Entertainment
‘Switch off your phones and sleep’, Indian skipper tells team before Pakistan clash
India’s players need to block out the noise as they prepare to again face rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup amid controversy over their previous clash, skipper Suryakumar Yadav said on Saturday.
The eight-team tournament has been dominated by headlines about Pakistan and India’s first meetings on the pitch since the military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May this year.
India prevailed in the politically-charged Group A match last week but their players refused to shake hands with their Pakistan opponents after the match.
Suryakumar dedicated India’s seven-wicket victory to their armed forces, while several of his teammates took to social media to express similar thoughts.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) called for match referee Andy Pycroft’s immediate removal for a code of conduct violation and considered withdrawing from the tournament before going ahead with UAE match after referee tendered apologies.
Naqvi, flanked by former chairmen Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi, told reporters at Gaddafi Stadium that Zimbabwe-based match referee Andy Pycroft had formally apologised to national captain Salman Ali Agha, the coach and the team manager, acknowledging the concerns raised by the side.
With the controversy likely to rumble on in the build-up to Sunday’s clash, Suryakumar offered some blunt advice for teammates struggling to cope with external pressure.
“Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep. I think that’s the best. It’s easy to say, but sometimes it is difficult,” he told reporters. “It’s on you, what you want to listen to, what you want to have in your mind.
“I have been very clear with all the boys. I think it’s very important if you want to do well in this tournament and going forward. We will have to shut a lot of noise from outside and take what is good for you.”
Despite India’s triumph in their previous encounter, Suryakumar insisted past results would count for nothing when the rivals meet again in the Super Four match.
“I feel our preparation has been really good leading into the tournament. We have also had three good games, so we are actually focusing on what we can do best,” he added.
“We want to follow all the good habits that we have been doing from the last two or three games. We take it one game at a time. It doesn’t give us an edge that we have played them once, and we had a good game. We have to start from scratch.”
When asked about the historic rivalry — which was much more intense in 2000s, he said, “At that time, I don’t know. I have never played. So I can’t say,” he laughed.
“If we talk about rivalry, I don’t know what kind of rivalry you are talking about. After going on the ground, I feel that the stadium is full. And when the stadium is full, I tell my team and everyone that it is time for entertainment. So many people have come to watch the match, so you have to entertain everyone. Let’s play some good brand of cricket. And according to me, we don’t think much,” he added.
Another question asked Suryakumar about the ‘other things’ India did against Pakistan, without explicitly mentioning the handshakes, and he simply said: ‘By other things, you mean we bowled well, isn’t it?’
The 64-team field for the 2026 NCAA Division I baseball championship was officially released on Monday, May 25.
This sets the stage for a three-week journey to the Men’s College World Series in Omaha.
UCLA has been awarded the No. 1 overall seed since it occupied the top spot throughout the season. Georgia Tech, Georgia, Auburn, North Carolina, Texas, Alabama, and Florida complete the list of the top eight national seeds.
Regional tournaments kick off on Friday, May 29, at sixteen locations across the country. The double elimination rounds of regional tournaments continue till Monday, June 1, and then move forward to the best-of-three super regional games from June 5 to 8.
The event is hosted by the SEC with seven schools welcoming regionals, including Georgia, Auburn, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida, Mississippi State, and Alabama.
Three regionals, i.e., UCLA, Oregon, and Nebraska, are hosted by the Big Ten, while the ACC also hosts three (Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Florida State).
Notably, Kansas is hosting a regional for the first time in program history, and Southern Miss stands as the only non-power four host.
The LSU Tigers will take the field as the defending champions after sweeping the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the finals for 2025.
With this victory, LSU earned its eighth national championship, while Jay Johnson became the quickest coach to win two championships at one university in college baseball history.
The championship series starts on Saturday, June 20, on ESPN, with Game 2 scheduled for ABC on Sunday, 21.
It’s been two decades now since an American has brought a major singles title back home.
The current list of players is still looking for the big win, with Frances Tiafoe being the one fans have been pinning hopes on.
