Both teams are looking to shake off a lean run in red-ball cricket as the 2025-27 cycle of the World Test Championship gets underway

Mohammad Isam16-Jun-2025Big picture: Galle set for spin-heavy scrapEven before South Africa could fire up the final celebratory after their triumph at Lord’s, the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for 2025-27 is set to begin some 9,000 km away in Galle. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, both looking to snap out of extended Test slumps, will kick off the new cycle, however, the looming threat of rain could dictate terms over the next five days.Sri Lanka return to red-ball cricket four months after a 2-0 home defeat to Australia, also in Galle. Bangladesh, meanwhile, have managed just two international wins since the start of the year and are visibly short on confidence. Despite fielding a squad with six uncapped players, Sri Lanka will believe this is an opportunity to get back on track, especially against a side that’s just as brittle.This series also marks the end of an era. Angelo Mathews will retire from Test cricket after this series, following in the footsteps of Dimuth Karunaratne, who bowed out after the Australia series earlier this year. Sri Lanka’s top order collapsed in that series, despite being one of the most productive Test batting units in 2024. Kamindu Mendis, one of their mainstays last year, has crossed fifty just once since January. To cover their bases, the selectors have brought in four uncapped batters – Lahiru Udara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, and Pasindu Sooriyabandara – all of whom have shown promise in domestic cricket and for Sri Lanka A.Prabath Jayasuriya was the third-highest wicket-taker among spinners in the last WTC cycle•AFP/Getty ImagesIn the spin department, Tharindu Rathnayake, the ambidextrous spinner with 337 first-class wickets, has earned a call-up, as has Akila Dananjaya, who could feature in a Test for the first time since 2019. Their main task will be to support Prabath Jayasuriya, who has carried Sri Lanka’s spin attack almost single-handedly in the past year. The fast-bowling department looks steadier, with allrounder Isitha Wijesundara and Kasun Rajitha in the running to make the XI.For Bangladesh, the concerns run just as deep. After splitting a Test series against Zimbabwe in April, their top-order remains erratic. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has just two half-centuries in his last ten Tests, while Mushfiqur Rahim hasn’t passed fifty in his last 13 innings. Though Shadman Islam and Anamul Haque shared a century stand against Zimbabwe, neither has delivered consistently. With no reserve openers in the squad, Shanto may be pushed to open if needed. Mominul Haque has struggled to convert starts, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz – despite his issues with the short ball – remains their leading run-scorer in recent Tests.Related

