Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix for third year in a row
The victory was Verstappen’s sixth of the season, extending his lead in the F1 Drivers’ Championship to 56 points. Red Bull’s triple world champion Max Verstappen has completed a Canadian Grand Prix hat-trick of victories on a wet, wild and tricky race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Verstappen, who started on the front row alongside Mercedes pole sitter George Russell on Sunday, stayed clear of trouble on a day of changing conditions, snatching the lead from McLaren’s Lando Norris on the final pit stops. The Dutchman then grimly hung on to claim his sixth victory from nine races this season and the 60th of his Formula One career. It was another brilliant drive from the 26-year-old, who dealt with constantly changing weather, pit stop battles and challenges from McLaren and Mercedes while wrestling with his Red Bull’s suspension. After Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Williams’s Alex Albon came together, bringing out the safety car for a second time, Verstappen pulled away on the restart and finished 3.879 seconds ahead of Norris while Russell won a nail-biting last-laps duel with teammate Lewis Hamilton to complete the podium. Verstappen now leads the Formula One (F1) Drivers’ Championship with 194 points. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is next best, at 138 points. Adblock test (Why?)
How is the plight of Israeli captives affecting ceasefire-deal chances?
The Israeli government is under pressure to secure the release of captives held in Gaza. Four captives have been brought back from Gaza and hundreds of Palestinians killed during a major Israeli military operation. On the streets of Israel, many are celebrating – but also demanding that all remaining captives must be freed under a deal. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel next week for talks on a proposal for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the exchange of captives for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Can the negotiations succeed? And with the resignation of war cabinet member Benny Gantz, will Blinken have the support of the remaining members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government? Presenter: Laura Kyle Guests: Gershon Baskin – Middle East director of the International Communities Organization, an NGO Muhammad Dahleh – Lawyer and founder of Muhammad Dahleh and Associates Scott Lucas – Professor of international politics at the Clinton Institute, University College Dublin Adblock test (Why?)
Why a Nigerian woman faces jail time for reviewing tomato puree
Lagos, Nigeria – On September 16, 2023, Chioma Okoli posted a review of the Nagiko tomato puree she bought at a street market in Sangotedo, Lagos, on her Facebook page. She was telling the few thousand followers on her small-business page that it tasted more sugary than other products, asking those who had tried it what they thought. The post received a diversity of opinions, but it reached a head when a Facebook user commented: “Stop spoiling my brother product, if [you] don’t like it, use another one than bring it to social media…” Okoli responded, saying: “Help me advise your brother to stop ki**ing people with his product…” Two days later, the post had garnered more than 2,500 comments, to her surprise. That Sunday, as she was stepping out of church with her husband, she was accosted by two men and one woman in plainclothes who said they were police officers, she said. They took her to the Ogudu police station still dressed in her church attire. “They took me into one room, I sat down and they brought more than 20 pages and told me those are my charges. I had forgotten about the post, then I remembered,” the 39-year-old mother of three told Al Jazeera. “They were charging me with extortion, blackmailing and that I run a syndicate.” Okoli is just one of several Nigerians who have been arrested, detained or charged for allegedly violating the country’s cybercrime laws [PDF], which are meant to secure critical national information as well as protect citizens from cyberstalking. But rights groups say more and more, it’s being used against journalists, activists, dissidents and even ordinary people publishing reports and expressing their freedom of speech. Chioma Okoli, who was arrested and faces a police case over her review of a tomato puree product [Courtesy of Chioma Okoli] The 2015 act was introduced to enhance cybersecurity but its broad, nebulous language has given the authorities and powerful people leeway to weaponise it against journalists and dissidents who speak truth to power, said Inibehe Effiong, a Nigerian activist and lawyer representing Okoli. This February, the act was amended