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Jay Shah could end up being the ICC chair for two terms of three years each instead of three terms of two years each, which is the current norm, after he takes over on December 1. This after the ICC Board, which met in Dubai over the weekend, recommended that the term – for the chair and the independent director – be changed.In a statement on Monday, the ICC said that the recommendation will now be “circulated for approval” among its members, comprising Full and Associate Members.While no reason behind the recommendation was made public, it is understood that the move is part of the ICC’s drive for better governance. The ICC Board believes it will provide security and stability to both the chair and independent director, who sit on the ICC Board, without having to worry about elections every two years. Also, while the overall term of six years remains the same, there will be more continuity.Shah, who is 35, was elected unopposed to replace outgoing ICC chair Greg Barclay, who has served two of his three terms since being elected in 2020 for the first time. The independent director’s position, meanwhile, has been lying vacant since former Pepsico chair Indra Nooyi finished her three terms earlier this summer.There were changes to the ICC men’s cricket committee, too, with New Zealand businessman Scott Weenink appointed Full Member representative, and Scott Edwards, the 28-year-old Netherlands captain, named Associate Member representative.In a statement issued by the Royal Dutch Cricket Association*, Edwards said, “I am extremely excited and grateful to have the opportunity to join the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee. Having been in the ICC Associate Member system, and playing with and against many Full Member and Associate Member sides over the past six years, I believe I have a good understanding of the challenges Associate countries and players face. I look forward to representing these countries to the best of my ability.”The women’s FTP – the second, after the one announced in 2022 – will be out soon•Getty Images

Women’s FTP for 2025-2029 to be out soonThe ICC Board has approved the next women’s future tours programme (FTP) for the 2025-2029 cycle, which will be announced in a few days. It will be the second FTP for women following the one announced in 2022.The ICC chief executives’ committee (CEC) also approved shifting the calendar for the women’s rankings annual update from October 1 to May 1 each year. In order for the rankings to reflect, the teams will have to play a minimum of eight matches per format (ODIs and T20Is) as opposed to the six currently. This is because of the increase in the volume of women’s cricket.The mechanism for Associate teams to gain ODI status has also been formalised. Currently, there are 16 women’s teams with ODI status. Apart from the 11 Full Members, five Associate Members – Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Thailand and USA – were included in the 2022-2025 cycle. For the 2025-2029 cycle, the top-two Associate teams that qualify for the women’s ODI World Cup qualifier 2025 will gain ODI status, while the remaining three slots will be filled based on the T20I rankings at the time of annual update [May 1, 2025]. This will mean that their ODI status will hinge on their T20I performances.The creation of two annual T20I tournaments between 2025 and 2028 for Associate teams has also been approved. This is to boost competition ahead of the 16-team women’s T20 World Cup in 2030.

da winzada777： Thomas Frank’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur has started a new era at the football club, looking to build on the progress made by Ange Postecoglou.

da imperador bet： The Aussie won the Europa League in his final game in charge, securing their place in the Champions League and handing the supporters a memorable night at the end of a dismal season.

Such a decision to sack him may have appeared harsh, but it now hands the former Brentford boss the opportunity to create new history for the club in North London.

With the summer transfer window once again open for sides to make new additions, the hierarchy have already wasted no time in targeting moves to hand him with the tools he desires.

Numerous areas of the pitch are in need of investment to help provide quality and depth in key areas, especially if they are to be competitive in the Premier League and Europe.

The latest in Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

After Frank’s arrival, winger Bryan Mbeumo has been largely touted with a move to follow his former manager across the capital to join Spurs this window.

However, if they are to land the 25-year-old’s signature, they will have to fend off interest from Manchester United, with the Red Devils seemingly in pole position at present.

Another name has entered the frame within the attacking department in recent days, with Rennes star Arnaud Kalimuendo firmly on their radar, according to French outlet L’Equipe.

Their report claims that the Lilywhites have been in talks with the Ligue 1 outfit over a deal for the 23-year-old, who’s scored 18 times across all competitions in 2024/25.

