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Messi faces England for first time in career in World Cup semifinal

July 15, 2026 by Newsdesk

ATLANTA: Lionel Messi and Argentina face England in one of the most anticipated matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday, with a place in the final at stake and decades of football history adding extra significance to the semifinal.

The match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium reunites two of football’s fiercest rivals, whose previous World Cup meetings have included Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal in 1986 and David Beckham’s red card in 1998. The rivalry has also been shaped by the Falklands War, adding a political backdrop to the sporting contest.

For 39-year-old Messi, the semifinal marks a unique milestone. Despite a career spanning more than two decades and virtually every major trophy in world football, the Argentina captain is set to face England for the first time in a senior international match.

Messi has scored eight goals in six matches at the tournament and is bidding to lead Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final.

England, meanwhile, is seeking its first World Cup title since 1966. Under coach Thomas Tuchel, the team has reached the last four after victories over DR Congo, Mexico and Norway.

Captain Harry Kane and midfielder Jude Bellingham are expected to lead England’s challenge as the Three Lions aim to win their first World Cup outside home soil.

Argentina advanced to the semifinals after defeating Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland in the knockout rounds, with each of its three elimination matches extending beyond regulation time.

The winner will move one step closer to lifting football’s biggest prize, with Argentina chasing another appearance in the World Cup final and England attempting to end a 60-year wait for a second global title.

Earlier, Spain advanced to its first FIFA World Cup final in 16 years after defeating France 2-0 in the first semifinal of the 2026 tournament on Tuesday.

Spain took control early and opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, when Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty to give his side the lead. The goal was his fifth of the tournament.

The Spaniards doubled their advantage in the 58th minute through Pedro Porro, whose powerful strike sealed Spain’s place in the championship match.

France, led by tournament top scorer Kylian Mbappé, was unable to break through Spain’s defense despite several attacking opportunities. Mbappé, who entered the semifinal with eight goals in the tournament, failed to add to his tally.

The victory sends Spain to its first World Cup final since 2010, when it captured its only FIFA World Cup title. Spain will face the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between Argentina and England in the tournament final.

Top four FIFA-ranked teams reach World Cup semifinals for first time

July 13, 2026 by Newsdesk

MIAMI: Spain, Argentina, France and England have made history by becoming the first top four teams in the FIFA world rankings to reach the FIFA World Cup semifinals in the same tournament.

The unprecedented achievement was aided by FIFA’s revised tournament draw system, which placed the four highest-ranked teams in separate sections of the bracket, ensuring they could not face each other before the semifinals if they topped their respective groups.

The format worked as intended, with all four teams finishing first in their groups and advancing through their respective knockout paths.

Under the new bracket structure, Spain and Argentina can only meet in the World Cup final, while France and England were also placed on separate knockout routes. The semifinal fixtures will see Spain face France, while Argentina will take on England.

The revised draw system was introduced alongside the expanded 48-team World Cup format, which increased the likelihood of heavyweight clashes in the early knockout rounds. FIFA redesigned the bracket to preserve marquee matchups for the latter stages of the tournament and maintain competitive balance—a strategy that has proven successful in this edition.

England beat Croatia 4–2 in World Cup 2026 group opener

June 18, 2026 by Newsdesk

England opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a commanding 4–2 victory over Croatia at the Dallas Stadium, powered by a brace from captain Harry Kane.

England made an aggressive start to Group L, with Kane scoring twice to give his side early control. However, Croatia responded each time to keep the contest level.

Croatia’s Martin Baturina and Petar Musa struck to level the match 2–2 at halftime after Kane’s double had given England the lead twice in the first half.

In the second half, Jude Bellingham restored England’s advantage in the 47th minute, before substitute Marcus Rashford sealed the win with a late goal in the 85th minute following a well-worked team move.

England controlled much of the tempo in the second half, while Croatia struggled to match their intensity after the break.

England will next face Ghana in Boston, while Croatia are set to play Panama and Ghana in their remaining group fixtures

Two charged in US over theft of England team gear during World Cup logistics

June 15, 2026 by Newsdesk

United States: Two individuals have been charged in connection with the theft of equipment belonging to the England national football team during FIFA World Cup 2026 operations, according to international news reports.

Authorities said Mustafa Salik and Irfan Kamal each face one count of possessing stolen property after the missing items were recovered.

The stolen goods, valued at approximately $18,000, reportedly included England team kits and other training equipment.

Officials stated that the equipment went missing while being transported from the team’s training camp in Florida to its World Cup base in Kansas City.

Under state law, the offense carries a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison.

India beat England by 7 runs to reach T20 World Cup final

March 5, 2026 by Newsdesk

Mumbai: India national cricket team defeated England national cricket team by 7 runs in a thrilling second semifinal of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to secure a place in the final.

Chasing a massive 254-run target, England fought hard but managed 246 runs, falling just short of victory.

Earlier, England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to field first. Batting first, India posted a formidable 253 for 7 in 20 overs.

Sanju Samson led the charge with a brilliant 89 runs, while Shivam Dube contributed 43, Ishan Kishan scored 39, Hardik Pandya added 27, and Tilak Varma made 21 runs. Suryakumar Yadav scored 11.

For England, Will Jacks and Adil Rashid picked up two wickets each.

In the first semifinal, New Zealand national cricket team defeated South Africa national cricket team to book their place in the final.

The T20 World Cup 2026 final will be played on Sunday in Ahmedabad, where India will face New Zealand for the title. 🏏

England’s four-wicket win puts Pakistan’s fate in crucial decider

February 27, 2026 by Newsdesk

COLOMBO: England cricket team defeated New Zealand cricket team by four wickets in a gripping Super 8 clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, keeping Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive.

