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افتتح منتخب السعودية مشواره في بطولة كأس العرب 2025، بالفوز على عمان، بهدفين لهدف، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم، الثلاثاء.

وأقيمت مباراة السعودية وعمان، على أرضية استاد المدينة التعليمية ضمن لقاءات الجولة الأولى من المجموعة الثانية بـ كأس العرب.

طالع|فيديو | منتخب مصر يبدأ مشواره في كأس العرب بالتعادل مع الكويت

جاء هدف السعودية الأول بعد كرة عرضية من سالم الدوسري قابلها فراس البريكان برأسية من داخل منطقة الجزاء في الدقيقة 56.

وفي الدقيقة 71 تعادل منتخب عمان بعد كرة عرضية من ركنية ثم رأسية من داخل منطقة الجزاء تابعها غانم الحبشي برأسية في الشباك.

وتقدم السعوديون بالهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 78، بعد عرضية من سالم الدوسري قابلها صالح الشهري بتسديدة.

ويتواجد منتخبا السعودية وعمان، في المجموعة الثانية من بطولة كأس العرب، مع منتخبي المغرب وجزر القمر.

وارتفع رصيد منتخب السعودية للنقطة الثالثة في المركز الثاني خلف المغرب المتصدر بفارق الأهداف، ويبقى منتخب عمان دون نقاط في المركز الثالث، ورابعا منتخب جزر القمر. أهداف مباراة السعودية وعمان في كأس العرب

Dasun Shanaka clobbered 64 not out off 37 balls to propel Sri Lanka through the middle and death overs, after their openers had provided a rapid 44-run opening stand.In between those batters, however, Bangladesh imposed themselves, mainly through Mustafizur Rahman and Mahedi Hasan, who took five wickets between them, and were also economical. Mustafizur was especially impressive, taking 3 for 20. His last over – the 19th of the innings – cost Sri Lanka three wickets, but they could only scramble five runs off it. Mustafizur had also had Shanaka dropped off his bowling on 38 off 27, in the 17th over.Related

• Tait confident Mustafizur Rahman will do better against Sri Lanka

• Bereaved Dunith Wellalage rejoins SL squad in Dubai

Shanaka’s was not the only catch Bangladesh missed. Mustafizur himself had failed to attack a dying chance at fine leg (he likely could have got there), to reprieve Kusal Perera on 11. Charith Asalanka was also put down by Towhid Hridoy at deep point, on 16. Both those batters made five further runs. Asalanka was also dropped a second time by Hridoy, but was run out off that same delivery, attempting a second.Sri Lanka will feel their total competitive, on a Dubai track known to be tough for batters. Bangladesh are unlikely to be fazed by its heft either, however.

Andrew Fidel Fernando joins our podcast crew to go down memory lane

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2025

As they do every year, Chelsea made their fair share of signings in the summer.

Some of them have been hits, like Joao Pedro and Estevao – even if he was technically signed last year – but others have struggled, like Jamie Gittens and Liam Delap.

Then there are a few who sit somewhere in between, like Alejandro Garnacho, who hasn’t lit the world alight, but has popped up with goal involvements here and there.

Unfortunately for the Argentine, that might not be enough to save his place in the team, as reports are now linking Chelsea to someone who’d be a massive upgrade.

Chelsea target Garnacho upgrade

It might be around a month and a half until the transfer window officially opens, but that hasn’t stopped the reports linking Chelsea to a number of talented Premier League stars.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, despite being well stacked in the middle of the park, the Blues have been linked with both Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton in recent days.

Now, both of them would undoubtedly improve Enzo Maresca’s squad, but they certainly cannot be described as Garnacho upgrades, unlike Antoine Semenyo.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are interested in signing the Bournemouth star.

However, they are not the only ones, as the report also claims that the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool are also all vying for the Ghanaian’s signature.

Fortunately, even though the competition is far from ideal, another story from The Athletic has revealed that the Cherries star has a £65m release clause in his new contract, which will be active for part of January.

It will be a complicated transfer to get done, but given Semenyo’s immense game-changing ability, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he would be an upgrade on Garnacho.

How Semenyo compares to Garnacho

As Chelsea have lofty ambitions of challenging on all fronts in the coming season, the best place to start when comparing Garnacho to Semenyo is their ability to score or assist goals.

