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Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years as Bukayo Saka sealed a 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Mikel Arteta’s side settled the semi-final second leg with Saka’s strike late in the first half at an ecstatic Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners, who drew 1-1 in the first leg in Madrid last week, held firm after Saka’s goal to go through 2-1 on aggregate.

Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) or Bayern Munich in the final in Budapest on May 30.

Holders PSG, who beat Arsenal in the semi-finals last year, have a 5-4 lead ahead of the second leg in Munich on Wednesday.

It was a cathartic night for Arsenal, who are back in the Champions League final for the first time since losing 2-1 to Barcelona in their only previous appearance in the showpiece in 2006.

Arsenal have never won the Champions League, with their two major European trophies coming in the 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup and the 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Their last continental final ended in a 4-1 defeat against Chelsea in the 2019 Europa League.

It is shaping up to be Arsenal’s greatest ever season as they chase a Premier League and Champions League double.

Even Arsene Wenger’s ‘Invincibles,’ who won the club’s last English title in an unbeaten top-flight campaign in 2004, might have to bow to the current generation if they finish the job. Fittingly, it was Saka, the homegrown symbol of the Arteta era, who proved Arsenal’s match-winner.

Now just four games from immortality, Premier League leaders Arsenal were given a huge boost in the title race when second-placed Manchester City drew at Everton on Monday.

The Gunners will be crowned champions if they win their last three games against West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace. Once the title is decided, Arsenal will head to Hungary with a maiden Champions League crown in their sights.

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Arsenal endured jibes about their perceived lack of mental strength after a run of four defeats in six games in all competitions sparked painful memories of previous failures to end their six-year wait for silverware.

But the ‘nearly-men’ and ‘serial choker’ labels applied only weeks ago are on the verge of being banished forever.

Thousands of Arsenal supporters massed outside the stadium before kick-off to greet their team with flares and flags, a vociferous display of affection underlining Arsenal’s desperation to make history.

It was the kind of evening in north London when nothing was beyond the realm of possibility as Arsenal moved closer to casting off the shackles of two decades of underachievement.

After some tense performances during the Premier League run-in, Saturday’s 3-0 rout of Fulham showed Arsenal at their flowing best in a riposte to the critics who claim they only win ugly.

This was a more prosaic display, but no one with an affinity to Arsenal was bothered in the slightest.

Arsenal were nearly caught on the counter in a frenetic start when Julian Alvarez shot just wide before Giuliano Simeone’s close-range effort deflected past the post. But Arsenal recovered from those anxious moments to deliver a dominant spell that brought their 44th-minute goal.

Viktor Gyokeres’ clever run unhinged the Atletico defence, and his cross reached Leandro Trossard inside the area.

Trossard wriggled into just enough space for a low drive that Jan Oblak weakly pushed out to Saka, who reacted quicker than his flat-footed markers to slot home from four yards.

Arteta jubilantly punched the air as all around him the Emirates erupted into a roiling red sea of celebration.

Atletico tried to ruin the party in the second half, but Gabriel Magalhaes made a last-ditch tackle on Simeone to avert a certain goal before David Raya repelled Antoine Griezmann’s blast.

Arteta recently revealed he visualised Arsenal conquering the Champions League even in the difficult early days of his reign.

The Spaniard is now just one win away from seeing that daydream become a glorious reality.

READ: Warwickshire Bears sign Usman Tariq for T20 Blast 2026

Disciplined bowling and an unbeaten 87 by opener Sanju Samson helped Chennai Super Kings stay in the hunt for the IPL 2026 playoffs with an eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on Tuesday.

Batting first on a tough pitch backfired for hosts Delhi, who slipped to 69-5 before posting 155-7 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Five-time champions Chennai lost two early wickets in the chase, but Samson paced his 52-ball knock to perfection as his team chased down the target with 15 balls to spare.

Samson, a wicketkeeper-batter, put on an unbeaten 114-run stand with Kartik Sharma, who made 41, as the two ensured a fifth win for Chennai in 10 matches to be sixth in the 10-team table.

Delhi’s chances of making the playoffs took a hit as they went down to their sixth defeat.

The top four teams at the end of the league stage will qualify for the playoffs.

In-form Samson, who has hit two centuries in IPL 2026, reached his fifty in 32 balls and finished with seven fours and six sixes.

He has scored 402 runs in 10 matches this edition and is fifth in the batting chart led by Delhi’s KL Rahul (445).

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Samson came into this edition of the IPL on the back of three half-centuries in the last three matches of India’s T20 World Cup triumph on home soil in March.

Delhi’s South Africa pace bowler Lungi Ngidi returned after missing the previous two matches with a concussion.

Ngidi claimed 1-30, dismissing skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, for six, with a pacy delivery.