It also states that he’s valued at around the €25m (£21.3m) mark, but will face competition for his signature, with sides in Spain and Germany also wanting a move for the 23-year-old this summer.

Why Spurs’ latest target could be Frank’s next Wissa

As previously mentioned, Mbeumo was a key part of Frank’s success at Brentford, but striker Yoane Wissa also thrived under his guidance and reached levels never seen in his career before.

The DR Congo forward made 35 appearances in the league last time around, registering a total of 19 goals and four assists, forming an excellent partnership with the Cameroonian.

Like his current teammate, he’s been linked with a move to join Spurs this window, potentially following the manager in moving to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

However, they’re not alone in their hunt, with Nottingham Forest once again emerging in the race after having an offer rejected for him back in January.

If Frank is unable to land a reunion with Wissa, he should pursue a move for Kalimuendo, with the Frenchman having all the tools to be a threat in the Premier League.

The Rennes ace, who’s been labelled “one of the most prolific” stars by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has registered a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, backing up the claim made about him.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted and registered a higher take-on success rate – handing Frank the all-round option he’ll need in North London.

Most goals scored by U23 STs in Europe’s top-five leagues (2024/25)

Player

Club

Games

Goals

Arnaud Kalimuendo

Stade Rennais

33

17

Hugo Ekitiké

Eintracht Frankfurt

33

15

Emanuel Emegha

Strasbourg

27

14

Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig

33

13

Mika Biereth

Monaco

16

13

Liam Delap

Ipswich Town

37

12

Thierno Barry

Villarreal

35

11

Joao Pedro

Brighton

27

10

Stats via Transfermarkt

Kalimuendo’s dominance doesn’t stop there, also registering more carries into the final third and more passes into the opposition area per 90, handing the attackers around him the chance to thrive too.

Whilst Wissa may appear to be a solid option given his time under the manager at the GTEC, a move for the Frenchman could allow the boss to land his next attacking star.

If he can transfer his skillset across to England, it would be a superb signing, having the potential to explode into an elite level talent given his tender age.

Related He's more exciting than Tel: Spurs now confident of signing £70m "monster"

The outrageously talented attacker will be incredible for Spurs.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 17, 2025

With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, GOAL looks at the state of the shot-stoppers vying for a spot next summer

With the Gold Cup complete and the World Cup on the horizon, there are still more questions than answers at the U.S. men's national team's goalkeeper position. Traditionally a position of strength for the USMNT, goalkeeper remains a major talking point at the moment – one that was furthered, but not ended, by an interesting summer run.

At the Gold Cup, USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino surprised many by sticking with one player, Matt Freese, throughout the tournament. Matt Turner, the incumbent, watched from the bench. As a result, the U.S. didn't eliminate contenders from the goalkeeper race but, instead, added them, making it even more complicated as they head into the home stretch of this World Cup cycle.

Currently, there are options, both veteran and inexperienced, in this pool, and all of them will believe they have a chance at making it onto the World Cup roster. Three will be included, but only one will start, and the races are heating up for each of the spots heading into next summer.

Post-Gold Cup, GOAL is looking at the state of the USMNT, analyzing the positional battles that will ultimately define next summer's team. First up: goalkeepers.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The Starter: Matt Freese

  This, of course, is very much up for debate and could certainly change by the World Cup, if not sooner. At the moment, though, the edge goes to Freese, who proved capable throughout the Gold Cup.

  Handed his first start just before the tournament, Freese was generally solid during his run this summer, save for one botched clearance in the group stage. His penalty kick heroics against Costa Rica gave him a signature moment, too, as he stared down the legendary Keylor Navas and never came close to blinking.

  Instead, he went the correct way over and over again, making three crucial saves to send the U.S. to the semifinals.

  Freese's biggest assets are confidence and minutes, and he'll continue to build on both with New York City FC.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The Backup: Matt Turner

  Throughout the summer, the message from USMNT camp centered on how helpful Turner was to Freese. Despite being the only experienced member of the goalkeeping pool, Turner didn't treat his Gold Cup backup status as a demotion. Instead, he treated it as an opportunity to help, going above and beyond to work with Freese.

