Category: Sports

Australia skipper Pat Cummins and former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan congratulated Usman Khawaja after the veteran Australian batter announced that he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes Test, scheduled from January 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Khawaja’s Remarkable Career

The 39-year-old opener will retire as one of Australia’s most prolific run-scorers; just 30 more runs in his farewell Test would see him surpass Michael Hussey’s tally of 6,235, placing him 14th among Australian men.

Congratulating Khawaja on his successful 15-year international career, Cummins shared a picture of himself celebrating a wicket with the batter. He expressed his hope for Khawaja to score a century in his final match, saying, “Congratulations on an international career, mate. One more home century to go,” on X.

Dhawan also reacted to Khawaja’s retirement announcement, lauding his journey and wishing him luck for his final match. “What a journey @Uz_Khawaja. Good luck for the last Test in Sydney and everything that comes next,” Dhawan wrote on X.

Khawaja’s Reflections

Speaking to the media at the SCG, Khawaja revealed that this decision had been on his mind for some time, noting that discussions with his wife, Rachel, were pivotal in finalizing it.

“I’ve been thinking about it, not wholly, but for a while. Moving into this series, I kind of had an inkling in my head that this would be the last series. I talked to Rachel about it a fair bit, and I knew this was a big chance. I didn’t leave the door fully shut because I knew there was a chance I could play on. I know Andrew McDonald, even right till the very end when I told him a few days ago, was still thinking about how I could get to India,” he told reporters.

Career Achievements

In a career spanning 15 years, Khawaja has accumulated over 8,000 international runs across formats, featuring in 87 Tests, 40 ODIs, and nine T20Is. In 2023, he was named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year and Shane Warne Test Cricketer of the Year, and he also played a key role in Australia’s World Test Championship victory.

The BCCI on Thursday declined to comment on the participation of Bangladesh players in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with sources indicating that no communication has been received from the government regarding the matter.

Amid discussions over the signing of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman during last month’s IPL auction, BCCI sources reiterated that no directive has come from the government to prevent Bangladeshi players from participating in the league.

Rahman became the most expensive Bangladeshi player ever when Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured his services for Rs 9.20 crore at the mini-auction held last month. This signing sparked debate following reports of violent incidents against religious minorities in Bangladesh, with some questioning the pacer’s participation in IPL 2026.

Reacting to the issue, a BCCI source stated, “Let’s not get into this. It is not in our hands. We have not received any communication from the government directing us to prevent Bangladesh players from participating in the IPL… Can’t comment much as of now.”

Rahman, who has taken 65 wickets in 60 IPL matches at an economy rate of 8.13, made his IPL debut with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016. He later represented Mumbai Inddigihunt (2018), Rajasthan Royals (2021), Delhi Capitals (2022–23), and Chennai Super Kings (2024), before being released after the franchise failed to qualify for the playoffs. He returned to Delhi Capitals last season as an injury replacement for Australia batter Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Earlier, spiritual guru Devkinandan Thakur criticised KKR and its co-owner, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, over Rahman’s signing, stating that Hindus and followers of Sanatan Dharma were hurt by the inclusion of a Bangladeshi player amid reports of atrocities against Hindus in the neighbouring country.

The remarks have drawn mixed reactions from political leaders across parties, with many emphasising that sports should remain separate from political and diplomatic issues.

England have included off-spinner Shoaib Bashir and seamer Matthew Potts in their 12-man squad for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia, scheduled to take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Sunday.

Fast bowler Gus Atkinson is the only absentee from the side that clinched a four-wicket victory in the fourth Test inside two days at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The pacer has been ruled out of the match due to a hamstring injury.

Bashir and Potts for Added Flexibility

The inclusion of Bashir and Potts provides England with flexibility as they aim to conclude the series on a positive note. Conditions at the SCG typically favor spin bowling more than other Australian venues, making this a strategic choice. Both players are in contention to make their Ashes debut in place of the injured Atkinson.

Potts, who has remained an unused member of England’s touring party throughout the series, is in line to earn his 11th Test cap, having last played in a Test against New Zealand in late 2024. Whether he will secure a spot in the playing eleven remains uncertain, particularly as the SCG pitch has shown a slight green tinge.

Previous Selection Insights

A 12-man squad was also named for the first Test in Perth, which concluded in just two days, with Bashir missing out as England opted for an all-pace attack. The last time Bashir played for England was during the third Test against India at Lord’s in July.

Although England cannot win the Ashes at this point, another victory in Sydney, following their win in Melbourne, would offer valuable encouragement for the visitors in future World Test Championship assignments.

England Squad for the Fifth Ashes Test: Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (WK), and Josh Tongue.

