Virat Kohli produced what captain Rohit Sharma hailed as one of the greatest innings by an India batsman in the dramatic victory over Pakistan at the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan looked to be well in control after tallying 159-8 in front of over 90,000 spectators at the MCG and then reducing India to 31-4 in reply.
However, Kohli struck 82 not out, sharing in a fifth-wicket stand of 113 with Hardik Pandya along the way.
When Pakistan's Mohammad Nawaz wobbled under the pressure of delivering the final over of the match, India took advantage and snatched a four-wicket win over their great rivals with a single from the final ball.
India needed 28 from eight balls at one stage, but consecutive sixes from Kohli off Haris Rauf at the end of the 19th over changed that to 16 from six.
Amid high drama as India lost both Pandya (40) and Dinesh Karthik (1) in the closing over, Kohli helped the team he used to skipper over the line.
Rohit said of Kohli's effort: "It is definitely his best for sure. From the situation we were in, and to come out with victory, I think it has to be one of India's best knocks, not just his best knock.
"Because still in the 13th over we were so behind the game and the required rate was climbing up and up. To come out and chase that score was an extremely brilliant effort from Virat, and Hardik played a role there."
Kohli ceded the white-ball captaincy to Rohit soon after last year's T20 World Cup, and Sunday's hero in Melbourne had been struggling for runs until recently finding a little spark.
Rohit said: "We know the qualities that he has, and he's done so well in these type of conditions in all three forms, so obviously he used his experience today more than anything else – staying calm under pressure.
"We know how good he is when the score is in front of him. He's one of the best chasers in the world, so I thought that 100-run partnership was a game-changing moment."
Kohli initially struggled to contextualise what he achieved.
He said at the post-match presentation: "It's a surreal atmosphere, I have no words, no idea how that happened. I am really lost for words.
"The calculation was simple. Nawaz had one over to bowl, so if I could take Haris down, they would panic. From 28 in eight, it came down to 16 in six. I tried to stick to my instincts."
On reflection, Kohli agreed it rated as one of his finest innings. He ranked it even above another famous 82 not out – one that he scored against Australia in Mohali, in the 2016 edition of this competition.
"Standing here, I just feel like it was meant to be," he said. "Till today, Mohali was my best innings, against Australia. Today, I will count this one higher."
Holger Rune surprised top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas with a straight-sets victory in Sunday's Stockholm Open final to land his second ATP title.
Still just 19, Rune added to his maiden crown in Munich five months ago with a 6-4 6-4 triumph over world number five Tsitsipas in a match lasting 95 minutes.
Tsitsipas, who was seeking a 10th ATP title and a third this season, had not dropped a set in his previous three matches en route to the final.
However, he was broken in the third game of both sets against Rune, who is the second teenager after Carlos Alcaraz to win multiple ATP titles in 2022.
Rune fired 20 winners and saved the only break point he faced – that coming in the sixth game of the second set – on his way to becoming the first Danish champion in this event.
"It was an unbelievable match from my side," Rune said in his on-court interview. "I knew it was going to be difficult, but I just tried to stick to the game plan.
"I had to play my best tennis today, and it was good that I could find the level. I am super happy. It was very close to perfection.
"I was making a lot of returns and playing pretty well behind my serve. Stefanos is an amazing player, who always makes it difficult. It was a super fun match to play."
Felix Auger-Aliassime clinched the European Open title by beating Sebastian Korda in straight sets in Antwerp, replicating last week's Firenze Open triumph to maintain his strong run of form.
Auger-Aliassime swept aside J. J. Wolf to emerge victorious in Italy a week ago, and was in control from the start on Sunday as he beat another American to win his third ATP title of the year.
The Canadian seized the initiative when he broke Korda's serve to go 4-2 up in the opener, before saving two break points early in the second set.
Korda failed to conjure up another opportunity to break as Auger-Aliassime wrapped up a routine 6-3 6-4 win by holding to love.