  And while Turner was magnanimous in his backup role this summer, that doesn't mean he's settled on that outcome. He will, of course, be gunning for that starting spot, and he'll need to make a critical club move if he wants to land it.

  His proposed transfer to Lyon seems to still be on and, if he does head to the French club, he'll need to play not just consistently, but perform at a high level. He clearly has the talent and attitude, so it may all come down to the right fit at the right club – and the time is now to make that happen.

• Getty Images
  

  In The Mix: Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen

  There's a butterfly effect at play here. If both Schulte and Steffen hadn't been injured, Freese may not have started six straight games at the Gold Cup – and as a result, may not have emerged as the potential starter coming out the tournament. Such is the impact injuries can have, but it's also a reminder of how quickly things can change.

  Steffen, thus far, has seemed the most likely contender, having impressed during January camp. Unfortunately, the Colorado Rapids goalkeeper has been unfortunate, with injuries keeping him out of the team at crucial junctures. Steffen has plenty of ability – but as they say, the best ability is availability, and he hasn't been healthy often enough since Pochettino took over.

  Schulte, too, was unavailable this summer after sustaining an injury just before camp. He looked poised for a breakthrough after starting against Canada last fall. There's still time for the Columbus Crew shot-stopper, though, as he looks to make his own case.

• AFP
  

  For The Future: Chris Brady, Diego Kochen, Gaga Slonina

  There are multiple interesting goalkeepers in the pipeline, all of whom have some level of USMNT experience on their resume.

  Brady had the most recent engagement, having served as the third goalkeeper at this summer's Gold Cup. Again, that opportunity fell his way due to injuries, but it was certainly worthwhile, as he got to spend a month competing and learning from Freese and Turner – as well as the USMNT's coaching staff. The Chicago Fire star will surely benefit from that experience as he looks to keep building in MLS.

  Slonina, a former Fire star, just won the Club World Cup with Chelsea, albeit as the club's third goalkeeper. He'll almost certainly be headed back out on loan this season after an injury cut his time at Barnsley short last season.

  And then there's Kochen, the rising Barcelona goalkeeper who could also use a spell away from his megaclub. Just 19, the Miami-born goalkeeper is one to watch as he looks to break through at the senior level.

Manchester City are getting through plenty of work at an early stage of the transfer window and could now pounce for one of Europe’s brightest attacking talents, according to a report.

Manchester City look to push Rayan Ait-Nouri deal over the line

While Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders look set to join Manchester City from Lyon and AC Milan, respectively, there may be more good news on the way for Citizens’ supporters if David Ornstein’s latest update on business at the Etihad Stadium is anything to go by.

With the Club World Cup approaching and the need for signings to help Pep Guardiola evident, Rayan Ait-Nouri is closing in on a move to the blue half of Manchester from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Although a full agreement has yet to be reached between all parties, there is an expectation that the Algerian left-back will head to Manchester City shortly to compete with Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake on the left-hand side of defence.

Intriguingly, Guardiola has admitted he wants to run with a small squad to ensure he is able to allocate minutes appropriately rather than harbouring fringe stars with no realistic prospect of first-team football.

“I said to the club I don’t want that (a large squad). I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay.”

Hugo Viana makes £40m+ Man City offer to sign Brazilian ahead of Man Utd

The Citizens are looking to steal a march on their rivals…

BySean Markus Clifford May 30, 2025

His comments indicate that a quality over quantity approach may be the method of action taken to streamline his group after a trophyless season. Putting emphasis on the ‘quality’ he craves, Guardiola could now move for one of Europe’s most explosive young talents to provide a fresh injection on the flanks.

Manchester City line up swoop for Bradley Barcola

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City have extensively scouted Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola during his excellent campaign for the French giants.

The outlet claim the 22-year-old could be a long-term replacement for Jack Grealish at the Etihad, though the Champions League holders are said to value the winger at around £101 million.

