Head did not single out any pundit directly, but his strong remarks at a press conference came the day after Matthew Hayden, one-time holder of the record for the most runs in a test innings, accused selectors of “promoting the greatest pile of mediocrity that we’ve seen in a generation of cricket”.

The reference, made in a podcast, was about the recall of Nic Maddinson, who has been out of test cricket for nearly 10 years, but who joined the squad in South Africa after Josh Inglis fractured his finger and Cameron Green suffered a stomach injury.

“I think it’s unfairly judged a fair bit from a group of past players, pretty much that put the bullet through a lot of players, which I think is unfair,” Head said.

“But that’s what they’re paid to do. Some of them need a job, so they go after us, and that’s totally fine.

Australia’s bowlers restore order but batting headaches remain ahead of South Africa tour

“This group is strong enough to deal with those sorts of things. That’s how it is. It’s unfortunate sometimes to have some of that feedback from a generation of players that we have huge respect for, but that’s the caper.”

Selectors accused of disrespecting cricket

Hayden accused the selectors of “disrespecting first-class cricket”, asserting that batsmen should have an average of 45 runs or more before being considered for test selection.

But Head praised Maddinson’s abilities and the benefits of choosing experienced players for test cricket despite the 34-year-old replacement having a first-class average of 37.11.

“We need mature guys that know what they need to be doing,” Head said. “And I think that revolves back to why we’ve been so good over a period of time, and why Australian cricket was so good back then in that era, because you’d bring in the Mike Husseys of the world, who are 30, who are tried and tested and know what they need to do.”

Former Australia captain Allan Border suggested that the 32-year-old Head would face his toughest test as an opener against the South African bowling attack and would perhaps be better batting at number five.

“I have laughed at a fair bit of it because if a traditional opening batter had pushed out the same sort of numbers in his first 20 innings, I think he’d be pretty safe and not talked about in the way that it has been talked about,” Head said. “It’s a lot of headline stuff.”

City were found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the league’s financial rules over nine seasons from 2009-10 to 2017-18, as well as three out of four charges concerning failures to cooperate with the investigation.

The league said that City had used “sham” commercial contracts as part of schemes to inflate ‌revenue and understate costs by more than £900 million ($1.19 billion) over nearly a decade, during which time they won multiple trophies. City have appealed the ruling and insist they are innocent.

Man City appeal Premier League financial ruling

Former Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona forward Lineker said the whole debacle was damaging for the club and the English game, but that City admitting their guilt would go some way to draw a line under the saga.

“Obviously it looks really bad for Manchester City, it really does. And bad for the game… I’d love to see Man City now just own it and just say, ‘OK, we got it wrong’,” Lineker told reporters at the Leaders Week sports industry conference at Stamford Bridge.

“‘But for the good of the game, we’ll accept it, we’ll accept whatever punishment comes our way and we’ll carry on’. I think that would be a blessing and save their face a little bit at the moment, though that doesn’t look very likely,” he added.

“But it is damaging… and I feel for their fans and I feel for their players.”

Man City found guilty on all but one of 115 charges, reports say

Asked if City should be stripped of the three Premier League titles they won in the disputed period, Lineker said: “I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes down that route. But again, ultimately, who suffers from that? The players and the fans.”

The appeal will take place in private. It remains unclear whether sanctions will be ​announced before the appeal is heard, and ​whether they would take effect immediately.

City top the Premier League standings on 15 points from five games and seek a sixth straight win at Liverpool on Sunday.

Gauff revealed after her victory over local teenager Sun Xinran on Monday that she had received an “insane” amount of racial abuse on social media following a match in which a replayed point sparked an online backlash.

Asked what the previous 36 hours had been like, the 22-year-old told a news conference: “It has been kind of draining, I’m not going to lie. I just turn off my phone and move on. There’s nothing you can do.”

The defeat capped a difficult few days for the two-times Grand Slam champion, who had beaten the 30-year-old Mertens in all five of their previous meetings.

The 13th seed reached her first Beijing quarter-final in her seventh appearance at the WTA 1000 tournament and will next face six-times Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.

Coco Gauff hits out at racist abuse after replayed point in Beijing sparks backlash

“My coach/boyfriend (Christopher Heyman), it’s his birthday tomorrow,” Mertens said in her on-court interview. “So for me, this win is dedicated to him.”

Gauff’s challenge unravelled amid a barrage of errors, with the 2024 Beijing champion committing 34 unforced errors, including eight double faults, during the 78-minute defeat.

The American struggled to find her rhythm throughout the contest and, trailing 4-1 in the second set, told her team courtside that she had “no energy” and felt as though she might pass out.

“I think I just didn’t play well,” Gauff said. “I think I wasn’t moving well. There were a lot of things I didn’t do well. I thought Elise played well on the big points, made me play a big ball, yeah.”

The 39-year-old’s final bow in front of more than 85,000 fans at a packed Monumental stadium was less about football and more a national celebration of Messi’s service to the national team.

Landmarks across the capital glowed with the team’s iconic sky blue and white colours, while fireworks lit up the skies above the heaving stadium as fans poured their hearts into a rendition of Argentina’s national anthem.

Messi becomes the majority owner of Spanish club Eldense

Messi’s family watched proudly from the stands alongside some of Argentina’s World Cup winners of 1978, 1986 and 2022.