Auger-Aliassime has responded brilliantly to his first-round exit at the Astana Open earlier this month, winning eight consecutive matches – six of them in straight sets.
Meanwhile, the 22-year-old has now won three of his past four ATP Tour finals, failing to drop a set in any of those victories after losing each of his first eight final appearances.
Auger-Aliassime's victory also represented a major boost to his hopes of reaching next month's ATP Finals in Turin, strengthening his grip on the final qualification spot for the tournament.
Antoine Griezmann scored a double, including a goal direct from a corner, as Atletico Madrid won 2-1 at Real Betis on Sunday to move up to third in LaLiga.
The visitors struggled to create chances but took the lead early in the second half when Griezmann's inswinging set-piece somehow found its way into the net, before the France international added a second following a neat move down the right.
Manuel Pellegrini will have been frustrated to lose a game in which his Betis side were arguably on top prior to falling behind, and they gave themselves hope when Nabil Fekir scored a late free-kick, but were unable to find another goal.
The win moves Diego Simeone's Atletico above Real Sociedad after their defeat at Real Valladolid on Saturday.
It was a relatively uneventful first half, though the hosts did suffer a blow when Luiz Felipe was forced off injured after just 20 minutes, replaced by Victor Ruiz.
Borja Iglesias hit a hopeful shot at Jan Oblak's near post five minutes before the break to record the first effort on target of the game. The ball was then in the Atletico net two minutes after the restart when Henrique fired a shot into the top right corner of the net from the edge of the box, but a VAR check found Iglesias to have been offside in the build-up.
Salt was firmly rubbed into the wounds in the 54th minute when the corner from Griezmann made its way through a crowd, with German Pezzella unable to keep it out at the far post.
If that goal was fortunate, the second was well-earned as a move featuring Nahuel Molina, Angel Correa and Matheus Cunha ended with the Brazilian finding Griezmann, who ran through and prodded the ball beneath Rui Silva in the Betis goal.
Substitute Fekir curled a beautiful free-kick into the top-left corner of Oblak's goal to provide late drama, but Atletico were able to hold on for three points.
Mikel Arteta acknowledged Gabriel Jesus would be "disappointed" with a profligate showing as Arsenal were held at Southampton on Sunday.
The Gunners were in the ascendancy at St Mary's as Granit Xhaka opened the scoring in the 11th minute, finding the net in consecutive games for just the second time in his Arsenal career.
Jesus twice could have extended Arsenal's lead in the first half, blasting narrowly wide before being denied by Gavin Bazunu when through one-on-one.
The Brazil forward was also thwarted by a last-ditch Mohamed Elyounoussi block after the interval; the Saints midfielder teed up Stuart Armstrong shortly after as the home side battled to a 1-1 draw.
Arsenal manager Arteta suggested Jesus, who attempted a game-high four shots without beating Bazunu, would be the first to vent his frustrations after misfiring in front of goal.
"I'm sure today he will be disappointed knowing Gabi," Arteta said. "He's having the chances, and he's always there. It's a shame he couldn't put them away."
Arsenal moved two points clear of Manchester City at the Premier League summit, although that lead could have been four points if not for an underwhelming second-half performance.
The Gunners ended a 27-game run of matches without a draw in the Premier League, with Arteta recognising his side slipped below their high standards after a strong opening 45 minutes.
"I think the team looked really fresh at the start," the Spaniard added. "I put it more down to the way we played. We should have played better in the second half."
Tyson Fury's co-promoter Bob Arum has revealed talks over a heavyweight unification fight with Oleksandr Usyk will begin next week.
Usyk claimed the WBA Super, IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring heavyweight belts by beating Anthony Joshua in London last year, before retaining them in August's rematch in Saudi Arabia.
The Ukrainian's second win over Joshua led to speculation he would face WBC heavyweight champion Fury in a unification bout, but he quickly ruled making out a return to the ring in 2022.
Fury will face Derek Chisora for a third time in December, but all the signs point to him meeting Usyk next year.
