LAHORE: England skipper Jos Buttler expects Australia to pose a tough challenge when they meet in a Champions Trophy Group B clash in Lahore on Saturday, despite missing their pace trio.
Australia’s campaign in the eight-nation Champions Trophy was hit hard after their regular skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were ruled out due to ankle and hip injuries.
To add to their woes, spearhead Mitchell Starc withdrew from the event on personal reasons while Mitchell Marsh, suffering a back injury, and Marcus Stoinis shockingly retired from one-day internationals.
Experienced batter Steve Smith will take over as captain with an inexperienced pace attack, but Buttler did not underestimate the traditional rivals.
“They have been a real pillar of success for Australia for a long period of time, so naturally there’ll be a miss for their team,” Buttler told a news conference on Friday.
“But they’ve got some top players to step into those shoes as well and Australia always over time have performed very well in ICC tournaments.
“We expect a really tough challenge.”
Australia’s pace attack will be led by Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson, Nathan Ellis and Ben Dwarshuis, while spinner Tanveer Sangha supplements Adam Zampa in spin bowling.
“England and Australia, there’s always a great rivalry and a competitive match. And obviously, in the Champions Trophy format, each game is really a massive game,” Buttler told reporters.
“So, we look forward to it.”
Buttler said fast bowler Jofra Archer is fit and raring to go.
“He’s been fit and firing now for... 18 months or so since being out of the game for a while. So, he’s really excited to put together a performance,” he said of the 29-year-old pacer.
Archer featured in all five Twenty20 internationals against India but missed the last two ODIs on the tour that preceded the Champions Trophy.
“He (Archer) is someone as a captain you always know you can turn to and throw the ball to,” Buttler added. “He’s obviously going to be really looking forward to the game tomorrow.”
England had announced their final eleven for the match on Thursday evening, recalling wicketkeeper batter Jamie Smith who will bat at three — a decision Buttler backed.
“He’s obviously got the game technically and tactically, but I think the head on his shoulders seems to be one of the biggest strengths,” he said.
“Nothing seems to faze him too much. I think you could ask him to bat anywhere in the line-up and it wouldn’t phase him. We feel it gives him a nice position to try and really impact the game.”
Buttler hoped conditions in Pakistan will be different from India where they lost T20I series 4-1 and one-day internationals 3-0.
“I think everywhere you go around the world, everywhere has its own nuances and different conditions. We’ve got lots of guys who’ve played in Pakistan before, so sharing those experiences,” he said.
England is the only top side not to have won the Champions Trophy, initiated in 1998 as the ICC (International Cricket Council) Knock-Out tournament.
Besides England and Australia, South Africa and Afghanistan are in Group B.
Defending champions and hosts Pakistan, India, New Zealand and Bangladesh comprise Group A. The top two teams from each Group will qualify for the semifinals.
Buttler not taking depleted Australia lightly in Champions Trophy
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Buttler not taking depleted Australia lightly in Champions Trophy
- The English skipper expects a ‘tough challenge’ despite a depleted Australia team
- Buttler says fast bowler Jofra Archer is excited to perform after 18-month absence
Ronaldo renews Al Nassr contract until 2027
RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a two-year contract extension with Al Nassr, the Saudi Pro League side announced on Thursday, which will keep the Portuguese forward at the club well past his 42nd birthday.
Ronaldo, who joined the club in 2022 after leaving Manchester United to become a free agent, has scored 93 goals in 105 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Pakistan grouped with Saudi Arabia, Iraq in AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers
- Thirty-one international teams to partake in qualifiers from Sept. 20-24
- AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 will be contested in Jan. 27-Feb. 7
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s football team has been selected in Group D along with Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Chinese Taipei for the qualifiers of the upcoming AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) confirmed on Thursday.
Thirty-one teams have confirmed their participation for the 11th qualifiers, which will take place between September 20 to 24. The draw has divided the teams into eight groups— seven groups of four and one group of three— with each to be played in a centralized league format.
“Our journey to the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 begins in Group D, sharing the pitch with hosts Saudi Arabia,” the PFF wrote on social media platform X.
“An exciting draw that sets the stage for some incredible matches. Time to prepare!“
India are in Group A with Kuwait, Australia and Mongolia while top seeds Thailand will have to contend with Korea Republic, Bahrain and Brunei Darussalam in Group B.
Four-time winners Japan are the top seeds in Group C with hosts Tajikistan, Macau and Cambodia their challengers. Group E will see Vietnam, Lebanon, hosts China and Hong Kong face each other while Group F includes Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic (hosts), Timor-Leste and Palestine.
Iran, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh are part of Group G while Afghanistan, Myanmar and Maldives are part of Group H.
The AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 will be contested from January 27-February 7.
Mbappe files harassment complaint against PSG and judicial officials are investigating
- The Real Madrid star is at odds with his former club, arguing PSG owes him $61 million in unpaid wages
- Mbappe stunned PSG in June 2023 by informing the club he would not take the option for an extra year
PARIS: Kylian Mbappe has accused Paris Saint-Germain of moral harassment in a legal filing, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Thursday.
The Real Madrid star is at odds with his former club, arguing PSG owes him €55 million ($61 million) in unpaid wages.
Mbappe is also unhappy with the way he was treated by the Ligue 1 club when the France captain was sidelined before the 2023-24 season, following his decision not to extend his club contract.
The prosecutor’s office said Mbappe is “denouncing the ‘lofting’ he claimed to have been subjected to at Paris Saint-Germain.” The word lofting is used in France to describe a practice that involves isolating a player from the main squad for sporting, administrative, or disciplinary reasons.
Mbappe joined Real Madrid last summer on a free transfer after scoring a club-record 256 goals in seven years at PSG, which won the Champions League without him this year.
Mbappe’s relationship with PSG ended amid deep tensions, and some fans booed him in his last home game at Parc des Princes. PSG felt let down by Mbappe after offering him the most lucrative contract in club history when he signed a new contract in 2022.
But Mbappe was frustrated because he felt promises to sign key players were not kept. When he signed that deal, he was paraded in front of fans holding up a jersey with 2025 on it. Mbappe was reportedly annoyed because the contract was until 2024 — with a player’s option for an extra season.
Mbappe stunned PSG in June 2023 by informing the club he would not take the option for an extra year. With his contract effectively into its final year, it put PSG in the position of needing to sell Mbappe to avoid losing him for nothing when the contract expired.
His PSG career could have ended that summer amid a tense transfer standoff.
After telling the club he would not extend, Mbappe was left off a preseason tour to Japan and South Korea and forced to train with fringe players. PSG said it would rather sell him than let the player leave for free in 2024, but he rejected a €300 million move to Saudi Arabia team Al-Hilal.
PSG left Mbappe out of the opening league game of that season but he soon returned to the lineup following talks.
Mbappe’s legal team said in April it would start an action against PSG for harassment because of the way he was treated at the time.
Krejcikova suffers injury scare ahead of Wimbledon defense
- The world number 17 suffered the problem on Wednesday during her second-round victory over Britain’s Jodie Burrage
- The injury worsened overnight and the 29-year-old opted not to risk aggravating it
EASTBOPURNE, UK: Barbora Krejcikova faces a race to prove her fitness in time to defend the Wimbledon title after the Czech pulled out of the Eastbourne Open with a thigh injury on Thursday.
Krejcikova was due to face France’s Varvara Gracheva in the quarter-finals at Devonshire Park, but announced her withdrawal just hours before the match.
The world number 17 suffered the problem on Wednesday during her second-round victory over Britain’s Jodie Burrage.
The injury worsened overnight and, with her Wimbledon first-round tie scheduled for Tuesday, the 29-year-old opted not to risk aggravating it.
Krejcikova is awaiting the outcome of a scan before deciding if she will be fit to chase a second successive title at the All England Club.
“I’m very sorry to have to withdraw from my quarter-final today in Eastbourne as I’m having some soreness in my right thigh,” Krejcikova said.
“Overnight it just didn’t get any better, it actually got worse. I think it’s better with Wimbledon in the next couple of days just to rest it and to see what’s going on and to resolve that.”
Krejcikova has endured a difficult time since defeating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the women’s singles final at Wimbledon last year.
She lost in the second round of the recent French Open and also missed January’s Australian Open with a back injury, which kept her sidelined until May.
Krejcikova made a poor start to the grass-court season with a shock loss against Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova in the first round at Queen’s Club earlier this month.
The two-time Grand Slam champion had to save two match points before beating Britain’s Harriet Dart in the Eastbourne first round.
The second seed saved three more match points against Burrage.
Jofra Archer joins England squad for 2nd test against India
- If made part of playing XI, Archer will play his first Test in 4 years
- Archer, 30, played last of his 13 Tests in February 2021 in India
LONDON: Fast bowler Jofra Archer could play his first test in four years after he was added to England’s squad on Thursday.
Archer joined up for the second test against India next week at Edgbaston. England leads the five-test series 1-0.
The 30-year-old played the last of his 13 tests in February 2021 in India.
Following his right thumb injury during the Indian Premier League, Archer played his first red-ball game in more than four years this week for Sussex in the English County Championship. He took 1-32 in 18 overs in his only bowling innings. He also batted once for 31 runs.
