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Enzo Fernandez dealt a massive blow to Premier League title hopes of Manchester City with a 94th-minute equaliser to snatch a 1-1 draw for managerless Chelsea at the Etihad.

Tijjani Reijnders had blasted City into a deserved half-time lead, but they lost central defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias to injury in the second half and then blew two points in the dying seconds when Fernandez prodded in at the back post.

A point is only good enough to edge City back above Aston Villa in second on goal difference, and leaves them six points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

Chelsea were under the caretaker charge of the club’s under-21 coach Calum McFarlane after parting ways with Enzo Maresca on Thursday.

The Blues have won just once in their last eight league games to slip to fifth in the table, but got their reward for a spirited second-half display to close within three points of the top four.

City were able to welcome Rodri back for his first start since early October, and the Spaniard quickly showed why he was crowned the world’s best player before suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in September 2024.

Only wasteful finishing in a 0-0 draw at Sunderland on Thursday cost Pep Guardiola’s men a ninth consecutive win, and they were again guilty of letting their opposition off the hook before the break.

After a sluggish opening 20 minutes, the chances began to flow for the home side as Phil Foden fired just wide before Bernardo Silva curled just over the bar.

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Filip Jorgensen made his first Premier League start of the season in the Chelsea goal due to an injury to Robert Sanchez and produced a brilliant save to tip Erling Haaland’s deflected effort behind.

Haaland was practically wheeling away in celebration moments later when his curling shot crashed off the inside of the post.

City’s pressure finally told three minutes before the break when Reijnders wriggled clear inside the box before blasting a powerful shot past Jorgensen at his near post.

Within seconds of the restart, City nearly threw all their good first-half work away.

An ankle injury to Gvardiol left Manchester City undermanned at the back as Chelsea broke forward, and Pedro Neto spooned over the bar from point-blank range.

Chelsea targeted Gvardiol’s replacement, Abdukodir Khusanov, in their search for an equaliser, and City needed Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep Liam Delap out from a narrow angle.

Donnarumma nearly saved his side again at the death with a remarkable stop from Fernandez, but the Argentine got to the rebound first to tap in.

Numerous City players fell to their knees in disappointment as Arsenal close in on their first league title for 22 years.

READ: Usman Tariq hits back at critics over ‘chucking’ allegations

DUBAI: Pakistan off-spinner Usman Tariq has hit back at critics over allegations of chucking, urging them to gain knowledge before commenting or sharing opinions about his action.

The tall right-arm spinner came in as a replacement for Desert Vipers in the International League T20 (ILT20) and made an immediate impact with the ball during the qualifier against MI Emirates.

His three-wicket haul, which also included the scalp of Tom Banton, helped Vipers cruise to the ILT20 final.

After he got Banton, the right-handed batter pointed to the umpire about his action, which sparked debate over Tariq’s action.

Speaking during an interview, Tariq shed light on his unorthodox action, noting that he had cleared his action twice before.

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“As you can see from history, whenever spinners faced allegations of chucking, they went to the lab, tried to modify their action, and worked on the correct degree of flexion. That sometimes confuses spectators,” he said.

“I have undergone two official tests in Pakistan, and my action was cleared. Unlike others, I didn’t have to change anything. I was confident because I know I am not throwing,” he continued.

The 28-year-old has faced chucking accusations in the past, which required him to undergo a bowling action test.

He urged people to first gain knowledge before commenting or sharing opinions without a proper understanding of the game.

“If you don’t understand cricket and still comment or share opinions, illiteracy can kill knowledge. It’s better to understand the game first,” he said.

READ: Khushdil, Mustafizur shine in last-over thriller for Rangpur Riders

Matheus Cunha saved Manchester United from a rare defeat against fierce rivals Leeds as the Brazilian’s equaliser salvaged a 1-1 draw at Elland Road on Sunday.

Rubem Amorim’s side trailed to Brenden Aaronson’s second half strike before Cunha dragged them level moments later.

In a bitter rivalry keenly felt among two feuding fan-bases, Leeds have now gone eight matches without a win over United since an FA Cup triumph at Old Trafford in 2010.

United’s failure to take all three points cost them a chance to move into the Premier League’s top four.

Amorim’s men sit in fifth place after winning just one of their last five league games.

After a disappointing 1-1 draw against lowly Wolves on Tuesday, this was another frustrating result for United.

Daniel Farke’s team moved eight points clear of the relegation zone after extended their impressive unbeaten run to seven matches.

Still without injured captain Bruno Fernandes, Amorim sent United out in his preferred 3-4-2-1 shape after finally tinkering with his much-derided tactics for the recent win over Newcastle, then revering to type against Wolves.

Amorim’s chopping and changing is especially intriguing against the backdrop of his comment that he is starting to realise United’s sporting directors might give him the right players for his system.