Arum – who promotes Fury alongside Frank Warren – told Sky Sports he would meet with Usyk and his manager Egis Klimas to discuss the bout in the coming days.
"I'll be having dinner with them without any question, probably on the Thursday night [October 27]," Arum said.
"I'll have a very long discussion with them about what their plans are and when it could be in their best interests to get the fight on.
"I know from previous conversations with both of them that they want that fight against Tyson Fury."
Fury has won 32 of his 33 professional fights, with a draw against Deontay Wilder in 2018 the only blot on his record, but Arum feels Usyk would provide the Gypsy King with a serious test.
"If there's anybody around who really has a good, good chance with Tyson Fury, it's Oleksandr Usyk," Arum added.
Meanwhile, Arum also believes Fury's meeting with Chisora will serve as perfect preparation for facing Usyk, who was taken the distance by the 38-year-old in October 2020.
"Chisora wasn't selected by Frank Warren and myself for Tyson just out of the blue," Arum said.
"Yes, Chisora lost twice early on to Tyson, but remember his fight with Usyk where he gave Usyk life and death. A lot thought that he might have eked out a victory.
"If you're getting ready to fight Usyk, fight a guy who went in with him and carried him into deep waters.
"Chisora is not just a walkover. Chisora has demonstrated tremendous punching power and if you lose concentration and he hits you in the right place on the chin, it's dangerous."
Arsenal missed the chance to regain their four-point lead at the Premier League summit after Stuart Armstrong's second-half equaliser held the Gunners to a 1-1 draw at Southampton.
The Gunners had enjoyed their best start to a top-flight campaign and dominated the first half on Sunday at St. Mary's Stadium, with Granit Xhaka opening the scoring.
Arsenal continued to look good value for their lead, with Gabriel Jesus spurning a couple of chances, but Southampton fought back as Armstrong levelled in the 65th minute.
Martin Odegaard saw a late strike ruled out as Arsenal moved two points clear of second-placed Manchester City, while Southampton extended their unbeaten run to three games and climbed into 15th.
Gavin Bazunu denied a fizzing Xhaka drive and Odegaard whipped narrowly wide, though Arsenal's early dominance soon paid dividends after 11 minutes.
Ben White overlapped down the right and clipped in a low centre for Xhaka, who expertly fired into the roof of the net.
Jesus almost doubled the lead but blasted just wide and should have sent Arsenal in two goals ahead at half-time when he volleyed straight at Bazunu one-on-one following a smart Xhaka throughball.
A last-ditch Mohamed Elyounoussi thwarted Jesus after the interval before the midfielder teed up Armstrong at the other end, with the Scotland international sliding past Aaron Ramsdale.
Odegaard thought he had grabbed a late winner, only for the assistant to flag for a goal-kick after Kieran Tierney failed to keep the ball in play in the build-up.
What does it mean? In-form Gunners falter
Arsenal's failure to grind out wins was a regular flaw in recent seasons, yet they went some way to easing those concerns with some resolute performances in the nine victories from their opening 10 league games.
Mikel Arteta's side appeared set to earn yet another narrow triumph, though an underwhelming second-half showing – coupled with a lack of clinical finishing – saw them drop points for just the second time this season.
With Chelsea to follow in November and City showing no signs of relenting in their title pursuit, Arteta will be frustrated to drop points at Southampton, who had lost seven of their last 11 Premier League home games.
Great Granit
Xhaka's impressive form for the Gunners continued as the Switzerland international scored his fourth goal in all competitions this season, matching his best return for Arsenal in a single campaign.
The Gunners have never lost in 18 games when Xhaka has scored (W15 D3), though Arsenal will be frustrated to not leave the south coast with victory here.
Jesus fails to deliver
Jesus has been a leading figure within a new-look Arsenal side, blending his hard-work ethic with an eye for goal up top, though the Brazil international failed to fire for the Gunners at Southampton.
The forward attempted a game-high four shots but only found the target with one of those, squandering presentable opportunities in either half in a disappointing showing.
