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FIFA has unveiled the official match ball for the 2026 World Cup, combining high-tech refinements and design details celebrating the three co-host countries — the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The ball, called Trionda, was again designed by German manufacturer Adidas, provider of the official World Cup balls since the 1970 tournament.

“I am delighted and proud to present the Trionda,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino as the ball was revealed at an event in New York on Thursday.

The first World Cup organized by three countries, with 48 teams competing, inspired both the name and the design of the ball featuring red, blue and green colors.

Iconography from each host nation — maple leaves from Canada, the eagle from Mexico and stars from the United States also feature, with a triangle referring to the unity of the three countries.

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Less visible are technological advancements that include deep seams designed to produce “optimal in-flight stability” and embossed icons that improve grip in wet or humid conditions.

A motion sensor chip will relay information on the ball’s movement, sending data to the video assistant referee (VAR) system.

The unveiling marks another step in the countdown to the North American World Cup, which will be held June 11-July 19 next year.

FIFA has launched its online phased ticket sales procedures, with more than 4.5 million fans from 216 countries and territories entering the presale draw.

The tournament draw will be held in Washington on December 5.

READ: Zimbabwe seal Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 berth with win over Kenya

HARARE: Brian Bennett’s brisk half-century powered Zimbabwe into the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Kenya in the second semi-final of the Africa qualifiers here at the Harare Sports Club. 

With this win, Zimbabwe became the second team from the qualifiers after Namibia to advance through to the mega event set to be held in Sri Lanka and India next year.

Earlier, Namibia defeated Tanzania in the first semi-final to book a spot in the next year’s T20 World Cup.

Kenya chose to bat first but could only muster 122 runs for 6 wickets in their 20 overs, despite a commendable half-century from top-order batter Rakep Patel.

Patel led the scoring with 65 runs off 47 balls, featuring eight fours and one six.

Other notable contributions included Sachin Gill with 19 runs, Jasraj Kundi with 13, and Pushkar Sharma with 11, but they struggled against a clinical Zimbabwean bowling attack.

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Blessing Muzarabani was the standout bowler for Zimbabwe, finishing with impressive figures of 2 wickets for 19 runs in four overs.

He received support from Richard Ngarava, Tinotenda Maposa, and Brad Evans, each taking one wicket.

In reply, Zimbabwe easily chased down the 123-run target, losing only three wickets and finishing with 30 balls remaining.

Brian Bennett was the top scorer for the home team, blasting 51 runs off just 25 balls, including eight fours and two sixes.

He partnered well with fellow opener Tadiwanashe Marumani, who added 39 runs off 27 balls with five boundaries.

For Kenya, Vraj Patel claimed two wickets, while Dhiren Gondaria took one.

Zimbabwe and Namibia will now play for the top spot in the qualifiers in the final on Saturday, 4 October, at the same venue.

READ: WATCH: Nashra Sandhu gets out in bizarre fashion against Bangladesh

COLOMBO: Pakistan’s right-handed batter Nashra Sandhu got out in the most bizarre manner during their clash against Bangladesh here at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

The 27-year-old was bowled on the second delivery of the 35th over off Shorna Akter’s flighted delivery outside off stump.

Sandhu tried to play the ball in the crease and ended up losing her wicket with the bat hitting the stumps.

 

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Sandhu’s dismissal highlighted Pakistan’s struggles with the bat as they failed to post a respectable total against Bangladesh’s clinical bowling performance.

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After opting to bat first, Pakistan’s innings folded on a mere 129 runs in 38.3 overs, courtesy of Marufa Akter and Nahida Akter’s opening spells.

Both combined to pick up four wickets each and dismantled Pakistan’s top-order, which set the tone for the other bowlers to tighten the screws and never allow to play with freedom.

In reply, Bangladesh chased down the total with ease in 31.1 overs, losing three wickets in the process.

Rubya Haider starred with the bat and scored  54* from 77 balls, laced with eight fours.

For Pakistan, like batting, there weren’t major contributions. Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, and Fatima Sana picked up one wicket each.

READ: Siraj’s four-fer helps India dominate West Indies in Ahmedabad Test

AHMEDABAD: Red-hot Mohammed Siraj returned figures of 4-40 as hosts dismissed the visitors for 162 and then turned the screw with the bat on day one of the first India vs West Indies Test on Thursday.

The hosts were 121-2 at stumps with KL Rahul unbeaten on 53 in front of a sparse crowd at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Rahul reached his 20th Test fifty and stood firm along with skipper Shubman Gill, on 18, at the close of play.

A depleted West Indies won the toss, but the Indian attack struck regular blows to bowl out the visitors in 44.1 overs in the second session.

Mohammed Siraj drew first blood with the wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul for a duck and extended his tally of Test wickets to 27 this year, having played a key role in India’s 2-2 draw in England.

After an initial first spell of 3-19 in seven overs, Siraj returned in the second session to get one more wicket and was ably supported by fellow quick Jasprit Bumrah.

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Number seven Justin Greaves top-scored for the West Indies with 32 before being bowled by Bumrah, who took three wickets.

