Sports
Wallabies record-holder Slipper hints Perth could be final Test | The Express Tribune
AUCKLAND:
Record-breaking Australian prop James Slipper said Sunday that this was his final year in the gold Wallabies shirt and hinted that next week’s Test against New Zealand could be his last.
Slipper became just the third player to reach the milestone of 150 Test appearances during the 33-24 loss in Auckland on Saturday, joining Alun Wyn Jones of Wales and New Zealand’s Sam Whitelock.
The 36-year-old said both Jones and Whitelock had sent him video messages, a gesture he described as “really special”.
Australia face New Zealand again in Perth on Saturday in the final round of this season’s Rugby Championship, when Slipper said it would “potentially” be his Wallabies swansong.
“This will be the last year I’ll be playing, just whether that ends next week or on the spring (northern hemisphere) tour will still be confirmed,” Slipper said.
He said he would only join the squad for Australia’s northern hemisphere tour next month if it was deemed “best for the team”.
“There’s still a bit of water that needs to go under the bridge, so I won’t call it now,” Slipper said.
“It comes down to what’s best for the team. That’s probably what’s going to make my decision.”
Slipper said a fifth World Cup for him, when Australia host the 2027 edition, was “way too far away”.
The Wallabies hit rock bottom when they failed to get out of their pool at the 2023 World Cup, but Slipper said he would leave them in much better shape.
“The improvement we’ve seen over the last 18 months has been really positive for our group and for rugby in Australia,” Slipper said.
“We’re still just probably not getting as many results as we want, and consistent results, but in terms of the base of the game and what we want to see, we’re seeing it.”
Slipper said he would play Super Rugby next year with the ACT Brumbies, where another record is within sight.
He has played 197 Super Rugby matches for the Queensland Reds (103) and Brumbies (94) and needs just five more appearances to match the all-time record of 202 held by retired Canterbury Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett.
Sports
Auction of two new teams of PSL-11 to be held – SUCH TV
The auction of two new teams of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held at Jinnah Convention Center in Islamabad at 4:15 PM today. The auction will be shown on television live. As many as 10 prospective buyers will off their bids for two new teams.
The number of teams in the 11th edition of the PSL will be increased from six to eight. The auction will be followed by a special performance by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had put forward the names of Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Rawalpindi.
Out of these six teams, bidders will select two.
The PCB has so far released details of 10 bidders.
The auction will be broadcast live in order to ensure transparency and global visibility to prospective investors and cricket fans worldwide.
Three weeks ago, PCB Chairman Syed Mohsin Naqvi said that the PSL’s 11th edition was scheduled to be held from March 26 to May 3, 2026, while also announcing that the auction for two proposed new franchises would take place on January 8.
The announcements were made during a PCB investor roadshow in New York.
Addressing the event, Mohsin said the PCB had taken administrative control of the Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium and intended to begin its renovation work soon.
He added that efforts were underway to have the venue ready for the PSL in time, though he acknowledged that completion before the tournament was not guaranteed.
“We are starting Muzaffarabad’s stadium, which we have taken over, and our target is to get it ready before the PSL. If not, then work will be initiated within this year,” he said.
Mohsin also stated that the deadline for submission of bids for the new franchises had been extended to December 22, citing interest from prospective investors.
Sports
Australia win fifth Ashes Test, wrap up series with 4-1 triumph
- Australia chase down 160-run target on final day before tea.
- England form cordon to welcome Khawaja to crease in last match.
- Take credit for making game of it, not being ground into Sydney dirt.
SYDNEY: Australia had a few nervous moments but safely chased down their 160-run victory target before tea on the final day of the fifth Ashes Test on Thursday for a five-wicket victory and a 4-1 series triumph.
Seamer Josh Tongue led England’s battling rearguard with 3-42 but Alex Carey got Australia across the line with a four through the covers in mid afternoon in the company of Cameron Green.
England will take credit for making a game of it and not being ground into the Sydney dirt as previous tourists have in end-of-series dead rubbers at the famous old ground.
Without the bowling of injured captain Ben Stokes, however, defending 160 was always going to be an uphill challenge on a good wicket which allowed the second day-five action of the series.
Stokes exhorted his players from the slips but Australia’s openers got the target under 100 runs before Travis Head, whose third century of the series underpinned his team’s first-innings 567, ballooned a shot to midwicket off Tongue for 29.
Jake Weatherald followed for 34, again caught off Tongue’s bowling, to bring up lunch with Australia 89 runs from their goal.
It was 15 years and a day since England won the final Test of the 2010-11 series at the same ground by an innings and 83 runs — the last time they won an Ashes series Down Under.
The England players formed a cordon to welcome Khawaja to the crease but Tongue’s bowling was less friendly and the lefthander played on for six after facing seven balls.