Unfortunately for the former Manchester United ace, doing this makes it quite clear that he is second best when it comes to output.

For example, so far this season, he has scored twice and provided two assists in ten appearances, which comes out to a goal involvement every 2.5 games.

The Bournemouth star, on the other hand, has scored six goals and provided three assists in 12 appearances, which translates to a far better average of a goal or assist every 1.33 games.

Even last season, the Ghanaian international came out ahead as, in 42 games, he scored 13 goals and provided seven assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.1 games.

In contrast, the Blues’ new winger produced 21 goal involvements in 58 appearances, which comes out to a less impressive average of one every 2.76.

The bad news for the Madrid-born ace is that he also comes out as a clear second best when you take a look under the hood and compare their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.28

0.22

Progressive Passes

3.55

1.32

Shots on Target

1.09

1.05

Passing Accuracy

69.4%

77.3%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.28

3.15

Goal-Creating Actions

0.64

0.79

Tackles

1.64

1.32

Successful Take-Ons

1.91

1.32

Ball Recoveries

5.27

2.89

Aerial Duels Won

2.36

0.26

For example, while he’s not ahead in every metric, he performs better in the majority of them, including some key ones, such as non-penalty expected goals, progressive passes, shots on target, successful take-ons, and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, with all this in mind, it is clear that the Cherries ace is a better player than the West Londoners summer signing, and that Chris Waddle might not be too far off the mark with his claim that he’s currently “the best winger in the country.”

Therefore, while it won’t be easy, Chelsea should do all they can to sign Semenyo in January, as he’s an exceptional player and a clear upgrade on Garnacho.

Their next Caicedo: BlueCo have signed a "world-beater" for Chelsea

The sensational talent could become Chelsea’s next Moises Caicedo.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 18, 2025

Fast bowler missed much of the season after knee surgery but could be in contention for Australia role

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2025

Olly Stone has signed for Middlesex on loan in a last-ditch attempt to force his way into England’s plans for the Ashes.Stone, whose England central contract expires at the end of the season, has taken 17 wickets at 23.52 in his five Tests and was part of their squad for tours to Pakistan and New Zealand last winter. But his career has been plagued by injuries, and knee surgery in April ruled him out of the home Test summer.He has played six matches since completing his rehabilitation, four for Nottinghamshire in the Blast and two for London Spirit in the Hundred, and has now agreed a short-term loan move to Middlesex for the next two rounds of County Championship fixtures. He is set to make his debut for the county against Derbyshire at Lord’s on Monday.Stone is an outside bet for England’s Ashes squad, though could compete for a spot as a back-up fast bowler after Jamie Overton’s surprise decision to put his red-ball career on pause. Matthew Potts has been stood down from the upcoming T20I series in Ireland so that he can push his case for selection, while Sonny Baker’s chances dipped after an expensive ODI debut.”This is a great opportunity for Olly to get some competitive overs under his belt with the red ball for the first time since the back end of last summer,” Peter Moores, Notts’ coach, said. “A fit and firing Olly Stone is an asset for any side, and we’re sure he’ll be well served by this short spell at Middlesex.Related

Overton's shock decision sounds alarm bells for England schedule

Olly Stone ruled out for 14 weeks after undergoing knee surgery

“We’re fortunate to have a number of seam bowlers to choose from for our next couple of games, and we want to make sure Olly has the best possible chance to get some miles back in the legs after some impressive spells in white-ball cricket so far this summer.”Alan Coleman, Middlesex’s director of cricket, said: “As we reach the end of the season, the rigours of the season inevitably take their toll on the fast-bowling unit, so to be able to bring someone in of Olly’s proven international quality to freshen things up ahead of the County Championship run-in is a huge bonus for us.”He will add not only quality, but vast amounts of experience too at the highest level, which the younger players in our group can really benefit from as we look to finish the season strong. We are really looking forward to welcoming Olly to the club and are excited to see what he will bring over the next fortnight.”

Why the squad for the Perth Test is an opportunity missed

Greg Chappell09-Nov-20253:09

Australia’s Ashes squad: No Konstas, Labuschagne to open?

