International
Ranji Trophy Final: Yashasvi Jaiswal slams 78 as Mumbai reach 248/5; MP fight back in second session

Yashasvi Jaiswal slammed 78 as Mumbai reached 248/5 at stumps on day one of Ranji Trophy final against Madhya Pradesh at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.
Jaiswal, in company of skipper Prithvi Shaw, added 87 for the first wicket, but the 41-time champions were unable to string a 50+ stand thereafter as Madhya Pradesh bounced back from second session onwards. Off-spinner Saransh Jain took 2/31 while Anubhav Agarwal was impressive in his 2/56.
After electing to bat first under overcast skies and cool weather, Mumbai began well with Jaiswal being the initial aggressor, dancing down the pitch to hit Kumar Kartikeya Singh for a six over mid-on. When Kartikeya again bowled short, Jaiswal hanged back in his crease and cut sweetly through backward point for four.
After almost being run-out due to a huge mix-up, Jaiswal continued to get forward and drive Gaurav as well as Saransh through the off-side. Shaw, despite fetching some boundaries, was struggling to adjust to the bounce and deviation off the pitch against Gaurav and later Agarwal.
Against spinners, especially Kartikeya’s left-arm spin, who wasn’t getting much help from the pitch, Shaw used his feet to slam a lofted six over long-off and follow it up with a boundary coming off a beautiful straight drive in his first over of facing spin.
But him being troubled against movement from pacers eventually caused his downfall as fast bowler Anubhav Agarwal breached through his defence to rattle his off-stump. Armaan Jaffer continued his good nick with a lovely punch-drive off Agarwal, presenting the full face of the bat and brought up Mumbai’s hundred when a thick outer edge on defence going past gully.
Post lunch, Madhya Pradesh made a comeback as Mumbai lost their second wicket when Armaan Jaffer got a thick inner edge on a drive off a slower ball from Kartikeya and was snapped by a diving short mid-wicket. After Jaiswal reached his fifty with a single through mid-wicket, Suved Parkar slammed a brace of boundaries before playing the flick too early and leading edge popped to mid-wicket off Saransh.
But Jaiswal had no such issues, hitting Gaurav for three boundaries – driving with full face of the bat, outside edge running past gully and cutting over gully. He was elegant while using his feet to cream Kartikeya through extra cover. But for the third time in the session, Mumbai lost a wicket against run of play as Jaiswal went for an expansive drive, only for it to fly towards gully.
With the in-form Sarfaraz Khan at the crease for Mumbai after surviving a close lbw shout off Gaurav Yadav and Hardik Tamore striking a brace of boundaries, Mumbai were hopeful of getting a big score by the end of the day.
After tea, Sarfaraz survived a loud lbw appeal off Kartikeya. The ball hit his pad, popped up and was caught by Rajat Patidar running from slip. He and Tamore got some boundaries, but the latter nicked to slip off Saransh, departing for 24.
Post Tamore’s fall, Madhya Pradesh kept things tight by drying up the runs for Sarfaraz as well as Shams Mulani. Eventually, Sarfaraz and Mulani ensured no further loss of wickets for Mumbai as 47 runs came off the final session of the day, compared to 108 and 89 runs respectively in the first two sessions.
Brief Scores: Mumbai 248/5 in 90 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 78, Prithvi Shaw 47; Saransh Jain 2/31, Anubhav Agarwal 2/56) against Madhya Pradesh
International
‘I’m happy here’: Cristiano Ronaldo pledges to continue at Al Nassr in Saudi Pro League

Portugese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has vowed to continue at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia despite walking away empty handed in this season. The 38-year-old has earmarked the tournament to be among the top five in the world.
Ronaldo, who signed a two and a half year contract with Al Nassr, scored 14 goals in 16 games in the season, with his side standing second behind Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro league. However, there were speculations about how long will he stay as reports of swap deal with Saudi-owned Newcastle United emerged, who have now qualified for next season’s Champions league.
In an official Saudi Pro League interview, the star footballer revealed:
“I’m happy here, I want to continue here, I will continue here. And in my opinion, if they continue to do the work that they want to do here, for the next five years, I think the Saudi league can be a top five league in the world. I expected to win something this year, but we didn’t, but next year I’m really positive, but next year I’m really positive and confident that things will change and we go in a better way.”
Cristiano Ronaldo suggests he is still adjusting to strange training timings in Saudi Arabia:
Ronaldo also revealed how contrasting the training timings in Europe and Saudi Arabia are, elaborating:
“In Europe, we train more in the morning, but here we train in the afternoon or evening and in Ramadan, we train at 10 at night. So this is strange but as I tell you, these situations are part of an experience, memories. I like to live these moments because you learn with these things.”
With 837 goals in 512 games, Ronaldo is the combined highest goal scorer in history.
International
Lionel Messi to leave PSG at the end of the season, confirms club manager Christophe Galtier

Paris Saint Germain superstar Lionel Messi will leave the club at the end of the current season, manager Christophe Galtier confirmed on Thursday. Messi made 74 appearances for PSG in which he scored 32 goals and made 35 assists. In Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain has played 37 matches out of which they have won 27, lost six and drew four.
PSG had acquired Messi’s services two years ago in a record transfer deal after he left FC Barcelona in 2021.
Messi, who’s contract with PSG ends this season, is now being linked with with a move to Saudi Arabia while talk of a return to the Nou Camp has picked up in Spain in recent weeks.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner will play his final match for PSG against Clermont Foot on Saturday.
“I had the privilege of coaching the best player in the history of football,” Galtier said on Thursday. “This will be his last match at the Parc des Princes, and I hope that he will receive the warmest of welcomes.”
Messi’s envious record
In the Spanish La Liga football competition, Lionel Messi has scored 474 goals in 520 matches. In the French Ligue 1, Messi has scored 22 goals in 57 matches.
The 35-year-old while playing for Football Club Barcelona has scored 672 goals in 778 games. While playing for Paris Saint-Germain he has scored 32 goals in 74 matches.
No plan to bring Messi back: Barca president
FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta recently said that the club has re-established good relationships with Argentine legend Lionel Messi, but it would not pay any price to bring him back to the Camp Nou Stadium.
“I have spoken with Leo to somehow redirect the situation that occurred when I had to put the institution ahead of everything, including him, the best player in the world,” said Laporta in a Monday morning TV show.
International
Mark Zuckerberg strikes gold against jiu jitsu fighters, posts pictures on Instagram

In the past, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has appeared helpless in front of the US Congress where he has been slapped by fines, and fired 11,000 vulnerable employees after being hit by falling revenues. But outside the business arena where Meta is facing tough competition from TikTok and other rivals, Zuckerberg is a huge mixed martial arts fan.
Contrary to setbacks in the tech sector, the Facebook founder has tasted victory in jiu jitsu.
Striking gold, but in a different arena
- The billionaire who has trained with UFC fighters, posted pictures after winning jiu jitsu matches for the first time.
- The billionaire who tried his hand at martial arts, revealed that he won a gold medal in the Gi categroy and a silver medal in the No-GI category.
- His post on Instagram received comments from UFC featherweight and bantamweight category champions, as well as jiu jitsu hall of fame member Bernardo Faria.
Competitive or short tempered?
- The entrepreneur turned sportsperson, who also enjoys surfing, was seen getting into a heated argument after losing a contest during the tournament in California as well.
- On the work front, Zuckerberg’s firm Meta also surprised the markets by bouncing back with strong earnings, after struggling with loss of ad revenue.
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