Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated six state-of-the-art indoor cricket academies across northeast India, which are part of the BCCI’s expansion programme for cricketing infrastructure in the region. The academies are located in Rangpo (Sikkim), Doimukh (Arunachal Pradesh), Imphal (Manipur), Madankurklang (Meghalaya), Aizawl (Mizoram), and Dimapur (Nagaland). “The Honourable Prime Minister virtually inaugurated the facilities during a state function in Gangtok, Sikkim, marking a significant step towards strengthening sports infrastructure and unlocking the immense sporting potential of the North-East region,” the BCCI stated in a release.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by ICC chairman Jay Shah along with all the office bearers of BCCI while administrators from the other five northeastern states joined via video conference.

“This project was conceptualised and driven by the BCCI under the leadership of Jay Shah during his tenure as Secretary, with a clear focus on strengthening cricketing ecosystems in emerging regions,” the BCCI said.

“The foundation stone for these academies was laid by Shah in May 2024, setting in motion a structured effort to build world-class cricketing infrastructure in the North-East.” The academies have been designed as high-performance centres, equipped with indoor practice pitches, high-tech gymnasiums, temperature-controlled swimming pools, and dedicated administrative and training blocks.

These facilities will enable year-round training, particularly addressing the challenges posed by extended monsoon seasons in the region, and significantly reduce the need for players to travel to other parts of the country for professional training.

BCCI president Mithun Manhas said: “This initiative reflects a clear intent to take cricket infrastructure to every region and build a stronger, more inclusive foundation for the game.

“It is also a significant step in ensuring that aspiring cricketers from the North-East have access to the same quality of facilities as anywhere else in the country.” “I am confident that this will pave the way for more players from the North-East to progress to the highest levels of the game,” added secretary Devajit Saikia said.

On his part, vice-president Rajeev Shukla said: “The focus now will be on creating competitive exposure and pathways that allow this talent to flourish at the highest level.”

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IPL 2026 News | Shami’s Sensation Leads Lucknow to First Win of Season

File photo of Smriti Mandhana© PTI

Punjab Kings’ Lockie Ferguson during a warm-up session (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI: League leaders Punjab Kings handed a major boost to their bowling attack with the inclusion of Lockie Ferguson as they took on Rajasthan Royals in a crucial Indian Premier League 2026 clash on Tuesday.Rajasthan skipper Riyan Parag won the toss and opted to bowl first at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, citing early moisture due to recent rain and cloud cover.

Ferguson boost for unbeaten Punjab

All eyes were on Punjab’s team sheet as the hosts brought in express pacer Ferguson in place of Xavier Bartlett, signalling a clear intent to sharpen their pace attack. The New Zealand quick’s raw speed is expected to play a key role, especially under conditions that could assist seamers early on.Punjab also made a forced change, with Suryansh Shedge replacing Shashank Singh in the XI.Captain Shreyas Iyer admitted he would have preferred to bowl first but remained confident in his side’s adaptability. “Any time you bat or bowl, it’s a great challenge. All of us are proactive irrespective of the toss,” he said.Speaking about consistency, Iyer added, “We have a certain goal to achieve and we know the eventual goal. Our mindset is about maintaining standards and values. It’s been brilliant so far, and we need to keep the momentum going.”Punjab head into the contest as the only unbeaten side this season and will be keen to consolidate their position at the top of the table.

Royals look to exploit early conditions

For Rajasthan, Parag emphasised the importance of making early inroads. “There’s a little moisture at the start, so we’re trying to extract that and get a few early wickets,” he said.The Royals made two changes of their own, bringing in Dasun Shanaka for Shimron Hetmyer and Yash Punja in place of Ravi Bishnoi.Currently placed fourth, Rajasthan have a chance to climb higher with a win, but they face a confident Punjab unit riding a wave of momentum.With Ferguson’s pace added to an already potent attack featuring Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen, Punjab will look to make early breakthroughs and extend their dominant run in IPL 2026.

PBKS vs RR Playing XIs

Punjab Kings XI: Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Suryansh Shedge, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra ChahalRajasthan Royals XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja

A few Minnesota Vikings fans enjoy the undrafted free agent process about as much as the draft, and once again, the purple team added a bevy of UDFAs this cycle. One such offensive weapon is Dillon Bell of the University of Georgia.

Minnesota still needs receiving depth, but Bell brings enough versatility to make the summer interesting.

