Latest news with #WorldCup
Business Recorder
35 minutes ago
- Sport
- Business Recorder
Smith to open for England in ODI series opener against West Indies
LONDON: Jamie Smith will open the batting for England in Thursday's ODI against West Indies at Edgbaston, captain Harry Brook confirmed on Wednesday ahead of the three-match series. 'He's got the strength to do so – the technique to be able to face the swinging ball,' said Brook, who takes charge of his first match since replacing Jos Buttler as captain. Smith, who will open alongside Ben Duckett, batted at three during England's disappointing Champions Trophy campaign, averaging a meagre eight with a top score of 15. He comes in at seven for the Test team. 'Baz (head coach Brendon McCullum] and I have this desire that he could be an unbelievable white-ball opener,' Brook said. 'I am not saying he has cemented his spot but he is going to get a good crack. He is such an immense player and can play the moving ball, as we have seen in Test cricket. There is no reason he can't bang it as an opener.' Former captain Buttler and all-rounders Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks are all in the side after returning from the Indian Premier League (IPL) while Joe Root is slated to come in at three with Brook at four. Pace bowlers Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson are all missing because of injuries but Brydon Carse has recovered from a toe issue and will be joined by Saqib Mahmood and Jamie Overton in the pace attack. Smith back at three as England rejig batting order for Australia clash England were de-throned as ODI world champions and then suffered a dire Champions Trophy within the space of nine months and Brook said it was time to begin a new chapter. 'Hopefully we can bring a lot of energy, competitiveness and lot of fun out there,' Brook said. 'We want to engage the crowd as much as we can and try to get some wins under our belt. I know lads have sometimes said that we don't care about winning but that's not true. Everybody hates losing.' England are ranked eighth in the ODI standings with West Indies ninth and with only the top eight, excluding hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, earning automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup, there is plenty at stake in the series. The second match takes place in Cardiff on Sunday with the third at the Oval on Tuesday.
Kuwait Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
Kohli primed to banish years of heartache in IPL playoffs
NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli can fulfil his dream of finally winning the Indian Premier League when the playoffs begin this week, desperate to banish the "heartbreak" of losing the final as captain nine years ago. Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru face table-toppers Punjab Kings on Thursday in Mullanpur after securing second place by chasing 228 to beat Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday. The winners go straight into the final in Ahmedabad on June 3. But even if Bengaluru lose that encounter, they will have another chance to reach the final against the winners of Friday's "eliminator" between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians. The 36-year-old Kohli recently retired from Tests having already walked away from T20 internationals after India's World Cup triumph last year. But the hunger to lift the IPL trophy still burns bright for the two-time World Cup winner, who played a leading part in India's 50-over Champions Trophy victory earlier this year. "I had two heartbreaks in my life in 2016," Kohli told Indian broadcaster JioStar. "First was the World T20 and then the IPL final." Affectionately known as "King Kohli", he has scored more runs than anyone in IPL history and is the only player to have spent all 18 seasons of the league with one team since its inception in 2008. He has been on the losing side in the final three times, in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but fans believe that it is an omen that Kohli wears number 18 on his shirt -- and that it will be 18th time lucky this year. He has been in vintage form as he pursues his goal: his 54 on Tuesday that set up victory against Lucknow was his eighth half-century of a season in which he has made 602 runs at an average of 60.20. Hazlewood return A delay to the season caused by the conflict with Pakistan means some overseas players will be missing from the playoffs including Gujarat's Jos Buttler, who has international commitments with England. But Australia pace bowler Josh Hazlewood returned to the Bengaluru squad on Sunday and is expected to play on Thursday, having left when the IPL was suspended on May 9. There had been doubts over his return because of a shoulder niggle and the playoffs clashing with preparations for Australia's World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's on June 11. Punjab will be without left-arm quick bowler Marco Jansen, who has left to join South Africa's training camp ahead of the Test showpiece. "Every team's missing players," Punjab head coach Ricky Ponting said. "We'd like to think we've got good depth, and be able to cover for Marco, despite it being a big miss." Five-time champions Mumbai, led by Hardik Pandya, seem to have been the worst hit by the extended schedule overlapping with the international calendar. They have lost England's Will Jacks and the South African duo of Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch for their eliminator against Gujarat. The Titans, IPL champions on their debut in 2022, have a formidable batting line-up even without Buttler. Skipper Shubman Gill, who has taken over from the retired Rohit Sharma as Test captain, and fellow opener Sai Sudharsan are the top two on this season's batting charts, with 679 and 649 runs respectively. Gill will take charge of India for the first time when they embark on a five-Test tour of England, starting at Headingley, Leeds, on June 20. – AFP
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Pekan blasts MFL on new foreign quota for M-League teams
