Pakistan’s red-ball bowling coach Umar Gul has put an end to discussions surrounding a viral video showing him and fast bowler Shaheen Afridi during the second Test against Bangladesh at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Monday, which sparked speculation of an on-field argument related to the match situation.

The video went viral on social media with claims that Shaheen Afridi disrespected Gul, although there was no verified evidence of their conversation leading to misunderstanding and widespread speculation among viewers online.

Addressing confusion in the presser, the former right-arm pacer clarified that there was no internal dispute within the squad.

He explained that Hasan had suffered a head injury and was temporarily off the field while Shaheen Afridi was simply informed about the situation as part of routine team communication.

“There was also a misunderstanding on social media regarding Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali. Hasan Ali had suffered a head injury and was off the field, and Shaheen was simply informed about the situation. There is no issue, but it was misinterpreted online,” Gul stated.

Jannik Sinner has his eyes on a first Roland Garros title after winning the Italian Open on Sunday to claim a record-extending sixth consecutive Masters 1000 tournament victory.
World number one Sinner beat Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 to complete the ‘Golden Masters’ by winning all of the ATP’s top-ranked events, in the process becoming the first Italian men’s champion in Rome since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago.
Only Novak Djokovic had previously won all nine Masters 1000 events before Sunday, but there was little doubt about Sinner triumphing over the last 10 days.
Sinner heads into Roland Garros, which starts next weekend, on a 29-match winning streak and will be intent on banishing the ghosts of last year’s final when he wasted three championship points before losing to Carlos Alcaraz.
And his run of match wins is even longer in Masters 1000 tournaments — now at 34 — another record he has established in a season in which he has dominated the men’s tour.
Sinner can complete his collection of Grand Slams and, with his great rival Alcaraz out of action, few would bet against him securing a first title on Paris clay.
“I need to keep myself in form because there’s my most important tournament of the year coming up,” Sinner told reporters.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself because the pressure comes anyway. The most important thing to do right now is take a break and do the right things.
“I don’t even want to think too much about tennis right now.”
Ruud has won more matches and tournaments on clay than anyone else on the men’s tour since the start of 2020 — his last title on the surface coming at the Madrid Masters last year — but he couldn’t beat Sinner for the first time.
 
‘Better and better’
Norwegian Ruud had never won a set against Sinner in any of their previous four meetings, but immediately improved on the fearful hammering he received here from the Italian last year by winning the first two games.
But Sinner broke straight back and took the lead in the match after an opening set in which the world number 25 held his own against a player he’d previously said “cannot lose”.
Sinner then broke Ruud again at the start of the second set and from there it was just a matter of time before he won the championship, even though Ruud performed with credit in front of a packed centre court crowd.
“I know that in football it’s a different story,” joked Ruud, whose country will play in a World Cup for the first time since 1998.
Norway reached this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico at the expense of Italy, who in March failed for a third consecutive time to qualify for the global showpiece.
“I never played the big three in their prime… But I’m sure Roger, Novak, Rafa, 25, 26 years old was also the same feeling for the other players,” said Ruud of Sinner to reporters afterwards.
“I don’t see him getting any worse, unfortunately. You just have to think that you have to be better and better because he’s also going to get better and better.”
It was a golden Sunday for Italian tennis as Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori also won the men’s doubles title, beating second seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 7-6 (10/8), 6-7 (3/7), 10-3.

LONDON: World Cups are where rising stars of football quickly transform into global icons.

AFP Sport looks at five of the contenders to become the game’s next superstar at this year’s finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada:

Nico Paz (Argentina)

The son of former Argentine international Pablo Paz has opted to play for the world champions despite being born and raised in Spain.

A rising star in the Real Madrid academy, Paz has flourished in two years working under Cesc Fabregas since a move to Como in Italy.

Madrid are reportedly set to exercise their buyback option on the 21-year-old.

His technical ability and eye for goal from range has alerted Europe’s other top clubs.

Paz could have the daunting task of filling in for Lionel Messi with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni expected to manage the 38-year-old’s minutes during the champions’ title defence.

Desire Doue (France)

Doue has already lit up the biggest stage in club football, winning the man-of-the-match award and scoring twice in Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final thrashing of Inter Milan last year.

But this will be the 20-year-old’s first taste of a major international tournament.

Doue has a battle just to ensure he starts for Les Bleus among a dazzling display of attacking talent that includes Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.

But Doue gave Didier Deschamps a timely reminder of his quality with his first two international goals in a 3-1 friendly win over Colombia in France’s last outing in March.

Nico O’Reilly (England)

O’Reilly, 21, has already earned the trust of Pep Guardiola to become a regular for Manchester City.

Scorer of two goals from left-back in City’s League Cup final win over Arsenal in March, O’Reilly began his career as a goalscoring midfielder.

Guardiola has harnessed his blend of height, speed and skill as an attacking weapon from deep and may have solved a problem position for England coach Thomas Tuchel in the process.

England reached the final of Euro 2024 without a natural left-back for the majority of the tournament due to Luke Shaw’s lack of fitness.

“What a player,” said Guardiola. “He has made an incredible step up and he has had a lot of minutes, but he deserves it.”

Endrick (Brazil)

A teenage prodigy who made his Palmeiras debut at 16 and was snapped up by Real Madrid before his18th birthday, Endrick’s hopes of shining at the World Cup have been rekindled by a successful loan move at French club Lyon.

Endrick burst onto the international scene by scoring the winner against England at Wembley two years ago and becoming Brazil’s youngest goalscorer since Ronaldo in the process.

Relegated behind international team-mate Vinicius Junior and Mbappe after his big move to Madrid two years ago, the 19-year-old has found his scoring touch since his switch to France in January.

Often compared to another Brazilian great Romario for his squat but powerful physique, Endrick will be hoping to recreate the former’s success in scoring five goals as Brazil won the World Cup on US soil in 1994.

Pedri (Spain)

Spain’s latest passing metronome, Pedri has proven to be a fitting heir to Xavi Hernandez for both club and country.

After first rising to prominence as an 18-year-old at Euro 2020, Pedri was key to Spain’s run to conquering Europe two years ago in Germany, but injury prevented him from featuring in the semi-finals and final.

For Barcelona he has put his fitness troubles behind him under Hansi Flick, playing a starring role in back-to-back La Liga title triumphs over the past two seasons.