Former Real Madrid captain Nacho is not considering moving back to the Spanish capital as he is happy earning 'much more money' in Saudi Arabia.
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Chelsea's Jadon Sancho has reportedly returned to training after missing out on the Blues' 1-1 draw against Arsenal due to illness.
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Tottenham have started the window with a bang, acquiring highly rated talent Archie Gray from Leeds United. But they aren't looking to stop there, with plenty of attacking targets being linked with the club.
Spurs will be looking to clinch Champions League football next season, having missed out by two points, and finishing fifth in the Premier League last season, in Ange Postecoglou's first year in charge.
Having already bolstered the midfield with Gray, it is likely Tottenham will see at least one forward signing come through the door this summer, either in the shape of a striker, or a dynamic and exciting winger.
Tottenham chasing exciting winger
According to Football Insider, Tottenham are continuing to watch Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams closely and could make a move for the Spaniard. Aston Villa are also said to be long-term admirers of Williams.
The reports state Williams has a £49m release clause in his contract, but his wage demands could prove to be a stumbling block, as it seems Barcelona have been "scared off" due to the figures.
Williams is one of the shining stars at Euro 2024 currently, making three appearances, scoring one goal and providing one assist. Spain has won four out of four games so far, and will face Germany on Friday in the quarter-finals.
How Williams would form a deadly duo with Son
Williams made 37 appearances in all competitions last season for Athletic Bilbao, scoring eight goals, and providing 19 assists. Helping Bilbao towards a fifth-place finish in La Liga, bettering their eighth-place finish from the season before.
Bilbao managed to score 14 more goals last season compared to the season prior, and Williams had a massive part to play in that, adding eight G/A to his La Liga numbers in the most recent campaign.
The 14 assists Williams managed last term was the most impressive feat of his game, showing his elite ability to create chances through a variety of skills, such as his ball carrying, 1v1 ability, and his crossing.
Williams excels in the ball-carrying metrics, averaging 5.69 progressive carries per 90, and 3.42 successful take-ons per 90, which both rank in the top 10% for wingers on the continent in this metric.
His ability to receive the ball in 1v1 situations, beat his man and find himself in dangerous areas to either deliver the ball or get a shot off, is what makes him so sought after, as he can create chances for himself and others.
But once he gets into these areas, he is also a top-level crosser of the ball, averaging 6.08 crosses per 90, and making 0.87 crosses into the penalty box per 90, which ranks in the top 1% for wingers in this metric.
Son Heung-min could be the beneficiary of this move, getting a deadly striking partner back, just like his past partnership with Harry Kane. Whilst Son used to operate from the left, with Kane in the middle, this could see a similar partnership struck, but with Son in the central zones, and Williams off the left.
The Spanish star's ability to take the creative burden away from Son, would allow him to operate even more in and around the box, getting more shots off, and showcasing that extremely clinical nature of his, producing a goals – xG of +0.15.
One thing is for sure, as Zach Lowy said, Nico Williams "is going to be one of the most coveted wingers in the transfer market this summer".