Labuschagne had been dropped on 20 off Tongue when Bethell failed to hold onto the ball despite an acrobatic leap at backward point.
He was unable to make the most of his reprieve, however, running himself out for 37 with 39 runs still required for victory.
Carey, who made 16 not out, and Green, who finished unbeaten on 22, nearly reprised Labuschagne’s exit with a classic mix-up after an overthrow but eventually made their ground to secure the victory.
Earlier, England resumed on 302-8 but Mitchell Starc struck a major blow to their hopes of setting Australia a testing target when he had Bethell caught behind for 154.
Bethell’s superb maiden Test century offered plenty of promise for the future and was essentially the difference between an innings defeat for England and Australia batting again.
Starc returned to remove Tongue for six to end the innings on 342, the left-arm quick finishing with figures of 3-72 and a total of 31 wickets over the series.
Sports
Hawks trade 4-time All-Star Trae Young to Wizards in blockbuster deal: reports
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The Atlanta Hawks have parted ways with four-time NBA All-Star point guard Trae Young, trading him to the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster move, according to ESPN.
The Hawks will reportedly be receiving veteran shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert in the deal.
Washington was Young’s preferred destination, and the two sides were working on a deal to get the 27-year-old point guard to the nation’s capital.
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Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round 1 Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2023 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. ( Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Young’s agents were having conversations with the Hawks, who sit at 17-21 so far this season, about trading their client out of Atlanta.
There is a mutual connection in Washington, too, as executive Travis Schlenk drafted Young fifth overall in 2018 out of Oklahoma.
It marks the end of an era for the Hawks. Young has been the focal point of their offense since he was taken in that draft. He is the team’s career leader in three-pointers and assists, having led the team to the postseason in three of his eight seasons. The Hawks went the furthest in 2021, where they made the Eastern Conference Finals.
LEBRON JAMES DECLARES HIMSELF ‘TBD’ FOR BACK-TO-BACK GAMES FOR REST OF SEASON: ‘I’M 41′
However, the new era was brewing already in Atlanta, with forward Jalen Johnson taking the next step in his career, averaging 23.7 points per game this season. The pickup of Nickeil Alexander-Walker also helps, as he’s averaged 20.5 points per game in 36 appearances.
Meanwhile, Young has played just 10 games this season, as he’s been dealing with leg injuries, most notably a right MCL sprain.

Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks looks on after the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Five of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2023 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Hawks also get some flexibility on their books, as they could make some more moves. Anthony Davis is reportedly available from the Dallas Mavericks, making him a good target for Atlanta.
Young has $95 million remaining on his deal that runs through the 2026-27 season, which includes a player option this offseason.
Atlanta will be taking on McCollum’s contract, though the veteran guard has a $30.6 million expiring deal.
Through his 10 games this season, Young is averaging 19.2 points, 8.9 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.5% from the field.

Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks drives down the court during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at State Farm Arena on April 7, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
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Over his career, Young has dropped 25.2 points and 9.8 assists per game, while leading the league in the latter category last season with 11.6 per contest.
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