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علق خوان كارلوس أوسوريو المدير الفني لفريق الكرة بـ الزمالك على هزيمة ناديه اليوم أمام إنبي في المواجهة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

وتعرض الزمالك للخسارة أمام إنبي بهدفين مقابل هدف في المباراة التي أقيمت باستاد المقاولون العرب في الجولة الخامسة لمسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وتوقف رصيد الزمالك عند 8 نقاط يحتل بها المركز الرابع في حين رفع إنبي رصيده إلى 7 نقاط يحتل بها المركز السادس.

طالع | ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز بعد هزيمة الزمالك أمام إنبي وفوز بيراميدز على المصري

وقال أوسوريو في تصريحات خلال المؤتمر الصحفي عبر المباراة: “سيطرنا لمدة 90 دقيقة ولعبنا بشكل جيد ولكن خسرنا بـ كرة ثابتة”.

وأكمل: “حدث شيء من اللاعبين في الكرة (العارضية) ولا أريد ذكر أسماء محددة وسوف أتحدث معهم في الغرف المغلقة”.

واعترف المدير الفني للزمالك بالخطأ بسبب عدم اللعب بمهاجم صريح، مضيفًا أنه بعد التأخر بهدفين كان يجب أن يلعب بثنائي هجومي صريح لتعويض التأخر.

وأردف: “دفعت في المباراة الماضية بثلاثة مدافعين وأخطأت في التشكيل اليوم ولعبت بأربعة لاعبين في خط الدفاع واعترف بهذا الخطأ”.

واختتم: “مشاركة شيكابالا مسؤوليتي وأنا من يتحمل أداءه الجيد أو السيئ في المباريات”.

علق ناصر الخليفي رئيس نادي باريس سان جيرمان على موسم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم الحالي مع تذبذب النتائج تحت قيادة المدرب، لويس إنريكي.

وتعاقد باريس سان جيرمان مع إنريكي من أجل بناء فريق جديد، بعد رحيل ليونيل ميسي ونيمار والعديد من اللاعبين الآخرين لبدء مرحلة مختلفة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. صحيفة فرنسية تشن هجومًا عنيفًا على باريس سان جيرمان بسبب مبابي

🔴🔵 PSG president Al Khelaifi: “We have undergone seismic positive change at the club this summer, more than anyone imagined”.

“When you build new foundations, it takes time. You need patience and perseverance. Not to over-react”.

“We know we’re going in the right way”. pic.twitter.com/1pUzb1I8II — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 11, 2023

وتحدث الخليفي عن الأمر في تصريحات نقلها الصحفي، فابرزيو رومانو، على منصة “X”، وقال: “لقد مررنا بتغيير إيجابي، لقد أحدثنا زلزالًا في صفوف الفريق”.

وأضاف: “لقد غيرنا الكثير في الفريق هذا الصيف، أكثر مما يتخيله أي شخص آخر”.

وتابع: “عندما تبني أسسًا جديدًا للفريق، يستغرق الأمر بعض الوقت، لذلك نحن بحاجة إلى الصبر والمثابرة وعدم المبالغة في رد الفعل”.

وأتم تصريحاته: “أعلم أننا نسير على الطريق الصحيح بالفعل”.

ويحتل باريس سان جيرمان بعد مرور 8 جولات في بطولة الدوري الفرنسي المركز الثالث في ترتيب البطولة برصيد 15 نقطة وبفارق نقطتين عن موناكو المتصدر.

بينما يأتي الفريق وصيفًا في المجموعة السادسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا خلف نيوكاسل برصيد 3 نقاط بعد فوز وهزيمة.