Hours earlier, a massive No. 10 shirt emblazoned with “Gracias” was unfurled at the National Flag Memorial in Rosario, Messi’s hometown.

As the team bus travelled from the training centre bearing his name, Messi wiped away tears as thousands lined the route.

Argentine football prez: Lionel Messi alone will decide when to retire

When the teams took the pitch, Benin’s captain looked lost for words as he handed Messi a gift and letter during the pre-match handshake.

After a goalless first half, Messi supplied the assist for Nicolas Otamendi to tap home Argentina’s opener. Otamendi shared 17 years with Messi in the national team, including four World Cups, and was also ending his international career.

Messi then set up Nico Paz, one of the players seen as a potential successor for Argentina’s No. 10 shirt, to score the second goal. In a fairytale ending, Messi converted a penalty for 3-0, his 126th international goal, prompting another round of “Messi, Messi” chants from the crowd.

Messi scores emotional first goal since father’s death

At the final whistle, teammates, opponents and the referee gathered around Messi for embraces before a drone show lit up the sky to mark the end of his magnificent Argentina career.

Messi leaves as the country’s most-capped player (208) and record scorer having transformed years of frustration on the international stage into a story of World Cup and Copa America triumphs.

For years, Argentina asked Messi to deliver.

On Tuesday, it simply came to say ‘Thank You’.

England eased to a 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic in the other League A3 match, with captain Harry Kane scoring twice and setting up the third on the night he equalled Peter Shilton’s national appearance record with his 125th cap.

Spain top the group with 12 points, while England, who all but clinched a quarter-final spot, have nine, ​and Croatia are on three. The Czechs are still without a point.

Three days after Croatia were trounced 7-0 by visitors England, they threatened ​a major upset against Spain in Split when Ivan Perisic sent a well-placed header into the bottom-left corner in the ⁠17th minute to give them the lead.

But substitute Merino equalised in the 61st to help preserve his nation’s undefeated streak stretching back to March 2024 when he found ​space in the middle of the box before firing a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Croatia were reduced to 10 men when Perisic was sent off ​for a second yellow card in the 79th minute and Merino completed Spain’s comeback 10 minutes later with another left-footed finish into the corner of the net.

“I would spend the entire press conference thanking my players,” said Spain boss Luis de la Fuente, who started five Barcelona players.

“We knew that the match was going to get like this, but we’ve ​managed to understand it very well. We haven’t dropped our arms.”

At Wembley, Thomas Tuchel was full of praise for his team after reaching 20 wins in the ​fewest games of any England manager in the nation’s history, with 26.

“I think we played a very good match, very fluid and, to put it into context, it’s the ‌fourth match ⁠in 11 or 12 days and I think we dominated through the whole match,” Tuchel told ITV.

“Very focused, created some good opportunities, got some beautiful goals and, yeah, subs were strong. So a very good performance again and a deserved win.”

Historic night for Kane

The World Cup bronze medallists went ahead after 27 minutes through a Vladimir Coufal own goal, with Kane providing the cross.

Kane then marked his historic night with a pair of goals, striking just before the break when ​Elliot Anderson launched a long ball ​to Morgan Rogers, whose first-time cross ⁠from the right found the 33-year-old in the box for a clinical finish.

England have put World Cup disappointment behind them, says Tuchel

Kane completed his double in the 57th when he rose to head Lewis Hall’s corner home from the back post to bag his 91st goal for England.

“It ​was the perfect night for me personally and also the team,” Kane said. “It’s been a tough camp, a long ​camp, and it’s been ⁠nice to finish it off at Wembley, a really proud evening for sure.

“You saw some fantastic football from England out there today.”

Elsewhere, Slovenia beat Scotland 2-1 with Aljosa Matko and Danijel Sturm scoring in the second half to cancel out Ryan Christie’s 31st minute opener in League B1.

Switzerland’s Fabian Rieder, Johan Manzambi and Dan Ndoye ⁠scored in ​a 3-0 win over North Macedonia in the other game in that group. The Swiss have ​12 points ahead of Slovenia on seven, Scotland with four and North Macedonia on none.

The final two rounds of the group stage will be played in the November international break.

The eight teams ​finishing in the top two of the four League A groups will play in the knockout rounds beginning in March.

Brazil’s ​Neymar, Messi’s former Barcelona and Paris St Germain teammate and longtime friend, said the whole world ‌should be grateful for what the Argentine had given the sport.

“It’s not only Argentina that thanks you, the world thanks you for everything you have done for football,” Neymar wrote on Instagram, hours before Messi was due to play his 208th and final game for Argentina ​against Benin.

“Thank you for making me love football even more. It was an honour for me to ​have played against you and even more so to make history alongside you.”

For Rodrigo De ⁠Paul, Messi’s close friend and Argentina team mate who also plays alongside him at Inter Miami, the impact went ​far beyond football.

“He made me grow not only as a footballer, but also as a person. I became a better ​person, a better human being, a better athlete, a better father and a better friend,” De Paul said in a farewell message released on Tuesday.

Lionel Messi signs off in tears after one last Argentina master class

“I want to tell him that I love him. He knows that he is my brother and that he has an enormous ​heart.”

