West Indies are two-time Men’s T20 World Cup champions with their last triumph in 2016.

New Delhi: Two-time Men’s T20 World Cup champions West Indies will miss cricket’s return to the Olympics in 2028 after the qualification process was revealed on Monday (June 29). Six teams each will play in the men’s and women’s T20 competitions at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics.Besides four-highest ranked eligible National Olympic Committees (NOC) continentally and one quota place for the hosts USA, one more place will be decided by virtue of a Final Olympic Global Qualification Tournament (FOCGQT). Based on the rankings on 31 December 2026, a qualifying tournament will be played featuring the “next eight highest-ranked eligible teams not yet qualified.”If West Indies, who are currently seventh in the ICC T20I rankings, the ICC will organise a West Indies Nations Regional Tournament.It will be played to decide which NOC will compete in the FOCGQT. Unlike the ICC, which recognises the collection of Caribbean islands as the West indies, it is not the case with the IOC (International Olympic Committee).So, IOC recognises Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica , St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the US Virgin Islands, as separate NOCs. ICC, however, do not.The NOC that wins the FOGQT will secure the final Olympic quota place.Cricket returns to the Olympics after a 126 year period. The last time cricket was played at the Olympics was in Paris 1900.Cricket at LA2028Men: 6 teamsWomen: 6 teamsMen’s event1 team: Host USA qualifies if they remain in top-15 rankings on 31 December 2026.4 teams: Highest-ranked eligible NOCs continentally on December 31 (India, England, Australia, South Africa qualify based on current rankings)1 team: Final Olympic Global Qualification Tournament (FOGQT) of the next eight highest-ranked eligible teams that haven’t already qualified. West Indies, if it meets the rankings criteria, will play a regional tournament of its Caribbean islands.* New Zealand (currently 4th in the rankings) would not qualify automatically because Australia is already Oceania’s highest-ranked team.* Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka would miss out because India occupies Asia’s continental berth. They will likely head to the qualifier.Women’s eventUnlike the men’s event which is decided by the rankings, the women’s will be decided by the ongoing T20 World Cup.4 teams: The automatic places go to the highest-placed eligible NOCs from four different continents at the World Cup.1 team: USA qualify as hosts if they stay within the top-15 rankings. They’re currently 20th.1 team: One final spot comes via the Global Qualification Tournament which will be played between the next eight highest-ranked eligible teams that haven’t qualified.Again, West Indies, if they are in this category, will play a regional tournament to ascertain which NOC qualifies for the Olympics.

Rifdean “Magic Boy” Masdor came to The Inner Circle 19 with a point to prove. He left with a knockout, a US$100,000 main roster contract, and a callout that sent a message to the entire atomweight Muay Thai division.

The 23-year-old delivered a fierce first-round stoppage of Iran’s Javad Mozafari on the subscriber-only card, which streamed live at live.onefc.com from Bangkok’s revered Lumpinee Stadium.

The win – his seventh in ONE Championship and his fifth first-round promotional knockout – earned the Sor Sommai and Sor Kitrungroj product the six-figure deal.

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In doing so, he joined Johan “Jojo” Ghazali and Aliff Sor Dechapan in an exclusive club of Malaysians who have been handed that life-changing opportunity on the global stage.

For Rifdean, three years of grinding, sacrificing, and believing had finally produced exactly what he always knew they would.

He said:

“I’ve been waiting for this contract for three years. I’ve got it because I worked hard. Discipline and motivation have always been number one for me.

“Thank you so much to Boss Chatri [Sityodtong] for giving me the contract and the bonus, and thank you to my big boss at Sor Sommai. Thank you to my fans and my family. Thank you, everyone.”

The path to that contract ran through a performance that Rifdean himself did not entirely see coming. Despite already owning four first-round knockouts in ONE heading into the fight, he was not banking on a swift finish.

What followed, though, left little room for doubt. The Malaysian imposed himself from the opening bell and gave his foe no time to breathe. A telling body shot soon dropped Mozafari. The Iranian beat the count – but two left hooks to the body finished the job for good at the 94-second mark. 

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“Magic Boy” continued:

“I wasn’t expecting to get the knockout win in the first round because anything can happen in a fight. But, Alhamdulillah, I kept pushing until my opponent went down.”

The finish was the exclamation point on a brilliant campaign that had been building toward this exact moment. Five straight victories, five finishes, and now a main roster contract that opens an entirely new chapter.

What came next made clear that he had no intention of stopping there. He had inserted himself firmly into the atomweight Muay Thai conversation, and his message to the division was equally unambiguous.

Rifdean shared:

“Now that I’ve got the contract, I’m happy. But it’s not over yet. See you in the next fight. I will do my best.”

Rifdean Has Nadaka In His Sights

True to his word, Rifdean Masdor intends to do his best, and he has already identified exactly who he wants to do it against.

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No opponent has been officially confirmed for his main roster debut. But following his knockout of Mozafari, the Sor Sommai and Sor Kitrungroj athlete fixed his gaze firmly on reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Nadaka.

