Tag: Sport

Australia vs England at T20 World Cup: Head-to-head, form, team news, pitch | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Who: Australia vs England
What: ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Group B match
When: Saturday, June 8, 1pm local time (17:00 GMT)
Where: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
How to follow: Al Jazeera will have live text coverage of the match from 14:00 GMT.

After rain played spoilsport in their opening T20 World Cup match, defending champions England will be under pressure to seek a win against rivals Australia when they meet for their all-important Group B match at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

England and Scotland shared a point each after their match at the same venue was washed out on Tuesday. Jos Buttler’s side, aiming to become the first team to retain the trophy, looked below their best, allowing the Scots to race to 90-0 in 10 overs.

England are fourth in Group B with one point, while Australia are second with two points after beating Oman in their opener. The group is led by Scotland, who have three points from two games, while Namibia are third with two points from two games and Oman sit at the bottom after losing two games.

A defeat to ODI world champions Australia on Saturday could leave England’s Super Eight qualification in jeopardy, but batter Jonny Bairstow does not want the permutations to affect him.

“It doesn’t derail us either way,” Bairstow told reporters on Friday. “We know we’ve got to win more games than we lose in tournament cricket, that’s just part and parcel of it.

“A win puts you in a position in the group, but at the end of the day, the other two games [against Oman and Nambia] are must-win games anyway.

“It will be good for momentum and confidence [to beat Australia],” he added.

Bairstow described the contest between the Ashes rivals as “a great spectacle”.

“The guys have played against each other for a long time now, which in many ways is really exciting because you know each other’s games,” he said. “Hopefully it will be a fantastic atmosphere like it always is in Barbados.”

Australia ‘pumped’ for England face-off

Australia had a shaky start in their match against Oman before all-rounder Marcus Stoinis shone with the bat and ball as they recorded a comfortable 39-run win.

Captain Mitchell Marsh said his side felt a bit nervous in that game, but were happy with the win and looking forward to Saturday’s clash with familiar foes England.

Marsh expects England fans to outnumber the Australians for the match at Barbados, jokingly adding that the atmosphere would be the same as Headingley in Leeds.

“I dare say this will be full and it’ll be mostly English fans so it’ll be like playing at Headingly all over or anywhere in England where you get sprayed,” Marsh said. “But just the atmosphere, the vibe of the game, there’s always a lot riding on it. And I think as a team we always want to challenge ourselves against the best.

“England have been exceptional in this format for a long period of time now, so there’s certainly going to be a lot on the game and we’re pumped.”

(Al Jazeera)

Head-to-head

Australia and England have played 23 T20 internationals, with England winning 11 games, Australia 10 and two contests ending in no result.

Form guide

Australia started their campaign with a win over Oman. Before the tournament, they played two series in February, celebrating a 3-0 series whitewash over trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand and a 2-1 series win over the West Indies.

England’s first World Cup match with Scotland ended in no result after rain wrecked the contest. Before the tournament, England won 2-0 in a rain-affected four-match series against Pakistan.

Australia: W W W W L

England: W W L W W

Pitch and weather conditions

Kensington Oval has hosted four matches, all producing varied results. The first contest was a low-scoring match, the second was washed out, while the third and fourth fixtures saw targets in the region of 155-165.

Saturday’s match, which starts in the afternoon, will played on a new surface. Rain is forecast in the morning and around the match time.

Australia team news

Pat Cummins will return for this match after being rested against Oman. Mitchell Starc, who left the field in the last game with cramp, is expected to be fit.

Both players had a long stint in the Indian Premier League and played the final on May 26.

Squad: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (captain), Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis.

England team news

England do not have any injury concerns.

Squad: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.

INTERACTIVE - Men's T20 World Cup-Teams-qualified-2023-1717510038
(Al Jazeera)

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India vs Pakistan, ‘nagin dance’, Ashes : A look at cricket’s top rivalries | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Some of the most thrilling encounters in sport have been between nations or athletes with historic rivalries that add an extra layer of anticipation and drama.

In cricket, these rivalries range from sour relations stemming from decades-old conflicts to colonial history and some newly-formed bitterness.

The ICC T20 World Cup will highlight some of these top rivalries as in the tournament’s group stage and, perhaps, the Super Eights.

Here is a look at some of the most thrilling match-ups in the history of the game:

India vs Pakistan

The clash that has been the biggest, quickest-selling and most anticipated match of every multilateral cricket tournament.

The rivalry originated in 1947 when India was partitioned into two countries following British colonial rule. Pakistan and India have since fought three wars, and diplomatic ties between both countries have mostly remained bitter.

On the cricket field, the head-to-head record favours Pakistan in Test matches (12-9) and one-day internationals (73-56) while India have the upper hand in T20 matches (8-3).

When it comes to World Cup history, the scale is heavily tilted in India’s favour. Pakistan have never beaten India in the ICC ODI World Cup in their eight meetings and have only won once in their seven encounters in the T20 World Cup.

Their last clash, at the Cricket World Cup on October 14, went India’s way again as romped to a seven-wicket win at biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

The South Asian rivals will meet at New York’s newly-built Nassau County Stadium on Saturday, June 9 in front of a sell-out crowd of at least 34,000.