Former Argentina teammate Angel Di Maria said it was a day nobody had wanted to come.

“Seeing him with so ​much happiness, and that tranquillity of knowing that he gave everything he had, is what makes us all happy,” Di Maria said. “It ‌will be ⁠a very special day for everyone. I thank him for life.”

Fans say goodbye

In Buenos Aires, fans flocking to the Monumental stadium for the Argentina v Benin friendly expressed a mixture of gratitude and sadness.

“I cried because I was able to come and see Messi in his last game, and also because of the sadness of knowing that he won’t be ​here anymore,” 19-year-old Jose Garracedo ​told Reuters TV.

“He fought ⁠for this shirt … everything that was demanded of him. He knew how to stay the course, enjoy it and keep saying that he was going to fight for this.”

For Isaias ​Zenas, a 27-year-old medical student, Messi’s importance extended beyond football.

“The last joys we have ​had as an ⁠Argentine people, we owe to him,” he said. “All the cups he brought us, with the country in a bad economic situation, people who are struggling have their refuge in football. How could we not come here at this moment to say goodbye ⁠to ​him?”

Messi, who helped Argentina win the World Cup and two Copa America ​titles, enters the game with a national-record 125 goals and 68 assists for his country.

Before the final goodbye, he offered a simple message of his ​own.

“I leave in peace. I gave everything.”

After ‌suffering a 3-2 defeat by world champions Spain in their Nations League opener, England responded with home and away wins over the Czech Republic and ​a 7-0 thrashing of Croatia, scoring 14 goals ​in their opening four matches.

Tuchel, who has continued to ⁠face questions about England’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina, ​said the team had built on the progress made in ​the tournament in North America rather than starting from scratch as they target success at Euro 2028 on home soil.

“I think it’s necessary ​to move on,” the 53-year-old told reporters after Tuesday’s 3-0 win ​over the Czechs at Wembley.

“I can only repeat that we didn’t go ‌out ⁠in the group stage, sometimes it feels like that, but we didn’t.

“There was criticism and scepticism around, but I said we don’t have to start completely new because we can ​build on what ​we achieved ⁠together. We played some high-level competitive football in the World Cup.

“Now we move to the ​next step and it’s always important to take ​the ⁠next step. The commitment and attitude of the players from the first day in camp have been at a very high ⁠level ​and I’m happy that we have shown ​it in all four matches.”

England resume their Nations League campaign against Croatia on ​November 12.

Iyer led the chase with an unbeaten 102 off 43 deliveries, hitting 10 fours and six ​sixes, as India cruised to victory with 32 ​balls to spare.

Abhishek Sharma provided an early ⁠burst before Roston Chase dismissed him for 21 ​off 10 balls. Sanju Samson departed soon after, leaving ​India at 35 for two.

Iyer and Ishan Kishan then wrested control of the chase, combining in an unbroken 137-run partnership ​off 67 deliveries to seal victory for India.

West ​Indies were put in to bat and slipped to 44 for ‌three ⁠in the powerplay after Arshdeep Singh removed Kamil Pooran for 12, with Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell also falling early.

Opener Shai Hope rebuilt the innings ​with Sherfane Rutherford ​in a ⁠63-run fourth-wicket stand before Naman Dhir dismissed captain Hope for 52 off 37 ​balls.

Dhir and Kuldeep Yadav struck through the ​middle ⁠order as India tightened their grip, before Mayank Yadav dismissed Rutherford for 56. Axar Patel cleaned up ⁠the tail ​as West Indies were bowled ​out for 171 on the first ball of the 20th over.

In a lengthy statement, the 41-year-old gave his ‌account of the dispute that prompted his departure from Copenhagen before Portugal’s Nations League match versus Denmark last week.

Ronaldo said Jesus had agreed a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark matches to manage ​his fitness.

However, on the day of the Norway game, the coach told him ​he would play for 30 minutes.

“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from ⁠halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said.

“The manager had broken ​his word to me.”

Portugal’s captain and all-time leading scorer said a subsequent meeting with Jesus, attended by ​his club side Al Nassr’s sporting director Simao Coutinho, produced an agreement for the coach to clarify events at his next press conference.

According to Ronaldo, an eight-point document was prepared saying he had never demanded playing time, had ​respected Jesus’ decisions and that the coach asking him to warm up without bringing him on ​had been a mistake.

Ronaldo said the agreed notes did not require Jesus to apologise to him but said ‌the coach’s ⁠public remarks bore no resemblance to their private discussion.

“It was the second time he had broken his word to me,” Ronaldo said. “I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.”

The statement provided Ronaldo’s account but on Sunday, after Portugal’s win over Norway, Jesus denied ​he had made any agreement ​with the player ⁠but left the door open for his return.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Ronaldo’s statement.

Ronaldo apologised for failing ​to greet supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his team ​mates, accepting that ⁠his captaincy made his conduct more serious.

“The consequences of my actions must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” he said.

Despite the rupture, Ronaldo said he was not limiting his international ambitions ⁠to a ​farewell appearance.

“If I’m physically fit, playing for my club – ​scoring goals, I hope – after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I’ll be available, as I’ve always been until now, ​to compete and win for our national team,” he added.

