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Venue yet to get police approvals to host matches following the stampede that caused the deaths of 11 people during RCB’s victory celebrations on June 4

Shashank Kishore12-Aug-2025The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru could be in danger of losing its Women’s World Cup matches after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) missed the August 10 deadline set by the BCCI to secure police approvals to host the games at the venue.The Greenfields Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram is being mooted as an alternative.Bengaluru is, for the moment, scheduled to host the tournament opener between India and Sri Lanka on September 30, and matches between England and South Africa (October 3), India and Bangladesh (October 26), the second semi-final on October 30, and possibly the final on November 2.As things stand, the Greenfields Stadium is preparing to host the second season of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) from August 21 to September 7. However, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) is believed to have a back-up plan in place, with the KCL being moved to another venue, should they be required as World Cup hosts.Related

• Venkatesh Prasad: 'Want to bring cricket back to Chinnaswamy'

• Maharaja T20 moved from Bengaluru to Mysuru

• Probe panel deems Chinnaswamy 'unsafe' for large-scale events

• Karnataka government holds RCB accountable for Bengaluru stampede

• Deaths and injuries to fans mar RCB's homecoming in Bengaluru

As per the ICC guidelines, a venue has to be handed over to the organisers at least a month prior to the tournament. This means a decision will need to be taken by the BCCI and ICC within a week since Thiruvananthapuram is also likely to be allotted World Cup warm-up fixtures on September 25 and 27.According to the police commissioner’s office, the KSCA hadn’t got clearance for the Chinnaswamy Stadium as of Monday, when the ICC marked the 50-day countdown to the tournament with an event in Mumbai. ESPNcricinfo has contacted KSCA CEO Subhendu Ghosh but has yet to receive a response.The KSCA is currently hosting its T20 competition, the Maharaja Trophy, in Mysore. The tournament also had to also be moved out of the Chinnaswamy Stadium after the KSCA failed to secure police permission despite offering to play the matches behind closed doors.As a final attempt at securing police approvals, the KSCA is believed to be exploring the possibility of conducting World Cup matches with a reduced capacity. It’s unclear whether the BCCI would approve such a proposal considering the Chinnaswamy Stadium is also the venue for the final if Pakistan don’t qualify.The KSCA has been in trouble since June 4, when 11 people died and more than 50 were injured around the premises of the Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory parade after winning IPL 2025. In the aftermath of the incident, secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam resigned citing moral responsibility.Late last month, a committee tasked by the state government to investigate the stampede deemed the Chinnaswamy “unsafe” for large-scale events. The commission “strongly recommended” that large-scale events be relocated to venues that were “better suited” to handle significant crowds.The uncertainty could potentially upset plans of several teams which had hoped to be based in Bengaluru to train at a number of practice venues, including the KSCA facility in Alur on the city’s outskirts, in the lead-up to the tournament.

The teams will play each other twice in the first round, with the top two teams going through to the final

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Aug-2025Afghanistan, Pakistan and UAE will get more matches to prepare for the men’s T20 Asia Cup when they compete in a T20 tri-series hosted by the Emirates Cricket Board in Sharjah in August-September.The Asia Cup runs from September 9 to 28, also in the UAE.As such, based on the ICC’s future tours programme, Pakistan were expected to host Afghanistan for three T20Is in the window that has now been allotted to the tri-series.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Each team will play the other twice in the round-robin stage of the tournament, with the top two contesting the final. All the games will be played from 7pm local time. Pakistan are the highest-ranked side among the three on the ICC rankings at No. 8, with Afghanistan at No. 9, and UAE at No. 14.Pakistan are currently engaged in a bilateral white-ball series, where they have won the first game, against West Indies, and play their first match of the Asia Cup, against Oman on September 12. Afghanistan have not played a T20I since their bilateral series in Zimbabwe at the end of last year, and play their opening match of the Asia Cup, against Hong Kong on September 9.Both the teams qualified directly for the T20 World Cup in 2026, to be played in India and Sri Lanka – Afghanistan as one of the top-seven teams (excluding the hosts) in the previous T20 World Cup and Pakistan based on their ranking on the ICC table at the cut-off date of June 30, 2024. UAE, meanwhile, have not yet confirmed their spot at the World Cup. They have to go through the Asia-East Asia and Pacific qualifiers, to be played in Oman from October 8 to 17, to get there if they can.

Liverpool, it’s probably fair to say, are the team to beat in the Premier League this season. Nine points claimed from nine points available, last year’s champions haven’t played that well so far, and yet stand at the top of the pile as the September international break takes centre stage.

Arne Slot has worked wonders on Merseyside, nurturing the seeds of Jurgen Klopp’s later days in the Anfield dugout and winning the league title in his first year at the helm. Liverpool were not afforded a shot at the title by most pundits, but lift the trophy they did.

And he did it without any real first-team investment. Liverpool missed out on Martin Zubimendi, for example, but Slot fashioned Ryan Gravenberch into a world-class six.