 

India’s Virat Kohli shakes hands with Pakistan’s Shadab Khan following the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Melbourne, Australia on October 23, 2022 [File: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP Photo]

Australia vs England

The oldest rivalry in the game – dating back to the 1800s – originated when a British newspaper famously wrote a condescending and racist article on Australia’s cricket team.

It was set in stone when, in 1882, British tabloid The Sporting Times published a mock obituary of English cricket following their Test team’s defeat to their trans-continental rivals, saying “the body [of English cricket] will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”.

The bitterness originated from Test cricket and comes to the fore during the Ashes Test series, but has carried on to all sporting encounters between both countries.

In Cricket World Cup history, both teams have met on nine occasions. Australia have won six of those matches and England three.

England’s first T20 World Cup title also came at Australia’s expense, when they won the 2010 final in the West Indies. Their second one was won in Australia, when they beat Pakistan to lift the title.

The T20 Cup 2024 edition of Australia vs England is set for June 8 at Barbados.

England’s captain Eoin Morgan, left, celebrates with teammate Joe Root after winning the Cricket World Cup semifinal match against Australia on July 11, 2019 [File: Rui Vieira/AP Photo]

Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka

It started with a dance, specifically the “nagin dance”, in 2018.

Bangladesh bowler Nazmul Islam had been doing the nagin (cobra in Hindi) dance to celebrate his wickets for some time, so when his side beat Sri Lanka in the T20 series in January 2018, he pulled it out again for all four of his wickets.

Sri Lanka’s Danushka Gunathilaka did not take kindly to the serpentine celebration and did his own version to mock Islam when he dismissed two of Bangladesh’s batters.

A few months later, the celebration gained traction during the triangular Nidahas trophy, which also included India. When Bangladesh recorded their second win against hosts Sri Lanka, their entire team broke out into an overzealous “nagin dance” celebration on the pitch.

The night ended with shattered glass in the visiting team’s dressing room and nothing has changed since.

Every time both teams meet, there is no shortage of provocative placards in the stands and venomous celebrations on the field.

In ODI cricket, Sri Lanka have won 42 of their 53 ODI meetings between both countries, while Bangladesh have won nine. They also hold the upper hand in the ODI World Cup, four wins in five matches.

Sri Lanka have beaten Bangladesh twice in their T20 World Cup meetings, but the Bengal Tigers tamed the Lankan Lions with a two-wicket win in a thrilling match at the 2024 edition in Dallas.

Bangladesh’s team members perform the ‘nagin dance’ as they celebrate their team’s victory over Sri Lanka in the Nidahas triangular series on March 16, 2018 [File: Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo]

Afghanistan vs Pakistan

Afghanistan and Pakistan have been involved in a complicated geopolitical and cultural relationship for several decades and share a porous border that is often subject to violence and abrupt closures.

The political tensions have translated into a fierce on-field rivalry, especially over the past few years as Afghanistan have swiftly built a reputation as world beaters.

Several members of the early Afghan cricket team, including former captains Gulbadin Naib and Mohammed Nabi, picked up the sport while living in Pakistan as refugees during the decades of war and turmoil in their home country.

Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy in Lahore hosted the players for training sessions. Some of the earliest coaches of the Afghan team also came from Pakistan.

However, the historical tension between the countries has often come to the fore when the teams have met in recent years. Although Pakistan hold a 7-1 lead over their neighbours in ODI cricket and a 4-2 lead in T20 internationals, some recent matches have seen last-ball finishes that have gone Pakistan’s way.

Fast bowler Naseem Shah has been a consistent thorn in the Afghan side by twice taking Pakistan home when a loss seemed certain.

This mix of history and last-ball finishes has ended up igniting a fire in both sets of fans. Things got particularly ugly when Afghan fans vandalised the stadium and threw chairs at their Pakistani counterparts after losing a thrilling match in the 2022 Asia Cup. This came after tempers flared on the pitch when Pakistani batter Asif Ali angrily waved his bat at Afghan bowler Fareed Ahmad.

The Afghans famously beat Pakistan at the ODI World Cup in India in November, sparking wild celebrations on the field and back home in Afghanistan.

Both sides could meet in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup, should they manage to qualify.

Afghanistan’s Fareed Ahmad, left, and Pakistan’s Asif Ali, right, react after Ali was dismissed by Ahmad during an Asia Cup match in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on September 7, 2022 [File: Anjum Naveed/AP Photo]

Australia vs India

While these two of the sport’s “big three” have been playing against each other since the 1940s, the contest picked up traction in the 1980s and became a full-on rivalry in the 2000s.

Most of the heated exchanges and thrilling encounters have taken place in Test cricket’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy, especially since the famous Eden Gardens Test match in 2001 that saw India come back from a follow-on to win the match by two wickets.

A heated exchange between Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh and Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds led to the famous “monkeygate” scandal, which saw Singh get banned and then unbanned during the series.

