Sports Highlights Today: South Africa 69 Away From WTC Glory; India Face Australia Challenge In FIH Pro League

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Inter Miami CF is set to make its FIFA Club World Cup debut on Saturday, June 14, facing African giants Al Ahly FC in the tournament opener at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, at 5:30 AM IST. Riding high after a commanding 5-1 win over Columbus Crew, where Lionel Messi starred with two goals and three assists, Inter Miami will look to carry their attacking momentum into this historic clash. They’ll face a formidable opponent in Al Ahly, who qualified as 2020–21 CAF Champions League winners and recently clinched their 45th Egyptian Premier League title. With 12 CAF Champions League trophies and four third-place finishes in past Club World Cups, Al Ahly bring both pedigree and experience, making for a thrilling contest to kick off the expanded 32-team global tournament.

German midfield maestro Melanie Leupolz has officially retired from professional football, bringing to a close a distinguished career marked by resilience and excellence. Real Madrid, where she spent her final season after moving from Chelsea, confirmed the news with a heartfelt tribute. Lauded for her consistency and leadership, Leupolz made 27 appearances for the Spanish giants—24 of them starts—amassing 1,898 minutes of composed midfield play. She contributed one goal and one assist, but more importantly, anchored the midfield with intelligence and poise, leaving a lasting impression in her brief but impactful stint at the club.

India’s 19-year-old shooting sensation Suruchi Singh continued her golden run by clinching her third consecutive ISSF World Cup gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event on Friday. In a tense final, Suruchi edged out France’s Olympic silver medallist Camille Jedrzejewski by a narrow margin, scoring 241.9 to the Frenchwoman’s 241.7. China’s Yao Qianxuan settled for bronze with 221.7. Having already triumphed in Buenos Aires and Lima earlier this year, Suruchi’s latest victory cements her status as Indian shooting’s new star—remarkably, she has now won gold in all three of her first ISSF World Cup appearances.

South Africa closed in on a historic World Test Championship title at Lord’s, ending day three on 213/2 and needing just 69 more runs to beat Australia. Aiden Markram led the charge with a brilliant unbeaten 102, his third fourth-innings Test century, while captain Temba Bavuma, battling a hamstring injury, contributed a gritty 65*. Their unbroken 143-run stand, the highest of the match, came after Australia had earlier posted 207 in their second innings, with Mitchell Starc scoring 58* and helping push the lead to 281. Despite losing two early wickets, South Africa batted with intent and composure, especially after a key moment when Bavuma was dropped by Steve Smith, who injured his finger in the process. With Australia visibly fatigued and wicketless in the final session, the Proteas now stand on the verge of their first ICC title in 26 years.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rose to the occasion with a clutch performance, pouring in 15 of his 35 points in the final to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a thrilling 111-104 comeback victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. The win erased a 10-point second-half deficit and tied the NBA Finals at two games apiece. With the momentum-shifting triumph, the Thunder head back home with the series level and the confidence of having delivered their strongest fourth quarter of the season when it mattered most.

The World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's moves to the fourth and maybe the final day as South Africa need 69 to win after Aiden Markram-Temba Bavuma stitch 149 runs on day 3.

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At the end of Day 3 of the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025, South Africa is just 69 runs away from a historic win. JioStar experts Dale Steyn, Matthew Hayden, and Sanjay Bangar shared their insights on the day’s play and what lies ahead.

Speaking exclusively on Cricket Live on JioHotstar, JioStar expert Dale Steyn commented on South Africa’s push towards glory where they need only 69 runs to win: “This is what Test cricket is all about, as South Africa will be sitting in their dressing room and thinking - had they picked up those two wickets early morning in the 1st session of Day 3 or not bowled as many no-balls, this match would’ve been wrapped up already. But the rollercoaster of Test cricket means we’re back in Day 4 — while 69 runs may sound easy, Australia won’t go down without a fight. These 69 will be the hardest runs South Africa will ever have to earn. This Test has been sensational over three days.”

He's primed to take on the international scene by storm, says Garry Kirsten on India new Test captain Shubman Gill

In preparation for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, the Shubman Gill-led Indian team is currently engaged in a low-profile intra-squad three-day game against India A in Beckenham. With no live broadcast or streaming, the BCCI has kept proceedings largely under wraps, releasing only limited updates. On Day 1, Gill marked his first innings as Test captain in England with a composed half-century, while KL Rahul continued his fine form with another fifty, opening the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Rahul had earlier impressed with a century and a fifty in the unofficial Test against England Lions. Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur was among the wicket-takers as India’s bowlers got valuable time in English conditions. The intra-squad clash is being seen as a crucial acclimatisation exercise ahead of the high-stakes series, which begins on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds.

Low on confidence after four successive defeats, a struggling India will be desperate to arrest the slide and stay in contention for the top prize when they take on a formidable Australia in the men's FIH Pro League on Saturday.

The European leg of the tournament has been disappointing for the Indian men's hockey team, which suffered 1-2 and 2-3 losses to Olympic champions Netherlands in Amstelveen, followed by back-to-back defeats against Argentina.

Ranked fifth with 15 points from 12 games, India need to bounce back strongly against Australia to collect crucial points and remain in the race for a top-three finish.

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The penultimate day of the WTC final between Australia and South Africa will start at 3:00 PM IST at the Lord's. Check here to follow the live score and updates from the match.