FIFA World Cup, fake football jerseys worth over £18M seized

Former Australia head coach Justin Langer has dismissed speculation linking him with England’s vacant Test coaching position, saying he has not been contacted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Langer’s name has been widely mentioned as one of the possible candidates after England began searching for a new Test coach following Brendon McCullum’s exit from the role. Despite the growing rumours, the former Australian opener made it clear that no discussions have taken place. Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Langer addressed the reports and denied that the ECB had approached him about the position. “I haven’t heard from anyone,” Langer said. “A lot of what you read is simply speculation and rumours.” Although he ruled out any current talks with England, Langer admitted that the position is among the most sought-after coaching jobs in international cricket. He believes any experienced coach would naturally be interested in considering such an opportunity if it became available. According to Langer, there are only a handful of coaching positions that stand above the rest in world cricket. He identified the head coaching roles of Australia, India and England as the biggest jobs in the game, while stressing that discussions about his future remain entirely hypothetical. The 54-year-old also described coaching as a professional career in which individuals regularly assess opportunities that may arise. However, he emphasized that there has been no contact regarding England’s vacancy. England are currently looking for a new Test coach after deciding to return to a split-coaching structure. Under the revised setup, Brendon McCullum will continue overseeing England’s white-ball teams, while a separate coach will take charge of the Test side. Several prominent names have reportedly been linked with the position. Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming is believed to be among the leading contenders, while former England spinner Richard Dawson, ex-England batter Jonathan Trott and Australian coach Tom Moody have also been mentioned as possible candidates. Former England opener Marcus Trescothick has reportedly emerged as an option for an interim appointment ahead of England’s upcoming Test series against Pakistan, which is scheduled to begin on August 19. Meanwhile, former England head coach Andy Flower has already ruled himself out of contention. Flower recently stated that he remains fully committed to his coaching responsibilities with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and London Spirit, making it unlikely that he will return to the England setup. Langer also shared his thoughts on the qualities required for whoever eventually takes over England’s Test team. He believes the successful candidate will need to work closely with McCullum under the new coaching structure while maintaining a clear vision and strong leadership. He added that building an effective support staff and creating a unified direction for the team will be essential for long-term success. While Langer said he has no idea who will ultimately be appointed, he believes the next England Test coach will face an important challenge in guiding one of cricket’s leading sides through a new era.

Pakistan red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed has hinted at possible changes to the playing XI for the second Test following the team’s 90-run defeat to the West Indies in the series opener. Speaking after the match, Sarfaraz admitted that Pakistan’s batting performance fell well below expectations, particularly in the second innings, where the side once again failed to build meaningful partnerships. He described the batting collapse as the biggest factor behind the defeat and stressed that the team must improve if it hopes to level the series. The coach said Pakistan had a valuable opportunity to take control of the match by securing a first-innings lead but failed to capitalize on the advantage. According to him, the missed opportunity shifted the momentum in favour of the hosts and made the chase in the fourth innings significantly more difficult. Sarfaraz also reflected on the dismissal of opener Imam-ul-Haq, saying the left-hander had looked comfortable at the crease and was batting well before losing his wicket. He believed that had Imam shown a little more patience, Pakistan could have built a stronger foundation and put themselves in a better position to challenge the target. The head coach also expressed disappointment with the team’s bowling effort on the third day of the Test. He pointed to the 61-run partnership for the eighth wicket by the West Indies, saying Pakistan should not have allowed the lower-order batters to add crucial runs. He noted that those extra runs eventually proved significant in the context of the match. Despite criticism over Pakistan’s team selection, Sarfaraz defended the decision to field five specialist bowlers. He said the management had carefully assessed the playing conditions before finalizing the combination and believed it was the right approach based on the nature of the pitch. “We selected the side after evaluating the conditions and felt that playing five bowlers gave us the best chance of taking 20 wickets,” he said, adding that the execution on the field ultimately mattered more than the team composition. Looking ahead to the second Test, Sarfaraz confirmed that changes remain a possibility as the coaching staff reviews the team’s performance. He revealed that middle-order batter Saud Shakeel and opener Abdullah Shafique are still under consideration for selection. However, he made it clear that no final decision has been taken regarding the playing XI. The coaching staff will assess the match situation, the expected pitch conditions and the overall balance of the side before naming the team for the second Test. Pakistan will now look to regroup quickly after the disappointing start to the series, with the second Test offering an opportunity to bounce back and keep the contest alive. Team management will be hoping that both the batting and bowling units respond positively after a below-par performance in the opening match.

