Pakistan pace spearhead Mohammad Amir says the memory of his late mother will spur him on in the high-voltage World Cup clash against arch-rivals India in Manchester on Sunday.
The 27-year-old is back in form after taking a career best 5-30 against Australia in a losing cause on Wednesday following a wretched run that saw him take just five wickets in 14 one-day internationals prior to the World Cup.
Amir said his mother, Naseem Akhtar, who died in March this year, always prayed for his success, wanting him to take five wickets in every match he played.
"My mother will definitely be praying for me from the heavens," Amir told AFP.
"She would always be found before the television and all the time praying for my success and her biggest wish was that I get five wickets, so when I got five I cried and remembered her words."
Pakistan are in a precarious position, with just three points from their opening four games after losing to the West Indies and Australia, surprisingly beating hosts England and seeing their match with Sri Lanka washed out by rain.
There is no need for extra motivation against fierce rivals India, but Amir admits there is even more pressure on Pakistan, given defeat could signal an early end to their chances of reaching the semi-finals.
- Rivalry -
"The kind of rivalry between Pakistan and India was evident at my home and she always wanted me to come strong against India," recalled Amir of his mother.
"As a cricketer when you hold a bat or a ball and are at a ground then every match is the same. But fans, channels of both the sides, media and now social media create a hype.
"For us cricketers all matches are the same but, yes, our current situation on the points table is putting pressure on us to win this match and progress forward."
Pakistan have lost all six of their previous World Cup clashes with India but can take hope from their Champions Trophy meeting in England just two years ago when Amir helped inspire a resounding 180-run victory.
Amir took 3-16 that day, including the vital wicket of Indian captain Virat Kohli.
"That was a high-pressure game so I learnt from that final. As a strike bowler everyone wanted me to take wickets and on that day I learned how to handle that pressure," said Amir.
Amir's five wickets against Australia lifted his haul to 10 at the World Cup so far and he is relishing his return to form after nearly missing out on selection.
He did not bowl during a bilateral series that Pakistan lost 4-0 to England just before the tournament after missing the last four games with chicken pox.
"I am pumped up after getting wickets against Australia," he said.
"I am happy that wickets have come at the right time. When I was bowling well, even when I was not taking wickets, from captain to coach to bowling coach and my team-mates, everyone supported me.
"I never felt disheartened and my patience paid off."
Sinner will face Carlos Alcaraz in a rematch of the French Open final
Djokovic admits physical struggles and injury played a role in defeat
Despite loss, Djokovic says he plans to return to Wimbledon next year
JANNIK SINNER defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the Wimbledon semi-final on Friday to reach his first final at the All England Club. The world number one won 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 and will face Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s final.
The 23-year-old Italian will be playing his fourth consecutive Grand Slam final and will look to avenge his loss to Alcaraz in last month’s French Open final, where he missed three championship points. Between them, Sinner and Alcaraz have won the past six Grand Slam titles.
Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, was aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title and an eighth Wimbledon crown, which would have equalled Roger Federer’s men’s record. But the 38-year-old Serbian appeared physically restricted and struggled to match Sinner’s pace.
"It's a tournament I always watched when I was young on the television and I would have never imagined that I can play here, you know in the finals, so it was amazing," Sinner said after the win.
Jannik Sinner delivering in the big moments on Centre Court 👏
"From my side, I served very well today, I felt great on court, I was moving really well today. We saw in the third set that he was a bit injured. He's been in a very difficult situation but I tried to stay calm, to play the best tennis I can."
Sinner wore a white protective sleeve on his elbow, having injured it in a fall during his fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov. Djokovic had also come into the match with concerns over his fitness following a fall during his quarter-final win over Flavio Cobolli.
The top-seeded Sinner broke Djokovic early in the first set and maintained pressure with consistent groundstrokes. Djokovic dropped the first set after Sinner converted his third set point.
In the second set, Sinner quickly broke to take a 2-0 lead and extended it to 5-2. Although Djokovic saved a set point, Sinner closed out the set with only 69 minutes played. Djokovic received treatment on his left leg between sets.
Djokovic managed to break Sinner early in the third set but was broken back immediately. Sinner went on to seal the win with his fourth match point.
Sinner, who has already won the US Open and Australian Open, will now face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz beat Sinner in the French Open final last month and also won their last meeting in the Italian Open final.