Skipper Roston Chase (24) and Shai Hope attempted to revive the innings after the West Indies slipped to 42-4 in the first hour of play.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav bowled Hope for 26 to end the 48-run fifth-wicket stand at the stroke of lunch.

Kuldeep got his second to send back Jomel Warrican for eight and wrap up the innings. Early tea was called.

India are strongly tipped to sweep the two-match series.

The Indian openers started the reply cautiously before Rahul and the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal got going in a session interrupted by a brief spell of rain.

West Indies pace spearhead Jayden Seales had Jaiswal caught behind for 36 and Chase trapped Sai Sudharsan lbw for seven with his off-spin.

READ: AB de Villiers criticises India over Asia Cup trophy controversy

Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has launched a scathing attack on India over the Asia Cup 2025 trophy row, stating that ‘Politics should stay aside’.

Expressing his views on the controversy that followed after the final, he emphasized the difference between sport and politics.

“Team India sort of weren’t happy with who was handing out the trophy. I don’t feel that belongs in sports. Politics should stay aside. Sport is one thing, and it should be celebrated for what it is,” he said.

“Quite sad to see that, but hopefully they sort things out in the future. It does put the sport, the players, the sportsmen, the cricketers in a very tough position, and that’s what I hate to see. It was quite awkward there at the end,” he continued.

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He further stated: “I hate seeing this—ultimately it left a very bad impression.”

However, De Villiers praised India’s dominant performance and mentioned the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2026, set to take place in India and Sri Lanka.

“Let’s focus on what’s most important (the cricket itself). India are looking really, really strong. Building up to that big T20 World Cup. Remember, it’s not too far away. And they look like they’ve got a lot of talent, and they play the big moments well. So fantastic (to watch),” De Villiers said.

For context, the Asia Cup 2025 controversy saw India and Pakistan’s political relations overshadowing cricket for the entire length of the tournament.

India went on to lift the title unbeaten after defeating Pakistan. Yet, what grabbed the spotlight on social media was the lack of handshakes or gestures on the field.

The drama peaked at the end of the Asia Cup final, when the presentation ceremony began an hour late. The delay was caused by India’s refusal to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Due to this, the Indian team celebrated the triumph without the silverware with skipper Suryakumar Yadav mimicking the trophy in his hands.

READ: BCCI official says ‘no assurance’ of handshake in India–Pakistan Women’s WC clash

COLOMBO: Clinical Bangladesh thumped Pakistan to start their ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 on a winning note here at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Set a partly 130-run target, Bangladesh hit the winning runs with ease on the loss of only three wickets with 19 overs to spare.

In defense of a below-par total, Pakistan removed Bangladesh’s Fargana Hoque in the third over. She departed after scoring two runs. Rubya Haider held one end firm with the second wicket falling on the last ball of the 11th over.

Rameen Shamim trapped Sharmin Akhter lbw to give Pakistan a glimmer of hope. As a result, Bangladesh were reduced to 35-2.

However, skipper Nigar Sultana and Rubya Haider forged a 62-run stand on the third wicket, which never allowed Pakistan to make a comeback into the match.

The partnership eventually ended with Sultana’s wicket, who made 23 from 44 balls.

Meanwhile, Rubya kept on scoring and reached her half-century in the process. She crafted another stand off 34* runs, which saw Bangladesh reach home.

Rubya Haider remained unbeaten on 54 from 77 balls, striking eight fours, whereas Sobhana Mostary struck six boundaries on her way to 24 from 19.

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For Pakistan, like batting, there weren’t major contributions. Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, and Fatima Sana picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, Marufa Akter and Nahida Akter’s bowling spells helped Bangladesh bowl Pakistan for a modest total.

Pakistan could not capitalize on the decision to bat first at R. Premedasa Stadium, Colombo, and were bowled out for 129 runs in 38.3 overs.

Marufa Akter piled up a miserable start for Green Shirts as Omaima Sohail and inform Sidra Amin were sent packing for nought in the first over.

Following the early hiccup, Muneeba Ali and Rameen Shamim put on a brief 42-run stand, which gave their team some respite.

However, Nahida Akter struck in the 11th and 13th over to remove both batters, which put Bangladesh on top. Muneeba scored 17 from 35 deliveries, whereas Rameen struck two fours in her 23 from 39 balls.

As a result, Pakistan slumped to 47-4 in 13.4 overs, and Bangladesh continued to put pressure with regular wickets.

It was a day of collapses for Pakistan as they lost wickets one after another in quick succession.

For Bangladesh, Shorna Akter picked up three wickets. Marufa Akter and Nahida Akter were clinical with the ball and scored two apiece.

READ: BCCI official says ‘no assurance’ of handshake in India–Pakistan Women’s WC clash

HARARE: JJ Smit’s all-round heroics powered Namibia to a victory over Tanzania, securing a spot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to be held in India and Sri Lanka. 

Namibia’s victory in the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Regional qualifiers marked the fourth consecutive time they have qualified for the mega event. Their previous appearances came in the 2021, 2022, and 2024 World Cups.

After being put into bat, Namibia scored 174 on the loss of six wickets in their 20 overs.

