Category: Top News

Frank Lampard has silenced his critics by leading Coventry into the Premier League for the first time in 25 years, masterminding a promotion-winning campaign that rehabilitated the former Chelsea star’s managerial reputation.

Lampard’s Championship leaders clinched promotion on Friday with a 1-1 draw against Blackburn, sparking jubilant celebrations from the Sky Blues boss, his players and 7,500 Coventry fans at Ewood Park.

It was a cathartic scene for Lampard and his club after both endured painful spells in the wilderness.

Redemption was an emotional moment for Lampard, who wiped away tears of joy after the final whistle.

“Everything I’ve ever done in my career has been a point to prove to be honest. It’s been in me since I was a young player. You are always fighting against something,” he said in answer to his detractors.

For Coventry, the end of their 34-year stay in the Premier League in 2001 triggered a miserable decline.

The 1987 FA Cup winners crashed into the fourth tier in 2017 and were homeless for three seasons during a legal battle over their stadium.

They are finally back among English football’s elite thanks to Lampard, for whom being “sent to Coventry” has proved far more enjoyable than the quirky British expression meaning “ignoring someone” might suggest.

The 47-year-old’s appointment in November 2024 was a gamble by Coventry, given his chequered managerial career to that point.

It was not a popular move with Coventry fans, but Sky Blues owner Doug King was convinced Lampard had the experience and character required to succeed at a club in need of a fresh outlook after the sacking of long-serving boss Mark Robins.

“Frank cut his teeth in the Championship and knows what is needed in this league to be successful,” King said.

King’s hunch has paid rich dividends, with Coventry’s promotion banking an estimated £200 million ($275 million) in increased revenue.

The road to Premier League riches was paved with potholes for Coventry, and Lampard has had a rocky ride of his own to get back to the big time.

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Frank Lampard knew nothing but success during a glittering playing career with Chelsea, winning 11 major trophies and scoring a club-record 211 goals.

His managerial career has been more humbling until now. Lampard suffered a Championship play-off final defeat with Derby in his first season as a boss in 2019.

The prodigal son returned to Chelsea that summer, earning plaudits for the development of youngsters Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount amid a transfer embargo.

Chelsea finished fourth in Lampard’s debut season at Stamford Bridge, but he was sacked in 2021 after failing to win a trophy.

He returned to management with Everton and saved them from relegation in 2022, but that wasn’t enough to avoid the sack after less than 12 months in charge.

Back at Chelsea on an interim basis in 2023, Lampard lost eight of his 11 games. Reviving his reputation was far from assured at Coventry, who were just two points above the relegation zone when he arrived at the CBS Arena.

Crucially, the lessons of his managerial mentors resonated more with Lampard as he sought ways to improve.

“Working under Jose Mourinho was an incredible experience. He was very hands-on and emotional, strong tactically and in managing the group. Carlo Ancelotti was very calm and relaxed,” he told Sky Sports recently.

“I am probably somewhere in the middle. I also remember things I did not enjoy and try to learn from them. I aim to stay authentic.”

Less emotional and more willing to delegate than in his early days as manager, Lampard inspired a rapid turnaround that carried Coventry to the play-off semi-finals last term.

Determined to make amends for that near-miss, Coventry were the class act of the Championship this season.

It was a vindication of Lampard’s decision to gamble his career with Coventry.

“We came into a bit of an unknown when we arrived in a people carrier 15 months ago,” he said. “We’ve fallen in love and this is right up there with what I have achieved. I’m very proud to be the manager.”

READ: Coventry clinch promotion to end 25-year Premier League exile

Coventry secured promotion to the Premier League on Friday as the Championship leaders’ 1-1 draw against Blackburn ended their 25-year exile from the top-flight.

Frank Lampard’s side needed a point from their trip to Ewood Park to be certain of automatic promotion. They did it the hard way, trailing to Ryoya Morishita’s deflected 54th-minute strike before Bobby Thomas headed the priceless equaliser in the 84th minute.