by the president following a 2022 ECOWAS court ruling directing the country to review it, stating that it is not in line with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. One of the major changes was section 24, which was used to target dissidents on cyberstalking charges. “It appears that the Nigerian police have not come to terms with the legal implications of the amendment,” Effiong said. “The import of it is that abusing someone on the internet is no longer a cybercrime, or a journalist carrying out his journalistic work cannot be criminalised or prosecuted.” Even as the act has been reviewed, Anietie Ewang, the Nigeria researcher for Human Rights Watch, said it is still highly susceptible to manipulation by authorities. “[This is] because the wording is vague and, as we know, the authorities have a way of using such provisions to fit their purpose. They have ways of interpreting citizens’ actions to be an intention to break down law and order or to threaten life,” Ewang said. ‘Coerced statement’ The day after Okoli’s arrest in Lagos, she was flown to the capital city Abuja to be interrogated at the headquarters of the police force, where she was held for a few days. Eric Umeofia, the CEO of Erisco Food Limited, the company that produces Nagiko tomato puree, came to the station too. Okoli was brought to see him in an office where he shouted at her while she cried, she told Al Jazeera. “He started shouting [saying], ‘so it was you that want to destroy my business of 40 years’,” she said, adding that he accused her of being paid by someone to destroy his business, while demanding that she name the person who paid her. Umeofia also demanded an apology from Okoli, and that she post a public statement on her social media and in three national daily newspapers. The company also filed a civil lawsuit against Okoli seeking 5 billion naira (over $3m) in damages. Okoli said she wrote a statement twice but both were rejected. She was asked to copy an already prepared confession statement. “It was like a 100 people sitting on one person, asking him to do one thing,” she told Al Jazeera, saying she had no lawyer present. “I had to copy everything and give [it] to them and they accepted it. And they now released me to go after three days.” A man opens Facebook on his computer in Abuja, Nigeria [File: Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters] On September 29, 2023, NAFDAC, Nigeria’s foods and drugs regulatory agency, said the sugar level in Nagiko puree is safe for human consumption. Erisco, in a statement, said Okoli made a “malicious allegation” against the brand and it will use every lawful means to clear its name and reputation. The police have charged her with two counts of “instigating people against Erisco Foods Limited, knowing the said information is false”, and called for her to shut down a GoFundMe campaign page that was set up to support her legal defence after her case gained public sympathy. Her lawyer has meanwhile filed a 500 million naira ($374,175) lawsuit against Erisco Foods Limited and the police. During the ordeal, Okoli says she fell sick and her suckling baby also suffered after having been weaned prematurely because her arrest meant she could not breastfeed for days. Her small business’s Facebook page, through which she sells imported baby clothes, was hacked too. The experience has changed her, Okoli said. She is no longer her lively, outgoing self and she now prefers to stay alone indoors and away from the public, she said. “I don’t go to church again, I do my church online,” she said. “I don’t know how to explain the type of life I am living now but this is what the whole thing has turned me to.” On January 9, the
Al Jazeera reporter describes horror inside Gaza’s overwhelmed hospital
NewsFeed The dead and wounded from Israel’s massive assault on Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp have overwhelmed hospitals. Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary is at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah where the scene resembles a slaughterhouse. Published On 9 Jun 20249 Jun 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Hundreds of protesters lay down in Spain to mimic Gaza’s mass casualties
NewsFeed The bodies of hundreds of protesters filled the streets outside the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao to mimic the mass casualties in Israel’s war on Gaza. The city in northern Spain was besieged and bombed during the Spanish Civil War. Published On 9 Jun 20249 Jun 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Everything you need to know about UEFA Euro 2024 football championship