More than 320,000 fans have registered for the ticket ballot, which remains open until November 21, for the tournament co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The Pakistan - India match has generated the strongest demand, attracting more than 110,000 ticket applications. South Africa’s game against India has received more than 92,000 applications, while more than 86,000 have been submitted for the India v Australia fixture.

“One million ticket applications in just over 48 hours of opening the ticket ballot is a demonstration of the attention, stature and affiliation for ICC Cricket World Cup 2027,” said ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta.

The 14-team tournament will be held across the three southern African nations from October 2 to November 21.

AWSN, a sports media platform co-founded by actor Whoopi Goldberg, said her appointment would support efforts to give female athletes greater international exposure.

AWSN Chief Executive George Chung said Princess Reema’s advocacy for women and girls in sport made the partnership a natural fit.

“What she understands is that sports is a catalyst for change,” Chung told Reuters. “We consider ourselves a global platform, not just to make sports from around the world more visible, but to make them available to women.”

Chung said AWSN planned to stage its first sports festival in the Middle East in the first quarter of 2027. The events would combine games, training camps, entertainment and retail experiences, with the aim of giving local athletes access to international players and creating programming for the network.

The company plans at least four festivals globally next year, including events in Saudi Arabia, the US and Britain, he said.

The appointment comes as Saudi Arabia continues to invest in women’s sports under its wider economic and social reform agenda Vision 2030. The Saudi Women’s Premier League, launched in 2022, has sought to build a more professional structure for women’s soccer in the kingdom. AWSN began airing the league’s matches last year.

Saudi Arabia’s sports investment has also drawn criticism from rights groups and others who say the country uses high-profile events to improve its international image.

Chung said AWSN had faced no restrictions on its programming in the region and pointed to investment in women’s teams, facilities and broadcasts as evidence of growing support for female athletes.

AWSN has recorded steady growth in viewing of Saudi women’s soccer, with audience levels rising between 20% and 30% per game, Chung said, while average viewing time increased by nearly 50% over the season.

He added that AWSN drew 1.5 million viewers in its first 10 days on Pakistan’s Tamasha platform, a result he said underscored demand for women’s sports beyond traditional Western markets.

The Olympic body’s executive board voted unanimously to place the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) under extraordinary administration and propose Malago to oversee daily operations, subject to final ratification by its National Council.

The move offers a political exit route following weeks of administrative friction after Malago won the federation presidency in June with over 68% of the vote.

Legal inquiries commissioned by the Olympic authorities had questioned the validity of the ballot over technical non-compliance because Malago was not a member of the FIGC at the time of his election.

Under the arrangement, Malago will step down from the presidency to allow the implementation of a special administration.

He will then assume a role to navigate the federation towards new presidential elections within three months, during which time his formal administrative standing can be regularised.

Malago will be eligible to stand as a candidate in the election that is to be held no later than January 31 next year.

The leadership dispute comes at a critical moment for Italian football, which faces pressing structural challenges, including venue upgrades required to co-host Euro 2032 and the sporting fallout from missing three consecutive World Cups.

De Minaur left the court for a medical timeout after losing the first-set tiebreakbutplayed on with his left thigh heavily bandaged. However, he had to stop after winning the first game of the second set, leaving him trailing 7-6(3) 0-1.

“I don’t feel great … I want to say sorry to all the amazing fans,” said de Minaur at the trophy presentation.

“I didn’t want to finish like this… hopefully see you next year,” added the 27-year-old fifth seed.

Djokovic beats Borges to stay perfect at China Open

Sixth-seeded Djokovic’s win continued the Serbian’s unbeaten record at the tournament with 34 straight victories and ensured the 39-year-old won a singles title for the 21st straight year.

Ganguly, who represented India in 113 tests and 311 one-day internationals, made his coaching debut last year at Delhi’s sister franchise Pretoria Capitals in the South African SA20 league.

He will take over from Hemang Badani, who led Delhi to a sixth-place finish in the 2026 IPL.

Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India women’s team captain

Ganguly, 54, joined Delhi as an advisor in 2019, and served as the team’s director of cricket in 2023-24.

“Delhi Capitals is a franchise very close to my heart… I am looking forward to working with the squad, the new season, and building a strong and fearless team,” Ganguly said in a statement.

The 37-year-old captained India in five tests, 51 one-day internationals and 155 Twenty20 internationals, leading the side to their first-ever 50-over World Cup triumph on home soil last year.

Under Kaur, India also won two T20 Asian Cup titles and two Asian Games gold medals, most recently last month at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

“Today, I step down as captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all formats,” Kaur wrote on social media.

“This is not an easy decision. It carries years of memories, emotions, sacrifices, and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Indian media said Kaur’s decision came a day after she met Devajit Saikia, secretary of the Indian cricket board (BCCI), to discuss the future of the women’s team.

Kaur, who became this year the highest-capped player in women’s international cricket, said she intended to keep on playing.

“I gave this team everything I had,” she added.

“I carried the responsibility with pride, and I will always be grateful for the privilege of leading Indian women’s cricket.

“Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again. Captaincy ends. The journey continues.”

The American won 7-5 6-1 to reach the fourth round, but was targeted after stopping play during a crucial point in the first set, raising her hand to complain about a flickering advertising board just as Sun was about to put away a winner.

