Following the controversial final in Rabat – in which Morocco and Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz missed a Panenka penalty to win the match in the 114th minute – the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) immediately lodged a complaint with Caf and Fifa, claiming that Senegal leaving the field of play “greatly affected the normal course of the match and the players’ morale”.

Caf’s disciplinary committee initially rejected that appeal, instead issuing sanctions against both sides, including a five-match ban for Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw, on 29 January.

The FRMF said those original penalties did not “reflect the seriousness of the incidents”, and Caf’s appeal board agreed, releasing a statement on 17 March which said Senegal had contravened articles 82 and 84 of competition regulations.

Article 82 states that if a team “leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee”, they are eliminated.

Senegal’s government responded by calling for an investigation into “suspected corruption” at Caf, a claim rebuffed by the governing body’s president, Patrice Motsepe, who has been at pains to point out the appeal board’s independence.

“It is important that the decisions of our Caf disciplinary board and the Caf appeals board are viewed with respect and integrity,” he said.

The final decision on who claims the 2025 Afcon title now rests with Cas, sport’s highest judicial authority.

“To wage this moral and legal crusade, we have appointed a team of seasoned professionals with undeniable expertise,” Fall announced in Paris, flanked by members of the FSF legal team.

One of them, lawyer Seydou Diagne, called the decision to strip Senegal of their title “so blatant, so absurd, so irrational”.

“The decision of the appeals jury cannot even be considered a true decision of sporting justice,” he added.

“It is an unacceptable and intolerable attack on the fundamental rights of our national Football Federation.”

Fellow lawyer Juan Perez said: “A match that was over, whose result had been decided by the referee, now being re-refereed, administratively – that’s unprecedented. You haven’t seen anything like it. It could change the world of football.”

Caf recently updated the Afcon 2025 review on its website to list Morocco as winners, although that page now appears to have been taken down.

With Senegal refusing to relinquish the trophy, and with Saturday’s planned parade a sign of their contempt, the battle to be crowned African champions is far from over.

Manny Pacquiao is scheduled to rematch Floyd Mayweather in September, but his preparations may have already been hindered, following complications regarding his planned ‘tune-up’ fight.

Pacquiao made his professional comeback to the sport back in July, where he fought to a draw against then WBC welterweight champion, Mario Barrios.

‘Pac Man’ had been in hot pursuit of another shot at world honours, with plans to break his own world record as the oldest ever welterweight world champion, but he has now put that on ice to agree a lucrative rematch with Mayweather.

Ahead of their second encounter, Pacquiao also signed to face former WBO super-lightweight world champion Ruslan Provodnikov in a 10-round exhibition bout on Saturday, April 18, in Las Vegas.

Steve Kim recently reported that the event has been postponed and will instead take place in June. However, in an interview with Fastbreak, Pacquiao admitted that he is uncertain as to whether the contest will take place at all.

“Not sure yet… even if it’s just a tune-up fight.”

Whilst Provodnikov has not fought professionally since defeat to John Molina Jnr almost a decade ago, ‘The Russian Rocky’ has boxed in exhibitions, with his most recent outing taking place last May against a 51-year-old Jose Luis Castillo.

Mayweather is poised to fight exhibitions against heavyweight legend Mike Tyson and then Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis, before facing off with Pacquiao in less than six months’ time.

Fans are skeptical about any of the above taking place before the two icons reignite their rivalry, with the Netflix-backed event at The Sphere, Las Vegas sure to take precedence. It seems it is not worth risking a poor performance, or injury, ahead of that.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to commence on June 12, 2026, in Mexico City, with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening game of the tournament. However, months ahead of the official start, FIFA has surprised many fans by cancelling 2,000 hotel bookings in Philadelphia, which is one of the host cities of the tournament.

While cancelling hotel bookings in such large numbers might sound concerning from the outside, in reality, it is nothing more than a standard practice by FIFA. But why exactly were the bookings cancelled? Take a look.

FIFA trims excess bookings after initial over-allocation

The governing body had initially reserved close to 10,000 hotel rooms in Philadelphia to accommodate match officials, staff, and technical personnel. However, after reviewing its final requirements, FIFA has released a portion of these bookings back into the market.