He continued:

“My next goal is to become a ONE World Champion. So, for my next fight, see you in Japan, Nadaka. I want to fight against him.”

The callout carries genuine conviction – but it is not the words of a fighter getting ahead of himself.

Rifdean has long admired what the Japanese slugger has built throughout his rise to become arguably the finest striker of this generation. Now, with a main roster contract in hand, the young Malaysian believes he belongs in the same conversation.

The 23-year-old concluded:

“I’ll train hard to get the belt. Nadaka is my idol, and I want to fight with my idol. It will be a good fight.”

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The updated game introduces major enhancements, including the Dynasty Blueprint system, new Road to Glory mechanics, Mascot Mashup mode, and expanded on-field gameplay, like refined zone coverage and the jump snap.

The vast majority of players actively opted into the game, but there are a few notable absences in the database ahead of launch.

Here are the ratings of the Top 100+ players from the West, with their school, position, and conference.

After 72 matches played across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has come to an end, leaving just 32 teams in the race for football’s biggest prize.

The tournament has already produced unforgettable moments, surprise results and outstanding individual performances. As the competition moves into the knockout rounds, here are my personal picks for the best team, player, match and moment of the group stage.

Best Team: France

For me, France have been the best team of the tournament so far. They won all three of their group matches and showed why they remain one of the favourites to lift the World Cup trophy.

Their attack has been outstanding, with pace, creativity and goals coming from different players. They have also shown strength in depth, allowing them to rotate players without losing quality.

While they are not yet at their absolute best, France have looked more complete than any other team in the competition. Their experience, squad depth and attacking quality make them a very difficult team to stop.

Best Player: Lionel Messi

At 39 years old, Lionel Messi continues to prove why he is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

The Argentine captain has been exceptional during the group stage, scoring goals, creating chances and leading by example. His intelligence, movement and ability to influence matches remain unmatched.

Every time Messi steps onto the pitch, he creates moments that football fans will remember forever. His performances at this World Cup have once again shown that age is just a number for a player of his quality.

Best Match: Uruguay vs Cape Verde

The best match of the group stage for me was the thrilling 2-2 draw between Uruguay and Cape Verde.

The game had everything that makes football special, goals, drama, emotion and excitement. Cape Verde took the lead, fell behind and then fought back to earn a deserved draw against one of the traditional giants of world football.

Both teams created chances to win the game in the closing stages, making it one of the most entertaining and unforgettable matches of the tournament so far.

Best Moment: Cape Verde Reach the Last 32

The most memorable moment of the World Cup group stage was Cape Verde qualifying for the knockout rounds for the first time in their history.

After completing their own match, the players from the small African nation gathered together on the pitch to watch updates from the Spain versus Uruguay game. They knew their World Cup dream depended on Spain avoiding defeat.

When confirmation finally arrived that Spain had beaten Uruguay, the emotions exploded. Players, coaches and staff celebrated wildly as Cape Verde secured a historic place in the last 32.

It was a beautiful reminder of what makes the World Cup so special. For a small nation to achieve such a remarkable feat and celebrate together in such an emotional way was a moment that captured the true spirit of football.

It was a strangely unsatisfying, unedifying way to end one of the great Test careers.

Ben Stokes’s retirement was announced over loudspeakers at Trent Bridge in the midst of an almighty 11-over spell of bowling, and the attention shifted away from New Zealand’s deserved series victory to England’s captain. Stokes received guards of honour and later opened the batting, flailing for sixes, swinging at the sun. It was like the game had descended into a one-man ego trip, as if Stokes might perform the “Siuuu” at any moment.

If Stokes’s 30 off 20 balls set the tone for England’s fourth-innings chase, then that tone was self-sabotage. England abandoned all sense. It was 6pm in Nottingham and Stokes had ushered in the last days of Rome, headless bloodlust, Test cricket depravity, Harry Brook debauching the ball to fine leg – leading Michael Vaughan to describe his effort as “an absolutely pathetic Test match innings”. In doing so, Brook made a compelling case for not being Stokes’ successor.

That bizarre finale – has a cricketer ever retired between overs before? – will not diminish what Stokes achieved for England. The numbers might not sound stratospheric: a bowling average of 31; a batting average of 34, in line with Ollie Pope. Then again, only one other player, Jacques Kallis, has surpassed both 7,000 Test runs and 250 wickets.

But Stokes didn’t play cricket by numbers. His famous Headingley innings alongside the obdurate Jack Leach in 2019 was a moment of eternal sport and national meaning not because he scored 135 runs but because of how it felt to watch every agonising ball, how it defied all logic. His gift was to make every England fan place their faith in the improbable, the unfathomable, the previously untouchable. Then he went out and proved they were right to believe.