Namibia were in trouble with 41-4 in 4.4 overs, when skipper Gerhard Erasmus and JJ Smit paired up at the crease. The duo added 88 runs for the fifth wicket partnership, which helped them out of trouble.

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Gerhard Erasmus made 55 from 41 balls with the aid of six fours, whereas JJ Smit remained unbeaten with 61 from 43 balls, striking four sixes and a boundary.

For Tanzania, Ally Kimote and Khalidy Juma picked up two wickets each.

Set 175, Tanzania mustered only 111-8 in their 20 overs, courtesy of clinical bowling.

Abhik Patwa remained the top-scorer with 31 from 31 balls with the aid of three fours and a six; however, it was not enough as Namibia chipped in with wickets at regular intervals.

After shining with the bat, JJ Smit was excellent with the ball as well and picked up three crucial wickets to help his team seal a memorable win. Ben Shikongo supported him well from the other end, managing to bag three wickets in his quota of four overs.

In the second semi-final, Kenya will face Zimbabwe in a bid to qualify for the marquee event. South Africa is the third African team to qualify directly for the World Cup.

READ: BCCI official says ‘no assurance’ of handshake in India–Pakistan Women’s WC clash

Erling Haaland said Manchester City must show more energy to end their miserable run on the road in the Champions League after twice blowing the lead in a 2-2 draw at Monaco.

Haaland scored both the visitors’ goals at the Stade Louis II to take his tally for the season to 17 in just 10 appearances for club and country.

Monaco rallied to level through a wonder strike by Jordan Teze, and Eric Dier’s late penalty secured a point for the Ligue 1 side.

“I’m pissed off, I think everyone should be,” Haaland told the BBC. “It’s not good enough.”

City have failed to win away from home in Europe for a year, although a point did at least snap a run of four consecutive Champions League defeats on the road.

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Pep Guardiola’s men were dumped out before the last-16 stage last season for the first time since the 2012/13 campaign.

City scraped into the play-off round despite winning just three of their eight league phase games before a 6-3 humbling by Real Madrid over two legs.

Haaland was frustrated by his side’s approach as they tried to protect their slender lead in the second half in Monaco rather than seeking to kill the game off.

“Of course I don’t feel good, we didn’t win,” he added.

“We do something unnecessarily in the second half and we don’t think we played good enough. We don’t deserve to win.

“We need more energy. We need to get at them more as we did in the first half and dominated much more.”

City sit eighth in the Champions League table with four points from their opening two games.

Guardiola’s men face a tough run in Europe before the end of 2025 with trips to Villarreal and Real Madrid, while German teams Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund visit the Etihad.

READ: Atletico thrash La Liga leaders Real Madrid in gripping derby

COLOMBO: Pakistan have won the toss and decided to bat first against Sri Bangladesh in the third match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 here at R Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.

Playing XIs

Bangladesh: 1 Farqana Hoque, 2 Rubya Haider, 3 Sharmin Akhter, 4 Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), 5 Sobhana Mostary, 6 Shorna Akter, 7 Fahima Khatun, 8 Nahida Akter, 9 Rabeya Khan, 10 Marufa Akter, 11 Nishita Akter

Pakistan: 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Omaima Sohail, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Fatima Sana, 7 Sidra Nawaz, 8 Rameen Shamim, 9 Nashra Sandhu, 10 Diana Baig, 11 Sadia Iqbal

HEAD TO HEAD

Pakistan and  Bangladesh came face to face 16 times in Women’s ODIs with the Green Shirts narrowly ahead with 8-7 lead.

Matches 16, Pakistan 8,  Bangladesh  7, Tie 1

READ: BCCI official says ‘no assurance’ of handshake in India–Pakistan Women’s WC clash

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has said that there is no assurance of a handshake between India and Pakistan during their ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 clash, scheduled for Sunday, October 5.

The recently concluded Asia Cup came under the spotlight after India violated the spirit of the game and avoided handshakes with the Pakistan team in all three meetings during the tournament.

Moreover, after defeating Pakistan in the final, they snubbed the presentation ceremony and refused to receive the trophy from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi.

With Pakistan and India are set to collide again in the ICC Women’s CWC on October 05, the question everyone is now asking is whether the women’s team follows their Men’s team’s footsteps at the ICC event.

Now, Saika has expressed his thoughts, stating that there had been no change in India’s stand toward Pakistan.

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“I cannot forecast anything, but our relationship with that country (Pakistan) remains the same, with no change in the past week,” Saikia said.

He further said that India will play against Pakistan, emphasizing MCC regulations.

“India will play the match against Pakistan in Colombo, and all cricket protocols will be followed.

I can only assure that whatever is outlined in the MCC regulations of cricket will be done. Whether there will be handshakes or hugs, I cannot assure you of anything at this moment,” he remarked.

Earlier, Indian journalist Boria Majumdar also commented on the Indian cricketers’ plan to carry their unsportsmanlike behavior into the Women’s World Cup.

“The India-Pakistan game in Colombo will not be just another cricket match. It will be a continuation of the Asia Cup, and the only thing that changes is the gender,” Majumdar wrote on X.

READ: Desert Vipers pick Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah for mega price in ILT20