Move termed standard procedure, not a scale-down

FIFA has said that the cancellations should not be interpreted as a reduction in planning or scale. Instead, it is part of a structured process followed in the lead-up to major tournaments.

By initially blocking a higher number of rooms, organisers ensure flexibility in accommodating various contingencies, including late additions to staff and logistical teams. The latest round of cancellations reflects a transition from provisional planning to confirmed allocations.

Philadelphia hotels absorb short-term impact

The decision has had a noticeable impact on the city’s hospitality sector, particularly in central areas. According to Ed Grose, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, four Centre City hotels were the most affected by the cancellations.

However, Grose clarified that the process was carried out within contractual agreements, with no penalties imposed on FIFA. While the development was not ideal for hotels, it does not significantly alter the broader business outlook tied to the tournament.

Fan demand expected to fill vacant inventory

Industry stakeholders remain optimistic that the released rooms will be quickly taken up by travelling fans. With the World Cup expected to draw large crowds from across the globe, demand for accommodation is likely to surge as match dates approach.

“These are rooms that will go back into the marketplace and be sold to fans,” Grose noted, indicating confidence in strong occupancy levels closer to the event.

Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is unemployed through two and a half weeks of free agency, and some believe he might join the dark side, also known as the Green Bay Packers.

The old Vikings quarterback may yet annoy Minnesota again.

That’s the latest and greatest theory from The Athletic this week. It’s not all that far-fetched.

Green Bay Shows Up in Cousins Chatter

Cousins would do himself no favors in the Minnesota court of public opinion.

The Athletic: Don’t Rule out GB for Cousins

Matt Schneidman of The Athletic sized up possible free-agent options for the Packers, and Cousins made the cut.

He explained, “Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love and Malik Willis have all been backup quarterbacks for the Packers. All three could be starting in the NFL come September. Green Bay really values the position, which might make it unlikely that Desmond Ridder or Kyle McCord — the only other quarterbacks on the roster besides Love — are in the No. 2 role come Week 1.”

“The idea of adding a proven veteran like Cousins, who can at least help the Packers tread water if Love goes down, might entice head coach Matt LaFleur. Cousins might (understandably) want to sign with a team whose starter is less entrenched than Love, but perhaps the idea of reuniting with his position coach from his first two years in the NFL (LaFleur) entices him, too.”

In addition to Ridder and McCord on the current depth chart, the Packers have also been whispered as a trade partner for Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson.

Mailk Willis Gone to MIA

The Packers might’ve employed the best backup quarterback in football last year, and when that happens, other teams come knocking the following offseason, especially if the man is young. That happened to Green Bay, and the Miami Dolphins scooped Willis from free agency. Willis was also considered a Vikings quarterback solution by fans this offseason before Minnesota landed Kyler Murray for 1.3 million bucks.

Willis to Miami made all the sense in the world because the Dolphins hired an executive from the Packers front office as the new general manager: Jon-Eric Sullivan. And Miami snatched Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as its head coach to replace Mike McDaniel, who landed in Los Angeles with the Chargers as an offensive coordinator.

Therefore, it’s Willis out in Green Bay, and apparently someone like Cousins in.

Shanahan Tree Coaches Just Love Cousins

Of course, Cousins to Green Bay should not come as an utter shock to hardcore NFL fans. The Packers’ skipper, Matt LaFleur, came up in Washington as a young coach in the branches of the Mike Shanahan coaching tree, and from Shanahan’s son, Kyle, to Kevin O’Connell, to Sean McVay — all have spoken glowingly of Cousins. They love the guy.

They helped mold him with the Commanders, and Cousins’s efficient style makes their offenses hum.

LaFleur was the Commanders’ quarterbacks coach from 2010 to 2013, helping Cousins get his career off the ground amid RGIII Mania. Cousins signing in Green Bay would feel like a full-circle career moment.

Dairyland Express‘s Chris Schad on the Cousins-GB angle: “Even if the Packers appear to be the option, Cousins could decline the chance to be a backup and jump at the chance to take a broadcasting job. NBC could be an option after dropping Tony Dungy from its coverage earlier this offseason but Cousins already has gotten positive reviews for his previous work with CBS and ESPN.”