He is ranked 21st in the world, yet he enjoyed his closing run at Roland Garros last year by finishing in the quarter-finals.
He is not the one who came close to the finishing line, several others have also been unable to end the twenty-year drought.
In a recent media appearance, just before the tournament kicked off, Tiafoe speaks his mind.
He said, “It’s been nice for a long time. I think we’ve been killing. It’s a matter of we just have some guys. It’s just top heavy, man.”
Tiafoe sounds off on American tennis, adding, “We’ you know, they’re gatekeeping hard. I mean, I think, you know, Fritz has been top ten for a bunch of years.
“Ben’s cracked in there. He’s kind of solidified himself being a top ten guy. I mean, I’ve been top 20 majority of years the last four years. Tommy as well. He’s been flirting in and out, so.”
Tiafoe explains, “We got Korda, I mean, you know, if he’s healthy, you know, he’s always, again, top 20.
“But it’s his manner of just putting these weeks together, and trying to do the ultimate goal, and one of us try to win, and this type of event.”
“You know, Ben won 1000, you know, Fritz won 1000, you know, I’ve been final of a 1000, so we’re all flirting with the top of the game. We just got to kind of get over the line,” Tiafoe concluded.
Andy Roddick remains the last man standing who won the US Open title back in 2003, almost two decades ago.
This time at French Open, only Shelton will be the top-seeded American who kicks off his campaign on the clay court.
Entertainment
American Music Awards airing tonight with performances from Billy Idol, Keith Urban, Teyana Taylor and more
The American Music Awards kick off the unofficial start of summer tonight, celebrating the best in music and featuring performances from such artists as Billy Idol, Keith Urban, Teyana Taylor and others.
The show airs on CBS television stations and streams on Paramount+ starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
The AMAs boast of being the world’s largest fan-voted awards show. Voting for most of the categories closed earlier this month, but people can still vote online or on Instagram for social song of the year and tour of the year through the first half hour of the show.
Queen Latifah serves as host this year, returning to the AMAs stage after co-hosting in 1995 and performing over the years.
Taylor Swift leads the nominations with eight following last year’s release of “The Life of a Showgirl,” which is up for album of the year and best pop album. Two songs from the album also received nods: “The Fate of Ophelia” for song of the year, best music video and best pop song, and “Elizabeth Taylor” for song of the summer.
Swift has already won 40 times at the AMAs, which is more than any other artist. She’s also up for artist of the year and best female pop artist this year.
Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and Sombr were right behind Swift with seven nominations each.
But the awards are only part of the show. Billy Idol, who’s known for such hits as “Dancing With Myself,” “Rebel Yell” and “White Wedding,” will receive a lifetime achievement award and perform a medley of some of his hits on the AMAs stage.
Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella
Keith Urban will perform a track from his upcoming yacht rock album “Flow State.” Teyana Taylor, who won a Golden Globe in January for her performance in “One Battle After Another” and is up for best female R&B artist at the AMAs, will perform a medley from her album, “Escape Room.”
There will also be performances by some groups that have amassed huge followings over the years, with Hootie and the Blowfish, New Kids on the Block and The Pussycat Dolls taking the stage.
K-pop superstars BTS will also make a special appearance. Following a nearly four-year hiatus for the members to fulfill their mandatory military service, the group began a world tour in March and will appear at their first awards show in four years at the AMAs. They are nominated for three awards as well.
Who’s performing at the 2026 American Music Awards?
Here’s a list of all the announced performers at the American Music Awards:
- Billy Idol
- Hootie and the Blowfish
- Karol G
- Katseye
- Keith Urban
- Maluma
- New Kids on the Block
- The Pussycat Dolls, with a guest appearance by Busta Rhymes
- Riley Green
- Sombr
- Teddy Swims
- Teyana Taylor
- Twenty One Pilots
How to watch the 2026 American Music Awards
- What: The 2026 American Music Awards show
- Date: Monday, May 25, 2026
- Time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
- Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
- On TV: Live on CBS television stations. Find your local station here.
- Online stream: Live on Paramount+
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