The BCCI has issued some stringent rules for IPL players, commentators and teams. As for unauthorised visitors in players’ and support staff’s rooms, the Board’s concerns deepened after a player was recently found hosting a few people in his room well into the night quite often. The BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) officer immediately summoned the team manager to enquire about the meetings, but the reply was “casual and disinterested”. The manager cited the player’s seniority in the team’s ranks to defend him. “I am not surprised. At times, the players use their stature within the team to bend the rules. Once I told a player to host his friends in the lobby restaurant, not in his room,” a former official said.

“I told him there are some board instructions on such matters. He just snapped: ‘You don’t worry. I will tell the board (officials) if they ask’,” said a former official, who worked for a long time in the IPL as a team manager.

Another franchise official offered his view on this. “Well, I don’t know about such arm-twisting (by players). But we have now given out clear instructions that written or at least verbal permission is required to invite friends and family to the hotel where the team stays.

“I know they also need to meet family and friends. But we have told them not to entertain guests after 10 pm, and such meetings should happen in the lobby or any other public place where the team manager/officials should have ready access,” the official stated.

In another instance, a player failed to return calls from a team official, who knocked on his hotel room door to pass on information.

He eventually walked into the hotel quite late at night, accompanied by a group of friends. But it was brushed under the carpet, as the player was perceived to be close to the franchise’s owners.

“I agree that sometimes rules are not followed in letter and spirit, or sometimes some exemptions will be given to the players. Now, we are looking to put in place constant checks on the players.

“But we should also ensure that it’s not an intrusion into their privacy. We will also be in talks with the BCCI as to how to implement this particular rule without any issue,” the official said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)

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A former MLB pitcher’s divorce is getting ugly.

Carl Pavano and his ex-wife, Alissa, have been in quite the prenup battle, with Alissa accusing the former pitcher of signing the one-sided agreement she says she was “demanded” to sign.

According to documents, Alissa “had given up her residence, potential employment, and all financial independence” after Carl had shown “ongoing controlling behavior,” including name-calling, cutting off her expenses and threats to take their children.

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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Carl Pavano delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 26, 2012. (Jesse Johnson/USA TODAY Sports)

To make matters worse, according to CT Insider, police have been called to their shared home in Connecticut nine times over the last two years, and most recently on April 29.

“A prenuptial agreement is an acceptable way for individuals, prior to marriage, to condition how their financial interests and responsibilities will be determined after marriage,” Alissa’s lawyers said in a brief, via the New York Post.

“It should not be an acceptable way for a monied spouse who has already started a family with his significant other to force her to give up her financial independence, and then to extract financial advantages in the premarital agreement under the threat of taking the minor children away from her and leaving her destitute.”

Yankees trainer Gene Monahan checks pitcher Carl Pavano after he was hit in the head by a ball hit by Baltimore Orioles player Melvin Mora. (Beth Balbierz/The Record)

BOBBY COX, LEGENDARY ATLANTA BRAVES MANAGER WHO LED 1995 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS, DEAD AT 84

The signing of the prenup was videotaped, documents say, after Alissa had a $500 consultation with her attorney.

State Superior Court Judge Thomas O’Neill ruled the prenup valid, awarding Alissa $300,000 and ordering Carl to buy her a home worth $1 million. Carl had a net worth of over $43 million by the time the trial began, the document says.

The prenup was signed shortly after they were married in 2011, but the divorce began in 2024. The aforementioned ruling came last year.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Carl Pavano pitches in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Sept. 8, 2008. (Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports)

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Pavano pitched for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins, being named an All-Star in 2004. He pitched to a 4.81 ERA in his career, with his biggest payday coming from the Yankees. However, he only made 26 starts in his four seasons with them and is widely considered one of their worst signings.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola ended his press conference with an Arsenal joke after his team beat Brentford 3-0

Pep Guardiola made clear Manchester City will be supporting West Ham against Arsenal on Sunday with a funny gesture at the end of his press conference. The Blues boss had finished talking about the 3-0 win over Brentford when he crossed his arms above his head and said ‘Come on you Irons!’