Bradley Barcola’s superb campaign for PSG – Ligue 1 (Fotmob)

Completed dribbles

34

Successful crosses

7

Shots on target

39

Chances created

50

Expected goals

13.58

Touches in opposition box

228

Becoming a force on the flank, Barcola registered 21 goals and 19 assists in 58 appearances across all competitions for PSG, which has also seen Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur coming to the table for his signature.

Nevertheless, Luis Enrique isn’t keen to lose one of his star men and is set to offer the Lyon-born star a contract that would see him remain at the Parc des Princes until 2030.

Manchester City are on the lookout for talent to shape the next few years of silverware they hope to achieve and Barcola would be someone who could thrive under Guardiola’s tutelage if he were to pitch up on English shores.

Elgar, Browne half-centuries set platform for visitors on opening day in Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network24-May-2024Essex recovered from an early evening wobble to reach 287 for four at stumps on day one of their Vitality County Championship derby with Kent at Canterbury.Openers Dean Elgar and Nick Browne scored 77 and 65 respectively, putting on 146 for the first wicket.Joey Evison took two for 38 for a Kent attack weakened by injuries, but after reducing Essex to 224 for four, they were unable to shift either Jordan Cox or Michael Pepper, who were unbeaten on 51 and 35 at the close.When Essex won the toss and chose to bat a collective groan was uttered by the Spitfire Ground die-hards, who came in hope rather than expectation.A healthy first day crowd of 1,200 watched a one-sided first session unfold as an undercooked attack toiled.Browne was on nought when he drove at Stewart and Evison couldn’t cling on to a tough chance at mid-on, but that was about as close as Kent came during a sterile opening session.The hosts’ morning was summed up when Elgar reached 60 after a misfield from Zak Crawley, who sprinted 50 yards and clawed the ball back from the boundary, only for it to ricochet off his trailing arm and go back over the rope for four.An already injury-hit bowling attack was weakened further when Wes Agar injured his shoulder while fielding just before lunch, at which point it was 102 for nought.Browne reached 50 with two off Evison, but Matt Parkinson finally broke through in the 46th over, when Elgar charged down the wicket and was stumped by Harry Finch.Evison then produced a beauty that swing back in and bowled Browne middle-stump, which meant it was time for Cox to walk out at the St. Lawrence for the first time since his cross-Thames flit last year.He was given diplomatic applause, took ten balls to get off the mark and then hit Parkinson back over his head for six. At that point Cox looked like he was going to “go hard or go home”, but he reined himself in the face of some miserly Kent bowling and it was 185 for two at tea.Tom Westley flashed at Arafat Bhuiyan and was caught at first slip by Crawley for 21, but Grant Stewart couldn’t hold on to a violent return catch offered by Cox when he was on 15.Matt Critchley survived a strong lbw shot from Evison, only to be trapped in front by the same bowler in his next over for 13, but Kent opted not to take the new ball due to Agar’s ongoing absence.Cox continued to play watchfully while Pepper injected some aggression to tilt the contest back in Essex’s favour. They made an unbroken stand of 63 during the day’s final hour and Cox brought up his half-century with successive fours off Parkinson in the final over.

Openers overturn the deficit as Nottinghamshire set themselves for final-day push