“Those hurdles make it seem unlikely that Cousins will be willing to back up Love in 2026. But if McCord and Ridder both fail to claim the job, the Packers may be one of the best opportunities on the market even without a starting job available. With the chance to fill the open spot in his memorabilia room reserved for a Lombardi Trophy, he may be willing to bend and join the Packers if his free agent tour drags on into the summer.”

Steelers, Raiders in Play for Cousins

Meanwhile, Cousins isn’t employed at the moment, but teams like the Las Vegas Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly have him on their radar. The Raiders will presumably draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in four weeks, and some NFL media members have hinted that Las Vegas could sign Cousins as a bridge to Mendoza if Mendoza isn’t ready for Week 1.

Too, in Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers has not made a decision about his future, and if he ultimately retires, well, the Steelers would need a quarterback, and Cousins is available.

The Raiders have the former coach angle in play like LaFleur in Green Bay. Las Vegas’s new head skipper, Klint Kubiak, offensively coordinated Cousins in Minnesota.

Cousins will turn 38 later this summer.

A US judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko, who accused the WTA Tour and its former chief executive, Steve Simon, of inflicting mental abuse.

The legal action stemmed from the organization’s handling of Russian and Belarusian players following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ms Tsurenko, once a top-25 player, alleged that the WTA failed to uphold a promise made by Mr Simon to ban Russian and Belarusian players who supported the war. She also claimed the tour did not prohibit “conduct detrimental” to the integrity of the game.

The 36-year-old cited specific instances, including a Russian player wearing a patch for a sanctioned Russian oil company.

She further stated that Mr Simon had told her it was “OK” for others to support the conflict.

Ms Tsurenko recounted suffering a “panic attack” that led her to withdraw from a match against Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka, now the world’s number one female player, at the 2023 BNP Paribas tournament in Indian Wells, California.

However, in a decision issued on Wednesday, US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in Manhattan ruled that the WTA was best placed to determine what constituted detrimental conduct.

Judge Buchwald concluded that Ms Tsurenko had not demonstrated that the organization had a duty to ban players or to ensure the game was free from emotional abuse.

“When courts have found that sports associations owe a duty to their players, those duties relate to ensuring players’ physical safety, not their emotional wellbeing,” Judge Buchwald wrote.

The judge also noted that the WTA had employed “reasoned decision making” in the wake of the invasion, including prohibiting players from competing under the flags of Russia and Belarus.

Ms Tsurenko had sought damages for breach of contract and negligence, including the infliction of emotional distress. Lawyers for both Ms Tsurenko and the WTA did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

In their defence seeking dismissal, the WTA stated they had consistently condemned Russia’s actions and taken significant steps to support Ukrainian players.

They also argued that, like many sports leagues, the WTA believes individual athletes “should not be punished because of the actions of their countries’ governments.”

Ms Tsurenko has frequently spoken out about the considerable challenges of competing on the professional tour since the invasion began.

Melvin Foster, a former college football star who later became a sheriff’s deputy in Texas, has died, according to an online obituary. He was 59.

Foster was a standout linebacker with the Iowa Hawkeyes. He was on the team that won a Big Ten Championship and made a Rose Bowl appearance. He led the team in tackles during his junior and senior seasons.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Melvin Foster was a Harris County, Texas, sheriff’s deputy for 15 years. (Ed Gonzalez/@SheriffEd_HCSO/X)

After his collegiate career was over, he had a brief stint with the Dallas Cowboys.

He later joined the Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office as a deputy sheriff and a field training officer. He was with the department for more than a decade.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described Foster’s death as “unexpected.”

MICHIGAN COACH KYLE WHITTINGHAM: BRYCE UNDERWOOD IS ‘OUR CLEAR NO. 1’ QB 

An Iowa Hawkeyes helmet lays on the field before a football game against the Indiana Hoosiers Sept. 27, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

“We’re saddened by the recent and unexpected passing of our teammate, @HCSOTexas Deputy Melvin Foster,” Gonzalez wrote on X. “Melvin was an incredible man and public servant. He leaves behind a strong legacy. He served Harris County for almost 15 years.