Alastair Cook hinted that England would field both Stuart Broad and James Anderson in what could be a defining Test match for his captaincy

David Hopps26-Jul-2014There has never been a Sunday start to a Test in England, but the administrators have missed a trick by not following the old custom in one-day cricket of delaying the start until the afternoon so everybody had chance to go to church. Alastair Cook, a former chorister at St Paul’s, presumably still knows his ways around the aisles and might wonder if there is such a thing in the Church of England as payback time. If there is, he needs it now.This increasingly feels part Test series, part Shakespearean tragedy and, should that feeling persist over the next five days, it does not augur well for Cook. It is normally in Act III where the central character with many virtues begins to suffer for the flaws in his character, such as indecision, ambition or the failure to set a third man. If he does not somehow turn the third Test in his favour, it could become messy.That being so, this is no time for squad rotation. It is one thing to talk entirely logically about rotating your crop of fast bowlers to survive the insanity of seven Tests in little over two months. It is quite another to do it when you are 1-0 down with three Tests to play, when a run of 10 Tests without victory represents the worst for 20 years, and when England’s cricket media, and indeed much of the public, is on your back. Short-term thinking is the only way to go.Alastair Cook continues to put “blood, sweat and tears” into turning around his form with the bat•PA Photos

Looked at in isolation, fast-bowler rotation would mean there was a strong case for Stuart Broad to stand down at the Ageas Bowl. The rest would enhance his chances of managing the tendinitis in his knee and getting through the summer. And his presence in the next Test at Old Trafford will become even more important if, as is quite probable, James Anderson suffers a ban when the ICC disciplinary panel sits in judgment on his Level 3 charge on August 1, after his spat with Ravindra Jadeja at Trent Bridge.But Cook was admirably honest about the position England find themselves in. When you have the third most successful fast-bowling combination in Test history – their shared-wickets tally outdone only by Ambrose and Walsh and Wasim and Waqar (fourth if you include Pollock and Kallis) – you do not voluntarily split the partnership in a match that could define your captaincy unless you have an overpowering reason to do so. Especially when the Ageas Bowl has a reputation as one of the fastest, bounciest surfaces in England.”We are not in a position to rotate because we are not winning games of cricket, so we are picking the best XI to do that,” Cook said. “Clearly with the workloads the lads have had in the four Test matches, we are starting to see more thoughts of it because we are slightly into unknown territory.”We will do what we always do, which is to pick what we think is the best team and put all the circumstances into it – fatigue and all that kind of stuff. It is largely a physical thing. Each individual bowler will pull up fairly differently. But we are picking the XI that we think this week will be the best to win.”He was adamant that “Stuart Broad is fit enough to play this game”. As for Anderson, any fears that his mind might be more on his ICC appeal than the Test would be groundless. Anderson has finished both the Headingley and Lord’s Tests, against Sri Lanka and India, distraught at England’s defeats. The charge hanging over him just makes him want to play all the more.”It is obviously a distraction with that looming but he is a very senior, experienced guy who is hurting a lot,” Cook said.Chris Jordan, whose recent Championship performance for Sussex against Warwickshire countered the belief that he was stuck in one-day mode in the Sri Lanka Test series, has a strong case for a recall. Perhaps Ben Stokes’ blistered feet will be hurting (his abysmal batting run hardly helps his case) or Liam Plunkett might be held to be feeling the pace. It is hard to see how England can turn to Chris Woakes, so unproven, with the series at such a critical point – but if Plunkett is leggy, Woakes may also find a place.It is by no means impossible for Cook to turn the summer in his favour. His integrity and sense of duty should need no underlining. The former England captains, and others, who increasingly feel it is in the best interests of both England and Cook for him to step down, do so with considerable respect and would love to see him prove them wrong. Kevin Pietersen, the latest former England captain to call for his resignation, might feel more slighted, but by now he is just one more voice, the easiest opinion of all for Cook to shrug off.With each Test that England lose, the same questions grow in potency – and, for that matter, predictability. “I am desperate to carry on because I love being England captain,” Cook said. “It is a huge honour.”We know what we are at the start of. It is bubbling under but the longer it goes without a win it becomes harder and harder. I just have to stay true to myself and realise how good it will be if I can get through this as a person, as a player, as a leader, and take huge strides from it. If I don’t get through it, it is what it is.”I am putting in the hard yards. Sometimes you feel as if you are not getting the rewards. But that’s why it’s called Test cricket. Nothing will give me more satisfaction than scoring runs because I will know how much blood, sweat and tears have gone into it.”The summer has sharpened his taste for black humour. He praised the coaching staff and his team mates for their unity, and remains grateful for their support. “I think so, yes – unless they are lying to my face,” he said. It was a neat, and essentially lighthearted, reminder of human nature. It was not yet a disguised cry for help – although somebody will probably wonder whether it was.He has not made a Test fifty in 2014, during which time he averages 14.33, but sustaining him is the memory of a previous low spot in his career when he could not buy a run and was on the verge of being dropped. He felt in a much worse place in 2010 then he does now. “Sod it,” he said, and went out against Pakistan at The Oval with a desire to hit the ball.”I went in to bat that day thinking ‘I am going to be dropped anyway, I might as well play my way’. Think my first ball of that day against Pakistan was an awayswinger from Mohammad Amir which I hit through midwicket for four. I had a little bit of luck, a couple of nicks went through slips, and then a bloke threw it over the keeper’s head for me to get a hundred.”A career is again on the line. There is a lot of work to do before he gets into the realms of possible India overthrows. But this is not a good time for England captaincy changes – not in Test cricket at any rate. English cricket will be so much better off if he makes it.

