Daily Recap: Sport — 22 October 2026

The day in sport is driven by season-opening statements and dramatic reversals, from the NBA’s first-night blowouts and emotional returns to a stunning cricket chase and a late Champions League rescue. Off the field, attention also turns to the politics around a star athlete and...

Minnesota opens the NBA season with a dominant 131-106 win over Miami, powered by Anthony Edwards’ 45 points and nine three-pointers. The night also marks Giannis Antetokounmpo’s debut for the Heat, and he scores 35, but Miami cannot keep pace as the Timberwolves pull away decisively.

Sri Lanka complete a remarkable chase of 430 to beat England by one wicket with one ball left in the ODI tri-series in Rawalpindi. Harry Brook makes 202 in England’s 429 for 4, a record ODI double century, but the innings ends up overshadowed by England’s failure to defend a massive total.

Tyrese Haliburton returns from a ruptured Achilles tendon and scores 23 points as Indiana beats New Orleans in its season opener. The performance caps a long rehabilitation and gives the Pacers an immediate lift, with Haliburton visibly emotional after coming back to meaningful NBA action.

Arsenal rescue a 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the Champions League as Declan Rice scores a late equaliser. Arsenal earlier go ahead through Eberechi Eze, but the result is tempered by concern over Bukayo Saka, who leaves after about 10 minutes with a suspected thigh injury.

The Lakers open with a 127-105 win over the Warriors, but the sharpest edge comes from a confrontation between Golden State rookie Yaxel Lendeborg and Luka Dončić. Their on-court verbal clash carries into postgame comments after Lendeborg spends stretches defending the Lakers star in a tense debut matchup.

The Dodgers say Shohei Ohtani does not need surgery for the knee and biceps injuries he managed during the 2026 season. The club expects rest rather than medical procedures this offseason, and it maintains that Ohtani remains on track to resume pitching in 2027.

Donald Trump targets LeBron James over James’s movements during the US national anthem before the 76ers’ NBA opener, calling for an apology. The criticism focuses on warmup-style gestures during the anthem and pushes a political dispute into the opening night conversation around the league.

J.J. Watt signs a multiyear deal with CBS Sports to become the network’s full-time lead NFL game analyst. The agreement keeps him in the main booth alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson after a stretch filling in for Tony Romo, cementing a prominent post-playing broadcasting role.