Sports

Spain’s Tax Office has accepted a deal with Cristiano Ronaldo to plead guilty to tax fraud and pay a fine of close to 19 million euros ($22 million) in exchange for a reduced prison sentence that will likely be suspended. A source with knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday the agreement will be finalized in the coming days. The deal was first reported in Spanish media

London, Jul 27: A golden opportunity to claim an upset win lost, the Indian women's hockey team would be aiming to make amends when it takes on a lower-ranked Ireland in its second game of the World Cup, here on Thursday. India had a bright chance to score an upset win against World No. 2 England in their Pool B opener on June 21 but settled for a 1-1 draw. The Indians only had themselves to blame

Chelmsford/England, Jul 26: Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik scored an aggressive 82 not out while captain Virat Kohli warmed up nicely for the first Test against England with a half-century as India recovered from early jitters to post 322 for 6 on the opening day of their three-day tour match against county side Essex here on Wednesday. Opener Murali Vijay (53 ff 113 balls) and Lokesh Rahul

Zurich, Jul 25: France's World Cup star Kylian Mbappe joined regulars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the shortlist for The Best FIFA Men's player award, world soccer's governing body announced on Tuesday. Ronaldo, who has won the award for the last two years, helped Real Madrid claim a third consecutive Champions League crown before securing a close season transfer to Juventus. Argentine

London, July 24: Swiss tennis maestro Roger Federer has pulled out of next month's Rogers Cup due to scheduling issues. Announcing his withdrawal, the 36-year-old said that he enjoyed playing in the tournament last year, but he would not be able to participate this year keeping in mind the longevity of his career. "I'm so disappointed not to play at the Rogers Cup this summer. I had a fantastic

London, Jul 24: Touted as a potential successor to Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps, Rishabh Pant says the former India captain has helped shape quite a few things in his still nascent career, ranging from his IPL contract to hand-head coordination while keeping. "Whenever I needed any support from Mahi bhai, I used to ask him. From my IPL contract to my wicket-keeping, he's advised me on

Dubai, Jul 24: Afghanistan’s star leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who has spun his way into the hearts and minds of cricket fans all over the world, is all set to don a new role later this year in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Rashid joins forces with Maratha Arabians in the second edition of the T10 Cricket League, to be played over 10-overs-a-side, alongside some of the world’s best known cricketers

Berlin, Jul 23: German soccer star Mesut Ozil said on Sunday he would no longer play for the national team because he faced racism and disrespect. His impassioned statement comes amid a political debate in Germany about an influx of immigrants that has seen a rise of the far right at the expense of traditional parties. Ozil was a member of Germany's World Cup-winning side in 2014 and has been

Bulawayo, July 22: Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman became the quickest player to reach the 1000 runs in one-day internationals (ODI), breaking the record of West Indies Legend Vivian Richards, here on Sunday. He achieved the feat during the fifth and final ODI of the ongoing five-match series against Zimbabwe. The 28-year-old took 18 innings to reach the 1000 mark while the West Indies

Tokyo, Jul 22: Japanese organisers formally introduced their doe-eyed 2020 Olympic mascots to the world on Sunday, christening them with superhero names that could provide a tongue-twisting challenge to some. The blue-checked Olympic mascot was dubbed "Miraitowa" -- combining the Japanese words for future and eternity, organisers said at an event in Tokyo. It expresses the hope for a bright future