Defending champions New Zealand are on the brink of a group-stage exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup after suffering a shock five-wicket defeat by Sri Lanka in Southampton.

Both teams entered this crucial Group 2 fixture desperately needing a victory following opening-match losses.

It was the Asian side who ultimately held their nerve, successfully chasing down a target of 151 with just two balls remaining.

Sloppy fielding costs defending champions

The White Ferns were once again undone by a woeful fielding display reminiscent of their opening loss against the West Indies.

They put down three vital chances, none more costly than Bree Illing’s dropped catch of Nilakshi de Silva when the batter had scored just a single run.

Fast bowler Illing inexplicably spilled a simple chance at short fine leg off Melie Kerr’s bowling, granting the match-winner a crucial reprieve.

De Silva ruthlessly punished that error, finishing unbeaten on 54 from only 37 deliveries to guide her team home.

De Silva anchors tense chase

The run chase initially looked precarious when the Sri Lankan top order stuttered to 55-4.

However, De Silva stabilised the innings by forging a resilient 50-run partnership with Kaveesha Dilhari.

When Dilhari was run out, the chasing side still required 46 runs off 30 balls, temporarily shifting the momentum back to the tournament favourites.

Despite a known lack of batting depth, Kaushani Nuthyangana provided essential support with an unbeaten 24 to get her side over the line.

Early exit looms for pre-tournament favourites

Earlier in the day, the New Zealanders appeared overly cautious with the bat during the powerplay, limping to 38-1.

Captain Kerr and Sophie Devine eventually accelerated the scoring, striking 45 runs apiece to drag their total to 150-6.

Yet, successive final-over defeats mean the current title holders face a monumental task to reach the knockout stages.

Conversely, Sri Lanka have kept their progression hopes alive after recovering admirably from a heavy opening defeat by tournament hosts England.

Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy has strongly criticised the PGA Tour’s proposed two-track schedule model, fearing that historic tournaments will be significantly devalued.

Speaking ahead of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, the former world number one warned that some events could become “glorified Korn Ferry events” under the new system.

The proposed overhaul, spearheaded by new PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp, would introduce a promotion and relegation structure to the American circuit.

Protecting the ‘old ways’

Under the new plans, a premier ‘Track One’ would feature 15 to 18 elite events alongside the four majors and the Players Championship.

Players in ‘Track Two’ would then compete for 20 to 30 available promotion spots to reach the top tier the following season.

However, the 35-year-old believes this model demands unreasonable financial commitments from sponsors to maintain a tournament’s elite status.

“I just think there’s going to be certain events that might lose their stature if a sponsor doesn’t pony up $30m, so that’s the tough thing.”

He specifically highlighted the Canadian Open as a prestigious national championship that should be protected from being downgraded to the secondary tier.

The fading threat of LIV Golf

The Ryder Cup star also noted that the financial landscape of professional golf has shifted dramatically, referencing the reported withdrawal of Saudi Arabian funding from the rival LIV Golf league.

He suggested that the controversial breakaway circuit had created a “false economy” which previously forced the PGA Tour to unexpectedly increase prize funds and reduce field sizes.

“Which I think needed to happen because that was the only way to retain talent at the time, but now that LIV looks like it’s less of a threat, I think the old ways of the PGA Tour weren’t actually that bad.”

Nicklaus shares schedule concerns

The four-time major winner is not alone in his opposition to the sweeping administrative changes targeting a 2028 implementation.

Eighteen-time major champion Jack Nicklaus recently voiced his own displeasure at the Memorial Tournament, citing issues with elite events being scheduled too closely together.

“I hate to see tournaments bunched too much together with too many big tournaments too close together. That’s a problem, I think, and I think that’s going to be a problem for the Tour in the future.”

PGA Tour chief Rolapp has acknowledged the complexity of enacting the new competitive and commercial models, though preliminary changes could still be formally announced later this summer.

Rory McIlroy will tee off alongside European Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood and Ludvig Åberg for the opening two rounds of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills.

The Northern Irishman has been handed an early-late draw as he targets a second major victory of the campaign.

His pursuit comes just two months after securing back-to-back titles at The Masters, and 15 years after his maiden US Open triumph.

The marquee European trio will begin their first round at 12:52 BST on Thursday.

Scheffler begins career Grand Slam bid

World number one Scottie Scheffler is also scheduled for an early start in New York.