ECB Reporters Network25-Jun-2024

Haseeb Hameed hits down the ground•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire 360 and 177 for 1 (Hameed 91, Slater 70*) lead Somerset 470 (Abell 111, Pretorius 95*, Pennington 5-96) by 67 runsSouth African all-rounder Migael Pretorius added an unbeaten 95 to his four first-innings wickets to help Somerset carve out a 110-run first innings lead on day three at Trent Bridge – yet with Nottinghamshire 177 for one in their second innings at the close, Craig Overton’s team have a lot to do if they are to take home a third Vitality County Championship win of the season.Pretorius, who spent part of last season with Durham, hammered six sixes and eight fours in a 71-ball assault to ensure that the efforts of Tom Abell and Tom Lammonby on day two were not wasted.Somerset had suffered a mid-innings stumble from 315 for four to 356 for eight and were still in arrears until Pretorius and Jack Leach (37) put on 79 in rapid time, the 29-year-old Pretorius missing out on a second career hundred only because he ran out of partners.Nottinghamshire fast bowler Dillon Pennington took five for 96, raising his tally for the season to 29 with his first five-wicket haul since moving from Worcester to Trent Bridge in the winter. Leg spinner Calvin Harrison’s reward for bowling 39 overs in the heat was figures of three for 173.Yet the wicket of Haseeb Hameed, bowled by captain Overton for 91, is Somerset’s only second-innings success so far from 58 overs of toil after the Nottinghamshire skipper had shared a 172-run opening partnership with Ben Slater, who finished on 70 not out in the company of nightwatchman Olly Stone.Earlier in the day, Abell could add only six to his unbeaten 105 on Monday before he misread a ball from Harrison that trapped him leg before. A glancing blow on the helmet facing fast bowler Stone had hardly helped his cause.His dismissal sparked a flurry of wickets. New batter Kasey Aldridge lasted only seven deliveries before being brilliantly caught at second slip by Harrison off Pennington, who found some extra bounce in his next over to frustrate James Rew, caught behind for 49.At 325 for seven in the 99th over, the sides were level on points, yet the next 11 overs saw Somerset surge ahead thanks largely to Pretorious, whose aggressive hitting brought him a 32-ball half-century.Pretorius hammered six over midwicket off Pennington and cleared the rope three times off Harrison, who was hit down the ground for another maximum by Leach. Back-to-back fours off Pennington from the England man raised the 400-mark in the 107th over.Pennington had Overton (20 from 13 balls) leg before and Harrison dismissed Leach via an edge behind soon after lunch, but Nottinghamshire missed out on a third bowling point. Not only that, they were powerless to stem the flow of runs from Pretorious.He launched one enormous slog-sweep off Harrison that achieved the not inconsiderable feat of clearing the Smith-Cooper Stand before driving Pennington for his sixth six – and could count himself mightily unfortunate to be left stranded when last man Jake Ball, who faced just five balls and contributed not a single run to a 35-run partnership, was leg before to give Pennington his five-for.Somerset were in a commanding position, in theory at least. Yet they would almost certainly have to bowl Nottinghamshire out for a second time if that position were to become a platform for a win, which looked potentially to be a tall order on an increasingly docile pitch.Thereafter, little happened to challenge that assessment. Dusty footmarks offered something for Leach to work with bowling from the Radcliffe Road End. The left-arm spinner was in action as early as the eighth over as openers Hameed and Slater set about negotiating the 26 overs up to tea but fashioned only one real chance in that period, the left-hander Slater put down by Overton at slip on 27.It allowed the pair to reach the interval with 72 runs knocked off the deficit, a platform from which their partnership became the biggest opening stand of the season for Nottinghamshire when it passed 81. Both completed half-centuries soon afterwards, the captain from 101 balls, Slater from 107.The final session similarly brought no rewards until the last 20 minutes of the day when Overton, bringing himself back for one last burst of pace, with Rew standing up to the stumps, bowled Hameed nine short of a century to break the partnership on 172.

After helping Sunrisers Hyderabad amass 287 for 3 with a 39-ball century and break the IPL record for highest total for the second time this season, opener Travis Head said his side would fancy targeting 300 as their next challenge. He also credited the captain Pat Cummins and head coach Daniel Vettori for pushing the openers to keep being aggressive in the first six overs.”[Our total] needs a three in front of it, does it now?” Head joked, when asked between innings about the benchmarks Sunrisers are setting for themselves, after the first innings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday. “It’s proper batting. We’ve wanted to be exciting the whole time, and we’ve wanted to take the game on, and Pat and then Dan have put pressure on the batting line-up to make sure we try and maximise the powerplay and then keep going.”We’ve got guys like [Heinrich] Klaasen, [Abdul] Samad and Nitish [Kumar Reddy, who] didn’t even get a hit today. We’ve got some power through the middle, and we want to keep just putting the foot down as much as we can. We know that’s not always guaranteed, but at the moment I think we’re setting it up really well in each game and getting to the score that we need.”Related