This summer spun a different tale, however, with Liverpool’s ambitions knowing no bounds. Twice the Reds broke the British transfer record through deals for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.

However, the signing of Hugo Ekitike was also completed, and though he cost a pretty penny, the young forward has what it takes to become a superstar at the club.

Hugo Ekitike's rise in value

Make no mistake, Ekitike has been considered a top talent from his early days as a pro. Having been developed through his formative years with French club Reims, the 23-year-old earned a big move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, signing for the Ligue 1 giants in a total €35m (about £30m) package.

Newcastle waged transfer war against Liverpool this summer, but the recent months weren’t the root of the Magpies’ interest in the young Frenchman, having agreed a deal to sign him way back when before PSG came along.

Ekitike’s efforts as a youngster with the Parisians proved fruitless, and he left for Eintracht Frankfurt after featuring just 33 times, scoring four goals. His £14m switch to the Bundesliga after an initial loan period underscored that blot on the copybook, albeit one which proved instrumental for his growth in hindsight.

Frankfurt promised him a platform to foster his immense abilities, and there he grew into the player he is today, and player who, excitingly for the Reds, remains the unfinished product.

Three goals and an assist from Ekitike’s first four outings with Liverpool bespeak his potential, and perhaps add a layer of tension for Isak, who knows his place at number nine is not secure.

Already, the France international appears to have been worth the money, FSG having fought to beat off competition from Newcastle and more this summer, signing Ekitike for an initial £69m fee, which may rise to £79m.

He’s the real deal, and evidence that Liverpool are willing to pay the big bucks for up-and-coming talents if they deem them standing beneath a high ceiling.

The same could be said for Anthony Gordon, who was targeted last summer in a bumper move. However, peer down a different timeline and you might find the Three Lions star a one-club man at Liverpool.

Liverpool must regret losing Anthony Gordon

Gordon made his name on Merseyside, but he did it in blue. The 23-year-old winger completed 78 appearances for Everton, scoring seven goals, after graduating from their Finch Farm academy, but he only found a home on that patch after previously cutting his teeth with Liverpool.

Indeed, a boyhood Red, Gordon was released from Liverpool’s youth system when he was 11 years old, very much a victim of the ruthless nature of youth football. Even so, Liverpool chiefs must kick themselves for having let that one slip through their fingers.

Sold by Everton to Newcastle for £45m after forcing his way out of Goodison Park, Gordon has since grown into one of the Premier League’s most prominent wide forwards, hailed as a “relentless machine” by journalist Sripad.

Named Newcastle’s Player of the Year for 2023/24, Gordon posted 21 goal contributions across the league campaign and demonstrated such fluidity and tenacity, a beacon throughout a tough, injury-riddled period for the Toon.

He’s described himself as “a nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, and while Gordon struggled to recapture his remarkable early form last year, he still contributed toward triumph in the Carabao Cup and steered United back into the Champions League.

Left winger

124

26

29

Right winger

53

8

8

Attacking midfield

21

13

2

Centre-forward

18

5

1

Liverpool’s data analysts rarely miss the mark, and so clearly Gordon has something about him, indeed coming close to signing the 24-year-old in 2024 as Newcastle looked to avoid PSR punishment. They found alternative ways to circumvent the financial restrictions, and Gordon stayed put.

Still, Liverpool were eager to pay, seemingly undeterred by his lofty price tag. In fact, recent reports from the past few months suggest that FSG have considered making their move this summer, with a £100m fee attached to the interest.

Such a figure places Gordon above Liverpool’s new superstar Ekitike, though some might comment that ‘Premier League tax’ has played a part in inflating Gordon’s price tag.

Ekitike has the tools to make real progress at Liverpool, developing over the next few years into a superstar. Positionally different, it’s something that the Reds envisaged for Gordon not too long ago.

Though the recent emergence of 17-year-old prodigy Rio Ngumoha has eased Liverpool’s need to find a left winger to compete with Gakpo, it’s likely that Gordon could have played a crucial role in the club’s success, had FSG succeeded in bringing him over from Tyneside last summer.

Alas, it wasn’t to be, and if the Reds wish to revisit their intrigue down the line, they will probably have to fork out an even heftier fee than was paid for Ekitike in July.

It could have all been so much easier if Gordon had been allowed to develop within Liverpool’s academy.

Forget Leoni: Liverpool already have a Guehi upgrade in Slot's "monster"

Liverpool missed out on Guehi, one of their top summer transfer targets, on deadline day.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 5, 2025

After a very quiet start to the transfer window, things are really starting to heat up at Aston Villa.

Back-up goalkeeper Marco Bizot was the only new signing to start the Claret and Blue Army’s Premier League opener against Newcastle, deputising for the suspended Emi Martínez, while their most noteworthy new recruit, Evann Guessand, was an unused substitute.

Meantime, as they seek to stay compliant with the Premier League’s Profitability & Sustainability Rules, Villa have made a few sales in recent days, so could this lead to them making a notable addition?