On a bitterly cold afternoon in Yorkshire, Leeds thundered into a series of bone crunching tackles a bid to seize the momentum in the opening minutes.

Leeds hadn’t beaten United at Elland Road since 2002 and the urgency to end that drought meant there was little sign that they had 48 hours less than their opponents to recover from their previous match.

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Despite their attempts to rattle United, it was the visitors who took control amid the sound and fury in the stands.

Benjamin Sesko should have put United ahead from Casemiro’s pin-point pass, but the striker hesitated too long, allowing Pascal Struijk to make a vital block.

Diogo Dalot scuffed high over the bar from a good opportunity inside the Leeds area.

Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was inches away from breaking the deadlock with a glancing header that cannoned off the far post from Anton Stach’s cross.

Leny Yoro was denied by Lucas Perri’s superb save after the United defender nodded goal-wards from Casemiro’s header into the six-yard box.

United keeper Senne Lammens had to be alert to keep out Gabriel Gudmundsson’s low drive at the near post after the interval.

But teenage defender Ayden Heaven’s lack of experience was exposed when Leeds went in front after 62 minutes.

Heaven was far too casual when Leeds played a long ball over the centre-back and Aaronson took full advantage, accelerating into the United area before sweeping a clinical finish past Lammens.

Amorim responded by sending on Joshua Zirkzee, a move that proved inspired as he played a crucial role in United’s 65th minute equaliser.

Zirkzee slipped a perfectly weighted pass towards Cunha and the Brazilian stretched to poke past Perri from 12 yards.

It was Cunha’s third goal in his last five games as he finally emerges from a poor start to life with United after his summer move from Wolves.

Noah Okafor’s overhead kick was palmed away by Lammens before the out-of-form Sesko wasted a good chance at the other end.

Zirkzee’s cutback found the Slovenian just eight yards from goal but he shot narrowly wide.

Cunha’s curler clipped the post in the closing stages to leave United exasperated.

READ: Khushdil, Mustafizur shine in last-over thriller for Rangpur Riders

SYLHET: All-round Khushdil Shah and an impressive final over from pacer Mustafizur Rahman helped Rangpur Riders seal a thrilling five-run victory over Dhaka Capitals in the 12th fixture of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26.

Set 156, Capitals fell short by five runs at the end of their 20 overs, with 10 required on the last six balls.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Abdullah Al Mamun provided a solid start with 54 on the board in the first six overs.

However, Kyle Mayers and Khushdil Shah removed both batters in consecutive overs to put Dhaka Capitals back into the game.

Gurbaz made 31 from 22 with the aid of five fours and six, while Mamun hit four boundaries in his 20 off 18.

Despite the wickets, Mohammad Mithun and Saif Hassan were able to lift their side out of trouble as they added 51 for the third wicket partnership. The pair composed a batting partnership that brought the score to 111 in 15.1 overs.

Saif made 15 from 24 balls, an innings without a single boundary.

Meanwhile, Mithun managed to string a couple of partnerships, first wiht Shamim Hossain and then with Sabbir Rahman, that brought them near the target.

But it was an impressive final over from Mustafizur that turned the match on its head.

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With 10 required of six, Mustafizur started with a single, followed by two dots on the next two deliveries. The left-arm pacer gave nothing away in the next three balls as Sabbir and Mithun could only take three singles.

For Rangpur Riders, Khushdil Shah, Kyle Mayers, Mustafizur Rahman, and Al Islam picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, put into bat first, Rangpur Riders were limited to 155-5 in their 20 overs.

Dhaka Capitals bowlers put Riders in early trouble as they were reduced to 30-3 in 5.2 overs.

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But it was Dawid Malan’s and Mahmudullah’s 74-run stand that laid the foundation for a competitive total.

The stand eventually ended with Malan’s wicket, the scorecard reading 104-4 in 14.2 overs.

Mahmudullah, meanwhile, continued on and scored a half-century before getting caught in the 17th over. The right-handed batter made 51 off 41 balls with the help of seven boundaries.

Khushdil, on the other hand, provided Riders’ innings with a s late flourish, scoring a brisk 38* off 21, which included two sixes and four boundaries.

For Dhaka Capitals, Ziaur Rahman was the pick of the bowlers as he took two wickets in his quota of four overs.

READ: Tyson Fury comes out of retirement again

Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury announced Sunday he will return to boxing in 2026.

Fury has not fought since losing to Oleksandr Usyk in a bout for three of the four major world titles in December 2024.

But the 37-year-old British star posted on Instagram on Sunday: “2026 is that year.

“Been away for a while but I’m back now, 37 years old and still punching. Nothing better to do than punch men in the face and get paid for it.”

Fury also said he was retiring from the sport after beating Dillian Whyte in April 2022, only to return later in the year.

