 days agoHow to back up your iPhone & iPad to your Mac before something goes wrong
-
Crypto World6 days agoBitcoin’s Six-Month Losing Streak: What On-Chain Data Says About the Market’s Next Move
-
Tech5 days ago
Daily Deal: StackSkills Premium Annual Pass
You must be logged in to post a comment Login