Aston Villa's new look attack

On Sunday, it was confirmed that Jacob Ramsey had departed Aston Villa, the club he joined as a six-year-old, signing for Newcastle United for a reported fee of £43m.

Meantime, having not even been on the bench at the weekend, Leon Bailey is expected to complete a move to Roma this week, with the Giallorossi paying a £2m loan fee, the deal containing a £19m option to buy.

So, could these departures facilitate an attacking addition or two being added to Unai Emery’s squad?

Well, according to a report by the Daily Mirror, Aston Villa are ‘interested’ in signing Leandro Trossard from Arsenal, with Brentford as well as ‘several foreign clubs’ also monitoring the Belgian’s situation; Fenerbahçe and Bayern Munich have been mentioned in the past.

Interestingly, the £18m-rated forward was an unused substitute during the Gunners’ Premier League opener at Old Trafford on Sunday, with Mikel Arteta turning to new signing Noni Madueke instead, when the Belgian had previously been the first man off the bench for so long.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Having spent big, Arsenal need to raise funds in the remaining weeks of the window, looking to offload Oleksandr Zinchenko, Reiss Nelson, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Fábio Vieira and possibly Trossard too, so could he soon swap North London for Villa Park?

What Leandro Trossard would bring to Aston Villa

Ever since he first arrived in the Premier League, joining Brighton from Genk, Trossard has been a consistent performer.

He scored 25 goals and registered 15 assists in 121 outings for the Seagulls, most notably bagging a hat-trick against Liverpool at Anfield, before a public falling out with Roberto De Zerbi in January 2023 saw him depart.

Having failed in their pursuit of Mykhailo Mudryk, Arsenal swooped in and signed Trossard, and this has certainly proved to be £27m well spent.

The Belgian has racked up 28 goals and 23 assists in 124 Arsenal appearances, earning a reputation as something of a super sub, often making key contributions off the bench, including scoring with his first touch at Villa Park almost exactly 12 months ago, this the last time Aston Villa tasted defeat in a league match at home.

Ben Jacobs of talkSPORT labelled him a “clinical” finisher, while manager Arteta described him as “competitive”, adding “he wants to win… he always wants to be the best”. In the words of one Arsenal content creator, he is “one of the most underrated player in the Premier League”.

Trossard featured in all 38 of Arsenal’s Premier League matches last season, the only outfielder to achieve this, filling in across the front line, deployed as a centre-forward and a second-striker, as well as on both flanks, given the Gunners’ injury crisis.

Should he move to Villa, Emery would surely appreciate this versatility, but let’s assess how he compares to the outgoing Bailey.

Appearances

72

59

Minutes

4,197

3,220

Goals

20

11

Assists

10

11

All statistics below are on a per-90 basis:

Shots

2

1.4

Shots on target

1.1

0.7

Chances created

1.5

1.8

Big chances created

0.34

0.42

Big chances missed

0.34

0.06

Take-ons completed

1.4

2.2

Take-on success %

55.83%

50.55%

Average Sofascore rating

7.07

6.94

As the table outlines, Trossard has produced a far greater output across the last two Premier League seasons, albeit Bailey does come out on top in terms of assists, chances created and dribbles per 90, albeit the Belgian completed a higher proportion of his take-ons.

So, in terms of being an out-and-out goal threat, Trossard would surely represent a clear upgrade on what Villa are selling.

Also, as already documented, the Belgian is very durable, while the same cannot be said of the departed Ramsey, who missed eight Premier League matches last season due to a hamstring injury, having seen little over 1,000 minutes during the previous campaign due to metatarsal, foot, toe and hamstring issues.

Even last year, when making 46 appearances, accumulating over 2,300 minutes, the 24-year-old scored just four goals and registered a mere seven assists across all competitions.

Given that Villa could play as many as 67 matches this season, including up to 17 in the Europa League, Trossard’s availability would surely prove invaluable.

Thus, if Arsenal are eager to sell, and the 30-year-old is available at the right price, he would add plenty to Emery’s squad.

Asensio repeat: Aston Villa making late push to sign "superb" Spanish star

Aston Villa are pushing to sign a £4m star who could be Asensio 2.0.

