Gujarat, Bengaluru and Punjab advance to IPL playoffs
Sai Sudharsan hit 108 not out off 61 balls as Gujarat Titans thrashed Delhi Capitals by 10 wickets on Sunday and sealed its spot in the Indian Premier League playoffs, Associated Press reported.
Sudharsan shared a double-century unbeaten opening stand with skipper Shubman Gill – the third equal highest by runs in the IPL – as the Titans reached 205-0 in 19 overs.
Gill scored 93 not out off 53 deliveries.
Their stand canceled out Lokesh Rahul’s 65-ball 112 not out — his fifth IPL century – in Delhi’s 199-3 in 20 overs. It was Delhi’s fifth loss in seven games.
Gujarat climbed to the top of the IPL points table with 18 points from 12 games. Its victory over fifth-placed Delhi also meant that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (second, 17 points) and Punjab Kings (third, 17 points) also advanced to the playoffs.
Delhi has 13 points and is a point behind fourth-placed Mumbai Indians, who occupy the fourth and final playoff spot, with two regular season matches remaining. Lucknow Super Giants is currently seventh with 10 points from only 11 games, according to Associated Press.
Punjab beat Rajasthan Royals by 10 runs earlier Sunday to secure its playoff spot.
PSG beat Auxerre, St Etienne relegated on final day of Ligue 1
Paris St Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored twice in the second half as the Ligue 1 champions came from behind to beat Auxerre 3-1 to end their season on a winning note after falling behind to a Lassine Sinayoko strike, BBC reported.
At the other end of the table, St Etienne were beaten 3-2 at home by Toulouse and will join already-relegated Montpellier in Ligue 2 next season after finishing second from bottom, while a late penalty lifted Le Havre to a 3-2 win over Strasbourg and 15th place, leaving Reims to finish 16th and a promotion/relegation playoff against FC Metz.
PSG finished on 84 points, 19 ahead of runners-up Olympique de Marseille and 23 ahead of third-placed AS Monaco, who both qualify directly for the Champions League group stage, while OGC Nice thumped Brest 6-0 to finish fourth and enter that competition in the third qualifying round.
PSG may have won the title in early April with six games left to play, but there was still plenty of drama on the season’s final day as European, relegation and playoff places were decided, according to BBC.
Ronaldo tops Forbes highest-paid athlete list again
Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the highest-paid athlete in the world by Forbes for the third year in a row, earning $275m (approx. £206m). His income was boosted by his move to Saudi club Al Nassr and major endorsement deals, supported by a massive social media following.
NBA star Stephen Curry ranked second with $156m (approx. £117m), while British boxer Tyson Fury came third with $146m (approx. £109m), benefiting from media projects despite a recent title loss as reported by BBC.
Ronaldo’s longtime rival Lionel Messi dropped to fifth place, falling further behind. Only Floyd Mayweather has earned more in a single year, with $300m in 2015.
Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket
Virat Kohli has announced his immediate retirement from Test cricket, two weeks before India's Test tour of England starts on June 20. The 36-year-old played 123 matches and scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, according to BBC.
Kohli also led India in 68 Tests, winning 40, the highest of any Indian captain. His final Test century came in November, against Australia.
In a statement, Kohli said the decision “wasn’t easy” but felt “right,” adding that the format had tested and shaped him, BBC reported.
He retired from T20Is in 2024 but will continue playing ODIs.
