Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s performances, fitness and insatiable appetite for runs have left Indian selectors with little doubt over his place in the 2027 ODI World Cup plans, but former India wicketkeeper and selector Saba Karim believes Rohit Sharma still has plenty of work to do if he hopes to make the cut.With both Kohli and Rohit having retired from Test and T20 cricket, the 2027 World Cup is widely expected to be the final chapter of their illustrious international careers. However, Karim feels the two former captains are currently in very different positions.“I think Rohit has to do a lot of hard work. He has to work on his fitness levels and on his batting performance,” Karim told PTI. “I think selectors will be keenly watching Rohit’s performance for the next six months to decide whether he can be part of the equation or not.”‘Virat does not need to prove anything’Karim said Kohli’s consistency and commitment have already convinced the selectors.“For Virat Kohli, I am sure that they are completely convinced that he will be a part of the 2027 World Cup set-up,” he said. “Because through his performances and fitness level, through his hunger for runs, he has shown all that. So I don’t think Virat at this stage needs to prove anything to the selectors.”“Rohit, however, will have to do a lot of heavy lifting if he wants to get back in the selectors’ World Cup planning,” he added.The contrasting IPL 2026 campaigns further highlighted the difference. Kohli played a pivotal role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title defence, scoring 675 runs at a strike rate of 165.84 with one hundred and five half-centuries.Rohit, meanwhile, endured a difficult season as Mumbai Indians finished ninth, managing only 283 runs in nine innings.Kohli’s ability to evolve impresses KarimKarim hailed Kohli’s willingness to reinvent himself even in the latter stages of his career.“If you look at Virat Kohli’s strike rate over the past two-three seasons in T20 cricket, it has gone up because he has realised that to be meaningful in T20 cricket, he has to work very hard on his strike rate,” Karim said.“Now his strike rate is between 170 and 180. Last year, it was only 140-150. He’s such an individual who keeps working on his strength all the time. Whatever Virat has achieved in Test cricket, in one-day cricket and in T20 cricket now, one can always say that arguably, he is one of the best multi-format players that we have seen so far,” he elaborated.

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings’ Justin Brownlee attempts a shot over TNT Tropang 5G’ Chris McCullough during Game 1 of the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals between Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and TNT Tropang 5G. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Like he has done so many times in the past, Justin Brownlee rose to the challenge by hitting a tough fade-away over Chris McCullough that keyed Barangay Ginebra’s win over defending champion TNT at the start of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals series on Wednesday night.

But Brownlee and the Gin Kings know that being dragged into that type of a game that resulted in a 102-100 escape act could be too precarious as they go for a 2-0 lead over the Tropang 5G on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“I gotta admit, we lost a lot of rhythm, offensively,” Brownlee said, ruing the way the crowd favorites squandered an 18-point lead in the third quarter to even trail by five near the homestretch.

Rhythm was something Ginebra had during the first half, with its offense clicking from inside and out. TNT found a way to mount a rally, meticulously closing the gap behind RR Pogoy and Rey Nambatac.

Almost imploding

The Tropang 5G, though, didn’t get the job done and Ginebra knows that its near collapse could play a role in the second game of the best-of-seven affair.

“They hurt us on the post and I think that opened up some shooters for them,” said Brownlee. “I also think that we could do a better job on the offensive rebounding. I’m not sure how many offensive rebounds we gave up, but I know we gave up some crucial ones.”

Ginebra allowed TNT to haul down 14 offensive boards.

What allowed Ginebra to avoid a regretful result was how it got to respond in a timely manner, with RJ Abarrientos hitting two four-point shots despite going cold in the fourth and Brownlee draining that winning jumper.

“I guess the key was to not let them overwhelm us,” he said. “It was a little bit overwhelming when they came back. [But] we just tried to stay solid. We tried to be who we are, a team that plays together for the ball.

“We tried to make big plays and everyone stepped up,” added Brownlee, who finished with 23 points on 10-of-21 shooting.

The TNT comeback was certainly a point of concern for coach Tim Cone as Ginebra spent Thursday’s lull mapping out its adjustments to make sure it can be consistent this time.

Check Nambatac

One of the things Cone pointed out was the way Nambatac shot the lights out during the critical fourth period.

“He had a hot-shooting night,” Cone said. “He hadn’t shot well during the Meralco series for them, but he came in and shot well. And he did that last year when he got the best player of the Finals.

“So we got to figure him out a little bit better, we got to figure out everybody well,” Cone said. “It’s just Game 1 and we lost Game 1 against Rain or Shine [in the semis] and ended up winning the series in six games.

“And that just shows you how little Game 1 means in terms of the big picture.”

Andoni Iraola (Pic credit: LFC)

Liverpool have handed the reins to Andoni Iraola, appointing the highly rated Spaniard as their new head coach following the departure of Arne Slot and signaling a return to the aggressive, high-pressing style that brought the club immense success under Jurgen Klopp.The 43-year-old arrives at Anfield after transforming Bournemouth into one of the Premier League‘s surprise packages. Under his guidance, the south-coast club finished sixth last season, went unbeaten in their final 18 league matches and qualified for European competition for the first time in their history.“Liverpool is Liverpool,” Iraola said after his appointment. “The atmosphere, the supporters, the players, the chance to fight for titles — I think it cannot be more attractive than this.”From Athletic Bilbao stalwart to Premier League rising starBorn in Spain’s Basque region, Iraola enjoyed an illustrious playing career with Athletic Bilbao, making more than 500 appearances across 12 seasons. The former right-back also represented Spain seven times before ending his career with MLS side New York City FC.His coaching journey began in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca, where he won the Cypriot Super Cup. He then impressed with Mirandes before guiding Rayo Vallecano back to La Liga and establishing them as a competitive top-flight side.His reputation soared after taking charge of Bournemouth in 2023. Over three seasons, he transformed the Cherries into European qualifiers and one of England’s most exciting teams.A return to ‘heavy metal’ football?Liverpool’s decision comes after a disappointing second season under Slot, who was dismissed last weekend despite winning the Premier League title in his debut campaign. The Reds finished fifth last season and concerns over the team’s style of play became increasingly evident.Outgoing star Mohamed Salah had publicly urged Liverpool to “go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear,” a message that appeared to resonate with the club hierarchy.Iraola’s intense pressing game closely mirrors Klopp’s philosophy, although his understated personality contrasts sharply with the German’s charismatic touchline presence.The challenge awaiting him is considerable. Iraola has never managed in the Champions League nor handled a club of Liverpool’s stature. But after establishing himself as one of Europe’s brightest coaching prospects, the Spaniard now faces the biggest test of his career as he attempts to restore Liverpool to the summit of English and European football.