1 ByKelan Sarson Aug 18, 2025

Everything you need to know about the tournament, arranged alphabetically. Includes J for jinx and R for running out a non-striker

Sidharth Monga14-Oct-2022A for Australia: Defending champions for the first time, and also staging the T20 World Cup for the first time. Seven Australian grounds will host 45 matches and 16 teams over 28 days. One of the teams that qualifies into Group 2 will play Pakistan in Perth on October 27 and then take a four-and-a-half hour flight to Brisbane to cover the road distance of 4310km (or 3606km as the crow flies) for their next match, against Bangladesh on October 30.If that makes you worry about jet lag, keep in mind this is a tournament that will be played in four different time zones, but the eastern-most venue, Brisbane, is not the one that is the farthest ahead of UTC because it doesn’t take part in daylight savings time. Perth is eight hours ahead of UTC, Brisbane ten, Adelaide ten and a half, and Melbourne and Sydney 11.So where the bloody hell are you?B for bounce: It is unmissable, even to the naked eye. It is the first thing you notice. The bounce is steeper in Australia than elsewhere. It is not always bad news for limited-overs batting. The ball can be easier to time if the bounce is good and true, but equally, the really good bowlers can use the bounce to their advantage.C for captains: Quite a few captains go into the tournament with a big selection headache: do they drop themselves? Kane Williamson and Temba Bavuma are going at under a run a ball in all T20 cricket since the last World Cup. Aaron Finch hasn’t been in the best touch, has given up ODIs, and went down the order to let Cameron Green, who is not even in the World Cup squad (yet), open in the same month as the World Cup. Babar Azam will carry the strike-rate cross, and even Jos Buttler might have cause to doubt himself, what with injuries and meagre returns in T20Is leading up to the World Cup.D for Djilang: The indigenous name of Geelong, the only non-Test venue in the World Cup. Adelaide is Tarndanya, Brisbane is Meeanjin, Hobart is nipaluna, Melbourne is Naarm, Perth is Boorloo, and Sydney Warrane. Australia will be wearing an indigenous-themed kit (see K) for this World Cup. Only four indigenous men and two indigenous women have played international cricket for the country.We won’t be seeing most of West Indies’ 2016 title-winning side at this World Cup•Getty ImagesE for Eliminator: As in, the one-over eliminator. Or, more colloquially, the Super Over. Ever since the boundary-countback fiasco in the 2019 World Cup final, the provision is that teams will play Super Overs until there is a winner. However, there are time constraints and double headers. Only 30 minutes of extra time is available for all the matches (except for when the reserve day kicks in for the knockouts – an extra two hours are available on reserve days). If the full quota of overs in a match is bowled before the scheduled close, the minutes saved are added to the time provisioned for Super Overs. A minimum of 20 minutes will be made available for Super Overs, even if the actual match goes into overtime. The changeover time of five minutes between the match and the first Super Over is not counted in the time available.If we don’t have a winner in the time available, the match ends in a tie. If there is no winner in a semi-final, the team that finished higher in the Super 12s will progress. A final without a winner even after Super Over(s) will result in joint champions being crowned. Semi-finals and finals have a reserve day, but every attempt will be made to finish the match on the actual day with the match continuing from the point at which it was truncated, should the reserve day be used.F for first round: Not to be confused with Qualifiers (see Q). Four teams from the two groups in the first round will make it through to the second round. UAE, Netherlands, Sri Lanka and Namibia are in Group A in the first round; Ireland, Zimbabwe, West Indies and Scotland in Group B. The top two teams from each group will go into the two groups in the Super 12s. The top two teams from each of those Super 12 groups will make it to the semi-finals.G for Gayle: This is the first T20 World Cup without Chris Gayle. And the first without Dwayne Bravo. Also missing for West Indies are Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine. That’s a massive load of T20 experience and genius they have lost in recent times. Add to it Shimron Hetmyer, who was replaced after he could not make both his original and his rescheduled flights to Australia. It’s the first time that West Indies have to qualify for the Super 12s, and there is a realistic chance that the two-time champions might not make it.H for Hazlewood: Josh Hazlewood is a category unto himself. Previously written off as a Test specialist, he has made a roaring comeback into limited-overs cricket, T20s in particular. He is not the word that Rahul Dravid is too shy to speak in public, but he rarely goes for more than the going rate in the match. He is a banker you can expect to bowl four overs pretty much all the time. In the IPL at least, R Ashwin became that kind of bowler, although in T20Is he might still rely on match-ups. Keshav Maharaj is also getting there.Australia will wear an indigenous-themed jersey at this World Cup•AFP/Getty ImagesI for injuries: Jasprit Bumrah, Jonny Bairstow and Jofra Archer are three exciting T20 players out with injuries. South Africa allrounder Dwaine Pretorius too has been withdrawn. Also on the injury watchlist is Shaheen Afridi, who is coming back from a knee injury but has been named in Pakistan’s squad.Thanks to the freak injury to Bairstow, Alex Hales, who last played in a T20 World Cup in 2016, gets to make a comeback. Dinesh Karthik has waited much longer since last appearing in a T20 World Cup, in 2010.J for jinx: No side has successfully defended its T20 World Cup. No host side has won the title either. Then again, no side has had a chance to defend at home. And Australia are the favourites, with most bases covered. There: we have reverse-jinxed a reverse-jinx.K for kits: Australia have their indigenous-based jersey, Sri Lanka are drawing attention to climate change, Zimbabwe’s yellow top to go with red trousers looks fresh, England are vowing to play with freedom in collarless red, India have managed to find another shade of light blue, and New Zealand again have everybody beat with a mix of grey and black punctuated with white horizontal stripes and the fern.L for luck: It is not the opposite of skill or strategy or fitness, but the shorter a match of cricket gets, the bigger the role luck plays. Other luck factors are difficult to imagine ahead of the start of the tournament, but not the toss. Matches in the UAE, the hosts of the last World Cup, were heavily loaded in favour of the chasing side, making the toss crucial. The coin is less likely to play a role in Australia. While chasing still remains the way to go in T20 cricket, it is confounding that over the last two years Australia has been the second-worst country for chasing sides, who have won 43% of the time. Still, expect teams to prefer chasing but also expect possible closer contests.M for MCB: Mini collapse breakers. The discussion around anchors in T20 is quickly moving to those who can arrest a collapse. Dawid Malan and Virat Kohli are examples: they bat high when a wicket falls early, but if the opening partnership has lasted close to or over ten overs, the batting order is reconsidered, to see if bigger hitters need to be promoted. Malan and Kohli are now efficient in this role, a skill Williamson, Bavuma and