After a video review, the umpire ordered the point to be replayed.

Gauff won the replayed point and held serve for 5-5 before cruising to victory against the Chinese 16-year-old.

Gauff, 22, said she had received a barrage of abusive messages on social media after the match.

“You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” Gauff, who is Black, said on X early on Tuesday in reply to a post containing a racial slur.

“The amount of racist comments/direct messages I’ve received in the last few hours is insane.

Medvedev disqualified from China Open semi after hitting ball into crowd

“Lastly, I’m not a cheater or a thief.” Reuters has contacted the WTA, the governing body of women’s tennis, and tournament organisers in Beijing for comment.

The WTA has made efforts to tackle the issue of online abuse by introducing an AI-powered system which monitors thousands of players and officials on social media.

A study by the WTA and World Tennis showed players were subjected to over 12,000 abusive posts and messages on social media in 2025, up from 8,000 posts a year earlier.

Gauff also explained that she was following the rules when she challenged the point.

Players are allowed to request video reviews of select judgment calls, including claims a distraction may have interfered with play.

The American said she had spoken to Sun about the point at the end of the match.

“Xinran’s an incredible talent and player, I apologised for the situation at the end of the match and she completely understood,” she wrote.

“I didn’t like to see her so emotional as I’ve been there and I really understand what it’s like but this is the beginning of an incredible career. It was an honour to share the court in front of her home crowd.”

Sahibzada Farhan has been handed the T20 captaincy after leading Pakistan to a silver medal at the Asian Games and finishing as the T20 World Cup’s leading run-scorer with 383 at a strike rate of 160 in March.

Agha remains part of the ODI setup, where Shaheen Shah Afridi retains the captaincy for the tri-series. Former captain Babar Azam has also been included in the ODI squad.

Pakistan’s three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka begins on Friday in Rawalpindi, while the ODI tri-series starts on October 18 with Pakistan facing Sri Lanka in the opener.

Rashid, Curran return as England call up uncapped trio for Pakistan ODI tri-series

Pakistan T20 squad for tri-series against Sri Lanka and England: Sahibzada Farhan (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Arafat Minhas, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Maaz Sadaqat, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Shadab Khan, Sufiyan Moqim

Pakistan ODI squad for tri-series with Sri Lanka and England: Shaheen Shah Afridi (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Sufiyan Moqim

World number five Medvedev was trailing 7-5 5-3 on Monday and had lost a point when he hit the ball coming off the wall.

The spectator, who was sitting in the first row, clutched his left eye and appeared to be in pain as he walked out of the gallery, assisted by stadium staff.

“I was shocked, to be honest… I hope that person is not badly injured,” said sixth seed Djokovic, who was disqualified from the US Open in 2020 under similar circumstances.

Djokovic beats Borges to stay perfect at China Open

“On the other hand, I also feel sorry for Daniil because I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified in a big match … I’m sure that Daniil didn’t want to do this intentionally.”

Both semi-finals ended prematurely in Beijing as Hubert Hurkacz retired with an adductor injury earlier on Monday.

Australian Alex de Minaur was leading the first semi 6-4 3-2 when his Polish opponent, who had struggled with movement throughout the match, retired.

Scott has left the England camp because of an injury, the FA said on Monday.

“With Alex it’s a strange one. I’m very sad about it. He trained in both sessions before the match. He did extra work after the training sessions. We knew he was in treatment but we only got green lights from him and the medics,” Tuchel told reporters on Monday.

“When we were aware of slight discomfort during the match we asked if he wanted to come off. He said no.”

British media reported the Bournemouth midfielder could be sidelined for several weeks.

“Afterwards he said it was the right decision but he could’ve played the full 90. He didn’t feel an injury. Even on the plane here before we did the scan,” he added.

“It is a strange one because it does not match the objectivity of the scan and the prediction of the time he is going to miss. There was no awareness of any risk from our side.”

Arsenal defender Ezri Konsa also withdrew from the squad due to injury.

The injury is unfortunate for Scott, whom Tuchel said could challenge regular Declan Rice for a spot in England’s midfield.

With Rice having withdrawn from the squad before the international break began, Scott featured alongside Elliot Anderson against Croatia, and the pair dictated play against veterans Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic.

When asked if Arsenal’s Rice might be worried about his place in the team, Tuchel told reporters: “Of course, and he does, we need performances like this. This is just the nature of it. We will not survive on two central midfielders.

“Declan knows about his importance, and he’s one of the very best midfielders in Europe. We need more, more, more, more variety. We need more, more, more options. Then it’s always about the guys who are in camp. Alex was in the highest level.”

England, second in their group behind World Cup winners Spain, host the Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday.

Rybakina, who ​lost to world number 118 Alina Charaeva ​in Beijing, said she would take time ⁠away from competition to recover.

“I’m very sorry to ​the fans who were looking forward to seeing ​me play,” Rybakina said in an Instagram story shared by the tournament.

“I’ll take some time to rest and ​recover. Thank you for your understanding and continued ​support.”

The 27-year-old has been managing a lingering lower leg and ‌foot ⁠problem that also forced her to retire from her Cincinnati quarter-final against Iga Swiatek in August.