But it was the Chennai bowlers who exploited the surface. Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad stood out with figures of 2-22 and was ably supported by fellow spinner Akeal Hosein (1-19).

Fast bowlers Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh, and England’s Jamie Overton claimed one wicket each as they bowled good lengths to restrict the opposition.

South Africa’s Tristan Stubbs made 38, and impact substitute Sameer Rizvi struck an unbeaten 40 off 24 balls to hit back after Delhi lost half their side in the 11th over.

Stubbs and Rizvi, who struck four sixes, put on 65 runs for the sixth wicket, but the effort was not enough to test Chennai’s batting.

One of the most successful franchises in the T20 tournament, Chennai are still waiting for the return of veteran M.S. Dhoni, who is recovering from an injury and is yet to play a game in this edition.

READ: BCB makes ‘special announcement’ for Pakistan-Bangladesh series

DHAKA: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday announced free entry for Students and academy trainees for the two-match Test series against Pakistan.

The first of the two matches – part of the ICC World Test Championship will be played at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from 8 to 12 May, while Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will host the second Test, which will be played from 16 to 20 May.

The board termed it a “special opportunity” aimed at encouraging young cricket fans to experience the longer format of the game from the stands.

“On the occasion of the upcoming Bangladesh vs Pakistan Test Series, a special opportunity has been introduced to encourage young cricket enthusiasts to experience the ultimate form of the game from the stands and galleries,” the BCB said in a statement.

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“Students from schools and educational institutions, wearing their respective uniforms and carrying valid ID cards, will be granted free entry to designated stands/galleries,” it added.

BCB also said that the condition applies to trainees under the age of 15, who can come to the stadium wearing their official academy kits.

“This privilege also applies to trainees under the age of 15 who are enrolled in private cricket academies. These trainees must wear their official academy kits to receive complimentary access to the stadiums,” the board concluded.

In the current World Test Championship (WTC) standings, Bangladesh are placed eighth, having registered one defeat and one draw from two matches, with a win percentage of 16.67.

Pakistan, meanwhile, sit fifth with one win and one loss, holding 12 points and a 50 percent win ratio.

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vc), Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan, Amite Hasan.

Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi

READ: Warwickshire Bears sign Usman Tariq for T20 Blast 2026

Real Madrid injured striker Kylian Mbappe has sparked anger among a section of the club’s supporters after a holiday in Sardinia, triggering a fresh media storm ahead of Sunday’s Clasico against Barcelona.

For many Madrid fans, the striker’s Italian getaway – during rest days granted by Real Madrid to injured players, including Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois and Arda Guler – was the final straw.

United behind a shared image showing Mbappe with a “Fuera (out)” stamp over his face – originally posted by a satirical account and reposted in the comments section of Real Madrid’s official posts – some fans are openly calling for the French superstar to leave.

An online petition has also been circulating on social networks, urging Madrid fans to “make their voices heard”. “If you believe change is necessary, do not remain silent: sign this petition and defend what you believe is best for the future of the club,” it reads.

Fuel was added to the fire by widely shared photos of Mbappe alongside actress Ester Exposito, posted on social media as Real Madrid were preparing for a crucial La Liga match against Espanyol last weekend in an effort to delay Barcelona’s title celebrations.

Real Madrid won that match 2–0, and coach Alvaro Arbeloa later insisted that “each player does what they consider appropriate in their free time” and that it was “none of my business”. However, several of his comments were perceived as indirect criticism of his leading scorer.

“We didn’t build Real Madrid with players who play in tuxedos, but with players who finish matches with shirts full of sweat and mud, through effort and sacrifice,” he said.

Madrid is “a club where, fortunately, no player has ever been, is, or ever will be bigger than Real Madrid,” added Arbeloa.

Contacted by AFP, Mbappe’s entourage said “part of the criticism is based on an over-interpretation of elements linked to a recovery period that is strictly supervised by the club”, and bears no relation to “the reality of the commitment and daily work Kylian puts in for the team”.

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The France captain, accustomed to sometimes excessive scrutiny, addressed his mindset earlier this season on The Bridge, a podcast hosted by his Real Madrid and France teammate Aurelien Tchouameni.

“I’ve reached a point where you’re going to get criticised whatever you do, so you might as well do what you want – at least then you stay true to yourself,” Mbappe said.

With 41 goals in 41 matches in all competitions this season, Mbappe remains by far Real Madrid’s leading scorer. He has nonetheless come under heavy criticism since returning from injury in mid-March, with some observers accusing him of an overly individualistic approach.

According to Spanish media, Mbappe – frustrated by a second season at Madrid without a major trophy – is becoming increasingly isolated in the dressing room, despite having established himself as a leader earlier in the campaign.

Some fans and pundits have pointed to post-match comments from fellow stars Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham after Sunday’s win as signs of a growing rift with the France captain.

