The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled a list of twelve locations that will host the 2027 ODI World Cup. This 50-over tournament will be held in Africa after more than two decades of absence.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled a list of twelve locations that will host the 2027 ODI World Cup. This 50-over tournament will be held in Africa after more than two decades of absence.
Zimbabwe will participate in the event alongside South Africa and Namibia. The newly constructed stadium in Victoria Falls has been named among the selected locations. One of the twelve chosen stadiums is the Phala Mohosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium with a capacity of 10,000 spectators, which is expected to host domestic matches later this year. Harare and Bulawayo are other host cities for Zimbabwe, while Windhoek will be Namibia's sole venue.
In South Africa, eight cities—Guggo City, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Gqeberha, Bloemfontein, Durban, and Port Elizabeth—will host the main part of the 57 planned matches in October and November. The ICC has not yet provided a precise match schedule. Three teams with the lowest rankings will participate in the Super Over, and the winners will advance.
Subsequently, 12 teams will take part in the tournament and will be divided into two groups. The top three teams from each group, as well as the team that finishes best among the rest, will advance to the next stage. After 21 matches in the group stage, the four teams that finish first will reach the semi-finals.
ICC Chief Executive Officer Sanjog Gupta stated in an official release that 'the ICC Cricket World Cup represents the legacy and spectacle of limited-overs cricket.' He also noted that this marks the return of the main event to the African continent after more than two decades, and it will celebrate a continent known for its extraordinary people, vibrant cultures, exciting experiences, and deep love for sport.
Iranian forward Mehdi Taremi was not included in Olympiacos' squad list for the Champions League qualifying match against NEC Nijmegen.
Ayyoub El Kaabi will be the sole recognized central striker in this qualifying match. Notably, Taremi and Roman Yarmolenko were left out of the list despite both being experienced national team players with significant European experience.
Experts note that such squad decisions cannot be viewed as routine. Typically, a club preparing for a two-legged European qualifying round tries to ensure at least two natural strikers are available.
Instead, Olympiacos decided to include five forwards and wingers, but only one traditional number nine. This indicates that José Luis Mendilibar and the club's recruitment department have reached two conclusions: El Kaabi remains the undisputed favorite, and Taremi and Yarmolenko are no longer considered essential enough to build the European registration around them.
Although El Kaabi has long been the leading striker, this list turns sporting preferences into structural dependence. Thus, Olympiacos maintains attacking flexibility but loses positional redundancy.
Taremi's absence is particularly noticeable due to his versatility. ESPN Brasil previously reported that Vasco da Gama is considering Taremi as part of their search for a penalty area striker. According to available information, Vasco is also looking into Luciano Rodrigues, meaning the club has not yet decided on a specific profile or plan of action.
There is a possibility that Spain and Portugal may decline the right to host the 2030 World Cup. However, Morocco's position on this issue may differ.
Spain and Portugal are prepared to give up hosting the tournament if they transfer part of the rights to private investors. It should be noted that the 2030 World Cup is scheduled to be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Furthermore, the opening matches of the tournament are planned to take place in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
According to sources, Spain and Portugal support UEFA's position. It was previously announced that if FIFA competition rights are sold to private investors, the organization is ready to boycott tournaments held under its auspices.
Nevertheless, Morocco's stance in this situation may be different. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) demonstrates a more cautious and less assertive approach to FIFA initiatives.
It is indicated that the divergence of opinions between Morocco, Spain, and Portugal could negatively affect cooperation within the framework of the 2030 World Cup project.
Ashutosh Sharma, the star batsman of Delhi Capitals (IPL), surprised everyone with his all-rounder skills in England. Ashutosh, who is generally known for big sixes, delivered a tremendous performance with the ball rather than the bat on this occasion.
Playing for Hampshire, Ashutosh bowled 10 overs against Essex in a One-Day Cup match, conceding 51 runs and taking 5 crucial wickets. This performance from Ashutosh, who usually bats, was the main attraction of the match.
Essex, having won the toss and batted first, posted a large score. Opener Noah Thaine played a brilliant innings of 109 runs off 96 balls, which included 17 fours and one six. Additionally, Matt Cricheli (43) and Grant Roloffsen (52) scored quickly. Amidst all this, Ashutosh Sharma continuously took wickets and significantly contributed to limiting Essex's total to 317 runs by shaking the foundation of Essex's batting in the middle overs.
Ashutosh Sharma, who usually bats aggressively, displayed excellent control in his bowling, which is considered the most memorable bowling performance of his career. His bowling allowed Hampshire to continue the match, otherwise, Essex could have reached close to 350.
Chasing the target of 318, Hampshire's start was not satisfactory. Nick Gubbins (53), Fletcher Middleton (47), and Tom Prest (51) steadied the innings. Ashutosh Sharma managed only 16 runs with the bat, but his bowling had already changed the course of the match. James Fuller played an explosive innings of 58 runs off just 31 balls, while Andrew Neil scored an unbeaten 33 runs to lead the team to a thrilling 3-wicket victory.
