India all-rounder Axar Patel is set to achieve another major feat when he takes the field in the fourth T20I against England, and will become the 31st Indian cricketer to play 100 T20 Internationals. The historic feat comes just two matches after Axar took his 100th T20 wicket, underscoring his consistent impact as one of India’s most reliable white-ball all-rounders over the past decade.Reflecting on his journey from making his T20I debut in 2015 to reaching the milestone of 100 matches, Axar admitted that he had never imagined representing India so many times.“When I played my first T20 match, I never thought that I would play 100 matches. This England tour has been very special for me because I completed my 100 T20I wickets in the second match and now I will play my 100th T20I in the fourth match. “This is a very special moment and I am really enjoying it,” Axar said in a video shared by BCCI.The left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder also credited his teammates, coaches and family for helping him reach this milestone.“It feels really good. Whenever you achieve a milestone, it’s not just about you. My teammates, coaches and family have all played a role in this journey.”Axar also recalled the feelings of making his India debut and how representing the country is every cricketer’s ultimate dream.“When you make your debut, it’s a completely different feeling. At that time, you don’t know how much you will achieve in your career. Now, I’m about to play my 100th match, and it’s a feeling that can’t really be expressed. “Even playing a match for India is a dream come true.”
Axar Patel’s T20I career statistics
Since his debut in 2015, Axar has scored 746 runs in 99 T20I matches at an average of 17.34, while taking 101 wickets at an impressive average of 21.86, with best figures of 3/9. He has also taken 38 catches while making valuable contributions in all three departments.The 31-year-old has been an integral member of India’s white-ball team and played a key role in the team’s victories in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s premier T20 all-rounders.
Didier Deschamps has never been one to mince words, and on the eve of France’s FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Morocco, the Les Bleus manager delivered a masterclass in psychological deflection.
The build-up to the blockbuster clash at Boston Stadium has been dominated by FIFA’s decision to appoint an entirely Argentine officiating team led by 44-year-old referee Facundo Tello. Given the bitter, bitter rivalry between France and Argentina since their spectacular 2022 final in Doha, this option has raised serious eyebrows in the football world.
Yet, rather than take the bait and criticize the appointment, Deschamps flipped the script completely, using the pre-match press conference to take aim at his critics.
“We have to deal with it. I trust the referee. Our opponent is Morocco, not the referee,” Deschamps said firmly.
However, the French strategist could not avoid hitting out at those critics, especially parts of the North African media French referee Francois Letexier was closely investigated Following Argentina’s dramatic, controversial 3–2 victory over Egypt in the round of 16.
“Let’s hope our [officials] He is as good as Monsieur Letexier was,” he said.
calls for peace
The manager’s quiet, slightly combative confidence has clearly rubbed off on the rest of the French team. Backup goalkeeper Robin Riser also supported the officials, offering a refreshing dose of realism while urging his teammates to ignore any growing digital paranoia.
“There’s a certain bitterness [between France and Argentina] It’s been a few years now since the last final, but it’s part of the game,” Risser said.
“If these referees are there, it’s because they are up to the level of the competition.”
For the players, the historical burden between Paris and Buenos Aires is an extraneous distraction; The task at hand is limited to 90 minutes entirely on the pitch.
With the French camp firmly closing out the refereeing debate, attention has turned entirely to the tough challenge posed by Morocco. The Atlas Lions secured their place in the last eight with an impressive 3-0 win over Canada, and Deschamps is under no illusions about the tactical battle that awaits them.
“They don’t have the image of Paraguay,” Deschamps warned, citing his team’s narrow 1-0 win in the round of 16.
“We will need to be very effective because this Morocco is very high quality. The level increases as you go up the mountain.”
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahabi has also completely downplayed Tello’s importance to the All-Argentina team, and expressed full confidence in his elite tournament experience.