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Spin will be central to Bangladesh’s hopes in Galle, with Mehidy and Taijul Islam leading the charge. They’re backed up by Nayeem Hasan and uncapped left-arm spinner Hasan Murad. Ebadot Hossain returns to the squad for the first time in two years, while Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana offer pace options to complement an attack picked for the spin-friendly conditions.Sri Lanka-Bangladesh Tests have often lacked drama, with one side dominating. But with both teams rebuilding and their batting misfiring in 2024, this one might be more competitive. In the end, as always in Galle, it may just come down to which spin attack holds up better.Form guideSri Lanka: LLLLW (last five Tests, most recent first)
Bangladesh: WLWLLIn the spotlight: Dinesh Chandimal and Mehidy Hasan MirazDinesh Chandimal was excellent in 2024. He hit two fifties against Australia in February, followed by solid returns in domestic first-class cricket and a brief PSL stint last month. Batting at his new position at No. 3, Chandimal remains a key threat. He averages 67.06 in 12 Tests against Bangladesh, with five centuries.Mehidy Hasan Miraz was Bangladesh’s standout performer in the Zimbabwe series, scoring a century and taking five wickets in their Chattogram win, after a ten-wicket haul in the Sylhet Test. One of Bangladesh’s few consistent players over the past two years, he has grown into the allrounder’s role in Shakib Al Hasan’s absence. In Sri Lanka, he’ll shoulder added responsibility with the ball in spin-friendly conditions.Mehidy will shoulder the allrounder’s responsibility, but will he be match-fit?•AFP/Getty ImagesTeam news: Three spinners for Bangladesh?Sri Lanka have to make four changes from the side that played against Australia in February. Karunaratne has retired, Lahiru Kumara is injured while they have dropped Ramesh Mendis and Nishan Peiris. There could be a debut for Udara, while Milan Rathnayake and Dananjaya could form a two-spin, two-pace attack.Sri Lanka (likely): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Lahiru Udara, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), 7 Kusal Mendis (wk), 8 Milan Rathnayake, 9 Prabath Jayasuriya, 10 Akila Dananjaya, 11 Asitha FernandoBangladesh are unlikely to fiddle with their top and middle order positions. They could tinker with their bowling attack by including three spinners, which will leave them with just one pace bowling option. There’s a slight concern around Mehidy, though, since he was reported to have a fever.Bangladesh (likely): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Jaker Ali (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Nayeem Hasan, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Hasan Murad, 11 Hasan MahmudPitch and conditions: Rain threat loomsSpinners consumed wickets in Galle, where both the Sri Lanka-Australia Tests were played earlier this year. But in between that there have also been two 600-plus first-innings totals over the last nine months. Pitches are likely to be conducive to slow bowling in this Test too. There’s rain forecast on all five days in Galle.Stats and trivia: Galle and spin Bangladesh have now played 21 successive Tests without a draw, equaling their longest run from 2001 to 2004. Their last drawn Test in this cycle was against Sri Lanka three years ago. Galle’s reputation for being a spin haven can be expressed in numbers too. Spinners have taken 373 wickets at Galle, the most at any venue since 2020. A wicket falls to spinners roughly once every ten overs at this venue. Awaiting their Test debuts, Tharindu Ratnayake has 337 first-class wickets while Lahiru Udara has 16 centuries in first-class cricket.Quotes”The best thing we can do for Angelo is win the match for him and give him a good farewell. Unfortunately we couldn’t do that for Dimuth. Personally I’m hoping we can do it for Angelo.”

يلعب منتخب مصر الثاني، بقيادة حلمي طولان، مباراة ودية ضد منتخب الجزائر، اليوم الجمعة، في إطار الاستعدادات لبطولة كأس العرب 2025 بقطر.

ويلتقي منتخب مصر مع الجزائر، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي استعدادًا لمشاركته في بطولة كأس العرب، خلال شهر ديسمبر المقبل.

وكان اتحاد الكرة المصري، اتفق على إقامة مباراتين وديتن لـ منتخب مصر ضد الجزائر، خلال معسكر شهر نوفمبر الحالي، قبل المشاركة في كأس العرب، الأولى اليوم، والمباراة الثانية يوم الإثنين المقبل 17 نوفمبر.

طالع | تشكيل منتخب مصر الثاني المتوقع أمام الجزائر اليوم

منتخب مصر كان قد أوقعته قرعة كأس العرب في المجموعة الثالثة بجانب منتخبات الأردن والإمارات والفائز من المباراة التأهيلية بين الكويت وموريتانيا.

بينما منتخب الجزائر، جاء في المجموعة الرابعة، مع كل من العراق، الفائز من (البحرين ضد جيبوتي)، الفائز من (لبنان ضد السودان). موعد مباراة منتخب مصر الثاني أمام الجزائر اليوم وديًا

تقام مباراة مصر والجزائر، الساعة 4 عصرًا بتوقيت مصر، 5 عصرًا بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مصر والجزائر اليوم

تنقل مباراة مصر والجزائر، اليوم، عبر قناة أون سبورت 2.

With Nuno Espirito Santo being dismissed by Nottingham Forest just three games into the new campaign, Football FanCast have now taken a look at some of the harshest sackings in Premier League history.