Spurs have big interest in special star who could be their answer to Yamal
Tottenham looking to add a tricky and direct winger to their ranks
ByConnor Holden Jul 4, 2024
The hamstring surgery that ended her T20 World Cup impacted Perry leading into the WBBL
Daniel Brettig24-Nov-2020
Ellyse Perry’s returns with bat and ball have dropped off in this season’s WBBL•Getty Images
Belinda Clark believes that Ellyse Perry will be forced to rethink her approach to T20 cricket after her returns, with bat and ball, dropped off dramatically at the ongoing edition of the WBBL and the Sydney Sixers missed out on the tournament finals for the second year in a row.Clark pointed to how Perry has previously reinvented herself as a short-form batter in particular to align herself to the demands of her role in the T20I set-up over successive World Cup wins.”She’s already done it before,” Clark told ESPNcricinfo. “She’s very technically correct – she was batting down the order a bit in the shorter formats. But then she evolved her game and got herself to a point where she was a lot more attacking and a lot more risky in the way she went about things. She opened up whole different shots for herself.”Then she’s been going through a period where… you can’t stay on the top or be at the top of your game 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, it just doesn’t happen. She will go away, think about it, find a way, come back. But absolutely I’ll back her to solve the problem in front of her, because she’s done it before and she’ll continue to do it.”ALSO READ: Ellyse Perry is Australia’s greatest cricketer of the last 50 yearsPerry’s problems in the WBBL are best illustrated by how her pace bowling was targeted by opposition sides to cost the Sixers 8.25 runs per over across the tournament, a long way from her usual rate of a little more than five per over. At the same time, her batting was corralled into a strike rate of 96.53, comfortably down from recent years, even though she has averaged 48.75. Perry also missed out on the WBBL Team of the Tournament this year, a first. That said, the return from the hamstring surgery, which ended her T20 World Cup campaign, has undoubtedly impacted Perry leading into the WBBL.Clark, who over 118 ODIs compiled 4844 runs at 47.49 – she is still third on the all-time table, despite last playing in 2005 – while also notching the second-highest ODI score of all-time, an epic 229 not out in the 1997 World Cup, said that Perry’s battle this season was part of the kinds of evolutions that took place over long and elite careers across cricket.”This isn’t just a female athlete discussion either,” Clark said. “If you look at the methods, the technique of all of the players at the beginning of their career and at the end, you’ll see marked difference. Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, Steve Waugh, you name them, they’ve all evolved their game through a period of time when they’re representing their country, and that’s because they always want to be better so they keep finding ways.”If you think that you can stand still and just apply what you’ve got day in, day out and not continue to try to get better and evolve your game, you won’t last very long. Meg is a classic example of that time she spent out of the game with a shoulder injury and she’s come back with a whole range of other strings to her bow, Alyssa Healy is continually improving her game, her innings the other day was magnificent.”People don’t stand still, but you go back and watch Ricky Ponting’s first Test innings and his last one you’ll see some things that are idiosyncratic and the same, but other things that’ll be totally different, whether people are more conservative, more attacking, they’re playing certain shots, but that’s what sport’s all about, continually trying to get better.”Having announced she would step down from her role at Cricket Australia at the end of November, Clark has had time to reflect on some of the big moves in the women’s game over 20 years of her time in administration at women’s, high performance and community cricket roles. She noted that the decision to push T20 very strongly as the best format with which to grow the women’s game had been vindicated by how players had evolved to meet what she called the “constraints” of the shortest form.”The constraints of the game will dictate what the end product looks like, so if you can get the game to reward people taking risk, then the players will find a way and find their own way to make the most of that opportunity,” Clark said. “This game’s all about risk/reward and you need to stack the odds in the favour of those who take the risk, so there’s a whole range of playing conditions that were filtered around that concept.”I think what we’re seeing now is the players have adapted, they’re super skilful and they’re now playing a game that’s shown them they can evolve. If you went and changed all the rules tomorrow, it’ll take a little while but they’d find another way to make it entertaining and tip the odds in their favour. That’s the beauty of sport, you often don’t have to change too much and the players and coaching staff will respond with a tactical approach to overcome whatever you put in front of them.”I think it’s amazing where the game’s got to, but absolutely the constraints of the game have led the players to solve the problems in front of them.”
Glasgow Rangers look set to be going through an overhaul of their playing squad at Ibrox this summer after they missed out on the Scottish Premiership title last season.
The Light Blues have already brought in Brazilian left-back Jefte, winger Oscar Cortes, centre-back Clinton Nsiala, and midfielder Connor Barron to bolster their options across the park.
German forward Yusuf Kabadayi is also reportedly in advanced talks to join up with Philippe Clement's squad next term, whilst striker Hamza Igamane is set to join on a permanent deal.
This comes after Ryan Jack, Jon McLaughlin, Kemar Roofe, Borna Barisic, and John Lundstram all departed Glasgow at the end of last month, when their respective contracts with the club expired.
The Scottish giants are also reportedly willing to cash in on some of their remaining first-team stars to raise more funds for additional signings.
Rangers willing to sell attacking midfielder
The Scottish Sun recently reported that attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell is one of the players who could be moved on before the window slams shut.