كشفت تقارير صحفية أن نادي ليفربول فشل في حسم صفقة قياسية، مقابل 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني، لضم أحد نجوم نيوكاسل يونايتد خلال موسم الانتقالات الصيفي الماضي.

وكانت نافذة الانتقالات الصيفية قد انتهت في أوروبا، يوم الجمعة الماضي، حيث تعاقد ليفربول مع كل من دومينيك سوبوسلاي، أليكسيس ماك أليستر، واتارو إيندو وريان جرافنبرج.

ووفقًا لما ذكرته صحيفة “ذا صن” الإنجليزية، نقلًا عن “آس” الإسبانية، فإن ليفربول كان يتطلع إلى الحصول على خدمات اللاعب برونو جيماريش من صفوف نيوكاسل هذا الصيف.

وانضم لاعب خط الوسط البرازيلي إلى نيوكاسل قادمًا من ليون، في يناير من العام الماضي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ليفربول ينافس مانشستر سيتي على بديل محمد صلاح

ونجح جيماريش في تقديم أداء مميز مع نيوكاسل، وقاد الفريق إلى دوري أبطال أوروبا عن طريق إنهاء الموسم الماضي من الدوري الإنجليزي في المركز الرابع.

وأشارت التقارير المذكورة إلى أن ليفربول حاول التعاقد مع جيماريش من نيوكاسل، في الميركاتو الصيفي المنصرم.

وأفادت أن ليفربول قدم عرضًا متأخرًا لحسم صفقة جيماريش، مقابل 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

Shaun Marsh and Steven Smith demoralised the South Africans and in particular Graeme Smith, who had sent Australia in after vacillating over the decision in the lead-up to the toss

The Report by Brydon Coverdale12-Feb-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details0:00

