The Indian board (BCCI) has introduced three new umpires to the ICC’s International Panel. Amish Saheba of Gujarat, Suresh Shastri of Mumbai and GA Pratapkumar of Andhra Pradesh will replace K Hariharan, I Sivaram and AV Jayaprakash in the panel for a three-year term with immediate effect, MP Pandove, the BCCI joint secretary, announced.Saheba and Shastri will perform on-field duties and will also be available for international games, while Pratapkumar will be the third umpire for matches at home. Pandove confirmed that the decision to revamp the entire panel was taken because the existing members did not make the ICC’s Elite Panel. “It was decided to encourage young blood and weed out old umpires who are found incapable,” a BCCI media release stated.S Venkataraghavan, who retired as an international umpire in 2003, has been appointed as the director of umpires by the BCCI. Pandove said that within ten days Venkat would elaborate on methods for improving the standard of umpiring in India. He added that all domestic matches from the Under-19 level and up would be recorded for better analysis: “The video recording along with the reports given by the captain and match referee would be considered to assess the performance of umpires.”Pandove also said the best umpires in the country will be under a contract. “By next season we hope to prune down the number of umpires on the BCCI’s Elite, All India and Ranji Trophy panel to 100. Of them about 20 to 25 will be given a contract. Those under the contract can focus solely on officiating and do not have to spend their energies on worrying about earning a livelihood.”Meanwhile, Venkat has recommended the appointment of retired umpires — both Indian and foreigners — to conduct refresher courses for umpires twice a year. He has also recommended the appointment of a coach from each zone who would assess the umpires on a daily basis. The BCCI will also conduct medical examinations of every umpire.
Pakistan could drop from fourth to sixth place in the ICC’s ODI Championship if they lose to India at Eden Gardens on Saturday. If they are defeated, West Indies and England would move ahead of them in the table.New Zealand’s recent 3-0 drubbing of Bangladesh in the ODI series confirmed their third-place status behind Australia and Sri Lanka. But New Zealand could move up to second if they manage to win two of their three one-day internationals against Australia, which commence at the beginning of December.In the ICC Test Championship, meanwhile, Australia’s conquering of the so-called “final frontier” of India moved them 19 points clear of second-placed England, while stifling India’s own chances of moving up from 105 points in the process. Like India, Pakistan have 105 points after victory in the second Test at Karachi helped to hold Sri Lanka to 1-1 in the series. But if the ratings are calculated to three decimal places, Pakistan just have the edge.For details of the ICC ODI Championship visit the ODI cricket page of the ICC website.For details of the ICC Test Championship visit the Test cricket page of the ICC website.
Bangladesh’s captain, Habibul Bashar, will miss next month’s ICC Champions Trophy in England, after it was revealed that he would be requiring surgery to repair his right thumb, which he injured during practice last week.Bashar received the news on Monday, after the Bangladesh Cricket Board had examined medical reports sent through by doctors in Australia. "We have received a verbal message that the thumb needs to be operated upon," said the BCB’s cricket committee chairman, Mahbub Anam. "We are still waiting for the written report which is expected by Tuesday morning."The news is a hammer-blow for Bangladesh’s already slim prospects in the competition, and it is widely rumoured that Khaled Mahmud, the deposed former captain, may be asked to fill the breach because of his previous experience of English conditions. Mahmud captained the Bangladesh Under-19 side in a month-long unofficial tour of England in 1989, and was later a star performer for Bangladesh in the 1999 World Cup, when he was named Man of the Match for his part in the historic victory over Pakistan.Other names in contention include Bangladesh’s vice-captain, Rajin Saleh, and the wicketkeeper and former captain, Khaled Mashud. Justin Cordy, the team trainer, said that Bashar would be out of action for at least three weeks after the operation, but should be back in time for the start of a hectic home schedule beginning from October with New Zealand’s tour.Bashar himself was philosophical about the news. "It is just one tournament," he said. "If missing it makes the future better for me, I have no problems with it. Injuries are natural for cricketers and we have to accept it as a part of life." His replacement has been named as Faisal Hossain, the left-hander who had been dropped from the side after a miserable Asia Cup campaign. There had been speculation that the unachieving young star, Alok Kapali, would be recalled, but he has been kept on the sidelines to work on his form.It is just the latest disruption to Bangladesh’s preparations. Earlier this month, the team returned from Colombo to find two-thirds of the country submerged by the heaviest floods for a decade, while the team’s final nets sessions were cancelled following a grenade attack at a political rally in Dhaka, in which 18 people were killed. But through it all, Dav Whatmore, the coach, is determined to remain upbeat."We won’t go on the field thinking we are going to lose," he insisted. "We’ll go out there thinking of doing our best. And if we continue to do that and if the players give their personal best performances, we are in a good shape to really push the opposition and take some wins. We have never changed that philosophy. All we all want is the right result, and that result is a win."Rabeed Imam is senior sub-editor at the Daily Star in Dhaka.
