England’s head coach Brendon McCullum, centre, with players (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra)

Following England’s exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, head coach Brendon McCullum has stood by his coaching philosophy, insisting the team’s white-ball setup still has the ingredients to achieve “special stuff” if their talent is nurtured correctly.England’s journey in the tournament ended in the semi-finals after a thrilling contest against India national cricket team at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. The high-scoring clash saw England fall short by seven runs, bringing an end to a campaign that had earlier seen them advance through the Super 8 stage with a flawless record.

The 44-year-old coach has recently been under scrutiny, with critics suggesting the environment within the team under his leadership places too much emphasis on relaxation and off-field enjoyment instead of strict high-performance standards. McCullum, however, dismissed that notion, saying the perception does not reflect how the team actually operates.“It’s never been about that. That’s a perception that is not necessarily reality. I think there’s a perception that we run a casual operation. It couldn’t be further from the truth. We run an informal operation, but the work is done, and the preparation is put in place,” McCullum said as quoted by the BBC.He explained that while the team environment may appear relaxed, it does not come at the cost of preparation or discipline.“There’s an environment that operates in a certain way, but because you are relaxed around that doesn’t mean the work is not being done. That’s just an attitude to try to allow guys to be as free as possible to implement the skills and tactics that you’re trying to achieve. Look, I make no apologies for running an informal, positive environment, but to call it a casual environment is not fair,” He added.McCullum also reserved special praise for England’s white-ball captain Harry Brook, who led the side in his first major tournament as skipper.“I’m incredibly proud of him. He’s grown immensely in the last couple of months under difficult circumstances,” McCullum said.“There’s a real identity to how Harry Brook’s England white-ball side is going to play. It’s hugely encouraging because a couple of months ago, you probably didn’t have that. He has done an amazing job,” he added.England’s semi-final against India ultimately became the highest-scoring fixture of the tournament, ending in a narrow seven-run defeat. Earlier in the competition, England had also lost to the West Indies cricket team and were pushed in challenging encounters against Scotland national cricket team, Italy national cricket team and Pakistan national cricket team.Despite the disappointment of the World Cup campaign and a recent 4-1 loss in The Ashes, McCullum is expected to continue in his position as England’s head coach.

Less than a month after winning Olympic gold, U.S. figure skating sensation Alysa Liu appears to have surprisingly pulled out of the World Skating Championships in Prague, Czech Republic. 

Liu is no longer listed on the event’s participants on the International Skating Union (ISU) website. Her original spot is now filled by second alternative, Sarah Everhardt. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Liu’s representatives for comment. 

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Alysa Liu of the United States arrives to compete during the women’s figure skating free program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.  (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

No reason is currently known for Liu’s sudden absence from the roster.

The change comes just days after Liu revealed on social media that she was recently “chased” to her car by a spectator. 

“So I land at the airport, & there’s a crowd waiting at the exit with cameras & things for me to sign,” she wrote in an Instagram story. “All up in my personal space. Someone chased me to my car bruh. Please do not do that to me.”

Liu previously entered a temporary retirement shortly after her first Olympic appearance in 2022. Her father, Arthur Liu, said it was due to “trauma.”

“She became really unhappy,” Arthur Liu told USA Today about why she retired. “She avoided the ice rink at all costs. She’s traumatized. She was just traumatized. She was suffering from PTSD, and she wouldn’t go near the ice rink.”

Before her appearance in the 2022 Beijing Games, she and her father were the alleged targets of a spying operation by the Chinese government. Liu called the experience “a little bit freaky and exciting.”

Gold medalist Alysa Liu of Team United States poses for a photo during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Single Skating on day thirteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.  (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

“You know what I mean? It’s so … unbelievable. You know what I mean like, that’s crazy,” she previously told Fox News Digital at a roundtable interview at the USOPC Media Summit in October.

“Like, imagine finding that out at such a young age, I mean, like In a weird way, I was like, ‘Am I like in some prank show?’ Like, is this world real. Like, I must be some movie character. But, I mean, it was like it made sense to me, you know, from like everything my dad did back in his activist days.”

Arthur Liu told The Associated Press in 2022, “They are probably just trying to intimidate us, to … in a way threaten us not to say anything, to cause trouble to them and say anything political or related to human rights violations in China. … I had concerns about her safety. The U.S. government did a good job protecting her.”

Liu made her return to the sport just two years later in 2024. By March 2025, she was already making history for Team USA, becoming the first American to the World Figure Skating Championships in 19 years. Then in February, she made history as the first American to win Olympic gold in a women’s individual figure skating competition since 2002, and the first American woman to medal at all in the event since 2006. 

The historic win was followed by a massive surge in popularity.

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Alysa Liu of Team United States performs in the Women’s Single Skating routine during a Figure Skating Exhibition Gala on day fifteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 21, 2026 in Milan, Italy.  (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Prior to the Olympics, she had less than 300,000 followers on Instagram. Just a week after the Olympics ended, she climbed past 5 million. Now, at the time of publication, she has more than 7.4 million. 

However, it appears that many of her new fans now won’t get to see her compete in Prague. 

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The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly looking to strengthen the wide receiver position this offseason. The 49ers have been linked with a few names as free agency looms.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who is set to become a free agent in the coming days, has been linked to the 49ers. NFL analyst Josh Taylor reported the links in an X post on Friday, saying he’d be “stunned” if the 49ers, worth $8.6 billion per Forbes, don’t sign Doubs.

“Romeo Doubs to the 49ers is one of the worst kept secrets in free agency right now,” Taylor wrote on X. “I’d be stunned if he doesn’t go there.”

The Packers selected Doubs with the 132nd pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Over the past four seasons with the Packers, he has racked up 2,424 yards and 21 touchdowns on 202 catches.

The 25-year-old wide receiver is one of three players in Packers history to rack up at least 40 catches, 400 yards and three touchdowns in each of his first three seasons.

Also Read: 49ers Free Agency Rumors: NFL insider urges Kyle Shanahan to sign Super Bowl-winning WR amid Brandon Aiyuk uncertainty

Also Read: Romeo Doubs’ free agency landing spots: 5 teams that should target Packers WR for 2026 NFL season

Steelers reportedly eyeing Packers wide receiver amid 49ers rumors

The 49ers are set to part ways with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and are also expected to let Jauan Jennings walk into free agency. Romeo Doubs’ potential addition to San Francisco’s wide receiver room makes sense amid the slated departures.

However, the 49ers aren’t the only team linked with the Packers WR as NFL insider Mark Kaboly reported that Doubs is top of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ shopping list in free agency.

“It’s hard to say right now, but you’d have to put Doubs at the top of that list, in my opinion,” Kaboly said.

Veteran NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers reportedly called to inquire about Doubs’ trade availability in August after joining the Steelers.