Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Cricket-Pandya to captain India in T20I series against Sri Lanka

Hardik Pandya will captain India for their Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka next month in the absence of Rohit Sharma, who will return for the following one-day internationals, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Tuesday. India will host Sri Lanka for three T20Is and three ODIs from Jan. 3, with Pandya reprising his role as T20 captain for a second straight series, after leading India to victory over New Zealand in November.

Soccer-Liverpool's Klopp hails 'unstoppable' Nunez despite lack of goals

Darwin Nunez was not on the scoresheet in Liverpool's 3-1 win over Aston Villa on Monday but manager Juergen Klopp said he was delighted with the Uruguayan's all-round play and is confident the goals will come. Nunez missed several chances against Villa but his tireless running and chance creation saw him named Man of the Match, with his late cutback allowing teenager Stefan Bajcetic to score his first senior goal.

Iranian woman competes at chess tournament without hijab- media reports

An Iranian chess player has taken part in an international tournament without a hijab, according to media reports, the latest of several Iranian sportswomen to appear at competitions without one since anti-government protests began. Iran has been swept by demonstrations against the country's clerical leadership since mid-September, when 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini died in the custody of morality police who detained her for "inappropriate attire".

Tennis-Djokovic back in Australia ahead of Open

Novak Djokovic arrived in Australia on Tuesday, nearly a year after he was deported from the country, ahead of his bid for a 10th men's singles title at next month's Australian Open. The 35-year-old was deported on the eve of this year's tournament in Melbourne after he arrived in the country without being vaccinated against COVID-19.

Soccer-Quitting Juventus top job wasn't easy, Andrea Agnelli says

Outgoing Juventus Chairman Andrea Agnelli on Tuesday defended his tenure at the helm of the Serie A club and said the decision to step down had been a hard one to take. "On top of loving Juventus, in recent years I have given my best to achieving results on and off the pitch," Agnelli told shareholders gathered in Turin's Juventus Stadium.

NFL-Cardinals defensive end Watt calls time on career

Three-times Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt announced his retirement from the National Football League (NFL) on Tuesday, saying on social media that he had played his last home game. All but assured a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Watt is widely considered among the greatest-ever defensive players and was set to become a free agent after his contract with the Arizona Cardinals expired in 2023.

Soccer-Messi to return to PSG in early January, says Galtier

Lionel Messi will return to Paris St Germain at the beginning of January, the Ligue 1 club's manager Christophe Galtier said on Tuesday. The Argentine forward, seven-times Ballon D'Or winner, scored two goals to lead his country to victory over France on penalties in the World Cup final nine days ago.

Soccer-Chelsea beat Bournemouth to return to winning ways

Chelsea returned to winning ways as they scored early to ensure a 2-0 triumph over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday in their first Premier League victory since mid-October.

Kai Havertz and Mason Mount both netted in the first half of a dominant performance but the hosts will feel they could have won by a bigger margin given the possession they enjoyed and chances they created.

Soccer-Rashford on target again as Man United cruise past Forest

England striker Marcus Rashford continued his fine goalscoring form as Manchester United cruised to a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Tuesday. Rashford, who scored three times for England at the World Cup in Qatar, set United on their way to victory with a well-placed finish from a corner in the 19th minute, before Anthony Martial doubled the hosts' lead three minutes later.

Alpine skiing-Shiffrin claims 78th World Cup win, closes on record

American Mikaela Shiffrin claimed her 78th World Cup victory in the giant slalom in Semmering, Austria on Tuesday, taking her to within four wins of compatriot Lindsey Vonn's women's record of 82. Shiffrin clocked a combined time of two minutes 7.18 seconds to beat Slovakia's Petra Vlhova by 0.13 and Italian Marta Bassino by 0.31.