Kimber: Shaun Marsh’s nuggety innings punished Graeme Smith’s error at the toss

As hunches go, picking Shaun Marsh for this tour was a biggie. He had averaged 25 in first-class cricket since being axed from the Test team in early 2012. He was the Sheffield Shield’s 34th highest run scorer this season. But whatever Australia’s selectors saw in Marsh that no one else did, whatever encouraged them to pencil him in at No.4 against the world’s best team, whatever inkling they had, it paid off on the first day of the series in South Africa.By the close of play, Marsh and Steven Smith had demoralised the South Africans and in particular Graeme Smith, who had sent Australia in after vacillating over the decision in the lead-up to the toss. His bowlers troubled Australia in the opening session and took three wickets before lunch but their threat level diminished as the ball grew older and they managed only one wicket for the rest of the day, far from a passable outcome.From 98 for 4 when Michael Clarke top-edged a hook to fine leg off Dale Steyn, the Australians had moved on to 297 for 4 at stumps, with Marsh unbeaten on 122 and Smith on 91, eyeing off a possible third Test century from four matches. Already the top order had bettered their first-innings efforts in all five home Ashes Tests, for 257 was their highest score at five down in those games. Their frequent saviour Brad Haddin will not know what to do with himself in Centurion.The Marsh-Smith partnership was 199 at stumps and the runs had flowed more and more rapidly as the day wore on. The second new ball only served to bring more boundaries for the two well-set batsmen, and the frustration showed on the faces of the South Africans as the shadows grew longer, not that they had created vast numbers of chances.Marsh’s only genuine life came on 12 when he cut Morne Morkel hard and Hashim Amla at gully put down a difficult chance. There were other nervy moments, including a miscue just over the head of a jumping Robin Peterson at cover on 57, a hook that narrowly eluded a diving Morkel at fine leg on 77, and a run-out chance on 83, but Marsh survived.He not only survived, he thrived. Strong when driving down the ground and through the off side, he worked plenty of singles through leg when the bowling was too straight. Most of his strokes were along the ground and he brought up his second Test hundred from his 174th delivery with a tickle to fine leg off the part-time offspin of JP Duminy, celebrating like a man who had been given a second chance at life, which in cricketing terms he was.However valid the arguments were against Marsh’s inclusion, they had become irrelevant. And if Shane Watson returns from his calf injury for the second Test, it will not be Marsh who makes way. At least, not unless his own calf problem, which appeared to hamper his running at times during his century, acts up. Not that he was the only man Australia had to thank for their solid scoreline at the close of play. Smith showed again why he now tops the list of Australia’s Test batting averages over the past year.Shaun Marsh repaid the faith of Australia’s selectors•Getty Images

As he did in his mature Ashes hundred at the WACA, Smith left the ball with fine judgment and waited for the bad balls to score from. He drove through cover with power when the bowlers overpitched and was also strong down the ground, bringing up his half-century from his 118th delivery with a punchy cover-drive for four off Ryan McLaren. Earlier, McLaren had bowled well on the greenish-tinged pitch but like his team-mates, the threat was blunted after lunch.Graeme Smith must have gone to that first break pleased with his decision to send Australia in, for his men had them at 83 for 3. His bowlers had just enough movement and, in the case of Morkel, disconcerting bounce. An over-confident David Warner, who had struck two boundaries in the first over of the game, played on for 12 when he tried to cut a Steyn ball that was both too straight and too full, and Australia were 15 for 1.That became 24 for 2 when Morkel came on. His first ball was a bouncer that struck Chris Rogers on the arm and the follow-up delivery was another short one that Rogers, on 4, could only fend to short leg for Duminy to take a sharp catch. The composure shown by Alex Doolan in his first Test was encouraging for the Australians; he punched a cover drive for four off Vernon Philander and cut another hard off Steyn.Generally, Doolan looked up to the task of Test cricket, but converting his classy starts has always been his issue at domestic level and on 27 he pulled McLaren straight to Robin Peterson at midwicket. Clarke, who shifted himself down to No.5 to accommodate Doolan and Marsh, reached 23 before he fell to a clear bouncer plan from Steyn, his top edge finding Philander running around at fine leg.At 98 for 4 shortly after lunch, it looked like smooth sailing for South Africa. But Steyn, battling a stomach bug, picked up no more wickets, Philander battled to find the swing and seam he had with the new ball, Morkel was handled more easily by Marsh and Smith, McLaren’s threat diminished and Peterson was treated like a part-timer, literally, for he and Duminy each finished the day with 0 for 34 from 10 overs.Graeme Smith must have walked off at stumps regretting the advantage he had given Australia with his decision at the toss. It will be up to him and his fellow batsmen over the next few days to ensure it does not cost South Africa the match.

تحدث بابا فاسيلبو المدير الفني لفريق البنك الأهلي عن التعاقد مع أيمن أشرف لتدعيم صفوف الفريق قبل بداية الموسم الجديد.