City need Arsenal to drop points in one of their remaining three games to have a chance of beating them to the Premier League title, and a West Ham side fighting relegation look the most likely of any opponents to do the Blues a favour when they face the leaders on Sunday. Guardiola had dismissed questions on Friday about if he would be supporting West Ham, yet with the Brentford game won he allowed himself a joke to finish his 15 minutes with reporters.

City will be cheering on West Ham with a little more hope after an emphatic win over Brentford on Saturday in a difficult game. It took nearly an hour to break the deadlock but the Blues eventually ran out 3-0 winners to move two points behind Arsenal as well as move to within one goal of them; should City take two more points from the remaining three games, the title would be decided on goal difference.

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However, it remains in Arsenal’s hands and Guardiola was realistic about the chances of catching a team that has shown for nine months they are one of the best in Europe.

“We are fighting with a team quite similar to Liverpool in the past, in the final of the Champions League without losing a game and have been top of the league almost all season,” he said.

“It’s not in our hands now so it depends on them dropping points but all we can do is Wednesday win again, play the final of the FA Cup and go to Bournemouth – I’d say that is not the best one to go to – and Aston Villa. The calendar is demanding but it’s simple. It’s just two weeks and the season will be over.

“I love to be here again. Finish second again minimum so I love it. I didn’t enjoy last season and the moment to fight to qualify for the Champions League was difficult but the Carabao Cup is in our pocket, the FA Cup final at Wembley is the most beautiful day of the season and I love it.

“When you arrive and have the feeling that the job can be done, well done. When you arrive fighting against Arsenal, with many changes, seeing how they help each other in every training sessions, it is a joy.”

AAMI Park will play host to Sunday’s
Round 10 NRL game between Melbourne Storm and
Wests Tigers. The game kicks off at 2:00 pm with Melbourne Storm heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Melbourne Storm vs.
Wests Tigers
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday May 10, 2026 at 2:00 pm

Where: AAMI Park

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Melbourne Storm vs Wests Tigers Odds

Melbourne Storm vs Wests Tigers Preview

Melbourne will be desperate to halt its worst losing run in club history when it hosts Wests Tigers on Sunday afternoon. The Storm have looked uncharacteristically flat in recent weeks, struggling badly in attack despite leading at halftime against the Dolphins last round. Jahrome Hughes’ return could not come at a better time, with Melbourne needing greater direction and energy around the ruck. The Tigers also enter under pressure after being thrashed by Cronulla and losing more key personnel to injury. Jarome Luai now shoulders greater responsibility with Adam Doueihi sidelined, while Cameron Munster will be eager to rediscover his best form for Melbourne. The Storm have dominated this matchup for years, including a 64-0 demolition last season at AAMI Park. With Hughes back steering the side, Melbourne has a strong chance to steady its campaign.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is rewriting the record books every single day. Already the fastest Indian with the fastest ton in the IPL, Sooryavanshi is also the only batter to score two IPL tons in less than 40 balls (35-ball vs Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025, 36-ball ton vs Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026). On Saturday, Sooryavanshi broke another world record. With a first-ball six against Mohammed Siraj, Sooryavanshi shattered the world record for fastest to 100 T20 sixes. The 15-year-old reached the ‘century’ of sixes in just 514 balls. He is also the youngest player to reach the mark.

Sooryavanshi scored 36 in 16 balls. His innings included three sixes and three fours. All his three sixes came in the powerplay. Sooryavanshi now holds the record for most sixes in the powerplay in an IPL season.

Most sixes in powerplay (1-6 overs) in an IPL season

30* – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (2026)

29 – Abhishek Sharma (2024)

27* – Abhishek Sharma (2026)

22 – Sanath Jayasuriya (2008)

22 – Travis Head (2024)

22 – Yashasvi Jaiswal (2025)

Fifties from captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, along with a late flourish from Washington Sundar, guided Gujarat Titans (GT) to 229/4 in 20 overs against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their Indian Premier League match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday. Put in to bat by RR’s stand-in captain Yashasvi Jaiswal–stepping in for the injured Riyan Parag–the Titans were propelled to a 200+ total by fifties from captain Gill (84 off 44 balls), Sudharsan (55 off 36 balls) and a late cameo of 37* off 20 balls from Sundar.