India’s Yuvraj Singh celebrates as Australia’s Brett Lee walks by after India won their Cricket World Cup 2011 quarterfinal match in Ahmedabad on March 24, 2011 [File: Reuters]

In the Cricket World Cup, both teams have met in the knock-out stages of the tournament in recent years.

In 2011, India famously beat Australia by five wickets in a closely-contested quarterfinal to win the World Cup at home.

Australia returned the favour four years later when they eased to a 95-run win in Sydney and went on to lift their World Cup fifth title.Both teams opened their 2023 campaign against each other in a thrilling tie on Sunday in Chennai, which India won by six wickets after a rocky start to their run chase.

The overall ODI record of 150 matches still favours Australia, with 83 wins compared with India’s 50. The five-time champions have also won in eight of their 13 meetings in the Cricket World Cup and India have won five.

In T20Is, India have won 19 of their 31 meetings and Australia have won 11.

The two sides could meet in the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup 2024, should they qualify.



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Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh at T20 World Cup: Form, head-to-head, team news | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Who: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
What: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Group D match
When: Friday, June 7, 7:30pm local time (00:30 GMT)
Where: Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas
How to follow: Al Jazeera will have live text coverage of the match from 21:30 GMT.

After a heavy defeat in their opening match against South Africa in New York, Sri Lanka will be desperate for redemption in Dallas, where they face familiar foes Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 77 – their lowest total in T20 internationals – against South Africa’s pace attack on a tricky pitch, suffering a six-wicket defeat.

The result moved Sri Lanka to fourth place in Group D behind leaders South Africa, the Netherlands and Nepal, who have all played a match each. It also dented Sri Lanka’s net run rate, which stands at -1.048, and the island nation cannot afford to slip up again.

“We had a good chat with the boys and they have realised the mistakes they made,” Sri Lanka’s batting coach Thilina Kandambi told reporters on Thursday.

“They are experienced enough to come back in this game. We have spoken about it – a lot of things, how we are going to play up … I think boys are pretty much up for it.”

Bangladesh eye improved performance

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh share an inane rivalry. Over the past few years and competitions, players have mocked and sledged each other on the field, adding more spice and drama to this contest.

While Sri Lanka had a shaky start to the tournament, Bangladesh also have had a bad form in the shortest format this year.

Bangladesh lost comprehensively against title favourites India in the pre-tournament warm-up match and suffered a shock T20 series loss at the hands of a fairly inexperienced USA side before the World Cup.

However, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto insists they have put those losses behind them.

“It’s very true that the top-order batsmen didn’t do well or they are not doing well. But tomorrow is completely a new day,” Shanto told reporters.

“I think everyone is giving 100 percent in practice and if you talk about improvement, everyone is in a good condition.

“Everyone is in a better position than before. Without worrying much about what happened before, tomorrow is a new day, we don’t know who will play well or who will not.”

Shanto urged his players to “finish the game” once they get going.

“We are working hard. The batters have prepared themselves, if we can execute it, it will be a good match,” he concluded.

The result of Friday’s contest could play a big role in both sides’ odds of making out of the so-called group of death and qualifying for the Super Eight stage.

Sri Lanka won the title in 2014, while Bangladesh’s best finish has been reaching the second round.

Pitch and weather conditions

The Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas has hosted three matches, all featuring varied results. The first match was high-scoring, the next was low-scoring, while the third was an upset as the USA beat Pakistan in a super over after both teams scored 159.

The pitch is still expected to be good for batting. The weather is forecast to be fair with no rain.

Head-to-head

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have met 16 times in T20 internationals, with Sri Lanka winning 11 times.

Form

Sri Lanka lost by six wickets in their last World Cup encounter against South Africa. Before the tournament, they defeated Bangladesh 2-1 in a series in March and Afghanistan 2-1 in February.

Bangladesh lost 2-1 to the United States in a series just before the World Cup at the end of May, while they beat Zimbabwe 4-1 in a series earlier that month.

Sri Lanka: L W L W L
Bangladesh: W L L L W

Sri Lanka team news

Sri Lanka are likely to play Dushmantha Chameera in place of either Nuwan Thushara or Maheesh Theekshana, depending on conditions. Sri Lanka’s batting coach has said they will not make many changes from the team that lost last time.

Squad: Wanindu Hasaranga, Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka.

Bangladesh team news

Taskin Ahmed has returned after his hamstring injury, but Shoriful Islam, who injured his hand during the warm-up game against India, remains a concern.

Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

(Al Jazeera)

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USA vs Pakistan: What are the five biggest upsets in T20 World Cup history? | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

After USA record a historic win over Pakistan, Al Jazeera lists the five major upsets in the tournament’s history.

USA have pulled off one of the biggest upsets in cricket’s history by beating Pakistan in their T20 World Cup 2024 encounter in Dallas.

The win, which came in a super over after scores were tied after the regulation 20 overs, sent shockwaves through the cricket world and led many experts to believe that cricket may finally take off in the land of baseball.