“Melvin played for @JackYatesHigh, Class of 1986. He played linebacker for the football team and participated in a state championship in 1985. He played college football for the @IowaFootball Hawkeyes and appeared in the Rose Bowl in 1991. He was awarded @USATODAY All-American, All-State honors.  He was a member of the @dallascowboys in 1992. He was inducted in the @HC_HSA Hall of Fame.

“He was an impactful leader and was beloved by his teammates. We extend our deepest condolences to his family. Melvin will be missed and never forgotten.”

A general view of the stadium before the ReliaQuest Bowl between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Vanderbilt Commodores at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 31, 2025.  (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Foster was remembered in his obituary as a “giving man with a big heart.”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Darius Acuff Jr. is no stranger to making history. This season, the 19-year-old Arkansas point guard became the first player to lead the SEC in both points and assists since Pete Maravich in 1970, and third to win both freshman and player of the year. 

Indeed, pretty much everything about Acuff screams superstar. He’s more than an electric basketball player. There’s an icy cool charisma to him — the kind Reebok believes is ready to be the face of a franchise, as the company announced on Tuesday that it has signed Acuff to a signature shoe deal (meaning he will have his own shoe when he takes the court for his first NBA game), marking the first time that has ever happened for a male athlete that is still in college. 

Anyone who gets the “HIM” endorsement from Allen Iverson is true-hooper stamped, but a necessary caveat is that it is Iverson’s jojb to sell the world on Acuff’s impending stardom. He’s Reebok’s vice president of basketball. For now, this is just marketing. There are no guarantees. What kind of actual NBA player Acuff turns out to be, both in the short and long term, remains to be seen. 

And that’s where this gets interesting. Or, if you’re the team that ends up drafting Acuff with a top-five pick, potentially dangerous. Acuff represents what has become the league’s most precarious positional archetype: The small, score-first point guard who can’t defend. 

Now, before we go any further, a couple disclaimers. First, Acuff isn’t that small. He’s listed anywhere from 6-foot-2 to 6-foot-3, and at 190 pounds he’s built like an old-school SEC running back — his sturdy frame and straight-line strength is actually one of his most devastating attributes, at least against college players. Yes, he’ll be undersized in a lot of NBA point guard matchups, but so is Jalen Brunson, who one league scout told CBS Sports is one of Acuff’s better NBA comps. 

“If you’re going with the more high-end outcomes [for Acuff’s career], I suppose there’s some Damian Lillard in there. Maybe a bigger, stronger Keyonte George on a little bit of the lower end,” the Western Conference scout said, noting the “natural fade” to a lot of Acuff’s midrange pull-ups that remind him of George. 

“But yeah, I think Brunson is a probably a good example [of what Acuff can become], just with the way they use their leverage; they get you on their hip, get that shoulder into you, and from there you can’t get them off their line. … Remember, nobody projected Brunson to become what he has. We said the same things, right? Too small. How’s he gonna guard? But there’s no backdown in that guy. … It’s hard to go wrong betting on those kinds of guys.”

Indeed, Brunson is an interesting comp for Acuff — not just for the size and skill similarities (Acuff is a better athlete) but through the prism of defensive deficiency. Even as great as Brunson is offensively, there’s still a question as to whether he can be the best player on a championship team as a weak-link defender, even as the Knicks have tried to insulate him with long wings and rim protection. 

Which brings us to the second disclaimer: we don’t know that Acuff can’t defend. We only know that he hasn’t chosen to yet. 

It’s partly, if not largely, an awareness issue on tape — he can look like a chicken with his head cut off away from the ball. But in theory, he has the athleticism and physicality to pull his weight. Maybe he’ll figure it out in the NBA. So far, the evidence is not terribly encouraging. 

Last Saturday, Acuff had absolutely no chance of staying in front of High Point point guard Rob Martin, but neither did anyone else. Martin is a human bullet. You give that guy a head of steam and 90% of defenders, even NBA ones, are going to become a billboard on an F1 track. 

Again, it was the effort and focus lapses that stood out. Acuff’s screen navigation is a real problem. The want-to just isn’t there. He’s too content to fall out of the play, which wouldn’t seem to be in keeping with all the “tough competitor” praise he gets. Watch here as he takes the scenic route around two picks on which he isn’t even touched, just to lazily trail from behind as Martin cruises in for a layup. 

