Sports Highlights April 29: India Face Indonesia In Sudirman Cup Finals 2025; Max Purcell Handed 18-Month Ban For Anti-Doping Violation

The 14-year-old left-hand batter of Rajasthan Royals became the youngest batter in the world to hit a T20 century when he made a 38-ball 101 against Gujarat Titans on Monday in the IPL 2025 match 47 in Jaipur.

He also became the fastest Indian batter to make a T20 century in the IPL overtaking Yusuf Pathan (37 balls). He took 35 balls to reach the milestone.

Thailand have won the toss and elected to chase against hosts Malaysia in match 9 of the ongoing Malaysia Quadrangular T20I Series 2025 at Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

Playing XIs

Malaysia: Syed Aziz (c), Virandeep Singh, Aslam Khan, Sharvin Muniandy, Ahmad Faiz, Vijay Unni, Ainool Hafizs (wk), Amir Khan, Ahmed Aqeel, Pavandeep Singh, and Muhammad Wafiq.

Thailand: Akshaykumar Yadav (wk), Chaloemwong Chatphaisan, Austin Lazarus (c), Yodsak Saranonnakkun, Sorawat Desungnoen, Narawit Nuntarach, Phanuphong Thongsa, Nopphon Senamontree, Sarawut Maliwan, Wiraphan Ngowhuad, and Kamron Senamontree.

The governing body of snooker will review its transgender inclusion policy following a significant ruling by the UK Supreme Court, which determined that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex under equality law. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) stated that its policy would undergo an immediate review if there were any changes in circumstances. Currently, trans women are allowed to compete in women's snooker events as long as their testosterone levels have remained below a specified limit for 12 months prior to competing.

The Indian women's baseball team on Monday qualified for the Asian Cup to be held this year after entering the gold medal match of the qualifying tournament in Bangkok. India beat Thailand 6:5 to finish second in Super Round stage standings, while Indonesia took the top spot. The top two teams from the Super Round qualify for the main Asia Cup tournament. The top two teams -- Indonesia and India -- will also face in the gold medal match on Tuesday. Thailand and Pakistan will play for the bronze medal. (PTI)

Leeds United, now promoted to the Premier League, secured a convincing victory over Bristol City, who are battling for a play-off spot, in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Elland Road. Ao Tanaka and Willy Gnonto were the initial scorers, and Largie Ramazani rounded off the match with two late goals, sealing a resounding win. Leeds' promotion had been confirmed the previous Monday, and the fans, eager for a celebration, were treated to a dominant performance.

India women opt to bat first against South Africa in Colombo.

Playing XIs

South Africa Women: Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Lara Goodall, Karabo Meso(w), Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tryon, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas

India Women: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Kashvee Gautam, Arundhati Reddy, Sneh Rana, Nallapureddy Charani

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Monday asked Churchill Brothers to return the I-League trophy it presented to the club, even as Goa Football Association (GFA) questioned the rationale behind awarding the silverware despite a stay order from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). On Sunday, hours after Switzerland-based CAS stayed AIFF's decision to declare Churchill Brothers as I-League champions and barred it from conducting any formal medal ceremony, the national federation awarded the winners trophy to the Goan club. (PTI)

Oleksandr Usyk criticised Daniel Dubois for showing "weakness" after Dubois pushed him during their face-off while promoting their upcoming rematch for the undisputed world heavyweight championship at Wembley Stadium in London on July 19. Dubois, who is the IBF champion, will face Usyk, who holds the WBA (Super), WBO, and WBC titles. A day after their fight was confirmed, the two posed for pictures on the pitch at Wembley. During this event, Dubois shoved the 38-year-old Usyk in the chest, prompting security to step in between them. Usyk responded by turning away and laughing.

Lima will host the Copa Libertadores final on Nov. 29. The stadium will be chosen later, CONMBOL said on Monday. The capitals of Brazil and Uruguay, Brasilia and Montevideo, also bid to be the host. The Peruvian capital hosted the first single-match decider in tournament history in 2019, when Brazil's Flamengo beat Argentina's River Plate 2-1. That final was held at 80,000-seat Monumental Stadium, but Lima also has the 43,000-seat National Stadium, which is the home of the national team. Brazil’s Botafogo is the defending champion of the Copa Libertadores.