Steven Smith will aspire to developing.Get ready to be Rauf-ed up: the World Cup is missing some key fast bowlers, but Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and Co will bring plenty of zing to it•Gareth Copley/ICC/Getty ImagesN for net run rate: It’s not uncommon in such tournaments for more than two teams to end up on the same number of points. Then it often comes down to net run rate, though only comes into the reckoning if the teams can’t be separated by number of wins. If two teams are tied on net run rates too, the next tiebreaker parameter is the number of wins in matches between them and then the net run rate in those matches. If that still doesn’t resolve the tie, the sides higher in the pre-tournament seeding will progress. The pre-tournament seeding order is: England, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Scotland, Namibia, Zimbabwe, UAE, Netherlands, Ireland.O for over rates: Over rates are not overrated anymore. For the first time since 1999, a cricket World Cup will have an in-game over-rate penalty. It means extra work for the third umpire, who will have to pause the clock every time there is a stoppage beyond the control of the fielding side. Any over that begins outside the stipulated time limit of 85 minutes for an innings has to be bowled with at least five fielders inside the ring, as opposed to four at other times. Any wicket after the fifth earns the fielding team one minute of time (there is no such time allowance for wickets one through four). In innings shortened by three or more overs, the fielding side must be ready to bowl the penultimate over inside the proportionately reduced time limit. No such penalties apply to innings of ten overs or shorter.P for pace: In the 2019 50-over World Cup we had only five men who regularly went over 145kph, which roughly classifies as extreme pace. Archer is not available, but we have Pakistan fast bowlers Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Afridi joining Mitchell Starc, Lockie Ferguson, Mark Wood, Kagiso Rabada, and the seriously fast Anrich Nortje.Extreme pace is one point of difference teams look for, left-arm pace is another. All eight teams that have qualified for the Super 12s already have at least one left-arm quick each.Q for Qualifiers: Two qualifying tournaments featuring eight teams each took place to decide who the final four teams in the World Cup would be. All four finalists – UAE and Ireland from Qualifier A, and Zimbabwe and Netherlands from Qualifier B – made it to Australia.R for running-out a non-striker: The practice is being normalised, though some sections still think of it as being underhanded. The MCC has moved its ruling on such run outs from the law on unfair play to the one on run outs, so watch out for more non-strikers being caught outside their crease before the ball is bowled.A total of 405 sixes were scored in the 2021 T20 World Cup. How many will be hit on the big Australian grounds in this year’s tournament?•Daniel Pockett/CA/Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesS for sixes: Since the start of 2020, a six in Australia has been hit every 22 balls. Only in South Africa has six-hitting been less frequent. The South African pitches probably make it difficult to hit sixes, but in Australia, it’s more likely a case of #mcgsobig.The boundaries for this World Cup can’t be bigger than 82.29 metres, but in order to maximise the use of available field of play, they can’t be pulled in more than ten metres in from the perimeter fence. The threshold for the shortest boundary has been reduced from 59.43 m to 52.12 m, in all likelihood to accommodate Geelong, which is primarily a footie ground and is quite narrow. The pitch is dropped in at an angle to get around the size limitation, but since the ground hosts six matches in five days, it might need a bit of elbow room when the game is not played on the centre pitch.T for triple-headers: There are three days in the tournament on which three matches will be played, to go with 14 double headers, but no match will be played simultaneously with another. That makes for another multi-team tournament where the teams playing the last match get the advantage of knowing what to do if their prospects of progressing come down to net run rate (see N). Namibia, UAE, Scotland, Zimbabwe, India and England stand to benefit from this schedule.U for umpires: Remember, they know the laws better than us and know how to judge and apply them better than us. But they also make mistakes, a lot of which are corrected these days. The same 16 umpires who stood in the last World Cup will stand this time around. With this tournament, Aleem Dar, Marais Erasmus and Rod Tucker will have officiated in six of seven men’s T20 World Cups. This will be second World Cup of the year for Langton Rusere of Zimbabwe, after the women’s World Cup. The four match referees will be Ranjan Madugalle, David Boon, Chris Broad and Andy Pycroft.V for venues: If Australia make it to the semi-finals, they will play their match in Sydney no matter where they finish on the table. If they don’t, the winners of Group 1 and runners-up of Group 2 will play the first semi-final in Sydney; the winners of Group 2 and runners-up of Group 1 will play in Adelaide.W for weather: Climate change is upon us, and this World Cup could be affected directly. Victoria this week braced for the “worst weather event” of the year in the form of very heavy untimely rain in what normally would have been spring, the season of sunny days, cool nights, colourful jacarandas and wildflowers. There was flooding in South Melbourne and flash-flood warnings in Victoria the week before the event, and there is already talk of rain-affected games.Sixteen-year-old Aayan Afzal Khan of UAE is the youngest player at this World Cup•Ashley Allen/ICC/Getty ImagesX for cross(over): Finally, we can put the confusion to rest. T20 leagues adopted a regulation saying that the incoming batter would be on strike irrespective of whether the batters had crossed during a dismissal (except if the dismissal was off the last ball of the over) before international cricket did on October 1, but now, at long last, the not-out batter will stay at the end they were at even if the two batters cross each other while a catch is taken. It is a crucial little bit of help for bowlers, especially when they are up against lower-order batters.Y for youngest: Aayan Afzal Khan of UAE, born in Goa, brought up in Sharjah, is 16 years old, comfortably younger than any other player in the tournament. In the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, Ayaan starred in what was possibly UAE’s biggest triumph on the world stage. He scored 93, taking his side from 26 for 4 to a total that was enough to beat West Indies by 82 runs. He is actually a left-arm spinner first and then a batter. UAE went on to win the Plate final. Mohammad Amir, who started the 2009 World Cup at 17 years and 55 days, remains the youngest player in all T20 World Cups.At 38 years and 230 days on the day Netherlands play their first match, opener Stephan Myburgh will be the oldest in the tournament. Hong Kong’s Ryan Campbell played in the 2016 World Cup when he was 44 years and 33 days old.Z for Zampa: And other wristspinners who are no longer part of XIs by right. Fingerspinners are making a comeback, especially if they can be as good as Maharaj and Ashwin, or if they have match-ups working for them. Apart from Rashid Khan and Adil Rashid, Zampa is the one non-allrounder wristspinner who gets picked no matter what. If the Australian pitches have the bounce they are famous for, this tournament could signal a comeback for his breed.