What's next?
Arsenal head to PSV in the Europa League on Thursday before hosting Nottingham Forest on Sunday, while Southampton visit Crystal Palace the day before.
Leon Goretzka says Robert Lewandowski "was spoiled" at Bayern Munich as he taunted his former team-mate over Barcelona's Champions League struggles.
Barca face being eliminated from the competition in the group stage in successive campaigns for only the second time heading into Wednesday's tie with Bayern at Camp Nou.
The Catalan giants will be unable to advance to the last 16 should they lose or if Inter beat Viktoria Plzen, while they will also be eliminated should both games be drawn.
While Barca have struggled in Europe of late, Bayern have reached at least the quarter-finals in all but one of the past 11 seasons, which Goretzka says can be taken for granted.
"Lewy was very spoiled at Bayern, always being at least in the round of 16 and progressing," Goretzka told reporters. "But now we can no longer take that into account."
Bayern beat Barca 2-0 in last month's reverse fixture, in which Lewandowski missed two presentable opportunities, and are already assured of a place in the knockout stages.
The German side have defeated Barcelona in nine of their 12 Champions League encounters, including the past five in a row.
Only Bayern themselves against Real Madrid (10) have lost more games against a single side in the competition's history, and Goretzka is targeting another victory next week.
"If we play against Barcelona at the Camp Nou, it can be a preparatory game or a Champions League final, it doesn't matter," the Germany international added.
"It's going to be a super cool game that we're looking forward to. And we will also do everything to win it."
Lewandowski has scored five Champions League goals for Barca, each of those coming at Camp Nou – the most ever by a Barca player after their first two matches.
The prolific striker lifted the famous trophy with Bayern in 2020, but he will have to settle for Europa League football – at best – if results go against his side.
"It's their last chance," Bayern striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting said. "I'm definitely looking forward to the game and to seeing Lewy.
"He's a world-class player and a great guy. Playing against Barcelona is always something special."
Simona Halep's former coach Darren Cahill has jumped to the Romanian's defence after the former Wimbledon and French Open champion failed a drug test.
Cahill said Halep's "integrity is faultless" and insisted there was "no chance" she would have deliberately or wittingly taken a banned substance.
It was made public on Friday that 31-year-old Halep tested positive for roxadustat while competing at the US Open in August.
Halep, who has been provisionally suspended, said she felt "confused and betrayed" by the news. She has not explained why, or by whom, she senses a betrayal.
She now risks a ban from tennis and faces a battle to clear her name, which she has said she is determined to achieve.
Cahill was Halep's coach when she landed her first grand slam title at Roland Garros in 2018, and he pointed to his experience of an athlete who was meticulous about checking anything she ingested.
He wrote in a statement posted on Instagram: "Firstly, and most importantly, there is NO chance Simona knowingly or purposely took any substance on the banned list. None. Zero.
"She is an athlete that stressed about anything prescribed to her by a medical professional [which was rarely], or about any supplement that she used or considered. Simona wore out the words 'please double check this, triple check this to make sure it’s legal, safe and permitted. If you are not sure, I'm not taking it.'"
Australian Cahill has also worked with players including Lleyton Hewitt, Ana Ivanovic, Andy Murray and Andre Agassi. He rates Halep as a player and person of the highest order.
When they stopped working together in September 2021, Halep thanked Cahill "for making me a better tennis player and a better person".
Cahill wrote on Sunday: "Simona's integrity is faultless, she respects her peers, she loves the game and she always has her feet firmly planted on the ground as a humble, approachable champion.
"Honesty has always been her greatest strength and her biggest weakness. We would often laugh about the fact that she can't act and can't tell a little white lie.
"She wears her mood on her shoulder for the world to see, for good and for bad. That is Simo. What you see is what you get. She built an amazing career and legacy by doing things the hard way. The right way.
"Due process will now follow to reveal answers to many questions. As Simona said, the hardest match of her life starts now. I believe in her. I always have and can honestly say never more than right now on this particular issue. I stand with Simo."