5 Nuno Espirito Santo

Nuno’s future at The City Ground has looked uncertain for quite some time, with the 51-year-old choosing to publicly reveal that his relationship with Evangelos Marinakis has deteriorated since last season, which left the owner “baffled”.

Initially, it appeared as though the Portuguese coach was set to keep hold of his job in spite of the comments, but a 3-0 home defeat against West Ham United in his final match at The City Ground may well have sealed his fate.

The sacking seems incredibly harsh, given that Nuno was the man to lead Forest back to Europe for the first time in 30 years, making major strides last season by finishing in seventh place, after taking over a team that only narrowly avoided relegation the season prior.

However, the writing may well have been on the wall for the former Tricky Trees boss as soon as he spoke out about his relationship with Marinakis, and he has now lost his job, with the owner believed to be keen on Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner as a replacement.

Games

73

Wins

32

Draws

15

Losses

26

Points per match

1.48

4 Thomas Tuchel

Chelsea have a history of being a ‘sacking club’, which stems from the Roman Abramovich era, with the former owner known for being particularly cut-throat, although it was not the Russian who dismissed Thomas Tuchel.

BlueCo made the decision to part ways with Tuchel after a 1-0 defeat against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, much to the German’s disappointment, saying: “I am devastated that my time at Chelsea has come to an end.

“This is a club where I felt at home, both professionally and personally. Thank you so much to all the staff, the players and the supporters for making me feel very welcome from the start.”

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The sacking felt incredibly harsh at the time, given that the 52-year-old had led the Blues to Champions League glory, while also winning the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup, and the decision didn’t pan out how BlueCo would’ve been hoping.

Graham Potter lasted less than seven months in charge after replacing Tuchel in the dugout, with Chelsea going on to finish 12th in the Premier League table.

Games

100

Wins

60

Draws

24

Losses

16

Points per match

2.08

3 Ruud Gullit

Chelsea is a running theme on this list, with Ruud Gullit being dismissed back in February 1998, despite the west Londoners sitting second in the Premier League table at the time, having also been triumphant in the 1996 FA Cup final.

A variety of reasons have been given for Gullit’s dismissal, including the Dutchman’s alleged high wage demands, but he has since been revealed that he was at odds with the club’s hierarchy due to other issues.

Gullit said: “Later on I found out that there was a lot of money going around because all of a sudden the best players wanted to come to Chelsea and they were offering a lot of players that I didn’t want…I was a little bit in the way.

“You had people around you who took care of you and and then all of the sudden they backstabbed you. And that’s a horrible feeling.

“The worst thing of all was also my mum had breast cancer. So I had to go to Amsterdam all the time in order to support her. And then they said, ‘Yeah, but he’s never here because he’s always in Amsterdam’.”

After being sacked by Ken Bates, the now 63-year-old went on to manage Newcastle United, reaching the 1999 FA Cup final, while his replacement, Gianluca Vialli, won five trophies during his spell as Chelsea boss.

Games

83

Wins

41

Draws

18

Losses

24

Points per match

1.73

2 Carlo Ancelotti

Continuing the Chelsea theme is legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked by Abramovich in May 2011 after a second-place finish was deemed below the required standard by the former owner.

That is despite the fact Ancelotti enjoyed a great deal of success in his first season as manager, winning the Premier League title, alongside the FA Cup and Community Shield during the 2009-10 season.

In fairness, Abramovich’s model of regularly sacking managers certainly worked for the Blues over the years, but the Italian’s replacement, Andre Villas Boas, didn’t last long, being dismissed after just nine months in charge.

Eventually, things worked out for Chelsea, with Roberto Di Matteo leading them to a shock triumph in the 2012 Champions League final, but the decision to part ways with Ancelotti still remains baffling, having averaged over two points per match.

Games

109

Wins

67

Draws

20

Losses

22

Points per match

2.03

1 Claudio Ranieri

It will be difficult for anyone to ever top Leicester City’s achievement from the 2015-16 season, with the Foxes defying all the odds to win the Premier League title, having gone into the campaign as 5000/1 outsiders.