وكان البنك الأهلي قد تعاقد مع أيمن أشرف في صفقة انتقال حر بعدما أنهى الأخير علاقته بالنادي الأهلي بسبب خروجه من حسابات مارسيل كولر مدرب القلعة الحمراء.

وقال بابا فاسيلبو في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “أنا من اخترت أيمن أشرف قادمًا من الأهلي للتعاقد معه، وعيني كانت عليه عقب انتهاء الموسم”.

وأكمل: “كان لدي قائمة من اللاعبين الذين أنهوا عقودهم، وأعرف الدوري المصري جيدًا وجميع اللاعبين”.

طالع | أيمن أشرف: موقف وحيد أغضب كولر مني.. ولم أتوقع تلك النهاية مع الأهلي

وأردف: “لدينا في البنك الأهلي لاعبون يمتلكون شخصية قيادية، وأيمن أشرف يستطيع أن يلعب دورًا هام بخبراته الكبيرة”.

وأتم: “ليس من الضروري أن ترتدي شارة القيادة لتكون قائدًا للفريق، وشرف كبير أن أتولى تدريب النادي الأهلي يومًا ما”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Raí, diretor de futebol do São Paulo, admitiu o interesse do clube no meia-atacante Vitor Bueno, mas disse também que a negociação dificilmente será concretizada. A janela para contratações de atletas vindos do exterior fecha às 23h59 desta quarta.

– Mostramos interesse, fizemos esforço, mas dificilmente será concretizado. Muito difícil – resumiu o dirigente.

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Vitor Bueno está emprestado ao Dinamo de Kiev, da Ucrânia, até o meio de 2020, mas pertence ao Santos. O clube praiano precisaria aceitar reemprestá-lo ao São Paulo, mas condiciona isso a uma outra negociação: quer que os ucranianos fixem um valor para a compra de Derlis González, que está emprestado por eles ao Peixe também até o meio de 2020.

Vitor Bueno não tem jogado na Ucrânia e deseja retornar ao Brasil. Inclusive, veio ao país para tentar concretizar a negociação nesta semana, mas isso não sensibiliza o presidente José Carlos Peres, que disse ser um “problema dele”.

Match facts

June 27, The Oval
Start time 6.30pm (1730 GMT)Never mind Kevin Pietersen, what might sort of carnage might Hamish Rutherford unleash?•AFP

Big Picture

Kevin Pietersen was in the England dressing room on Tuesday evening and, all being well, he will return to don their flashy new red pyjamas and take to the field for the second T20 international against New Zealand on Thursday. In between he netted with his team-mates (and was excited enough to tweet about it) and although his contribution will be largely meaningless in the broader sweep of an Ashes summer, particularly after his strutting, unbeaten 177 for Surrey at the weekend, the sight of him in an England shirt for the first time since March will settle a few nerves.The question of who makes room for him was settled after Eoin Morgan was ruled out of the match with a minor hand injury. Before Morgan’s enforced absence, any of the batsmen would have been unfortunate to be dropped after all impressed as England narrowly failed to pull off their highest successful run chase in T20s.Morgan, who will now be replaced by James Tredwell as captain, joked after the first match that it would be Pietersen’s job to come in and win the second T20 and that would probably fit the bill for a partisan Surrey crowd, as well as England’s limited-overs coach, Ashley Giles. With Pietersen in the XI, England will also be able to rival New Zealand and Brendon McCullum for IPL glamour, in another sell-out match that comes a day after the launch of the domestic FLt20 in slightly more muted circumstances.For New Zealand, there is the opportunity for another series victory in England’s backyard after their ODI reverse. Over 15 contests in all three formats since early February, New Zealand have won five (three ODIs, two T20s) to England’s seven (two Tests, three ODIs, two T20s) and no neutral onlooker would begrudge McCullum’s team making it 6-7 after nearly five months of cricket in which the difference between the two countries has consistently belied the gap in the rankings.