Federico Valverde will miss Real Madrid's Champions League game at RB Leipzig on Tuesday, joining Karim Benzema in being ruled out of the trip to Germany.
Uruguayan midfielder Valverde has been in revelatory form for Madrid this season and scored his seventh goal of the campaign in Saturday's 3-1 win against Sevilla.
However, he took a heavy knock late in that game after being clattered by Papu Gomez, who was booked, and that blow has counted Valverde out of head coach Carlo Ancelotti's midweek plans.
Ballon d'Or winner Benzema was already expected to miss the Leipzig fixture, having been absent against Sevilla due to muscular fatigue in his left leg, and that was confirmed as Madrid announced their travelling squad.
Neither Valverde nor Benzema is expected to be sidelined for long, with reports in Spain indicating both could come back into contention for next Sunday's LaLiga game against Girona.
Madrid have already made sure of a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League, and they will be confirmed as winners of Group F if they avoid defeat at second-placed Leipzig, who sit four points behind Ancelotti's defending champions.
Jude Bellingham's superb performances for Borussia Dortmund this season have not changed how in-demand he will be in the transfer market, according to the club's sporting director Sebastian Kehl.
Bellingham – who has been linked with Real Madrid, Manchester United and Liverpool, among others – bagged a brace during Saturday's 5-0 demolition job against Stuttgart in the Bundesliga to further an already scintillating season for the 19-year-old.
He has already ascended to a new level of responsibility this term, taking the captain's armband both domestically and in the Champions League for the Black and Yellow this season.
Bellingham's form is likely to further stoke the fires of a transfer battle for his future among several major suitors, but speaking after his showing against Stuttgart, Kehl suggested the England international's stock was already at an all-time high.
"Jude was just as sought after before this game as he will be after this game," he stated. "None of this changes the interest that will possibly arise in him one day."
Kehl further suggested the best place for Bellingham to continue is with Edin Terzic's side, though, rather than make a move elsewhere to follow in the footsteps of former team-mates Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho.
"He can develop further with us," he added. "He can take the next steps here with us – just as he has already done this season."
Bellingham is expected to figure in England's squad for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, and looks in line to potentially start their opener against Iran on November 21.
Francesco Bagnaia reflected on "the best-ever start to a race in my life" after he roared from ninth on the grid to victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix.
The Ducati rider moved 23 points clear at the MotoGP title race summit with just one race to go, meaning he needs to only finish 14th to claim the championship next month in Valencia.
The Italian looked to have a fight on his hands to figure in the fight for the podium, though with rival Fabio Quartararo starting in 12th, both appeared to be out of the running before the lights went out in Sepang.
But a superb move down the inside of the first corner lifted Bagnaia to second, before race leader Jorge Martin's crash effectively helped hand him a major win - one that he could not contain his delight with afterwards.
"I want to say I had the best-ever start to a race in my life," he stated. "It was perfect. Following Jorge was a bit too much for the rear tyre and I was starting to stress.
"But then he crashed, unfortunately, and we did a really good job in terms of the championship. We can be very happy."
Quartararo, who finished third behind Enea Bastianini after also coming through the pack, raced with a fractured finger on his left hand, but still feels he has a chance of an upset in a fortnight in the final race of the season.
"The start was the key point, the first lap," he added. "We changed the strategy a little bit compared to Australia, where we wanted to keep the tyre fresh for the end.
"Even if now we are super far away [in the standings], I'm not giving up, and I want to finish in a good way in Valencia."
Virat Kohli produced a remarkable innings as India pulled off an incredible and contentious victory over Pakistan, who suffered a collapse that will live long in the memory in their T20 World Cup opener.
Pakistan looked to be cruising to victory in the latest edition of this great rivalry, having posted 159-8 in front of over 90,000 fans at the MCG, where they then reduced India to 31-4.
