Sports
Sri Lanka’s Shanaka says constant criticism has affected players’ mental health
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said the relentless criticism aimed at his players has been damaging to their mental health and undermined their efforts at the Twenty20 World Cup, where they were eliminated from the group stage on Wednesday.
The tournament co-hosts drew heavy flak from fans and pundits for their shaky buildup to the World Cup, which included losing five of six limited-overs matches to England.
The 2014 champions suffered a second successive Super Eights defeat on Wednesday, with New Zealand scoring a comprehensive victory to knock them out of the tournament.
Shanaka apologised to fans after their “embarrassing” performance but also felt an atmosphere of negativity had reached an extent where the authorities must intervene.
“No matter how we as cricketers try to stay positive, there is negativity outside,” Shanaka told reporters after their defeat in Colombo.
“We will play and leave, but for the players who will come in the future, if the government can even stop it, that’s better for their mental health.”
Chasing 169 for victory, Sri Lanka were 46-5 in the 11th over and never looked like recovering.
“Honestly, we are very sorry for what happened. No one goes out there to fail, everyone goes with the intention of playing well and winning for the team,” said Shanaka.
Losing the services of three key bowlers — Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana and Ehsan Malinga — through injuries was a major setback.
“You’ve also got to make fitness a non-negotiable,” he said.
“When you have the number of injuries we’ve had, it’s hard to get a good outcome.
“Your fitness level influences your injuries. There are some players who can’t even get into the team because of fitness issues. That’s something we’ve talked about a lot over several World Cups now,” he added.
Former captain Kumar Sangakkara said Sri Lanka were in danger of becoming irrelevant in the cricket world.
“There is a lot of work to be done at all levels to course correct,” he wrote on X.
“We can’t do the same things over and over and expect different results when the cricket world around us has evolved so quickly. We haven’t adapted and the danger is irrelevance.”
Cristiano Ronaldo has acquired a 25% ownership stake in Spanish second division club UD Almeria.
The financial terms of the transaction, done through the Portugal captain’s CR7 Sports Investments company, have not been disclosed but the deal is considered a long-term strategic investment from Ronaldo.
“I have long had the ambition to contribute to football beyond the pitch,” Ronaldo said in a statement.
“UD Almería is a Spanish club with a strong foundation and clear growth potential. I wish to work with the team leading the club to support it in its new phase of growth.”
UD Almeria were taken over by a Saudi Investment group in May 2025.
Ronaldo, who turned 41 on Feb. 5, has in the past expressed his desire to own a football club once he retired.
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The former Real Madrid star last summer extended his contract with Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr through June 2027 and is expected to captain Portugal this summer in what will be a record sixth World Cup.
UD Almeria president Mohamed al Khereiji is thrilled to have the five-time Ballon d’Or winner on board.
“He is considered the best on the pitch,” Al Khereiji said. “He knows the Spanish leagues very well and understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the youth academy.”
Relegated to the second division in April 2024, Almeria are on course to gain promotion to Spain’s top fight this season. They are third in Spain’s second tier, two points adrift of leaders Racing Santander after 27 games.
Real Madrid have their eye on Arsenal‘s Gabriel Magalhães, and Chelsea remain keen on Aston Villa‘s Morgan Rogers.
Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
Transfers home page | Men’s winter grades | Women’s grades
TRENDING RUMORS
– Real Madrid have made an enquiry about Arsenal center back Gabriel Magalhães, according to TeamTalk. The Premier League leaders quickly informedMadrid that the 28-year-old is not available at any price. Gabriel signed a long-term contract extension last summer. Having also secured deals to extend the stays of Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, Arsenal are reportedly determined to show that even a club as big as Madrid can’t take their top players.
– Chelsea remain confident that they can sign Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers despite the Villans stating that only an extraordinary offer would tempt them into even considering letting him go, reports TeamTalk. That figure will likely have to be over the £100 million Villa received from Manchester City for Jack Grealish in 2021. Chelsea have held a long-term interest in the 23-year-old, with their co-director of recruitment, Joe Shields, the person who originally took Rogers to City while leading the Citizens’ youth signings.
– Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are likely to face competition from Inter Milan to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka in the summer, reports CF Bayern Insider. Bayer Leverkusen are also keen on the 31-year-old, who will be a free agent with his contract in Bavaria expiring at the end of this season. Arsenal had tried to sign Goretzka in January, but the Germany international had already given Bayern his word that he would stay until the end of the campaign.