"It's some good company" 😅
Since 1995, five men have made it through to the final of every Grand Slam - Jannik Sinner becomes the fifth today after booking his spot in the #Wimbledon final 💥 pic.twitter.com/yIRDqhJffg — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2025
"It is a huge honour for me to share the court once again with Carlos," said Sinner. "We try to push ourselves to the limit, he is for sure one of the players I look up to. I love watching him, I think you all guys agree on that, what kind of talent he is but hopefully it's going to be a good match like the last one."
Alcaraz leads their head-to-head record 8-4, winning the last five matches. However, Sinner defeated him in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2022, which remains Alcaraz’s last loss at the tournament.
Speaking after his defeat, Djokovic said the physical toll of age was affecting him more than ever.
"It wasn't really a pleasant feeling on the court," Djokovic said. "I don't want to talk, in details, about my injury and just whine about not managing to play my best. I want to congratulate Jannik for another great performance. That's it. He's in the finals. He was too strong."
Djokovic had withdrawn from the Australian Open semi-final earlier this year after one set due to a muscle tear and denied that injuries were down to bad luck.
"It's just age, the wear and tear of the body," he said. "As much as I'm taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest.
"It's tough for me to accept that because I feel like when I'm fresh, when I'm fit, I can still play really good tennis. I've proven that this year.
"But I guess playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically. The longer the tournament goes the worse the condition gets. I reach the final stages, I reached the semis of every Slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz.
"These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I'm going into the match with the tank half empty. It's just not possible to win a match like that."
Despite the defeat, Djokovic said he plans to return to Wimbledon next year.
"I think, regardless of the fact that I haven't won a Grand Slam this year, or last year, I still feel like I continue to play my best tennis at Grand Slams," he said. "Those are the tournaments that I care about at this stage of my career the most."
He added that he did not know what more he could do in terms of preparation.
"The amount of hours that I spend on a daily basis to take care of myself, I'd like to challenge everyone who is out there on the tour to see if anybody takes care of themselves more than me," he said.
"And I, unfortunately, don't get rewarded for that right now, with injuries at the later stages of Slams. But I was rewarded for many, many years.
"I'm just trying to make, I guess, the maximum out of what I have left. Again, I just got off the court, so of course, I'm upset and disappointed, mostly not for the loss, because obviously even if I was fit, I wasn't a favourite to win against Sinner, I know that, but I think I had good chances if I was fit."
Asked to predict the outcome of Sunday’s final, Djokovic said: "I think I will give a slight edge to Carlos as a favourite because of the two titles he's won here and the way he's playing and the confidence he has right now.
"But it's just a slight advantage because Jannik is hitting the ball extremely well. I think it's going to be, again, a very close match-up like they had in Paris (where Alcaraz won in five sets)."
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Playing his first Test in over four years, Archer dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal with just his third ball. (Photo: Getty Images)
JOFRA ARCHER made an early breakthrough on his return to Test cricket at Lord’s on Friday, while India captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for a low score on the second day of the third Test.
Playing his first Test in over four years, Archer dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal with just his third ball. Later, Gill, who had scored 585 runs in four innings in the series including three centuries, was caught behind for 16.
India finished the day on 145-3 in response to England’s first-innings total of 387, trailing by 242 runs. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 53, with Rishabh Pant not out on 19.
Archer, who had impressed at Lord’s during the 2019 50-over World Cup final and made his Test debut at the same ground that year, bowled Jaiswal with a 90 mph full-length delivery that was edged to Harry Brook at second slip.
The 30-year-old celebrated with a roar as the Lord’s crowd joined in.
'X-factor' Archer
Archer’s return comes amid England’s hopes of him playing a major role in the 2025/26 Ashes series in Australia. He bowled a tight 10-over spell on Friday, conceding just 22 runs and consistently bowling over 90 mph.
"The noise, the pure joy everyone has seeing him (Archer) back in whites, everyone's genuine excitement to see him playing Test cricket again, it created a great atmosphere," Joe Root told Sky Sports after the day’s play.
"He's X-factor," added Root, who earlier scored a century and took a new Test record with his 211th catch as an outfielder.
England captain Ben Stokes, who had suffered a groin strain while batting on Thursday, returned to bowl without any visible discomfort. He dismissed Karun Nair for 40, who edged a delivery to first slip where Root held a one-handed left catch, giving him sole possession of the record he previously shared with Rahul Dravid.
Chris Woakes, who had taken only three wickets in the series at an average of nearly 97, got Gill out for 16. The India skipper edged to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who was standing up to the stumps, leaving India at 107-3.