F1’s willingness to invest its own money in Las Vegas was a key factor in convincing the city to back the event, and to allow it to run down the Strip in front of the famous casino hotels.

The event has proved a major success for Las Vegas, turning what had been its least profitable weekend of the year, the one before Thanksgiving, into one of its most lucrative.

A statement from F1 said that since 2023 the grand prix had delivered $3.2bn (£2.4bn) in cumulative economic impact for Las Vegas, with the 2025 race alone generating $43m ($32m) in tax revenue for the city.

Steve Hill, the president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said: “Extending our partnership with Formula 1 for the next decade is a major moment for both Las Vegas and the grand prix.

“In just three years, the race has become a signature global event – putting Las Vegas at the centre of culture, competition and entertainment during race week.

“As the spotlight of the world turns to Las Vegas, the event continues to reinforce our evolution as a premier sports and entertainment destination.”

Thomas Hearns was one of the legendary Four Kings, dominating the sport during the 1980s alongside Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran, and ‘The Hitman’ has revealed which of those names provided him with his toughest fight.

Hearns became boxing’s first five division world champion, but it is his wars with Leonard, Hagler and Duran that better define his career; having provided fight fans with a number of classic encounters that will be spoken about for generations to come.

Against that trio, Hearns registered a record of 1-2-1, with Duran being the only ‘King’ that he officially defeated, although his controversial draw in a rematch with Leonard is often seen as a victory, even in the eyes of Leonard.

Speaking with OSP TV, Hearns reflected on those bouts, stating that Leonard gave him the most challenging fights of his career.

“Ray Leonard, both of them [fights].

“People know that I won the [second] fight, he [Leonard] knows that I won the fight. The reason why it was so challenging is because we are both boxers, we both have good ability and what made a difference was who out-thought who in the fight and playing them mind games, it makes the fight that much tougher. 

“You don’t know where he is coming from and he doesn’t know what you are about to do, you have got to figure out what is going to happen. In most fights you can go out there, use your jab and set your right-hand up, or set the hook up, but with Ray Leonard, I had watch my P’s and Q’s at all times.”

Hearns hung up the gloves in 2006, after a near three decade-long career in the ring, before being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012.

Daria Kasatkina stood up for Marta Kostyuk after the 2026 French Open semifinalist faced political backlash for refusing to shake hands with Mirra Andreeva. Kostyuk has been pretty vocal about opposing the war.

The Ukrainian tennis player has refused to shake hands with any Russian and Belarusian players on the tour since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Following her match against Andreeva, where the Ukrainian was defeated in straight sets, both players acknowledged each other from a distance, but did not exchange any pleasantries at the net.

One of the fans seemed to enquire about Kostyuk’s well-being after the faceoff, writing:

“How is Marta Kostyuk doing?”

To which Kasatkina replied:

“Judging by the last few months, everything’s great with her. And how about you?”

Kasatkina’s reply did not sit well with a fan, who expressed surprise that the Russian-Australian tennis player chose to support Kostyuk rather than Andreeva. The fan argued that the finalist was too young when the war began and had no influence on it, adding that Kostyuk’s stance of refusing handshakes has yielded no results towards the war.

Kasatkina questioned why Andreeva was brought into the discussion.

“What does Myrrh have to do with this at all?” she asked.

To which the fan clarified that the discussion was about Kostyuk’s actions on the tour. They specified that Andreeva was relevant to the discussion after Kostyuk’s repeated criticism of the Russian and Belarusian players for their silence on the war.

“In the original post, it was about her constant statements directed at Russian players and their “silence” regarding the war. Among these players is Mirra, and personally, I don’t understand the very call for them all to speak out, and especially those who have no influence whatsoever.”

Kasatkina then took a jab at the fan, clarifying that her reply wasn’t intended as a political statement.

“This post carried no political message whatsoever. I just couldn’t pass by an idiotic comment from a “sports journalist” directed at a female athlete.”

Marta Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Andreeva after her win over the 19-year-old at the Madrid Open.

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Marta Kostyuk opens up on why she decided to shake hands with Daria Kasatkina

While Marta Kostyuk has made her position clear about not shaking hands with any Russian and Belarusian players, she stated that she would be fulfilling the customary ritual with Daria Kasatkina because the latter criticized the war openly.

“The only person I shake hands with is Daria Kasatkina because she didn’t just change her passport, but also openly said she doesn’t support the war and all of that stuff. That’s why me and other girls made the decision to shake hands with her, purely out of respect.”

” In this case, I mean there have been multiple players who have changed their nationality, but none of them have ever voiced anything against war or you know, anything to support Ukraine. So, whatever, for me it doesn’t change,” Kostyuk said. (via tennisworldusa.org)

Kasatkina changed her nationality from Russian to Australian in 2025.