He joined the club from Norwich City on a permanent deal in January of last year, as Michael Beale's first signing, and could now end his 18-month stay in Glasgow.
The report claimed that the Gers are prepared to listen to offers for the former England U21 international as Clement looks to make changes to his squad ahead of next season.
It did not, however, reveal how much the Ibrox giants would be looking to recoup for the 26-year-old playmaker, or if there is any tangible interest from elsewhere.
Clement also may not even need to dip into the transfer market to find his replacement as academy and B team star Alex Lowry could emerge as his heir.
Alex Lowry could step up for Rangers
The Scotland U21 international could finally make the step up as a first-team regular for Rangers after coming through the youth set-up at Ibrox.
Lowry spent the first half of the season on loan with Hearts in the Premiership and produced one goal and four assists in 11 domestic starts for the Jam Tarts.
Starts
10
24
Touches per game
43.6
51.6
Key passes per game
1.8
1.7
Dribbles completed per game
1.4
1.2
Goals
0
7
As you can see in the table above, the Scottish youngster produced more key passes and dribbles per game than the Rangers star, despite taking eight fewer touches per match on average, which speaks to his impressive creativity.
The 20-year-old starlet, who was once dubbed "very dangerous" by ex-boss Gio van Bronckhorst, did not showcase his goalscoring quality with Hearts, however, but has been prolific at youth level.
Lowry has racked up a staggering 12 goals in 16 appearances for the B team and Light Blues prodigy, who has scored twice for the first-team, could look to translate that form to senior level in the coming years.
The attacking midfielder appears to have all the tools, with his goalscoring prowess, creativity, and dribbling quality, to brilliantly replace Cantwell if he can make the step up and emerge as a consistent first-team performer for Clement next season.
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That would then negate the need for the Belgian boss and head of recruitment Nils Koppen to dip into the market for a replacement, saving the club millions.
The Egyptian netted the winner from the penalty spot at Molineux as Arne Slot's side made it five wins from six to start the season
Liverpool climbed to the top of the Premier League table as Mohamed Salah converted from the penalty spot to secure a 2-1 win over struggling Wolves in what was an underwhelming but overall satisfying performance from Arne Slot's side.
The Reds were on the backfoot for the opening 20 minutes as Gary O'Neil's side came out of the blocks quickly, but eventually the visitors took control, and Dominik Szoboszlai should have given them the lead when he fired straight at Sam Johnstone from close-range.
Ibrahima Konate, however, did not make the same mistake from a similar position as he headed home Diogo Jota's cross in first-half stoppage-time. However, the France defender then went from hero to villain early in the second period as he failed to deal with a ball that was trickling towards the byline, and Wolves took advantage as Rayan Ait-Nouri slammed into an empty net.
The hosts weren't level for long, however, as Jota was fouled by Nelson Semedo in the penalty area, and Salah made no mistake despite having an otherwise forgettable evening.
GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Molineux…
Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence
Alisson Becker (6/10):
Back from injury and showed good hands on a number of occasions. Maybe could have helped out Konate for the Wolves goal, but wasn't as much to blame as the defender.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (5/10):
Below his best as he cut a frustrated figure at times. Booked early for kicking the ball away, though did make a couple of strong defensive interventions.
Ibrahima Konate (6/10):
Excellent in dealing with Strand Larsen in the first half before powering home a header to open the scoring. Looked lost for the first 20 minutes after the break, as he was at fault for the equaliser and then picked up a booking. Did recover to make a crucial block to deny Forbs when through on goal.
Virgil van Dijk (8/10):
Imperial at the heart of the Reds' defence. Swept up when Wolves looked to get in behind and stepped in to make challenges and clearances on a regular basis. A real leader's performance.
Andrew Robertson (6/10):
Combined well with Diaz down the left, but his final ball wasn't always what he was looking for. Solid defensively.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield
Ryan Gravenberch (8/10):
Gets better with every game. Barely lost possession in midfield as he proved press-resistant before playing some excellent passes.
Alexis Mac Allister (6/10):
Looked off the pace to begin with but grew into the game as it wore on. Eventually began to distribute well, particularly in the second half.