The UEFA Euro 2024 tournament will be held in Germany, and 24 teams will compete to be crowned the champions of Europe. Italy are the title defenders, having won the last edition by beating England in the final on penalties. The 2024 edition marks the return of the tournament to its usual four-year cycle after the 2020 edition was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s everything you need to know about Euro 2024: What are the key dates? The monthlong championship will start on June 14 at the Munich Football Arena with hosts Germany playing Scotland. The group stage will run until June 26 with the knockout stage beginning on June 29. The final will be played on July 14 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. This will be the first time Germany has hosted the tournament since its unification in 1990. The 1988 edition was staged in what was then West Germany. Germany was chosen as the host nation at a UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, in 2018. Turkey was the only other nation that bid to host the tournament. Where is the tournament being held? Ten venues have been chosen for the tournament. Of those, nine were used when Germany hosted the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Here are the host cities and stadiums: ⚽ Berlin: Olympiastadion Berlin (capacity: 71,000)⚽ Cologne: Cologne Stadium (43,000)⚽ Dortmund: BVB Stadion Dortmund (62,000)⚽ Dusseldorf: Dusseldorf Arena (47,000)⚽ Frankfurt: Frankfurt Arena (47,000)⚽ Gelsenkirchen: Arena AufSchalke (50,000)⚽ Hamburg: Volksparkstadion Hamburg (49,000)⚽ Leipzig: Leipzig Stadium (40,000)⚽ Munich: Munich Football Arena (66,000)⚽ Stuttgart: Stuttgart Arena (51,000) Munich will stage matches for the second Euro in succession, having been one of 11 venues that held matches during Euro 2020. Munich Football Arena will be one of the stadiums used during Euro 2024 [Alexandra Beier/AFP] How many teams are taking part? Twenty-four teams divided into six groups will participate in the tournament. There will be 51 matches in total. ⚽ Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland⚽ Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania⚽ Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England⚽ Group D: Poland, Netherlands, Austria, France⚽ Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine⚽ Group F: Turkey, Georgia, Portugal, Czech Republic Georgia are the only team making their European Championship finals debut while Ukraine and Poland qualified via the playoffs. Who are the favourites? France, Germany, England, Portugal and Spain are among the frontrunners. Portugal were the only side who won all their games during the qualifying phase while France and England were unbeaten and Spain lost only one match. Germany are also considered one of the favourites on account of being the hosts, even though they had a disappointing performance at the 2022 World Cup. Which key teams failed to qualify? Sweden and Norway are the two big names who failed to qualify for Euro 2024. The Swedes did not make the cut for the Euros for the first time since 1996 while Norway have not played since 2000. Their failure to qualify means fans will miss out on watching high-profile Premier League players such as Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard and Alexander Isak in Germany. Manchester City superstar striker Erling Haaland will not take part in Euro 2024 after Norway failed to qualify [Marko Djurica/Reuters] What is the tournament format? The top two teams from each group along with the four best third-place finishers will progress to the round of 16. That will be followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final. The Euro 2024 winner will compete in the 2025 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions against the 2024 Copa America winner. What is the squad size? UEFA, which governs European football, confirmed in May that the maximum squad size will increase from 23 to 26 players. Teams were allowed 26-man squads at Euro 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic, but UEFA had initially planned to revert to the 23-man teams at Euro 2024. Expanded squads were also permitted at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar because it was played in the middle of the domestic season. Expanded squads are beneficial for managers as the busy schedule at the club level creates more risk of injuries to players. When do teams have to submit their squads? Participating countries had until June 7 to provide UEFA with a squad list containing a minimum of 23 players and a maximum of 26. The trophy that 24 teams will be playing for at Euro 2024 [Alexandra Beier/AFP] You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated Euro 2024 tournament page with all the match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings and real-time match results and schedules. Adblock test (Why?)