Hardik will be serving a one-match ban for his team’s slow over-rate in their final league game of IPL 2024

Vishal Dikshit19-Mar-2025Suryakumar Yadav will lead Mumbai Indians (MI) in their opening game of IPL 2025, with regular captain Hardik Pandya out serving the one-match ban he picked up in the team’s last IPL 2024 game.”We have been officially communicated that he [Hardik] has to miss [the first game],” Mahela Jayawardene, the MI head coach, said in a press meet in Mumbai on Wednesday, confirming that Suryakumar would be leading the side for the game.Hardik said he was not aware of the consequences of maintaining a slow over-rate in last season’s game.”That is out of my control. Last year what occurred is part of the sport. We bowled the last over one-and-a-half or two minutes late. At that point I didn’t know the consequences,” Hardik said. “It is unfortunate, but the rules say it. I will have to go with the process. Next season, if they continue or not continue [with this rule], I think that is on the higher authorities. They can definitely see what best can be done.Related

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Jayawardene banks on MI's core group and 'old faces' to 'paint our destiny' in IPL 2025

Not having Bumrah at the start of IPL 2025 'a challenge', says Jayawardene

“Surya, obviously, leads India [in T20Is] as well. When I’m not there, he is the ideal choice in this format.”MI’s first game is against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai on March 23. They will be without Hardik as well as Jasprit Bumrah, who is still recovering from the lower-back injury that has kept him out of action since January. Bumrah is expected to miss more than one match.Hardik was penalised for MI’s slow over-rate in their last league game of IPL 2024, against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Since that was his third offence of the season, Hardik was given a one-match suspension for his next IPL game, along with an INR 30 lakh fine.He will be available for MI’s second game, also away, in Ahmedabad against Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 29. MI’s first home match is two days later, when they host Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 31. They then play two matches in the first week of April: LSG in Lucknow on April 4 and at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 7.MI had finished last in IPL 2024 after winning only four out of 14 games.

Celtic are now gearing up to accept an offer for one member of their squad after it emerged that Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers was happy for them to leave.

Celtic close in on silverware

After what has been a long and at times inglorious campaign, it finally seems as though Celtic will end it by lifting the Scottish Premiership, provided that they hold their nerve through the final games of the season.

Brendan Rodgers' side lead Rangers by three points and still have to welcome their Glasgow rivals to Celtic Park, where anything but a defeat will keep the title in Celtic's hands, with wins against Kilmarnock and St. Mirren in their last two games confirming them as champions.

