Archive January 30, 2026

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup qualifier

Bangladesh 191-5 (20 overs): N Sultana 56no; S Mostary 47

Scotland 101-9 (20 overs): P Sproul 27; M Akter 3-25

Bangladesh won by 90 runs

Scotland missed the chance to seal their place at this summer’s Women’s T20 World Cup by emphatically losing to Bangladesh in their penultimate Super Six qualification game in Nepal.

Bangladesh, who have already qualified, won by 90 runs in Kirtipur but Scotland have their destiny in their hands and will reach the tournament proper if they beat the United States on Sunday.

The winner of Friday’s late game between the US and Thailand will still have a chance to finish ahead of Scotland on net run rate if they also win their final match on Sunday.

Thailand face Ireland – who are level with Scotland on four points but with a better run rate in the Super Six table after beating the Netherlands – on Sunday.

The top four in the Super Six table qualify for the tournament – which is being held in England from 12 June – with Bangladesh and the Netherlands already assured of their place.

In Kirtipur, Dilara Aktar and Juairiya Ferdous put on 67 for the first wicket off seven overs and that foundation was added to in explosive fashion by Bangladesh’s middle order.

Captain Nigar Sultana made an unbeaten 56 off 35 balls while Sobhana Mostary smashed 47 off 23 as Bangladesh racked up 191-5 off their 20 overs.

Scotland’s bowling figures did not make pretty reading but captain Kathryn Bryce conceded only 20 from her four overs amid the Bangladesh blitz.

In reply, Darcey Carter was dismissed from the first ball of the innings and Scotland then slumped to 35-5.

Megan McColl (20) and Pippa Sproul (27no) added some respectability to the scorecard as the Scots limped to 101-9 from their full allocation.

Scotland finished second in Pool B in the initial group phase – losing only to the Netherlands – to qualify for the Super Six and Ireland did likewise from Pool A, with their only defeat against Bangladesh.

Alfie Hewett’s Australian Open men’s wheelchair singles title defence ended in the semi-finals with defeat by Spain’s Martin de la Puente.

The top seed, a 10-time Grand Slam singles champion, lost 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 27 minutes.

Hewett, 28, had fallen at the same stage in the men’s doubles alongside Gordon Reid on Thursday, losing a match tie-break to Japan’s Tokito Oda and Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez.

The British pair had been targeting a seventh consecutive title in Melbourne.

De la Puente, the third seed, will face second seed and 2024 champion Oda in the final as he bids for his first Australian Open crown.

In the quad doubles, Great Britain’s Andy Lapthorne also fell short in his title defence, losing to top seeds Guy Sasson and Niels Vink 6-3 6-1 alongside his Australian partner Heath Davidson in the final.

Second seed Lapthorne was searching for a third consecutive men’s doubles title – and ninth overall – in Melbourne and had beaten Sasson/Vink in straight sets in last year’s final, partnering Sam Schroder.

Olympic gold medallist Sha’Carri Richardson has been arrested for “dangerous excessive” speeding, according to jail booking records.

Richardson was booked into Orange County Jail in Florida at 19:39 local time on Thursday.

Jail records state the 25-year-old American was charged with driving dangerously and at “excessive speed of 100mph or more”.

A spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department told BBC Sport that Richardson was allegedly travelling at 104 mph tailgating and crossing lanes of traffic to pass other drivers.

Her bond was set at $500 (£363).

The American won silver in the 100m at the Paris Olympics and gold as part of the USA’s 4x100m relay team.

The state of Florida introduced new penalties for speeding offences in July.

Under a new statute – known as the “Super Speeder” law – drivers can be fined up to $1,000 (£727), be mandated to appear at court if the allegation is more than 50 miles per hour over the limit, face jail time or have their licence revoked for repeat breaches.

In August, Richardson was arrested over allegations of domestic violence. She was released the following day and later said she would seek help.

Olympic gold medallist Sha’Carri Richardson has been arrested for “dangerous excessive” speeding, according to jail booking records.

Richardson was booked into Orange County Jail in Florida at 19:39 local time on Thursday.

Jail records state the 25-year-old American was charged with driving dangerously and at “excessive speed of 100mph or more”.

According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Richardson was allegedly traveling at 104 mph tailgating and crossing lanes of traffic to pass other drivers, BBC’s US partner CBS News and Reuters reported.