Referencing on this FIFA World Cup Has become a topic of discussion on a large scale, FAccusations of bias against football legends are being made. Egypt’s furious meltdown over Francois Letexier is a perfect example; They felt completely betrayed after a disallowed goal, a disallowed penalty claim and an unprovoked foul in the build-up to Argentina’s 93rd-minute winner all went against them.
Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh Live Score, 2nd ODI: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2nd ODI between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
After a stellar performance in the opening match, Zimbabwe go into the match with a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Despite Nahid Rana’s brilliant six-wicket haul for Bangladesh, Zimbabwe’s bowlers stole the show by successfully defending their score.
Richard Ngarwa and Brad Evans led the attack brilliantly, while Newman Nyamauri impressed with a brilliant all-round performance as Bangladesh were bowled out for just 116 runs.
Zimbabwe squad: Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Innocent Kaiya, Craig Ervin, Alexander Raza, Wesley Madhewere, Clive Madande (w), Brad Evans, Newman Nyamauri, Richard Ngarwa (c), Blessing Muzarabani, Tadivanashe Marumani, Ernest Masuku, Wellington Masakadza, Ryan Burl.
Bangladesh team: Tanzeed Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Tauheed Hridoy, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mosaddek Hossain, Mehdi Hasan Miraj (c), Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Naheed Rana, Liton Das, Saif Hasan, Tanveer Islam, Shoriful Islam.
The fallout from Egypt’s highly controversial, heartbreaking 3-2 exit to Argentina in the round of 16 has transcended the realm of soccer and is making its way into the upper echelons of American civic politics. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has put himself at the center of the global sports debate, declaring that the North African side had been “robbed” during his time in the sport. Dramatic FIFA World Cup encounter.
Political speeches are historically famous for calculated pivots, but Mamdani delivered a masterclass in rhetorical misdirection on Wednesday. At a completely dry, administrative press conference outlining municipal infrastructure upgrades, Mamdani easily weaponized local transit data to deliver a scathing, globally heard verdict on the World Cup’s biggest refereeing scandal.
Unveiling his new “Next Stop: Better Buses, Faster Service” initiative, Mamdani delved into how streamlined bus routes can return 24 hours of personal time to local commuters over a six-month period.
He began to paint a picture of domestic bliss, underscoring the human value of time saved.
“It means having breakfast with your family,” Mamdani told the gathered press contingent. “It means having time to debate balls and strikes at your child’s Little League game. It means getting home in time for bed.”
Then came the sucker punch. Without pausing, Mamdani said: “It means agreeing with your friends that Egypt was looted yesterday.”
NEW: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani says Egypt were “robbed” of yesterday’s World Cup game against Argentina pic.twitter.com/bigWXCN04q– Politics Global (@PolitlcsGlobal) 8 July 2026
What happened during Egypt vs Argentina?
Mayor’s comment has added fuel to this Burning controversy in FIFA World Cup. The source of global outrage focused on a crucial 58th-minute incident that fundamentally changed the trajectory of Tuesday’s match in Atlanta. With the fearless Egypt team leading the reigning world champions 1-0, midfielder Mustapha Zico completed a breathtaking team move and clearly put the Pharaohs in complete control.
However, French referee François Letexier was instructed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to review the incident which had occurred more than 20 seconds earlier at the exact opposite end of the pitch. Letexier later ruled that Egypt’s midfielder Marwan Attia had fouled Argentina’s Lisandro Martínez a full 100 yards, where the goal was ultimately scored.
The goal was conceded, leaving the Egyptians completely defeated and a huge relief for Lionel Messi’s men, who took full advantage of the 11-minute comeback to seal the victory in the final minutes.
There was another flashpoint too. With the score tied at 2–2 in stoppage time, the Egypt captain lost a tackle after tracking down defender Julian Alvarez inside the 18-yard box.
While the Egyptian players and staff appealed loudly for a penalty, French referee François Letexier waved the game off, a flashpoint decision that directly enabled Argentina to counterattack and score the winning goal a few seconds later. However, Newly emerged broadcast replays from alternative angles Public consensus has shifted, suggesting that Álvarez reached the ball cleanly first and that the contact was minimal, suggesting that the referee made the correct technical decision.
