Basketball

Pope Leo tries to stay neutral as basketball rivals descend on Vatican

VATICAN CITY, Oct 31 (Reuters) - ⁠Popes have received heads of state, royalty and pilgrims by ⁠the busload in the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall. On ‌Saturday, Pope Leo received his old college basketball team and, in a show of sportsmanship that went only so far, their opponents.

Football

Soccer-Manchester United captain Fernandes returns to starting lineup at Chelsea

LONDON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - ⁠Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes ⁠was restored to the starting lineup against ‌Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday by under-pressure manager Michael Carrick after he dropped the Portuguese ​international last weekend.

Cricket

Cricket-West Indies beat Bangladesh by eight wickets to take series lead

Oct 31 (Reuters) - West Indies extended ⁠their encouraging run in red-ball cricket with an emphatic eight-wicket victory ⁠over Bangladesh in the first test in Mirpur on Saturday, chasing ‌down 170 on the fourth day to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Cricket

Cricket-South Africa's Rabada fastest to 350 wickets as Australia slump to 60-7

CAPE TOWN, Oct 31 (Reuters) - ⁠South Africa's Kagiso Rabada decimated Australia's top order and became the ⁠fastest by balls bowled to reach 350 test wickets ‌on Saturday as the tourists slumped to 60 for seven at lunch, chasing 288 to win the decisive third test at Newlands. 

Tennis

Tennis-Fernandez sets up Pan Pacific Open title clash with Shnaider

TOKYO, Oct 31 (Reuters) - ⁠Canada's Leylah Fernandez extended her ⁠strong late-season run by beating Kamilla ‌Rakhimova 7-5 6-3 on Saturday to reach the Pan Pacific Open final, where she faces ​Russia's Diana Shnaider.

Badminton

Rashid: Time to serve up some consistency, Zii Jia

PETALING JAYA: Consistency is the key to reaching the top, even if it means stepping back to compete in lower-tier tournaments.

Badminton

Second chance for Pei Kee, but no guarantee

PETALING JAYA: Go Pei Kee has been given a second chance to represent the national badminton team, but her return comes with a catch.

Badminton

Birthday boy Aaron enjoying quality matches against big guns with Roy King

PETALING JAYA: National shuttler Aaron Tai has barely entered his 20s, but he is already getting a taste of what it takes to compete against some of the biggest names in men's doubles.

Football

Soccer-Villa threaten legal action against Carragher over 'insults'

Oct 31 (Reuters) - Aston Villa ⁠will pursue legal action against pundit Jamie Carragher, the Premier ⁠League club said on Friday, accusing the former Liverpool ‌defender of making "unacceptable insults" about the club and its supporters.

Motorsport

Qabil tops Moto4 Asia Cup Race 1 at Sepang

SEPANG: National rider Qabil Irfan delivered a sensational ride after clinching the Moto4 Asia Cup Race 1 win at the Sepang International Circuit on Saturday (Oct 31).

Motorsport

Marquez stretches overall lead with second place finish in MotoGP sprint

SEPANG: MotoGP world championship leader Marc Marquez extended his lead after finishing the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix sprint race in second place behind compatriot Pedro Acosta on Saturday (Oct 31).

Cricket

Cricket-India add pacer Nabi to squad for first three New Zealand ODIs

Oct 31 (Reuters) - Pacer ⁠Auqib Nabi has been added to India's ⁠squad for the first three one-day internationals ‌against New Zealand, the country's cricket board said on Saturday.

Cycling

Motorcycling-MotoGP title 'already lost' after Sepang withdrawal, says Martin

SEPANG, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Aprilia's Jorge ⁠Martin said on Saturday his MotoGP title challenge was effectively over ⁠after withdrawing from the Malaysian Grand Prix to continue his recovery ‌from a wrist fracture.

Motorsport

Motor racing-Verstappen and Lawson get grid drops after Mexico practice clash

MEXICO CITY, Oct 30 (Reuters) - ⁠Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson received one-place grid drops ⁠after they collided on track in Friday's Mexico City Grand Prix second practice ‌session.

Other Sports

Japanese bodybuilder, 90, flexes ageless ambition on Spanish stage

SANTA ⁠SUSANNA, Spain, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Nonagenarian Japanese bodybuilder Toshisuke Kanazawa took to the stage on ⁠Spain's Costa del Maresme on Friday, aiming to prove that age is no ‌barrier to peak physical fitness.

Other Sports

Darts-Sherrock stuns Littler to win Netflix darts jackpot

Oct 30 (Reuters) - Fallon Sherrock ⁠beat Luke Littler to claim a £501,000 ($671,089) prize in a live Netflix ⁠darts special on Friday, producing a dramatic upset in front ‌of a global audience at Manchester Central.

Other Sports

US court reinstates 'Sunday Ticket' class action verdict against NFL

WASHINGTON, Oct 30 (Reuters) - ⁠A US federal appeals court on Friday reinstated a jury's verdict against the ⁠National Football League in an antitrust lawsuit claiming it overcharged subscribers to ‌its Sunday Ticket game telecasts for more than a decade, but said the league can have a new trial on damages.

Badminton

Aaron-Roy King, Pang Ron-Pei Jing march into semis to keep European momentum going

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's doubles shuttlers continue to soar on European soil as Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King and Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing powered into the semi-finals of the Hylo Open in Saarbrucken, Germany, on Friday (Oct 30).

Motorsport

Motor racing-Haas boss Komatsu lashes out at 'nonsense' Bearman salary rumours

MEXICO CITY, ⁠Oct 30 (Reuters) - Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu vehemently dismissed reports that excessive salary ⁠demands from Oliver Bearman's camp were holding up the British driver's contract extension, ‌accusing those spreading the claims of inventing stories to generate clicks.

Football

Soccer-Hakimi hat-trick leads PSG to 5-1 win at Le Havre

LE HAVRE, France, Oct 30 (Reuters) - ⁠Flying fullback Achraf Hakimi grabbed a hat-trick as Paris St Germain went ⁠on the rampage to thrash bottom-placed Le Havre 5-1 and extend their Ligue ‌1 lead on Friday.