A withering spell by Trent Boult saw New Zealand destroy Pakistan by 183 runs in the third one-day international in Dunedin on Saturday to comfortably wrap up the series in Dunedin.
New Zealand have won all three matches so far and captain Kane Williamson said the target is a clean sweep of all five ODIs.
Boult rocked Pakistan with three wickets in five balls to take out the cream of their top order on his way to figures of five for 17.
After New Zealand made 257 batting first,boosted by 11 in the final over before Boult was dismissed on the last ball, Pakistan were all out for 74 in the 28th.
"It was a big game for us. We wanted to get the series done," said man of the match Boult.
"To score only 250 on the board we knew we had to fight hard and to come out like that was very satisfying."
Williamson said the target now was to remain unbeaten.
"That's the focus. The focus is trying to win each game. The guys were smart today and that's something we pride ourselves on," he said.
"It was a fantastic performance all round. Trent was outstanding getting five.
Pakistan had slumped to eight for 32 in the 19th over and threatened two unwanted records -- the lowest ODI score of 35, held by Zimbabwe, and Pakistan's own lowest score of 43.
Sarfraz Ahmed (14 not out), Mohammad Amir (14) and Rumman Raees (16) added 42 for the last two wickets but Sarfraz saw serious problems with the top order batting.
"It was very disappointing, a tough loss," he said.
"Our bowlers bowled very well but the problems continue with the batting which again flopped. The problem is (facing) the new ball."
Boult removed Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Hafeez in the space of five balls to put Pakistan in a hole they were never going to get out of.
After 10 overs, the tourists were three down for just nine runs and while they struggled to stay afloat, Babar Azam was unnecessarily run out.
Part-time bowler Colin Munro, with career figures of one for 203 before this match bowled Shadab Khan without scoring and had Hasan Ali spectacularly caught by Williamson for one to return figures of two for 10 off seven overs.
Pakistan came to New Zealand on a nine-match winning streak and the promise of providing a more formidable opposition for New Zealand who had just swept a series against the West Indies.
After losing the first two matches they needed to win in Dunedin and had their tails up when Munro went for eight in the second over.
But half-centuries to Kane Williamson (73) and Ross Taylor (52) plus 45 for Martin Guptill set New Zealand up.
It was Taylor 57th ODI half-century to equal the New Zealand record held by Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle.
But his dismissal sparked a Pakistan revival in the field in which they took seven for 48 in the last eight overs.
Sixth-seeded Serbian swats aside home favourite Evans
Holder Krejcikova battles past American Dolehide
Rybakina and Swiatek both progress into third round
Novak Djokovic showed signs that he is easing into the old routine at Wimbledon as the seven-times champion sauntered into the third round on Thursday while Barbora Krejcikova also made it through as her title defence continued.
World number one Jannik Sinner also eased into round three as his pursuit of a first Wimbledon title gathered pace, the Italian thrashing Australia's Aleksandar Vukic 6-1 6-1 6-3.
But Britain's big hope, fourth seed Jack Draper, ran in to an inspired Marin Cilic and joined the exodus of seeds from the men's draw which now totals 18 in the opening two rounds.
Despite fervent home support on Court One Draper was out-gunned 6-4 6-3 1-6 6-4 by big-serving Croatian Cilic who produced the kind of tennis that took him to the 2017 final.
"It's not the pressure, it's not the whatever. I just didn't play good enough today. I lost to a better player," said Draper, who is regarded as Britain's successor to two-time champion Andy Murray. "I came up short."
This year's Championships have been littered with big names biting the dust early and while Draper's loss sent shockwaves around the grounds, day four provided some big statements from those fancied for deep runs on the lawns.
Former women's champion Elena Rybakina arrived very much under the radar but has reached the third round for the loss of a mere seven games, the 11th seed destroying Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-3 6-1 in 62 minutes.
Five-times Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, surprisingly yet to go past the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, is another who will quietly fancy her chances and the Pole looked impressive as she hit back from a set down to beat Caty McNally 5-7 6-2 6-1.