– Manchester United are closely monitoring the situation of Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye, as reported by Footmercato. The 27-year-old’s reputation has grown since he scored the winner against Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations final, and he is also a key player for Villarreal. The World Cup offers Gueye another opportunity to impress on a big stage, yet he has already attracted plenty of interest, particularly from United who are looking to replace Casemiro following the announcement that the Brazilian will be leaving Old Trafford.
– Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford have all made checks on Eintracht Frankfurt right-back Nnamdi Collins, according to TeamTalk. Arsenal, in particular, are impressed by the 22-year-old and see similarities to Ben White, although Frankfurt have a strong negotiating position as Collins’ contract runs until 2030. Fellow Frankfurt full-back Nathaniel Brown has also been heavily scouted with Manchester United having looked at the 22-year-old.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Barcelona correspondent Sam Marsden takes a look at the club’s key transfer questions, including which striker they should sign:
Barça should sign a Kylian Mbappé or a Harry Kane, but they also should sign a center back, a fullback and a holding midfielder, probably another winger as well, so where will they streamline their spending? I would lean toward a center back.
But if it’s a striker, Julián Álvarez is well-liked within the club’s hierarchy. However, his recent form — no goals in 11 games before scoring against Barça last week — has raised doubts. Also, the fee Atlético would want for him is prohibitive — Barça sources have told ESPN they want well over €100 million. There is also no guarantee he would score more than Ferran Torres, who actually has five more league goals than Álvarez this season in 300 fewer minutes.
In that sense, Dusan Vlahovic could work as a free shot considering he will be out of contract this summer at Juventus, even if he would not excite supporters. Given how the market is and how much can change, I would advise Barça to sit tight for now and prioritise other areas until they can afford a proper investment in a striker.
OTHER RUMORS
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Moreno: PSG could get exposed in Champions League knockouts
Alejandro Moreno reacts to PSG’s progression to the Champions League knockouts after a 5-4 aggregate win over Monaco.
– Brighton could drop their valuation for Carlos Beleba from over £100 million to around £70 million amid interest from Manchester United. (TEAMtalk)
– Casemiro wants to continue playing in Europe when he leaves Manchester United, with Italy being flagged as a possible destination for the midfielder. (The Sun)
– Manchester City and Arsenal are closely monitoring versatile Brighton midfielder Jack Hinshelwood. (Caught Offside)
– Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United have all closely watched 18-year-old Ajax midfielder Sean Steur in recent weeks. (TEAMtalk)
– Marcus Thuram could leave Inter Milan during the summer transfer window. (Nicolo Schira)
– Several foreign clubs have approached Marc Casado, but the midfielder is getting closer to extending his contract with Barcelona. (Nicolo Schira)
– Atletico Madrid have included Borussia Dortmund striker Fabio Silva on their shortlist of possible replacements for Julián Alvarez if the 26-year-old leaves in the summer. (Rudy Galetti)
– Tottenham want to move for Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson in the summer as they prepare to lose Guglielmo Vicario. (Football Insider)
– Crystal Palace view signing a replacement for Marc Guéhi as a priority during the summer transfer window. (The Standard)
– Premier League and top European clubs are tracking Brentford goalkeeper Matthew Cox‘s impressive form on loan at Shrewsbury Town. (Football Insider)
Unbeaten South Africa national cricket team will take on the West Indies cricket team today (Thursday) in a high-stakes Super Eight match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The encounter, scheduled to begin at 2:30pm in Ahmedabad, India, carries significant semi-final implications for both sides.
Semi-Final Race Intensifies
The West Indies head into the contest brimming with confidence after a commanding 107-run victory over Zimbabwe earlier this week.
However, with a crucial final Super Eight fixture against India on Sunday, the Caribbean side must secure a win today to strengthen their chances of advancing.
South Africa, meanwhile, are in a strong position. A victory in this match would virtually seal their place in the semi-finals, barring an unlikely sequence of results in the group.
The Proteas are coming off an impressive win over India, where their middle-order batsmen delivered under pressure to post a competitive total.
Fireworks Expected
Both teams have displayed an aggressive brand of cricket throughout the tournament, making today’s clash one of the most anticipated matches of the Super Eight stage.
With power-hitters on both sides and high stakes attached, fans can expect a thrilling contest as the race for the semi-finals gathers pace.
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