Briefs

Afridi returns to Hampshire for T20 Blast

LONDON: Shahid Afridi will return to Hampshire for the NatWest T20 Blast.

He was part of the side that endured a poor 2016 campaign when they finished second-bottom of the South Group and his return with the ball was an underwhelming nine wickets in 12 matches although he was the most economical bowler. “He’s been an important part of our success in the short form of the game in previous seasons and we feel his talents fit well with the current squad,” Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket said. Afridi’s most recent cricket was the PSL which ended in early March. He scored 177 runs in eight innings at a strike-rate of 173.52 but only managed two wickets before missing the final in Lahore with a finger injury.

Quote of the day

I think diving is not the most important thing to improve. There are many other things we can improve. The referees, the referees they know everything. They are the bosses in those terms

Pep Guardiola (Manchester City manager)

Wenger’s future  to be decided after FA Cup final

LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said a decision on his future at the club will be made at a board meeting following their FA Cup final clash against Chelsea later this month. The Frenchman is out of contract at the Emirates at the end of the campaign as he prepares for the final Premier League game of the season against Everton with a hope to finish in the top-four for the 21st consecutive season. “I don’t know (what will happen in the meeting),” Wenger told a news conference on Friday. “There are many aspects of a football club which has to be discussed at a board meeting. One of those is what happens with the manager, the players coming in, contract renewals. “The most important thing is to win the football game. What happens to me after that is less important.” When asked whether a decision will be announced shortly after the FA Cup final on May 27, he replied, “Of course.” 

Sevilla coach Sampaoli wants Argentina job

MADRID: Sevilla manager Jorge Sampaoli said on Friday it had been a childhood dream to coach his native Argentina, but acknowledged any move from the La Liga club was “not in my hands”.cThe 57-year-old has had an impressive debut season in Europe with Sevilla sitting fourth in La Liga and he is perceived as the perfect fit to rescue Argentina’s foundering World Cup qualifying campaign.“There’s a clear intention from my country to have me as coach and, since I was young, it’s something that has appealed to me,” Sampaoli said.“The reality will be given by the president (of Sevilla, Jose Castro). There’s a contract to respect and nothing has yet been resolved.“I can sit back and talk today because the goal (with Sevilla) has been reached, but it’s not in my hands.”