Cleveland advanced to Round 2 with the most lopsided series victory in NBA playoff history. Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points, and De’Andre Hunter contributed 19 points as the Cavaliers led by as much as 60 points before defeating the Miami Heat 138-83 on Monday night, completing a four-game sweep of their Eastern Conference first-round series. Ty Jerome added 18 points, Evan Mobley scored 17 points, and Jarrett Allen had 14 points along with 12 rebounds and six steals for the Cavaliers. Cleveland won the series by a total margin of 122 points, surpassing the previous record for series margin set by Denver over New Orleans in 2009 by one point.

Barcelona made history by becoming the first club to win the UEFA Youth League three times. They achieved this feat with a convincing 4-1 victory over Turkish finalists Trabzonspor in Nyon. Within just 19 minutes, Barcelona established a 2-0 lead, thanks to goals from Ibrahim Diarra and Andrés Cuenca. Diarra then assisted Hugo Alba for the third goal before scoring the fourth himself. Bican Tibukoglu managed to pull one back for Trabzonspor near the end of the match.

President Donald Trump welcomed the Philadelphia Eagles to the White House on April 28, 2025, to celebrate their Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. This was the team's first visit since a planned event in 2018 was cancelled. Star running back Saquon Barkley attended and flew with Trump on Marine One, while key players Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and Devonta Smith opted not to attend, prompting discussions about the relationship between sports and politics.

Lazio came back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 at home against relegation-threatened Parma on Monday. This result allowed them to level with city rivals Roma in the Serie A standings. While the point leaves Lazio in seventh place, their head-to-head record now distinguishes them from a spot in the Europa Conference League. However, that seemed a distant goal when Jacob Ondrejka found space to score in just the third minute.

Veteran striker Leonardo Pavoletti and Alessandro Deiola's late goal led Cagliari to a vital victory in their fight for Serie A survival, while Daniele Ghilardi was sent off for Verona. Both teams aimed to escape the relegation zone after recent defeats; Verona had lost 1-0 to Roma, and Cagliari was missing key players like Yerry Mina and Roberto Piccoli but welcomed back Deiola. Cagliari threatened on counter-attacks, with Razvan Marin assisting Zito Luvumbo, who forced Verona's goalkeeper, Lorenzo Montipò, into a critical save. Verona also suffered an early loss when Tomas Suslov limped off after treatment.

The Golden State Warriors are on the verge of advancing to the second round of the NBA playoffs after securing a thrilling 109-106 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 4. This win gives the Warriors a commanding 3-1 lead in the series and highlights the success of their mid-season acquisition of Jimmy Butler. Although the trade was considered risky at the time, it has turned out to be a brilliant decision. Butler, who has reportedly rediscovered his joy in Golden State following a challenging period with the Miami Heat, played a crucial role in the Warriors' playoff run.

The Premier League has officially expanded its global footprint by opening a new office in Mumbai, marking a significant step in deepening its connection with Indian fans and football stakeholders. This move builds on the League’s nearly two-decade-long engagement in India, where grassroots initiatives like the Premier Skills programme have trained over 7,300 coaches and referees, positively impacting 1,24,000 young people across 18 states. At the elite level, the League’s collaboration with the Indian Super League since 2014 and the launch of the Next Gen Cup in 2019 have further underscored its commitment to nurturing football talent in the country.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: "We and our clubs have a fantastic and knowledgeable fanbase in India, and we know football continues to grow in popularity. We are proud of our longstanding commitment to India, having worked to deliver community football programmes for 18 years and, more recently, our partnership with the Indian Super League."

Australian tennis player Max Purcell has accepted an 18-month ban for breaching anti-doping regulations, stemming from the use of a prohibited method involving intravenous infusions. The two-time Grand Slam doubles champion was found to have received IV infusions exceeding 500ml on two occasions in December 2023 — significantly surpassing the 100ml limit permitted within a 12-hour period under the World Anti-Doping Code and Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP).

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), in a statement, noted: "Following a full investigation by the ITIA, which included evidence gathering and interviews with the player, Purcell admitted to the breaches. The player's full co-operation and information sharing with the ITIA allowed for a 25% reduction in sanction."

Purcell, who was provisionally suspended in December 2024, will be eligible to return to competition on June 11, 2026, with the served time taken into account.

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) have unveiled a star-studded roster of icon players, led by India stalwarts Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, and Ajinkya Rahane. Making a comeback after a six-year hiatus, the league’s much-awaited third edition is set to light up the Wankhede Stadium from May 26 to June 8. Adding further firepower to the tournament are Sarfaraz Khan, Shardul Thakur, Prithvi Shaw, Shivam Dube, and Tushar Deshpande—completing a formidable group of eight icons who have all donned the India jersey.

Here is the detailed story.

That's all for today. Join us tomorrow for more sports news and updates. Until then, goodbye and take care!