Category: Top Picks

Former England cricket chief Andrew Strauss has warned that removing coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes will not be enough to change a “depressingly one-sided story” in Australia following another painful Ashes defeat.

Strauss, 48, was the last England captain to win an away Ashes series, when his team triumphed 3-1 in 2010-11.

Since then, England’s record has been pitiful; they have lost 16 and drawn just two of their Tests in Australia.

McCullum and Stokes are under pressure after the visitors went 3-0 down in the series on Sunday, with two matches still to play.

But Strauss, England’s director of cricket from 2015 to 2018, has urged those within the game to avoid knee-jerk responses.

In the aftermath of England’s previous defeat in Australia, a 4-0 loss in 2021-22, Strauss led a high-performance review of the domestic game.

His eventual report made numerous suggestions, including cutting the number of first-class matches, restructuring the domestic game and focusing on incentivising elite player development, but they were largely thrown out by the English counties.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Although he made no reference to the review in a wide-ranging post on the social network LinkedIn on Monday, Andrew Strauss appears to be arguing for a fresh look at such proposals.

“So there it is, another ambitious set of England cricketers made the journey to Australia, full of hope and optimism, only for their dreams to come crashing down around them after only 11 days of cricket,” he wrote.

“McCullum and Stokes will come under extreme scrutiny for the decisions they took in preparation for this tour in the same way that (Ashley) Giles and (Chris) Silverwood did after the last tour. And Andy Flower after 2013/14 and Duncan Fletcher after 2006/07.”

He added, “While they will know that this goes with the territory, none of the above are responsible for England losing so incredibly consistently in Australia since 1986/87.

“We have been badly mauled time after time over there because Australia are a better team, served by a better high-performance system.

“If we are genuinely serious about changing this depressingly one-sided story, then we need to look beyond sacking England coaches and captains and ask whether we are genuinely willing to make the changes necessary to break the trend.”

READ: Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon ruled out of remainder of Ashes

Mohamed Salah scored in added time to snatch a 2-1 victory for record seven-time champions Egypt over lowly ranked Zimbabwe in an Africa Cup of Nations Group B thriller in Agadir on Monday.

Salah came to Morocco after not starting in five consecutive Liverpool matches, with his omission leading to an outburst against manager Arne Slot.

But his uncertain future at Anfield was forgotten as he pounced on a loose ball inside the box and beat 40-year-old Zimbabwe goalkeeper Washington Arubi with a perfectly placed shot into the corner.

What was expected to be a comfortable start for Egypt in Group B proved anything but as Prince Dube gave Zimbabwe a 20th-minute lead, they retained it until Omar Marmoush equalised after 63 minutes.

Victory leaves Egypt level on three points after the first series of group matches with South Africa, who beat Angola 2-1 in Marrakesh earlier.

Egypt were quick to apply pressure, forcing all 11 Zimbabweans to retreat deep into their half at the 40,000-seat stadium in the southern coastal city.

Salah delivered a dangerous cross that did not bear fruit, then had a close-range shot blocked as the Pharaohs laid siege to the Warriors’ goalmouth.

Then, 20 minutes into the first half, Zimbabwe silenced the largely Egypt-supporting crowd by taking the lead.

Emmanuel Jalai crossed into the box, Dube won possession, turned and fired a low shot past veteran goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy into the corner of the net.

It could have been even worse for Egypt as the ball ran loose in their six-yard area soon after, before El Shenawy finally grasped it.

Egypt coach and former star Hossam Hassan grew increasingly frustrated on the touchline as he shouted instructions.

There was a moment of hope for the former champions when Marmoush beat an offside trap, but Arubi dashed out of his area, won the race for possession and cleared.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Marmoush went close as half-time drew near, unleashing a long-range shot that produced a superb finger-tip save from Arubi.

As the frustration of the Egyptians grew, former Aston Villa striker Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan took a dive inside the box and was yellow-carded by the Senegalese referee.

Mohamed Salah was in perpetual motion and had a half-chance in added time at the end of the opening half, but Zimbabwe blocked his attempt.

The second half was a repeat of the first, with endless Egyptian pressure and heroic Zimbabwean defending.

After several near misses, Egypt levelled on 63 minutes when Marmoush got behind the defence, picked up a pass, darted forward and slammed the ball into the net from a tight angle.

Salah found himself one-on-one with a defender 12 minutes from the end of regular time, but his hurried shot flew over. Then came his added-time winner.