The controversial calls have sparked fierce debate among pundits regarding the wide scope of VAR’s jurisdiction, with many arguing that the long interval and distance between the alleged foul and goal violated the principle of the “attacking phase of the game”.
The rhetoric within the camp was even more adamant. Striker Mustafa Zico didn’t mince his words, telling reporters that the refereeing was “unfair, unfair, unfair” and that it meant the scales had been tipped to ensure Argentina progressed.
Egypt manager Hossam Hassan reiterated those disappointments, labeling the match “clearly rigged” in his scathing assessment after the match.
Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has refused to accept defeat quietlyImmediately lodged a formal, scathing complaint with FIFA regarding Letexier and his officiating team.
New Delhi: Ahead of the one-off Test against England at Lord’s, India were forced to make late changes after opener Prateek Raval was ruled out with a knee injury. The women’s selection committee has named Priya Punia as her replacement for the match starting on Friday.Pratika suffered an injury around her right knee while playing for India A in the second ODI against England A in Taunton. The injury required stitches and she was not able to recover in time to participate in the Test. Head coach Amol Majumdar confirmed this setback before the match.Muzumdar said, “Pratika has been ruled out of the Test match due to the injury she sustained in the India A match. She has injured her knee which required a few stitches. She is out of the Test match and Priya Punia has been included in the squad.”Priya received the call-up after an impressive performance in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against England A. She was the leading run-scorer for India A with 171 runs in three matches and played a key role in the team’s 2–1 series win.Pratika made her Test debut against Australia earlier this year and scored 81 runs in two innings, including a half-century in the second innings.Speaking about her love for the longest format after that debut, Pratika had said:“Test cricket is the most beautiful format. Since childhood, my father and coaches have told me that it is very important to perform well in this format. When you are groomed like that, it naturally becomes your favorite format.”
India’s squad for the one-off Test against England:
Alexander Zverev finally found the answer to one of the biggest puzzles of his career. After seven consecutive losses to Taylor Fritz, the German second seed produced one of her best performances in recent memory, defeating the American 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday, July 8 to reach her first Wimbledon semi-final.
Following his French Open victory, Zverev continued his quest for back-to-back Grand Slam titles by ending a two-year losing streak against Fritz, which also included a loss to the American at the All England Club in 2024.
The victory made Zverev only the fifth German player in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals, joining Boris Becker, Michael Stich, Rainer Schuettler and Tommy Haas.
After the match, Zverev said, “It feels great. I hope to play two more matches here, so we’ll see how it goes, but right now I’m extremely happy to reach the semi-finals, especially after beating Taylor, who I haven’t won against for over two years.”
“He has been beating me for two years in a row. I played a great match.”
Zverev Steamrolls Fritz
The competition never reached drama Many had hope. Zverev broke in the opening set and despite Fritz threatening a comeback in the 10th game, he held his composure to wrap it up 6–4. The German roared with relief after escaping late pressure, aware of how much recent history had favored his opponent.
The second set swung in Zverev’s favor after Fritz required a medical timeout on his right knee at the beginning of the set. While the American pressed on, he struggled to match Zverev’s consistency from the baseline as the German grabbed another vital break before comfortably going two sets ahead.
Fritz’s resistance faded completely in the third.
Zverev grabbed a double break at 4-1 with a stunning backhand winner in one shot of the afternoon and then closed out the match with minimal fuss. The win was her 12th Grand Slam semifinal overall, but notably her first at Wimbledon.
“I knew I had to play a near-perfect match to have a chance, and I think I did that today,” Zverev said.
“The first game on my serve, I had three break points against me and I knew it was going to be difficult. When you haven’t beaten someone for over two years it’s always on your mind.”
The German immediately accepted the challenge facing him and joked that the home crowd would have no reason to support anyone else.
“You guys can be all for the ferry,” Zverev laughed. “It’s absolutely fine. I understand.”