“We fought and we played together. When we play like that, we are better and stronger,” Vinicius told Real Madrid TV, while Bellingham urged his teammates on Instagram to stay “together” and fully committed “until the very last whistle” of the season.

Friendly exchanges between Vinicius and Bellingham on social media – the pair won the Champions League together before Mbappe’s arrival – have further fuelled speculation of a new clash of egos within the Madrid squad.

READ: Babar Azam shares inspirational post after Peshawar Zalmi PSL triumph

Pakistan mystery off-spinner Usman Tariq expressed excitement after being signed by Warwickshire Bears for the T20 Blast 2026. 

The tournament will run from May 22 to July 18, with Bears playing their opening match against Gloucestershire on Friday, May 22.

Earlier today, the Bears announced the signing of a 30-year-old spinner, hailing the spinner’s high impact with the ball.

Following the signing, Tariq shared his views, noting that he is eager to join Bears with enthusiasm and positive energy.

“I am very excited to bring more fun and energy to the Bears. I can’t wait to get involved with the squad and it’s a great feeling to be part of this team. I hope to see as many people as possible at Edgbaston this summer,” he said.

Meanwhile, Warwickshire Bears performance director James Thomas lauded Tariq’s bowling, highlighting his skillset and strategy that pose a threat to modern-day batters.

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“Usman is exactly the type of high-impact player we want to bring into Warwickshire, so we’re delighted to get this deal completed,” he said.

“His skillset and tactical awareness make him a genuine threat in modern white-ball cricket, but it’s his hunger to compete and continually improve that really stands out,” he added.

Usman, who rose to prominence due to unusual action, has played 9 T20Is for Pakistan. The tall spinner has taken 18 wickets, including a hat-trick in his second match.

For the unversed, Usman Tariq will spend most of his time in England during the summer. He will first play in the T20 Blast and will later on represent Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred 2026.

The 30-year-old was signed for a whopping GBP 140,000 at the player auction earlier this year.

READ: Warwickshire Bears sign Usman Tariq for T20 Blast 2026

Warwickshire Bears have signed Pakistan mystery spinner Usman Tariq for the forthcoming T20 Blast campaign.

The announcement was confirmed through the team’s social handles.

“Worth the wait,” the caption of the post read.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bears (@warwickshireccc)

Following the signing, team performance director James Thomas lauded Tariq’s bowling, highlighting his skillset and strategy that pose a threat to modern-day batters.

“Usman is exactly the type of high-impact player we want to bring into Warwickshire, so we’re delighted to get this deal completed,” Bears performance director James Thomas said., external

“His skillset and tactical awareness make him a genuine threat in modern white-ball cricket, but it’s his hunger to compete and continually improve that really stands out,” he added.

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The director further said that what made the signing particularly exciting was the alignment between Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix.

He added that bringing Usman into the Bears for the Vitality Blast before his transition into The Hundred with the Phoenix reflected the strength of their integrated model across the club and franchise.

“What makes this signing particularly exciting is the alignment between Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix. Bringing Usman into the Bears for the Vitality Blast, before transitioning into The Hundred with the Phoenix, reflects the strength of our integrated model across club and franchise,”

“It allows us to create continuity for the player, maximise performance impact across both competitions, and build stronger connections with our supporters in Birmingham and Warwickshire.” Ultimately, this is about strengthening the team, the franchise, and our presence in the area, and we believe Usman can play a key role in that this summer,” he concluded.

The T20 Blast will run from May 22 to July 18. Birmingham Bears will play their opening match against Gloucestershire on Friday, May 22.

For the unversed, Usman made headlines for his unorthodox action and has played 9 T20Is for Pakistan. The 30-year-old has so far taken 18 wickets, including a hat-trick in his short career.

READ: Aryna Sabalenka issues warning over Grand Slams prize money

World number one Aryna Sabalenka said Tuesday she was ready to boycott the Grand Slam tournaments in order to have a greater share of the prize money.

“I feel like the show is on us. Without us there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment,” the four-time Grand Slam winner told a press conference at the Italian Open.

“I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more percentage.

“I think at some point we will boycott. I feel like that’s going to be the only way to fight for our rights.

“We girls can easily get together and go for this because some of the things I feel like it’s really unfair to the players. I think at some point it’s going to get to this.”

Last year almost all the leading players signed two letters to the four Grand Slam bosses demanding an increase in prize money, payments into a player welfare fund to improve retirement and maternity benefits, as well as involvement in decisions that affected them.

The letters set a target of a 22-percent share in tournament revenue, which would bring the majors in line with the nine combined 1000-level events run by the ATP men’s tour and the women’s WTA tour.

However Poland’s Iga Swiatek, a four-time French Open singles champion, believes boycotting tournaments “is a bit extreme”.