Hockey India has announced the appointment of Sjoerd Marijne as the chief coach of the Indian women’s hockey team. This marks the return of the Dutchman to the Indian set-up after a historic performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games, where the team finished fourth in their second appearance at the quadrennial event in more than 36 years.

Marijne will be supported by Matias Vila as the analytical coach. Vila, a former midfielder from Argentina, made his international debut in 1997 and competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics for Argentina. He has been involved in coaching for over the past two decades.

Also returning to the Indian hockey scene is Wayne Lombard, who will serve as Scientific Advisor and Head of Athletic Performance, supported by Rodet Yila and Ciara Yila, both in the role of scientific advisor, as stated by Hockey India in a release.

On his return to India, after a successful tenure between 2017 to 2021 in which the Indian women’s team advanced to the top 10 in world rankings, Marijne expressed, “It’s great to be back. After 4.5 years, I return with fresh energy and a clear vision to support the team’s growth and help the players achieve their full potential on the world stage.”

Marijne’s first significant challenge as chief coach will be the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, Telangana, scheduled from March 8 to 14. He will arrive in India on January 14, while the National Coaching Camp begins on January 19 at SAI, Bengaluru.

Speaking about the appointment, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said, “We extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and Sports Authority of India (SAI) for expediting the appointment in order to ensure the team’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers are not hampered. Emphasis has been laid on the fitness of the team, which was one of the key reasons for the Indian women’s historic performance in Tokyo. We look forward to a fruitful stint.”

Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh echoed similar sentiments, stating, “We wish Sjoerd Marijne and the rest of the support staff the very best in their endeavours. Sjoerd comes with the understanding of the team; many players in the core group have already played under him. We now expect this team to perform well, especially with the Asian Games coming up and the World Cup Qualifier.”

SCG Curator Optimistic Ahead of Fifth Ashes Test

The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) curator, Adam Lewis, expressed his satisfaction with the color of the pitch as preparations ramp up for the fifth Ashes Test starting on January 4. This comes after intense scrutiny of the pitch conditions that followed the fourth Ashes match, which concluded in just two days.

With the International Cricket Council (ICC) issuing an unsatisfactory rating to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) after England’s four-wicket victory in record time, the focus has shifted to the SCG wicket.

Lewis shared his approach to handling the situation, stating, “I don’t scroll, I don’t have social media, so I try and keep all that negative energy away from me. We just put our own pressure on ourselves. We’re trying to produce the best pitch we can with the climate that we’re given.”

He continued, “We’re happy with the colour of the pitch at the moment; we don’t want it to not have any green in it three days out from the Test. We’ll be able to take that colour out of it over the next couple of days. Hopefully, we see a little bit of sun, which will help draw the moisture out.”

Lewis emphasized the need for a “nice green tinge” on Day 1 to ensure the ball carries well, while also aiming for a smooth and even surface. “We’re looking like we’ve got good weather for the five days, and my gut feeling is that we will see some good batting,” he remarked on SEN Radio.

Reflecting on the MCG pitch, Lewis praised curator Matt Page, stating he did the best he could given the challenging conditions leading up to the Boxing Day Test. He reaffirmed that his primary goal is to create conditions that allow players’ skills to determine the outcome of the match.

“I spoke to Pagey a few times last week. The guys are doing the absolute best they can. Pagey is probably one of the best curators in Australia, if not the world. It’s not as if we go out to produce a wicket that it’s over in a few days. It’s just a shame. All we can do now is just produce something as even as possible, so it can be decided by the players,” he added.

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams has received a wild card entry into the main draw at the 2026 Australian Open.

This will mark her first appearance at Melbourne Park since 2021 and her first competition outside the United States since 2023. Notably, of her seven Grand Slam singles titles, she has yet to claim one in Melbourne. Venus reached the finals twice, in 2003 and 2017, but both times her sister, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, emerged victorious.

In addition to her two Australian Open finals, Venus achieved semifinal finishes in 2001 and advanced to the quarterfinals six times, contributing to a tournament win-loss record of 54-21.

“I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer. I’ve had so many incredible memories there, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that has meant so much to my career,” Venus stated.

At 45 years old, she is set to become the oldest woman to compete in an Australian Open main draw, surpassing the previous record held by Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round of the 2015 Australian Open.

After a 16-month layoff, Venus returned to tennis last July and participated in three tournaments in 2025. She defeated compatriot Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 in the first round at the Mubadala Citi DC Open before falling to Magdalena Frech.

In August, Williams faced Spain’s Jessica Bouzas-Maneiro, losing 4-6, 4-6 in the first round of Cincinnati. She took 11th seeded Karolina Muchova to three sets in the first round of the US Open. In doubles, partnering with Leylah Fernandez, Williams advanced to the quarterfinals, where they were defeated by eventual finalists Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend.