Having led the Championship table for much of the season, the Sky Blues have wrapped up their return to English football’s elite with three games to spare.

“It was an incredible moment. This is what it’s about,” a tearful Lampard said in an emotional post-match interview.

“Coming here and getting a point at this stage isn’t easy. We had to see it out, and we didn’t know whether to attack again.

“Doing this after 25 years? Wow! Wow!”

Backed by 7,500 raucous fans crammed into the Darwen End, Coventry were below their best for long periods of a nervous display. But their performance will quickly be forgotten, replaced by life-long memories of the promotion party that followed Thomas’ glancing header from Victor Torp’s free-kick.

Supporters wept tears of joy when the final whistle announced their ascent to the Premier League.

“Amazing, amazing. I couldn’t believe it when it went in,” Thomas said. “It’s been a hell of a season. I feel like we deserve it.”

Now Lampard’s men can set their sights on winning the Championship title, with second-placed Ipswich 11 points behind with five matches to play.

“This is a serious, serious football club. I grew up with them as a top flight club but I didn’t realise,” Lampard said.

“To go and get promotion automatically as a non-parachute team with three games to go. These boys have managed to achieve something special and unique.”

Fittingly, Coventry’s previous promotion to the top-flight in 1967 was also sealed at Blackburn when Rovers drew with Bolton.

That was the start of a 34-year spell in the top tier before relegation in 2001 sparked a steep decline.

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Coventry plunged into the fourth tier for one season in 2017-18 and were even forced to play their home games in Northampton and Birmingham for three seasons due to a bitter legal battle between the club and their stadium’s owners.

The 1987 FA Cup winners’ rise back to prominence was initially piloted by Mark Robins, whose second spell in charge brought promotion from League Two and League One.

Losing the 2023 Championship play-off final against Luton stalled Coventry’s momentum and eventually led to Robins’ dismissal in 2024.

Hiring former England star Lampard as Robins’ replacement proved an inspired move as he revived his career following sackings by Chelsea and Everton.

Lampard led Coventry away from the relegation zone in his first season before losing to Sunderland in the play-off semi-finals.

Fuelled by the pain of that near-miss, Coventry embarked on a relentless march to promotion.

A 7-1 demolition of QPR and a 5-3 win at Lampard’s former club Derby in August established Coventry as the Championship’s dominant force.

Jack Rudoni’s assured presence in midfield, complemented by the goals of Haji Wright, Ellis Simms and Brandon Thomas-Asante, kept Coventry top of the pile as the promotion dream came true.

The Sky Blues’ success has also reinvigorated the Midlands city, according to Coventry’s Lord Mayor, Rachel Lancaster.

“It’s huge for Coventry football club and the fans, but for Coventry itself as a city, this has been massive,” she said.

Coventry owner Doug King added: “The fans have been starved of it for a long time and you can feel it.

“Twenty-five years is a huge amount of time. If you don’t bounce back you feel like it’s never going to happen.

“Getting out of this league is very difficult but we did it. We got the whole city together. I’m super proud of everybody.”

READ: PCB confirms Sarfaraz Ahmed as Pakistan Test head coach

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday officially appointed former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed as the head coach of the national Test side ahead of the upcoming tour of Bangladesh.

Sarfaraz will begin his tenure during the two-match Test series, part of the current cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

The opening Test is scheduled to be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium from May 8 to 12, while the second fixture will take place at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from May 16 to 20.

The appointment ends a prolonged vacancy in Pakistan’s red-ball coaching setup following the departure of Azhar Mahmood in October 2025.

Azhar had served as interim head coach since June last year, overseeing a home Test series against South Africa that ended in a 1-1 draw. With no red-ball fixtures scheduled until mid-2026, both parties mutually agreed to conclude his stint earlier than planned.

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Sarfaraz Ahmed recently guided Pakistan’s Under-19 side to the ACC U19 Asia Cup 2025 title and also served as mentor during the Pakistan Shaheens’ series against England Lions earlier this year.