World War II veteran, 100, weds 96-year-old bride near D-Day beach
Together, the collective age of the bride and groom was nearly 200. But American World War II veteran Harold Terens and his sweetheart Jeanne Swerlin proved that love is eternal as they tied the knot near the D-Day beaches in Normandy, France. Their respective ages – he is 100, she is a youngster of just 96 – made their nuptials on Saturday an almost double-century celebration. Terens called it “the best day of my life”. On her way into the nuptials, the bubbly bride-to-be said, “It’s not just for young people, love, you know? We get butterflies. And we get a little action, also”. The location was the elegant stone-worked town hall of Carentan, a key initial D-Day objective that saw ferocious fighting after the June 6, 1944, Allied landings that helped defeat Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany. Like other towns and villages across the Normandy coast where nearly 160,000 Allied troops came ashore under fire on five code-named beaches, it is an effervescent hub of remembrance and celebration on the 80th anniversary of that day, festooned with flags and bunting and with veterans feted like rockstars. As the swing of Glenn Miller and other period tunes rang out on the streets, well-wishers – some in WWII-period clothes – were already lined up a good hour before the wedding, behind barriers outside the town hall, with a rousing pipe and drum band also on hand to serenade the happy couple. After both declaring “oui” to vows read by Carentan’s mayor in English, the couple exchanged rings. “With this ring, I thee wed,” Terens said. She giggled and gasped, “Really?” With champagne flutes in hand, they waved through an open window to the adoring crowds outside. “To everybody’s good health. And to peace in the world and the preservation of democracy all over the world and the end of the war in Ukraine and Gaza,” Terens said as he and his bride then clinked glasses and drank. The crowd yelled “la mariee!” – the bride! – to Swerlin, who wore a long flowing dress of vibrant pink. Terens looked dapper in a light blue suit and matching pink kerchief in his breast pocket. Wedding party at the Elysee And they enjoyed a very special wedding-night party: They were invited to the state dinner at the Elysee Palace on Saturday night with President Emmanuel Macron and United States President Joe Biden. “Congratulations to the newlyweds,” Macron said, prompting cheers and a standing ovation from other guests during the toast praising French-American friendship. “[The town of] Carentan was happy to host your wedding, and us, your wedding dinner,” he told the couple. The wedding was symbolic, not binding in law. Mayor Jean-Pierre Lhonneur’s office said he was not empowered to wed foreigners who are not residents of Carentan, and that the couple had not requested legally binding vows. However, they could always complete those formalities back in the US state of Florida if they wished. Lhonneur likes to say that Normandy is practically the 51st state of the United States, given its reverence and gratitude for Allied soldiers and the sacrifices of tens of thousands who never made it home from the Battle of Normandy. “Love is eternal, yes, maybe,” the mayor said, referring to the newlyweds, although his comments also fittingly describe the feelings of many Normans for veterans. “I hope for them the best happiness together.” Dressed in a 1940s dress that belonged to her mother, Louise, and a red beret, 73-year-old Jane Ollier was among the spectators who waited for a glimpse of the lovebirds. The couple, both widowed, grew up in New York City: she in Brooklyn, he in the Bronx. “It’s so touching to get married at that age,” Ollier said. “If it can bring them happiness in the last years of their lives, that’s fantastic.” D-Day memories The World War II veteran first visited France as a 20-year-old US Army Air Forces corporal shortly after D-Day. Terens enlisted in 1942 and, after shipping to the United Kingdom, was attached to a four-pilot P-47 Thunderbolt fighter unit as their radio repair technician. On D-Day, Terens helped repair planes returning from France so they could rejoin the battle. He said half his company’s pilots died that day. Terens himself went to France 12 days later, helping transport freshly captured Germans and just-freed American POWs to England. Following the Nazi surrender in May 1945, Terens again helped transport freed Allied prisoners to the United Kingdom before he shipped back to the US a month later. Swerlin made it abundantly clear that her new centenarian husband does not lack charm. “He’s the greatest kisser ever, you know?” she proudly declared before they embraced enthusiastically for TV cameras. “All right ! That’s it for now !” Terens said as he came up for air. To which she quickly quipped, “You mean there’s more later?” Adblock test (Why?)
