MEN’S CRICKET: Jacob Duffy took 4-19 as New Zealand thumped Pakistan by nine wickets in the first of their five match Twenty20 series at Christchurch on Sunday.

Playing without Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam Pakistan were skittled for 91 before the Kiwis needed just 10 overs to reach their target.

The second match starts in Dunedin tomorrow.

New Zealand are currently ranked as the world’s fifth-best short-format team, two places above Pakistan.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Linfield top the northern Irish Premiership by 20 points and are on the verge of regaining the title after they saw off Glenavon 2-0 and second-placed Glentoran were held 0-0 by lowly Carrick.

Reigning champions Larne drew 1-1 with form-team Coleraine, Kian Corbally netted in the 79th minute as Ballymena edged Cliftonville 1-0, Dungannon drew 1-1 at Portadown and Crusaders were held 1-1 by bottom club Loughall.

MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE: Gold Coast got their delayed start to the NRL season off with a 40-24 defeat at Canterbury on Sunday morning while Wests earned their first points with a 32-6 win at Parramatta.

Unbeaten South Sydney squeezed past St George Illawarra 25-24, Cronulla won 36-12 at North Queensland, Canberra saw off Brisbane 32-22, New Zealand Warriors beat Manly 36-16 and Newcastle overcame the Dolphins 26-12. Champions Penrith lost 38-32 to the Sydney Roosters.

WOMEN’S CRICKET: Mumbai beat Delhi by eight runs to win Saturday evening’s Indian Premier League final.

Mumbai captain Harmanpreet Kaur smacked 66 from 44 balls as they posted 149-7 before Nat Sciver-Brunt took 3-30 to restrict Delhi’s chase to 141-9.

England all-rounder Sciver-Brunt won the orange cap as the tournament’s top run-scorer and team-mate Amelia Kerr completed a Mumbai clean sweep with the leading wicket-taker award.