Category: Sports

Brazil forward Neymar, who was diagnosed with a right calf injury in late May, trained at the fifa World Cup 2026 for the first time Tuesday in a sign he may be nearing a return.

The 34-year-old has been undergoing treatment since the squad’s arrival in the United States, but took another step in his recovery process as he was out running at Brazil’s training base in New Jersey.

Earlier, it was reported that the star forward Neymar could miss the remainder of the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stages.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti had previously expressed optimism regarding Neymar’s recovery but stopped short of putting a definitive timeline on his return.

Brazil’s all-time record scorer has yet to return to full training after missing the team’s opening 1-1 draw against Morocco on Saturday.

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Neymar has been an integral part of Brazil’s last three World Cup campaigns but there was some surprise at his inclusion this time as injuries have prevented him from playing for his country at all since 2023.

He has featured in just half of his club’s games in the Brazilian league, cup and Copa Sudamericana this year due to various fitness issues.

Brazil’s next game is against Haiti in Philadelphia on Friday. They face Scotland in their final Group C game in Miami on June 24.

READ: Ruben Amorim steps in as AC Milan’s new coach

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has opted not to disclose players’ central contract categories following an overhaul on Monday.

A day earlier, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi revealed the new framework during a press conference.

The revamped model replaces the traditional A, B, C and D categories with a five-track system that classifies players according to their role, format specialisation and stage of development.

Under the new framework, Track AB will consist of Pakistan’s premier multi-format cricketers who feature in both Test and One-Day International cricket. These players may also be selected for T20Is but will primarily be recognised for their contributions in the longer formats.

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Track A has been created specifically for red-ball specialists, with the PCB aiming to strengthen Test cricket by providing additional incentives and allowing players greater opportunities to participate in overseas first-class competitions.

Track BC will include core white-ball cricketers who form part of Pakistan’s ODI and T20I setup, while Track C is reserved for T20 specialists and franchise players, offering them increased flexibility to compete in domestic and international leagues around national commitments.

Meanwhile, Track D will serve as a development category featuring emerging cricketers identified through the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and Pakistan’s domestic pathway system.

According to the reports, the categories of the central contracts to be awarded to each player in the future will not be disclosed. The change is due to a matter of selection rather than a fixed public detail.

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The document reportedly says that the categories will be reviewed in each cycle, with one report quoting the document as saying: “The board will not disclose the number of contracts in each track. The count and allocation of contracts are decisions made each cycle and are not fixed public figures.”

The report further states that centrally contracted players are limited to a set number of domestic matches, depending on their category, as part of the board’s policy to make domestic cricket compulsory.

Additionally, the PCB has reportedly told players they will play five first-class and 10 List-A matches. The national cricketers have also been advised to make themselves available for domestic cricket if there are no international assignments.

READ: Women’s World Cup 2026: Sri Lanka stun New Zealand in memorable victory

Ruben Amorim will lead AC Milan’s bid to return to the Champions League after taking charge of the ailing seven-time European champions on Monday.

Italian media report that Amorim will be paid a net annual salary of 3.5 million euros ($4.06 million) over his two-year deal as he bids to improve the fortunes of one of Europe’s most storied clubs.

“There are ambitions that stay with you throughout your career, and coaching AC Milan has always been one of mine,” Amorim said.

“I know exactly what this club means: history, prestige and an extraordinary fanbase around the world.”

Portuguese Amorim returns to coaching six months after being sacked by Manchester United with a year-and-a-half left on his contract, a move which cost the Premier League giants £16.7 million ($22.4 million).

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He had attracted attention as a bright young coach at Sporting Lisbon but he failed to make an impact at Old Trafford and it was left to his replacement Michael Carrick to drag United into next season’s Champions League.

The 41-year-old will be tasked with a top-four finish in Serie A next season after Milan missed out on Europe’s top club competition on the final day of this past campaign.

Milan slumped to a shock 2-1 home defeat by lowly Cagliari and ended up fifth behind both Roma and wealthy upstarts Como who took the final two Champions League spots.

