Messi set to return after two-month lay off

Messi set to return after two-month lay off
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi at training on Friday. (AP)
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Updated 13 September 2024
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Messi set to return after two-month lay off

Messi set to return after two-month lay off

MIAMI: Lionel Messi is set to return to action with his club Inter Miami on Saturday after spending over two months out with an ankle injury, Miami coach Gerardo Martino said on Friday.
“Yes, he is fine,” Martino said before training Friday. “He trained (Thursday), he is in the plans for the game. After training we will figure out the strategy for him, but he is available,” added the Argentine.
Inter Miami, who lead the Eastern Conference and are top of the overall standings, host the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.
Messi injured his right ankle during the final of the Copa America on July 14 when he helped Argentina to victory over Colombia.
Since then he has missed eight MLS games for his club and this month’s World Cup qualifiers for his country.
“To get back the best player in the world to our team, which was already on a good run, we are all very happy with this situation,” said Martino.
Inter have already booked their place in the MLS Cup playoffs although their seeding will depend on how they finish the regular season which concludes on October 19.
The playoffs begin the following week and conclude with MLS Cup on December 7,
Miami’s Finnish winger Robert Taylor concurred said Messi’s return to training had given the team a boost.
“We’re already confident, but he gives us even more confidence now that he’s back training and hopefully he’s ready to play soon,” Taylor told the Miami Herald.
“He brings a lot of leadership. The way he’s competitive in training is really, really amazing to watch. He wants to win every little thing we do in training, whether it’s football tennis, rondos, small-sided games, he just wants to win everything. So that boosts everyone to try to match that level,” he said.
Taylor doesn’t expect to see any lasting impact of the injury on the record eight-times Ballon d’Or winner.
“Of course, two months is a long time, for anyone, but he’s the best player there is. So, I don’t think we’ll see much of a different Messi than we’ve seen before,” he added.


Barca lure goalkeeper Szczesny out of retirement

Barca lure goalkeeper Szczesny out of retirement
Updated 19 sec ago
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Barca lure goalkeeper Szczesny out of retirement

Barca lure goalkeeper Szczesny out of retirement
“Barcelona and the player Wojciech Szczesny have reached a deal for his signing until June 30, 2025,” said the La Liga leaders
Szczesny retired this summer after featuring at Euro 2024 for Poland

BARCELONA: Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has come out of retirement to sign for Spanish giants Barcelona on Wednesday.
“Barcelona and the player Wojciech Szczesny have reached a deal for his signing until June 30, 2025,” said the La Liga leaders in a statement.
The former Arsenal and Juventus goalkeeper, 34, joins after Barca’s first choice stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was ruled out potentially until the end of the season with a severe knee injury, sustained on September 22.
Szczesny retired this summer after featuring at Euro 2024 for Poland but has now returned to the game to play in La Liga for the first time.
The goalkeeper had said his “heart (was) not there any more” to play football after leaving Juventus by mutual agreement in August.
Szczesny has made over 600 appearances for club and country over his career, winning three Serie A titles and three Italian cups with Juventus, as well as two FA Cups with Arsenal.
Barca’s reserve goalkeeper Inaki Pena started in place of the stricken Ter Stegen in recent matches.

Pakistan rudderless after white-ball skipper Babar Azam resigns

Pakistan rudderless after white-ball skipper Babar Azam resigns
Updated 16 min 7 sec ago
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Pakistan rudderless after white-ball skipper Babar Azam resigns

Pakistan rudderless after white-ball skipper Babar Azam resigns
  • Pakistan’s cricket has suffered due to revolving door of bosses and allegations of nepotism 
  • Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan is considered front-runner for white-ball captain

KARACHI: Pakistan’s limited-overs team was leaderless on Wednesday after captain Babar Azam resigned, compounding a management crisis experts say has badly affected the team’s international performance.

Pakistani cricket is flailing in all formats after a series of stinging losses, with a revolving door of bosses and allegations that nepotism has seeped into the sport.

Azam announced his resignation on his personal social media just before midnight on Tuesday, before an official Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement more than 12 hours later.

Pakistan cricket has plowed through four coaches, three board heads and four captains in the past two years, at the same time sliding down international standings.

