Sports Highlights, March 5: India TT Great Achanta Sharath Kamal Retires; LeBron James Becomes First To 50K NBA Points

A very good morning to all those who have joined us this Wednesday morning. We have a lot of ground to cover, so sit back, relax and grab a cuppa as we take you through all that's current in the world of sports.

Luka Doncic and LA Lakers will be in action later as they host New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA game. Lakers had won their last game against the Clippers, beating them 108-102.

English tennis star Emma Raducanu has spoken for the first time since the stalking incident at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

"I think that since that incident I have definitely got increased attention and greater security," said Raducanu, who was speaking before her return to action in Indian Wells.

"I think all we can do is look at what happened and react to it in a better way, in a more positive way, rather than looking back and blaming the situation.

"It could have been dealt with better, but now it is being dealt with better so for me that's important."

LA Lakers star LeBron James is on the verge of becoming the first player in the history of NBA to score 50,000 combined points in the regular season and postseason. James got to 49,999 points on Sunday night when he scored 17 while the Lakers beat the Clippers 108-102 for their sixth consecutive win.

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) will hold its election on March 28 to elect new office bearers for the next four years.

Sloane Stephens has withdrawn from Indian Wells 2025 with a foot injury. The BNP Paribas Open will get underway with the men's and women's first rounds on Wednesday, March 5.

Cincinnati played out a hard fought 1-1 draw against Tigres in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Round of 16 stage at the TQL Stadium in Ohio, United States.

With nine of its 20 teams under American ownership, Serie A hopes to be the first major European football league to play a game in the United States, Italian league president Ezio Simonelli said.

Star player LeBron James ended up with 34 points as he became the first player to score 50,000 combined points in the regular season and playoffs, in their 136-115 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.

AUS Batting icon Steve Smith has called time on his ODI career, after retiring from the 50-over format, after his country's elimination from the ICC Champions Trophy in their four-wicket defeat to India in the first semi-final on Tuesday.

2011 ODI World Cup winner S Sreesanth has backed Team India to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 regardless of the opposition in the final.

"Doesn't matter who the opponents are in the final -- India are going to win," the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup winner told PTI Video.

New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner won the toss and has elected to bat first against South Africa in the second semi-final of the Champions Trophy.

South Africa (Playing XI): Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma(c), Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen(w), David Miller, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

New Zealand (Playing XI): Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William ORourke

India table tennis legend A Sharath Kamal has announced his decision to retire post the WTT Contender tournament in Chennai later this month. It will cap off an illustrious career spanning well over two decades for the veteran TT star.

Grandmasters R Praggnanandhaa and Aravindh Chithambaram continued their quest for the title but remained in joint lead after drawing their sixth-round games in the Prague Masters Chess tournament.

Japanese World Cup-winner Yuki Nagasato, who scripted history by playing for a senior men's team in 2020, has announced her retirement from football.

In a historic moment for rugby in India, the Indian Rugby Football Union (Rugby India) and GMR Sports revealed the official logo for the inaugural Rugby Premier League (RPL), marking a significant step toward establishing rugby as a premier sport in the country.

James became the first player to score 50,000 combined points in the regular season and postseason on Tuesday night, surpassing the mark with a 3-pointer early in the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' 136-115 win over New Orleans.

James finished with 34 points against the Pelicans after toppling another milestone in his unprecedented career.

Kane Williamson has brought up his 15th ODI century as New Zealand are looking set to achieve a massive total against South Africa in the second semifinal of the Champions Trophy 2025. Earlier, opener Rachin Ravindra too had slammed his second ton of the competition to help New Zealand get a good start.

NZ 252/3 (40)

Vissel Kobe of Japan have defeated Gwangju FC of South Korea 2-0 in the first leg of their Round of 16 game in the AFC Champions League Elite.

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