US, France pledge support as Biden warns Russia ‘will not stop’ at Ukraine
The United States and France have both reaffirmed support for Ukraine in its battle against Russia’s invasion during a meeting in the French capital. Speaking at a joint news conference at the Presidential Elysee Palace in Paris on Saturday, President Joe Biden warned that Vladimir Putin would “not stop” at Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, in turn, hailed his US counterpart’s loyalty to Europe. “All of Europe will be threatened, we are not going to let that happen,” Biden said during his state visit to France. “The United States is standing strong with Ukraine. We will not, I say it again, walk away.” Macron then told Biden in front of reporters: “I thank you, Mr President, for being the president of the world’s number one power but doing it with the loyalty of a partner who likes and respects the Europeans.” The US president has been in France since Wednesday, taking part in commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that changed the course of World War II. On Friday, both Biden and Macron met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris, pledging support for Ukraine. In a statement released by the White House on Saturday, the French and US leaders said they agreed that wider security across the Atlantic was at stake in Russia’s war. “France and the United States co-chair the artillery coalition at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and intend to take new steps to provide the necessary support to Ukraine in the current phase and in the longer term,” the statement said, referring to a coalition of about 50 countries that meet regularly to discuss Ukraine’s security needs. The US and France also reaffirmed their commitments to the “continued provision of political, security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine”, the statement said. US President Joe Biden, right, shakes hands with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, as they hold a bilateral meeting at the Intercontinental Hotel in Paris [Saul Loeb/AFP] Shared goals, diverging strategy Speaking to Al Jazeera, Former US Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker said that Washington and Paris both seek “to make sure that Ukraine survives as a sovereign, independent European democracy”. He added the countries are also unified in their desire to halt “Putin’s ideology of re-establishing an empire and denying the existence of the Ukrainian people”. However, the former diplomat said that the nations differ on how to carry out their goals. “The US has been very cautious, has been very concerned about escalation and very concerned about poking Putin,” Volker said. “Macron, more recently, has been pushing the envelope. He’s been talking about what more can be done to help Ukraine, including the possibility of helping regulate their air defences by having some trainers on the ground in Ukraine.” Macron on Friday said he had discussed such a plan with NATO leaders, with some agreeing to join the effort. That would be finalised “in the days ahead”, he said. The US has been staunchly opposed to having any of its personnel on the ground in Ukraine, a position that has remained unchanged since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022. Biden and Macron also discussed their support for using interest earned from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, a move that has been met with scepticism from some European G7 allies. ‘We’re still in it’ Ukrainian forces, long outgunned by Russia, have struggled to maintain pressure against Russia along the 1,000-kilometre (621-mile) front line in recent months. That has come as some support from Western allies has flagged. Still, Kyiv received a boost in recent weeks, with France and Germany at the end of May allowing Ukraine to use the weapons they provided against targets on Russian soil. The US soon followed suit, giving Ukraine permission to use weapons provided by Washington in Russian territory near Kharkiv. In Paris on Friday, Biden apologised to Zelenskyy for previous delays in Washington’s aid to Kyiv, stressing that the US is “not going to walk away” from supporting Ukraine. “We’re still in – completely, thoroughly,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
India vs Pakistan, ‘nagin dance’, Ashes : A look at cricket’s top rivalries
Some of the most thrilling encounters in sport have been between nations or athletes with historic rivalries that add an extra layer of anticipation and drama. In cricket, these rivalries range from sour relations stemming from decades-old conflicts to colonial history and some newly-formed bitterness. The ICC T20 World Cup will highlight some of these top rivalries as in the tournament’s group stage and, perhaps, the Super Eights. Here is a look at some of the most thrilling match-ups in the history of the game: India vs Pakistan The clash that has been the biggest, quickest-selling and most anticipated match of every multilateral cricket tournament. The rivalry originated in 1947 when India was partitioned into two countries following British colonial rule. Pakistan and India have since fought three wars, and diplomatic ties between both countries have mostly remained bitter. On the cricket field, the