Despite the setback, Rybakina recovered in time for ​the U.S. Open, ​where she ⁠claimed her third Grand Slam title, rose to world number one ​and became the first player to qualify ​for ⁠the season-ending WTA Finals.

Rybakina is next expected to compete in Ningbo, where she will attempt to ⁠defend ​her title.

The Wuhan Open is ​scheduled to take place from October 12 to 18.

The farewell against Benin ​at Buenos Aires’ Monumental stadium ends an international career spanning more than two decades, which began with Argentina scrambling to identify ‌a teenage prodigy developing far from home.

“He went through so many moments that they’re really very different eras. At first he suffered enormously with the national team. He truly endured it,” Argentine journalist and author Sergio Levinsky, who wrote “Messi and Everything Else”, told Reuters.

Messi moved to Barcelona as a teenager and, while Spain tried to persuade him to represent them, ​his own country barely knew he existed.

At the 2003 Under-17 World Cup in Finland, Spain beat Argentina 3-2 after extra time in the ​semi-finals.

According to Levinsky, a young Cesc Fabregas, who scored twice and was Messi’s teammate at Barcelona’s La Masia academy, ⁠told Argentine delegates afterwards: “You lost to us because we’ve got your best player at Barcelona and he’s a genius.”

Argentina youth coach Hugo Tocalli recalled a ​similar encounter. He said at the Ole Summit last month that Spain’s head chef told him Argentina needed “a kid who plays in Barcelona” to win the ​tournament.

Finding the boy from Rosario proved difficult.

Argentine Football Association (AFA) employee Omar Souto tracked down the Messi family in Spain through a Rosario telephone directory, only to ask for “Leonardo”.

“His name isn’t Leonardo, it’s Lionel,” Souto was told, according to the documentary “Messi: The Forgotten Tape”.

The confusion even extended to the paperwork.

The AFA sent Barcelona a fax asking about a player called “Mecci,” ​spelling the surname with a double “c” because officials believed he might be Italian, Levinsky said.

A love under construction

After those complications, Messi played two under-20 friendlies ​for Argentina in 2004, his first appearances in the blue and white stripes.

Yet scepticism lingered.

At the 2005 Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands, Messi began on the bench as ‌Argentina lost ⁠their opening game.

“There was strong resistance to calling up a kid who didn’t play in the country,” Levinsky said. “He had to fight against those early suspicions, against being considered a foreigner because he lived in Spain.”

He was later criticised for failing to reproduce his club form and labelled “pecho frio”, lacking heart or fire, by some fans.

A World Cup qualifier against Colombia in 2011 began to change that perception, as Messi helped Argentina rally from a goal down to ​win in difficult conditions.

“He was exhausted, even ​vomiting, and he ended up ⁠winning,” Levinsky said. “It was the first time fans saw him differently.”

The bond strengthened when Messi briefly retired after Argentina’s penalty shootout defeat by Chile in the 2016 Copa America final. Rather than blame him, Argentines pleaded publicly for him ​to return.

“People realised he was not responsible for the defeats. He was the one getting them to finals,” ​Levinsky added.

Under Lionel Scaloni, ⁠Messi became the undisputed leader of a new generation, guiding Argentina to two Copa America titles and the 2022 World Cup.

His evolution into a more outspoken captain drew comparisons with Diego Maradona, but Levinsky said the usual debate between Argentina’s two biggest icons missed the point.

“It is Messi and Maradona,” he added. “They were both ⁠geniuses in different ​eras.”

For Levinsky, Argentina’s affection for Messi was not as immediate as it was for Maradona. ​It developed around a player whose upbringing and career unfolded largely abroad but who grew closer to supporters over time.

“Messi was like suddenly finding out you have an 18-year-old son,” Levinsky said. “You ​have to start loving him without having known he existed. It was a love under construction.”

With fitness doubts over pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada and three other ‌bowlers ruled out with hamstring injuries, Nortje is set to return to red-ball cricket for the first time since South Africa’s test victory over West Indies in March 2023.

That match, in which he took 5-36 in the first innings, was Nortje’s last first-class appearance.

A ​succession of injury setbacks, as he struggled with back and hip problems, subsequently led him to focus ​on the shorter formats, where bowling in brief spells has helped reduce the strain ⁠on his body.

The 32-year-old has evolved into a T20 specialist, but said on Sunday he had been working on ​his red-ball skills.

“It’s been quite a bit of a focus for me to try and execute skills with the ​red ball, to build loads gradually and in the right way try and get the overs up,” he told reporters on Sunday.

“It’s something that I’ve been doing for quite some time. There’s been quite some effort put in to try and upskill again, and ​improve from where I left off.

New Zealand’s Bracewell shifts to casual contract, eyes BBL opportunity

“I’ll be very excited if I can put my test cap on again. ​Growing up, it’s the format you want to play. It’s the motivation when you train,” he added.

Nortje has featured in 19 Tests ‌with ⁠a bowling average of 26.71 and regularly bowled at speeds in excess of 145kph – with his action taking a heavy toll on his body.

Test cricket brings out extra fire

“You don’t think of the tough times in T20 cricket. You just think about executing skills there, whereas in Tests, you think about the tough times, the good times, the ​hard work and think ​that gets you through some ⁠sessions.

