Sports Highlights, July 8: Yash Dayal Booked For Alleged Sexual Exploitation; Wrestler Reetika Hooda Fails Dope Test

Greetings and welcome to all sports enthusiasts joining us this Tuesday morning. We will bring to you all that is current and relevant in the world of sports, across arenas. Watch this space.

The New York Knicks have hired Mike Brown on Monday, turning to the two-time NBA Coach of the Year after firing Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks offered the job to Brown last week and announced Monday that he would be taking over the team that reached the Eastern Conference finals last season for the first time in 25 years. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. (AP)

South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder said that the former West Indian batter, Brian Lara deserves to keep the highest Test score record after declaring South Africa’s innings at 626 for five. Mulder finished on 367, the fifth highest Test score ever.

Indian Squad for Asian Shooting Championship, Kazakhstan

Individual Events
Air Rifle – Men: Rudrankksh B. Patil, Arjun Babuta, Kiran Ankush Jadhav
Air Rifle – Women: Mehuli Ghosh, Elavenil Valarivan, Ananya Naidu
50m Rifle 3 Positions – Men: Chain Singh, Akhil Sheoran, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar
50m Rifle 3 Positions – Women: Sift Kaur Samra, Ashi Chouksey, Anjum Moudgil
Air Pistol – Men: Saurabh Chaudhary, Aditya Malra, Anmol Jain
Air Pistol – Women: Suruchi, Palak, Manu Bhaker
25m Rapid Fire Pistol – Men: Anish, Neeraj Kumar, Adarsh Singh
25m Sports Pistol – Women: Manu Bhaker, Simranpreet Kaur Brar, Esha Singh
Trap – Men: Lakshay, Kynan Darius Chenai, Bhowneesh Mendiratta
Trap – Women: Neeru, Aashima Ahlawat, Preeti Rajak
Skeet – Men: Abhay Singh Sekhon, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, Anantjeet Singh Naruka
Skeet – Women: Ganemat Sekhon, Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan
Mixed Team Events Air Rifle Mixed Team: Rudrankksh B. Patil & Mehuli Ghosh, Arjun Babuta & Elavenil Valarivan
Air Pistol Mixed Team: Saurabh Chaudhary & Suruchi, Aditya Malra & Palak
Trap Mixed Team: Lakshay & Neeru, Kynan Darius Chenai & Aashima Ahlawat
Skeet Mixed Team: Abhay Singh Sekhon & Ganemat Sekhon, Bhavtegh Singh Gill & Raiza Dhillon

Indian Squad for ISSF World Cup, Ningbo, China Individual Events

Air Rifle – Men: Umamahesh Maddenini, Divyansh Singh Panwar, Niraj Kumar
Air Rifle – Women: Ramita, Meghana M. Sajjanar, Kashika Pradhan
50m Rifle 3 Positions – Men: Swapnil Suresh Kusale, Babu Singh Panwar, Kiran Ankush Jadhav
50m Rifle 3 Positions – Women: Mehuli Ghosh, Surabhi Bharadwaj Rapole, Manini Kaushik
Air Pistol – Men: Amit Sharma, Nishant Rawat, Samrat Rana
Air Pistol – Women: Surbhi Rao, Rhythm Sangwan, Esha Singh
25m Rapid Fire Pistol – Men: Bhavesh Shekhawat, Pradeep Singh Shekhawat, Mandeep Singh
25m Sports Pistol – Women: Rahi Sarnobat, Abhidnya Ashok Patil, Divya T.S
Mixed Team Events Air Rifle Mixed Team: Umamahesh Maddenini & Ramita, Divyansh Singh Panwar & Meghana M. Sajjanar Air Pistol Mixed Team: Amit Sharma & Surbhi Rao, Nishant Rawat & Rhythm Sangwan

Angel Di María was introduced as the latest signing by Rosario Central on Monday, 18 years after he left his boyhood club. The former Real Madrid man had joined Rosario Central when he was aged four, and made his professional debut with the club at 17 in 2005. After winning the 2007 Under-17 World Cup, he was sold to Benfica.

MPs could vote on a plan to make at least 10 Premier League games free-to-air each season. The Liberal Democrats have proposed the amendment as part of the Football Governance Bill, which would create an independent regulator for the men's game in England. The proposal also includes free-to-air access to the League Cup Final and EFL play-off finals. The Lib Dems are confident it will be put to a vote.

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton will miss the entire 2025–26 NBA season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn right Achilles tendon. The 25-year-old suffered the injury in the opening quarter of game seven of the NBA Championship play-off finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder last month.

Haliburton collapsed without contact while driving to the basket and was visibly in pain as he was helped off the court. The Pacers went on to lose the game 103–91, ending their bid for a first-ever NBA title.

South Africa kicked off their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title defence with a solid 2-0 victory against Ghana in their Group C opener in Morocco. After a quiet start in the Oujda heat, Linda Motlhalo put Banyana Banyana ahead in the 28th minute from the penalty spot, following a VAR check that confirmed a foul on Noxolo Cesane by Grace Asantewaa.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has held face-to-face talks with Sporting in Portugal as the Premier League club edge closer to signing striker Viktor Gyokeres.

According to BBC Sport, the Gunners had intensified their interest in the Sweden international as their long-running search for a new centre-forward nears its conclusion. Well-placed sources say Berta flew to Lisbon late last week for crucial discussions with Sporting officials over a potential deal worth around £70 million.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fast bowler Yash Dayal has been booked for alleged sexual exploitation under the pretext of marriage, with an FIR registered on Monday.

The action follows a complaint by a woman from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, who claimed to have been in a five-year relationship with the cricketer. She accused Dayal of emotional, mental, and physical abuse during their time together.

Sony Sports Network is set to strengthen its regional presence with the launch of two dedicated sports channels, Sony Sports Ten 4 Tamil and Sony Sports Ten 4 Telugu, starting July 10, 2025. Aimed at enhancing viewer experience through language-specific content, the move will provide Tamil and Telugu-speaking audiences with focused, culturally relevant sports programming and a clearer destination for content in their preferred language.

South Africa take on Zimbabwe on Day 3 of the 2nd Test at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. Zimbabwe resumed on 51/1 in their second innings, still trailing by 405 after South Africa declared at a towering 626/5. Wiaan Mulder starred with an unbeaten 367, the highest individual score by a South African in Test cricket. After being bowled out for 170 in the first innings, Zimbabwe face a steep climb to stay in the contest.

Follow ball-by-ball commentary for ZIM vs RSA.

Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh LIVE Score, 3rd ODI: With the series level at 1-1, Sri Lanka face Bangladesh in the decider at Pallekele on Tuesday, 8 July. Bangladesh levelled the series with a 16-run win in Colombo, posting 248 after key knocks from Parvez Hossain Emon (67) and Towhid Hridoy (51). Janith Liyanage’s 78 led Sri Lanka’s chase, but they were bowled out for 232, with Tanvir Islam starring with 5 for 39. Follow live updates from the 3rd ODI.

Newcastle United have agreed a £55 million fee with Nottingham Forest for Sweden winger Anthony Elanga, with the deal expected to be completed later this week, according to sources. The move comes as Newcastle look to bolster their attacking options ahead of their Champions League return, following a fifth-place finish in the Premier League last season.

Elanga, 23, impressed for Forest under Nuno Espirito Santo, scoring six goals and providing 11 assists during the 2024–25 campaign.

That’s all from the blog. Don’t forget to follow our Wimbledon live blogs for all the action. Until then, bye bye.