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Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski wins FIFA award as best men’s player

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Robert Lewandowski won the biggest individual prize of his career Thursday, showing that a forward not named Messi or Ronaldo can be voted the world’s best soccer player.

The Poland captain was named the FIFA Best Men’s Player for 2020 after his 55-goal season lifted Bayern Munich to a sweep of international and domestic trophies.

Lewandowski topped a three-player shortlist that included Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Voting was by a global jury of national team captains and coaches, plus selected journalists and fans. Lewandowski received 52 voting points, with Ronaldo second on 38 Messi third with 35.

Though FIFA hosted the virtual ceremony in Zurich, its president Gianni Infantino went to Munich to present the trophy in person.

“It’s an incredible feeling” said Lewandowski, who at age 32 made the shortlist for the first time.

Lewandowski joined Luka Modric, the Croatia and Real Madrid midfielder who won in 2018, as the only players in the past 13 years to deny both Messi and Ronaldo the victory.

“Today I am among them,” Lewandowski said in comments translated from German. “It means I’ve always done the right things in my life.”

Lucy Bronze was voted the best women’s player to give England its first individual victory at the FIFA awards. A Champions League winner with Lyon, she has since joined Manchester City.

Bronze got 52 points from the women’s voting jury. Pernille Harder, who helped Wolfsburg to the Champions League final, finished second with 40 points and Bronze’s former Lyon teammate Wendi Renard scored 35 points.

Lewandowski is also the first men’s winner from a club outside Spain since Ronaldo won the 2008 award as a Manchester United player.

A Bayern player had not won since FIFA created a world player award in 1991.

The club twice saw its stars relegated to third place by Messi and Ronaldo: Franck Ribéry in Bayern’s Champions League winning year of 2013, and Manuel Neuer one year later after Germany won the World Cup.

Jurgen Klopp, who coached Lewandowski at their former club Borussia Dortmund, denied Bayern a sweep of the FIFA men’s awards by being voted the best coach for a second straight year.

Klopp guided Liverpool to become champion of England for the first time in 30 years, and finished tied in votes with Hansi Flick, who took over at Bayern mid-season. Klopp won in the tiebreaker of most votes from national-team coaches. Marcelo Bielsa of English second-tier champion Leeds was third.

Sarina Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to the 2019 World Cup final, was voted the best coach in women’s soccer ahead of Lyon’s Jean-Luc Vasseur and Emma Hayes of Chelsea. Wiegma will take over the England team next year.

Son Heung-min’s end-to-end dribble to score for Tottenham against Burnley won the Puskas Award for best goal.

Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford was honored for his campaign to fight child poverty. FIFA made a donation of $100,000 toward his charitable work.

Cricket

Sri Lanka Cricket Denies Financial Crisis Claims Amid Transformation Committee Appointment

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Sri Lanka Cricket has firmly rejected recent media reports claiming that the organization is facing a financial crisis following the appointment of the Cricket Transformation Committee, stating that such allegations are “entirely false and misleading.”

In an official clarification, SLC emphasized that the Cricket Transformation Committee was appointed by the Hon. Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs under the powers granted by Sections 32 and 33 of the Sports Law No. 25 of 1973, as amended.

According to SLC, once an order is issued under Section 32 of the Sports Law, the powers, administration, management, and control of the affairs and assets of the relevant sports body are legally transferred to the committee appointed by the Minister.

The organization further noted that the duly appointed Transformation Committee is fully authorized to oversee and manage all affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket, including its financial operations and obligations, until a new Executive Committee is elected.

SLC also pointed out that the appointment of the committee has already been officially published in the Government Gazette, thereby granting it full legal authority to act on behalf of the organization in all administrative and financial matters.

Rejecting claims of financial instability, Sri Lanka Cricket reiterated that its operations continue without disruption. The organization stated that all day-to-day activities, including financial and administrative functions, are proceeding smoothly under the supervision of the Transformation Committee.

SLC further assured stakeholders that all payments to suppliers, service providers, employees, players, and other parties continue to be settled on time, with no interruption to the organization’s commitments.

The statement was issued in response to growing speculation in sections of the media regarding the financial status of Sri Lanka Cricket after the recent administrative changes.

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Sri Lanka, India to Clash in Two-Test Series in August

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Sri Lanka and India are set to play a two-match Test series between August 15 and 27 as part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle.

Although the official schedule is yet to be announced, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has reserved a two-week window for the series following the conclusion of the Lanka Premier League on August 9. Discussions between SLC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are continuing to finalise the venues and match dates.

The proposed tour was initially expected to include three Twenty20 Internationals as well, but there has been no confirmation regarding those matches. The T20 games were originally planned as a fundraising initiative for victims affected by Cyclone Ditwah last year.

Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is currently in Sri Lanka as part of an International Cricket Council delegation reviewing recent developments in Sri Lanka Cricket administration. The Sri Lankan government recently dissolved the previous SLC body and appointed an interim Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee.

Cricket scheduling remains challenging for India due to a packed international calendar later this year. India are expected to tour Bangladesh in September for a white-ball series, although the tour is still uncertain after being postponed previously because of political tensions between the two nations.

India also have commitments against West Indies and Afghanistan later in the year, along with the Asian Games in Nagoya scheduled from September 9 to October 4.

India’s international season resumes in June with a Test series against Afghanistan before tours of Ireland, England and Zimbabwe.

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ICC Delegation Holds Key Talks With President on Cricket Reforms

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Senior representatives of the International Cricket Council (ICC) met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo yesterday as discussions intensified over the future of cricket administration in Sri Lanka.

The ICC delegation, which includes Imran Khwaja and Devajit Sakia, is currently in the country following recent changes within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). Their visit comes amid growing attention on governance reforms and the restructuring of the national cricket administration.

During their stay, ICC officials also held meetings with members of the newly appointed SLC administration at the board’s headquarters, where discussions focused on restoring stability and strengthening the management framework of Sri Lankan cricket.

The latest developments follow the appointment of a nine-member Cricket Transformation Committee by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage after the resignation of the previous SLC leadership.

The committee, chaired by Eran Wickremaratne, has been entrusted with overseeing the administration of the sport and implementing a series of reforms until new elections are conducted.

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