Finals Day for the Twenty20 Cup has become the hottest ticket in cricket with almost 25 per cent of the seats available to the general public sold within three days at Trent Bridge.When the tournament comes to a thrilling climax in Nottingham on July 19, it will be the first time a major domestic final has been played away from the game’s headquarters at Lord’s … and the move is generating tremendous interest.Both semi-final games plus the final and interval entertainment by top UK band Atomic Kitten are included in the programme for the price of a ticket and the Trent Bridge sales staff are delighted with the initial response.Sales and Marketing Manager Lisa Pursehouse said: “With a brand new competition like the Twenty20 Cup we were dealing with an unknown quantity so could not be sure exactly how the public would react.”But the nation’s cricket fans already seem to be extremely excited by the prospect of this new form of the game and as a result we’ve been selling tickets to people from all over the country.”To do that before the competition starts and without even knowing who the four teams competing on the day might be is a terrific achievement.”Anyone interested in reserving their seats for this great family day out is urged to move as soon as possible to ensure they can be accommodated in the most popular areas of the ground.Tickets for the Finals Day are priced at just £30 for adults for premium parts of the ground and £20 in other areas, while juniors under-16 who are accompanied by an adult pay a flat rate of £10.The Twenty20 Cup gets under way on Friday June 13 with all 18 first class counties competing in three regional groups of six teams who will play each other once.Group games will be played in the evenings between 5.30pm and 8.15pm and the three group winners plus the best runner-up will go through to the Finals’ Day at Trent Bridge.Seats can be reserved either on-line at www.trentbridge.co.uk or by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0870 168 8888.
Roland holder yesterday conceded that his first-class career maybefinished after his non-inclusion in a squad of 38 for a BarbadosCricket Association (BCA) year-round programme geared at preparingnational squads.”It would be correct to say that. If they haven’t selected me, itwould suggest that,” the 33-year-old middle-order batsman respondedwhen asked by the Saturday Sun if he reckoned his omission suggestedhis lengthy first-class career was over.In announcing the squad, which shows a bias towards youth, the BCAsaid the selectors would have the right to draft new players into theprogramme in light of good performances or recoveryfrom injury.The experienced Holder, who played with some success in 98 first-classmatches since his debut as a teenager in 1986, said he did not thinkthat was applicable to him.”If I am not going to be included in the 38, I don’t think I haveanything to prove to anyone,” said Holder, who scored 5 550 firstclass runs including 17 centuries at an average of 38.27.”If I am not in the 38, there is no need to compete for anything,”added the Barbados captain for the 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1999 firstclass championships.It was, he said, an honour to have played for Barbados.”I’ve always felt it is not your God-given right to play for yourcountry,” he said.”It is something that you have to work at and perform during theseason. It is an honour for someone to have consistently representedyour country for as long as I have and at the level I have performedat.”Holder, however, expressed disappointment that the chairman ofselectors did not personally contact him to inform him of his nonselection.In addition to Holder, other notable omissions are wicket-keeper CoreyGlasgow, batsman Sean Armstrong, all-rounder Antonio Mayers, legspinner Dave Marshall, fast bowlers Hendy Bryan, Dayne Maynard andPatterson Thompson.The emphasis on youth is reflected by the inclusion of 15 teenagersand at least another eight who are under the age of 23.The teenagers include eight Barbados youth team selectees for theforthcoming regional Under-19 championships captain Rohan Nurse,fellow batsmen Alcindo Holder and Kirk Edwards, all-rounders KenroyWilliams and Ryan Wiggins, along with fast bowlers Antonio Thomas,Ryan Nurse and