Like all UDFAs, there’s no sure thing that Bell will pan out, but he does have the versatility to flirt with a roster spot in September.

A New Summer Lottery Ticket Joins the WR Room

Get to know Bell, the newest Vikings wideout.

Vikings Add Bell

Minnesota added 19 undrafted free agents on Saturday evening, and because folks just love wide receivers, Bell turned heads.

The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis wrote, “You can see what the Vikings were going for here. Bell is a big-bodied offensive weapon who doesn’t just look like a running back. The 6-foot, 210-pounder averaged 7.3 yards per carry as a runner at Georgia.”

“The route running is the primary hurdle, but that’s precisely why the Vikings would make this type of bet. How Minnesota uses the spring and summer to find the right role for him will be telling. His frame and traits are enticing.”

If Bell makes the active roster or practice squad, it won’t be because of his prowess as a route-running wide receiver. It will be because of his gadget tendencies.

The Scouting Report

Bell is 6’1 and 210 pounds with 4.50 speed. So, decent metrics for both. He’ll be best served as a Swiss Army knife commodity if he makes the Vikings’ regular season roster or latches on elsewhere.

Pro Football Focus‘s Trevor Sikkema on Bell:

Bell is a former four-star receiver with a background in both track (100 and 200 meters) and basketball. In high school, he played both running back and wide receiver, and during his first two seasons at Georgia, he saw some usage at both positions, though primarily at receiver. He went on to become a consistent starter for four seasons. Despite that role, his production remained limited, with a low career yards-per-route-run average.

He is a decent linear athlete, but his lack of change-of-direction ability shows up in lower separation metrics and receiving grades against man coverage. Bell has good size and extensive experience as a blocker, though his technique can be inconsistent. He also does not consistently catch the ball cleanly, with occasional body catches and bobbles. Started his Georgia career with some reps at running back. Solid overall size allows him to be a more consistent blocker. Arm length appears to be a plus.

The easiest way to think of it? If Minnesota wants a Deebo Samuel-style weapon — very diet Samuel, of course — Bell would be the guy.

University of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart on Bell: “He’s a positionless player. He can play tight end. He can play Wildcat quarterback. He can play tailback. He’s certainly a good receiver. He’s a great returner. That’s what people are moving to in the NFL, guys that can go out there and create matchups.”

“He does that. He can be in the backfield and create some problems for the defense. But more important than that, he’s a great person. He led by example here. He never complained once about snaps and touches and that says a lot about what he brought into the team.”

The Current WR Group

Overall, the Vikings’ WR room is in great shape. Anytime an offense has Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison headlining the enterprise, there just can’t be too much reason for concern.

After Jefferson and Addison, though, the unit lacks dependability. Here’s the WR depth chart in late April:

If Felton isn’t ready to roll as the uncontested WR3 this summer — the Vikings hardly played him on offense as a rookie — and Price hasn’t shapeshifted into more than a special teamer, Minnesota could pursue a free agent like the aforementioned Samuel, Stefon Diggs, Jauan Jennings, DeAndre Hopkins, Tyreek Hill, or Keenan Allen.

Not Much Depth after Jefferson + Addison Creates a Vacuum

The reason to track Bell throughout the summer is evident. Suppose the Vikings don’t spend the cash on a Jennings or Diggs, a couple of free agents listed above. Jefferson, Addison, Felton, and Price will make the 53-man roster, but Minnesota would need an extra WR4-WR5.

Because Bell is a willing blocker, offers special teams versatility, and has the size + speed for the NFL, he could be a dark horse to monitor at training camp and in the preseason.

Otherwise, there’s always the practice squad.

Harlequins have signed Wales international prop Sisilia Tuipolotu from Gloucester-Hartpury for the 2026-27 season.

The 22-year-old has won three consecutive Prem Women’s Rugby titles with the Circus.

Tuipolotu has scored 20 tries in 67 appearances for Gloucester-Hartpury since her debut in 2021 and has been capped 33 times by her country, appearing in two World Cups.

“I’m really excited to be joining Harlequins. I’m excited for the experience, to meet the team and learn from even more world-class players,” she said.

“I can’t wait to get going in the quarters.”

Gloucester-Hartpury are top of the PWR table, with 70 points from 14 games, as they chase a fourth straight title. Harlequins sit sixth with 37 points.

You may have heard that the 2027 NFL Draft class could be an all-timer. I’ve been doing year-out mocks a long time, and 2027 has the highest number of preseason blue-chippers of any class I can remember. 