After winning the toss, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner opted to bat first. The Black Caps posted a competitive total of 159 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. Glenn Phillips top-scored with 39 runs, while Tim Seifert contributed 35 and Finn Allen added 29.

England’s bowling attack shared the spoils, with Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid claiming two wickets each to restrict New Zealand below the 160-mark.

In reply, England chased down the target in the final over, losing four wickets in the process. The victory propelled England to the top of the group standings with six points.

Following New Zealand’s defeat, Pakistan national cricket team remain in contention for a semi-final berth.

The fate of the second semi-final spot between Pakistan and New Zealand will now be decided in Pakistan’s crucial clash against Sri Lanka national cricket team on Friday.

Pakistan must secure a comprehensive win over Sri Lanka to boost their net run rate; otherwise, New Zealand — currently on three points — could advance to the semi-finals on superior net run rate.

Australia announce squad for third Ashes Test against England

December 10, 2025 by Newsdesk

Adelaide: Australia have named a 15-member squad for the third Ashes Test against England, with captain Pat Cummins returning to lead the side. Usman Khawaja has also been retained despite concerns over a back injury.

Cummins, who missed the first two matches, will resume captaincy duties in Adelaide. Khawaja was dropped from the playing XI in the second Test, where debutant opener Jack Weatherald impressed with a maiden half-century at the Gabba, but the veteran batter has been included in the squad for the upcoming Test.

Due to the strong opening partnership between Travis Head and Jack Weatherald, Khawaja’s return as opener appears unlikely. However, his versatility keeps him in contention for a middle-order slot. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne are set to continue at No.3 and No.4, while the final middle-order combination remains undecided with Cameron Green, Alex Carey, and Josh Inglis under consideration.

All-rounder Beau Webster has also been included and is being viewed as a strong option for both middle-order batting and bowling depth, especially if there are fitness concerns over Cummins or other pacers.

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who starred in the second Test, said the team have started the series strongly but must not become complacent. He stressed that despite leading 2-0, the Ashes are far from over as England remain a formidable opponent.

Australia, mindful of the 2023 Ashes where they let a 2-0 advantage slip to finish 2-2, are aiming to approach the third match with caution and a solid strategy.

Fast bowlers Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser may miss out on the final XI due to Cummins’ return and the expected inclusion of Nathan Lyon, who was left out of a home Test for the first time in 13 years in Brisbane.

Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the series due to hamstring and calf injuries, while Jhye Richardson is recovering from shoulder surgery and will train with the squad in Adelaide.

The third Ashes Test begins on December 17 at Adelaide Oval.

Australia Squad:

Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jack Weatherald, Beau Webster.

Geoffrey Boycott slams England after second Ashes Test defeat

December 8, 2025 by Newsdesk

LONDON: Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott has strongly criticised the national side following their defeat against Australia in the second Ashes Test, labelling the team “irresponsible and useless”.

Boycott lashed out at Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, saying they believe only they understand modern Test cricket. “We should stop listening to them now,” he remarked.

Boycott termed the performance in Brisbane a “horror show”, blaming reckless batting and short-length bowling. He insisted that this Australian side was beatable. With England trailing 0-2 in the five-match series, the former captain said the team now needs a miracle. “With this batting and bowling, England can’t win,” he added.

He further stated that England had been planning for this Ashes series for four years, but are now performing poorly. “No one in the England setup is willing to listen to anyone outside their camp. Test cricket has changed, and they think they alone know modern-day cricket,” said Boycott.

Commenting on batter Harry Brook, Boycott questioned his shot selection and footwork, saying fans want to know what is going on in his mind, as he is failing to move his feet effectively on Australian pitches.

Australia won the first two Tests convincingly to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match Ashes series.

England all out for 172 in first Ashes Test amid Starc onslaught

November 21, 2025 by Newsdesk

PERTH: In the first Ashes Test, Mitchell Starc’s devastating bowling dismantled England, restricting them to 172 runs and sending the entire team back to the pavilion.

England captain Ben Stokes’ surprising decision to bat first left experts stunned as his side struggled from the outset. The visitors lost their first wicket in the very first over, with Zak Crawley dismissed for zero by Starc.

Starc continued his dominance, claiming Ben Duckett for 21 in the seventh over and Joe Root for a duck in the ninth. Although Ollie Pope and Harry Brook offered some resistance, Pope fell for 46 runs before lunch at 94/4.

By the interval, England stood at 105/4, but subsequent wickets tumbled quickly, and the team was bowled out for 172 runs. Starc finished with an outstanding haul of seven wickets, while Brendon Doggett took two and Cameron Green claimed one.

Australia’s playing XI included captain Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Jack Wildermuth, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendon Doggett, and Scott Boland.

Australia announces playing XI for first Ashes Test against England

November 20, 2025 by Newsdesk

PERTH: Australia has confirmed its playing XI for the first Ashes Test, with Steve Smith set to captain the side.

The lineup features seasoned players including Smith, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, and Mitchell Starc. Test debutants Brandon Doggett and Jack Wagerald will also make their first appearances. Nathan Lyon, Brandon Doggett, and Scott Boland complete the squad.

England’s squad for the Ashes opener

England has also announced a 12-man squad for the first Test, which begins at 02:20 GMT on Friday. Captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum may confirm the final XI at the toss.Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Mark Wood

England’s selection strategy under Stokes and McCullum often involves finalizing the XI close to the toss, so fans can expect last-minute confirmations.

Meanwhile, former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath has stepped down from the Ashes commentary panel ahead of the series.

The first Ashes Test between Australia and England is scheduled to begin tomorrow in Perth.