Jason Bennett.Off-spinner Ryan Austin and wicket-keeper Patrick Browne, both inEngland with the West Indies youth team have also been included.The other teenagers are batsmen Jason Parris and Randy Thomas, leftarm spinner Anderson Sealy and pacer Ryan Best.The squad is expected to form the nucleus of players who willrepresent Barbados in the 2001 Red Stripe Bowl limited-overscompetition and the 2002 Busta Cup first-class championship.”The expanded programme is an important component of the BCA’s cricketdevelopment plan and builds on the Texaco-sponsored programme whichhas been in operation for the last two years,” the BCA said yesterday.”It is also a departure from the traditional approach of callingplayers to trials for a particular tournament and reflects the BCA’spresent policy of trying to develop a year-round programme to producerounded and effective world-class cricketers.”A programme has been designed to ensure physical and medical fitness,improve all aspects of cricketing and mental skills and teachappropriate areas of nutrition, injury prevention and management.It is also the intention to expose the squad to a whole range of lifeskills in an effort to prepare and create a modern, successful firstclass cricketer.The squad includes players who may be overseas on various assignmentsbut who are expected to the available for national selection.”It is also to be noted that all players will be assessed on an ongoing basis and must work to keep themselves in the squad,” the BCAsaid.
Manchester United are a club on the up under Ruben Amorim, but there are still a few issues that continue to plague him in his quest for success at Old Trafford.
The 40-year-old took the reins from Erik ten Hag last November, but it’s taken over 12 months for the players to fully adapt to the demands of his 3-4-2-1 system.
As a result, it required numerous players to take up new roles, but none more so than Amad Diallo, who’s been requested to operate in a deeper wing-back role.
The Red Devils do lack key depth in such an area of the pitch, but such issues look set to worsen as the Ivorian links up with his national team ahead of AFCON.
However, one other part of the field has also been brought into question over recent seasons, which could see added investment made during the upcoming January window.
Man Utd targeting move to sign European superstar
Over the last couple of weeks, rumours have certainly ramped up linking United with a potential club-record deal to land Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson this January.
The England international has been one of the Premier League’s star men in 2025/26 to date, but could cost a pretty penny amid his current £100m asking price.
However, Amorim’s men are not alone in their hunt for the 23-year-old, with local rivals Manchester City also keen to make a move for the youngster next month.
He’s not the only player currently in their sights ahead of the upcoming window, with Stuttgart sensation Angelo Stiller another option currently being considered.
The latest report from TEAMtalk states that the Red Devils are keeping a close eye on the 24-year-old’s progress and are considering making a move in January.
It also states that the German is seen as the most likely candidate to be pursued outside of any Premier League options, but it doesn’t state how much a deal could cost INEOS.
Why Stiller would be the perfect Bruno replacement
Bruno Fernandes has no doubt been United’s shining light over the last couple of years, as seen by his remarkable tallies of goals and assists in the Premier League.
Even in 2025/26, he’s continued his remarkable form in England’s top-flight, subsequently registering 12 goal contributions in his first 16 league outings to date.
However, his career at Old Trafford may now be in doubt, after he came out and claimed that the hierarchy wanted to sell him amid interest from Saudi Arabia in the summer.
It’s unclear how the club feel about his comments in the media, but they could well be tempted to cash in on the 31-year-old in the near future to regain as much of their £47m investment as possible.
Such a move could prove to be a risk given his remarkable tallies in the final third, but it could well be the last chance to make a profit on his services given his age.