Dominik Szoboszlai (4/10):
Didn't look up for it at all. Wasted a gilt-edged chance in the first half when he fired straight at Johnstone, and allowed Lemina to run off him for the Wolves equaliser. Will have better days.
AFPAttack
Mohamed Salah (6/10):
Had a quiet first hour as Ait-Nouri did a good job in locking the Egyptian down. Made no mistake from the penalty spot, but did miss an earlier sitter and should have played Jones in to make it 3-1 with what looked to be a simple pass.
Diogo Jota (7/10):
Struggled to get into goal-scoring positions against his former club, but did play a big role in both goals, as he sent over a superb cross for Konate to head home before winning the penalty by getting the wrong side of Semedo.
Luis Diaz (7/10):
Carried the ball well and looked a threat whenever he got around the Wolves penalty area. Couldn't keep his fine goal-scoring form going, however.
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AFPSubs & Manager
Cody Gakpo (6/10):
Replaced Diaz for the final 20 minutes but didn't really offer much.
Curtis Jones (7/10):
Bright after coming on for Szoboszlai. Should have been played in by Salah and then tested Johnstone with a low effort.
Joe Gomez (N/A):
On for Robertson for the final couple of minutes.
Arne Slot (6/10):
His side took time to get going and this was by no means a complete performance, but they did largely dominate and pick up the three points, so he won't be too disappointed.
Celtic ended their 2023/24 campaign last month with a 1-0 win over their closest rivals in the final of the SFA Cup at Hampden Park to secure a domestic double.
Adam Idah's late winner with the final touch of his loan spell from Norwich City won the tournament for the Hoops, shortly after they had won and lifted the Scottish Premiership double.
Brendan Rodgers won two trophies in his first year back in the dugout at Parkhead, having replaced Ange Postecoglou last summer, and will now be aiming for more silverware next term.
The Northern Irish head coach could look to utilise the upcoming summer transfer window, which opens for business this month, to bolster his squad for the new campaign.
A goalkeeper is on the agenda for the Scottish giants after Joe Hart's retirement and exit from Paradise, with Liverpool's Caoimhin Keller having recently been linked with a move to the club.
However, Celtic are also looking to add to their playing squad in other areas of the pitch, and are reportedly looking at a central defender from the Premier League.
Celtic's interest in £8m colossus
According to the Daily Mail, Rodgers is lining up a possible swoop to add Bournemouth centre-back Chris Mepham to the club's defensive set-up this summer.
The report claims that the Scottish giants have added that Wales international to their list of targets, as they look to bolster their defence over the coming weeks and months.
It states that the Cherries are looking for a fee within the region of £8m in order to allow the right-footed titan to depart the Vitality Stadium ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are prepared to meet their demands at this moment in time. Mepham has one year left to run on his current contract with the Premier League outfit, which is why Bournemouth may look to cash in now in order to avoid losing him for nothing next summer.
The Daily Mail adds that Sheffield United, who are now in the Championship, and Leeds United were both keen on a deal for the Cherries ace during the January transfer window.
There is no mention of any current interest from those two sides and it is unclear as to how much competition Celtic are facing to land the brute's signature.
The report also claims that Rodgers is looking to add more quality to his side at goalkeeper, left-back, centre-back, midfield, and in the attacking areas, which suggests that there could be plenty of inwards business before September's deadline.
Going back to Mepham, Rodgers and Celtic could find the club's next version of Cameron Carter-Vickers by securing a deal to sign the defender this summer.
Celtic's Cameron Carter-Vickers masterclass
The Hoops initially signed the USA international on loan from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2021, before they made the deal permanent the following year.
They brought him to Parkhead on loan after he had enjoyed an impressive spell on loan with Bournemouth in the Championship during the 2020/21 campaign.
The Spurs loanee won 60% of his duels, including 66% of his battles on the deck, across 21 outings in the second tier for the Cherries that term.
This shows that he had the quality and the physicality to consistently dominate opposition attackers in physical contests, which Celtic may have noticed and hoped would translate over to football in Scotland.
Postecoglou took a gamble on the American colossus and it has paid off big time for the Bhoys as his dominant defensive work has translated over to the Premiership over the last three seasons.