Djokovic struggled past Alexandre Muller on Tuesday when he was hampered by stomach issues.
Two days later, however, he was at his ruthlessly efficient best in a 6-3 6-2 6-0 thrashing of popular Briton Dan Evans on Centre Court.
The 38-year-old is bidding to equal Roger Federer's men's record eight Wimbledon titles and claim an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam crown and, while the talk is of top seed Sinner and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz disputing the final, the Serbian should not be dismissed.
He has reached the last six Wimbledon finals and clearly believes he will still be around on July 13.
"Technically, tactically I knew exactly what I needed to do and I executed perfectly," Djokovic said after his 99th match win at Wimbledon since making his debut in 2005.
"Sometimes you have these kind of days, where everything goes your way, everything flows and it's good to be in the shoes and holding a racket on a day like this."
BUSINESSLIKE DISPLAY
Czech Krejcikova, a surprise winner last year, found herself out on Court 2 where the 17th seed produced a typically businesslike display as she battled past American Caroline Dolehide, winning 6-4 3-6 6-2.
She will face a much more dangerous American next in the form of Emma Navarro after the 10th seed crushed Veronika Kudermetova 6-1 6-2.
With four of the top five women's seeds already gone, the draw looks wide open for players such as Russian seventh seed Mirra Andreeva who beat Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-1 7-6(4).
Swiatek will also be fancying her chances as she prepares for a third round against American Danielle Collins.
Asked to explain early defeats for so many fancied players such as French Open winner Coco Gauff and last year's runner-up Jasmine Paolini, Poland's Swiatek kept it simple.
"Sometimes we will lose early because the schedule is pretty crazy. You can't win everything," she said.
More than half of the 32 men's seeds have perished before the third round, with 13 failing to clear the first hurdle, but those remaining reasserted themselves on Thursday.
Australia's 11th seed Alex de Minaur beat Arthur Cazaux 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-0, while powerful Czech teenager Jakub Mensik, seeded 15, beat American Marcos Giron 6-4 3-6 6-4 7-6(4) to underline his credentials as a dangerous floater.
Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, playing in his 59th successive Grand Slam, may no longer be considered a genuine title threat but, more than a decade since reaching his sole Wimbledon semi-final, he showed he is still a class act as the 19th seed beat tricky Frenchman Corentin Moutet 7-5 4-6 7-5 7-5.
There were still casualties though. American 13th seed Tommy Paul needed treatment on a foot injury on his way to a 1-6 7-5 6-4 7-5 defeat by Austria's 165th-ranked Sebastian Ofner.
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Zohran Mamdani addresses supporters in Queens, New York City
INDIAN AMERICAN lawmaker Zohran Kwame Mamdani last week clinched the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo in what is being described as one of the most unexpected results in recent city political history.
Mamdani, 33, a state assemblyman representing Queens and a self-declared democratic socialist, stands on the brink of becoming New York’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor.
His win was announced last Tuesday (24) , triggering widespread reactions and placing his progressive agenda in the national spotlight.
“In the words of Nelson Mandela: it always seems impossible until it’s done,” Mamdani wrote on social media after the result. “My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it.”
Born in Kampala, Uganda, on October 18, 1991, Mamdani moved to New York at seven with his parents, acclaimed Indian filmmaker Mira Nair and Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani, who is of Indian descent.
Mamdani’s social and political awareness was shaped by the cultural and intellectual legacy of his parents, and would later influence his entry into grassroots activism and state politics, reports said.
Mamdani is married to Syrian American artist Rama Duwaji and the couple live in Brooklyn.
His strategy combined grassroots mobilisation with radical ideas aimed at transforming the economic structure of New York City. His message, focused on affordability, public infrastructure and working-class empowerment, gained traction with a diverse base across boroughs.
“We have won from Harlem to Bay Ridge,” he declared at a crowded victory party in Queens. “This is your victory.”