Here are the top five upsets – in order of their shock value – in the 17-year history of the T20 World Cup:

1. USA beat Pakistan: 2024

The co-hosts had never played Pakistan in any format of the game before Thursday’s match. Ranked 12 places below the 2009 champions, the USA went into the match riding on the wave of their win over Canada in their opening match of the tournament. Pakistan entered the tournament on the back of a series loss against England.

Despite the contrasting forms, not many experts would have predicted a team of recently-turned-professional cricketers would turn the tables on one of cricket’s powerhouses.

USA’s squad comprises cricketers who played in India, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa and New Zealand until a few years ago. The country’s cricket infrastructure is not among the best, and the World Cup is being staged in the United States by the International Cricket Council itself.

None of that had a say on the calm and professional demeanour of the team USA players as they pulled off the shock in Dallas to launch the biggest cricket party in the USA.

Players of the United States celebrate after their win [Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo]

2. Netherlands beat England: 2009

The first – and only – T20 World Cup opened at the home of cricket at London’s Lord’s Cricket Ground with hosts England taking on so-called minnows, the Netherlands.

It all seemed to be going nicely for England when they posted a score of 163, which was considered well above par in the early days of T20 cricket, and the Netherlands lost their first wicket in the first over. However, the Dutch consolidated in the middle overs and a 60-run partnership between Tom de Grooth and Peter Borren brought them a famous victory under the grey evening sky at Lord’s.

Edgar Schiferli of Netherlands, second right, celebrates winning the match after Stuart Broad missed the stumps during their ICC World Twenty20 Cup match at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London on June 5, 2009 [Ian Kington/AFP]

3. Nepal beat Afghanistan: 2014

Nepal were making their debut at the T20 World Cup and had already registered one win over Hong Kong. However, Afghanistan were a team on the rise with several squad members playing league cricket around the world.

The likes of Mohammad Shahzad, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi and Asghar Afghan were in the playing XI that was dismissed nine runs short of the target set by Paras Khadka’s Nepal.

Nepalese cricketers celebrate after defeating Afghanistan by nine runs during their ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup match in Chittagong, Bangladesh, on March 20, 2014 [Bikas Das/AP Photo]

4. Namibia beat Sri Lanka: 2022

While Namibia had been around on the associate cricket circuit for many years, for them to beat the 2014 T20 champions and 1996 50-over World Cup winners was a mean feat.

The Africans posted a fighting total of 163 and then produced a stunning bowling display to rattle Sri Lanka. The island nation were dismissed for 108 in 19 overs to set off the celebrations for Namibia.

Namibia’s and Sri Lanka’s players shake hands after their T20 World Cup match in Geelong, Australia [Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP Photo]

5. Afghanistan beat West Indies: 2016

West Indies went into the 2016 tournament as one of the favourites, with T20 stars Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Daren Sammy in their line-up.

Samuel Badree left their spin-bowling attack as they restricted Afghanistan to 123, but the Afghan spinners had plans of their own. Rashid Khan and Nabi took two wickets apiece to send the 2012 reeling as Afghanistan completed a famous six-wicket win.

The West Indies went on to lift the trophy a few days later, making Afghanistan’s feat all the more incredible.

Afghanistan’s cricketers celebrate their win over West Indies in the ICC World Twenty20 2016 in Nagpur, India [File: Saurabh Das/AP Photo]

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Preview: Pakistan vs USA at T20 World Cup – form, head-to-head, team news | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

Who: Pakistan vs USA
What: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Group A match
When: Thursday, June 6, 10:30am local time (15:30 GMT)
Where: Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas, US
How to follow: Al Jazeera’s live text coverage from 12:30 GMT

USA will look to carry the momentum of their win in the opening match of the T20 World Cup when they meet an out-of-form Pakistan side in their Group A match in Dallas.

The co-hosts romped home to a seven-wicket win over their neighbours Canada, thanks to a belligerent knock by Aaron Jones, and USA’s captain Monank Patel believes his side can cause an early upset in the tournament by beating Pakistan on Thursday.

“It’s T20 [cricket], once we have good 30-40 minutes on the field, we can take the game away [from Pakistan],” Patel told reporters in his pre-match news conference.

“We have a vision to qualify in the Super Eight [stage] and want to focus on one game at a time,” he said.

The USA team comprises a mix of players, most of whom are of South Asian heritage. Jones, their hero in the first match, grew up in the Caribbean while they also have players who began their careers in South Africa and New Zealand.

Patel insists it is “good to have diversity” in the side but said they all come together when they plan for the USA.

USA will be wary of the challenge posed by the 2009 champions, especially their captain and star batter Babar Azam.

“Babar is a great batsman in all formats [of cricket] so his wicket will be really important,” Patel admitted.

USA’s strength lies in their experienced batting lineup but Patel said his side will face a stiff challenge from Pakistan’s pace attack, especially Mohammad Amir whom they will have to “tackle well.”

Amir, who is returning to a Pakistan World Cup squad after four years, said he wants to “chip in” with regular seamers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.

“I’ve come back to a great dressing room and we have very clear plans for each player,” Amir said in Wednesday’s news conference.

The 32-year-old, who was part of Pakistan’s title-winning side in 2009, said the team has moved on from their recent T20 series loss against England and are ready to start the tournament with a win.

