Rishabh Pant’s two-year stint as Lucknow Super Giants captain has come under an abrupt cloud after the wicketkeeper-batter stepped down from the leadership role following another disastrous IPL season for the franchise. Bought for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore ahead of IPL 2025, Pant arrived in Lucknow as the face of a new era. However, the move has so far turned into one of the most underwhelming chapters in recent IPL history.

LSG confirmed on Friday that Pant had requested to be relieved of captaincy duties, and the franchise accepted the decision with immediate effect. The announcement came after Lucknow finished at the bottom of the IPL 2026 points table, extending their playoff drought to two consecutive seasons under Pant’s leadership.

When LSG broke the bank for Pant at the IPL mega auction, the expectations were enormous. The franchise made him the most expensive player in IPL auction history and immediately handed him the captaincy role, hoping he would lead the team into a new era. However, neither the results nor Pant’s own performances matched the hype surrounding the signing.

In IPL 2025, LSG finished seventh on the points table and failed to qualify for the playoffs. Pant endured a poor season with the bat, scoring just 269 runs at an average of 24.45 and a strike rate of 133.17. His unbeaten 118 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Lucknow’s final league game saved his numbers from looking even worse and remained the only standout moment in an otherwise forgettable campaign.

Things did not improve much in IPL 2026 either. Lucknow managed to win only four matches all season and finished last in the standings. Pant’s struggles with form continued despite constant changes in his batting role. Over the course of the season, he batted as an opener, at No. 3 and even at No. 4, highlighting the uncertainty around both his position and confidence.

Pant eventually finished IPL 2026 with 312 runs in 14 matches. While those numbers were slightly better than the previous season, they still fell far short of expectations for a player carrying a Rs 27 crore price tag. He averaged 33.61 with a strike rate of 146.79 and managed only one fifty-plus score throughout the campaign.

Beyond the IPL, Pant’s position in India’s white-ball setup has also weakened significantly over the last year. KL Rahul has firmly cemented his spot in India’s ODI side, while Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson have surged ahead in the T20 pecking order. Samson, in particular, strengthened his claim after a sensational T20 World Cup campaign where he scored 321 runs and won the Player of the Tournament award. Kishan, meanwhile, has returned to India’s ODI squad, further pushing Pant down the queue.

The selectors have also removed Pant from the role of India’s Test vice-captain, with KL Rahul now taking over the responsibility. The decision was widely seen as another indication that Pant’s standing within the national setup is no longer as secure as it once appeared.

With Pant now stepping away from captaincy at LSG, the franchise is expected to begin a fresh rebuild. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh have emerged as the leading contenders to replace him as skipper heading into the next IPL season.

MANILA, Philippines — The FIVB has suspended the Philippine National Volleyball Federation with immediate effect, citing “serious governance concerns and multiple purported violations.”

The FIVB Board of Administration on Friday night made the shocking announcement, saying it was obliged to suspend the PNVF in accordance with Article 13.1.1 of the FIVB Disciplinary Regulations.

READ: Alas Pilipinas withdrawals, De Brito case rock PNVF

“Despite continued diplomatic efforts by the FIVB to find a sustainable path forward for Philippine volleyball, the suspension was deemed necessary to safeguard the sport, ensure athletes are prioritised, and uphold the long-term development commitments made for volleyball in the Philippines,” the word governing body wrote.

The FIVB said it wanted to safeguard the seven-year empowerment and development agreement with the PNVF, the Philippine Sports Commission, and the Asian Volleyball Confederation.

PNVF president Tony Boy Liao. –PVL PHOTO

During the suspension, a committee will be tasked to oversee PNVF affairs. A path for the local federation’s reinstatement has also been established, according to the FIVB.

The ad hoc committee will be composed of Hila Asanuma, Chair and FIVB Executive Committee member; Mathieu Mériaux, FIVB Asia Regional Officer and Empowerment Manager; Stephen Bock, FIVB Head of Legal and General Counsel; Hitesh Malhotra, FIVB Head of Empowerment and National Federation Relations; and Alexa Dabao, FIVB Legal Contractor in the Philippines.