The supporters would no doubt be alarmed if he were to depart, but they could well be about to land the perfect replacement in the form of German star Stiller.
When comparing their respective stats from the ongoing campaign, the Stuttgart talent has managed to outperform Bruno in numerous key areas.
How Stiller & Bruno compare in 2025/26
Statistics (per 90)
Stiller
Bruno
Games played
14
16
Goals & assists
4
12
Progressive carries
1.8
1.7
Progressive passes
8.7
8.3
Pass accuracy
86%
78%
Passes into final third
7.6
6.9
Take-on success
62%
36%
Recoveries made
6.1
5.8
Aerials won
45%
40%
Stats via FBref
Stiller has managed to register 8.7 progressive passes, with 7.6 of which being played into the final third per 90 – with both tallies higher than Bruno has managed to date.
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He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst achieving a greater take-on success rate – subsequently showcasing his dominance in possession.
VfB Stuttgart'sAngeloStillercelebrates scoring their first goal
Without the ball, he’s made more recoveries and won more aerial battles than the Portuguese international – leading to one analyst dubbing him the “most underrated midfielder in Europe”.
It’s unclear how much a deal for the German sensation would cost in the upcoming market, but it’s evident that he has all the tools needed to replace Bruno.
No Manchester United fan would want to lose their captain at present, but ultimately the club will certainly do what’s best for them from a financial standpoint.
As for Stiller, he has bags of time to develop further and become an elite talent and help the club achieve a new level of success under Amorim’s guidance.
Amad upgrade: Man Utd in talks "this week" to sign "unplayable" PL talent
Manchester United’s search for new attack-minded wing-backs appears to be stepping up.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKusal Mendis showed a lot of grit, but not in the minutes before the rain arrived•Getty Images
For the second time in the Test, Sri Lanka’s inexperienced batting line-up offered more resistance than expected, but New Zealand’s persistent fast bowlers supported by the safe gloves of BJ Watling ensured the home side made strides towards victory despite a bad-weather day in Dunedin. Rain and hail halted play three times at University Oval, and at stumps Sri Lanka had seven wickets left and 296 runs to get, with a better forecast for the final day.Brendon McCullum had given his attack 405 to defend and a little more than five sessions to dismiss Sri Lanka by declaring New Zealand’s second innings on 267 for 3 half an hour before lunch on the fourth day. The highlights of their quick run accumulation – 96 in 17.4 overs- was Tom Latham’s third Test hundred and McCullum’s record-equalling 100th six.New Zealand’s bowlers had to toil harder for wickets than their batsmen had done for runs. Play was halted either side of lunch soon after Sri Lanka began their chase but the openers’ approach was not affected. Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis batted with more confidence than they had done at the start of the first innings.Their partnership could have ended on 28, though, but Martin Guptill dropped a straightforward chance off Mendis at first slip, leaving the bowler Doug Bracewell in anguish. In Bracewell’s last over, Mendis had played a perfect straight drive and then was beaten on an expansive cover drive. Having been dropped on 13, Mendis had another reprieve on 25, when Watling could not catch a tough chance down the leg side off a gloved sweep against Mitchell Santner. Mendis collected two fours off the left-arm spinner, punishing long-hops to the leg-side boundary.Like in his first innings, Karunaratne was dismissed against the run of play, when he tried to upper-cut Southee but edged to Watling. McCullum had held Neil Wagner back until the 29th over, and the left-arm quick broke through in his third. Udara Jayasundera ended a poor debut by fending a short ball off his ribs to Watling. Sri Lanka had gone from 54 for 0 to 64 for 2.Dinesh Chandimal took his chances against Wagner after tea, slashing and driving outside the off stump. He middle some balls, was beaten on others, and edged a couple over the cordon. Wagner countered by targeting the body with a short-pitched attack from around the wicket, forcing defence from Chandimal.Mendis took fewer risks, his attacking drives through cover and past Bracewell involving straight bats, as he approached his maiden half-century. He did not get there, though. Three balls after surviving a run-out chance, Mendis pushed at an outswinger from Southee that pitched on a perfect length and moved just enough to draw the edge. Watling took his ninth catch, and moved within two of the record for most dismissals in a Test. It began to rain and hail immediately after the wicket, bringing an early end to the day.Play had begun under sunny skies on the fourth day, with New Zealand ahead by 308 and two batsmen approaching milestones. Kane