During his playing career, Sarfaraz enjoyed notable success as captain, leading Pakistan to two ICC titles, the U19 World Cup in 2006 and the Champions Trophy in 2017.

The PCB also confirmed additions to the support staff, with Asad Shafiq appointed as batting coach and Umar Gul taking charge as bowling coach for the tour.

Asad featured in 147 international matches (77 Tests, 60 ODIs, 10 T20Is), scoring 6,188 runs, including 12 centuries and 36 half-centuries, while Umar featured in 237 international matches (47 Tests, 130 ODIs, 60 T20Is), taking 427 wickets.

Pakistan team management: Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Sarfaraz Ahmed (head coach), Asad Shafiq (batting coach), Umar Gul (bowling coach), Abdul Saad (fielding coach) Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Usman Hashmi (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Lt. Col. (r) Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur)

READ: Four uncapped players named in Pakistan squad for Bangladesh Tests

Paceman Blair Tickner took four quick wickets as New Zealand held their nerve to beat Bangladesh by 26 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match one-day international series on Friday.

Chasing 248 on a slow surface at the Mirpur stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, lost their last six wickets for just 37 runs and were bowled out for 221 off 48.3 overs.

Bangladesh were off to a shaky start after pacer Nathan Smith struck twice off consecutive deliveries in the third over, removing Tanzid Hasan Tamim (2) and Najmul Hossain Shanto for a duck.

Smith could have had another wicket when Saif Hassan edged one to first slip, but Henry Nicholls spilled a simple chance.

Saif made the most of the reprieve, scoring 57 off 76 balls for his second ODI half-century, and adding 93 runs with Litton Das to revive the innings.

Litton contributed a patient 46 off 68, but both fell at crucial moments.

Saif was caught while trying to pull Will O’Rourke, and Litton was undone by Dean Foxcroft’s turning off spin.

Towhid Hridoy kept Bangladesh in the hunt with a composed 55 off 59 balls, registering his 12th ODI half-century.

He shared a steady stand with Afif Hossain, who was out for 27 while attempting a big hit off Jayden Lennox.

With the required rate climbing, Tickner removed Mehidy Hasan Miraz before sending back Rishad Hossain and Shoriful Islam off successive balls in the 46th over.

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Tickner also got rid of Taskin Ahmed to ensure a fine win for the Kiwis with nine balls to spare.

Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers produced a disciplined performance to restrict New Zealand to 247-8 after the visitors opted to bat first.

Shoriful impressed on his return, removing Nick Kelly early and conceding just nine runs in his opening five overs.

Shoriful was drafted in the squad at the last minute to replace Mustafizur Rahman, who has a knee injury.

Nicholls anchored the New Zealand innings with a composed 68 and shared useful stands with Will Young (30) and Tom Latham (14) before falling to Rishad Hossain, who picked up two key wickets.

Foxcroft’s aggressive 59 off 58 balls and Nathan Smith’s unbeaten 21 provided late impetus to the New Zealand innings.

READ: Australia confirm schedule for historic Bangladesh white-ball tour

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has expressed deep concern and extended his support for former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran, who is currently in critical condition in the hospital.

Afridi shared an emotional message on the social media platform X, revealing that he had spoken to Zadran’s brother and was deeply saddened upon learning about the former pacer’s health.

“Had a heartfelt call with Shapoor Zadran’s brother today. Truly saddened to hear about his condition. You’ve always been a fighter on the field, and I know you’ll fight this too. Praying for your speedy recovery,” Afridi wrote.

According to recent reports, the 38-year-old has been admitted to intensive care following a serious medical complication.

Updates from family members suggest his condition remains extremely critical, with doctors closely monitoring his progress during crucial periods of treatment.

Zadran, a left-arm pacer, represented Afghanistan in 44 One Day Internationals and 36 T20 Internationals, picking up 43 and 37 wickets respectively.

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He also featured in franchise cricket, including the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), where he claimed 10 wickets in eight appearances.

Over the course of a career spanning more than a decade, Zadran played a significant role in Afghanistan’s rise on the international stage.