READ: PNVF now open to talks over player welfare, unpaid dues

FIVB vows to continue supporting Philippine volleyball with several events scheduled for the next few months. Alas Pilipinas women will be competing in the AVC Women’s Cup in Candon City from June 6 to 14, followed by the hosting of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) women’s division at Philsports Arena.

“Its immediate priorities will be to support the participation of Philippine national team athletes in upcoming international competitions, alongside guaranteeing the successful delivery of the upcoming Women’s VNL stop in the Philippines, in close coordination with local organisers and relevant stakeholders,” said the FIVB.

“The FIVB remains fully committed to protecting the integrity of Philippine volleyball at all levels and supporting its sustainable long-term growth.”

The PNVF has yet to issue a statement following its suspension.

The AVC Board of Administration also reaffirmed its full confidence in AVC President Ramon Suzara and its “commitment to institutional stability and good governance.”

“Following its review of the communication submitted by the PNVF, the Board stated that there is no statutory basis for unilateral action against the office of the AVC President by a single National Federation,” the AVC wrote.

Former PNVF president Tats Suzara remained as the AVC president and FIVB Executive Vice President after losing the local elections to Tonyboy Liao last December.

The Philippine Sports Commission also reportedly suspended its funding support and engagements involving the PNVF and PNVF-adjacent activities due to a breach of “contractual obligations” related to the recent Beach Pro Tour Nuvali and “continuing operational misalignment with the LOC and PSC in the handling and execution of events.”

The FIFA World Cup is coming to North Texas, and Dallas Express Sports Network is giving fans a first look at what Dallas-Fort Worth can expect when the world arrives.

Dallas Stadium in Arlington will host nine FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, including a semifinal, according to FIFA. The local schedule includes group-stage matches featuring the Netherlands, Japan, England, Croatia, Argentina, Austria, Jordan, and Sweden, according to Visit Dallas.

Advertisement

But the latest Dallas Express Sports Network special is not just about the schedule.

The episode brings together a lively mix of soccer insiders, local sports personalities, and international voices to preview the fan culture, food, photography, and passion that will come with the tournament.

The special features Michael Peticolas of Peticolas Brewing Company, Adam Hurrey of The Athletic, longtime DFW sports personality Mark Elfenbein, Brazilian sports photographer Marcelo Guelber Góes, and Greg Wilson, the superfan known as Wrecking Ball.

Together, the guests break down what makes World Cup culture different from a typical American sporting event. The conversation moves from England fans and Brazilian soccer history to Texas barbecue, Tex-Mex, Billy Bob’s Texas, local watch parties, and why Dallas-Fort Worth could feel transformed once international fans begin arriving.

Advertisement

Góes also shares the stories behind some of his soccer photography, including images of some of the sport’s biggest names, while Wrecking Ball explains why sports are about more than the final score.

The episode is part soccer preview, part Dallas travel guide, and part fan-culture conversation.

Watch the full Dallas Express Sports Network World Cup special below.

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Jos Buttler(w), Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj

Florida State baseball begins its run in the Tallahassee Regional with an afternoon contest against St. John’s on Friday, May 29, from Dick Howser Stadium.

The Seminoles earned a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Baseball Tournament, affording the program a chance ot host a regional for the third straight season, one of three programs in the country to do so, joining Georgia and North Carolina.

Advertisement

It’s the third regional for the Seminoles under head coach Link Jarrett, all at home. FSU made it to the College World Series in 2024 and advanced to the super regional rounds in 2025. The Seminoles will look to return to Omaha for the second time under Jarrett, and that journey starts with the Tallahassee Regional.

FSU hosts St. John’s, alongside both Coastal Carolina and Northern Illinois. The Seminoles will turn to Bryson Moore on the mound for the regional opener and face the Red Storm’s ace, Liam O’Leary.