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed an eight-year ban on USA off-spinner B Akhilesh Reddy after he was found guilty of multiple breaches of the governing body’s Anti-Corruption Code linked to the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament. The 26-year-old cricketer, who represented Aspin Stallions during the competition, was charged following an investigation into alleged corrupt activities during the tournament. He had been provisionally suspended in November 2025 while the inquiry was underway. After a formal hearing, the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Tribunal concluded that Reddy had committed several serious offences under the Anti-Corruption Code. According to the ICC, Reddy was found guilty of attempting to improperly influence the outcome, progress or conduct of matches during the Abu Dhabi T10. He was also found to have encouraged another participant to engage in corrupt activities related to match-fixing. In addition, the tribunal ruled that the spinner obstructed the investigation by deleting data and messages from his mobile phone that could have been relevant to the anti-corruption inquiry. As a result of the findings, the ICC banned Reddy from all cricket-related activities for eight years. The sanction has been backdated to November 21, 2025, the date on which his provisional suspension first came into effect. Reddy made his international debut for the United States in April 2025 and went on to play four Twenty20 Internationals for the national team before his career was derailed by the corruption investigation. The case highlights the ICC’s continued efforts to protect the integrity of the sport through strict enforcement of its anti-corruption regulations. The governing body has repeatedly warned players at all levels that any involvement in match manipulation or attempts to obstruct investigations will result in severe penalties. The lengthy suspension effectively sidelines one of USA cricket’s emerging players for the remainder of the decade and serves as a strong reminder of cricket’s zero-tolerance approach to corruption. The ICC has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving the game’s credibility by taking firm action against anyone found guilty of breaching its anti-corruption code.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup may have ended with Spain lifting the trophy, but a reported police dossier has brought fresh attention to the security threats that allegedly shadowed some of football’s biggest stars during the tournament. According to a report based on an alleged leaked police document, Lionel Messi was repeatedly targeted with threats during Argentina’s campaign, while Cristiano Ronaldo and several other high-profile figures also faced security concerns. The World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, was already one of the largest sporting events ever staged. Spain eventually defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final to claim the title. However, behind the packed stadiums and celebrations, security agencies were reportedly dealing with a series of alarming incidents. One alleged threat emerged before Argentina’s match against Jordan. According to the report, a caller contacted authorities at Dallas airport and threatened an attack at the stadium, allegedly claiming that grenades and rifles would be used. Another disturbing incident was reportedly recorded before Argentina’s game against Egypt, when a threat targeting Messi was posted on social media. Security concerns escalated during the match after authorities received information suggesting that explosives could have been placed inside stadium waste bins. Bomb-disposal specialists and trained detection dogs were reportedly deployed to search the area. No explosives were found, according to the report. The security concerns were not limited to Messi. Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was also reportedly the subject of attempts to obtain information about his accommodation. In another alleged incident, a suspicious individual reportedly managed to reach his hotel while posing as a fan. The pressure extended to match officials and other players. French referee François Letexier reportedly received thousands of threatening messages following decisions made during the Argentina-Egypt match. Players including Alexander Sørloth and Jae-hun Campaz were also allegedly subjected to death threats after missing important opportunities during matches. The reported security breaches prompted authorities to strengthen protection around key World Cup locations. At one media centre in England, security measures reportedly included multiple protective layers, concrete barriers, anti-sniper screens and a no-fly zone. The revelations offer a stark reminder that the spectacle of a World Cup comes with enormous security challenges. While millions of fans experienced football, entertainment and celebration, security teams were simultaneously working behind the scenes to protect players, officials and spectators from potential threats. The security allegations above are presented as reported claims from the supplied report and alleged leaked dossier; they should not be treated as independently established facts unless confirmed by authorities.