Sports News, April 19 Highlights: Carlos Alcaraz To Face Arthur Fils In Barcelona Open Semis; Miami Heat Reach NBA Play-Offs

BCCI Ombudsman Justice (Retd) Arun Mishra has banned the former co-owner of a Mumbai T20 League franchise Gurmeet Singh Bhamrah for making a corrupt approach to city players Dhawal Kulkarni and Bhavin Thakkar during the event's 2019 edition. Kulkarni, a medium pacer, has also represented India in 12 ODIs and a couple of T20 Internationals. Bhamrah, who was also involved with the now-defunct GT20 Canada as well, is no longer a part of Mumbai T20 League, which is being revived this year after a COVID-forced suspension following the 2019 edition. He co-owned the SoBo Supersonics. (PTI)

Rajneesh Gurbani and Tejal Hasabnis emerged as the most valuable players in the auctions for the Maharashtra Premier League and the inaugural edition of the Women's MPL in Pune. Gurbani got the highest bid with PBG Kolhapur Tuskers buying him for Rs 5.2 lakh, while Pushpa Solapur picked up female cricketer Hasabnis for Rs 4.4 lakh. A total of 409 male and 249 female players were a part of the auction held on Thursday. (PTI)

Paris Olympics shooters Shriyanka Sadangi and Anish Bhanwala finished eighth in the women's 50m rifle 3-positions final and 25m rapid-fire event respectively on the third day of the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage in Lima. (PTI)

Sprinter Aarti bagged her second bronze medal in the Asian Under-18 Athletics Championship, finishing third in the girls 200m final in Dammam, Saudi Arabia on Friday. The Indian athlete, who had finished on the podium in the girls 100m event on Wednesday, clocked 24.31 seconds to finish behind UAE's Mariam Kareem (23.99 sec) and Japan's Shibata Misato (24.16), who won the gold and silver respectively. (PTI)

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the Barcelona Open semifinals, defeating Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-3 in just 1 hour and 40 minutes. The world No. 2 will face France's Arthur Fils, who advanced after Stefanos Tsitsipas retired hurt in their quarterfinal match. Alcaraz and Fils have recent history, with Alcaraz winning in three sets at Monte Carlo last week. Meanwhile, defending champion Casper Ruud was eliminated, losing in straight sets to Holger Rune.

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has called Yuzvendra Chahal "one of the best bowlers" in the Indian Premier League and said he has asked the seasoned leg-spinner to always look for wickets instead of worrying over leaking runs during a "personal chat."

After a subdued start to this edition of the T20 tournament, the Punjab Kings spinner has found his rhythm and took the wickets of Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma in PKBS' five-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru here on Friday. (PTI)

Justin Thomas is holding a two-shot lead at the RBC Heritage after a solid second round. Thomas set the tone with a course-record-tying 10-under-par 61 in the opening round, featuring 11 birdies at the Harbour Town Golf Links in South Carolina. He followed this up with a two-under 69, carding four birdies and two bogeys. Kim Si-woo is hot on Thomas's heels, shooting an impressive seven-under 64 to tie Russell Henley for second place at 10 under. Henley, meanwhile, shot a steady 68. Thomas, seeking his first win since the 2022 PGA Championship, made crucial birdies late in his round to maintain his lead. The competition is fierce, but Thomas's focus and skill have kept him ahead so far.

Cricket Australia has awarded first full contracts to rising stars Georgia Voll and Tess Flintoff. Voll, 21, was upgraded after a standout summer, becoming a regular member of the Australian team across all formats. Since her international debut in December, the Queenslander has impressed with an ODI century and two T20 half-centuries. This recognition marks a significant milestone in Voll's rapidly advancing career. Flintoff, known for her all-round skills, also earned her first full contract, solidifying her position in the Australian setup.

Leeds United reclaimed the top spot in the Championship with a win over Oxford United, matching victories by Burnley and Sheffield United earlier in the day. Manor Solomon's first-half goal gave Leeds the edge on goal difference, with just three games remaining. Sheffield United trails in third, five points behind. Leeds's next match against Stoke City on Easter Monday could be crucial; a win, combined with Sheffield United's loss to Burnley, would secure Premier League promotion for the Whites.

Shohei Ohtani is missing from the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup as he awaits the birth of his first child with his wife. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed Ohtani's absence, citing the two-way star's family commitment. Ohtani has been placed on MLB's paternity list. The news comes after Ohtani shared on Instagram in December that he and his wife, a former professional basketball player, were expecting a baby in 2025.

Jake Paul is set to face off against former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a highly anticipated boxing match on June 28 at the Honda Centre in Anaheim, California. This 10-round cruiserweight bout will have a 200-pound catchweight limit.

Fight Details:

- Date: June 28, 2025

- Location: Honda Centre, Anaheim, California

- Weight Class: Cruiserweight (200-pound limit)

- Broadcasting Platform: DAZN Pay-Per-View

This fight marks a significant moment for Paul, who is looking to solidify his transition into a real contender, while Chávez Jr. seeks redemption and a chance to reclaim respect in the boxing world. Paul comes off a win against 58-year-old Mike Tyson last November, winning by unanimous decision.

Indian men's hockey team chief coach Craig Fulton praised the impressive talent on display at the recently concluded National Championship, highlighting the country's great depth in hockey. However, he emphasized that the players' ability to quickly adapt to new tactics will be crucial for future success. Fulton noted that the next 18 months will be vital in building a strong squad with sufficient bench strength. He was impressed by the competitiveness of the top teams during the championship, indicating a promising future for Indian hockey.

Former Rochdale midfielder Joe Thompson has passed away at 36. Thompson, who had battled cancer twice during his playing career, was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma last April, just five years after retiring. The disease had spread to his lungs, and despite his previous recoveries, he succumbed to the illness. Thompson had a special connection to Rochdale, starting and ending his career with the club and having three separate spells with them.

Tyler Herro's clutch performance, including two 3-pointers in overtime, helped the Miami Heat secure a 123-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks, making NBA history in the process. Herro scored 30 points, while Davion Mitchell chipped in with three crucial 3-pointers in overtime after a quiet regulation. The Heat's victory marked a milestone: they're the first No. 8 seed in the current play-in format (since 2020-21) to advance to the playoffs and the first team to do so with two road wins in the play-in tournament. Miami will face Cleveland on Sunday in the opening game of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Dalton Smith made significant sacrifices as a boxer, giving up nights out, holidays, and typical youthful indulgences. However, his most profound concession is deeply personal, tied to his sense of self and bond with his father and trainer, Grant. Smith revealed this intimate detail ahead of his pivotal bout against Mathieu Germain.

Alexander Zverev requested that a heckling spectator be removed from his Munich Open quarter-final match after being called a "wife beater" during a heated moment. The incident occurred while Zverev was serving at 5-5 in the second set against Tallon Griekspoor. Zverev appealed to the chair umpire, Fergus Murphy, asking for the spectator's ejection, but it's unclear if the request was acted upon.

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