Form guide (most recent first)

England LWLWW
New Zealand WLWLL

In the spotlight

From an England perspective, the spotlight is unlikely to stray from Pietersen for long but should a few photons be going spare they wouldn’t be wasted on Ben Stokes. The Durham allrounder made his first England appearance in two summers on Tuesday; his bowling stood up better than several of his more senior colleagues and although he couldn’t quite secure victory with the bat he showed his power with one towering six.Tom Latham was given an opportunity with bat and gloves and, one missed stumping apart, gave a good account of himself. His merry hitting helped sustain the momentum of New Zealand’s innings, he took a superb diving catch to dismiss Luke Wright, England’s top-scorer, and then managed to run out Jos Buttler at a crucial stage (possibly with the aid of a little luck). With BJ Watling’s injury and uncertainty surrounding Luke Ronchi, Latham has the chance to further his claims.

Team news

Chris Woakes’ evening ended after around ten minutes in the first T20 – his one over costing 19 runs – he might have made way for Pietersen’s return but may have earned a reprieve after Morgan’s hand injury.England 1 Michael Lumb, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Luke Wright, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ravi Bopara, 6 Chris Woakes, 7 Jos Buttler (wk), 8 Ben Stokes, 9 James Tredwell (capt), 10 Jade Dernbach, 11 Boyd RankinMcCullum suggested that Guptill would struggle to be fit for the second game and if New Zealand decide against risking further damage to his hamstring, James Franklin will get another chance as a pinch-hitting opener. Kyle Mills and Doug Bracewell are the other fast-bowling options in the squad.New Zealand 1 Hamish Rutherford, 2 James Franklin, 3 Brendon McCullum (capt, wk), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham, 6 Colin Munro, 7 Corey Anderson, 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Ian Butler, 10 Mitchell McClenaghan, 11 Ronnie Hira

Pitch and conditions

The pitch, situated towards the south-west side of the square, was exceptionally quick and bouncy, with one short boundary that both teams targeted to good effect. Morgan felt New Zealand’s 201 for 4 was ten runs below par, though a chance of rain on Thursday might dampen the prospects for a repeat.

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand’s win was only their third over England in ten T20s – and their first in this country.
• Since returning to England’s T20 side last year, Luke Wright has scored 346 runs at 31.45 and taken 10 wickets at 18.10. Before that, he averaged 15.43 with the bat and 36.50 with the ball.
• Hamish Rutherford’s 62 at The Oval was his first international half-century since making 171 on Test debut in March.

Quotes

“It’s very small margins especially in Twenty20 on a very good wicket. One blow and we would have won the game.”
“He got out first ball – that can happen.”
June 27, 11.45pm GMT – This article was updated with the news that Eoin Morgan had been ruled out of the match with a hand injury.

Angelo Mathews embarks on the Champions Trophy as a largely untested commodity. Can he use this platform to successfully secure his position at the helm and lead Sri Lanka to success?