However, Claudio Ranieri’s side surpassed all expectations, winning the top division for the first time in the club’s at-the-time 132-year history, with the likes of Jamie Vardy, N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez cementing themselves as club legends.

Just nine months after one of the biggest upsets in football history, however, Ranieri was dismissed from his post, with the club statement reading: “His status as the most successful Leicester City manager of all time is without question,”

“However, domestic results in the current campaign have placed the club’s Premier League status under threat.”

Former Manchester United manager José Mourinho famously paid tribute to Ranieri in a subsequent press conference, wearing a ‘CR’ initialed polo shirt in a show of solidarity.

In fairness, things worked out in the long run, with Brendan Rodgers leading Leicester to FA Cup glory in 2021, but the decision remains hugely controversial, given the role Ranieri played in defying all the odds in the 2015-16 campaign.

Games

81

Wins

36

Draws

22

Losses

23

Points per match

1.59

West Ham United boss Graham Potter is under mounting pressure after slumping to a dismal 3-0 derby defeat against Tottenham last Saturday, with the east Londoners losing four of their opening five games in all competitions thus far.

Potter has tough games against Crystal Palace, Everton and Premier League title-chasing Arsenal on the horizon, with more unconvincing performances threatening to oust the tactician just 10 months after he took over from Julen Lopetegui.

Only Avram Grant, who led the Hammers to relegation in 2011, boasts a worse West Ham win percentage than Potter since the Premier League’s inception — serving as a clear warning that things desperately need to improve.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12, Graham Potter

27.3%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

West Ham’s woeful defence, which has conceded 14 goals in all competitions already, is the top flight’s worst back line right now by far — having also leaked 11 league goals in just four top flight matches.

Their failure to deal with set pieces has been another major thorn in Potter’s side, and one key ingredient West Ham need more than anything else is solidarity if they’re to avoid a relegation dogfight.

David Sullivan and the Irons board may even decide to cut their losses with Potter, especially considering that out-of-work former Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espírito Santo is readily available for hire.

The Portuguese, who guided Forest back to Europe for the first time since 1995 after a fairytale 2024/2025, was unceremoniously sacked by Evangelos Marinakis after a public fallout — just months after Nuno signed a brand-new contract.

Reports suggest that Nuno will jump at the chance to get back into management and his priority is to remain in the Premier League — making the 51-year-old a potential match made in heaven for West Ham.

Nuno’s pragmatic approach and defensive style could also suit West Ham down to the ground amid their real fragility at the back, with the likes of Kieran McKenna, José Mourinho and Frank Lampard also named as managerial candidates at the London Stadium.

How West Ham's board really feel about Graham Potter after Tottenham defeat

However, before any approach is made to the aforementioned coaches, the club must first make a decision on Potter.

According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, West Ham’s board believe it is “too early” to sack Potter despite their lacklustre start to 2025/2026 — with the ex-Chelsea boss retaining their backing “for the time being”.

The key phrase here is “for the time being”, but should West Ham relieve the tactician sooner?

West Ham must make ruthless Graham Potter decision

The team looks disjointed right now, lacking both defensive organisation and attacking spark, which arguably reflects poorly on Potter’s tactical approach among other key concerns.

For a squad boasting proven talent, fans and pundits alike are in agreement that the side should be performing far better.

Potter’s track record at Chelsea also raises concerns. Despite heavy backing in the transfer market there, he failed to deliver results, and many critics feared West Ham were repeating the same mistake when he was appointed.

Those fears now appear to be realised, and with Nuno available, West Ham should bite the bullet, admit they made a mistake and bring the former Tottenham boss to east London.

Real Madrid are facing fresh injury concerns ahead of El Clasico as Dean Huijsen’s fitness remains in doubt. The 20-year-old centre-back, who suffered a micro-tear in his left soleus muscle against Villarreal, is racing against time to recover before the high-stakes clash with Barcelona. With key defenders like Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold also sidelined, Madrid’s backline faces a major test in the coming weeks.