“There’s just that little bit of extra X-factor that comes out, or fire that comes out, and energy that comes out,” Nortje added. “Guys want to do well, and ​everyone wants to perform. It is a big series.”

South Africa started an intra-squad match ​on Sunday and ⁠late Monday will cut their preliminary squad from 18 to 15, with Nortje expected to make the cut despite his lengthy absence.

“The guys have grown quite a bit,” he said of the Test side which has since gone on to ⁠win ​the World Test Championship, beating Australia in mid-2025.

“They’ve played a lot and ​they’ve done really well. Hopefully, I can just add on to that. I’m very keen to get going and be on the park and ​try to do well for the country,“ Nortje added.

Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp after being an unused substitute in a win over Norway and learning he would not start against Denmark.

He subsequently said on social media that he would explain his reasons for leaving the national team “in due course”.

“If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team. We can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who’s going to decide,” Jesus told reporters after Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League win over Norway on Sunday.

“He’s the one who should decide how he wants to end his time with the national team. In my first call-up, I said, ‘I need you, I need you to be close to me, playing or not playing, I need you’. And now I’m saying the same thing.”

Defending champions Portugal won 4-2 in Denmark without Ronaldo and then beat Norway on Sunday to maintain a perfect record in Group A4 and secure a place in the Nations League quarter-finals.

England boss Tuchel says Scott can challenge Rice for midfield spot

Five-times Ballon D’Or winner Ronaldo is Portugal’s record scorer and most-capped player, with 146 goals in 234 international appearances. Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proenca also said Ronaldo remained part of the team’s plans, describing the episode as a misunderstanding that should be resolved internally.

“He is in the national team on sporting merit, and that must be unquestionable,” Proenca told RTP.

“We have to pay tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo.”

Jesus, who also coached Ronaldo at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, expects the forward to be available for the next International window if he wanted to return.

Portugal next host Denmark on Nov. 14 before visiting Wales three days later.

With Rice having withdrawn from the squad, Bournemouth’s Scott featured in midfield alongside Elliot Anderson for the Nations League match, and the pair dictated play despite being up against Croatian veterans Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic.

When asked if Arsenal’s Rice might be worried about his place in the team, Tuchel told reporters:

“Of course, and he does, we need performances like this. “This is just the nature of it. We will not survive on two central midfielders. “Declan knows about his importance, and he’s one of the very best midfielders in Europe.

“Nothing will change that. But it’s exactly what we need. We need more, more, more, more variety. We need more, more, more options. Then it’s always about the guys who are in camp. Alex was in the highest level.”

England, second in their group behind World Cup winners Spain, host the Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday.

Bracewell, who has played 105 times for New Zealand across all three formats, will feature in the limited-overs series against India beginning this month.

The 35-year-old joins Mark Chapman, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne and Tim Seifert among players who have opted for the casual contract system, which allows them to play in high-paying Twenty20 leagues while remaining available for national duty.

Zero Beyond Wellness partners with Babar Azam

“As a white-ball only player, this felt like too good of an opportunity to pass up,” Bracewell said in a statement.

“I’m still very much committed to the Black Caps and can’t wait to be involved in the upcoming India tour and future white-ball series.”

Batter Nick Kelly will replace Bracewell on NZC’s central contract list.

She recently began her career as match referee in the PCB National Women’s U19 T20 Tournament held in August and September.

Kainat represented Pakistan at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017 featuring in four matches. She became Pakistan women’s T20I cap no.22 in October 2010 against South Africa in Potchefstroom and ODI cap no.64 in Bangladesh’s Fatullah against Ireland women.

The right-arm pacer was also part of Pakistan women’s squads in 2010 and 2014 when they won Gold Medal in Asian Games in China and South Korea. She was also part of Pakistan women’s squad for the Commonwealth Games in 2022. Kainat played her last ODI against Australia at the Gabba in January 2023 and her last T20I came at Sylhet against Thailand in October 2022.

She started her career in February 2007 representing Karachi Schools U17 team in the PCB National Schools U17 Women’s Championship and later made her domestic List A debut in March 2008 and T20 debut in July.

Kainat’s mother Saleema Imtiaz became Pakistan’s first woman umpire on ICC’s International Development Panel in 2024 and has so far officiated nine WODIs and 69 WT20Is. Ends 4.10.26

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

In a partnership that brings together one of Pakistan’s most recognized sporting personalities and a leading wellness-focused brand, Zero Beyond Wellness and Babar Azam are working together to promote a more health-conscious lifestyle for people across Pakistan.

The collaboration introduces a portfolio of products designed around everyday health, fitness, recovery and personal wellness. The initial range includes a massage chair, foot massager, massage gun, treadmill, elliptical bike, digital scale and six-pack machine, offering consumers a selection of solutions for exercise, relaxation, recovery and fitness monitoring at home.

Speaking about the partnership, Asim Khan, CEO of Zero Beyond Wellness, said that the company’s vision extends beyond individual products. “Our ambition is to build Zero Beyond Wellness as a brand that is genuinely focused on the health and wellness of the people of Pakistan. This partnership with Babar Azam represents an important step in that journey. We want to encourage people to think about wellness as an everyday commitment and to provide products that can become part of that lifestyle.”