The 29-year-old is aiming to complete the career Grand Slam, a historic feat McIlroy secured last season at Augusta.

He will navigate the challenging layout alongside defending champion JJ Spaun and amateur Mason Howell from 13:14 BST.

Spaun is attempting to become the first player to win consecutive titles at this tournament since Brooks Koepka.

DeChambeau seeks form as former champions unite

Two-time winner Bryson DeChambeau finds himself on the late-early side of the draw.

The powerful American is desperate to avoid a third consecutive missed cut in major championship golf.

He begins his latest campaign at 18:25 BST alongside Viktor Hovland and 2022 champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick arrives in superb form after recording three PGA Tour victories this season and a runner-up finish last week.

Elsewhere, former US Open champions Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm form a compelling group for the opening 36 holes.

Key Thursday tee times

Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka has confirmed he intends to compete in this week’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills, despite withdrawing from the RBC Canadian Open days earlier with a nerve-related hand injury.

The 36-year-old sparked serious fitness concerns when he pulled out before the final round in Ontario, citing sudden numbness and weakness in his left hand.

However, the American contacted reporters via text message on Monday evening to declare his readiness for the third men’s major of the year.

“I’m gonna go this week.”

Medical scans clear neck damage

Initial fears suggested the grip issues could be linked to a historical injury, as the powerhouse golfer previously herniated two neck vertebrae in 2021.

Fortunately, precautionary MRI scans conducted in both Canada and New York over the past 48 hours have revealed no structural damage to his neck.

Medical professionals currently suspect the discomfort is caused by a flare-up of the ulnar nerve or thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that compresses nerves in the upper chest.

The symptoms initially surfaced during Friday evening and worsened during his Saturday warm-up routines, leaving him unable to properly hold his clubs.

“The club is kind of just, my fingers would come loose. It was kind of numb,” he explained prior to his withdrawal.

Returning to a happy hunting ground

The former LIV Golf competitor will be desperate to manage these nerve symptoms as he returns to the venue of one of his greatest career triumphs.

He secured the second of his back-to-back US Open titles when the prestigious tournament was last hosted at the Southampton, New York course in 2018.

During that decisive final round, he carded an impressive 68 to finish at one-over-par, ultimately edging out England’s Tommy Fleetwood by a single stroke.

Since making his return to the PGA Tour in January, the Florida native has demonstrated consistent form, recording six top-25 finishes across 12 starts.

He is scheduled to test his physical condition during a practice round on Tuesday afternoon before formally addressing the assembled media.

The FBI has arrested five individuals for allegedly plotting attacks against the mixed martial arts showcase held at the White House on Sunday.

Intelligence director Kash Patel confirmed that law enforcement intercepted the threat days before the high-profile exhibition took place on the South Lawn.

Multiple suspects are currently in custody following a coordinated multi-state operation spanning Ohio, Missouri, and California.

The exact nature of the thwarted plot remains undisclosed pending the unsealing of federal charges later on Tuesday.

Rapid response prevents disruption

Security officials first became aware of the potential danger on 10 June, providing a crucial four-day window to secure the venue.

Patel stated on social media platform X that the suspected attacks were stopped completely thanks to swift action from the Department of Justice and partner agencies.

“The Secret Service worked around the clock to identify those responsible and hold them accountable,” Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement.

A historic venue for combat sports

President Donald Trump attended the weekend sporting extravaganza to celebrate his 80th birthday alongside fans and fighters.

The American leader has long maintained a close relationship with the premier combat sports promotion and its executive leadership.

Sunday’s unique fight card was purposely designed to intertwine with larger celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Conor McGregor has vowed that Max Holloway will not land a single punch on him when the pair meet in their welterweight rematch at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on 11 July.

The Irishman returns to the octagon for his first bout in five years following a devastating leg break against Dustin Poirier in 2021.

He faces a familiar foe in Holloway, whom he previously outpointed during their first featherweight encounter in 2013.

Both fighters are looking to bounce back, with the Hawaiian entering the summer showdown following a unanimous decision loss to Charles Oliveira in March.

A heated exchange with Joe Rogan

The long-standing rivalry was reignited during a tense virtual interview hosted by UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

Speaking from his home country, the former two-weight world champion took aim at his opponent’s boxing credentials.

“No disrespect, Max, you’re not gonna lay a glove on me,” McGregor declared.

“And even if you do lay a glove on me, I’m gonna laugh in your face.”

