Sports

Manchester City have been fined over £1m by the Premier League over delayed kick-offs or restarts related to nine of their matches last season. The league announced on Thursday it had entered into a sanction agreement with the club over breaches of the league’s rules around kick-off and restart times between October and February. The longest delay was two minutes …

Ben Stokes has suggested England may tweak their ‘Bazball’ approach for their five Test series against India, which begins on Friday at Headingley – live on Sky Sports. Under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, whose nickname is “Baz,” England have played an entertaining, aggressive, attack-at-all-costs brand of cricket to earn the label “Bazball.” It has helped turn around the fortunes …

Pakistan men’s volleyball team celebrating after beating Chinese Taipei in AVC men’s volleyball nation cup — Reporter KARACHI: Pakistan survived a dramatic comeback from Chinese Taipei to win their last group C match 3-2 in AVC men’s volleyball nation cup. The match saw dramatic momentum swings, with Pakistan surrendering a two-set lead before regrouping to take the decisive fifth set …

Rangers say the Scottish FA “will be watched closely” after they were fined for John Brown’s “corrupt” claim while providing commentary for the club. They have been issued with a £3,000 fine after the former Ibrox defender’s outburst during Rangers’ final game of the season against Hibs. He was unhappy a goal was not awarded when Nico Raskin looked to …

Eddie Hearn says Chris Eubank Jr’s weight-cutting “scene” ahead of the first Conor Benn fight has “come back to bite him” after he was called before the British Boxing Board of Control to explain his sauna use. Eubank Jr is alleged to have used a sauna – which is banned by the BBBofC – for his failed attempt to make …

Kylian Mbappe is in hospital receiving treatment for gastroenteritis, Real Madrid have announced. Mbappe missed Real Madrid’s opening Club World Cup match against Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal on Wednesday. The statement read: “Our player Kylian Mbappé has acute gastroenteritis and has been hospitalized for various tests and treatment.” Mbappe has been instrumental for Real Madrid this season, scoring 31 …

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has announced her retirement from professional tennis with the US Open being her final tournament. The Czech left-hander was the first player born in the 1990s to win a Grand Slam title when she defeated Maria Sharapova in the 2011 final. Kvitova went on to reclaim the Venus Rosewater Dish in 2014 – defeating Canadian …

James Vowles has signed a new long-term contract to stay as Williams team principal. Since joining in 2023 from Mercedes, where he headed up race strategy to multiple title-winning effect, the 45-year-old Vowles has overseen what Williams describe as a “top-to-bottom transformation” of the Grove team. Williams currently sit fifth in this year’s Constructors’ Championship having scored 55 points after …

Bayer Leverkusen are in talks to sign Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah, with the Bundesliga club’s playmaker Florian Wirtz scheduled to arrive on Merseyside on Thursday evening to complete his £100m move to the Premier League champions. Active negotiations are ongoing for Quansah to move to the BayArenA, although that deal would be a separate one from the Wirtz transfer, if it is completed. Sky Sports News …

England captain Ben Stokes says it would be “remarkable” to overlook a player who scored 171 in their last Test match after Ollie Pope was selected over Jacob Bethell for the first Test against India. Pope has been retained at No 3 for the Leeds Test, live on Sky Sports from Friday (11am first ball), after scoring 171 in the …