Venus will prepare for the 2026 Australian Open at the Hobart International, where she has also received a wildcard and will join fellow major champions Barbora Krejcikova and Emma Raducanu.

The Australian Open 2026 main draw begins on January 18.

Retiring veteran batter Usman Khawaja has voiced his concerns about racial stereotypes in Australian cricket, stating that he has been treated differently throughout his career due to his race and religion.

Khawaja, born in Pakistan and the first Muslim to play Test cricket for Australia, announced his international retirement during a 50-minute press conference at the SCG. He expressed his desire to make life easier for “the next Usman Khawaja.”

In his final season, Khawaja mentioned that he continues to face stereotypes, particularly regarding the criticism surrounding his Ashes preparation, which he believes had racial undertones. He addressed the backlash he received for playing three days of golf prior to the Perth Test, where he experienced back spasms that prevented him from opening in both innings.

“I had back spasms, and it was something I couldn’t control. The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me … I could have copped it for two days, but I copped it for about five days straight,” Khawaja stated.

He added, “These are the same racial stereotypes I’ve grown up with my whole life. We obviously haven’t fully moved past them because I’ve never seen anyone treated like that in the Australian cricket team before … not for the uncontrollables the way you guys went at me.”

Khawaja pointed out that he continues to fight these stereotypes daily, which he finds frustrating. “I can give you a countless number of guys who have played golf the day before (a Test) and been injured, and you guys haven’t said a thing,” he noted. “I can give you even more guys who have had 15 schooners the night before and then gotten injured; no one said a word. That’s all right – they’re just being Aussie larrikins, right? They’re just being lads.”

He emphasized his frustration, stating, “But when I got injured, everyone went at my credibility and who I am as a person. So for me, that was the frustrating part.”

Khawaja played a significant role in shaping Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Action Plan, launched in 2023. He acknowledged that cricket in Australia has become more welcoming but noted that challenges still exist.

“There’s still a bit to go, but the sport is definitely in a better spot. There are still challenges. If you look at Australia… It’s such a multicultural community. If you look at the amount of participation we have in cricket, particularly from subcontinental players, we don’t always see that in Australia,” he said.

He also remarked on the difficulty of making the Australian cricket team. “There are 11 spots. It’s not easy, and we don’t want to just gift people spots. There’s still an undertone here and there. There are still challenges to be faced,” he concluded.

Manchester City started the new calendar year with a 0-0 draw at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light. Pep Guardiola’s side missed the opportunity to move back within two points of the Gunners after an entertaining stalemate.

Key Match Details:

• The result means City extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to seven matches and now sit four points behind leaders Arsenal at the halfway point of the campaign.
• Bernardo Silva thought he’d opened the scoring just five minutes in when he touched home a corner flicked on by Erling Haaland, but the captain was narrowly offside.

Sunderland grew into the game, but neither side truly looked likely to beat the goalkeepers in front of them before the break. The start of the second half brought an uplifting moment for City fans as Rodri took to the pitch for the first time since a brief substitute appearance in early November.

The Spaniard started a move barely a minute into his return that brought City’s best chance yet, but Savinho cleared the bar with his attempt from Rayan Cherki’s low cross. As the hour mark passed, Roefs again denied City when sub Josko Gvardiol ghosted into the box and glanced a header on target.

Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden then came even closer, only for brave defensive heads to block their goal-bound shots. Gvardiol, now spending more time in the Sunderland box than his own half, flicked a cross onto the outside of the post from all of 12 yards.

City threw everything at the hosts in the closing stages but couldn’t force a winner in a typical Premier League battle.

After the match, Man City manager Pep Guardiola said, “Good. Take the point. The second half was excellent. We missed. We could not score in the six-yard box. How many times were we in the six-yard box against the keeper and could not convert? Of course, the threat they have, they are really good.”

Veteran Australia batter Usman Khawaja has announced that he will retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Khawaja called a press conference and made his announcement with his family by his side just two days ahead of the match, which is crucial for the team aiming to secure another 12 World Test Championship points and finish the series as 4-1 victors.

“I’m here to announce today that I will be retiring from all international cricket after the SCG Test match,” Khawaja told the press. “God through cricket has given me far more than I could have imagined. He’s given me memories I’ll carry forever, friendships that go well beyond the game, and lessons that shaped me, who I am, off the field. But no career belongs to one person. I obviously had a lot of help. To my parents, thank you for your sacrifices that never made the highlights reel.”

Khawaja informed his Australia teammates only moments before their training session, two days out from the series finale against England.

In a career spanning 15 years, Khawaja has amassed over 8,000 international runs across formats, appearing in 87 Tests, 40 ODIs, and nine T20Is. He retires as one of Australia’s most prolific run-scorers; just 30 more runs in his farewell Test will see him surpass Michael Hussey’s total of 6,235, placing him 14th among Australian men.

