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History at stake as India and South Africa battle for maiden World Cup triumph

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History at stake as India and South Africa battle for maiden World Cup triumph


India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt pose with the trophy ahead of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 final. — Facebook/@cricketworldcup

The Women’s Cricket World Cup is set to crown a new champion on Sunday, when hosts India take on South Africa, as both teams look to culminate their month-long, nine-match campaign with a maiden global championship.

India are two-time finalists in the One-Day International world championship, having lost the 2005 and 2017 titles to Australia and England. They also lost the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup final to Australia in 2020.

South Africa are playing a World Cup final for the third year in a row, having reached the T20 World Cup finals in 2023 and 2024, losing to Australia and New Zealand. However, this is the first time they have reached a World Cup final in the 50-over format.

“We know very well how it feels like after losing. But the feeling after victory, that is something which we are really looking forward to,” India captain Harmanpreet Kaur told reporters on Saturday.

India reached the semis as the fourth-best team in the league stage. But Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues helped India pull off the biggest successful chase in women’s ODI history on Thursday, stunning seven-time champions and favourites Australia to reach the final.

South Africa, who beat India in the league stage last month, earned a dominant 125-run win over four-time champions England in Wednesday’s semi-final, as captain Laura Wolvaardt put in a player-of-the-match performance, scoring 169 off 143 balls.

“The whole crowd is behind India, probably a sold-out stadium. It definitely puts a lot of pressure on them as they’re sort of expected to win. I think it plays in our favour a bit,” Wolvaardt said.

“Every cricket game starts at zero. We can’t bring any history into the game. Knockout cricket is completely different from league cricket. People can do some very special things in knockout games like Jemimah the other night.”

High stakes

Kaur said India have been preparing for the opportunity to play in the World Cup final for the last two years.

“Last time we played in the World Cup final, we saw many changes in the sport back home. Women’s cricket took many steps forward, a lot of girls flocked to the grounds,” said the 36-year-old.

“I’m sure, when we win the final, there will be even more changes. We will see much more cricket, not only at the international level, but domestically things will improve as well.”

For South Africa, who have never won a World Cup in men’s or women’s cricket, the stakes are high as well.

“We recently got domestic contracts introduced. So, I can only imagine what something like a World Cup trophy will do back home. Just the number of girls that will be able to see it on TV, who will hear that we’re a World Cup-winning nation,” Wolvaardt said.





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Patriots’ Drake Maye ranks wife’s viral TikTok baking recipes ahead of Super Bowl LX

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Patriots’ Drake Maye ranks wife’s viral TikTok baking recipes ahead of Super Bowl LX


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You never know what will be asked at during Super Bowl media availabilities, but for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, he doesn’t mind a little ranking question regarding his wife, Ann Michael’s, baking.

Maye, who has helped lead the Patriots to the “Big Game” in Santa Clara this week in just his second NFL season, was asked to rank four of his wife’s recipes, which has been talked about throughout the season. Ann Michael shares her recipes on TikTok, some of which going viral during what she called “Bakemas” for the holiday season.

The Patriots’ signal caller already knew what his top choice would be in the kitchen.

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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) speaks to media during Opening Night for Super Bowl LX at San Jose Convention Center on Feb. 2, 2026. (Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)

Drake and Ann Michael Maye

Drake Maye (10) of the New England Patriots and his wife, Ann Michael Maye, pose for a photo prior to the game against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Dec. 1, 2025. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

“Cinnamon roll snickerdoodle, she just made those for the O-line this week,” Maye said with a smile. That’s my No. 1.”

After that, he had to give it some thought.

“Puppy chow, I’ll put puppy chow No. 3. Pistachio bread, I think it’s good. I’m not a fan, [so] I’ll put that at four. The crumble copycat sugar cookie? Yeah, put that at No. 2.”

DRAKE MAYE ‘SUPER BOWL’ GUY, FORMER COACH SAYS AS PATRIOTS QB REACHED NFL’S BIGGEST STAGE

With nerves and anticipation high for everyone on the Patriots and Seattle Seahawks entering this week, questions like these perhaps make things lighter.

And for the Patriots, it’s always good to have some fresh baked goods as a nice treat before the Super Bowl. Remember Donna Kelce bringing some homemade cookies for her boys, Jason and Travis Kelce, before they faced off in the Super Bowl a few years back?