“In World Cups, there’s no margin for error so we are mentally and physically ready to win.”

Pitch and weather conditions

The tournament’s opening match was played in Dallas and both teams were able to score in the 190s, which will be a good sign for fans who have been left concerned after the low-scoring encounters in New York.

The weather forecast is clear and sunny for the day match at the Grand Prairie Stadium.

Head-to-head

This will be the first meeting between the two sides in any format of cricket.

Form

Pakistan have had a mixed run going into the tournament, winning a T20 series away to Ireland but losing one against England last month.

USA will be brimming with confidence as they go into the match with a win in the bag and a 2-1 series win over Bangladesh last month.

Pakistan: L L W W L
USA: W L W W W

Pakistan team news

Pakistan will have to take a call on dropping experienced leg-spinner Shadab Khan to accommodate a four-man seam attack. They could also drop out-of-form wicketkeeper Azam Khan for top-order batter Saim Ayub.

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

USA team news

USA are unlikely to tinker with the XI that brought them their first-ever World Cup win against Canada.

Squad: Monak Patel (captain), Shayan Jahangir, Andries Gous, Nitish Kumar, Steven Taylor, Harmeet Singh, Corey Anderson, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Jessy Singh, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nosthush Kenjige



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Can out-of-form Pakistan find a way to win the T20 World Cup? | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News

The 2009 champions must overlook their chaotic lead-up to the World Cup and find form to have a shot at the semifinals.

Captain: Babar Azam
Fixtures: USA (June 6), India (June 9), Canada (June 11), Ireland (June 16)
Best finish at T20 World Cup: Champions (2009)

Pakistan enter the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 on the back of a tumultuous period on and off the field, and their former leading pace bowler Umar Gul believes the chaotic preparations will hamper the team’s performance at the tournament.

Pakistan, the losing finalists of the T20 World Cup in 2022 had a dismal run at the 50-over World Cup in India in November as they failed to qualify for the semifinals and their captain Babar Azam stepped down from his role.

Off the field, the country’s cricket board has been run by four different chairpersons in the same period, the coaching staff has undergone several changes and the current chairperson has handed the captaincy back to Babar.

To make matters worse, in the 18-month period between the two T20 World Cups, Pakistan have won only nine of their 25 T20 international matches. Their only T20 series win came against Ireland, who are ranked five places below them on the ICC T20 team rankings.

All of these issues have compounded to give Pakistan far-from-ideal preparation for the biggest T20 World Cup yet.

“You cannot prepare long-term plans when there are so many changes,” Umar Gul told Al Jazeera.

The former fast bowler who was the leading wicket-taker when Pakistan won their only T20 World Cup in 2009.

“Continuity at all levels, including the captaincy, is important as [frequent] changes disrupt the team’s unity and players’ confidence,” Gul said.

[Al Jazeera]

Pakistan’s two problems: Lack of role clarity, middle-over rut

Pakistan have played plenty of T20 cricket, including their home T20 franchise league, since the 50-over World Cup but have failed to find form and uniformity in their team selection.

The national team’s selectors brought back fast bowler Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim after convincing them to come out of their retirements for the T20 World Cup. In order to bolster the batting, the selectors also fast-tracked power-hitting batter Usman Khan, who had given up cricket in Pakistan and was on qualification pathway to play for the United Arab Emirates.

However, on-field success continues to elude them as they were blown away by England when they toured the defending champions for T20 series.

Gul, who played four T20 World Cups for Pakistan and is among the tournament’s all-time leading wicket-takers, believes Pakistan’s failures are down to rushed decisions and lack of role clarity

“The players must have been unsure about their spot and their role in the side because the squad was announced a week ahead of the tournament,” Gul said.

[Al Jazeera]

Amid all the chaos, Pakistan open their tournament campaign against co-hosts USA in Dallas on Thursday.

Their new coach Gary Kirsten, who linked up with the side before the tournament, will not have much time to sprinkle his World Cup winning magic but Pakistan fans would like to think otherwise and hope he helps the side pick up their scoring rate in the shortest format of the game.

Gul blames Pakistan’s lack of success on their poor batting and bowling during the middle overs.

“Pakistan’s run rate hovers around 7.5 but when we have done better in the middle overs, the team has posted 200-plus scores.

“When Pakistan bowl, Shaheen Shah Afridi bags wickets at the top of the order, but they are unable to get wickets in the middle overs.”

Gul is hopeful that Pakistan can go off on one of their logic-defying runs and make it to the semifinals – as they often do.

Gul’s three Pakistan players to watch

Saim Ayub: “Considering his high strike rate and great potential, Saim can be the X-factor for Pakistan.”

Fakhar Zaman: “When Fakhar gets going, he can win matches single-handedly.”

Shaheen Shah Afridi: “For his unrivalled ability to get crucial wickets from the onset.”

[Al Jazeera]

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From Ronaldo to Kroos: who will retire after UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany? | Football News

High-profile players and breakout stars are expected to dominate the limelight at this year’s European Football Championship.