Even when Acuff did manage to stay attached to Martin, he still got powered through at the rim by a guy who is generously listed at 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds. 

The flip side to this, of course, is that like Brunson, Acuff gives it right back to you — and then some — on the offensive end. He put 36 on High Point. Scored 12 of Arkansas’ final 15 points. Turned a tie game with three minutes to play into a 90-83 lead with a personal 7-0 run. The clutch gene is evident. You can’t teach it. Acuff has it. 

Through two NCAA tournament games, Acuff has racked up 60 points and 13 assists. Chris Paul is the only other freshman since 1973 to open his NCAA Tournament career with consecutive 20-point/5-assist games. There would appear to be almost no doubt that Acuff is going to be an offensive weapon at the next level, perhaps even a deadly one. 

🏀 Darius Acuff Jr.’s sizzling NCAA Tournament

The NBA, generally speaking, does not value this type of one-way player — particularly as the face of a franchise — the way it did even five years ago. Trae Young’s outsized salary just got dumped. Nobody wants to touch Ja Morant. It’s hard to imagine any team paying Tyler Herro $130 million today, but in 2022 the Heat did. 

Even closer to the roster margins, teams are largely moving away from one-way scorers who bring little else to the table. Cam Thomas is a walking bucket and he just got waived by the Bucks. Jordan Poole has averaged 20 points per game over a season two times and is basically a castoff. Jonathan Kuminga dominated playoff games as a scorer, yet could hardly crack Steve Kerr’s rotation before he was shipped to the Hawks. Collin Sexton was an elite scorer in college and has remained a very good one in the NBA, and nobody is handing him the keys to their team. 

There are exceptions. If your name is Luka Dončić, Stephen Curry, Donovan Mitchell, prime James Harden or Lillard, or certainly the aforementioned Brunson, a lot of these size and/or defensive flaws will be tolerated. It begs the question: Is Acuff’s offense that great? 

“[It] has a chance to be, in my opinion,” a separate scout told CBS Sports. “It’s not just because of what he does with the ball, but he can [play] off it, too. That’s become so important. I mean look around, how many teams do you see playing that Luka style anymore, where you’re just giving it to one guy and letting him play pick and roll all game long? It’s not many.”

It’s true. Context matters. You’re a lot more exposed as a defensive liability when you’re the face of a team, especially right out of the gate. Keyonte George has it easier than Trae Young did in Atlanta. George isn’t the best player in Utah. At best, he’ll be the third-best player next year. Plus, the Jazz have built their roster to insulate him with bigs everywhere, trading for Jaren Jackson Jr. to put alongside Walker Kessler and Lauri Markannen. And George, an electric scorer, still might be a problem when they start trying to win games. Maybe we’ll find out next year. It’s an interesting litmus test. 

For Acuff, a situation like Dallas would be perfect. He wouldn’t be the best player on the team (that would be Cooper Flagg), and Kyrie Irving would allow him to ease into his career in the same way that De’Aaron Fox is doing for Dylan Harper, the second overall pick in 2025, in San Antonio. 

CBS Sports lead draft scout Adam Finkelstein has Acuff going in the six to eight range, which is Jazz/Mavericks/Grizzlies/Hawks territory. Would the Jazz put Acuff alongside George, or take him with the plan to move George? The Hawks have a good shot at a mid-lottery pick, too (via New Orleans’ or Milwaukee’s pick), but would they make another bet on a player like Acuff after just having punted on Young? Maybe. Maybe not. Every organization is looking out a different window. 

“You try not to put a lot of stock in these generic prototypes, as far as where the league is going or what kinds of players are en vogue at whatever moment,” one Western Conference exec told CBS Sports. “It wasn’t that long ago that centers were supposed to be dying. Everyone was going small. Now everyone is looking for size again. … You really have to just go case by case. What’s good for one team might not be a fit for another. Do the strengths outweigh the weaknesses? And then, can the weaknesses be improved?”

Ah, the improvement card. It’s always a popular one to play around draft time. If you took a shot of tequila every time some analyst said the words “he needs to improve his shooting” on draft night, you’d be in the back of an ambulance before the end of the first round. 