Williamson got to his half-century off the second ball of the day, dabbing to square leg and sprinting the second, an indication of the urgency with which New Zealand would bat against little pressure from Sri Lanka.Latham was playing at balls wide outside off, looking to score swiftly, and on 73 he edged Nunwan Pradeep between the wicketkeeper and first slip. It was Chandimal’s catch but he did not move. Latham drove frequently through cover but a lot of his shots found fielders. Then he found the gap at extra cover off Suranga Lakmal to move into the 90s and pulled Pradeep to the long-leg boundary.Williamson fell before Latham got to his hundred. He had lofted Pradeep to the midwicket boundary, and charged and hit Jayasundera in the same direction, but when he attempted the shot off Dushmantha Chameera, the ball nipped in, hit his pad and bowled him. Williamson’s partnership of 141 with Latham had come at 4.36 an over.Ross Taylor glanced his second ball, from Chameera, for four and hit two more boundaries in his next eight deliveries as New Zealand sped ahead. Latham drove Rangana Herath through midwicket and celebrated a Test hundred for the first time since November 2014, ending a run of seven double-figure scores without making more than 50.After Taylor was bowled, aiming to hit Herath to deep midwicket, McCullum charged at his first ball and smashed it over the straight boundary. Five balls later, he swiped Herath over deep midwicket to equal Adam Gilchrist’s record for most sixes in Test cricket, but decided he did not have to break it in this innings and declared.
If Lord’s can somehow escape further rain there will be a positive outcome to this intensely fought match. England hold the upper hand after a dazzling century from Kevin Pietersen set India 380 despite RP Singh’s career-best five-wicket haul. Dinesh Karthik glued India’s chase together with a gutsy half century, but England have already removed Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, trapped lbw by Monty Panesar who nearly finished his celebrations in another postcode.The contest didn’t take a significant swing to either side until Pietersen exploded in the hour after lunch, taking 29 balls to move from 62 to his century, adding 119 with Matt Prior. He is never one to hold back, but there was raw emotion on display as he enjoyed his hundred, suggesting that he’d answered a few questions following recent reaction to his comments about fatigue. He also gave England a healthy advantage – only three times has more than 380 been chased down in a Test.India began more positively than in the first innings with Karthik dealing in boundaries for his first 20 runs and both he and Wasim Jaffer eager for the quick singles. Michael Vaughan, who has been at his most thoughtful and inventive as captain throughout the match, tinkered with the field and Jaffer obliged by clipping James Anderson to Pietersen at midwicket. Karthik might have gone in the same fashion next over, but Vaughan had pushed the man deeper and Karthik eventually reached his fifty, off 101 balls. He and Sourav Ganguly survived a few scares, particularly from Panesar, but posted a vital fifty stand.Dravid completed a low-key match with the bat, although was unfortunate with Simon Taufel’s decision after he was struck outside off stump by Chris Tremlett. The ground then stood, not for the outgoing Dravid but for the incoming Tendulkar. It was probably his final Test innings at Lord’s and a delicate early drive off Panesar and a more powerful repeat off Anderson suggested he wanted to finally leave a mark on the ground.But Panesar was already into a good rhythm, looping the ball nicely from the Nursery End and finding turn not only from the foot marks. However, it was a smart piece of deception that did for Tendulkar as, almost in a repeat of Panesar’s first Test wicket at Nagpur, he sent down an arm ball. Tendulkar initially shaped to leave and was struck in line with off stump. Steve Bucknor did the rest and Panesar was half way to the boundary before his team-mates caught up with him. After earlier witnessing an almost angry celebration from Pietersen, Panesar’s was sheer joy.Pietersen’s innings is worthy of match-winning status, coming as it did after England had wobbled against a sharp spell from Singh. Vaughan was swung out before both Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell fell to the short ball as three wickets went for 30 in six overs. Pietersen began the day on 15 and had to be watchful throughout the first session but two boundaries off Singh’s first over of the afternoon session showed his intent and he raced through the nineties by taking Anil Kumble to the cleaners. He cut a short ball to the cover fence, lofted a handsome six towards the media centre and reached three figures with a wristy flick through midwicket. The one-legged flick through midwicket also made an appearance and Pietersen’s few days of R&R appear to have worked wonders. Of the 205 runs England added, 119 came from Pietersen’s bat.