“It’s a leadership crisis,” former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif told AFP. “Pakistan cricket is in the ICU with no specialist for treatment.”

Azam’s resignation came hours before England touched down on Wednesday for a three-match Test series that follows Pakistan’s humiliating 2-0 home series defeat to lowly ranked Bangladesh last month.

It was 29-year-old Azam’s second turn as captain after a flip-flop saw him resign in all three formats following Pakistan’s early exit from the ODI World Cup in November.

He returned in March to captain white-ball competitions but lasted just six months, leaving Pakistan leaderless with four major series coming up and the Champions Trophy next year.

Azam was captain when Pakistan crashed out of the T20 World Cup after a bruising loss to newcomers the United States.

He said he stood down to focus on his playing role as a batsman.

“He should not have accepted captaincy again,” Latif said.

“Neither the team was performing nor was he scoring big,” he said. “This resignation has come very late and that has not only cost him badly, but also the team.”

The PCB said on Wednesday the national selection committee would begin the hunt for a successor.
“He believes that dedicating himself fully to his batting will enable him to play a more decisive role in the team’s success in the shorter formats,” a PCB statement said.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan is considered the front-runner for the job.

Azam is slated to play in the England Test series starting in Multan on Monday, but red-ball skipper Shan Masood is also facing calls to step down over dire performances.

Pakistan has lost all five matches under his tenure, which began last year.


World No. 11 Celine Boutier set to make series debut at Aramco Team Series

World No. 11 Celine Boutier set to make series debut at Aramco Team Series
Updated 02 October 2024
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World No. 11 Celine Boutier set to make series debut at Aramco Team Series

World No. 11 Celine Boutier set to make series debut at Aramco Team Series
  • Boutier to play alongside fellow LPGA stars Xiyu Lin, Ruoning Yin, Alison Lee, Angel Yin
  • ‘To win here would be especially memorable,’ says Boutier

SHENZHEN, China: World No. 11 Celine Boutier is set to make her series debut at the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF — Shenzhen from Oct. 4 to 6.

Boutier headlines a stellar field including fellow LPGA stars Xiyu Lin, Ruoning Yin, Alison Lee, and Angel Yin at the tournament organized by Golf Saudi and China Golf Association.

While the 30-year-old French golfer has six professional wins, including a major victory at the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship, Boutier is still seeking her first win of the 2024 season after a T18 finish at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Eager to claim victory at her event debut, Boutier relishes the opportunity to play in the unique format that has witnessed wins from the sport’s very best including Golf Saudi ambassador Charley Hull in 2021 and Nelly Korda in 2023.

“Competing in Shenzhen, surrounded by such strong talent in this innovative format, is an exciting challenge,” said Boutier.

“It’s also great to be part of an event with a focus on advancing the women’s game, creating more opportunities for female athletes to compete on a global stage.

“To win here would be especially memorable, particularly being back on the Ladies European Tour, and having won in the last event that was here in China, back in 2017,” she said.

Boutier will also face off against some of the LET’s top talents, including the current Order of Merit leader Chiara Tamburlini, who comes fresh from her second win of the season at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.

Organized by Golf Saudi, the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF consists of five events on the LET each year, contributing an additional $5 million in prize money annually.

The series arrives in Shenzhen, following events in Tampa, Seoul, and London earlier this season, with the final leg set to tee off in Riyadh on Oct. 31.


Djokovic hopes Sinner doping case ‘resolved as soon as possible’

Djokovic hopes Sinner doping case ‘resolved as soon as possible’
Updated 02 October 2024
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Djokovic hopes Sinner doping case ‘resolved as soon as possible’

Djokovic hopes Sinner doping case ‘resolved as soon as possible’