He was part of multiple ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squads and etched his name in history during the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, where he scored the winning runs in Afghanistan’s first-ever victory in the tournament.

READ: Novak Djokovic pulls out of Madrid Open

Former three-time winner Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the Madrid Open beginning next week as he needs more time to recover from a shoulder injury.

The former world number one and 24-time Grand Slam winner has not played since losing to Briton Jack Draper in the Indian Wells fourth round just over a month ago.

“Madrid, unfortunately I won’t be able to compete this year,” the Serbian 38-year-old posted on Instagram on Friday.

“I’m continuing my recovery in order to be back soon. Hasta pronto!”

The current world number four lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final at the beginning of February before hinting that retirement may be just around the corner.

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He pulled out of the Doha Open later that month due to fatigue.

He reached the fourth round in Indian Wells but then pulled out of the Masters 1000 events in Miami and Monte Carlo due to his shoulder injury.

He has played just two tournaments this year.

The news is another blow for Djokovic with time running out to be fit for the year’s second Grand Slam, the French Open, which begins in Paris in a month’s time.

READ: Australia confirm schedule for historic Bangladesh white-ball tour

Cricket Australia (CA) have officially confirmed their schedule for a historic full men’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh in June 2026, marking the first such bilateral visit in 15 years.

According to the board’s statement, Australia will play six white-ball matches on the tour, three One Day Internationals (ODIs) followed by three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), in a short but significant subcontinent assignment.

“Australia will end a 15-year gap between one-day matches in Bangladesh this winter with confirmation of six white-ball fixtures in the country in June,” the statement said.

The tour comes after Australia’s last full ODI series in Bangladesh in 2011, when they completed a 3-0 sweep in Dhaka, a series remembered for standout batting performances from Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, and Michael Hussey.

Their most recent T20I tour of Bangladesh came in 2021, where they suffered a surprise 4-1 series defeat despite a debut hat-trick from Nathan Ellis.

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A key development this time is a new broadcast rights agreement, which ensures the series will be available to Australian audiences, unlike the 2021 tour, which was not televised live in Australia.

“With the tour to also include three T20I fixtures, a fresh broadcast rights agreement struck this week will mean there is no repeat of Australia’s previous tour, which was blacked out to Australian viewers, making this the first men’s white-ball bilateral series in Bangladesh that has been viewable in Australia since 2011,” the statement said.

Australia’s ODI leg will take place at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, with matches scheduled on June 9, 11, and 14.

The T20I series will follow in Chattogram, with all three matches set to be played at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium on June 17, 19, and 21.

Australia men’s tour of Bangladesh 2026 schedule

June 9: 1st ODI, Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka

June 11: 2nd ODI, Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka

June 14: 3rd ODI, Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka

June 17: 1st T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram

June 19: 2nd T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram

June 21: 3rd T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram

READ: PCB, Cricket Australia in talks over white-ball series schedule in Pakistan

Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes Hugo Ekitike can come back even stronger from a ruptured Achilles tendon that has ended the French striker’s season and his dreams of playing in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Ekitike suffered the injury against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), on Tuesday as Liverpool bowed out of the Champions League.

The 23-year-old had scored 17 goals in his debut season in England after a £69 million ($93 million) move from Eintracht Frankfurt and was almost certain to make Didier Deschamps’s France squad for the World Cup.

“Devastating for him,” said Slot on Friday, with Ekitike expected to be out for at least nine months.

“Missing out on so many special moments, but he’s not the first and will not be the last player that experienced something like this at the start of his career.

“There are so many examples of players that came back even stronger, and that’s the challenge he has now.

“I’m 100 percent sure he will be one of those that in 10 to 15 years say, ‘maybe this injury even helped me to become stronger and become even more ready to perform even at a higher level than I did before’.”

The loss of Ekitike was also a huge blow to Liverpool’s hopes of securing a place in the Champions League next season.

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Slot’s men sit fifth in the Premier League, which will be enough to qualify, and enjoy a four-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea.