• Growing concern around Huijsen's injury ahead of El Clasico

  Madrid are hopeful yet cautious as Huijsen fights to return in time for El Clasico. Though the calendar shows 10 days to go, the club's optimism is mixed with anxiety. The Spaniard picked up a micro-tear in his left soleus muscle during the clash against Villarreal, where he completed the match despite discomfort. What was initially seen as a minor overload turned out to require a two-week recovery period. The defender left Spain’s national camp and began intensive rehab under Madrid’s medical team. He has since spent long hours at the training base, combining gym work with physiotherapy, while also taking short breaks in Malaga to stay mentally fresh, according to . The goal remains clear: to be fit in time for Barcelona.

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  Huijsen in race against time

  Huijsen’s injury was expected to sideline him for 12–15 days, meaning a return just before the showdown against Barcelona. However, his progress has been slower than previously hoped and this has already ruled out of the upcoming league clash against Getafe. The medical staff remain cautious, aware that soleus injuries are notoriously tricky and prone to relapse. Any miscalculation could set the defender back weeks further complicating Real’s already stretched defence.

  Madrid’s plan B is clear with Raul Asencio being the leading alternative, currently ahead of David Alaba in the pecking order. Coach Xabi Alonso could also reshuffle, moving Ferland Mendy to full-back and shifting Alvaro Carreras into the centre, though that scenario seems unlikely. The ideal pairing remains Eder Militao and Huijsen, provided the youngster proves his full fitness in time.

• Madrid’s defensive dilemma

  Huijsen’s absence compounds Madrid’s wider injury troubles. Club captain Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold are both recovering from muscle injuries, while Militao is only just returning from a long ACL layoff. Carvajal, who suffered a thigh strain at the Metropolitano, is expected to return around the same time as Huijsen, while Trent continues light training but isn’t yet match-fit.

  If both miss the Clasico, Federico Valverde is likely to fill in as a makeshift right-back, a role he has handled impressively earlier this season, providing both defensive stability and attacking width.

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  Madrid hopes to retain top spot in La Liga

  With Barcelona just behind Los Blancos in the league and Madrid’s defensive depth being tested, Huijsen’s recovery has become a central storyline heading into the Clasico. The young defender has shown promise since breaking into the first team, earning praise for his composure and aerial strength. His potential absence could force tactical reshuffles, testing Madrid’s resilience. However, Madrid’s medical team are wary of rushing any player back, particularly with Champions League fixtures against Juventus and Liverpool looming.

Rangpur Riders, the defending champions, fell 32 runs short of the target after Guyana Amazon Warriors had put up a solid 196 for 4

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2025A batting show headlined by three innings that were very different from one another, and a combined bowling effort where all the key men contributed something of note took Guyana Amazon Warriors, the hosts, to the Global Super League title in Providence on Friday night. They vanquished Rangpur Riders, who had won the title in its inaugural season, and a target of 197 might have seemed achievable, but not after a powerplay of 32 for 3.It started with the run-out of Ibrahim Zadran in the second over, followed by Dwaine Pretorius picking up the first of his three wickets – Soumya Sarkar – in the fifth, and Moeen Ali chipping in with the big wicket of Kyle Mayers in the sixth.The fightback came courtesy Saif Hassan and Iftikhar Ahmed, who put together 73 runs for the fourth wicket in 44 balls, but another run-out, this time of Saif, triggered another slide. This time, they went from 102 for 3 to 126 for 8 between the 13th and the 17th overs, and there was no coming back from there.Masterminding the dominance were Pretorius, with the wickets of Azmatullah Omarzai and Iftikhar, who top-scored with 46 from 29 balls, and Imran Tahir, who sent back Nurul Hasan and Khaled Ahmed.