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“I think the most important thing honestly is to have proper communication and discussions with the governing bodies so we have some space to talk and maybe negotiate,” said Swiatek, who has also won Wimbledon and the US Open.

“Hopefully before Roland Garros there’s going to be an opportunity to have these type of meetings and we’ll see how they go.”

On Monday, players said in a statement that an announcement by the French Open last month of a 9.5-percent prize money rise was not good enough.

It said that last year Roland Garros generated 395 million euros ($463 mn), a 14-percent increase.

However the total purse went up by just 5.4 percent, reducing player share of revenue to 14.3 percent.

It estimated that this year’s revenues would pass 400 mn euros, leaving the player cut still below 15 percent.

READ: Babar Azam shares inspirational post after Peshawar Zalmi PSL triumph

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday released the annual rankings of Men’s T20I teams, with title holders India remaining at the top spot. 

According to the cricket apex body, the latest rankings are weighted: matches played since May 2025 count at 100 percent and those from the previous two years at 50 percent.

“The latest rankings rate all matches played since May 2025 at 100 per cent and those of the previous two years at 50 per cent,” the press release said.

India remains firm in the top spot with 275 points, followed by England on 262 points. Australia are closely behind the Three Lions with 258 points.

The Men in Blue’s top position is on the back of their stellar run over the past two years, during which they lifted two World Cups — 2024 and 2026 — and remained undefeated in all T20I series.

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Meanwhile, the top seven positions in the rankings are unchanged with New Zealand on 247 points. South Africa is in fifth position with 244 points, while Pakistan (240) and West Indies (233) are in sixth and seventh positions, respectively.

At the bottom, Sri Lanka slipped to the ninth spot, while Bangladesh moved one step up and is in eighth position. Afghanistan is in 10th position, while Zimbabwe and Ireland’s positions are unchanged.

The USA continued their rise, gaining six points, sitting at 13th place, leapfrogging the Netherlands and Scotland at 14th and 15th ranks respectively.

Italy, who made their debut in the T20 World Cup 2026, are the biggest gainers, climbing from 26th to 23rd position.

It is worth noting that the number of teams in the rankings has dropped from 102 to 98, as Fiji, Gambia, Greece, and Israel did not make the cut because they did not play the required eight T20Is in the past three years.

READ: Babar Azam shares inspirational post after Peshawar Zalmi PSL triumph

Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam has shared an inspirational story on his social media handle following Peshawar Zalmi’s triumph in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11. 

Babar took to his Instagram handle to showcase a collage of photographs featuring young cricketers and fans.

“My motivation. If I can, you all can”, the caption of the story read.

The post comes after Peshawar Zalmi’s victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the PSL 11 final. Babar led his side to title glory, winning the PSL trophy for the first time as a captain. Moreover, this was Zalmi’s first trophy in nine years.

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It is worth mentioning that Babar Azam served as a ball boy during the 2007 Test series between Pakistan and South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium. His journey is a symbol of determination and hard work.  As a ball boy, the 31-year-old idolized South African batter AB de Villiers and took inspiration from him.

He also remained Pakistan U-19 captain and led Pakistan into the quarter-finals of the ICC World Cup.

Since making his debut in 2015 against Zimbabwe, Babar has become one of the top performers for the national team across all three formats.

Overall, he has played 346 matches for Pakistan, amassing 15463 runs at an average of 45, including 32 centuries and 106 fifties.  He is also on the verge of breaking the record for the most ODI centuries for Pakistan, currently tied with Saeed Anwar at 20.

READ: Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi named in PSL 11 Team of the Tournament

Iran football team have suffered a significant setback ahead of their preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after winger Ali Gholizadeh was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a serious knee injury sustained in club action.

The 30-year-old, who plays his club football for Polish side Lech Poznań, was forced off during last weekend’s league match against Motor Lublin after picking up the injury in a routine challenge.

Medical assessments later confirmed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, a diagnosis that has effectively ended his season and cast doubt over his availability for the World Cup build-up.

Lech Poznań have confirmed that Gholizadeh will undergo surgery in the coming days, followed by a lengthy rehabilitation process that is expected to keep him sidelined for several months.

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The injury is a major blow for Iran, particularly given Gholizadeh’s expected role on the right flank in their World Cup plans. His absence removes one of the team’s key attacking outlets at a crucial stage of preparation.

Iran’s preparations have already been under strain in recent months. Domestic football activity in the country was suspended amid regional tensions linked to broader geopolitical conflict involving the United States and Israel, limiting competitive match exposure for national team players.

As a result, training for the national side has largely been restricted to controlled sessions, including drills and occasional intra-squad matches in Tehran, rather than regular competitive fixtures. Despite these limitations, members of the squad have continued their preparations at national training camps.

READ: Santos launch internal probe after Neymar and Robinho Jr fight