Fury’s history of retirement followed by U-turns meant few believed his most recent claim to end a career that had brought 34 wins in 37 contests.

He was incensed at the judges’ decisions in a pair of defeats by Usyk, the only boxer to beat Fury, who said in last year’s retirement message: “I’m going to end with this: Dick Turpin wore a mask.”

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The self-styled “Gypsy King” fuelled speculation of another comeback over the festive period by posting several clips on his social media feeds of himself in training.

Despite insisting he had bowed out of the sport, Fury has been repeatedly linked with a long-awaited all-British bout against Anthony Joshua, another former two-time world heavyweight champion.

The pair agreed to a fight in August 2021 when they held all the major world titles between them, but that was scuppered when Fury was ordered to take on Deontay Wilder for a third time by an arbitration hearing.

Plans were in the pipeline for Joshua and Fury to have tune-ups in the early part of this year before finally facing off against each other, either in late summer or towards the back end of 2026.

However, the car crash in Nigeria on Monday, which left Joshua injured and led to the deaths of two close friends and team members, has likely put boxing on the back burner for the 36-year-old.

If Joshua is unavailable, Fury could seek a trilogy fight against WBC, WBA and IBF titlist Usyk or a contest with WBO champion Fabio Wardley.

A win over either would see Fury join Muhammad Ali as a three-time world heavyweight champion.

READ: Australian great Martyn out of coma in ‘miracle’ recovery

Former Australia batter Damien Martyn has awoken from an induced coma following meningitis, ex-teammate Adam Gilchrist said on Sunday in a statement on behalf of Martyn’s family.

Martyn, 54, fell seriously ill last week and was rushed to the hospital.

He was diagnosed with meningitis — an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Now, former wicket-keeper batter Adam Gilchrist provided an update regarding his health, calling his recovery a ‘miracle.’

“It’s been an unbelievable turn of events in the last 48 hours,” Gilchrist said. “He is now able to talk and respond to treatment.”

“He has responded extraordinarily well since coming out of the coma to the point where his family feels it’s like some sort of miracle,” he added.

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He remained hopeful of moving the batter out of the ICU amid speedy recovery.

“It has been so positive that they’re hopeful he will be able to move out of the ICU into another part of the hospital, which is representative of what a great recovery it’s been and how quickly it has flipped around.

He’s in good spirits and overwhelmed by the support. There is still some treatment and monitoring to go, but it’s looking positive,” he concluded.

For the unversed, Damien Martyn represented Australia in 67 Tests and 208 ODIs between 1992 and 2006.

He remained part of Australia’s triumph in the 2003 ODI World Cup. The right-hander played a pivotal role in the final against India alongside skipper Ricky Ponting, scoring an unbeaten 88*.

Damien Martyn called time on his international career during the 2006 Ashes and has kept a low profile since.

READ: Bangladesh opts out of T20 World Cup fixtures in India

DHAKA: The Bangladesh cricket team has decided to pull out of its fixtures scheduled in India for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, the country’s cricket board confirmed on Sunday.

Political relations between India and Bangladesh soured after a mass uprising in Dhaka in 2024 toppled then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close ally of New Delhi.

The decision came in the light of pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s abrupt exclusion from the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders.

A day earlier, the left-arm pacer was excluded from the KKR’s squad on the instructions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), after an emergency meeting on Sunday, said it had “formally requested” the International Cricket Council (ICC) shift its games to Sri Lanka.

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“The Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions,” a BCB statement read.

The board linked the decision to players’ security and safety upon the government’s advice.

Earlier, Asif Nazrul, Youth and Sports Adviser in the interim government, said that Dhaka “will not accept any insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers and Bangladesh under any circumstances.”

For the unversed, the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled begin on 7 February in India and Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh, who are slotted in Group C alongside England, West Indies, Italy, and Nepal, were scheduled to play the first three out of their four Super 8 fixtures in Kolkata.

Initially, the mega event was to be hosted solely by India, but strained relations with Pakistan — who will play their matches in Sri Lanka under the hybrid model — led to this decision.

READ: Rizwan, Brown end Renegades’ losing streak in Melbourne Derby

MELBOURNE: Josh Brown, Mohammad Rizwan, and skipper Will Sutherland helped Melbourne Renegades seal a nervy last-ball victory over Melbourne Stars in the 22nd fixture of the Big Bash League (BBL) 15.

Renegades chased down a stiff 174 at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday in front of a record crowd with one ball to spare, losing six wickets in the process.

After Tim Seifert departed for six in the second over, Mohammad Rizwan and Josh Brown made light work of the chase with a 103-run partnership.

The duo composed batting, particularly Brown, made the target look easy before a collapse left them reeling. The pair brought the total to 127 in 14.1 overs.