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Howser. Follow live updates from the game with the Tallahassee Democrat’s live blog!

1 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

2 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

3 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

4 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

5 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

6 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

7 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

8 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

9 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

10 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

11 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

12 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

13 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

14 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

15 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

16 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

17 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

18 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

19 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

20 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

21 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

22 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

23 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

24 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

25 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

26 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

27 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

28 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

29 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

30 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

31 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

32 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

33 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

34 / 34

See the best photos from FSU baseball vs. Miami series opener

FSU baseball vs. St. John’s live scores

New York Giants coach John Harbaugh gets a chance to settle the controversy surrounding Jaxson Dart’s appearance at a President Donald Trump rally on Friday afternoon because he will speak with reporters for the first time since the issue began to suck all the oxygen out of the team’s offseason program.

Harbaugh will surely be asked about his starting quarterback’s apparent embrace of the president.

And the coach, who is the unquestioned epicenter of power within the franchise since being hired in January, will have his say and that will be it. Because whatever he decrees, players will follow suit. The front office will follow suit. And the media, agree or not, will have to report what the most consequential voice in the organization has decided.

So this saga is closing in on a climax.

ABDUL CARTER DELETES CRITICISM OF JAXSON DART OVER TRUMP RALLY

NFL quarterback Jaxson Dart hugs President Donald Trump during a Fighting For American Workers event in Suffern, N.Y., on May 22, 2026. (Ryan Murphy/AP)

Got your popcorn ready?

The 2:30 p.m. ET scheduled availability — yes, around lunchtime for some — might be quite satisfying.

That leads to the next logical question: What’s Harbaugh going to say? How is he going to handle his first crisis, small and non-football related as it might be, with his new club?

We have an inkling based on experience of knowing how Harbaugh operates and what he believes. But before we share that, please understand the coach really only has a handful of options to choose from.

SUPER BOWL CHAMPION JOE THEISMANN WEIGHS IMPACT OF JAXSON DART-ABDUL CARTER TRUMP CONTROVERSY ON LOCKER ROOM

Harbaugh could:

• Agree Jaxson Dart got it wrong in agreeing to introduce the president of the United States at a rally and lead the crowd in a “Go Big Blue” cheer.
• Agree that Abdul Carter got it wrong in calling out his teammate on social media in posts the edge rusher has since deleted.
• Agree this is team business and it has been handled internally with no further details being offered, which means the narratives the media, pundits, ex-players and social media crave to keep the content flowing will be choked of all oxygen.
• Or, Harbaugh could be more nuanced.

NFL quarterback Jaxson Dart introduced President Donald Trump during a Fighting For American Workers event in Suffern, N.Y., on May 22, 2026. ((Ryan Murphy/AP))

We’re going to pick the last one.

There is zero chance Harbaugh throws Dart under the bus. It is simply not going to happen.

Firstly, and most importantly, he is not going to kneecap the man he most needs to succeed as a player and team leader. Secondly, Harbaugh agrees with Dart on most things Trump.

People seem to forget this.

JOHN HARBAUGH PUSHES BACK ON TRUMP-HATING REPORTER AFTER WHITE HOUSE VISIT

Much of the Harbaugh clan — Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, their father and mother, their sister and four kids — visited Trump at the White House last year.

Afterward, the Harbaughs spoke enthusiastically about the visit. And when things got a little ugly in Baltimore because a left-wing journalist accused John Harbaugh of meeting with someone who had said mean things about the city, the coach pushed back eloquently.

So, that same man cannot logically criticize his starting quarterback for also meeting with Trump.

It will be interesting to what degree, if any, Harbaugh is critical of Carter by name.

Look, the coach almost certainly is going to preach keeping team business within the confines of the team. Carter broke that covenant by going public on social media. But there’s a way to make the point without embarrassing Carter and making him out to be a villain. That wouldn’t help anyone with an interest in having Carter grow and become a major contributor on defense.

So the coach is almost definitely going to walk a fine line between saying team business is sacrosanct without shining an investigative light on an important player.