Among his most eyecatching proposals are a citywide rent freeze for stabilised tenants, fare-free public buses, universal childcare from six weeks to five years, and the establishment of city-owned grocery stores to counter food inflation.
In a city where a three-bedroom apartment can easily cost $6,000 (£4375) a month, his message struck a chord.
Voter Eamon Harkin, 48, said prices were his “number one issue.”
“What’s at stake is primarily the affordability of New York,” he said.
A revenue plan outlined by Mamdani’s campaign would increase taxes on corporations to match New Jersey’s 11.5 per cent rate and introduce a two per cent flat tax on New Yorkers earning over $1 million (£790,000) annually. Additional revenue would be generated through procurement reform, enhanced tax audits and enforcement against corrupt landlords – potentially raising $6 billion (£4.74bn) in new funds.
“New York is too expensive,” reads a central line from his campaign website. “Zohran will lower costs and make life easier.” Mamdani’s legislative record backs up his activist credentials. He previously joined hunger strikes with taxi drivers to secure $450 million (£356m) in debt relief, helped secure more than $100m (£79m) for improved subway services, and piloted fare-free bus initiatives.
He defended his democratic socialism last Sunday (29) and argued that his focus on economic issues should serve as a model for the party, even though some top Democrats have been reluctant to embrace him.
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Mamdani said his agenda of raising taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and on corporations to pay for ambitious policies such as free buses, a $30 minimum hourly wage and a rent freeze was not only realistic, but tailored to meet the needs of the city’s working residents.
“It’s the wealthiest city in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, and yet one in four New Yorkers are living in poverty, and the rest are seemingly trapped in a state of anxiety,” he told NBC’s Kristen Welker.
Zohran Kwame Mamdani with his parents, Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani , and his wife, Rama Duwaji
Democrats have struggled to find a coherent message after their resounding loss in the November elections that saw president Donald Trump return to the White House and his Republicans win control of both chambers of Congress.
Mamdani’s campaign, which drew plaudits for its cheery tone and clever viral videos, could help energise young voters, a demographic that Democrats are desperate to reach in 2026 and beyond. His rise from a virtual unknown was fueled by a relentless focus on affordability, an issue Democrats struggled to address during last year’s presidential race.
“Cost of living is the issue of our time,” Neera Tanden, the chief executive of Democratic think tank Center for American Progress wrote on X in response to Mamdani’s win. “It’s the through line animating all politics. Smart political leaders respond to it.”
His history-making candidacy could also drive engagement among Asian and especially Muslim voters, some of whom soured on the Democrats after former president Joe Biden administration’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza.
“These elections aren’t about left, right or center, they’re about whether you’re a change to the status quo. People don’t want more of the same, they want someone who plays a different game,” said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson.
Few expected Mamdani, a relatively young assemblyman, to unseat former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, a veteran political heavyweight attempting a comeback.
Senator Bernie Sanders congratulated Mamdani publicly, calling the result a triumph over “the political, economic and media establishment.”
But not all reactions were celebratory. The city’s current mayor, Eric Adams, launched his independent re-election campaign, framing Mamdani’s ideas as unrealistic and irresponsible.
Adams did not name Mamdani during an event held on the steps of New York City Hall last Thursday (26), but he alluded to some of the self-described Democratic socialist’s positions and background.
“This election is a choice between a candidate with a blue collar and one with a silver spoon,” Adams said. “A choice between someone who delivered lower crime, the most jobs in history and the most houses built in decades and an assembly member who did not pass a bill.”
Adams won as a Democrat in his first mayoral bid in 2021, but saw his popularity plummet following his indictment on corruption charges and the subsequent decision by president Donald Trump’s Justice Department to drop the case.
In April, he announced that he would run for election as an independent, avoiding the Democratic primary that included Mamdani and Cuomo.
