Swashbuckling all-rounder Andre Russell on Sunday announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League ahead of the mini auction scheduled for December 16, and will join three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders' coaching staff.

Abhishek Sharma on Sunday smashed the joint third-fastest half-century and broke his own record for most sixes by an Indian in a T20 innings, blasting an unbeaten 148 in Punjab's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy clash against Bengal here.

Lionel Messi will play for another trophy. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets clearly aren't ready to begin their retirements, either.

Manchester City squandered a two-goal lead before grabbing a stoppage-time winner through Phil Foden to seal a 3-2 victory over Leeds in the Premier League on Saturday.

Former South African captain Faf du Plessis on Saturday said he will not be participating in the Indian Premier League for the first time in 14 years, but will be exploring an opportunity in the Pakistan Super League in 2026.

Stand-in ODI skipper KL Rahul on Saturday conceded that Indian batters' repeated struggles against spin, especially on home tracks, remain a concern but he didn’t have a "definitive answer” to the decline of their traditional strength. His comment comes amid a worrying pattern of Indian batting line-up's repeated buckling against spinners on home tracks in Test cricket over the last two seasons -- once their fortress.

India will look to address several lingering selection puzzles when they take on South Africa on Sunday in the first ODI of the three-match series where Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the set-up for a short audition that could well shape their 2027 World Cup fate.

Harmanpreet Kaur-led defending champions Mumbai Indians will face 2024 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening match of the fourth Women's Premier League on January 9 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.