The Dublin-born fighter expressed supreme confidence in his size advantage ahead of the 170lbs clash.

While McGregor has competed in the welterweight division on three separate occasions, his opponent will be fighting at the weight for the very first time.

‘Welcome to the Mystic Max era’

Holloway, 34, was quick to fire back from Hawaii, mocking his rival’s famous predictive nickname.

“Welcome to the Mystic Max era,” the former BMF title holder responded.

“A bunch of gloves is gonna get laid on that pretty face, brother, keep it clean for me.”

The heated exchange concluded with McGregor dismissing his opponent as a “child” and promising to fight with his hands down.

“I’m gonna come out of this fight unscathed, and I want to go again,” the returning star concluded.

World number one Scottie Scheffler is targeting a historic career Grand Slam at the upcoming US Open, while fellow major champion Brooks Koepka’s participation is in doubt following a hand injury.

The 29-year-old is among the favourites to secure the title at Shinnecock Hills this weekend.

A victory in New York would see the American become only the seventh golfer in the modern era to win all four major championships.

Despite tying for 12th at the recent Canadian Open and remaining winless since January, the two-time Masters champion arrives with high expectations.

Scouting a challenging Shinnecock Hills

Shinnecock Hills has historically proven to be a severe test during previous US Open tournaments.

The notoriously difficult layout prompted the world number one to conduct an early scouting mission to familiarise himself with the conditions.

“Once you start missing fairways out there, you have no chance,” Scheffler said regarding his experience at the venue.

“But the fairways are generous enough to where it provides you some opportunity and that way it’s just that the green complexes are extraordinarily difficult, and so they can put the pins wherever they want and make the scores as high as they could possibly want them to be.”

The Texan acknowledged the immense pressure of completing the Grand Slam but insists he is embracing the monumental task ahead.

Pushing the boundaries of major golf

The United States Golf Association is renowned for creating punishing setups that test the mental fortitude of the world’s elite.

When the major was last staged at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, the winning score was just one-over-par.

“It’s hard when you run one tournament a year – and you run it on a different golf course every year – to get it just right,” Scheffler added.

“And you’re trying to make it hard. I think in the US Open, they push the boundaries. If they’re going to continue to push the boundaries, eventually they’ll screw up and then they’ll dial it back.”

Koepka suffers untimely injury setback

Meanwhile, five-time major winner Brooks Koepka was forced to withdraw from the final round of the Canadian Open on Sunday.

The 36-year-old experienced severe numbness in his hand, leaving him unable to properly grip his clubs.

This latest physical setback raises serious concerns over his availability for the upcoming major.

Koepka previously conquered Shinnecock Hills during his 2018 triumph, but now faces a tense race against time to be fit for the latest edition.

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has been escorted from a fan festival near the White House by the US Secret Service after arriving at the UFC Freedom 250 event despite claiming he was banned.

The controversial 35-year-old was filmed walking through the crowd at the Ellipse before being removed by security personnel on Saturday.

He had previously stated he was prohibited from attending the historic fight card and its preceding promotional events in Washington D.C.

Fan mob and security intervention

The American fighter filmed himself walking through the festival and asked supporters to keep their voices down as they recognised him.

However, the two-time champion was quickly mobbed by an excited crowd upon entering a ring set up in the middle of the park.

Images subsequently emerged showing the middleweight title holder being led away from the grounds by federal agents.

In a later video recorded from the back of what appeared to be a high-security vehicle, the fighter expressed uncertainty over his immediate future.

“I’m pretty sure I didn’t break a law, like I’m pretty sure. But we might be going to jail, but I’m pretty sure we didn’t break no laws.”

Historic event on the South Lawn

The incident occurred shortly before the broadcast of the unprecedented fight card began.

US President Donald Trump and UFC president Dana White were filmed walking through the presidential residence to mark the occasion.

A purpose-built Octagon has been constructed on the South Lawn to host the seven scheduled bouts.

The card culminates in an interim heavyweight title clash between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane, alongside a lightweight unification bout featuring Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje.

History of controversy

Strickland last competed in May when he outpointed teammate-turned-rival Khamzat Chimaev in a major upset.

He has a long history of making provocative statements throughout his mixed martial arts career.

The outspoken competitor previously drew fierce criticism for insulting the Australian public ahead of a bout and once claimed he wanted to kill an opponent in the cage.