But the monthlong tournament in Germany is also the final Euros – and in some cases, the final international tournament – for some of the greatest footballers of the 21st century.

Here’s a list of the top five players who are making their final Euros appearance at the 2024 event:

1. Toni Kroos

Midfielder Toni Kroos will hang up his boots forever at the end of the Euros as he tries to lead a fading Germany outfit to a dream championship on home soil.

In what is being called the German’s “last dance” at Euro 2024, it’s also his last chance to win a final trophy as Kroos has also just announced his retirement from club football with Real Madrid as well.

The 34-year-old had already retired from international competition in 2021 but reversed his decision after talks with national coach Julian Nagelsmann.

Known for his sublime creativity, vision and set-piece ability, Kroos was part of Germany’s all-powerful World Cup-winning team in 2014 and the 2010 squad that came third.

The central midfielder will step away from the sport as one of the most decorated players in history, having helped Real Madrid win an astounding 23 trophies.

Few would begrudge – or underestimate – the likeable Kroos capping off a stellar career by winning a fairytale European Championship trophy for the host nation.

Toni Kroos brings a winning mentality and leadership to a German side that is, unusually, not one of the strong favourites at the Euros [Kai Pfaffenbach/Germany]
If Kroos can guide Germany to a surprise Euro 2024 championship on home soil, he’ll be universally applauded as a sporting god in his country [Lisi Niesner/Reuters]

2. Olivier Giroud

One of the most underrated strikers ever, France’s Olivier Giroud will step down from international duty after this edition of the Euros, bringing an end to his 13-year journey with the national team.

Giroud, who is his country’s all-time top scorer with 57 goals in 131 appearances, said he decided to retire to “make way for the youngsters”.

The 37-year-old failed to find the net during France’s 2018 World Cup triumph at home – but scored an impressive four goals during their 2022 campaign in Qatar, where they lost the final to Argentina.

Giroud said he has no specific playing time expectations for the Euros but hopes to experience a deep run with France’s next generation of players in what is his final international tour of duty.

Once the Euros are over, Giroud, now very much in the twilight of his decorated career, will continue playing club football for at least two years, having recently signed with Major League Soccer (MLS) team Los Angeles FC on a free transfer from Italian side AC Milan.

France’s Olivier Giroud will cap off his incredible international career with a final go-around at Euro 2024 [Claudia Greco/Reuters]
Always a French fan favourite, Giroud wants to celebrate a final international triumph with victory in Germany [Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters]

3. Luka Modric

Croatia’s most capped player of all time, Luka Modric, will again lead the team at the Euros, which will likely be his last major tournament before retirement from international football.

Modric began his international journey with Croatia as an impactful reserve way back at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The 38-year-old is now in the final stages of a superlative career, and his X factor to single-handedly change the outcome of big games is slowly diminishing.

The creative midfielder’s club football career has just been extended after Modric signed a new one-year Real Madrid contract to keep him at the club until 2025.

Despite his age, Modric will still be a key player for Croatia at the Euros, orchestrating the attack and directing his team from the midfield.

After leading Croatia to a historic second-place finish at the 2018 World Cup and a third spot at the 2022 World Cup, Modric would love nothing more than to upset the titans of the sport and steal the Euro 2024 silverware in his last international hurrah in Germany.

Croatia’s Luka Modric will need to be pinpoint perfect in the midfield for Croatia to challenge for the Euro 2024 title [Antonio Bronic/Reuters]
Modric has been the heart and soul of the Croatian national team since the 2006 FIFA World Cup [Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters]

4. Manuel Neuer

The 2024 Euro championship is expected to be the last for Germany’s decorated goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who turned 38 in March.

Neuer has not played for the national team since the 2022 World Cup, where they were knocked out in the group stage. Unluckily, the strong, 1.93-metre (6ft-4-inch) German fractured his leg on holiday after the tournament and was sidelined for almost a year.

The Bayern Munich shot-stopper was expected to make his comeback for Germany during the international friendlies in March but picked up another injury in training, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen donned the gloves in his absence.

Despite being Germany’s first-choice keeper, Neuer will likely not play every match at the Euros as Nagelsmann has selected four goalkeepers in his provisional squad to spread the workload for his injury-prone star keeper.

But if Neuer shakes off the injury shackles and gets his opportunity at Euro 2024, the hometown German fans will get one last chance to cheer on the unique exploits of the “sweeper keeper”, who earned that nickname for his bold habit of roaming deep into the outfield to challenge attackers.

Germany’s Manuel Neuer will need to rise up from recent injury concerns if the host nation is to have any chance of defending against the Euro 2024 super teams [Annegret Hilse/Reuters]
Germany will rely on the veteran presence of Neuer and several other key players to navigate through the Euro 2024 group stage [Matthew Childs/Reuters]

5. Cristiano Ronaldo

After being called up by Portugal coach Roberto Martinez, Cristiano Ronaldo is set to play at the Euros for a record sixth time.

At 39 years old, it’s a remarkable achievement for the talismanic forward, whose athleticism and fitness levels have defied age – and he remains an important player for Portugal.