Prior played an important hand, remaining in Pietersen’s shadow except for the occasional reminder that he, too, can take an attack apart. The seventh-wicket stand, scored at nearly five an over, was exactly what England hoped Prior would bring to the side in such a position with a match in the balance. It took a cracking delivery from Zaheer Khan to end the stand, the ball moving late to take the outside edge, and Zaheer was on a hat-trick as Tremlett unluckily dragged on to complete a debut pair. However, India’s body language showed they knew the situation had run away from them.It was very different during the morning as, for the second time in the match, Singh’s switch to round-the-wicket caused Vaughan’s downfall. After edging a drive wide of second slip Vaughan got an inside edge as he drove again – this time the ball swinging in – and lost his off stump. Collingwood, after avoiding a pair, found himself in a tangle against Singh’s well-directed bouncer. The short ball has been used sparingly in this Test and Collingwood was slow to react, gloving to VVS Laxman at second slip as he tried to duck.Singh’s short spell with Leicestershire earlier this season didn’t set pulses racing with eight wickets at 31 in two matches. The past few days, though, he has caught England’s batsmen by surprise with his pace and has shown the ability to move the ball both ways. He dismissed Bell through a dragged-on pull, from a ball which didn’t bounce as much as the batsman expected, and returned to close the innings with the scalps of Pietersen and Panesar.However, India were still left with a daunting target. The loss of two key players made the task even tougher but they battled hard during the final session. All results are still possible and a dry final day is what this absorbing match deserves.
Kenya have recalled the opening batsman, Morris Ouma, for the one-day international series against Bangladesh that gets underway on Saturday.Ouma, who is also a reserve wicketkeeper, replaces Timothy Mwange, one of two youngsters who had been expected to make their international debut in Canada. However, neither featured in the Intercontinental Cup, nor the two one-day matches Kenya played in Toronto.The change is part of head coach Roger Harper’s desire to improve the run-rate from his top order, which has disappointedly failed to deliver in the last four international competitions.Kennedy Otieno Obuya, the struggling veteran opener and wicketkeeper, has retained his place despite heavy criticism for his poor batting during the disastrous tour of Bangladesh, where Kenya suffered a 4-0 series defeat earlier this year.Harper said Kenya, which has won six of the 11 matches they have played with Test-playing Bangladesh since 1997, would be looking to avenge the defeat.”This is a new series and both teams start from scratch,” said Harper. “In Bangladesh they had the advantage of home conditions. We expect to be able to perform a lot better in home conditions and we’re looking forward to being very competitive and really trying to turn the tables on the Bangladeshis this time.”
Brendon Kuruppu, a former opening batsman and selector for Sri Lanka, has been appointed interim team manager for Sri Lanka’s forthcoming tour to Pakistan. Kuruppu takes over on a temporary basis after Ajit Jayasekera, the manager for most of the last four years, requested a break.Sri Lanka Cricket is set to start a recruitment process for a two-year contract starting with Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand, and Jayasekera has not ruled out reapplying for the position. Jayasekera had excelled in the job, earning the respect of the team and the media, but the constant travel had become an increasing burden and he decided to spend more time at home with his six-year-old son.Kuruppu takes over having just returned to the island after a coaching stint in Singapore. Anura Tennekoon and Michael Tissera, both former Sri Lanka captains, had been the frontrunners to stand-in for Jayasekera. A senior board official has confirmed that Kuruppu’s name has been sent to the Minister of Sports for ratification.