“A ship is safe in harbour, but that is not what ships are for.” This timeless wisdom speaks to a core dilemma of human endeavour: the choice between safety and potential reward. A ship anchored indefinitely in a quiet port avoids the tempest, but it sacrifices its purpose – slowly decaying into irrelevance.Cricket is fundamentally a game of risk-management. To make runs, a batter must risk playing shots; to take wickets, a bowler must risk getting hit for four. How you manage that risk decides your fate and the team’s on the field.The Australian selectors have taken a safety-first approach to the selection of the squad for the first Test of the Ashes in Perth. The make-up of the squad is not unexpected but I was hoping that they would be bolder and choose a team that would risk surprising the opposition and throw down the gauntlet for one of the most anticipated Ashes contests for many years.Related

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Ashes squad talking points: Kingmaker Green to dictate Australia's plans

Steve Waugh questions whether Australia selectors can make tough calls

England and Australia Ashes squads compared: who comes out on top?

Mark Taylor unsure over Cameron Green's position

I do have some sympathy for the selectors as this is not entirely a problem of their making. The traditional supply line of youngsters has been interrupted by professional cricket, meaning that players stay in the domestic system longer, playing for the states, who prioritise winning domestic competitions over producing Australian players.So here we are in Australian cricket. The oldest international team fielded in 90-plus years will take the field in a fortnight. Thirty-five may be the new 30, but I believe that unless a handful of under 25s are going to be debuting in the next six to 12 months, we are going to have a painful regeneration problem when Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon leave.Domestic competitions don’t produce Test-ready players; they only identify those with the skills to make it at the top level, so CA must prioritise giving the next generation as much international cricket at the Australia A level as possible to bridge the gap.Now to the series ahead. Perth Stadium is a venue unlike any other in Test cricket. It will be fast and will bounce more than anything that the England players usually play on. This Test will have a big bearing on the outcome of the series, so the team that performs well here will take a big psychological advantage to Brisbane. The first two Tests – at Perth’s pace cauldron and Brisbane’s pink-ball furnace under lights – could decide the urn. Now was a time to be bold.Despite selecting a specialist opener, Jake Weatherald, in the squad, I believe the intention is to send Marnus Labuschagne out to open with Khawaja. This will allow Cameron Green and Beau Webster to play, giving the best balance of batting and bowling in the squad – especially as Green has hardly bowled a ball in anger since his recent back surgery.

Being risk-averse is not being risk-free. By anchoring in the harbour of familiarity, Australia’s selectors may have invited the very storm they sought to avoid