SHANGHAI: Novak Djokovic said Wednesday that he hoped current world number one Jannik Sinner’s steroid case would be “resolved as soon as possible,” as he again bemoaned the tennis anti-doping system’s “inconsistencies.”
Sinner failed two doping tests in March but was cleared of wrongdoing and allowed to keep playing by tennis authorities.
But the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said Saturday it had mounted an appeal, and was seeking a ban of up to two years.
Djokovic had previously said he could “understand the sentiments of a lot of players” who were questioning whether Sinner’s rank had protected him.
On Wednesday, speaking at a press conference at the Shanghai Masters, the former world number one acknowledged it must be “very tough” for the Italian.
“I think it’s quite obvious that we have a system that is not working well... There’s way too many inconsistencies, way too many governing bodies involved and, you know, just this whole case is not helping our sport at all,” the 37-year-old said.
“Whatever is going to happen at the end of the day, just I wish for it to be resolved as soon as possible.”
Tennis authorities accepted Sinner’s explanation that trace amounts of a steroid unintentionally entered his system from a physiotherapist who used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player.
The WADA appeal has reignited the case, with Sinner saying he has had sleepless nights over the issue.
The 23-year-old has pushed through the controversy to win the US Open, as well as progressed to the final of the China Open, facing world number three Carlos Alcaraz.
“It’s impressive what (Sinner’s) been doing in the whole process of what’s been happening, that he’s playing on such a high level,” Djokovic said.
Both Sinner and Alcaraz will also head to Shanghai for the Masters, where they and Djokovic are among the favorites.
The Serbian is aiming for a 100th singles title — which he said was “extra motivation” — but admitted he had “some catching up to do” as he hadn’t played many tournaments recently.
“Hopefully I can use that freshness in a way, and also the past experiences and success I had,” he said.
Djokovic is a four-time champion in Shanghai, but has not played there for five years.
Asked what the secret to his previous success was, he laughed: “I love dumplings and the Chinese language, I think that helps!“


England cricket team arrives in Pakistan for three-match Test series 

England cricket team arrives in Pakistan for three-match Test series 
Updated 02 October 2024
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England cricket team arrives in Pakistan for three-match Test series 

England cricket team arrives in Pakistan for three-match Test series 
  • World Test Championship cycle matches to be played in Multan, Rawalpindi
  • Pakistan have not won a Test match on home ground since February 2021

ISLAMABAD: The England cricket team arrived in Pakistan today, Wednesday, to play a three-match Test series from Oct. 7-28, a month after Bangladesh completed a 2-0 series sweep against Pakistan. 

The three-match series is part of the World Test Championship cycle. After being whitewashed by Bangladesh at home this month, Pakistan are placed at number eight on the points table, just ahead of the West Indies. 

The English side is led by all-rounder Ben Stokes and will resume practice from Oct. 4 after resting on Oct. 2-3.

“The first Test match between Pakistan and England will be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium from October 7. The second Test will also be played in Multan from October 15, while the third Test will be played in Rawalpindi from October 24.”

Pakistan have a busy cricket schedule in the months to come, with the green shirts scheduled to play an away white-ball series against Australia in November before playing another white-ball series against Zimbabwe in November and December. 

The green shirts will tour South Africa for a T20, ODI and Test series in December and January before they host the West Indies for a Test series the same month.

Pakistan’s recent lackluster performances in all three formats of the game have invited scathing criticism from cricket experts and fans alike. Both have blamed a lack of quality pitches and infrastructure in the country for Pakistan’s hapless performances while many also point to frequent changes in the PCB’s management and a lack of unity in the team for Pakistan’s losses.

The country has not won a Test match at home since Feb. 2021.

On Wednesday, the PCB confirmed batting ace Babar Azam had tendered his resignation as Pakistan men’s white-ball captain on Tuesday evening, and it had been accepted by the Board. The national selection committee has been tasked with beginning the process of formulating future white-ball cricket strategies, including recommending a new captain, the PCB said. 

“Although the PCB had backed Babar Azam as the white-ball captain, his decision to step down reflects his desire to focus more on making a greater impact as a player.

“This decision is a testament to his professionalism and commitment to Pakistan cricket. He believes that dedicating himself fully to his batting will enable him to play a more decisive role in the team’s success in the shorter formats.

“The PCB acknowledges Babar’s contributions as white-ball captain, his ability to prioritize the team’s needs and his unwavering dedication to Pakistan cricket. The PCB will continue to support Babar Azam, recognizing he still has much to offer both as a world-class batter and a senior statesman of the team.”

Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zahid Mehmood.

England squad: Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.