“For them, it’s a ‘fairy-tale’ story. You see what I did there? Very clever. But I have to trust myself and trust my tennis.
“Hopefully I can perform well and then we’ll see what happens.”
Zverev has achieved success at Wimbledon for the first time in his career. However, to lift the trophy he will have to spoil Britain’s biggest tennis story of the fortnight.
India’s left arm spinner R. Sai Kishore has signed with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club for the last six matches of the 2026 County Championship season. The 29-year-old will be available for Gloucestershire’s match against Worcestershire County Cricket Club in Cheltenham on August 20. Kishore had earlier impressed while playing with Surrey County Cricket Club in 2025, taking 11 wickets in just two matches.Speaking after completing the move, the teenager said he was looking forward to experiencing English conditions again. “I am extremely grateful to John and all the people at Gloucestershire for giving me this opportunity. Gloucestershire is a club with a rich history and a fantastic setup, and to have the chance to play cricket here is incredibly exciting.He said, “I’ve always wanted to test my skills in English conditions, and after talking to the management, I knew it was the right one. I’m looking forward to wearing the jersey, meeting the fans at Bristol and Cheltenham and doing my thing.”
Gloucestershire back Sai Kishore to make impact
Kishore has been one of India’s most consistent domestic red-ball bowlers, taking 223 wickets in 54 first-class matches. Tamil Nadu. He was also part of India’s gold medal-winning team at the 2023 Asian Games and has taken 33 wickets in 28 IPL matches.Gloucestershire head coach john lewis He welcomed the signing, saying, “We are really excited to bring Sai Kishore to the team. He is a proven, experienced cricketer who will add a huge amount to our group.“The club is fully committed to playing better cricket in the final six County Championship matches, and it will be really interesting to see what impact an overseas spinner can have at this stage of the season. Conditions at this time of year are often very favorable to spin bowling, so we are hopeful that Sai can make a significant contribution and have a really positive impact on the team.”
Arthur Ferry’s stellar run at Wimbledon continued on Tuesday as the British wildcard scored the biggest win of his career, defeating ninth seed Flavio Coboli to reach the semi-finals.
Ranked world No. 114 when the Grand Slam began, the 23-year-old has become the story of the championship. By defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the very first tournament, Ferry backed it up with another fearless performance against the ItaliansReached the semi-finals of the tournament by defeating him 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-0.
On Wednesday, 8 July, Arthur became only the second wildcard in Wimbledon history to reach the semi-finals. The only player before him to achieve this feat was Goran Ivanisevic, who won the championship in 2001 by defeating Australia’s Patrick Rafter.
Photo: Reuters
Who is Arthur Ferry?
For many tennis fans, Ferry’s success has come as a surprise. But his journey to Center Court took years.
Born in Sevres, France, on July 12, 2002, Ferry moved to London when he was just one month old and grew up in Wimbledon, just a few miles from the All England Club. She attended King’s College School before choosing a different path to professional tennis by attending Stanford University in the United States.
Rather than turn professional as a teenager, Ferry spent three years developing his game in college tennis. He became a two-time ITA All-American, was named the 2023 Pac-12 Singles Player of the Year, and reached No. 1 in the national collegiate singles rankings in 2022, becoming Stanford’s first top-ranked singles player since Bob Bryan in 1998. In three seasons, he compiled an impressive 58–16 singles record while excelling in doubles.
Tennis runs in the family. His mother, Olivia Ferry, played professionally and competed in the women’s doubles draw at the 1991 French Open before representing Hong Kong in the Fed Cup after moving there. His father, Loïc Ferry, is a French businessman and president of French football club FC Lorient.
Arthur Fairey’s junior career
Ferry was also a very accomplished junior. He reached the third round of the Wimbledon boys’ singles in 2019, reached the boys’ doubles semi-finals at Wimbledon the same year, and repeated that feat at the 2020 Australian Open. He also represented Great Britain at the European Championships in 2019.