That result, which was preceded and followed by loud supporter protests against American owners RedBird, led to the sacking of coach Massimiliano Allegri, CEO Giorgio Furlani and the club’s sporting directors Igli Tare and Geoffrey Moncada.

Allegri is widely reported to be taking over at Napoli in the coming days following the departure of Antonio Conte.

READ: Women’s World Cup 2026: Sri Lanka stun New Zealand in memorable victory

SOUTHAMPTON: Sri Lanka sealed a narrow win over the defending champions New Zealand in the seventh fixture of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2026 at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka chased down a stiff 151 in 19.4 overs, losing five wickets in the process. The victory marked the first time Sri Lanka beat New Zealand in the Women’s T20 World Cup.

After a 45-run opening partnership, the Islanders lost their way in the middle as they slumped to 55-4 in 8.3 overs.

Captain Chamari Athapaththu looked good for her 27 from 19, including a six four fours, before being cleaned up by Bree Illing.  Nensi Patel also picked up two wickets, followed by two chaotic run outs that put them in dire straits.

However, Nilakshika Silva held the innings together with a match-winning half-century. She first shared a 54-run stand with Kavisha Dilhari, who made 17, and followed it up by adding an unbeaten 48-run partnership with Kaushini Nuthyangana (24*) for the sixth wicket.

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She remained the top-scorer with 54 off 37, hitting five fours and a six.

For New Zealand, Nensi Patel picked up two wickets.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, New Zealand posted 150-6 in 20 overs. The Whiteferns had a shaky start, losing their opener, Isabella Gaze, in the first over for four.

Georgia Plimmer and skipper Melie Kerr worked past the early blow, adding 49 for the second wicket. Plimmer scored 18 off 22 with the aid of two fours before throwing her wicket away cheaply in the ninth over.

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With New Zealand 53-2, Melie Kerr and Sophie Devine stabilized the innings, both scoring 45 runs respectively. The duo shared a 43-run stand off 26 balls for the third wicket partnership to take their side near the 100-run mark.

The stand culminated in the form of Kerr’s wicket, but Devine continued till the 18th over, ensuring that her side reached a respectable total. Devine hit four boundaries and a maximum in her knock while Melie Kerr struck five fours.

For Sri Lanka, Kavisha Dilhari remained the pick of the bowlers, taking two wickets in her quota of four overs while giving away 35.

READ: Joe Root reacts to reappointment as England captain

Iraq midfielder Zidane Iqbal is set to make history by becoming the first player of Pakistani heritage to feature at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The former Manchester United midfielder could achieve the landmark when Iraq face Norway on Tuesday, marking a proud moment for Pakistan.

Born and raised in England, the 23-year-old traces his Pakistani roots through his father and grandfather.

He shed light on his sporting journey in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport, revealing that he was surprised to learn he is of Pakistani heritage.

“To be honest, I didn’t even know it myself,” he told BBC Sport.

“I followed the account that posted it [that he was the first player of Pakistani heritage to play at a men’s World Cup] and sent it to my dad straight away. I think we were both surprised. When I tried to qualify for the World Cup with Iraq, I didn’t think of anything like this,” he added.

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He credited his Pakistani-origin father for playing a key role in his career.

“My dad is Pakistani. He’s my father, the man I respect the most in my life, who helped me so much in my career,” he remarked.

“I play for Iraq, grew up in England, but my dad was born in Pakistan. My grandad was a first-generation there, so I have a lot of respect for that side of my family.”

Iqbal also revealed that he wears the Pakistani and Iraqi flags on his shoes as a tribute to both sides of his heritage.

“I wear the Iraqi flag on my left side and the Pakistani flag on my right side,” he explained. “I think that’s because I respect both sides.”

Iqbal expressed hope that his achievement would inspire youngsters, particularly those of South Asian heritage, to pursue a career in football despite the challenges involved.