• Maxwell takes a break to refresh after asking to be rested by RCB

• Shock and awe all around at Head's hair-raising hundred

• Du Plessis: 'When the confidence is low, there's nowhere to hide'

• Stats – Sunrisers Hyderabad break their own record for highest-ever IPL total

• Head, Klaasen play decisive hands in Chinnaswamy big bash

Sunrisers smashed 22 sixes, the most in IPL history, and Head hit nine of them. Along with Abhishek Sharma, Head helped Sunrisers race away to 76 for 0 in the powerplay while also getting to his fifty. After the game, Head said he was enjoying batting with Abhishek. “We complement each other really well. He’s a young player and pretty fearless. There was a little bit of spin in the powerplay and he was so dominant against them. I’m loving it.”Head was eventually out in the 13th over for a 41-ball 102. His wicket brought zero respite though, as Klaasen pumped a 31-ball 67 from No. 3. Klaasen too was full of praise for his team-mate for setting up the match and making his job easier. “Unbelievable start there from Heady. It’s a special knock that. Puts the bowler under a lot of pressure,” Klaasen told the broadcaster after the game. “[I] came in and wanted to be very sensible and knock it around and make sure he faces majority of the balls. It is difficult to out-hit players like that so when it’s his night, make sure I’m on the other side and wait for a couple of bad balls. And then I should take over when he gets out.”It was nice batting out there, the wicket was nice and good but the tempo was set there upfront. Its nice to have bowlers under pressure when you come in.”

أكد جيرارد مارتن، مدافع نادي برشلونة، على سعادته الكبيرة بفوز فريقه يوم أمس الأحد على نظيره خيتافي ، وذلك لحساب بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

برشلونة استمر في نتائجه الرائعة خلال الفترة الأخيرة هذا الموسم وحقق انتصارًا عريضًا على حساب خيتافي بثلاثة أهداف دون رد، ضمن الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإسباني.

وجعل هذا الانتصار برشلونة يعزز موقعه في المركز الثاني وبرصيد 13 نقطة، خلف ريال مدريد المتصدر برصيد 15 نقطة وبالعلامة الكاملة من خمس انتصارات.

أقرأ أيضًا .. أولمو: لولا تسجيلنا مبكراً لأصبحت المباراة معقدة أمام خيتافي

وأشار مارتن في تصريحات نقلها موقع ”Barca universal” ، إلى أنه فخور حقًا بتحية جمهور برشلونة له في ملعب يوهان كرويف خلال لقاء الأمس ويسعى إلى تقديم المزيد.

وقال مارتن: ”أشعر برضا كبير عن مستواي وفخر كبير بتحية جمهور برشلونة لي وبرؤية أدائي الجيد وتقدير الناس لي، وفي النهاية، أنا سعيد للغاية وأريد تقديم المزيد”.

وأتم الظهير الأيسر في حديثه: “عندما تتاح لي فرصة اللعب، أسعى جاهدًا لاغتنامها وأظهر للمدرب أنني في أفضل حالاتي وهذا كل شيء”.

ويعول مدرب برشلونة، هانز فليك، على خدمات مارتن في مركز الظهير الأيسر بشكل أساسي، وذلك مع غياب أليخاندرو بالدي بسبب الإصابة.

Play domestic cricket, score runs and force the selectors to pick you again. This is India head coach Rahul Dravid’s simple message to Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, on whom there has been much spotlight over the past two months for their decision to skip domestic cricket.Both Kishan and Iyer were not considered for the BCCI’s annual retainers in this round of recommendations for 2023-24. A board release at the time of announcement late last month reiterated its recent stance that “all athletes give precedence to participating in domestic cricket during periods when they are not representing the national team”.Kishan hasn’t featured in any form of cricket under the BCCI’s ambit since opting out of the two-Test series in South Africa. He had, instead, been training at a private facility for some time in Baroda with Hardik Pandya, his IPL captain.Related