Celtic wasted £3m on "disappointed" signing who was desperate to leave

The Hoops had a nightmare when they brought the Italian defender to Parkhead.

By
Dan Emery

May 7, 2024

They will have the chance to add another to their collection after the season too, when they once again face Rangers in a duel for the Scottish Cup, with the pair meeting in the final.

Even if they were to lose narrowly to Rangers in their next game, the title would remain in their hands courtesy of a slightly improved goal difference, though it would certainly be an uncomfortable end to the campaign were that to happen.

But changes for the summer are already being planned after a less than vintage season, and one man may not begin the new campaign in Celtic colours.

Defender free to leave

That player comes in the form of young defender Adam Montgomery, who has seen injury ruin his season. The 21-year-old joined League One side Fleetwood Town on loan at the beginning of the season, but injuries saw him make just six appearances before the turn of the year, and he was recalled by Celtic in January.

He then joined Motherwell on loan for the remainder of the campaign, but after a bright start he again picked up an injury, this time a hamstring strain which saw him return to Celtic early. Now, he could depart permanently, with Football Insider revealing that "Celtic will listen to offers" for the defender this summer, with the 21 year-old down to the final 12 months of his contract.

"The 21-year-old doesn’t have a long-term future with the Hoops and is not part of Brendan Rodgers’s plans moving forward", it is added, meaning that the club would rather cash in than let him leave for free in a year's time.

Though clearly not favoured by Rodgers, Postecoglou offered up special praise for the youngster during his time at Celtic, dubbing him an excellent talent and hailing his "tremendous" composure.

“We knew it was going to be tough going for Monty this year. We had some challenging opponents. They were physical and we had to put in a physical battle, but you see the quality in the front third and he showed tremendous composure.

“It was a simple pass across the goal, but at the end of the game when you need to win he showed that composure. He is a very talented young player and hopefully he continues to do that.”

Given his injury problems, a fresh start could well be best for all parties, while Celtic will be hoping that any money raked in can be utilised to strengthen Rodgers' ranks ahead of the new season.

How do you think the England v India Test series will go? Here’s what former players have to say

20-Jul-2011Nari Contractor: “In Sehwag’s absence India will be found wanting, we will be experimenting at the top.”•Associated Press”England will start as favourites since they will be playing at home. Also, they have a better seam attack that will be able to exploit the conditions better. Having said that, India have a better side on paper, definitely a longer batting line-up. It could come down to a contest between quality batting sides. At the moment, England’s top six are as good as any in world cricket, India’s strength has always been its batting.”

“England have some of the best seamers in their armoury. Handling Chris Tremlett will be a tough task for the Indians. Then, there is James Anderson, who can swing the ball beautifully. Swann won’t be as threatening as others because Indians are good players of spin. They are a very good fielding side. India have also improved, but we have been dropping catches in the slip cordon and that is the area we need to improve upon.”
“England are a good side. They have variety in their attack. They have great top order batting, for them to make next step and stay there it will be about how they play the game. If they just stick to process and wear oppositions down they will not win series by whitewashes. They are just going to do enough and win 1-0. Strauss needs to put them in a situation where it is win at all costs. Then it is fun, it is energising and makes it entertaining for everyone.”
“We are not playing in an era when we have a great team like Australia who have dominated for so long. They were so much better than the rest of the world. India are a good team, but you can certainly see England within a year or so getting there.”
“India won the recently concluded West Indies tour and there seems to be no reason for not continuing with the feat in England. The Indian team will surely come back victorious.”
“We used to quake in our boots when the West Indies batting order was read out. Greenidge, Haynes, Gomes, Richards, Richardson, Lloyd, Dujon, and then the nuclear warhead [the bowling line-up] after that. Sehwag, Gambhir, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Kohli, Dhoni has a similar ring to it. But I think England have a better bowling attack. Bounce and swing will unsettle the Indian batsmen because they’re not used to that at home.”
“To me, on paper, it’s a very even contest. I think the pitches could define which way the series goes. I wouldn’t suggest we play it on green seamers, because I don’t think their attack is bad. Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel – they’ll be decent on seaming tracks, which is why it’s quite even. In terms of turning wickets as well, you’ve got Harbhajan Singh, you’ve got Graeme Swann.”
“I can see draws at both Lord’s and Trent Bridge, and if that is the case then the third Test at Edgbaston might well be the time for England to go all-out for the 20 Indian wickets they need to win a match. If you want to get to No. 1 in the world then you have to be prepared at times to all-out attack.”
“It will be a contest of their bowlers versus our batsmen. Sehwag on top would always relieve pressure on the rest of the side, but in his absence, India will be found wanting. We will be experimenting at the top in Sehwag’s absence, so that makes us vulnerable and if two of these three legends [Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman] don’t stand up, like they have done for so long, India are in trouble.”
“India have a real chance. Clearly, the way Ishant Sharma bowled in the West Indies is a plus for India. He and Zaheer Khan have a big role to play. The Zaheer-Andrew Strauss battle is the one to look out for. Then, we all know about India’s batting. Look at Harbhajan Singh, he has two Test hundreds.”
“If England win the toss, bat first and play 5 bowlers, they will win the Lord’s Test, weather permitting.”