Opening with Labuschagne is extremely risky. He should bat at three, as that is his specialist spot, where he has delivered prolifically. The fact that he is being considered as an opener suggests that the selectors do not have a specialist they trust, and that one or both of Green and Webster are well short of the bowling loads required to get through a Test match.Ian Chappell and Ricky Ponting were exceptional No. 3 batters for Australia in their time. That doesn’t mean that they would have been as successful had they been press-ganged into opening. They were often batting early in the innings but the mindset to walk out to open the innings is subtly different.Marnus has reinvented himself this summer with a return to the intent that he showed early in his Test career. For the past few seasons he has looked like someone who was batting to not get out. This risk-averse attitude to batting actually increases the risk of getting out. In this state of mind, the feet do not move and the runs dry up. Even if one succeeds in not getting out, one doesn’t make many runs because the number of deliveries that you can attack becomes limited. It would be a shame to risk short-circuiting his return to Test cricket by batting him out of position.Mitch Marsh is the choice I would have preferred. It would have been a left-field choice, but this is a venue where he has an advantage over all other candidates. He grew up in Perth so the bounce would not worry him; he is one of the best players of pace in the country, and he could have bowled some meaningful overs to support the frontline quicks.If they do go with Labuschagne at the top of the order that will mean Green will be forced to bat at No. 3 again. It is a position for which he is not suited, so all of a sudden, the Australian batting order is dangerously unbalanced.Usman Khawaja will be in the hot seat against the pace of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer•Getty ImagesIn time, I expect Green to slot into the No. 4 position he is eminently more suited for. The other reason that I would not send him in early is that, if fit, he will be expected to bowl important overs, so he will need time to prepare to bat rather than put the pads straight on.England have put nearly all their eggs in the pace basket, bringing a septet of fast bowlers with whom to challenge what they believe to be a fragile batting line-up. They have prioritised the fitness of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood for this series, so I expect them both to play in Perth and in Brisbane, and then they will rotate the rest of the pace squad through the remaining Tests.If Archer and Wood are both fit for purpose, England could surprise the Australians on a surface that will favour pace. Very few people enjoy batting against real pace. We would all rather bat against medium-pacers and spinners, but at this level, it has to be done. Normally it is one or two really quick bowlers in the line-up and then the pace drops off. Very few teams in history have three or four in the ranks who get it through at over 140kph. That will get your attention and it will require reflexes and concentration of the highest order. The ageing Australian line-up might be put under the pump if the England attack clicks.Khawaja is the oldest opener to play a Test for Australia since Lindsay Hassett did it in his final Test at The Oval, in 1953. Hassett scored 53 in the first innings of a Test that England won by eight wickets. England had Fred Trueman, who was a genuine quick, in their attack, but Alec Bedser and Trevor Bailey were medium-fast at best. Ussie turns 39 during the series, so he will be tested by a procession of fast bowlers. His potential partner is a 31-year-old debutant or a makeshift opener also in his 30s. England will take a huge advantage if they can make early inroads in the Australia batting regularly in the series.The selectors have boxed themselves into a corner. Over the past year or so they have shied away from bold calls, leaving themselves no real option now but the conservative line. They were risk-averse in picking the team. They missed an opportunity to lay down the gauntlet at one of the world’s unique venues. And they are actually taking a huge risk by playing batters out of position.Being risk-averse is not being risk-free. By anchoring in the harbour of familiarity, Australia’s selectors may have invited the very storm they sought to avoid. Perth demanded courage. The Ashes demand it. A ship is safe in harbour, but that is not what ships are for.

India added 327 runs for the loss of just three wickets on the third day against West Indies in Ahmedabad

Alagappan Muthu03-Oct-20252:08

Chopra: Jadeja’s game against fast bowling ‘has improved leaps and bounds’

India’s batting riches put them in consummate control of the first Test of their home season, with KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel scoring important centuries. It was Rahul’s first at home since 2016 and it was Jurel’s first one ever. They now have a lead of 286, which is large enough to potentially shrink this down from a five-day game.Ravindra Jadeja had an equal part to play on a day where India made 327 runs for just three wickets. There was a point when the pitch started crumbling and West Indies’ spinners were able to get the ball to turn sharply out of the rough. India collectively decided to attack them, hoping to throw them off the lengths where they could access the worn out parts of the pitch. Jadeja did this the best. His idea was to charge at the bowler, and every time he did, he was looking to hit a boundary. Seven of the 11 he ended up with were the result of this ruthless approach, including a six that helped him breeze through the nervous nineties.Jomel Warrican, Roston Chase and Khary Pierre, in helpful conditions, were left nursing combined figures of 4 for 283 from 82 overs. Jadeja, meanwhile, helped India reprise a feature of their England tour earlier this year, becoming the third centurion of the innings. The last time that happened at home was 2018, during West Indies’ last visit to the country. Jadeja connected that trio to this trio.Related

Dhruv Jurel's square-of-the-wicket artistry

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West Indies could have helped themselves had they begun their day’s work with a bit more hope. Instead the captain Chase welcomed the two overnight batters with a sparsely populated slip cordon. The focus, it seemed, was run-saving instead of wicket-taking. Jayden Seales, who has a lovely outswinger, snagged Rahul’s edge in the very first over of play but regulation first slip was missing. He had been pushed wide and so this ball just skipped to the boundary.Rahul survived on 57 and went on to score 100. He celebrated it by raising his bat in one hand and sticking two fingers of the other in his mouth, a little tribute for his new-born daughter.1:41