Duel success rate
68%
69%
68%
Ground duel success rate
59%
59%
62%
Aerial duel success rate
73%
74%
71%
As you can see in the table above, Carter-Vickers has consistently dominated opposition defenders in duels on the deck and in the air to help his side win the last three league titles.
The 26-year-old titan has been a brickwall at the back at times for Celtic and Mepham has the potential to arrive and provide a similar presence at the heart of the defence for Rodgers, should the Hoops decide to strike a deal for his services this summer.
Why Chris Mepham could be Cameron Carter-Vickers 2.0
Just like Carter-Vickers was not getting a sniff of the first-team at Spurs, the Welsh colossus has not been a regular in the Bournemouth team of late.
The 26-year-old ace only started six Premier League games and made ten appearances in the division this season, which illustrates how far down the pecking order he has been.
Mepham did, however, start 24 matches in the top-flight during the 2022/23 campaign and showcased his potential to be a dominant force at the back for Celtic.
He won 63% of his duels on the ground and 62% of his aerial contests across 26 appearances in the Premier League for Bournemouth, which shows that the Hoops target has the physicality to dominate opposition attackers at the top level of English football.
The Cherries outcast has recently showcased his quality in that respect whilst playing for Wales during their qualifiers for the European Championships this season, with an aerial duel success rate of 71% across nine appearances during the qualification campaign.
Minutes played
1,095
1,845
Tackles + interceptions per 90
2.88
2.19
Blocks per 90
1.15
1.22
Aerial duels won per 90
4.03
2.93
Progressive passes per 90
3.78
1.90
Progressive carries per 90
1.23
0.44
As you can see in the table above, Mepham, who was hailed as "aggressive" by manager Scott Parker, also outperformed Carter-Vickers in their last Championship seasons respectively, with his work in and out of possession.
He made significantly more progressive carries and passes to help his side on the ball whilst also winning more aerial duels, tackles, and interceptions combined per 90.
This suggests that the Bournemouth defender has the potential to replicate Carter-Vickers' success in Scotland as his statistics in the Premier League, at international level, and in the Championship suggest that the quality is there for him to be an excellent player for Celtic.
Celtic could save millions by unleashing "exceptional" 6 ft 2 colossus
The Hoops could avoid splashing out cash on a new signing by bringing through this young talent.
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Therefore, Rodgers could land his next version of the American titan by securing a deal to sign the £8m-rated star, who could resurrect his career by moving to Scotland to showcase his dominant defending and progressive passing.
Menon becomes the third Indian after S Venkataraghavan and S Ravi to make it to the Elite panel
ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2020India’s Nitin Menon has been included in the ICC Elite panel of umpires for the 2020-21 season after the annual review conducted by the game’s governing body. At 36, Menon is one of the youngest to be included in the Elite panel. He was earlier part of the International panel and will replace England’s Nigel Llong in the Elite roster.A panel consisting of ICC general manager of cricket Geoff Allardice (chairman), former player Sanjay Manjrekar, and match referees Ranjan Madugalle and David Boon made the selection.The ICC monitors umpires’ standing through various parameters, including on-field decision-making, the number of reviews the match official has got right, and conduct on the field. Accordingly, points are tallied and umpires are ranked internally.As per ESPNcricinfo’s data, Llong has had the highest percentage (36.2%) of his reviewed decisions overturned in Tests since September 28, 2017.Menon, who began his umpiring career in 2017, has officiated in three Tests, 24 ODIs and 16 T20Is in men’s cricket. He has also stood in ten women’s T20Is, including the 2018 and 2020 T20 World Cups. After S Venkataraghavan and S Ravi, he is the third umpire from India to make it to the Elite panel.”It’s a great honour and matter of pride for me to be named in the Elite panel,” Menon said in an ICC release. “To be officiating regularly along with the leading umpires and referees of the world is something that I always dreamt of and the feeling has yet to sink in.”Having already officiated in Tests, ODIs and T20Is as well as in ICC events, I understand the great responsibility that comes with the job. I also feel this is a responsibility on me to take Indian umpires forward and help them by sharing my experiences.”Adrian Griffith, the ICC’s senior manager of umpires and referees, congratulated Menon, saying he “has come through our pathway system with very consistent performances”.Last year, England’s Michael Gough and West Indies’ Joel Wilson were promoted to the Elite panel, while Ravi was omitted from the list.’Not surprised by Menon’s selection’ – TaufelTaufel, who has worked extensively with Indian umpires, said he was not “surprised” by Menon’s elevation. “I’m not surprised by his selection as his talent was evident some years ago,” Taufel told ESPNcricinfo. “But again it shows that it takes many years to get to world-class, through commitment, dedication, resilience and a growth mindset. With Nitin joining the top group, a role model is there for many Indian umpires who aspire to be the best. Hopefully, it will encourage the BCCI to keep investing in their development programs for match officials.”ICC Elite panel of umpires: Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Nitin Menon, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Bruce Oxenford, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker and Joel WilsonICC Elite panel of match referees: David Boon, Chris Broad, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Andy Pycroft, Richie Richardson and Javagal Srinath
Even after securing their Premier League safety, Everton's troubles away from the pitch remain, with 777 Partners yet to get their takeover approved and the Toffees in need of other options.