Khawaja leaves the game as one of only 18 Australdigihunt to have scored more than 15 Test centuries, finishing with 16 hundreds in the longest format. He also departs with 49 limited-overs appearances, including two ODI centuries.

Fittingly, Khawaja bows out in his home city of Sydney, where he made his Test debut against England in 2011. It was also at the SCG that Khawaja reignited his career as a 35-year-old, scoring twin centuries against England in early 2022 when Travis Head was sidelined with Covid.

This led to a final career spark, with Khawaja hitting seven centuries in his first two years back in the side and achieving a World Test Championship win in 2023. In the same year, he was named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year and Shane Warne Test Cricketer of the Year, playing a crucial role in Australia’s World Test Championship triumph.

Khawaja informed coach Andrew McDonald after the fourth Test in Melbourne that he would conclude his career in Sydney. “It’s been tough; I’ve just wanted to tell everyone. I told teammates just then. I didn’t think I’d get emotional, but I teared up straightaway, and I had to compose myself. I finally composed myself and got out what I wanted to say.”

“I never thought I’d be the guy that would cry when he retired, but I cried straightaway. It just shows what it means to me. My journey has been different from a lot of cricketers in the Australian cricket team. All that emotion built up,” he added.

Khawaja will continue to play for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL and has also stated his intention to remain available for Queensland’s Sheffield Shield side.

Jaume Munar will take on Sebastian Baez in the men’s singles, while Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro will face Solana Sierra in the women’s singles as Spain launches its campaign against Argentina in the United Cup mixed team tennis competition in Perth on Friday.

In the event that the singles matches do not produce a winner, these four players will compete in a mixed doubles clash to determine the outcome.

In other exciting matchups, Greece will challenge Japan, featuring Maria Sakkari against Naomi Osaka, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will clash with Shintaro Mochizuki in the men’s singles on the same court. This is the fourth edition of the United Cup, an international hard-court event hosted by Tennis Australia, played across Perth and Sydney.

Tournament Format

The event includes 18 national teams with up to three women’s and three men’s players each, competing in a group stage followed by a knockout format. Matches in Perth are set to be held at RAC Arena, while play in Sydney will take place at Ken Rosewall Arena.

The 18 teams are divided into six groups of three in a round-robin format. Groups A, C, and E will compete in Perth, while groups B, D, and F will play in Sydney. The three group winners and the best runner-up from each city will advance to the quarterfinals.

Upcoming Matches and Schedule

Perth will host its two quarterfinals on January 7, with the winners moving on to Sydney for the semifinals and final. Teams relocating from Perth will have a travel and rest day on January 8-9. The Sydney quarterfinals are slated for January 8-9, with the semifinals on January 10 and the final on January 11.

Each session includes a men’s singles match, a women’s singles match, and a mixed doubles match. Singles matches feature the top-ranked players from each country and are best-of-three tiebreak sets. Mixed doubles can involve any combination of players and take two tiebreak sets followed by a deciding 10-point match-tiebreak if necessary.

Group Standings

Group A:

• United States (1): Coco Gauff, Varvara Lepchenko, Nicole Melichar-Martinez
• Spain: Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Andrea Lazaro Garcia, Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers
• Argentina: Solana Sierra, Maria Lourdes Carle, Nicole Fossa Huergo

Group C:

• Italy (3): Jasmine Paolini, Nuria Brancaccio, Sara Errani
• France: Leolia Jeanjean, Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, Elixane Lechemia
• Switzerland: Belinda Bencic, Naima Karamoko

Group E:

• Great Britain (5): Emma Raducanu, Olivia Nicholls, Katie Swan
• Greece: Maria Sakkari, Despina Papamichail, Sapfo Sakellaridi
• Japan: Naomi Osaka, Nao Hibino, Shintaro Mochizuki

Sydney:
Group B:

• Canada (2): Victoria Mboko, Kayla Cross, Gabriela Dabrowski
• Belgium: Elise Mertens, Greet Minnen, Lara Salden
• China: Zhu Lin, Xiaodi You

Group D:

• Australia (4): Maya Joint, Maddison Inglis, Storm Hunter
• Czechia: Barbora Krejcikova, Linda Fruhvirtova, Miriam Skoch
• Norway: Malene Helgo, Astrid Brune Olsen, Ulrikke Eikeri

Group F:

• Germany (6): Eva Lys, Laura Siegemund, Mina Hodzic
• Poland: Iga Swiatek, Katarzyna Kawa, Katarzyna Piter
• Netherlands: Suzan Lamens, Eva Vedder, Demi Schuurs