Brown was bowled by Mitchell Swepson for 84 off 48 with the help of nine fours and four maximums.

However, after Brown’s departure, the Renegades lost their way in the middle, losing 5 for 34 in less than 5 overs.

Rizwan followed him after the 16th over, making 41 off 38 with the help of four boundaries, while Peter Siddle and Haris Rauf combined to rock back with quick wickets, which slumped them to 148-5 in 17.5 overs.

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However, Sutherland held his nerve and launched Marcus Stoinis for two sixes in the final over to win it for his side.

For Melbourne Stars, Peter Siddle and Haris Rauf once again stood tall with the ball, picking up two wickets each.

With this, the Melbourne Renegades ended their three-match losing streak and secured their second win of the season. On the contrary, Stars have now lost two in a row after winning the first four games.

Earlier, put into bat Melbourne Stars managed to put 173-9 on the board at the end of their 20 overs.

Callum Stow and Gurinder Sandhu provided Melbourne Renegades with the start they wanted, keeping the Stars batters on their toes.

At one stage, Stars were reduced to 55-4 in 7.4 overs before a string of partnerships in the lower middle order lifted them out of trouble.

After a shambolic display from the top-order, Tom Curran (38 off 18) and Campbell Kellaway (33 off 27) provided them with respites, which helped them reach a competitive total at the end of their innings.

For the Renegades, Gurinder Sandhu remained the star bowler, who picked up a four-wicket haul.

READ: Bangladesh reveal squad for T20 World Cup 2026

DHAKA: Litton Das is set to lead the Bangladesh 15-member squad in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to begin in Sri Lanka and India on 7 February.

Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed made a return to the side after missing out on the previous series against Ireland. Meanwhile, top-order batter Saif Hassan is named as Das’ deputy.

Jaker Ali is among the notable absentees, who has been axed for the first time since March 2024 after playing all 45 T20Is for the Tigers during this timeframe.

Das, Tanzid Hasan, and Saif Hassan comprise a good top-order, whereas Parvez Hosain Emon could be utilized at the No.04 position.

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Overall, the Tigers, who have appeared in all previous editions, will look to rewrite history with improved performances.

The squad’s strength lies in its fast bowling, with seasoned pacers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman alongside Tanzim Hasan, Shoriful Islam, and Mohammad Saifuddin.

Rishad Hossain will lead a potent spin attack that includes Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan.

Bangladesh’s first three fixtures in the Super 8s are scheduled in Kolkata; however, with strained ties with India, the Bangladesh Cricket Board is expected to formally write to the ICC requesting a venue change to Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh are placed in Group C with England, the West Indies, Nepal, and Italy.

Bangladesh T20 World Cup group fixtures:

v West Indies: February 7, Kolkata

v Italy: February 9, Kolkata

v England: February 14, Kolkata

v Nepal: February 17, Mumbai

Squad

Litton Das (C), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Tawhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Shaif Uddin, Shoriful Islam

READ: BPL: Rossington, bowlers take Chattogram Royals to top of table

SYLHET: A clinical bowling display backed by Adam Rossington’s and Mohammad Naim half-centuries powered Chattogram Royals to a nine wicket win over Sylhet Titans in the 11th match of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26 here at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Royals chased down a mere target of 127 with ease in 16 overs, losing only wicket in the process.

Mohammad Naim and Adam Rossington made the contest one sided affair with a monumental 115-run partnership for the opening wicket.

The pair took full advantage of fielding restrictions, managing to put 52 in first six overs.

But, it was the middle phase of the innings in which both batters took Sylhet Titans bowlers to the cleaners. After a solid powerplay, Rossington and Naim scored 78 in the middled phase of the innings.

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Naim who made 52 off 37, striking four boundaries and three sixes, perished on the fourth ball of the 13th over.

Meanwhile, Adam Rossington remained unbeaten on 73 off just 53 balls with the aid of eight fours and two sixes.

For Sylhet Titans, Rahatul Ferdous took one wicket.

Earlier, put in to bat first, Sylhet Titans could not get going and eventually ended their innings on 126 for 7 in 20 overs.

Chattogram Royals bowlers put pressure from the start as half of Sylhet side was sent back in first five overs.

As a result, they were reduced to 34-5 with Azmatullah Omarzai and Parvez Hossain Emon on the crease.

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The duo stablized the innings with 43-run partnership which provided them some respite.

Emon made 17 whereas Azmatullah Omarzai remained the top-scorer with 44 from 41 balls with the help of a maximum and four boundaries.

For Royals, Mirza Baig and Mahedi Hasan scalped two apiece. Aamer Jamal, Mukidul Islam and Shoriful Islam also took one each.

With this win, Chattogram Royals are now at top position, with three wins out of four games.

READ: Pakistan submit provisional squad to ICC for T20 World Cup: reports