Sports News Highlights, Feb 14: National Games Draw To A Close; India Lose To Japan In Badminton C'ship QFs

Welcome to the live coverage of everything sports on Friday, February 14. Stay tuned for updates.

The New York Jets announced on Thursday that they will no longer need the services of 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers and will be moving on without him next season.

Shamrock Rovers forward Michael Noonan created history on Thursday, Feb 13 when the 16-year-old forward became what his team said was the youngest-ever goalscorer in European club competition.

At 16 years, 197 days old, Noonan beat Romelu Lukaku라이브 바카라 record by 21 days. Lukaku had set the record in December 2009 when he scored for Anderlecht against Ajax in the Europa League.

F1 World Champion Max Verstappen has been roped in to become the Official Global Ambassador for fashion brand, AlphaTauri. Verstappen will Verstappen will be wearing the AlphaTauri's brand during the team's travel to 24 stops of the 2025 F1 season.

Cricket Australia (CA) stated that a record 6000-plus Indian fans travelled Down Under to watch the 2024-25 five-match Test series between India and Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Sri Lanka have won the toss and will be batting first in the 2nd ODI against Australia. The Aussies have gone for a complete overhaul, making five changes in their side in a bid to test out the players before the Champions Trophy. Just one change for Sri Lanka, though as Nishan Madushka comes in for Avishka Fernando.

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka(c), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando

Australia: Matthew Short, Travis Head, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steven Smith(c), Josh Inglis(w), Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha

Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek has reached the Qatar Open semi-finals by beating Elena Rybakina 6-2, 7-5. She will face Jelena Ostapenko, who beat Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-2, for a spot in the final. Ekaterina Alexandrova will meet Amanda Anisimova in the other semi-final.

The Golden State Warriors withstand a late surge by the Houston Rockets for a 105-98 victory in the NBA. Stephen Curry scores 27 points in the win. The Warriors were clinging to a two-point lead before using a 11-2 run to make it 102-91 with about two minutes remaining.

HS Prannoy fights valiantly, but cannot avert a 0-3 defeat for India against a second-string Japan in the quarter-finals of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships. With that, India's campaign in Qingdao, China ends on a disappointing note.

Norman Powell scores a season-high 41 points and James Harden adds 32 to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to a 120-116 overtime victory over the Utah Jazz in the NBA. Harden also tallies 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Los Angeles claw back from a 20-point deficit and beat Utah for the second time in three games.

The Indian boys have defeated third-seeded Hong Kong, China to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Junior Squash Team Championships in Hong Kong. They had earlier beaten China 3-0 en route the last eight stage.

Ireland have won the toss and opted to bowl first against hosts Zimbabwe in the opening one-day international of the three-match series at Harare Sports Club. Johnathan Campbell is making his debut for Zimbabwe.

Playing XIs

Zimbabwe: Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Ben Curran, Craig Ervine (c), Sikandar Raza, Brian Bennett, Wessly Madhevere, Johnathan Campbell, Wellington Masakadza, Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani

Ireland: Paul Stirling (c), Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), George Dockrell, Andy McBrine, Mark Adair, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Joshua Little

Naz Reid tallies 27 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for Minnesota Timberwolves in a 116-101 victory over Oklahoma City in the NBA that snaps the Thunder's seven-game winning streak. Anthony Edwards scores 23 points and Jaden McDaniels adds 21 to propel the Wolves (31-25) into the All-Star break with an inspired performance against the West-leading Thunder (44-10).

South Korean football player Hwang Ui-jo has reportedly received a suspended one-year jail term for filming his sexual encounters with a woman without her consent. The 32-year-old, a former Nottingham Forest striker, now plays for the Turkish club Alanyaspor and had pleaded guilty in court in October. He also plays for the South Korea national team but was suspended in 2023 amid the allegations. The Seoul court said that "given the seriousness of the socially harmful effects of illegal filming, it is necessary to punish [Hwang] strictly", Yonhap News Agency reported.

The 38th National Games are about to draw to a close in Uttarakhand. More than 10,000 athletes, coaches and officials from different states, Union Territories and institutions competed in the Games, and Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) came out on top. The closing ceremony is getting underway soon, and HERE is all you need to know about it.

Sri Lanka have dealt a huge blow to Australia's morale ahead of the Champions Trophy. The hosts have thrashed Steve Smith's Australia by 174 runs in the second and final ODI to sweep the series 2-0. Chasing a 282-run target, the tourists slump to 107 all out - their lowest ODI total in Asia and second-lowest against Sri Lanka.

The Women's Premier League begins today with a face-off between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Giants. To mark the occasion, today's Google Doodle features a cricket-themed artwork. Know more about it in our report HERE.

Union home minister Amit Shah is currently addressing the gathering in Haldwani at the closing ceremony of the 38th National Games. He is the chief guest at the event, and is accompanied by sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, among others. You can watch the ceremony live .

Former Olympic silver medallist race walker Koki Ikeda has been banned for four years for doping by the Athletic Integrity Unit. The athletics watchdog says that a disciplinary and appeals tribunal ruled that the 26-year-old Japanese athlete had broken anti-doping rules. Ikeda has been provisionally banned from competition since November 2024, with his results disqualified since June 2023.

The 38th edition of the National Games has come to an end officially. Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha declares the Games closed before handing over the flag to Conrad Sangma, chief minister of Meghalaya, the state that will host the next edition of the Games. "I can say it today that India has a very bright future in sports. We are ready to host the Olympics in 2036," Amit Shah, the guest of honour, says in his address referring to India's bid to host the Olympics in 2036 that is still in early stages.

Thank you for following our coverage today. We will be back tomorrow with latest updates. Till then you can track all the latest sports news on 바카라India website.