Sports News Highlights June 17: AIFF Sacks Igor Stimac As Head Coach; Romania, Slovakia Win At UEFA Euro 2024

The Men's T20 Cricket World Cup saw Bangladesh seal the Super Eight spot as the Netherlands were ousted thanks to their 83-run defeat to Sri Lanka. Romania thrashed Ukraine 3-0, while Slovakia shocked Belgium with a 1-0 victory. AIFF sacked Igor Stimac as India's head coach, while New Zealand finished their T20 World CUp campaign with a win. Check the highlights from the sports world on Monday, June 17, 2024 right here

India's number one Sumit Nagal produced a feeble effort to go down against Luciano Darderi of Italy in a lopsided final of the Perugia Challenger on Sunday. The 26-year-old Nagal, who is now ranked a career-high 77 in the world, was no match for his world No. 41 Italian opponent, losing 1-6 2-6 in little over one hour in the summit clash as he failed to claim his third title this year.

Kylian Mbappé thinks he won't be able to play for France at the Olympic football tournament in Paris following his transfer to Real Madrid. Mbappé is captaining France at the European Championship, and playing the Olympics too could take up almost all of his off-season before an eagerly expected debut at Madrid. France's opening game against the United States at the Olympic men's tournament is on July 24, just 10 days after the European Championship final. The Olympic gold-medal game is Aug. 9. (AP)

Bangladesh have beaten Nepal by 21 runs in their final group game fixture to seal a spot in the Super 8 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. For more, visit our live blog here -

Sri Lanka signed off from the T20 World Cup with an 83-run victory over the Netherlands in their inconsequential last group stage match of the T20 World Cup. Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka scored 46 each to power Sri Lanka to 201 for 6 after being put to bat. The Lankan bowlers, led by Nuwan Thushara 3/24, then bowled out the Dutch for 118 in 16.4 overs.

United States-born kitefoiler J.J. Rice who was to represent Tonga at the Paris Olympics has died in a diving accident. He was 18.

Rice’s father Darren Rice confirmed his son’s death Monday to the Matangi Tonga newspaper.

Jackson James Rice was to be the first caucasian to represent Tonga at an Olympic games. His death occurred Saturday at Faleloa, on the island of Ha’apai in the Tonga archipelago. (AP)

Scottie Scheffler's final round at the U.S. Open ended a lot like his tournament began — with a lack of birdies and plenty of disappointment.

The world No. 1 shot 72 on Sunday, marking the first time in his career he's finished all four rounds over par at a major championship.

He made the cut on the number, had just four birdies all week, finished 8-over 288 and was never a factor in a tournament he was heavily favored to win. Scheffler won the Masters in April, one of his five PGA Tour victories this year. (AP)

Ferrari made it two in a row as it outlasted Toyota to win a weather-affected 24 Hours of Le Mans with the trio of Nicklas Nielsen, Antonio Fuoco and Miguel Molina crossing the line in the No. 50 car 14 seconds ahead of the No. 7 of Nyck de Vries, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez. The No. 51 Ferrari helmed by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi rounded out the top three in the latest running of the most iconic sports car race in the world. (AP)

Check all the confirmed squads for the upcoming Copa America 2024 right here -

Joe Burns, formerly of Australia, who now plys his trade with Italy, hit a century in a T20 World Cup 2026 qualifier match. Italy beat Romania by 160 runs, with Burns making 108 not out off 55 balls overall.

Forced into a short break to mend a niggle, Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will return to competitive action at the Paavo Nurmi Games on Tuesday against a stellar field, hoping to continue his build-up to Paris Games with renewed vigour.

The 26-year-old superstar, the lone Indian in the field here, will be up against German teenaged sensation Max Dehning, who is the youngest member of the coveted 90m club, which Chopra is aspiring to enter. (PTI)

India's Sumit Nagal continued his ascent in the ATP singles chart, climbing to a career-high ranking of 71 on Monday. His previous best was 77 last week. The Olympic-bound Nagal jumped six places following his runner-up finish at the Perugia ATP Challenger tournament on Sunday.

Lauding India's group stage performance in the T20 World Cup, former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh said Hardik Pandya's better-than-expected bowling show and Rishabh Pant's good run at the number three position are some of the biggest positives to be drawn from the campaign so far, according to PTI reports.

India are through to the Super Eight stage after going undefeated in their group league matches. Rohit Sharma and his men defeated Ireland, Pakistan, and the USA before their last league game against Canada was called off due to a wet outfield in Florida.

Former India opener and mentor of IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders Gautam Gambhir paid a courtesy visit to Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday, according to PTI reports.

Gambhir, who was a ruling party MP from East Delhi, has taken a break from active politics to concentrate on his cricket coaching career.

It was late on Saturday night at the US Open when Bryson DeChambeau, having hit a few last balls on the practice range in preparation for one of the biggest rounds of his life, could have headed home and gotten some much-needed rest, according to AP reports.

Instead, he marshalled a bunch of kids who had stuck around past sunset to one end of the range and made sure everyone who wanted a picture or autograph — in some cases, a second picture when the first didn't turn out — got exactly that.

Romania XI: Nita; Rativ, Dragusin, Burca, Bancu; M. Marin; Man, R. Marin, Stanciu, Coman; Dragus

Ukraine XI: Lunin; Konoplia, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Zinchenko; Stepaneko, Shaparenko; Tsygankov, Sudakov, Mudryk; Dovbyk

India's Sumit Nagal continued his ascent in the ATP singles chart, climbing to a career-high ranking of 71 on Monday.

His previous best was 77 last week. The Olympic-bound Nagal jumped six places following his runner-up finish at the Perugia ATP Challenger tournament on Sunday. (PTI)

The continuous pressure from Romania has finally paid off as Nicolae Stanciu opens the scoring for the evening at the Football Arena in Munich. 1-0 to Romania!

Former India opener and mentor of IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders Gautam Gambhir paid a courtesy visit to Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday.

Gambhir, who was a ruling party MP from East Delhi, has taken a break from active politics to concentrate on his cricket coaching career. (PTI)

Running riot in Munich. Dennis Man now has two assists to his name while Romania have three goals. Stanciu, Marin and Dragus all now have their names on the goalsheet. 3-0 Romania!

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Monday sacked Igor Stimac as the head coach of the country's senior's men's team following a disappointing campaign in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

Stimac, who was appointed as the head coach in 2019, was given an extension last year by the sport's apex body. (PTI)

Belgium XI: Casteels; Castagne, Faes, Debat, Carrasco; Mangala, Onana; Doku, De Bruyne, Trossard; Lukaku. 

Slovakia XI: Dúbravka; Pekarík, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Bozeník, Haraslín.

Slovakia take a surprising lead against Belgium at the Frankfurt Arena thanks to Ivan Schranz's strike of a rebound from a very tight angle. 0-1 Slovakia!

Lockie Ferguson bowled an exceptional spell, picking up three wickets and bowling four maidens for New Zealand against Papau New Guinea at Tarouba in Trinidad.

Belgium face a shocking defeat in Group E as Slovakia hold off the Red Devils after a seventh min goal from Ivan Schranz. Belgium got the ball in the net to equalise but was denied by VAR.

Austria XI: Pentz, Posch, Danso, Wober, Mwene, Seiwald, Grillitsch, Laimer, Sabitzer, Baumgartner, Gregoritsch

France XI: Maignan, Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez, Kante, Rabiot, Dembele, Griezmann, Thuram, Mbappe 

Kane Williamson's New Zealand finish their T20 World Cup campaign with a seven-wicket win over Papua New Guinea at the Brain Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.