But the 2024 edition is almost certainly the last time fans will enjoy the “Ronaldo experience” at the Euros.

Ronaldo, the highest scorer in international football, will be 43 when the next Euros take place, making his participation highly unlikely. Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly holds the record for the oldest player at the European Championships at 40 years and 86 days.

Neither Ronaldo nor Portugal have addressed his international future, but given the demanding nature of a forward’s role, it would take nothing less than a miracle for a 40-something player to keep going for another four years until Euro 2028.

However, there is some potentially positive news for Portugal fans post-Euro 2024 – Ronaldo hasn’t ruled out competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Portugal fans will be hoping the 39-year-old Ronaldo still has the Midas touch for scoring goals at Euro 2024 [Pedro Nunes/Reuters]
Ronaldo will try to win a second European Championship title for Portugal in Germany to add to his Euro 2016 trophy [Pedro Nunes/Reuters]

You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated Euro 2024 tournament page with all the match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings and match results and schedules.

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T20 World Cup brings cricket ‘home’ for New York’s South Asian community | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

Long Island, New York —  On a cool Sunday afternoon in May, Anjum Sabar – captain of PakAmerica Cricket Club – watched on as his team batted against Hawks Cricket Club on a grassy field at Eisenhower Park in Long Island, New York.

The match – part of New York’s Commonwealth Cricket League (CCL) – was being played a stone’s throw away from what is now the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, one of the venues for the in-progress ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

As workers applied finishing touches to the purpose-built modular stadium – set to host cricket’s South Asian powerhouses India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – two teams comprising semi-professional cricketers of South Asian heritage played the game nearby.

Sabar, a 43-year-old businessman, migrated to the United States from Pakistan in 1998 and began playing cricket with PakAmerica a year later. Sadaf Sabar, his wife of 14 years, knows better than to ask him for a helping hand on weekends because every Sunday, Sabar heads out to different parks in New York to play the game he grew up with in Pakistan.

“Back home” cricket matches were always watched on the television at his family home in Sialkot, a northeastern Pakistani city that is renowned as the country’s leading sports equipment manufacturing hub.

“I have never been to the stadium to watch a match,” Sabar tells Al Jazeera while watching his PakAmerica teammates.

“We watched the game on TV and played it in the streets – like all Pakistani kids do.”

PakAmerica Cricket Club’s captain Anjum Sabar, left, watches the players on the field as Sarmad Khan, right,  holds up his bat towards the end of a match in New York [Sadef Ali Kully/ Al Jazeera]

Cricket fans – old and new

It is a similar story for many South Asian cricketers who now call New York home and play the game to stay connected to their roots.

For Sabar and his friends, cricket back home meant collecting money to buy tennis balls for their tape-ball games on the streets; running back and forth in chappals (slippers) as friends yelled “aik aur, aik aur” (one more run) from the sidelines and rushing back home before the evening maghrib prayer.

Now, those neighbourhood cricket matches come alive when the South Asian diaspora gathers in New York’s parks after a week of life’s rat race.

Back at Eisenhower Park, the PakAmerica vs Hawks CC game had an unexpected spectator.

Mike Niewender, a bemused 56-year-old from the affluent New Hyde Park village in Long Island, watched on from the car park.

“I don’t understand the game,” Niewender told Al Jazeera as he smoked a cigar leaning up against his heavy bike.

“I am trying to figure it out on my own before I see something on social media or read about it,” he said looking out towards the pitch.

“I drive out here every Sunday and watch the game. I came across the game last summer and now, I come here every weekend to relax on my Sunday.”

[Al Jazeera]

Keeping cricket alive in New York

Cricket has been around in New York for 44 years. The CCL came together in New York in 1979 and comprises more than 120 clubs, according to Long Island community leader Imran Pasha, who grew up playing cricket in Hyderabad, India.

He claims that “every type of cricket match” is played in New York. “From hard-ball to soft-ball to tape-ball to hard-tennis – everything.”

Now, New York is playing host to much higher-profile and higher-stakes matches.

Last year, the US bagged hosting rights for 16 of the 53 T20 World Cup 2024 matches, including, arguably the biggest one barring the final: India vs Pakistan.

Long Island’s modular stadium, which came together piece by piece over the past few months, can hold approximately 40,000 spectators. It is expected to fill up to capacity come June 9.

In 2023, the ICC had chosen a location in the Bronx to set up the stadium, but community members and local leaders raised environmental concerns and demanded a public review of an environmental study before the approval of the stadium. The approval would have had to go through a public review process which could have taken up to six months, prompting the ICC to move to Long Island, according to Pasha.

“Long Island has the space and the environment to host something as large and spectacular as the World Cup,” he tells Al Jazeera.

The 45-year-old plays for the Long Island Cricket Club in the local league. He has been working with Nassau County’s local subcommittee that liaises with the ICC on matters related to hosting the eight New York-based matches.

A software engineer by profession, Pasha is excited about the opportunities that the World Cup matches could bring for the local cricket community, as well as businesses across Nassau County.

“We work hard to keep the clubs as professional as possible through local sponsorships, trained umpires, kits, equipment, park permits,” he said.