KUALA LUMPUR: Sports critic Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli has slammed the Malaysian Football League (MFL) over its recent decision to increase the foreign quota for M-League teams from 12 to 15 players next season. He warned that this could harm local football and the national team in the long term. "I am saddened as a fan, former footballer and critic when a statement like this came out saying tha we increase the quota until 15, that those who cannot afford it, don't do so. Is that what we want in football?" "We sell BMW and Mercedes, and people come to see. But if you can't afford them, get out of the showroom and look at Proton and Perodua. "Is that what they meant? That is your problem if you cannot afford it. That is not healthy nor a good concept for our football." Pekan asked whether there was "genuine consensus" among the stakeholders, saying that that in any proper organisation, board decisions represent collective agreement, not a top-down mandate. "Was this agreed upon by all? Because if it's consensus, then yes, everyone follows. "But is it fair play when some teams use seven to eight imports, not counting heritage or naturalised players, while others have only three or four? "Is this 11 versus 11 on a level field? The setting is not fair. We cannot just make drastic decisions like this and expect everyone to comply." Pekan urged MFL to rethink its approach by tailoring the increased foreign quota only for clubs that are also participating in Asian competitions. That these additional foreign players be limited strictly to those tournaments and not used in M-League matches. He warned that the increased foreigners presence would squeeze local players out of matchday squads, severely limiting their exposure and growth. "If you have seven imports and two more on the bench, and all teams fill the quota, how many local players are left to play? Only four?" Pekan warned that relying on heritage players as a shortcut could cripple the national football in the long run. "If we don't develop our local talents, how will we ever produce players like the Japanese or Koreans who play in the World Cup? This is also about building our national identity, our jati diri bangsa. We cannot lose that," he said.
Ya Libnan
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- Ya Libnan
Mexico unveils Olinia, its first EV which will debut at opening game of the 2026 World Cup at the Azteca Stadium
Mexico's President, Claudia Sheinbaum , unveiled the Olinia project, the first Mexican manufacturer of electric microvehicles that by the end of the administration in 2030 , aims to produce three models priced between $4,500 and $7,500 . The assembly plant, which will combine public and private capital , will develop a personal mobility microvehicle , another for 'neighborhood mobility' designed for short distances , and one more for last-mile delivery , explained Roberto Capuano , project leader. In statements reported by the EFE news agency , he stated, 'Our goal is to launch the three models with a company that has public and private investment , that is economically viable, and has long-term prospects. For our first model, (the goal) is to arrive at the opening game of the 2026 World Cup at the Azteca Stadium in an Olinia .' Last January , the government formed a team of researchers from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) and the National Technological Institute of Mexico , which this year will have a budget of 25 million pesos ($1.25 million) to develop the model. The idea of manufacturing electric microvehicles , explained Capuano , comes from the fact that 70% of the Mexican population lives in urban areas , and 80% of them have daily mobility needs under 30 kilometers . With this project, the government seeks to boost the automotive industry , which accounts for nearly 4% of the national GDP and 20.5% of manufacturing GDP , more than any other sector. 'We see how in countries similar to Mexico, these vehicles are on the rise. In China and India alone , sales of microvehicles in 2023 exceeded 1.3 million units . For us in Mexico, microvehicles are the category with the greatest potential in electric mobility ,' argued Capuano . Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez , Secretary of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation , stated that Olinia , which in Nahuatl means movement , 'marks a historic milestone because it goes beyond manufacturing Mexican electric microvehicles . It has the potential to become a turning point for the Mexican industry .'
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Craig Bellamy relaxed over Man Utd youngster Gabriele Biancheri's Wales future
Cardiff-born Biancheri is eligible to play for Canada, where his mother was born, and Italy – birthplace of his father. The 18-year-old, a regular scorer for United youth teams, was part of Bellamy's training squad in Spain ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Biancheri was not in the Wales squad named on Wednesday for those fixtures with Liechtenstein and Belgium, with the player accepting an invitation to join Canada's training camp prior to June games against Ukraine and the Ivory Coast. 'I like people having options, it's healthy,' Bellamy said of a player capped by Wales from under-16 to under-19 level. 'He's not ready for our squad yet. It's something he'd like to go and have a look at, but I like to think we have done our work as well. 'He has been with us through the younger age groups, he knows what we are about and who we are. 'I don't think it ever hurts someone to have options and to go and explore them. I'm never against that. 'At the end the decision will be his. He knows where we are and where he is. He's not ready for first-team football with us at this moment. 'It's his decision. I've known him since he was very young and I know his family really well. Whatever he does will be the right thing for him, it's not a problem.' Canada boss Jesse Marsch has praised Biancheri and compared him to his highly rated Lille striker Jonathan David. The former Leeds boss told Canadian reporters last week: 'He's a dynamic player. He's very good around the goal. You can see he's an intelligent player. 'He's a version of Jonathan David. He's not exactly the same player but he's a striker that can play up on the backline and is also good at coming underneath and connecting plays and being part of the build-up phase. 'I've had good conversations with Gabe and his family. He has several options to think about in what country he wants to represent. 'I think it's really important that the family feels the connection to Canada.'