The NEOM Stadium was billed as an elevated arena in a glitzy 100-mile (160-km) steel and glass structure known as The Line, in turn part of the broader development known as NEOM.

NEOM was introduced about a decade ago as a centrepiece of de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to diversify ​the economy and cut reliance on oil.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of NEOM’s owner the Public Investment Fund, confirmed in April that The Line was no longer ​a priority, and said it was not vital before 2030, the original delivery target for its first phase. He denied ⁠any projects had been cancelled.

However, according to two sources, plans to build the NEOM Stadium have now been shelved indefinitely.

NEOM and the Saudi government media ​office did not reply to requests for comment, while Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Sports redirected questions to the World Cup 2034 Hosting Higher Authority.

The Authority said “substantial delivery” ​of construction milestones for the event was already taking place, but did not address questions around the NEOM Stadium and costs. It shared images of some of the other stadiums under construction.

Riyadh developing 15 venues for 2034 world cup

The 2034 World Cup is seen as a marquee event for Saudi Arabia, which under the Vision 2030 programme has invested heavily in ​sports via wealth fund PIF. The tournament will be the first time a single nation hosts the expanded 48-team format.

Saudi Arabia plans to refocus $925 billion fund after gigaproject delays, source says

Riyadh is working to build or ​renovate 15 venues across five cities, as well as dozens of training facilities.

MEED Projects, a Dubai-based construction industry market intelligence platform whose team of analysts tracks tenders and projects in ‌the region, ⁠puts the total value of the projects at $22.7 billion in data shared with Reuters.

According to MEED, NEOM’s stadium is expected to cost $2.5 billion. It lists the projected 46,000-seat stadium in its data as “on hold”.

The stadium has no listed completion date, according to the data, which describes the remaining stadiums and facilities as in various stages of development, with completion expected between 2026 and 2033.

Saudi Arabia is under increasing pressure from the Iran war, which has led to heavy disruptions to ​energy shipments and damage to critical infrastructure, ​with the kingdom facing attacks ⁠from the Iran-backed Houthis.

Last week, the Ministry of Finance said it expected a fiscal deficit this year wider than previously projected and a real GDP contraction of 3.6% following a drop in oil activities.

Pivot from giga-projects

The geographic distribution of the stadiums ​adds to the challenge of delivering the projects, a third source said. That could further be compounded by some ​projects set to host ⁠stadiums being delayed or downsized, such as The Line or Riyadh’s New Murabba development, the source added.

In January Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia has suspended construction of The Mukaab, a colossal cube-shaped skyscraper at the centre of the New Murabba.

Australia abandons 2034 World Cup bid in boost for Saudi

Reuters also reported last year that the PIF was pivoting from its focus on costly giga-projects to endeavours ⁠with more ​immediate financial returns, a strategy later articulated by Saudi officials.

Still, other projects for the World Cup ​are progressing. The Aramco Stadium in the eastern city of Al Khobar is set to be completed by the end of this year and host its first game in January, for which tickets are ​on sale.

Pakistan’s two silver medals came in men’s cricket and men’s squash, while the country secured eight bronze medals in women’s cricket, men’s hockey, men’s volleyball, men’s squash singles, MMA, shooting and e-sports (PUBG).

The 10-medal haul marks a significant improvement over Pakistan’s recent Asian Games performances. The country won three medals in 2023, four in 2018, five in 2014, eight in 2010 and four in 2006.

Pakistan’s last Asian Games campaign with more than nine medals came in 2002, when the country won 13 medals – one gold, six silver and six bronze.

The 2026 campaign also brought an end to several long medal droughts.

Pakistan won their first Asian Games volleyball medal since 1962, while the men’s hockey team secured its first medal at the event since 2014.

Cricket also returned to the Asian Games podium for the first time since 2014, with the men’s team winning silver and the women’s side taking bronze.

Pakistan’s medal tally in recent Asian Games is as follows:

• 2026: 2 silver, 8 bronze – 10 medals

• 2023: 1 silver, 2 bronze – 3 medals

• 2018: 4 bronze – 4 medals

• 2014: 1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze – 5 medals

• 2010: 3 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze – 8 medals

• 2006: 1 silver, 3 bronze – 4 medals

• 2002: 1 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze – 13 medals

Pakistan also missed out on medals in kabaddi and javelin throw, two events where the country had hoped to challenge for podium finishes.

Despite falling short of gold, the 10-medal haul represents a marked improvement over Pakistan’s recent Asian Games record and provides several positives ahead of the country’s next major international sporting assignments.

Sabalenka was broken ​in the opening game and squandered five ⁠opportunities to break back in the ​sixth game of the first set, before ​going on to lose the match in an hour and 35 minutes.

“I focused on myself, to ​be calm. Aryna is great. She’s ​a legend. She’s a Grand Slam champion,” Bartunkova, 20, ‌said.

Four-times ⁠major winner Sabalenka has not lifted a trophy since completing the “Sunshine Double” with victories in Indian Wells and Miami earlier ​this year.

The ​Belarusian made ⁠it to the US Open final last month but was beaten ​by Elena Rybakina, ensuring she would ​finish ⁠the season without a Grand Slam win for the first time since 2022.

Rybakina ⁠replaced ​Sabalenka at the top of ​the world rankings after the US Open.