Drake Maye looks on

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) reacts after the New England Patriots defeat the Denver Broncos in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. Jan. 25, 2026. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

Maye has spoken on Ann Michael’s TikTok’s in the past, calling her a “superstar” with over 200,000 followers.

“(She’s) in her little journey doing ‘Bakemas’ right now. I get to do the good part of trying all her stuff she bakes. I try to bring some leftovers into the building,” Maye told “WEEI Afternoons.”

“She’s been a big addition for me being up here and living with me.”

Maye loves talking about his wife’s baking, but he knows this is still a business trip to the west coast this week. The Patriots have enjoyed a quick turnaround under new head coach Mike Vrabel, winning the AFC East and three playoff games on the way to the Super Bowl.

Maye, though, hasn’t been his usual, consistent self on the gridiron, which we saw all season long on his way to being an MVP candidate. He hasn’t completed more than 59% of his pass in any of his three games, though he has thrown four touchdowns to two interceptions.

Drake Maye takes questions

Drake Maye of the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX Opening Night at San Jose McEnery Convention Center on Feb. 2, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Drake Maye walks with his wife

Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots and wife Ann Michael Maye hug after the AFC Championship Playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on Jan. 25, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)

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Against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, Maye threw for just 86 yards, though the snowy weather played a large factor in that.

With perfect weather expected in the Bay Area on Sunday night, Maye should have the right conditions to get back in the saddle and try his luck against the Seahawks’ top-rated defense this season.

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17 more athletes join lawsuit vs. ex-NC State sports medicine director

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17 more athletes join lawsuit vs. ex-NC State sports medicine director


An additional 17 former North Carolina State male student-athletes have joined a lawsuit alleging “sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation” by the university’s former sports medicine director, Robert Murphy. The amended complaint, filed late Friday, brings the number of plaintiffs to 31.

The lawsuit also names, as defendants, senior administrators of the athletic department, asserting the student-athletes reported the misconduct but the defendants failed to take action. It accuses them of “willful, wanton and/or reckless” conduct “done in conscious and flagrant disregard of and indifference to the rights and safety of others.”

The lawsuit was first filed in Wake County Superior Court in September. There is currently a separate case against the university filed with the North Carolina Industrial Commission, a state agency that has sole jurisdiction to adjudicate negligence cases against state public entities. That case has been stayed pending resolution of the civil case.

“The health and safety of students and student-athletes is paramount to NC State Athletics and the university,” a university spokesperson said in a statement Monday. “Sexual misconduct of any kind is unacceptable, prohibited by NC State’s policies, and in direct opposition to the mission, culture and standards of the university. NC State is reviewing the lawsuit and determining appropriate next steps.”

The spokesperson said the school would not comment beyond the statement. A lawyer listed for Murphy has not responded to ESPN’s request for comment.

The amended complaint accuses Murphy of misconduct during his 2012-2022 tenure at the school by using “his position of trust and confidence to sexually assault, abuse, harass, and/or groom Plaintiffs as student-athletes entrusted to him for required medical care and treatment.”

The former student-athletes allege that Murphy would inappropriately touch their groin during massage treatments or made them uncomfortable during “unnecessarily intrusive urine sample collection methods” during mandatory drug testing.

Ben Locke, one of two named plaintiffs, said he had to shower in front of Murphy less than 24 hours after surgery under the guise that Murphy would help wrap the player’s bandages and make sure it didn’t get wet. Locke said he did not feel empowered to question Murphy, given his sports medicine role.

The complaint also alleges athletes would discuss Murphy’s “tendency to come into the locker room showers, watch male student athletes as they showered, and stare at their genitals.” The plaintiffs say that the behavior was so pervasive it was known as the “Rob Murphy Special,” and they shared a “joke” that “If you had a headache, [Murphy] was probably going to touch your” genitals. One plaintiff complained of a backache, which Murphy treated with a groin massage, the lawsuit alleges.

Plaintiffs say they first reported their complaints to the men’s soccer head coach, Kelly Findley, in 2012, who allegedly reported it to athletic department administrators. They say that Murphy was reassigned to other teams but resumed working with the soccer team in 2014.

Kerry Sutton, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said that student-athletes from eight different sports teams, all men, have come forward so far in the lawsuit and that she “expect[s] to hear from more men in coming days who were sexually harassed or assaulted by Mr. Murphy.”



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The Caps have won two straight. Can they keep it up against the Islanders?

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Washington will host the New York Islanders on Monday night at Capital One Arena.



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