Gujarat Titans capped off their innings in style, with Sundar and Rahul Tewatia smashing 21 runs in the final over bowled by Tushar Deshpande, who was struck for three sixes.

The Gujarat Titans openers, Gill and Sudharsan, started with a clear intent to exploit the powerplay overs, helped by an 18-run over bowled by RR’s Jofra Archer, who conceded nine extras in the opening over.

Both Gill and Sudharsan dealt in boundaries at regular intervals and guided GT’s score after the Powerplay to 82/0.

While Sudharsan completed his fifty off 30 balls in the ninth over, captain Gill brought up the fourth fifty of this IPL season in the 11th over, also off 30 balls. However, RR’s Yash Raj Punja broke the 118-run opening stand in the same over as he claimed Sudharsan’s wicket. After 11 overs, GT’s score was 119/1.

With ANI inputs 

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Lately, there has been a lot of attention on the decision to bring in WR Jauan Jennings. Doing so gives the Vikings a scary three-headed monster out wide for whoever is passing the pigskin.

Next up for deals was the decision to toss another young d-lineman into the mix. Check out the update from agent Brett Tessler: “The Minnesota Vikings just signed my client Smith Vilbert (DL, UNC / Penn State) to a 3-year deal after he attended their rookie minicamp this weekend.” The length, three years, is the standard for undrafted talent. Playing through the entire contract would mean being a Vikings RFA afterwards.

Vikings Fire Up Next Contract, Sign Young D-Lineman

Lately, there has been a ton of attention on Minnesota’s defensive line.

Most notable, of course, was the surprising decision to opt for the hulking Caleb Banks. The massive defensive tackle coming out Florida doesn’t lack for talent. What could be an issue, though, is his health and technique. Both earned concern moving into the 2026 NFL Draft, which is to say nothing of the firestorm of criticism after using No. 18 to snag him.

Next up was the move for Domonique Orange, a nose tackle who is reasonably referred to as “Big Citrus” due to his size and last name. Expect Mr. Orange to earn snaps early in his career to clog running lanes. He got chosen in the 3rd.

But then there has been a broader effort to insert young talent into the mix, an approach stretching back several years.

A couple of years ago, the Vikings found Jalen Redmond from a rival pro league. He overcame long odds to get onto the roster before becoming the team’s most formidable defensive lineman. He will soon demand meaty money, but Minnesota has him on an insanely-cheap deal at present.

So, too, did Elijah Williams get found late, signed after impressing in the spring. Rugged NT Taki Taimani was a UDFA pickup who has been around the Twin Cities for a couple years already.

Even recent draftees such as Levi Drake Rodriguez (7th) and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (5th) earned modest interest from the NFL. Minnesota, quite evidently, is a spot where these low-profile young lads have a chance to shine.

Alec Lewis of The Athletic offered his two cents on the recent signing: “Vikings sign DL Smith Vilbert after rookie minicamp today. They’ve had very good history with some of these UDFA DL.”

Draft nerd Thor Nystrom (SKOR North) draws a connection between UNC head coach Bill Belichick and Vikings DC Brian Flores, writing, “And like Vikings UDFA CB Marcus Allen, Vilbert started on defense for UNC HC Bill Belichick last season. That still means something to somebody I know.”

During the 2025 season, Smith Vilbert picked up 22 tackles. He had a single sack to stand alongside 6 tackles for loss. Of note, as well, are his 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 passes defended.

Bringing in the new d-lineman follows shortly after signing veteran Eric Johnson, who boasts an impressive nickname: “The Creature.”

On PFF, Vilbert earned a modest 64.3 grade for his effort in 2025. He is listed as being 6’6″ and 282 pounds. His path to the 53-man roster will be a difficult one, but it begins with proving to be a capable special teams helper alongside someone who can soak up snaps in run defense.

Smith played at Penn State before going to UNC.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Shakur Stevenson has considered how the respective styles of Floyd Mayweather and Terence Crawford would gel in a prime-for-prime showdown.

Several similarities can be drawn between both all-time greats, such as the fact that they retired as unbeaten five-division world champions.

On the flip side, though, it could be said that their extraordinary skills, while being somewhat comparable, were most effective against different styles of opponents.