“I’m still young, but I’ll be the first Pakistani player to play in the World Cup, so hopefully a few kids that aspire to be a footballer will look at that and believe they can do it too, because football is a hard journey,” he revealed.

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He acknowledged that becoming a professional footballer is not easy and stressed that success requires commitment and hard work.

“I think if you ask any professional, it’s not easy at all, and everyone has their ups and downs,” Iqbal noted.

“A lot of commitment and hard work is needed. So hopefully when kids see people trying to be a professional footballer, or me, they see those of South Asian heritage or even of any heritage, that you can make it from any background, any area, wherever you’re from, any religion. Hopefully they see that, and it inspires them,” he concluded.

READ: FIFA World Cup: Ghana head to Canada court over Thomas Partey visa row

Serena Williams will play at Wimbledon for the first time since 2022 after the American legend was given a wildcard to play the doubles event with her sister Venus on Tuesday.

Williams made a sensational return to tennis last week when she won her first-round doubles match at Queen’s Club with partner Victoria Mboko.

The 44-year-old had not played professional tennis for four years after saying she was “evolving away” from the sport following the 2022 US Open.

But the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion was keen to play in front of her two young daughters and made the shock announcement of her return just prior to the Wimbledon warm-up event at Queen’s.

Serena Williams was unable to play more than one match at Queen’s after Mboko pulled out with an injury, but she is due to continue her remarkable comeback in the Berlin Open doubles alongside Karolina Muchova this week.

The Williams sisters are six-time doubles champions at Wimbledon, winning their last title on their most recent appearance together a decade ago.

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Following speculation that Serena would be tempted to play in the singles at Wimbledon, which starts on June 29, the American was absent from the list of wildcard entries into that part of the tournament.

After so long away, she had no ranking to secure automatic entry into tournaments, leaving her to rely on wildcards.

Williams is a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, but she hasn’t won a Grand Slam crown since beating Venus to win the 2017 Australian Open.

Her most recent Wimbledon singles title came in 2016, with her last four Grand Slam finals ending in defeat.

There is still one singles wildcard place for Wimbledon to be announced.

Williams’ return at Queen’s for her first match in 1,375 days captured the imagination of the sporting world.

Her decision to pick up a racquet in a competitive setting for the first time since losing to Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 US Open had sparked questions about the wisdom of the move.

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But it was like she had never been away as Williams produced her trademark thunderous serve and fearsome ground-strokes to the delight of a capacity crowd.

Five-time Wimbledon singles champion Venus has been beaten in all seven of her singles matches this year.

The 45-year-old, who plays only occasionally in the twilight of her career, won a doubles match with Katie Boulter in Madrid in April.

Elsewhere in the Wimbledon wildcard list, three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, who will retire at the end of the season, and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov were given entry into the men’s singles.

Maja Chwalinska, who reached the French Open final earlier in June, was handed a wildcard for the women’s singles.

READ: FIFA World Cup: Ghana head to Canada court over Thomas Partey visa row

Ghana’s government was headed to Canadian federal court Tuesday seeking to overturn Ottawa’s refusal to issue a World Cup visa to player Thomas Partey, who is facing trial in Britain on rape charges.

Canadian public broadcaster CBC reported the hearing was set for Tuesday morning, with Ghana pursuing an injunction application that could allow Partey to play against Panama on Wednesday in Toronto.

Ghanaian Foreign Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa has called Canada’s decision “high-handed and extremely unfair”, calling Partey “a key member of Ghana’s senior national team”.

Accra has sent an official “note of protest” to Ottawa over the move and formally asked Canada to review the decision, Ablakwa said.

Catch all FIFA World Cup 2026 live updates here!

Canada’s foreign ministry has not responded to a query regarding its response to Ghana’s protest.

Partey is a Villarreal midfielder who previously played for Arsenal. He made 167 appearances for Arsenal between 2020 and 2025 before his contract expired.

He has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022.

Ghana will commence their World Cup campaign against Panama in Toronto on 17 June, before facing England and Croatia in Boston and Philadelphia, respectively.