Mamdani’s victory in the primary and potential win in the general election has prompted strong reactions from progressives, who have cheered his campaign’s upbeat tone and focus on economic issues, as well as conservatives and some in the business community, who criticised his democratic socialist policies.
Polling now shows Mamdani ahead of Adams and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa for the November general election, though former governor Cuomo is rumoured to be considering an independent run, which could split the Democratic vote. Political analysts predict his November challenge will be formidable.
Besides Adams, Sliwa, and Cuomo, independent candidates including lawyer Jim Walden will crowd the ballot.
But with registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans nearly three to one in the city, his base, if energised, could prove decisive.
Mamdani's supporters celebrate his nomination
Earlier last Sunday, Democratic House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents part of the city, told ABC’s This Week that he wasn’t ready to endorse Mamdani yet, saying that he needed to hear more about Mamdani’s vision.
Other prominent New York Democrats, including New York governor Kathy Hochul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have also thus far declined to endorse Mamdani.
Trump, himself a native New Yorker, told Fox News Channel’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo that if Mamdani wins the mayoral race, “he’d better do the right thing” or Trump would withhold federal funds from the city.
“He’s a communist. I think it’s very bad for New York,” Trump said.
Asked about Trump’s claim that he is a communist, Mamdani told NBC it was not true and accused the president of attempting to distract from the fact that “I’m fighting for the very working people that he ran a campaign to empower that he has since then betrayed.”
He also voiced no concern that Jeffries and other Democrats have not yet endorsed his candidacy.
“I think that people are catching up to this election,” he said. “What we’re showing is that by putting working people first, by returning to the roots of the Democratic Party, we actually have a path out of this moment where we’re facing authoritarianism in Washington, DC.”
Basil Smikle, a political analyst and professor at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, said heavy-handed attacks on Mamdani could backfire by energising “a lot of the Democratic voters to want to push more against Trump.”
“I don’t think it hurts Democrats in the long run,” he said. “I actually think it helps them.”
For his part, Mamdani seemed ready to embrace his role as a party leader, telling supporters in his victory speech that he would govern the city “as a model for the Democratic Party – a party where we fight for working people with no apology.” He vowed to use his mayoral power to “reject Donald Trump’s fascism.”
Democratic voters say they want a new generation of leaders and a party that concentrates on economic issues, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll in June. The mayoral election is scheduled to take place on November 4.
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The PAC said the Home Office relies on airline passenger records to track departures but has not reviewed this data since 2020. (Photo: iStock)
THE HOME OFFICE does not know whether foreign workers are leaving the UK or staying on illegally after their visas expire, according to a cross-party group of MPs.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which oversees government spending, said the department has not analysed exit check data since the skilled worker visa was introduced in 2020, the BBC reported.
Between December 2020 and the end of 2024, about 1.18 million people applied through the skilled worker visa route.
The PAC said the Home Office relies on airline passenger records to track departures but has not reviewed this data since 2020.
It said the department must explain how it plans to record whether people have left the UK.
The PAC also highlighted evidence of exploitation, including debt bondage and excessive working hours, and said the department had been “slow and ineffective” in tackling it.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in May that overseas recruitment for care workers would end. Home Office Permanent Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo said overstaying was a “problem” the department was “fixing”.
Dr Madeleine Sumption from the Migration Observatory told BBC Radio 4 that the Home Office’s job-matching process did not seem “hugely effective”.
A Home Office spokesperson said the previous government’s visa policy led to record migration.
A Birmingham educator and author is working to save heritage languages from extinction by creating bilingual children's books that help families pass their mother tongue to the next generation.
Divya Mistry-Patel, known as Dee, has written a Gujarati-English picture book titled Mari Rang Be Range Biladi (My colourful cat) after watching children in her community lose the ability to speak their parents' language.
"I watched cousins who could understand Gujarati but couldn't speak it, and eventually children who couldn't even understand," she said.
According to UNESCO, nearly half of all spoken languages are endangered, with one disappearing every two weeks. In the UK, around 20 per cent of children speak or understand more than one language, yet only 12 per cent of children's books published in 2022 offered any non-English content.