Chopra: WI should’ve taken the new ball earlier

The next man to three-figures was Jurel. It is clear from the way he bats that he is set up to be consistent. He has good judgment of what to play and what to leave. He’s comfortable in attack and defence. Some of his back foot shots against pace were chef’s kiss, so that, along with the way he played out the second new ball, suggests he should be able to adapt to overseas conditions. Jurel has a high floor. Rishabh Pant beats him with a high ceiling. Maybe India might find a way for both players to be part of the XI; trust Jurel to be a specialist batter. His century celebration was a tribute to his father, who was with the Indian army.West Indies had set themselves up for damage control but in doing so really early, they let India dictate terms. Seales bowled manfully, his pace up around the 140kph mark even at the back end of a very hot day that forced him off the field for a little bit for what looked like cramps.Warrican was good too, slowing the ball down and inviting India to attack him if they could. It was strange that he only bowled two overs before lunch, but did make up for that by bowling 12 back-to-back after the break and picked up Rahul’s wicket. Jadeja negated the effect he could have on the game. He made 86 runs against spin, including 41 off 15 when he chose to come down the track.Shubman Gill’s efforts were cut short on 50 in the middle of that tricky period where India decided to attack spin. He brought out a reverse sweep against Chase and got caught at slip.The second day in Ahmedabad meandered to a close with Pierre enjoying a high that he had chased all his life. Having been part of the domestic system from the age-group level, after making his first-class debut 10 years ago, he finally took a Test wicket at the age of 34 and his smile lit up the place.

Over time, we have seen some iconic central defenders come and go, with Italy especially having the knack of producing some of the greatest centre-backs football has ever witnessed.

From Paolo Maldini to Franco Baresi, Gli Azzurri have had some of the best, but who ranks at the top as the premier centre-back?

The Best 15 Centre-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world.

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 20, 2025

Here is a look at 20 of the greatest central defenders in footballing history, factoring in their longevity, consistency at the highest level, while also highlighting team and personal accolades.

20

Fernando Hierro

Starting the countdown is Fernando Hierro, who made more than 600 appearances for Real Madrid during a 14-year stint at the Bernabeu.

Even capable of playing in a defensive midfield role if required, Hierro had unbelievable ability on the ball for a centre-back, something which helped him play in the Premier League at the age of 39. The Spaniard won five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies with Madrid.

19

Giorgio Chiellini

One of numerous Italians on the list is Giorgio Chiellini, who retired in 2023 at the age of 39 after a glittering 23-year career.

A no-nonsense defender with his aggressive, physical, and tenacious approach, Chiellini proved that an old-fashioned defender can still star in the modern game.

He spent 18 years with Juventus, winning nine Serie A titles and the European Championships with Italy.

18

Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva is one of those defenders who got better with age, starring in Italy, France and England with AC Milan, PSG and Chelsea.

A Champions League winner, Silva was an exceptional reader of the game and made defending at the highest level look incredible easy, while also having brilliant passing vision.

Nicknamed the ‘monster’ due to his imposing playing style, Silva possesses much more quality than just his physical ability.

17

Rio Ferdinand

Compared to Pele by a youth coach at just 11 years of age, Rio Ferdinand transformed into one of England’s best ever centre-backs across a 19-year career.

Quick and agile in his prime, Ferdinand was an extremely composed centre-back and great reader of the game.

Inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, he won six top flight titles with Man Utd, while also captaining Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to Champions League glory in 2008.

16

Jaap Stam

Another iconic Red Devils centre-back was Jaap Stam, however, his stay at Man Utd was much shorter and his exit was a decision Ferguson regretted the most in his career.

A powerful defender in the air and quick across the grass, Stam was named as the Dutch Player of the Year in 1997 and also won the Champions League at Old Trafford.

15

Ronald Koeman

Continuing the Netherlands theme takes us to Ronald Koeman, who is the greatest goalscoring central defender the game has seen.

Incredibly, Koeman scored more than 250 goals during his career, impressing with his long-range shooting, free kick ability and reliability as a penalty taker.

A European Cup winner with PSV and Barcelona, Koeman, who sometimes played in midfield, was even the Champions League top scorer in 1994, and his defensive attributes were also world-class.

14

​​​Lilian Thuram

​​​Lilian Thuram saved his only two France goals for the biggest stage, a World Cup semi final win over Croatia in 1998.

Known as an incredibly athletic defender in his prime, Thuram, who can also be considered one of football’s greatest ever right-backs, also starred centrally during a 17-year career which saw him star for Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona.

Thuram won the World Cup and Euros and was named France’s Player of the Year in 1997.