Former Serie A forward Paolo Di Canio believes the Italian top-flight has become a place for iconic players to arrive after they are past their prime.

• Di Canio provides verdict on Modric and De Bruyne arrivals
• Former forward not sure if they can sustain their level 
• Admitted that the duo will definitely bring a lot of quality

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Di Canio, a veteran of Serie A who played for teams like Lazio, Juventus, Napoli and AC Milan, is not too sold on the arrivals of legendary midfield duo De Bruyne and Modric. While the former striker admitted that they will bring a lot of quality to Italy, he remains sceptical about whether they can sustain their performance at the highest levels.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Modric left Real Madrid as their most decorated player of all-time, winning 28 titles in 13 years. He also broke the Ballon d'Or duopoly of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo by lifting the award in 2018. On the other hand, De Bruyne etched his name in Manchester City folklore after a glorious decade at the Etihad Stadium. He became one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, helping the club win the Champions League in 2023 as well as six league titles. 

  Modric and De Bruyne, though, are well past their primes. The Croatian will turn 40 next month, while the Belgian turned 34 in June. While players such as Axel Witsel have claimed that the duo will battle it out for the title of the best midfielder in Serie A, Di Canio thinks otherwise.

• WHAT PAOLO DI CANIO SAID

  Speaking on , Di Canio said: "The outlook is twofold: Italy continues to be an elephant's graveyard; before it was [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Franck] Ribery, now it's De Bruyne and Modric."

  He later on clarified that he has no doubts about the qualities of De Bruyne and Modric, but is doubtful about them making an impact on a consistent basis. He said: "They are [top players], of course. Meanwhile, I wonder how many games they can play at a high level, but above all, how much of their quality and technique will be absorbed by their teammates. It's difficult to imitate someone so unique. I mean, they can't do it alone if there's no team capable of circulating well around them. We'll certainly enjoy their quality, but those around them need to quickly learn to understand who they're playing with. Modric is a leader who knows how to communicate with the team: Milan will benefit from that, in a season where they only have the league."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MODRIC AND DE BRUYNE?

  Modric will be expected to make his competitive debut for the Rossoneri on Sunday, August 17, when Allegri's side take on Bari in the first round of the Coppa Italia. De Bruyne, meanwhile, will play his first official game for Napoli on August 23, in the opening game of Serie A against Sassuolo.

MatériaMais Notícias

da doce： Em noite dehomenagem à causa LGBTQIA+, o Vasco derrotou o Brusque por 2 a 1 e se aproximou do G4 da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. Com isso, Germán Cano e Léo Matos, autores dos gols do triunfo, e Leandro Castan foram escolhidos para a seleção da galera na página oficial da competição no Twitter através de votação popular.

> Confira e simule a tabela da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro

RelacionadasVascoBlog do Garone: O maior gol de Germán CanoVasco28/06/2021VídeoVÍDEO: Veja os gols da vitória do Vasco contra o Brusque pela Série BVídeo28/06/2021VascoVasco precisa de mais repertório e depender menos de Cano para garantir o acessoVasco28/06/2021

da casino：
Um dia histórico marcou o triunfo do Gigante da Colina sobre a equipe catarinense. Em um momento único, o argentino Cano balançou a rede, ao abrir o placar, e levantou a bandeirinha que estampava o arco-íris referente à causaLGBTQIA+. Mais uma vez, o clube carioca esteve à frente da defesa de causas sociais, algo que faz parte de sua história.

>ATUAÇÕES: Cano marca e é o melhor em campo na vitória suada do Vasco sobre o Brusque

Apesar de só ter concretizado a vitória no fim, o Vasco teve uma atuação melhor do que nos últimos jogos e conseguiu encostar de vez nos quatro primeiros. A diferença é de apenas dois pontos, já que a equipe soma 10, contra 12 de Sampaio Corrêa e Goiás.

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

A seleção da galera da sétima rodada da Série B é composta por: Tadeu (Goiás), Léo Matos (Vasco), Luciano Castan (Coritiba), Leandro Castan (Vasco), Igor (Remo); Tarik (Londrina), Wesley (Avaí), Gui Campana (Sampaio Corrêa), Fabrício (Brasil de Pelotas); Cano (Vasco) e Léo Gamalho (Coritiba). Técnico: Gustavo Morinígo .

Vocês votaram e ela tá aqui! 🗳️#SeleçãoDaGalera diversa, com zaga formada pelos irmãos Castán e jogadores de 8 equipes diferentes. Aqui é equilíbrio, tá? pic.twitter.com/LaO6ymvdkm

— Brasileirão Série B (@BrasileiraoB) June 28, 2021