It has been reported her bond was set at $500 (£363).

The American won silver in the 100m at the Paris Olympics and gold as part of the USA’s 4x100m relay team.

The state of Florida introduced new penalties for speeding offences in July.

Under a new statute – known as the “Super Speeder” law – drivers can be fined up to $1,000 (£727), be mandated to appear at court if the allegation is more than 50 miles per hour over the limit, face jail time or have their license revoked for repeat breaches.

In August, Richardson was arrested over allegations of domestic violence. She was released the following day and later said she would seek help.

A cramping Carlos Alcaraz had to draw on every physical and mental reserve to come back from the brink and beat Alexander Zverev to reach a first Australian Open final.

Spain’s Alcaraz came through 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (3-7) 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 after an enthralling five hours and 27 minutes – but the scoreline barely hints at the drama that occurred in Melbourne.

Alcaraz had clinched the first two sets and was cruising when, serving at 4-4 in the third, he suddenly pulled up and was left barely able to serve or move.

The world number one took a medical timeout – leaving third seed Zverev irate – and looked a shadow of his former self as his German opponent forced a decider.

Zverev went an early break up in the fifth set and served for the match at 5-4, before Alcaraz produced a scarcely believable comeback.

Buoyed by the crowd, Alcaraz broke to get the match back on serve and then capitalised on Zverev’s nerves as the German served at 6-5 down to try to force a 10-point tie-break.

Alcaraz fell to the floor in complete disbelief as Zverev missed a backhand and sent him into Sunday’s showpiece.

“I always say that you have to believe in yourself no matter what,” Alcaraz said.

“I couldn’t be here right now without these guys [the crowd]. The way you pushed me back into the match on every point is crazy.”

Victory keeps alive the 22-year-old’s bid to write more tennis history – should he win on Sunday, he will become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.

Only Novak Djokovic – and Alcaraz’s own physical condition – now stand in the way of a fourth successive Grand Slam final between the Spaniard and Jannik Sinner.

Alcaraz has produced some astonishing comebacks at Slams – none more than when he saved three championship points before going on to beat Sinner in last year’s French Open final.

But this win, given his physical condition, will be just as pleasing.

Alcaraz stood at the back of court, telling himself “little by little, Charly, vamos” as he tried to find some energy late in the fourth set.

Even before he began cramping, Alcaraz was the braver player. He took control of the rallies, going for the big shots – and finishing the match with 78 winners to Zverev’s 56 showed how his ‘big-time’ tennis paid off.

Zverev played at a high level, but was not ruthless enough when it mattered.

Alcaraz could barely at the end of the third set, but Zverev sprayed errors off the weakened serve and rarely tested him at the net.

Twice Zverev had 0-30 on the Alcaraz serve to force a fifth set. Twice Alcaraz, urged on by the crowd, held, and then served to love to send the fourth set to a tie-break.

However, Zverev took advantage of Alcaraz’s faltering serve in the tie-break and again in the first game of the fifth set to go an immediate break up.

But the German has crumbled in key moments before and his break lead never felt safe.

Zverev berated an official when Alcaraz took a medical timeout in the third set, calling it “unbelievable”.

Alcaraz was 5-4 up when he took the timeout. Within his opponent’s earshot, Zverev repeatedly said that the Spaniard was cramping and not injured, and therefore should not receive any treatment.

Alcaraz had treatment to both thighs and was also drinking pickle juice, but his movement improved as the match went on.

Players can take a three-minute medical timeout for physical injuries or illness but not for cramping, as it is seen as a conditioning problem rather than a physical injury.

They can only be treated for muscle cramping during either a change of ends or the end of a set breaks.

If a player cannot continue because of severe cramping, they may forfeit a point or a game to force a change of ends and receive treatment.

However, if they claim to have an injury but the physiotherapist or doctor decides they have cramp, they will be told by the chair umpire to immediately resume playing.

It is not the first time Alcaraz has struggled with cramp in a Grand Slam semi-final.

Stress led to the then-20-year-old being hit by full body cramps against Novak Djokovic at the 2023 French Open after two tight sets, and he quickly faded.

When Alcaraz cramped against Djokovic two years ago, the Serb exploited his lack of movement, and he could do little more than see out the match.