That being said, injuries and prospects returning to school can always change how it looks a year from now. 

I went through the top prospects at each position to compare how they’d fare against the top prospects in this year’s class as it stands right now.

2026 NFL Draft essentials

Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Arch Manning headlines loaded class of rising stars

Cooper Petagna

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I broke down Manning’s 2025 season in January and thought he finished looking like the prospect we were promised. Given he brings a stronger arm and better mobility than Mendoza, there would have been a real debate about who to take at the top of the draft had Manning declared. 

Thankfully, we get another season of tape to properly evaluate the Texas quarterback. I’m staying out of the fray on this one.

Advantage: Too close to call

Hardy is stylistically much closer to Ashton Jeanty than Jeremiyah Love. The Missouri junior has elite contact balance and refuses to go down. While I wouldn’t put him in the same breath as either of the top-10 picks from the past two seasons, Hardy has the talent to be a first-rounder in his own right. 

Ole Miss’ Kewan Lacy and Louisville’s IIsaac Brown could join him among the top 32 as well. The only question is whether all the rising juniors will declare — or if playing out eligibility becomes the new norm for running backs not going in the top 10.

Advantage: 2026

Do I even need to debate this one? Smith should surpass Malik Nabers and Ja’Marr Chase as the top WR1 prospect I’ve ever scouted. Heck, new Texas wide receiver Cam Coleman should easily clear the grade I gave Concepcion this draft cycle. Next year will have some serious high-end talent.

Advantage: 2027 (by a mile)

I went with Green for the sheer shock value he brings as a prospect. The 6-foot-7 tight end will likely measure with the longest wingspan ever for the position. He looks like a power forward on the field and is used like one. I doubt he’ll be considered in a similar vein to Sadiq, though, who went No. 16 overall.

There’s a good chance the top option next year is Sadiq’s former Oregon teammate Jamari Johnson, who has a massive 6-foot-5 frame himself.

Advantage: 2026

This one was already settled on my initial big board before final declarations. Trevor Goosby would have been my OT1 in the 2026 class but decided to return to Texas for a fourth season. If he improves on what we saw down the stretch, he’ll be a top-five pick. 

Advantage: 2027

Because interior offensive line play demands so much strength, projecting a year out can be difficult. Comparing Pieper to Ioane is also like comparing apples to oranges, since Ioane is a guard only while Pieper is a center only. 

Still, Pieper is a bit of a project, but he’s the most athletic interior offensive lineman I’ve ever scouted. He’ll thrive taking over for Logan Jones at center this year. 

Advantage: 2026

While Bain was never going to be for everyone, Simmons will be. He is the prototype for the EDGE position in today’s NFL. He has the length and twitch to be a nightmare to protect against. He’s already racked up 105 pressures in two seasons at Texas, and I can’t wait to see what he does for an encore.

South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart deserves a shoutout as well, as he may be even more physically impressive than Simmons, albeit less refined. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder has freakish burst and bend for his size.

Advantage: 2027

Similar to the edge comparison, Stone is far more prototypical in his physical makeup. He’s incredibly powerful for a true sophomore, with bull-rush reps all over his tape. He has the body type to play anywhere along the defensive interior, whereas Woods will be more limited to 3-technique.

Defensive tackle is another position that demands a high level of strength, so when you see a youngster like Stone who already looks like a man among boys, you know he’ll be drafted highly when he comes out.

Advantage: 2027

We’ve got a long way to go in the 2027 linebacker class. Viliamu-Asa is the most prototypical box player right now, but Tennessee’s Arion Carter, South Carolina’s Fred Johnson and Clemson’s Sammy Brown are all intriguing athletes who could develop into top picks at the position.

None are as intriguing as Styles, though. The Ohio State linebacker is a true one-of-one athlete who will be tough to top anytime soon.

Advantage: 2026

As great as McCoy’s sophomore tape was, Moore’s was even better. He allowed only 201 yards all season while following the opposing team’s top receiver more often than not. Moore dominated 20th overall pick Makai Lemon in their matchup last fall. A fully healthy Moore is a likely top-five pick next year.

Advantage: 2027

I went back and forth between Georgia’s KJ Bolden a and Benefield, the Boise transfer, but ultimately went with Benefield’s more prototypical safety traits. 

It doesn’t matter either way, because neither hold a candle to Downs, whose tape as a true freshman was better than these players’ as sophomores and juniors.

Advantage: 2026