Despite those credentials, few expected him to make such a long run this fortnight. Entering Wimbledon as a wildcard, Ferry started the season outside the world top 180 before steadily climbing the rankings. His performance in London will now take him closer to the world top 60, making him Britain’s new No. 2 behind Cameron Norrie.
Speaking after one of her previous wins, Ferry admitted that playing at Wimbledon felt like a “full-circle moment” after spending much of her childhood watching the tournament from the stands.
That dream has now become even bigger. After eliminating Koboli, the British wildcard is just one win away from making the Wimbledon final, completing one of the most remarkable success stories of the season.
Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran He died at the age of 38 after battling hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare immune system disorder. He was undergoing treatment in Delhi-NCR region for several months. His death was confirmed by the Afghanistan Cricket Board during his tenure as the President of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Jai Shah Also paid tribute to Zadran by remembering his huge contribution to Afghanistan cricket.Sharing his condolences on the X, Shah praised Zadran for helping Afghanistan establish themselves in international cricket. He also recalled his all-round performance against Scotland in the 2015 ODI World Cup that led Afghanistan to their first World Cup win. He wrote, “Deeply saddened by the passing of former Afghan cricketer Shapoor Zadran at the age of 38. Shapoor played a key role in Afghanistan’s remarkable rise to international cricket and will always be remembered for his match-winning all-round performance against Scotland in 2015.” ICC Cricket World CupWhich ensured Afghanistan’s first World Cup victory. Our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and the entire Afghanistan cricket community. May his soul rest in peace.”The Afghanistan Cricket Board described Zadran as one of the pioneers of the country’s cricket journey, saying, “Shapoor Zadran was one of the founding figures of Afghanistan cricket, whose dedication, passion and unwavering commitment played a vital role in the rise and development of the game in our country. He was one of those proud cricketers who stood at the center of Afghanistan’s early cricket journey and helped pave the way that brought Afghan cricket to the international stage.”” It added, “Throughout his career Shapoor served Afghanistan cricket with honour, courage and distinction. His contributions and achievements will always be an important part of the history of Afghanistan cricket and his efforts in service of the national team will never be forgotten.” Zadran represented Afghanistan in 80 international matches between 2009 and 2020.
For two decades, football has been debating which of them is better. Goals, the Ballon d’Or, trophy counting, big game moments – the debate has raged on every possible metric. But the real difference between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is not found on any stat sheet. It is found in the teams that surround them.
This difference is first visible in how each man is treated in his dressing room, long before it becomes visible in any tactics or formation.
Watch Argentina’s victory and celebration Barely seems to care about the outcome. After defeating Egypt to reach the World Cup quarter-finals, the team, without any prompting, lifted Messi on their shoulders and sang his name. This happens after milestones, after trophies, and after general wins. Every camera seems to be watching Rodrigo De Paul find his pitch.
That is not faith. This is something close to belonging. Argentina no longer regards Messi as a superstar who plays for them. He’s simply their leader, and the team behaves that way every time the final whistle blows.
Argentina players celebrate with Lionel Messi in their round of 16 win over Egypt (Reuters Photo)
The atmosphere around Portugal is rarely the same. This does not mean that Ronaldo is unpopular; Teammates past and present Have talked about standards again and again It sets every day. But conversations about the national team rarely stay on football for long. This leads to team selection, whether Ronaldo should still start, whether the next generation has already moved on from him.
No one asks this question about Messi. No one would be surprised should Argentina quietly move on to someone else. Whether that noise reflected the actual dressing room is impossible to know, but it has shaped the atmosphere around Portugal in a way that Argentina have largely escaped.
old mistake
That emotional difference didn’t appear overnight and it started on the field.
Argentina spent years making the mistake that has been the fate of every Messi-led team: handing him the ball and expecting talent to do the rest. They reached the finals and lost. They built attacks around one person’s talents and quietly expected him to fix whatever was broken elsewhere.