head-to-head record favours Pakistan in Test matches (12-9) and one-day internationals (73-56) while India have the upper hand in T20 matches (8-3). When it comes to World Cup history, the scale is heavily tilted in India’s favour. Pakistan have never beaten India in the ICC ODI World Cup in their eight meetings and have only won once in their seven encounters in the T20 World Cup. Their last clash, at the Cricket World Cup on October 14, went India’s way again as romped to a seven-wicket win at biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad. The South Asian rivals will meet at New York’s newly-built Nassau County Stadium on Saturday, June 9 in front of a sell-out crowd of at least 34,000. India’s Virat Kohli shakes hands with Pakistan’s Shadab Khan following the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Melbourne, Australia on October 23, 2022 [File: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP Photo] Australia vs England The oldest rivalry in the game – dating back to the 1800s – originated when a British newspaper famously wrote a condescending and racist article on Australia’s cricket team. It was set in stone when, in 1882, British tabloid The Sporting Times published a mock obituary of English cricket following their Test team’s defeat to their trans-continental rivals, saying “the body [of English cricket] will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”. The bitterness originated from Test cricket and comes to the fore during the Ashes Test series, but has carried on to all sporting encounters between both countries. In Cricket World Cup history, both teams have met on nine occasions. Australia have won six of those matches and England three. England’s first T20 World Cup title also came at Australia’s expense, when they won the 2010 final in the West Indies. Their second one was won in Australia, when they beat Pakistan to lift the title. The T20 Cup 2024 edition of Australia vs England is set for June 8 at Barbados. England’s captain Eoin Morgan, left, celebrates with teammate Joe Root after winning the Cricket World Cup semifinal match against Australia on July 11, 2019 [File: Rui Vieira/AP Photo] Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka It started with a dance, specifically the “nagin dance”, in 2018. Bangladesh bowler Nazmul Islam had been doing the nagin (cobra in Hindi) dance to celebrate his wickets for some time, so when his side beat Sri Lanka in the T20 series in January 2018, he pulled it out again for all four of his wickets. Sri Lanka’s Danushka Gunathilaka did not take kindly to the serpentine celebration and did his own version to mock Islam when he dismissed two of Bangladesh’s batters. A few months later, the celebration gained traction during the triangular Nidahas trophy, which also included India. When Bangladesh recorded their second win against hosts Sri Lanka, their entire team broke out into an overzealous “nagin dance” celebration on the pitch. 2018 – Nagin Celebration by Bangladesh after knocking out Sri Lanka from Nidahas Trophy. 2022 – Nagin Celebration by Chamika Karunaratne after knocking Bangladesh out of Asia Cup. pic.twitter.com/Po7yhyeAb5 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 1, 2022 The night ended with shattered glass in the visiting team’s dressing room and nothing has changed since. Every time both teams meet, there is no shortage of provocative placards in the stands and venomous celebrations on the field. In ODI cricket, Sri Lanka have won 42 of their 53 ODI meetings between both countries, while Bangladesh have won nine. They also hold the upper hand in the ODI World Cup, four wins in five matches. Sri Lanka have beaten Bangladesh twice in their T20 World Cup meetings, but the Bengal Tigers tamed the Lankan Lions with a two-wicket win in a thrilling match at the 2024 edition in Dallas. Bangladesh’s team members perform the ‘nagin dance’ as they celebrate their team’s victory over Sri Lanka in the Nidahas triangular series on March 16, 2018 [File: Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo] Afghanistan vs Pakistan Afghanistan and Pakistan have been involved in a complicated geopolitical and cultural relationship for several decades and share a porous border that is often subject to violence and abrupt closures. The political tensions have translated into a fierce on-field rivalry, especially over the past few years as Afghanistan have swiftly built a reputation as world beaters. Several members of the early Afghan cricket team, including former captains Gulbadin Naib and Mohammed Nabi, picked up the sport while living in Pakistan as refugees during the decades of war and turmoil in their home country. Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy in Lahore hosted the players for training sessions. Some of the earliest coaches of the Afghan team also came from Pakistan. However, the historical tension between the countries has often come to the fore when the teams have met in recent years. Although Pakistan hold a 7-1 lead over their neighbours in ODI cricket and a 4-2 lead in T20 internationals, some recent matches have seen last-ball finishes that have gone Pakistan’s way. Fast bowler Naseem Shah has been a consistent thorn in the Afghan side by twice taking Pakistan home when a loss seemed certain.