For years this led teams to use lottery picks on the likes of Michael Carter-Williams, Elfrid Payton, Kris Dunn, Emmanuel Mudiay, Ricky Rubio, Dante Exum and Frank Ntilikina — all on the assumption that their shooting would meaningfully improve. Not one of them ever made an All-Star team. 

It’s not to say improvement can’t happen. Of course it can. In this regard, defense, to whatever degree your size allows, is no different than any other skill. Ben Simmons didn’t give a damn about defense in college, but in the NBA he became the portrait of modern versatility before flaming out of the league for just about every reason other than defense. 

Go talk to Darren Erman about Klay Thompson. Erman was an assistant with the Warriors when Thompson came up, and he’ll tell you all the stories you want about Thompson going into the gym and working out for hours without a ball, working on his defense, his movement, his technique, anything and everything until he became one of the league’s best perimeter defenders. 

Acuff doesn’t have the size of a Simmons or Thompson, but he can get better if he wants to. Curry did it. You better believe a lot of GMs are trying to make as educated a guess as possible as to whether Acuff will do the same. Like us, they’ll be watching closely when Acuff squares up against top-seeded Arizona, which has NBA players all over, in the Sweet Sixteen on Thursday night. 

If his defense is a wreck and the Razorbacks get spanked, will it hurt his draft stock? If he balls out and leads Arkansas into the Elite Eight, will it rise even more than it already has? It’s easy to say teams evaluate the big picture over a small sample of big-stage showings, but evidence often speaks to the contrary. Showing out in the tourney can, and does, influence even the most unemotional of evaluators. 

Sometimes knocking a your marquee audition out of the park proves to be a predictor of NBA success, as was the case with Curry and Brunson, even a Kemba Walker, to name a few tournament darlings. But for every one of those guys, there’s a Trey Burke. A Shabazz Napier. Small guys who were big-time college point guards and showed out in the tourney but never panned out in the NBA. 

Acuff is almost certainly going to pan out on some level. It’s impossible to imagine him being a full-on bust. But we’re talking degrees here. He’s probably going to go in the top 10, with the expectation that he will someday soon be not just a statistical darling but an actual star who can influence winning. Those are two very different things and the league is now starkly differentiating between the two. 

Which one will Acuff become? Who knows. He’s only 19-years-old. Everything is on the table. His lack of interest in playing defense is a red flag. Ultimately he will have to either fix it or find a way to be so great on offense that the defense does not matter. One team this June is going to make a huge bet Acuff can swing one of the two outcomes. It would be a lot of fun if he could do both. 

Gujarat Titans’ captain Shubman Gill (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill has joined the growing list of Indian players voicing concerns over the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League, stating that it “takes the skill out of the game.” Gill’s remarks come shortly after similar criticism from players like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel. During the IPL captains’ meeting held in Mumbai, a majority of team leaders, including Gill, reportedly pushed for a review of the rule, which was first introduced by the BCCI in 2023 and has since been extended until at least 2027. Speaking a day after the meeting, Gill was clear in his stance against the regulation, which allows teams to introduce an extra batter or bowler at any point during a match. “Personally for me, I don’t think there should be an impact player. I think cricket in general is an 11 players’ game and on wickets where we play on the grounds that we play, adding an extra batsman is I think it takes the skill out of the game,” Gill said. He further explained that the traditional balance of the sport is being affected, especially in pressure situations where teams are expected to adapt with limited resources. “There’s a certain skill in the game that you need to have. When you have a certain amount of batters and if a couple of your batters get out, there’s an amount of skill that you need to have to still get the scoreboard moving and get your team to a good score.” Gill also argued that the rule is making matches more predictable and less competitive, particularly on batting-friendly surfaces. “With that one extra player, it’s making the game more one-dimensional and it’s taking a little bit of the skill out of the game. Chasing 180 on a challenging wicket or 160 on a challenging wicket is for me, it’s personally way more exciting than chasing 220 on a flat wicket,” he added. Despite the criticism from several players, the rule is set to remain in place for the foreseeable future, with any potential review expected only after the 2027 season. “It’s gonna be there till 2027. It’s something that we also spoke about in the captain’s meeting yesterday. I understand it makes the game a bit more entertaining, but let’s see. It’s there. It’s up to them what the BCCI is going to do, they’re gonna take their decision, but personally I don’t like it,” Gill said.