READ: England suffer major setback ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 opener

LONDON: Ace batter Joe Root remained confident after speaking for the first time since returning as England captain ahead of the second Test against New Zealand, starting Wednesday at the Oval. 

Speaking on the eve of the second test, Root revealed what it was like captaining the side despite never expecting to return to the role.

“I never thought I’d be sat here talking to you guys as England captain again. Zero chance… 0.1 percent,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

Root returns as skipper for the first time since 2022 after Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were left out of the squad following a nightclub controversy.

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Stokes and Atkinson were involved in an incident in a London nightclub after the first Test win against the BlackCaps. Following the incident, there were reports that the former would either be sacked or call time on his international cricket career.

Root remarked on bringing out the best in his side, noting that doing so would have a significant impact on his personal life.

“The only thinking that came to my mind is what is the best thing for this team, is it going to have a big effect on me and my personal life and which outweighed the other,” he said.

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He remained optimistic despite his poor record during his previous stint as England captain.

“The fact is it felt like it was the right thing to take this on, so I tried to make it as simple as that. I think I am in a very different place to when I finished.”

“To be captaining this group of players is a really exciting opportunity. It’s a game-by-game basis, I think. Let’s not look beyond this week,” he concluded.

It is worth mentioning that England managed to win only one out of 17 Tests before Root decided to step down as captain.

READ: England suffer major setback ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 opener

England have been dealt a massive blow as Tino Livramento has been ruled out of the FIFA World Cup 2026 due to injury.

Full-back Livramento’s injury comes just one day before the Three Lions’ opening match against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday. Chelsea center-back Trevoh Chalobah has been called up as his replacement and is on his way to the United States.

Defender Livramento injured himself during training and was in doubt for the mega event. After assessment by a medical panel, he was ruled out of the tournament. His participation was already in doubt after he missed the final five weeks of the Premier League with a thigh problem.

Catch all FIFA World Cup 2026 live updates here!

According to Fifa regulations, a player can be replaced in the 26-man squad up to 24 hours before that side’s first game of the tournament. However, the change could be only a name from the 55-man provisional player list submitted before the tournament.

Although Chalobah is not expected to play against Croatia, he is likely to play for the subsequent matches against Ghana and Panama.

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The 23-year-old Livramento was set to play as a back-up option for Reece James and Nico O’Reilly, who are set to be in the lineup for England’s opening fixture.

Meanwhile, Trevoh Chalobah has only played once for England since making his maiden appearance against Senegal last June.

Overall, the 26-year-old has played 34 Premier League matches for Chelsea this season, who finished 10th on the Premier League table.

On the contrary, Livramento has five caps to his name, and this was his first major tournament call-up. The defender was also part of the England side that won in a World Cup friendly against New Zealand 10 days ago.

READ: ICC penalizes Pakistan after India clash in Women’s World Cup 2026

DUBAI: ICC on Tuesday fined Pakistan 5% of their match fee for keeping a slow over rate against India in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Pakistan were reprimanded as they were one short of the target after taking time allowances into consideration. ICC match referee Trudy Anderson imposed the sanction with no need for a formal hearing after skipper Fatima Sana accepted the offense.

On-field umpires Claire Polosak and Jacquiline Williams, third umpire Eloise Sheridan, and fourth umpire Sue Redfern leveled the charge under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.

Article 2.22 relates to minimum over-rate offenses under which players are fined five percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

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India defeated Pakistan by 64 runs to open their Women’s World Cup 2026 campaign. After opting to bat first, India racked up 170-6 in 20 overs, thanks to Smriti Mandhana’s brisk half-century. Wicketkeeper batter Richa Ghosh provided the innings’ late impetus with a quickfire 34-run cameo at the backend.

In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 106 in 17 overs despite a positive opening start. Muneeba Ali remained the top-scorer with 41 runs.

For India, Deepti Sharma tore through Pakistan’s batting lineup, scalping a five-wicket haul.

READ: PCB unveils new central contracts system for Pakistan cricketers