13

Marcel Desailly

Nicknamed The Rock, Marcel Desailly starred for France across 11 years, helping his country win the World Cup in 1998 and then the Euros in 2000 alongside Thuram.

He was named in the team of the tournaments for both of those triumphs, and at club level, Desailly starred for Nantes, AC Milan and Chelsea.

A versatile centre-back who led by example, Desailly improved any side he went into and arguably went under the radar during his career.

12

Virgil van Dijk

Arguably the best centre-back in world football since his move to Liverpool in 2018, Virgil van Dijk has helped transform the Reds into winners again.

Van Dijk has it all and makes defending look incredibly easy at the highest level. Physical presence, speed, ability on the ball, world-class attackers have struggled to get past the Dutchman on a regular basis.

One of the most expensive centre-backs in history, Van Dijk has been worth every penny of the £75m Liverpool spent.

11

Carles Puyol

A Barcelona and Spain legend, Carles Puyol won everything for club and country and was a part of the most dominant sides the game has ever seen.

Under Pep Guardiola at the Nou Camp, Puyol captained Barcelona to La Liga and Champions League glory, while with Spain, he won the 2008 Euros and 2010 World Cup.

He was named UEFA’s Defender of the Year in 2006 and in the World XI Team of the 21st Century.

Venkatesh Prasad reiterates his commitment to bringing big-ticket cricket back to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru

Shashank Kishore08-Dec-2025Venkatesh Prasad, the former India seamer, has been elected president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Sujith Somasunder, who played two ODIs in 1996 and was until recently head of education at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, is the vice-president.Prasad, who received unanimous backing from former colleagues Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath among others, defeated his rival KN Shanth Kumar by a 749-558 margin. Flanked by his team members, Prasad reiterated his commitment to work with the state government to restore “Chinnaswamy’s lost glory”.”First and foremost, this is a victory for the sport of cricket,” Prasad said. “Secondly, this is a victory for all the members who wanted a change, all the people who wanted international cricket to come back to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.”Related

Probe panel deems Chinnaswamy 'unsafe' for large-scale events

The venue hasn’t hosted a big-ticket game since a stampede outside the premises claimed 11 lives during a Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory party on June 4. Since then, the KSCA has been a no-go for cricket in Bengaluru, with the BCCI preferring to host the Duleep Trophy and ‘A’ series between India and South Africa at the Centre of Excellence.The M Chinnaswamy Stadium was scheduled to host five women’s ODI World Cup games, including the final. But they had to be moved out after the previous KSCA dispensation, which was operating without a treasurer and secretary, who had resigned on moral grounds after the stampede, failed to obtain the necessary clearances from the state government.KSCA subsequently ran into trouble with the state’s electricity suppliers over fire-safety compliances, which led to power supply to the venue being cut-off. Power has since been restored after a fire-safety audit that said KSCA was in compliance with regulations.Prasad has now instructed his team to study the other possible changes they can implement by studying the findings of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission, appointed by the Karnataka government in the aftermath of the stampede.DK Shivakumar casts his vote at the KSCA elections•PTI In its report in July, the commission had stated that the stadium’s “design and structure” were inherently “unsuitable and unsafe” for mass gatherings. It warned that continuing to hold high-attendance events at the venue would pose “unacceptable risks to public safety, urban mobility, and emergency preparedness”.On Sunday, Karnataka’s deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, a KSCA life-member and among the early voters, vowed to bring the IPL back to the Chinnaswamy.”I’m a cricket lover,” he said. We will ensure that the accident in Karnataka does not happen again and hold cricket events at Chinnaswamy Stadium in a manner that upholds the honour of Bengaluru. We will not shift the IPL elsewhere and will continue to hold it here at Chinnaswamy Stadium. This is the pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka, which we will retain.”Prasad joins a small group of former India players currently in cricket administration. Recently, Mithun Mahnas, the former Delhi captain and a cricket administrator in Jammu & Kashmir, was elected BCCI president, while Sourav Ganguly, Prasad’s former India colleague and captain, was unanimously elected as president of Cricket Association of Bengal. Saurabh Tiwary and Shahbaz Nadeem, who also had brief India careers along with a strong body of work in domestic cricket, have entered cricket administration in Jharkhand in positions of authority.