Everton takeover news
It's been a season full of drama off the pitch for Everton, which saw them accumulate point deductions of eight points to leave Sean Dyche's side fighting for survival. In the end, the former Burnley boss secured his side's top flight status against all odds and it's worth pointing out that without the troubles off the pitch, the Toffees would be on course for a comfortable mid-table finish in the Premier League.
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By this point in the season too, those at Goodison Park would have hoped to have seen 777 at the helm after Farhad Moshiri initially agreed a deal all the way back in September, but concerns over the Miami-based firm's finances have delayed a deal, which is now reportedly virtually collapsed.
What's more, reports suggest that Everton are facing the prospect of administration in what could end up becoming an unexpected positive for a prospective new owner. This is because if any buyer purchases the club from administrators then Everton's debts would be settled by insolvency experts, and those buyers would end up spending less and taking on less debt.
The question then comes as to just who will step up in place of 777. According to the Daily Mail, MSP Sports Capital and Merseyside based duo Andy Bell and Goerge Downing are the two potential buyers who could finally bail Everton out.
Everton, of course, already borrowed money from MSP Sports Capital to fund their new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium and could now take their investment to a whole new level. Bell and Downing, meanwhile, are reportedly ready to take a stake in the club by waiving the millions that is owed to them in loans.
Everton's need resolution to takeover nightmare
One way or another, Everton need to see their takeover nightmare reach its conclusion with 777 Partners so that they can move on and put another plan together with either MSP or Bell and Downing. The 777 saga has dragged on long enough.
Out of the two fresh options, it is MSP, with former agent and baseball franchise owner Jeff Moorad at the head of the table, who have the most impressive credentials. Moorad currently has a stake in McLaren's F1 team, Danish club Brondby, German club Augsburg amd Portuguese side Estoril. Simply put, he has been there and done it.
Be it MSP or Bell and Downing, there's no doubt about the sheer size of the task at hand at Goodison Park. But in among the chaos, Dyche's work to keep the Toffees afloat in the Premier League should go a long way.
In desperate need of a fresh start off the pitch, Everton's new owners – whoever they may be – must invest in Dyche's squad to finally hand the manager the chance to progress things in Merseyside. He has more than proven that he is the man to take Everton forward.