The result was a national team that looked less like a machine and more like a magic trick – brilliant when it worked and hollow when it didn’t. Something had to change, and it wasn’t going to be Messi.
arrangement on the savior
Lionel Scaloni and Lionel Messi (Reuters Photo)
that change Arrived under Lionel ScaloniAnd it wasn’t Messi’s play that transformed. No player in his mid-thirties suddenly discovers new gear. What changed was the machinery around it.
As Jonathan Wilson wrote for The Guardian after Argentina’s World Cup victory as his assistant coach: “The idea that Argentina won because of Messi is absurd. They won because they had a functioning team that included Messi.”
That was Scaloni’s greatest achievement. He stopped asking Messi to do everything and built a team that enhanced his strengths rather than relying on them. Rodrigo De Paul covered the ground that Messi no longer needed. Enzo Fernandez controlled the midfield, allowing Messi to move into dangerous pockets rather than chase possession. Alexis McAllister added lines, while Julian Alvarez’s relentless pressing gave Messi the freedom to conserve his energy for moments that decide matches.
One team, no crutches
None of this happened by accident. Each role complemented Messi without completely revolving around him.
The result is a team that doesn’t collapse even when Messi is quiet for twenty minutes because it was never built to rely on him touching the ball on every attack. It defends without waiting for him to track back. It can also create chances through established patterns before allowing Messi to provide the final touch rather than writing the entire script. Argentina no longer plays for Messi. They play with him.
Portugal’s identity crisis
Portugal struggled throughout FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign (Reuters photo)
Portugal’s story has unfolded very differently, and not because of a lack of talent. If anything, this may be the most talented generation of players the country has ever assembled: Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Vitinha, Rafael Leao, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes. On paper, it’s an embarrassment of riches.
But Portugal never resolved a fundamental identity question: was it still Ronaldo’s team, the way it had been for more than a decade, or had it become a new team in which Ronaldo was the finishing touch rather than the focal point?
Attacks still often gravitated towards him, even though the natural rhythm of the squad was that of a generation built on consistent pace, pressing and fluidity. Two good ideas, never quite matching into one.
That uncertainty became a defining characteristic of Portugal. Instead of evolving with Ronaldo as Argentina did with Messi, they often appear torn between preserving the past and embracing the future.
And now, it’s too late.
with 2026 will almost certainly be Cristiano Ronaldo’s last World CupPortugal’s greatest player walked away from football’s biggest stage without fully answering the question for his country that had defined the end of his international career. How can you maximize the greatest player in your history while allowing your greatest generation to be themselves?
Perhaps this is Portugal’s biggest regret. There was never any dearth of talent. There was never any dearth of ambition. The thing was that they could never figure out how to bring Ronaldo and this extraordinary generation together.
real gift
At the age of 39, Lionel Messi continues to perform well for Argentina (Reuters Photo)
This is exactly the clarity Argentina found and Portugal never found.
Scaloni didn’t try to recreate the Messi of 2014. He built around the Messi who stood before him, accepted his limitations, played up his strengths and made Argentina stronger as a collective.
That philosophy extended beyond strategy. Argentina embraced Messi as their leader, celebrating him without hesitation and building a culture that reflected complete confidence in their captain. Whether it was teammates lifting him in the air after the win over Egypt or chanting his name long after the final whistle, there was never any doubt who they were playing with – or who they were playing for.
Portugal’s relationship with Ronaldo has always felt more complicated. The endless debate over whether he should start, whether the team should move, and the persistent social media factions for and against him have often taken a toll on football itself. Whether any of this reflects the dressing room is impossible to know. But the contrast in what the two teams project to the outside world is striking. Argentina seems united behind Messi. Portugal have often looked as if they were still trying to define their relationship with Ronaldo.
In the end, the greatest gift Argentina gave Messi was not the World Cup.
This was a team that finally understood him.
For all of Portugal’s extraordinary talent, this was one thing they never really got with Cristiano Ronaldo. And now, with his final World Cup behind him, it is a question that will remain one of the enduring ‘what ifs’ of his international career.