Some have made the observation that Mayweather, for instance, would encounter moments of difficulty when facing southpaws in the early portion of his career.

As a fighter who could switch seamlessly between stances, it is then tempting to suggest that Crawford would have posed major issues for his countryman.

It must also be said, however, that ‘Bud’ occasionally allowed complacency to get the better of him, perhaps most notably in fights against Yuriorkis Gamboa and Egidijus Kavaliauskas.

Despite defeating both by stoppage, Crawford was made to overcome the slick style of Gamboa, and climb off the canvas – in what was ultimately ruled a no-knockdown – against ‘Mean Machine’.

Based on those two performances, and Mayweather’s apparent difficulty with southpaws, Stevenson has told The Agnew Podcast that it is practically impossible to select a winner at welterweight.

“It’s just hard to say. With both of them guys, they different. I think Floyd, early on in his career, he struggled with southpaws.

“I feel like ‘Bud’ is gonna be a southpaw and probably the best southpaw he’s ever [come up] against.

“But then I’ve seen ‘Bud’ have little issues with guys like ‘Mean Machine’, who was orthodox, and Gamboa was winning some rounds.

“It’s a 50/50 thing [with Mayweather and Crawford] – you just never know who would come in on-point and win that fight.”

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While Stevenson highlights Mayweather’s history against southpaws as a point of weakness, it is difficult to ignore the fact that against Manny Pacquiao, a naturally aggressive lefty, the American was able to produce a 12-round masterclass.

Manchester City fans unfurled a banner at the end of their last match at the Etihad: Panic on the streets of London. Arsenal had been defeated and Pep Guardiola’s side were, for the first time in the season, favourites to win the Premier League.

As the manager wrote in his programme notes, a lot has happened since then. And as Blues arrived at the ground and saw the teamsheet then if panic wasn’t quite the word there was certainly worry at the decision to replace Nico Gonzalez with Tijjani Reinders.

It wasn’t about the change of personnel – Gonzalez was pretty poor at Everton – but the idea of conceding three goals in 15 minutes and then replacing your holding midfielder with an attacking one is very much out of the Guardiola playbook that sets everybody on edge. The loss of Abdukodir Khusanov to injury, replaced by Nathan Ake, hardly helped matters.

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This isn’t Guardiola’s first rodeo though and while Brentford predictably threatened from set-pieces it was City who dominated possession in the first half. Just like the Everton game though, it simply wasn’t good enough in the final third as shots were either rushed off straight into a Brentford block or blasted high and wide of the goal.

The officials were slow to Brentford slowing the game down and were booed off at half-time – not the home team, before the fake news spreads – but City were just as culpable. As 45 minutes turned to 60 without a breakthrough, the visitors grew in confidence and the defence had to be alert just to keep the score level.

Then came the double substitution that proved decisive. Phil Foden and Omar Marmoush had only been on the pitch for a few seconds when Jeremy Doku took a short corner, saw his pass bounce back to him and curled in an unstoppable effort past Caiomhin Kelleher.

That is now four goals in three games for Doku since he gave an interview saying he needed to score more, and it was richly deserved for being by far City’s best attacker up to that point. Panic turned to pandemonium in the stands as all the anxiety in the stands blew away.

It wasn’t that City hadn’t been trying before but suddenly the whole place was alive. Guardiola instantly called his centre-backs over to instruct calm and then, having been kept quiet for most of the game, Haaland found some space and bundled in a second goal.

Just as important, minutes later he was chasing down the left flank racing after a lost cause of a ball just to prevent Brentford from easily getting the ball forward. And the Norwegian put City into dreamland when he put Omar Marmoush through to add a third and boost that goal difference just in case something happens.

City fans sang of Steven Gerrard’s slip, trying to manifest an Arsenal mistake at West Ham on Sunday, and then it was onto the boys in blue (coming after you). Regardless, it was a City performance for the supporters to be proud of – summed up by the running of Haaland and the team as much as the goals.

Goals from Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush help Manchester City beat Brentford 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium to secure a vital win in the Premier League title race, as City move two points behind leaders Arsenal with three games remaining.

MATCH REPORT: Premier League – Manchester City 3-0 Brentford

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