But Everton can cut the gap on their local rivals to two points if they win the first-ever Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.

Liverpool also still have to face Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa in their final six games of the campaign.

Alexander Isak’s return is timely for Slot, given Ekitike’s absence. The Premier League’s most expensive ever player made his first start since December against PSG. But the £125 million signing lasted only 45 minutes, and Slot said the Swedish striker is still not ready to play a full match.

The decision to splash out over £200 million on two similar strikers has been questioned, given Liverpool’s struggles this season. But Slot said that the injury problems suffered by Isak and Ekitike justified the club’s strategy in pursuing two number nines last summer.

“It’s nice to have Alex back, although we also know that he’s not ready to play 90 (minutes) yet,” added Slot.

“At least a good thing is that we signed two nines because there were a lot of people who were debating why we signed two nines.

“We thought maybe it’s smart not to be the only club in the world that only has one. Now all of a sudden that looks maybe quite good!”

READ: Canada T20 World Cup game under ICC scrutiny after corruption claim

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday that it is investigating Cricket Canada over allegations of match-fixing, including the team’s loss to New Zealand at the recent T20 World Cup 2026, hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The game in Chennai, which Canada lost by eight wickets, is under scrutiny following allegations of corruption highlighted in a documentary aired by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) on Thursday.

“The ACU (anti-corruption unit) is aware of the programme broadcast by CBC,” Andrew Ephgrave, interim general manager of the ICC’s Integrity Unit, said in a statement.

The documentary by the public broadcaster made wide-ranging accusations of corruption and poor governance against Canada Cricket.

In the Chennai game, suspicion is focused on the fifth over bowled by captain Dilpreet Bajwa during New Zealand’s chase, according to the ESPN Cricinfo website.

He started with a no-ball, bowled a wide, and ended up conceding 15 runs in the over.

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Canada scored 173 for four wickets in 20 overs, while New Zealand replied with 176 for two off 15.1 overs.

The ICC, the game’s world governing body, is also investigating a telephone call involving then-Canada coach Khurram Chohan in which he claims that senior board members put pressure on him to select certain players, it said.

“Governance matters in relation to ICC Members are considered by the ICC, where they fall under its jurisdiction, in accordance with the ICC’s standard constitutional processes,” Ephgrave said.

Cricket Canada said it was treating the matter with “utmost importance”.

“Recent promotional material alludes to allegations related to organized crime and match-fixing — issues that Cricket Canada takes extremely seriously,” the organisation said on its website.

“Where matters are raised, we are committed to reviewing them responsibly and taking appropriate steps as needed.”

READ: PCB, Cricket Australia in talks over white-ball series schedule in Pakistan

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in active discussions with Cricket Australia (CA) regarding the scheduling of Australia’s upcoming white-ball tour of Pakistan, with both boards working to finalise dates and venues.

According to sources, Pakistan are set to host Australia for a three-match One Day International (ODI) series, with the visitors expected to arrive towards the end of May.

The matches are tentatively planned between May 31 and June 5, with one fixture likely to be held in Rawalpindi and the remaining two in Lahore.

Australia last toured Pakistan earlier this year in January, when they featured in a three-match T20I series.

Following their Pakistan assignment, they are scheduled to travel to Bangladesh for another white-ball tour, with the first ODI there expected to begin on June 9.

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Pakistan, meanwhile, are gearing up for a busy international window. Before hosting Australia, they are set to tour Bangladesh for a two-match Test series, provisionally scheduled from May 8 to 20.

This will mark their first red-ball assignment since their home series against South Africa in October last year, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Looking further ahead, Pakistan’s schedule in the ongoing ICC Future Tours Programme (2023–27) includes a tour of the West Indies for a two-Test series in July-August, followed by a three-match Test series in England from August 19 to September 13.

Later in the cycle, Sri Lanka are set to visit Pakistan for a two-Test series in November, while New Zealand are scheduled to tour in March 2027 for another red-ball assignment.

READ: Bernardo Silva to leave Manchester City at end of the season