Thursday’s ICC meeting starts contingency planning process
Nagraj Gollapudi22-Apr-2020Cricket has never faced a crisis quite like this. With much of the world still deep in Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns, administrators are facing an unprecedented situation. At some point in the near future, sport will resume but in what form, when and where exactly, no-one knows.On Thursday, the chief executives of the 12 full-member countries along with the ICC management will convene via a conference call to start plotting what a new landscape might look like. Thursday’s meeting is merely the starting point of a process that will remain a work in progress for the foreseeable future.The ICC has said the aim of this virtual meeting – and there really only is one item on the agenda – is to check in on the health of members and how they are coping with the effects of no cricket, as well as collectively work on contingency planning and sort out priorities between the resumption of international bilateral cricket, domestic cricket and global events.Based on conversations with various boards, ESPNcricinfo lists some of the key issues that will rank high on the list of priorities to be addressed on Thursday.Men’s T20 World CupAaron Finch’s Australia will be among the favourites for the T20 World Cup if it goes ahead•Getty ImagesScheduled for October-November this year, this is the biggest marquee event left in 2020 outside of the IPL. Currently the ICC remains optimistic about the event going ahead in case Australia opens its doors to host the tournament.However, the tournament comprises 16 teams, which means each will need their respective government’s approval. What happens in case one of the participants is denied permission? What would be the quarantine process in individual countries? Will air travel resume completely to allow players to travel to Australia? These will be some of the questions that the chief executives’ committee (CEC) will make note of and it is clearly a complex issue as one of the officials who will be sitting on the call, said.According to one official, the fate of the T20 World Cup is the most important issue for a number of boards outside the biggest few. Those boards rely heavily on revenue distributions from the ICC and a disruption to any event – as PCB chairman Ehsan Mani warned – could have serious financial repercussions for some members. What members might be looking to discuss is a rough idea of a timeline by when a definitive decision on the tournament needs to take place.ODI Super LeagueAlready this tournament, due to begin in 10 days’ time, has been impacted. Three of the series scheduled as part of the ODI League, which the ICC put in place to provide more context to 50-overs cricket, have been postponed indefinitely, with Pakistan’s series in the Netherlands the latest to be axed. The ODI League serves as a pathway for the 10-team 2023 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted in India. Alongside India, the seven highest-ranked sides in the ODI League as of March 31, 2022 would have qualified directly for the 2023 World Cup, while the bottom five will get a second chance to make the grade through a qualifier.The questions the CEC will need to consider include whether the league should be scrapped, or whether the number of series each team has to play is reworked so the original framework is not completely revamped. “The reason for the ODI League was to bring context and add an element of jeopardy to the qualification for 2023 World Cup,” said one official who will be participating in Thursday’s call. “So ‘is there a way to maintain the integrity of that league?’ is the question that will be asked.”One alternative is that in the absence of a league, all those series go ahead when they can and the shortlist for the 2023 World Cup takes place based on the rankings. However, the official pointed out, countries like England would be at a disadvantage in such a scenario because they are likely to lose out on playing ODI series this summer to accommodate various other events in the calendar.”That is the part of the challenge: you’ve got to decisions that taken into account all of these things but there will so many competing agendas or viewpoints,” the official said.World Test ChampionshipIndia and Australia are the top two sides on the World Test Championship table•Getty ImagesThe WTC is nearly nine months old with the final is scheduled for July 2021. However, not all teams have played the same number of series. Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq had suggested recently that the WTC should be put on hold instead of attempting to tinker with the original format where each team is meant to play a total of six series. Not everyone agrees.One chief executive felt that with “nearly 40%” of the WTC already played, suspending was not the best option. “If we have cricket back in July even if it in bio-safe stadiums, behind close doors, I don’t see a need for it [suspending]. But it is a big if.”The ICC, it is believed, will not make a hasty decision on the WTC. One key determining factor will be what percentage of WTC series are lost when bilateral cricket resumes. If it is not a significant chunk, then the ICC will want the nine countries in the Championship to collectively work out windows in the FTP.”Like in the UK, the government is quite keen to restart sport behind closed doors because they believe it is quite good for the morale of the nation,” the official said. “It will start at different places at different times and we’ll ease back into it. That’s when the genuine rescheduling and decision making around the competitions like WTC will start.”So what might be the outcome?Don’t expect too much by way of binding decisions from this meeting. In any case, it is the ICC Board rather than the chief executives’ committee that makes decisions final.”There’s going to be discussion around what the restart of cricket looks like, what competitions will have been missed and how we go about trying to see what the next stage is about rescheduling,” Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo. “But of course rescheduling is only going to be a relatively relevant discussion when we know more about the point from which we can definitively reschedule.”So I think it’s going to be more around discussing principles: what priorities should there be between bilateral cricket, ICC events, domestic T20 franchise leagues?”