Ahead of the match, Salah had shown no signs of being distracted by the uncertainty surrounding his future at Liverpool, according to Hassan, an AFCON winner as a player.

“I feel his motivation is very, very strong. Salah is an icon and will remain so. He is one of the best players in the world, and I support him in everything he does,” said Hassan.

Salah did not start any of the last five Liverpool games before the AFCON, and things came to a head following a Premier League draw at Leeds United when he claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by Slot.

That suggested a move away from the troubled league champions during the January transfer window was a real possibility.

Salah wants to lead Egypt to a record-extending eighth AFCON title. He has never won the continental title, coming closest by being part of the teams that were runners-up in 2017 and 2022.

READ: Napoli beat Bologna to lift Italian Super Cup

Napoli won the Italian Super Cup on Monday as David Neres scored twice to secure the reigning Serie A champions a 2-0 win over Bologna in the final in Jeddah.

Brazilian winger Neres curled in a brilliant shot from distance to give Napoli the lead before half-time against last season’s Italian Cup winners.

He struck again in the second half after intercepting a weak pass from Bologna goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia as he tried to play out from the back.

Neres finished with three goals in the Super Cup after also scoring in the 2-0 semi-final win over AC Milan last week.

It is the third time Napoli have won the competition, after 1990 and 2014.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“The lads deserve congratulations,” Napoli coach Antonio Conte told Sport Mediaset.

“They showed how much they wanted this trophy for the fans, and we’ll also have a great Christmas celebration now with a new trophy in the cabinet.”

Traditionally featuring the Serie A and Italian Cup champions, since 2023, the Italian Super Cup has also included the runners-up from league and cup.

The four-team tournament is contracted to be held in Saudi Arabia until 2029.

Napoli, who trail Serie A leaders Inter Milan by two points, return to league action on Sunday away to Cremonese. Bologna are at home to Sassuolo.

READ: Neymar undergoes surgery ahead of 2026 World Cup

Australia skipper Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon were on Tuesday ruled out of the final two Ashes Tests against England, with the veteran spinner facing surgery and an extended period on the sidelines.

Quick bowler Jhye Richardson and spinner Todd Murphy were named as cover in a 15-man squad for the fourth Test starting on Friday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Australia have already retained the famous urn with eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane and an 82-run victory in Adelaide.

Cummins “won’t play any part in the rest of the series”, coach Andrew McDonald told cricket.com.au.

He returned from a lower back injury to lead Australia to victory in Adelaide in his first Test since July, taking six wickets in the match.

“That was a discussion that we had a long time ago about his return. Yeah, we were taking on some risk. We’ve now won the series, and that was the goal,” said McDonald.

Cummins will now target full fitness for the month-long Twenty20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, starting in early February.

“To position him for further risk and jeopardise him long term is not something that we want to do,” said McDonald.

“Pat’s really comfortable with that. If he had any setback in the build-in as well, we would have shut him down straight away.”

Steve Smith, who captained the team in Cummins’ absence during the first two Tests, will lead the side again in Melbourne after missing Adelaide with vertigo symptoms.

Usman Khawaja replaced Smith at number four in the Adelaide Test, scoring 82 and 40.

Lyon, 38, damaged his right hamstring saving a boundary on day five in Adelaide, fielding and hobbled off.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He claimed his 564th wicket in the match to move clear of fellow Australian great Glenn McGrath and into sixth on the all-time Test bowling list.

“Nathan Lyon will have surgery on a torn right hamstring, which will sideline him for an extended period,” Cricket Australia said.

Lyon’s replacement, Murphy, is in line to play his first home Test. His seven previous appearances for Australia all came overseas. His last was in Sri Lanka earlier this year.

Richardson was included after a four-year Test absence, during which he underwent three shoulder surgeries.

Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc are likely to lead the seam attack after recovering well from Adelaide, with Michael Neser, Brendan Doggett and Richardson battling to join them.

McDonald paid tribute to 35-year-old Starc, who has sent down close to 100 overs in the series so far and remains in good shape.

“Starc’s amazing. He’s pulled up fine,” McDonald said of the leading bowler in the series.

Starc has taken 22 wickets in the three Ashes Tests so far at an average of 17.04, including a career best innings return of 7-58 in Perth.

He has also contributed 150 valuable runs with the bat down the order.

“He keeps running in and presenting the pace that he does,” said McDonald. “There’s a lot to be learned around preparing yourself and targeting the right matches at the right time.”