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-May-2013Both on and off the field, Angelo Mathews gives few emotions away. There was a time when he was among the team’s most exuberant men, but experience, and the onset of responsibility, have seemingly dulled his zest for public elation. He is now equally stoic with a dozen microphones set before him.As Sri Lanka departed for the Champions Trophy in England, Mathews had little to say, aside from trotting out worn-out assurances that the side would seek to capitalise on its strengths, and had set its sights on the semi-finals as their first target. Four months into his tenure, Mathews is already proficient in the art mastered by all jaded captains – that of talking without saying much at all. Only, Sri Lanka’s problems in the approach to the tournament did not need vocalising. The IPL has laid them bare.Nine of Sri Lanka’s probable first XI travelled to India for the tournament, and only Thisara Perera and Sachithra Senanayake have returned with any semblance of form behind them. Of the three Sri Lankan captains, Kumar Sangakkara dropped himself from the side, mid-season, citing a poor run, while Mathews himself surrendered the captaincy when his own place in an ailing team became threatened. Mahela Jayawardene remained at the helm of Delhi Daredevils throughout the tournament, but the team finished dead last, with him having done barely anything with the bat to prevent it.Among the others, Tillakaratne Dilshan failed to fire in five outings, while Jeevan Mendis and Kusal Perera largely warmed the dugout benches during the last two months. Lasith Malinga meanwhile, who had been among the IPL’s safest bets in previous seasons, was as bipolar for his franchise as he has been for Sri Lanka in the last 18 months.Over the past week, the team has arrived piecemeal from across the Palk Strait and headed immediately into Champions Trophy training sessions, to join the six non-IPL cricketers who have been at it for almost a month.”I’m not really worried about our form,” Mathews said. “The IPL is completely different to what we will play now. We are professionals, and we know how to prepare for a tournament like this. The boys are pretty confident of themselves. The guys who were in India and Sri Lanka have all trained well, and there was a training tournament here. When we prepare for the Champions Trophy, we put in a lot of effort, and as a team we are ready for this.”Despite his optimism, Mathews will know the team has further to go than if they had all embarked on their flight to England with runs and wickets to commend them. However, there is also truth in his assertion that the Champions Trophy is a different beast. Alongside Pakistan, Sri Lanka have been the most consistent side at major tournaments in the last six years, making it to four finals in their last six ICC events. Their results leading in to each tournament have not always suggested they would progress to the final.On each of those occasions, the team has ignited at the beginning of the tournament, finding, as a collective, gears that elude them in many bilateral affairs. By the time the group stage is complete, they have been marked as favourites, and have ridden that momentum to the final, where vexing decisions and uncharacteristic nerves have hastened their ultimate demise.Chief among the reasons for their sudden surge has, in the past, been leadership. Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara matured as cricketers before they were handed the reins, and have proven shrewd as captains in major tournaments.Mathews may possess a steel temperament, but he has not yet shown himself as a canny leader, and his batting form is a law unto itself – failing abruptly just when formidable scores are beginning to cluster together. His bowling has been more consistent, and it is this that has helped make him a vital part of the Sri Lanka side since his arrival. He is yet, however, to truly establish himself on the international stage in the way that almost every Sri Lankan captain has before him.The Champions Trophy is his biggest assignment yet, as captain, and his challenge has been magnified by the state of his own game, as well as those of the side’s senior batsmen. If Mathews can stir up the familiar courage Sri Lanka teams have embraced in recent tournaments, he will emerge a secure leader, and repay the faith he has been afforded. If he cannot, he will remain a young captain on trial, with plenty still to prove.

The wage cap, which was US$2.5 million in the first three editions of the league, has been trimmed to US$2 million

Matt Roller02-Jun-2025The UAE’s ILT20 has cut team salary caps by 20% after avoiding a direct clash with South Africa’s SA20 in the 2025-26 season. Each team will be permitted to spend up to US$2 million on player salaries this season, after a wage cap of US$2.5 million in the first three editions of the league.ESPNcricinfo has learned that there is a belief among the six franchises that they have overspent on wages, and that many top players will still play in the league for slightly lower salaries thanks to a clearer window this year.The ILT20 will shift forward this season, running from December 2 until January 4, and will only briefly clash with the SA20. The two leagues have competed directly against one another for talent in their first three seasons, and ILT20 chief executive David White said a key reason to move is to enable the league to “access a bigger pool of players”.Related

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The league is also expected to move to an auction model for the 2025-26 season, after relying on direct signings in its first three years. ESPNcricinfo has learned that an auction is due to take place in September, with franchises in the process of working through their retentions in the meantime. Teams will still be permitted to spend an additional US$250,000 on additional ‘wildcard’ signings.The ILT20’s business model relies heavily on a long-term TV deal with Zee TV, the Indian broadcaster, and the league has been criticised for its low minimum requirement of only two local UAE players in each playing XI. Dubai Capitals are the defending champions, after Gulf Giants (2023) and MI Emirates (2024) won the first two titles.The ILT20’s decision to trim the wage cap could provide an indirect boost to the Big Bash League [BBL] ahead of its upcoming draft. The BBL has struggled to retain its leading overseas players in recent years, who have either left for the UAE before the knockout stages or skipped the league altogether, but will hope that the ILT20’s cost-cutting plays in its favour.