There was the breathtaking 2019 World Cup final, the rapid 258 against South Africa, the outrageous catches. Evidence of cricket beyond reason mounted up, so when Stokes took over the captaincy and said England could chase down 300 runs in the fourth innings of Test matches, and actively chose to field first, possibility rippled through the stands and in the dressing room too. He may not be the perfect captain, but no other player could have carried England on that ride.

He retires as a rare kind of English Test cricket superstar, perhaps the last of his kind, given the format’s shrinking platform. In that summer of 2019, the summer before the world’s walls closed in, Stokes broke new bounds. He was the best cricketer on the planet, perhaps the best athlete on the planet.

His legacy has since been coloured by the odd denouement to Bazball, which shone so brightly at first. McCullum was the name on the jar but Stokes was the secret sauce. It is a period that has taken a mental toll. There is an irony in Stokes falling out of love with his England role when the onus of the past four years has been on unfettered joy and entertainment.

McCullum and ECB director Rob Key have plenty to answer for. Perhaps the only reason to keep them after the Ashes was their close relationship with Stokes, but those relationships had become strained and now it is hard to see what either party brings without their talisman on the field. Is there even an argument that McCullum leaving the scene would make a dramatic Stokes return down the line more likely? Would an SOS call ahead of next summer’s Ashes, for example, be completely out of the question…?

When McCullum first took charge, he injected the new energy that England needed. Stuart Broad talked of feeling free and inspired, Joe Root spoke of seeing cricket in a whole new light. McCullum gave drifting careers fresh purpose. But that was a 12-month job, and he hasn’t shown he can lead England to a higher level. He turns up to interviews in sliders and a backwards cap looking cool and calm when they’re winning, but can seem detached when they’re losing.

Key does not seem to have the answers either. Failing to prepare the team for the actual Ashes was a red flag against the entire hierarchy and the fact that heads didn’t roll following that winter debacle on and off the field remains baffling. Key is passionate about the job but his ability to say words while saying nothing much at all is impressive and troubling in equal measure.

England have stalled. They are fourth in the Test rankings, about to lose a home series to the team ranked fifth, a first home defeat in a series of at least three Tests since 2012. Their free-wheeling approach has lost its way, and Stokes’ departure will leave a void of leadership, of character, of talent, even of intrigue.

Stokes, McCullum and Key came as a trio, and for all Stokes’ flaws, it is hard to escape the feeling England are losing the wrong one.

Golf humbles many, including those who are the best in the world.

Just ask J.T. Poston at the Travelers Championship on Sunday.

What started out as a chance to put a low score on the card at the 13th hole after getting greenside in two shots, Poston, the world No. 32 in the Official World Golf Ranking, posted a 12 in an absolute meltdown that derailed his entire day.

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J.T. Poston plays a shot from the first tee during the first round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., on June 25, 2026. (Jordan Bank/Getty Images)

While Poston may not have been in contention, he wasn’t picturing himself at the bottom of the leaderboard by the end of the tournament, but the 12 was the main reason behind finishing 6-over and 1-over on the tournament for 69th place out of 72.

So, what exactly happened to Poston?

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Well, the 13th hole began with a perfect tee shot that found the middle of the fairway. Then, his second shot found a greenside bunker, but professionals sometimes don’t mind finding those bunkers because of how great their short game is. A good bunker shot and Poston has a chance at birdie on the par-5.

But things went awry from there, as the bunker shot came out quite short, leaving him with a chipping situation. Again, professionals understand that’s not the end of the world, with a chance at par after a solid chip.

The nightmare was just beginning for Poston, though, as his fourth shot went clear across the green and ended up in the water on the other side.

From there, Poston had to drop not once, but three separate times because he couldn’t get his ball back on the green. On his 10th stroke, he finally got the ball into a putting position.

J.T. Poston stands on the first tee box during the second round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., on June 26, 2026. (Ben Jared/PGA Tour)

Poston still had to keep going, putting his 11th stroke and missing it before a tap-in 12 and ending the meltdown in front of the fans.

Poston spoke about the multiple drop balls near the water that continued to roll back into the drink.

“It’s not really rough, where you can kind of blast it out,” Poston said, per Golfweek. “It’s into the grain, but it looks like you can get enough golf ball on it, which is why I kept trying to hit a good chip.”

Poston was asked if he even thought about putting it out of the greenside rough with his chips clearly not working out.

“I feel like it’s just going to hop and that takes all the speed out of it,” he responded. “And you’ve got this big false front you got to get it over. So my worry with trying to putt it was it would not have enough speed to really get there.”

J.T. Poston plays a tee shot on the first hole during the second round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., on June 26, 2026. (Ben Jared/PGA Tour)

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Poston didn’t bounce back on the 14th hole either, as he posted a double bogey on the par-4 to put himself down even more. In the end, Poston posted a 76 on the day to finish off his tournament.

Meanwhile, the Travelers Championship will come down to a playoff that must be played on Monday after Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler found themselves deadlocked at 21-under after the latter sank a putt to force it. Hovland’s putt to win it all just missed and Scheffler took advantage of the open opportunity.

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