Kohli (82 not out) was at his brilliant best as he rebuilt the innings alongside Hardik Pandya in a fifth-wicket stand of 113, but it still appeared as if it would not be enough.
India needed 31 off the final 12 balls, but successive sixes from Kohli, one down the ground and one over fine leg, on the final two deliveries of the penultimate over pulled them within 16.
Mohammad Nawaz took the wicket of Pandya off the first ball of the final over and conceded three off the next two, only to then lose his accuracy and composure at the worst possible time.
A high no-ball was hit for six by Kohli, giving India a free hit from which they controversially ran three despite the ball hitting the wickets. With India needing two off two balls, Dinesh Karthik was stumped, seemingly tilting the balance improbably back in Pakistan's favour. However, Nawaz then stunningly bowled a wide, giving Ravichandran Ashwin another delivery from which he hit the winning run to complete an astonishing turnaround.
Pakistan's pain
Defeat for Pakistan means they have lost all four of the men's T20I matches they have played in Australia. It remains the only country in which they have not tasted victory.
That will surely change at some stage during the Super 12, but they and Nawaz will need picking up after somehow letting this one slip.
Vintage Virat
Kohli has recently rediscovered form that appeared beyond him in the shortest format earlier in the year, and this was the India legend at his very best.
He has posted a larger score five times during his T20I career, but none of those innings will carry the same significance as his key contribution to this bewitching spectacle.
Manchester United are a better side without Cristiano Ronaldo and need to offload the forward at the earliest possible opportunity, according to Gary Neville.
Ronaldo was left out of the squad for Saturday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea after refusing to come on as a substitute and heading for the tunnel early in the 2-0 win over Tottenham.
Despite finishing as United's top scorer last season, the Portugal international has started just two of United's 11 Premier League matches under Erik ten Hag this term.
United have shown encouraging signs in the absence of Ronaldo, and former team-mate Neville believes the time is right for the player and the club to mutually part ways.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is going to have to go somewhere else and play every week because he can't accept being on the bench," Neville told Sky Sports.
"That's fine, but end it this week or create a truce to get to the World Cup and then end it. It has to end."
United have failed to win or indeed score in both league matches Ronaldo has started this season, losing 4-0 at Brentford and drawing 0-0 with Newcastle United.
That compares to six wins in the nine league games Ronaldo has not started, with United scoring 16 times at an average of 1.8 per game.
"There aren't many Manchester United fans who would now have Ronaldo in their starting eleven," added Neville, who spent two decades on United's books.
"They are better without him – they score more goals without him and they win more points without him. Manchester United are a better team without him.
"For me, Erik ten Hag had no other option. That's the second time Ronaldo has left Old Trafford before his team-mates have got into the changing room. That is unacceptable.
"When you look at whether Ronaldo should be selected, as great a player as he's been, Manchester United are better without him.
"Erik ten Hag knows that, so I think the only thing the club and Ronaldo can do is get together in this next week or so and end the relationship.
"Cristiano is too good a player, too fantastic a character and the club have got to move on.
"Ronaldo can't accept not being the star man in Manchester United's team so he's going to have to leave – that's it."
Ronaldo has been directly involved in three goals this season (two goals and one assist), a tally bettered only by Jadon Sancho (4), Anthony Martial (5) and Marcus Rashford (8).
He has played 691 minutes, which is only the 12th most of all United players, but another former United favourite in Roy Keane insists Ronaldo is being unfairly treated.
"I'm trying to see this from the player's point of view – he's obviously had enough," Keane said. "He lost his head [against Spurs]. That's been brewing over the last few weeks.
"I'm going to try and defend him. He's a human being and has got flaws, feeling frustrated that he's not getting opportunities and he's had enough.
"He walked down the tunnel but players have done worse things at Manchester United – it happens, it's human nature.
"Everyone was saying after the Spurs game it was United's best performance in years. Absolute rubbish. Spurs were terrible.
"Ronaldo got a hat-trick when United beat Spurs last season at home, so he's more than capable of getting on the pitch and making a difference."
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