Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - The Black Caps spinner Ish Sodhi is expected to be out of action for at least a fortnight after suffering a hamstring injury.

The leg-spinner strained his left hamstring while fielding during Ne Zealand's loss to Pakistan in the third and final T20 in Napier last night.

Sodhi is set to have scans to ascertain the extent of the strain and the recovery plan.

Meanwhile the extent of opening batsman Martin Guptill's finger injury is still being determined.

Guptill suffered a cut to his right index finger while trying to stop a ball in the field in the same match.

He had the wound cleaned and closed last night and was set to have of an x-ray on the injury.

Havili commits to New Zealand Rugby

Three-test All Black David Havili has re-signed with the Crusaders and Tasman Rugby through until the end of 2023.

The Crusaders have made the announcement on his 26th birthday.

Havili wants to add to the three tests he played in 2017 and his new contract will take him through to the next Rugby World Cup.

The versatile back may play for the Crusaders in the midfield next season, with regular centre Braydon Ennor ruled out of Super Rugby Aotearoa with a knee injury.

The Crusaders also have depth in the outside backs with All Blacks Will Jordan, George Bridge and Sevu Reece.

Former Black Cap impresses in BBL debut

Former Black Caps fast bowler Adam Milne has made a successful return to cricket after 16 months away.

Milne has conceded just 17 runs from his four overs to help set-up the Sydney Thunder's seven wicket win over the Perth Scorchers in Australia's Twenty20 competition.

The Scorchers were unable to hit a boundary from his bowling, with the batsmen often hurried for pace.

Former New Zealand team-mate Colin Munro scored 25 (22) opening the batting for Perth.

Both players have opted to play in the Big Bash League rather than in New Zealand domestic cricket in a bid to push their credentials for the next T20 World Cup.

Milne was also lured by the opportunity to play under former Black Caps fast bowler Shane Bond at the Thunder.

Pakistan bowling coach granted leave

Pakistan's bowling coach Waqar Younis is set for a family reunion following a six-month hiatus after the country's cricket board granted him leave to fly to see them in Lahore after the first test against New Zealand.

Younis, whose family is usually based in Sydney, has been travelling with Pakistan since they toured England in June.

The 49-year-old attempted a reunion in Sydney in September but his father passed away while Younis was in quarantine so he had to fly back to Pakistan for the funeral.

Younis asked the team management for leave to spend time with his family who are in Lahore until Jan. 17.

"Considering Waqar has not seen his family since June and taking into account that our home series against South Africa, which follows the series against New Zealand, doesn't finish until Feb. 14, we took a pragmatic view of his request," Pakistan manager Mansoor Rana said.

- Reuters

Former rugby league players next to take legal action over concussion

A group of former rugby league players are preparing to take legal action against the sport's authorities over what they said was a failure to protect them from the health risks caused by concussions, The Times reported.

Rylands Law had been approached by 10 former rugby league players and the law firm was at an advanced stage in preparing a claim, the report said. The players were undergoing medical checks and joint action was expected to be filed next year, it said.

The report comes after the same law firm sent a letter of claim to World Rugby, England's Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union last week on behalf of former rugby union players suffering from concussion-related health problems.

Leeds Rhinos director Kevin Sinfield said late on Monday that more research was needed before linking concussions in rugby league to brain disease.

"We need to actually get the answers and make sure it's thorough so we can make the necessary adjustments, if any are needed," Sinfield said.

- Reuters

Olympic lifeline for British sevens teams

Britain's rugby sevens teams can compete in next year's Tokyo Olympics after the government arranged a funding package in partnership with the National Lottery.

The Rugby Football Union had ditched its sevens programme in August and told players their contracts would not be renewed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sevens does not receive funding from UK Sport, the organisation responsible for investing in Olympic and Paralympic sports in the country, and England players launched a crowd-funding scheme in September.

But the RFU said in a statement that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) had partnered with the National Lottery to come up with the funds, which will allow the teams to compete in the World Sevens Series ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, which were pushed back by a year due to the pandemic.

"We're delighted to have secured this partnership with the National Lottery and thank National Lottery players. This is a great opportunity for GB Sevens and vital preparation ahead of next summer's Olympic Games," RFU Performance Director Conor O'Shea said in a statement.

- Reuters