Australia squad: Steve Smith (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

READ: Received calls from India for fast-bowling guidance, claims Aqib Javed

KARACHI: All-rounder Jahandad Khan delivered with both bat and ball to guide Pakistan Television (PTV) into the President’s Cup final as Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) faltered in the semi-final.

Set 242 under lights at the National Bank Stadium, OGDCL fell short and were bowled out for 157 in 30.5 overs.

PTV will now face either Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) or Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) on 25 December at the same venue, where the second semi-final is set to take place on 23 December.

Maaz Sadaqat and Imam ul Haq provided a 43-run start, with the former remaining the core aggressor with 35 off just 16 balls. The left-hander hit three sixes and three fours in his knock.

After a positive start, OGDCL lost two wickets in quick time, leaving them in trouble at 44-2.

PTV bowlers kept mounting the pressure with clinical bowling and wickets at regular intervals. As a result, the unbeaten side in the tournament were reduced to 79-5 in 12.1 overs.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

With wickets falling, Danish Aziz and Rohail Nazir tried to arrest the slide with a brief stand, but a middle collapse saw them bundle out, which handed PTV an 84-run victory.

For PTV, after starring with the bat, Jahandad Khan also chipped in the bat, scalping two crucial wickets at a critical juncture of the game.

For his outstanding performance, he was named the player of the match.

Earlier, Jahandad rescued PTV from a precarious 159-5 and helped them reach a respectable total. He made 63 off 47 balls with the help of six fours and four sixes.

For OGDCL, Asif Afridi picked up two wickets in his nine overs.

It is pertinent to mention that OGDCL remained unbeaten in their seven league stage games, including a five-wicket win over PTV at the Oval Academy Ground on 10 December.

READ: BCCI to review India U19 performance after Pakistan defeat

Brazil star player Neymar has undergone a successful operation on his left knee to repair a damaged meniscus, his club Santos said on Monday.

The 33-year-old endured a difficult season with Santos as he played through the injury to help the club avoid relegation from Brazil’s top flight.

Brazil’s national team doctor performed the arthroscopic surgery, having previously operated on Neymar for a foot fracture as well as the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament he suffered against Uruguay in October 2023.

Neymar is expected to require a recovery period of around a month. His Santos contract expires at the end of the year, but he is in talks with the club over a new deal.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward has not played for Brazil in over two years but is hoping to be fit and figure in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s plans for the 2026 World Cup.

Neymar is Brazil’s record goalscorer with 79 goals from 128 matches.

For the unversed, the 2026 World Cup will start on June 11 in Mexico, USA and Canada.

The hosts, Mexico, will play South Africa at the Azteca Stadium — venue of the 1970 and 1986 finals.

READ: Arteta hints at Gabriel Jesus return ahead of League Cup clash

MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to review the India U19 team’s performance following a crushing defeat against arch-rivals Pakistan in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup final, Cricbuzz reported on Monday.

Pakistan clinched the ACC U19 Asia Cup title emphatically, defending a mammoth 348-run target by bundling out India for just 156 in 26.2 overs, sealing a commanding 191-run win.

Sameer Minhas top-scored with a sensational 172 off 113 deliveries, including 17 fours and nine sixes.

In bowling, Ali Raza took a four-wicket haul while Huzaifa Ahsan, Abdul Subhan, and Mohammad Sayyam contributed with two wickets each.

According to the report, the move followed an online Apex meeting in which board members scrutinized the team’s overall performance in the tournament.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“The decision was taken at an online Apex Council meeting on Monday (December 22) evening, where members discussed the team’s overall showing in the tournament and felt there was a need to seek explanations from the team management,” the statement from the report quoted.

The report further details that BCCI is set to hold talks with the head coach, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and the skipper, Ayush Mhatre, highlighting the unusual scrutiny.

The report also states that with the Under-19 World Cup in a few days, the BCCI wants to address issues early to avoid any setbacks heading into the mega event.

For the unversed, the U19 World Cup will be held from 15 January to 6 February 2026.

The tournament will continue with its familiar format: 16 teams, four groups, 41 matches, and a Super Six stage leading into semi-finals and a final.

READ: Received calls from India for fast-bowling guidance, claims Aqib Javed

LAHORE: Former Pakistan pacer and PCB director of High-Performance Aqib Javed has claimed that India contacted him seeking guidance for their fast bowlers through the board’s overseas players program.