• Shreyas Iyer makes headlines for the right reasons

• 'We've always found people to step up' – Dravid looks back at a famous series win

• Women's red-ball cricket to return to India's domestic calendar

• Why Kishan and Iyer missed out on BCCI contracts

Iyer, who was left out after the second Test against England, missed the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals citing back spasms, even though he was medically passed fit by the board’s doctors. Iyer has since returned to play for Mumbai in the semi-finals and is due to play in the final starting Sunday.”They’re always in the mix,” Dravid said after India’s 4-1 series win over England in Dharmsala on Saturday. “Everyone who’s playing domestic cricket is in the mix. Firstly, I don’t decide contracts, right? Contracts are decided by the selectors and the board. I don’t even know what the criteria are. I’m involved in – people ask me my opinion on the 15, and me and Rohit select the XI. That’s how it works.”We’ve never discussed whether somebody has a contract or not, whether he’s going to be selected in the 15. There are enough examples of people playing different formats of the game, whether they have contracts or not.”I don’t even know sometimes what the list of the contracted players is, when we take these decisions, discussions on the 15 or the playing 11 for that matter. No one’s out of the picture, no one’s out of the mix, it’s just a question of hopefully them getting back and fit, playing cricket, and forcing the selectors to pick them again.”Minutes after India’s win, BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced a Test Cricket Incentive Scheme that will increase match fees of players by 300% should they feature in over 75% of the Tests played in a season.Dravid emphasised on the need to look at this step as a “reward” for hard work and not necessarily just think of it as a financial gain for being available to play Tests.”I really hope money is not going to be the incentive to play Test cricket,” he said. “It’s just nice the hard work and how tough Test cricket can be is being recognised. So, I wouldn’t see it as an incentive to make people play Test cricket, I hope not. I hope it never really comes to that. But I think it is just probably a recognition that this is a tough format, and it is a hard format.”And it takes a special person to do what [R] Ashwin has done, to play 100 Test matches. You go through a lot, and rightly so. You guys [media] celebrated Ashwin today, and Jonny Bairstow, you’ve celebrated Stokes a few games ago. Because I think all of you recognise how challenging the format is and what it takes to be able to have consistency and to be able to survive the test of time in this format.”We don’t celebrate 100 T20s in the same way, do we? But yeah, it is nice that the BCCI is recognizing it… I think it is a reward, not an incentive. Looking at the guys who came in and played in this series, I think everyone wants to play Test cricket. It’s just a recognition of what you need to be able to do to survive and play in Test cricket.”It’s only when you get here that you realise that sometimes it’s quite tough and it is not easy, but it is extremely satisfying. In especially a series like this and Test matches we’ve seen in the last 4-5 months, if they are well supported and well documented by people like you, I am sure that there will be a lot of people still wanting to play Test cricket.”

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi fought back tears at PSG's Champions League victory parade and admitted to "sleeping with the trophy".

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• Al-Khelaifi fights back tears
• Celebrating PSG's Champions League triumph
• Admits to "sleeping with trophy"

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Al-Khelaifi has run the club since 2011 and has been intent on winning the Champions League, something that was finally achieved after 14 years via a 5-0 thrashing of Inter in Munich on Saturday. He was clearly emotional during Sunday's victory parade in Paris and appeared to be fighting back tears during an interview with .

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  PSG spent several years chasing European glory by signing some of the biggest names in the sport, including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. They have achieved success having moved on from that trio, however, with manager Luis Enrique credited for building a well-rounded team. Al-Khelaifi said to : "This year was very special. If we hadn't won before, it might not have been like this. With everything we've done for 14 years. It was very important for Paris, for France, we don't just talk about PSG but about France, we have the French flag on our jersey. We're proud of that.
  I slept with the Cup yesterday. I told myself that maybe it was a dream and when I woke up I said to myself no, it's true."

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR PSG?

  PSG will next be in action when they travel to America for the Club World Cup later in June, where they will take on Atletico Madrid, Botafogo and Seattle Sounders in the group stages.