Australia vs England at T20 World Cup: Head-to-head, form, team news, pitch
Who: Australia vs EnglandWhat: ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Group B matchWhen: Saturday, June 8, 1pm local time (17:00 GMT)Where: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, BarbadosHow to follow: Al Jazeera will have live text coverage of the match from 14:00 GMT. After rain played spoilsport in their opening T20 World Cup match, defending champions England will be under pressure to seek a win against rivals Australia when they meet for their all-important Group B match at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. England and Scotland shared a point each after their match at the same venue was washed out on Tuesday. Jos Buttler’s side, aiming to become the first team to retain the trophy, looked below their best, allowing the Scots to race to 90-0 in 10 overs. England are fourth in Group B with one point, while Australia are second with two points after beating Oman in their opener. The group is led by Scotland, who have three points from two games, while Namibia are third with two points from two games and Oman sit at the bottom after losing two games. A defeat to ODI world champions Australia on Saturday could leave England’s Super Eight qualification in jeopardy, but batter Jonny Bairstow does not want the permutations to affect him. “It doesn’t derail us either way,” Bairstow told reporters on Friday. “We know we’ve got to win more games than we lose in tournament cricket, that’s just part and parcel of it. “A win puts you in a position in the group, but at the end of the day, the other two games [against Oman and Nambia] are must-win games anyway. “It will be good for momentum and confidence [to beat Australia],” he added. Bairstow described the contest between the Ashes rivals as “a great spectacle”. “The guys have played against each other for a long time now, which in many ways is really exciting because you know each other’s games,” he said. “Hopefully it will be a fantastic atmosphere like it always is in Barbados.” Australia ‘pumped’ for England face-off Australia had a shaky start in their match against Oman before all-rounder Marcus Stoinis shone with the bat and ball as they recorded a comfortable 39-run win. Captain Mitchell Marsh said his side felt a bit nervous in that game, but were happy with the win and looking forward to Saturday’s clash with familiar foes England. Marsh expects England fans to outnumber the Australians for the match at Barbados, jokingly adding that the atmosphere would be the same as Headingley in Leeds. “I dare say this will be full and it’ll be mostly English fans so it’ll be like playing at Headingly all over or anywhere in England where you get sprayed,” Marsh said. “But just the atmosphere, the vibe of the game, there’s always a lot riding on it. And I think as a team we always want to challenge ourselves against the best. “England have been exceptional in this format for a long period of time now, so there’s certainly going to be a lot on the game and we’re pumped.” (Al Jazeera) Head-to-head Australia and England have played 23 T20 internationals, with England winning 11 games, Australia 10 and two contests ending in no result. Form guide Australia started their campaign with a win over Oman. Before the tournament, they played two series in February, celebrating a 3-0 series whitewash over trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand and a 2-1 series win over the West Indies. England’s first World Cup match with Scotland ended in no result after rain wrecked the contest. Before the tournament, England won 2-0 in a rain-affected four-match series against Pakistan. Australia: W W W W L England: W W L W W Pitch and weather conditions Kensington Oval has hosted four matches, all producing varied results. The first contest was a low-scoring match, the second was washed out, while the third and fourth fixtures saw targets in the region of 155-165. Saturday’s match, which starts in the afternoon, will played on a new surface. Rain is forecast in the morning and around the match time. Australia team news Pat Cummins will return for this match after being rested against Oman. Mitchell Starc, who left the field in the last game with cramp, is expected to be fit. Both players had a long stint in the Indian Premier League and played the final on May 26. Squad: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (captain), Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis. England team news England do not have any injury concerns. Squad: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood. (Al Jazeera) Adblock test (Why?)