Aqib, who is also a member of the national selection committee, appeared on the PCB’s podcast to discuss Pakistan cricket, high-performance structures, and future planning.

During the podcast, he spoke about the National High Performance Center, which serves as the board’s engine room for player development.

“We have big plans for the NCA [National Cricket Academy], including a fully functional biomechanics lab,” said Aqib Javed.

“The good news is that this lab, which had not been operational since 2006 and has been accredited by the ICC, is set to be functional in the upcoming months,” he revealed.

“With this facility, we can check illegal actions and work on improving player performance,” Aqib maintained.

Aqib also highlighted the PCB’s pathway program for overseas cricketers, which offers coaching and training programs to cricketing nations worldwide.

“Overseas and foreign players can now come to Pakistan for training, with recent arrivals from the Netherlands and England.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He also termed the program a litmus test for Pakistan cricket, noting that they would only understand their strengths when challenged.

He also revealed that calls had already come from India seeking guidance for their fast bowlers.

“Until we challenge ourselves, we won’t know how we compare globally, how capable our coaches are, or how strong our systems really are.

This is a program that will eventually spread worldwide. We have already received calls from India requesting guidance for their fast bowlers,” he claimed.

On this, the host remarked that Indians are reluctant nowadays to even shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.

“Common people think differently, and bureaucracy approaches things in a slightly different way,” Aqib replied in a light-hearted manner.

READ: Arteta hints at Gabriel Jesus return ahead of League Cup clash

Mikel Arteta has hinted that he is ready to hand Gabriel Jesus his first start in nearly a year in Arsenal’s League Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace on Tuesday.

The Premier League leaders host Oliver Glasner’s side at the Emirates, desperate to end the club’s six-year trophy drought.

Jesus scored a hat-trick in Arsenal’s last-eight win against Palace last season before they fell to Newcastle in the semi-finals.

The Brazil international then spent 11 months on the sidelines after he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

But, following three substitute appearances, Jesus could be unleashed from the start against Palace, with Arteta set to rotate a side that faces six matches in 20 days.

Arteta said former Manchester City forward Jesus, 28, was ready to start.

“You can see now, not only in games but every day in training how much he wants it so he’s going to deserve a chance soon,” he said.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“It has been a real intense journey. When he joined us he lifted the belief, the spirit and the energy of the team and he gave something very different to what we already had and was very impressive.

“Then he had some very bad injuries, and that hasn’t allowed him to have the consistency we need from a very important player.

“He is back and his fighting spirit, his desire to always prepare in the best way is unbelievable. The team is together now and we need to use it.”

Jesus could take the place of Viktor Gyokeres, who, despite scoring from the penalty spot in Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Everton on Saturday, has not found the back of the net from open play in his past six appearances.

READ: McCullum urges ‘unfinished’ England to show real identity

England head coach Brendon McCullum is unsure about his future but maintained that the Three Lions are not a ‘finished article’ with two Tests left in the Ashes against Australia.

This comes after England’s 3-0 drubbing in the Ashes series, despite two matches still remaining.

England were unable to put up a fight in the opening three matches, resulting in their fourth series loss down under since their 2011 triumph.

The head coach is unsure about his future ahead of the 2026 England summer, in which they will face New Zealand and Pakistan.

“I don’t know,” he said when questioned about his future with the Three Lions.  “It’s not really up to me, is it?

“I’ll just keep trying to do the job, try to learn the lessons that [we] haven’t quite got right here and try to make some adjustments. Those questions are for someone else, not for me,” he added.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He emphasized the goals and fun that come with a bunch of England players, noting that he aims to bring out the best in them.

“It’s a pretty good gig. It’s good fun. You travel the world with the lads and try to play some exciting cricket and try to achieve some things … For me, it’s a matter of trying to just get the very best out of the people and try to achieve what you can with them.”

The 44-year-old mentioned the side’s progress since taking over and stressed that England should play the kind of cricket they have been known for over the past couple of years.

“Those other decisions are up to other people. But from my point of view, I’m enjoying the time that I’ve got with these guys, and I think we’ve made some progress from when I took over to where we are,” McCullum reiterated.

“We’re not the finished article, but I think we’ve definitely improved as a cricket team.

We’ve had an identity about us. Now’s the time for us in the last two Tests to really show that identity and try to salvage something from it,” the head coach concluded.

READ: Shadab powers Sydney Thunder to first win of BBL 15