CYCLING: Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky will not be defending her World Championship road race title in Rwanda on Saturday due to injury, but last year’s runner-up Chloe Dygert and third-placed Elisa Longo-Borghini are both on the start-list. There will be no British women in the race. 

Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar will be aiming for consecutive wins in Sunday’s men’s event on a course which stretches for over 267kms around Kigali with almost 5,500 metres of climbing.

MEN’S CRICKET: Pakistan will face India in Sunday’s Twenty20 Asia Cup final after Shaheen Afridi took 3-17 in their 11-run win over Bangladesh on Thursday. 

India have already beaten the Pakistanis twice in the tournament, are currently ranked as the world’s best short format team, six places above their neighbours and have the top-rated batsman Abhishek Sharma, number one bowler Varun Chakravarthy and best all-rounder, Hardik Pandya in their squad.

SPEEDWAY: Chris Holder top-scored with 13+2 points as Sheffield didn’t lose a heat and ruined Ipswich’s preparations for next week’s Grand Final against Leicester by handing them a thumping 57-33 defeat on Thursday evening. 

Max Fricke bagged 13 points as Leicester left it until the last heat to secure a narrow 46-44 win at Oxford Spires, who were making their last ever appearance in the Premiership.

MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE: Regular season table-toppers York Knights have home advantage against Halifax in the first Championship play-off semi final on Saturday evening. 

Halifax finished in fifth place, eleven point behind the Knights, but won the corresponding league fixture back in March. 

Runners-up Toulouse are up against Bradford in Sunday evening’s other last four clash. Promotion to the Super League is not guaranteed for the play-off champions.