“[These things] take time and money, but we come together and try our best.”

Pasha is banking on the World Cup to “change the dynamics of how cricket is received in New York”.

“The stadium alone has brought much-needed attention to the local clubs – attention they have been waiting and hoping to gain for some time.”

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium was constructed for the ICC T20 World Cup in Long Island, New York [Seth Wenig/AP]

Inspiring the next generation

Pasha, who is known in the local community for his honesty and hard work, hopes the tournament will have a domino effect on the local cricket scene.

“It could lead to [proper] scouting opportunities for team USA and organising inter-state matches – similar to how cricket is played in other countries,” he explained.

Others, like Neville Kunjravia, see the World Cup as a networking opportunity. The 34-year-old has been mastering the role of a cricket umpire for years and hopes that the ICC will take note. His dream is to umpire coveted matches, such as the World Cup.

He umpired the PakAmerica-Hawks CC match sporting a navy blue floppy hat – similar to the one used in cricket umpiring.

For Ali Zafar, who owns the only known cricket equipment shop – Zar Sports – in Long Island, it is a feeling of pride and excitement that cricket is finally coming “home” for him and other South Asian diaspora like him.

“The World Cup was always held somewhere else and I never had a chance to go watch a game or be part of the excitement,” he said.

The 38-year-old was not able to buy tickets for the games in New York, but he hopes the presence of the world’s biggest cricket players will “attract the younger generation to the game”.

“We all bring our kids to our [local] games, but that’s different from them wanting to join as players.”

Sabar, the PakAmerica captain, has high hopes pinned on the tournament, too.

“I really want to see younger folk have the same passion for the game as us,” he said.

“I hope they keep the stadium here for the local teams, so that younger generations get to enjoy cricket the way we do.”

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Ohtani’s former interpreter Mizuhara pleads guilty in sport betting case | Baseball News

Mizuhara pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $17m from the Los Angeles Dodgers player to pay off illegal gambling debts.

Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $17m from the Japanese baseball player to pay off illegal gambling debts.

The former interpreter for the Los Angeles Dodgers player pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud in a federal court on Tuesday.

Mizuhara pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum 30-year prison sentence, and one count of filing a false tax return, which has a maximum three-year prison sentence, according to the US Attorney’s Office.

US District Judge John Holcomb has scheduled sentencing for October 25.

Mizuhara’s hearing came hours after MLB banned a San Diego Padres infielder from baseball for life in the wake of another gambling scandal.

Major League Baseball said Tucupita Marcano placed 387 baseball bets totalling more than $150,000 in October 2022 and from last July through November with a legal sportsbook. He became the first active player in a century banned for life because of gambling. Four others were suspended Tuesday.

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Novak Djokovic pulls out of French Open with knee injury | Tennis News

The world number one suffered an injury in his right knee in the third round at Roland-Garros.

Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the French Open before his quarterfinal against Casper Ruud because of a knee injury suffered in the previous round.

World number one and 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic was due to play Ruud on Wednesday for a place in the last four. Djokovic defeated Ruud in straight sets in last year’s final at Roland Garros.

“I am really sad to announce that I have to withdraw from Roland Garros,” Djokovic wrote on social media on Tuesday.

“I played with my heart and gave my all in yesterday’s match and unfortunately, due to a medial meniscus tear in my right knee, my team and I had to make a tough decision after careful consideration and consultation.”

Tournament organisers had initially announced his withdrawal, saying an MRI scan earlier on Tuesday had revealed the full extent of the injury.

Ruud will now go on to face fourth seed Alexander Zverev or 11th seed Alex de Minaur in the semifinals on Friday.

The 37-year-old Djokovic had cast doubt on his fitness following Monday’s five-set win over Francisco Cerundolo, admitting he needed anti-inflammatory drugs to get through the match.

Djokovic blamed the “slippery” Philippe Chatrier court for the injury he sustained early in the second set of his 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over Cerundolo.

“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow or after tomorrow if I’ll be able to step out on the court and play. You know, I hope so. Let’s see what happens,” Djokovic said after his record 370th win at a Grand Slam.

“For the last couple weeks I have had, I would say, slight discomfort, I would call it that way, in the right knee, but I haven’t had an injury that would be concerning me at all.

“I was playing a few tournaments with it, and no issues until today.”

Djokovic had already been tested to the limit physically by a gruelling four-hour, 29-minute slog against Lorenzo Musetti in the third round that concluded at 3:07am (01:07 GMT) Sunday morning, the latest finish in French Open history.

His withdrawal from the French Open means that Jannik Sinner will become Italy’s first world number one next week.

“It’s every player’s dream to become number one in the world. On the other hand, seeing Novak retiring [from the tournament] is disappointing, so I wish him a speedy recovery,” said Sinner.

Sinner advanced to his first Roland Garros semifinal shortly after Djokovic’s exit from the competition, defeating Bulgarian 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov in three sets.

The Serbian star arrived at the tournament with his status at the top under threat from Sinner, who was guaranteed to supplant Djokovic if the latter failed to reach the final in Paris.



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