Mistry-Patel's book includes more than just dual-language storytelling. The package contains Gujarati alphabet guides, comprehension exercises for families, and QR codes that link to audiobooks for proper pronunciation. Full English translations help non-Gujarati-speaking parents join in.
"This isn't just about language retention," she explains. "It's about giving children the tools to navigate their multicultural identities with confidence."
Born into a multicultural Gujarati family in the UK, Dee experienced firsthand how heritage languages fade in diaspora communities. Her personal observations led to her creating tools to make language learning accessible for all generations.
Major retailers often put bilingual books in "special interest" sections, while traditional publishers frequently reject bilingual manuscripts, citing "limited market potential."
To overcome these barriers, the British Indian author chose to self-publish while partnering with educational institutions for distribution. She has also developed teacher resources and used social media to build community support.
The strategy has worked, she said, with the book gaining support in both educational circles and Gujarati communities worldwide.
Research from the University of Chicago revealed that bilingual children develop stronger thinking skills, showing 20 per cent greater cognitive flexibility than children who speak only one language. Despite these proven benefits, the publishing industry has been slow to respond to the demand for multilingual education materials, Dee pointed out.
Her work is gaining recognition. She holds nominations for the Kent Women in Business Awards 2025, where she is a runner-up in the Innovation Award and finalist in the Women In Education Award. She is also shortlisted for The Tutors' Association Awards in two categories.
Through her company Academic Achievements Ltd, she is now developing versions in Punjabi, Hindi, Malayalam, and Tamil, potentially reaching over 500 million native speakers globally.
A recent partnership with local schools and Kent libraries has made the book freely available to local families, with plans for similar programmes nationwide.
As linguist Dr Ananya Sharma notes: "When we lose a language, we don't just lose words - we lose entire ways of seeing the world."
According to Dee, preserving linguistic diversity requires community effort. She encourages people to request bilingual books at local bookstores and libraries, share experiences using #MotherTongueMatters, and gift bilingual books for birthdays and holidays.
The book is available on Amazon, with more books planned in both South Asian languages and English. All are designed with neurodivergent students in mind, drawing on her experience in the education sector.
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Shree Charani of India (2R) celebrates the wicket of Amy Jones during the 2nd women's T20 match between England and India in Bristol on July 1, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
INDIA will look to secure their first women’s T20I series win over England when they play the third match of the five-game series on Friday. India currently lead the series 2-0.
England will be without their captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who has been ruled out of the match due to a left groin injury.
“Results of the scan will determine whether Sciver-Brunt is required to miss any more games in the series, with the fourth match due to take place on July 9 at Old Trafford,” the ECB said in a statement on Thursday.
“Tammy Beaumont will captain the side in her absence, with Hampshire batter Maia Bouchier called up as cover,” it added.
India began the series with a record 97-run win at Nottingham, followed by a 24-run victory at Bristol – England women’s first-ever T20I loss at that venue.
India have never won a T20I series against England, either at home or away. Their only win came in a one-off match in Derby in 2006.
The ongoing series is an opportunity for the Indian team to adjust to English conditions ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England next year.
Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and Harleen Deol played key roles with the bat in the first match. In the second game, Amanjot Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues hit crucial half-centuries to help India post a strong total.
Opener Shafali Verma, who returned to the squad, will look to find form after scoring 20 and 3 in the first two matches. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who missed the opener after a head injury in a warm-up match, will also aim to spend more time at the crease following her two-ball stay in the second game.
India’s bowling has performed well despite the absence of Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar. Left-arm spinner Sree Charani has led the attack, taking six wickets so far and recording the best economy rate in the series at 5.11.
For England, openers Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge have struggled to provide solid starts. Dunkley has had some good starts, but Wyatt-Hodge has scored 18 runs in five innings this summer, including three ducks. England’s bowling has also not been effective.