Finally, prepare for this: If Harbaugh finds any blame in all of this, it will likely be with you — the prying public, the curious media, the opinionated influencers.

Y’all the bad guys.

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart greets President Donald Trump during a Fighting For American Workers event in Suffern, N.Y., on May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

Not his players, his team, his new family. You turned this into a thing, not the Giants.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

That, of course, wouldn’t play well out here in the real world. But Harbaugh doesn’t care about that. He cares about his world, which is where the Giants practice facility sits, where his players work, and the success or failure of Harbaugh as a coach is defined.

Tune in at 2:30 p.m.

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ Caelan Tiongson during a game vs Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals Game 5. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.net

MANILA, Philippines—Rain or Shine forward Caelan Tiongson didn’t mince his words when asked about Game 5 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals against Barangay Ginebra.

Tiongson told the Inquirer that the officiating deliberately put him in early foul trouble during Rain or Shine’s 111-104 loss on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“It’s just super obvious that the refs gave me calls early,” he said.

“I played the same way the entire game but each game, they give me two fouls in the first quarter. They’re trying to take me out of the game. I’m the primary defender on (Justin) Brownlee. Obviously, they want to give him an advantage.”

WATCH: Rain or Shine’s Caelan Tiongson wasn’t exactly happy after their loss to Barangay Ginebra in Game 5. #PBA50 | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/mme0HCk0GJ

— INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) May 29, 2026

Tiongson, despite being a starter, saw limited action after collecting two fouls early in the game. In the end, he finished with just five points, three rebounds and three assists.

Meanwhile, Justin Brownlee–whom Tiongson primarily guards–finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and a block.

“They call fouls on me early and that’s just their tactics,” said Tiongson.

Rain or Shine was whistled for 29 fouls compared to Ginebra’s 22, according to the official stat sheet.

Elasto Painters import Jaylen Johnson also hinted at his frustrations with the officiating when asked about Ginebra’s physicality.

“You tell me. I can’t say nothing, Let the refs tell you, I don’t know,” said Johnson after posting a double-double of 22 points and 14 rebounds in the loss.

Jimmy Uso and his family are marking milestones both inside and outside the ring.

Recently, Big Jim’s daughter, Jayla Fatu, graduated from high school. The proud moment was shared on social media by Rikishi.

He posted a photograph of Uso, Jayla Fatu, and himself, and congratulated her, along with wishing her the best for the next chapter.

“#ProudPapaAndDad Congratulation Jayla YOU DID IT QUEEN 🌹🌺🌴🇼🇸🇦🇸🤎 onto the next chapter of your life . Malo Galue 🤙🏾Remember GOD DONT MISS 🔐 #FATUS,” wrote Rikishi.

Jimmy Uso is married to WWE superstar Naomi. Jayla Fatu and her brother, Jaiden Fatu, are her stepchildren. However, she refers to them as her own, and Jimmy Uso and Naomi welcomed a child together in 2026.

Major WWE star warned Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso about Roman Reigns

The Usos and Roman Reigns have come together once again, but this time, they are supposed to be equals. In fact, The Usos did not help Roman Reigns against Jacob Fatu at Backlash, and they will not help him in the Tribal Combat against The Samoan Werewolf at Clash in Italy.

After the reunion of The OG Bloodline members, LA Knight warned the brothers about working with The OTC again. He told them that the brothers are capable of shining on their own and do not need to go down the same path once again.

“You guys sitting at the table again? You sitting at the head of the table? I ain’t here to tell you guys that. As a matter of fact, I wanna remind you exactly who you are. My man Jey Uso, main event, you’re talking about a former World Heavyweight Champion. How did you do that? You did it on your own. Jimmy Uso, all the potential in the world, to be a World Heavyweight Champion, but you know how you gonna do that? Not under Roman Reigns,” said Knight.

So far, the relationship between Roman Reigns and The Usos has withstood the test of time. Only time will reveal their fate!