Earlier in the day, Jasprit Bumrah took 5-74 in 27 overs to help bowl England out after lunch. His performance earned him a place on the Lord’s honours board.
Bumrah delivered a key spell of 3 wickets for 1 run in seven balls, dismissing Stokes, Root, and Woakes.
"It's really special," Bumrah told the BBC. "We don't come here (to Lord's) very often, maybe every four years... Being on the honours board feels good."
However, Brydon Carse frustrated India with a 56-run innings. He shared an eighth-wicket stand of 84 with Smith, who made 51 after being dropped by Rahul in the slips when on five.
Smith had earlier made 184 not out and 88 in England’s loss to India in the second Test at Edgbaston, where the visitors won by 336 runs to level the five-match series at 1-1. Bumrah did not play that match.
Root, who resumed the day on 99, reached his century with a boundary off Bumrah. It was his 37th Test hundred, placing him fifth on the all-time list, led by Sachin Tendulkar with 51.
"I don't think I've been 99 not out overnight before," said Root. "I woke up in the night and couldn't get back to sleep."
Stokes added just five runs to his overnight score of 39 before being bowled by Bumrah. The next ball, Woakes edged behind for a golden duck to stand-in wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who replaced the injured Pant.
Carse survived the hat-trick ball but was later bowled by Siraj, ending England’s innings. He had earlier brought up his 50 off 77 balls with a six.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Alcaraz has won 35 of his 38 matches on grass, including 20 in a row at Wimbledon since losing to Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz in four sets to reach his third Wimbledon final in a row.
The match was played in extreme heat, with on-court temperatures nearing 32 degrees Celsius.
Alcaraz extended his winning streak to 24 matches, the longest of his career.
He is aiming to become the fifth man in the Open era to win three straight Wimbledon titles.
CARLOS Alcaraz reached his third consecutive Wimbledon final on Friday with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) win over American fifth seed Taylor Fritz.
The defending champion battled through a match lasting two hours and 49 minutes on Centre Court, where temperatures reached close to 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). Several spectators in the stands required medical attention due to the heat, but Alcaraz maintained focus to overcome Fritz with strong returns and consistent serving.
Carlos Alcaraz is a #Wimbledon finalist for the THIRD YEAR IN A ROW 😮
The two-time defending champion defeats Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) to put one hand on the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy - and Centre Court ROARS for the Spaniard 🇪🇸
“It was a really difficult match, as always when I play against Taylor. Even tougher with the conditions. It was really hot today,” Alcaraz said. “I dealt with the nerves. Playing here in a semi-final is not easy. I'm really proud with the way I stayed calm and thought clearly. I'm pleased about my level.”
The Spaniard, currently ranked world number two, has returned to form after an inconsistent start to the tournament. He is now on a 24-match winning streak, his longest career run, which began after a loss to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April. Since then, he has claimed titles at the French Open, Rome, Monte Carlo and Queen’s Club.
Alcaraz has won 35 of his 38 matches on grass, including 20 in a row at Wimbledon since losing to Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.
"I'm not thinking about the winning streak or the results at all,” he said. “This is my dream, stepping on these beautiful courts and playing tennis in the most beautiful tournament in the world. I just want to enjoy this moment, that I've got to a third final in a row. I will have time to think about Sunday.”
"It is one of the most exciting match-ups we have on tour at the moment" ⚡️
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will come up against either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday - and he'll be watching intently to see who it will be 👀#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/t7f7MmuiMH — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2025
A win on Sunday would make Alcaraz the fifth man in the Open era to win three straight Wimbledon titles, following Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic. He would also become the second-youngest player in the Open era to win six men’s Grand Slam titles, after Borg reached that milestone in 1978, also aged 22.
Fritz, who was playing in his first Wimbledon semi-final, had hit 95 aces during the tournament but was unable to get past Alcaraz’s returns. The 27-year-old, a US Open runner-up last year, was broken in the first game of the match as Alcaraz took early control.
Alcaraz had his eye checked midway through the first set but held serve throughout to win it. After dominating on serve in the opener, he dropped a rare service game in the second set, allowing Fritz to level the match with the help of a double fault and two unforced errors from the Spaniard.
Alcaraz responded by breaking early in the third set with a drop shot and lob combination. He added another break later to take a two sets to one lead.
In the fourth set tie-break, Fritz led 6-4 but Alcaraz saved both set points. He then closed out the match with a series of ground-strokes to book his place in the final.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The portrait was created by Stuart Pearson Wright, based on a photograph taken by the artist at Tendulkar’s home in Mumbai 18 years ago. (Photo: PTI)
SACHIN TENDULKAR said "life has truly come full circle" after a portrait of him was unveiled at Lord's on Thursday.
Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen, scored 34,357 runs across Tests, one-day internationals and one T20 match for India during his international career from 1989 to 2013.
(Photo credit: PTI)
His total is over 6,000 runs more than the next highest of 28,016 scored by Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara.
In a post on X, Tendulkar recalled his first visit to Lord’s in 1988. "I remember standing near the pavilion, soaking in the history and dreaming quietly," he wrote.
"Today, to have my portrait unveiled at this very place is a feeling that's hard to put into words. Life has truly come full circle. I’m grateful, and filled with wonderful memories."
I first visited Lord’s as a teenager in 1988, and returned in 1989 with the Star Cricket Club team.
I remember standing near the pavilion, soaking in the history and dreaming quietly.
Today, to have my portrait unveiled at this very place is a feeling that’s hard to put into… pic.twitter.com/ZC987eH8oZ — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 10, 2025
The portrait was created by Stuart Pearson Wright, based on a photograph taken by the artist at Tendulkar’s home in Mumbai 18 years ago. It was unveiled before the first day of the third Test between England and India.
It is the fifth portrait of an Indian player to be added to the collections of Marylebone Cricket Club, which owns Lord's.
(With inputs from AFP)
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Swiatek broke early in the match, racing to a 3-0 lead and never allowed the 35th-ranked Bencic to settle. (Photo: Getty Images)
Iga Swiatek storms into her first Wimbledon final with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Belinda Bencic
Swiatek will face Amanda Anisimova, who beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka
Anisimova reaches her first Wimbledon final and will break into the top 10 rankings
Sabalenka exits in the semi-final for the second time, despite a strong 2024 season
IGA SWIATEK reached her first Wimbledon final on Thursday with a dominant 6-2, 6-0 win over Belinda Bencic in just 71 minutes on Centre Court. The 24-year-old, seeded eighth, will face Amanda Anisimova in the final after the American defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set semi-final.
“Honestly, I never even dreamed that it's going to be possible for me to play in the final,” said Swiatek. “So I'm just super-excited and proud of myself and, I don't know, tennis keeps surprising me. I thought I had experienced everything on the court but I didn't experience playing well on grass, so that's the first time. I'm super excited and just enjoying it.”
Swiatek broke early in the match, racing to a 3-0 lead and never allowed the 35th-ranked Bencic to settle. The Swiss player, who won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, managed to win two games in the first set but was unable to respond as Swiatek took full control in the second.
“Today was just a different level from Iga. She played amazing and I didn't feel like she let me in the match for one second,” said Bencic. “There's nothing I really regret. In the end, she was just too good, and I was a step too short.”
Swiatek has now dropped just one set in the tournament. Although four of her five Grand Slam titles have come at the French Open, she made her first grass-court final at Bad Homburg two weeks ago and has now reached her second on the surface.
Swiatek, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year, has won all five of her previous Grand Slam finals. She will face Anisimova in their first professional meeting.
Anisimova, seeded 13th, advanced to her first Wimbledon final after beating Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a match lasting just over two and a half hours.
“This doesn't feel real right now, honestly,” said Anisimova. “Aryna is such a tough competitor and I was absolutely dying out there. I don't know how I pulled it out. We've had so many tough battles and to come out on top and be in the final of Wimbledon is incredible.”
The 23-year-old, who now holds a 6-3 head-to-head record over Sabalenka, won the first set before the Belarusian levelled the match in the second. Anisimova closed out the final set to complete a notable victory.
Anisimova made headlines in 2019 when she reached the semi-finals of the French Open at the age of 17. In 2023, she took an eight-month break from tennis for mental health reasons and dropped out of the top 400. At Wimbledon last year, she failed to qualify for the main draw.
On Thursday, she became only the second player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam final after losing in qualifying at the same event the previous year. She is now guaranteed to enter the top 10 of the rankings on Monday.
“If you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon, I would not believe you. It's indescribable to be honest,” she said.
For Sabalenka, it was another disappointment at Wimbledon. The 27-year-old has now failed to progress past the semi-finals at the tournament. She won the US Open last year and reached the finals of both the Australian Open and French Open earlier this season.
“Losing sucks,” Sabalenka said. “You feel like you are getting close to your dream and then this is the end. You always feel like you want to die and not exist any more. But then you sit there a little bit and think about what you could have done differently.”