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Shemaine Campbelle converted her maiden T20I fifty into a mighty, match-seizing knock of 90 not out from 62 balls, as West Indies did to the defending champions, New Zealand, what they had done to England in another famous victory in Dubai at the last T20 World Cup – and outmuscled them in a raw display of power-hitting that induced error, after error, after error from a shell-shocked fielding unit.

No fewer than seven clear-cut chances went begging for New Zealand’s fielders – not to mention the opportunities that didn’t go to hand quickly enough – as Campbelle crashed seven fours and three sixes to overhaul a taxing target of 163 with a solitary ball to spare.

The back of the chase was broken in a 74-run stand for the second wicket with her captain, Hayley Matthews, who regained her composure after the shocking second-over run-out of her opening partner, Qiana Joseph, to set the tempo with 48 from 37 balls.

New Zealand’s missed opportunity was summed up by the inordinate tension of the contest’s closing moments. With just four runs to defend, New Zealand’s oldest stager, Sophie Devine, did her damnedest to pull off a miracle.

Despite two runs off the first ball of the over, she restricted West Indies to two scrambled leg-byes from the next four, with an air-shot from Jahzara Claxton adding to the tension. But Campbelle put her head down for one last charge, and beat Izzy Gaze’s breaking of the stumps by a whisker to land a famous win.

Halliday, Green hold the line for NZ

New Zealand had hinted at a changing of the guard at the toss, when it was confirmed that Suzie Bates would be missing from their XI for the first time in the entire history of the Women’s T20 World Cup.

Their other old stager, however, had another important holding role to perform. Just weeks after an incredible knock of 87 from 57 balls had rescued New Zealand from 11 for 4 against England, Devine joined Brooke Halliday in a vital injection of impetus.

She made just 22 from 15 balls before succumbing to another sharp catch in the deep, this time from Claxton, but the stand of 45 from 29 balls helped to signal New Zealand’s charge through the back end.

Halliday took control, alternating powerful thumps down the ground with well-timed reverse-sweeps to make 40 from 32, before Aaliyah Alleyne – inevitably – induced another scuff to mid-on, to close out the impressive figures of 4-27.

New Zealand weren’t done yet, however.

Green put the hammer down in the closing overs, making 35 not out from 22, including a lusty straight six off Afy Fletcher, and four fours from her final eight balls as West Indies struggled to close out a battling display in the field.

Ultimately, their struggles weren’t a patch on those that they’d inflict on their opponents. (ESPNcricinfo)

 

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In a powerful demonstration of corporate synergy, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) has stepped forward with a G$3.5 million injection to back the flagship youth sports initiative of its parent company, the Beharry Group.

GBTI Senior Risk Officer Tonia Griffith, who handed over the funds to Karishma Ramnauth of the Ministry of Education’s Unit of Allied Arts, completed the ceremonial passing of the $3,500,000 sponsorship cheque

The inaugural Beharry Group Under-19 Schools Cricket Tournament, which officially bowls off this weekend, represents a major logistical undertaking aimed at revitalising grassroots cricket across Guyana.

Running until August 8, the tournament will feature a staggering 80 teams spanning Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, highlighting an ambitious nationwide footprint.

The tournament’s structure is designed for maximum exposure and competition. It begins with local zonal qualifiers, after which the top eight teams from the winning zones will advance to a high-stakes, round-robin national segment. From there, the top four teams will battle it out in the knockout playoffs.

Speaking at the official handover ceremony at the Bank’s Head Office in Kingston, GBTI Senior Marketing Manager Pernell Cummings emphasised the tournament’s potential to unearth the next generation of Guyanese cricketing talent.

“It was created by the Beharry Group really to promote cricket among the youths in Guyana. GBTI is happy to be a part of this tournament. As we celebrate 190 years under this banner, we hope that this tournament does lead to future talent for Guyana and potentially the West Indies team”, Cummings expressed.

The initiative has found strong institutional backing, with full sanction from the Ministry of Education’s Unit of Allied Arts.

While the tournament officially opens this weekend, the cyclical Guyanese weather has already forced organisers to alter their plans.

Troy Peters, representing the coordinating Petra Organisation, confirmed that persistent inclement weather along the coast has forced a rescheduling of the official opening ceremony and matches in Georgetown, Berbice, and the East Coast.

“The weather has not been very kind to us in Georgetown and along the coast,” Peters noted, though he assured that action in the affected zones will commence next weekend, provided conditions improve.

Despite the coastal dampener, the tournament presses ahead in the hinterland and rural zones. A heavily anticipated four-match schedule is set for Essequibo, while West Demerara will also see opening action.

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Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) has officially launched the historic 19th edition of the National School Basketball Festival (NSBF), and this year’s tournament promises to shatter all previous records.

What began 18 years ago as a modest Under-18 competition has evolved into the country’s premier secondary school basketball showcase.

To date, it has served as a major platform for grassroots athletic development, engaging nearly 14,000 student-athletes since its inception.

When the main event tips off from June 28 to July 5 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, the tournament will truly become a national affair. For the first time in NSBF history, giants from the coast and deep hinterland will collide, with teams from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and Essequibo making their highly anticipated debuts.

Furthermore, in a stunning shift in the balance of schoolboy hoops power, the contingent from Berbice is set to outnumber the traditional powerhouses of Georgetown.

Organisers have also introduced a crucial rule change designed to prioritise developmental depth over pure star power.

This year, student-athletes are strictly limited to competing in just one division.

YBG Co-Director Chris Bowman explained that this strategic shift will prevent elite players from dominating multiple age groups, ensuring more court time for a wider pool of talent and producing truly “bona fide divisional champions.”

Four fiercely contested national titles will be on the line: the Boys’ Under-14, Under-16, and Under-18 championships, as well as the ultra-competitive Girls’ Under-16 crown.

KFC Guyana returns for its third consecutive year of support and second as the headline title sponsor, alongside Edward B. Beharry Limited, who are celebrating a monumental 15-year partnership with YBG.

Speaking at the official launch, Beharry Brand Manager Malisa Jeffers and KFC Marketing Analyst Jonathan Milford both reaffirmed their companies’ commitment to shaping young athletes into confident future leaders.

Additional vital support comes from long-standing partners G-Boats, Banks DIH, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

The government’s backing was also heavily emphasised by Assistant Director of Sport, Franklin Wilson, who lauded YBG’s nearly two decades of consistency.

Wilson highlighted an ongoing national initiative led by President Dr Irfaan Ali to construct basketball courts in most schools across Guyana, a project set to complement YBG’s grassroots infrastructure.

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England were victims of a theft of their training equipment before their arrival in Kansas City on Saturday.

The Football Association is trying to ascertain what was stolen, with balls and boots among the items feared to have been taken, after vehicles transferring equipment to their Swope Soccer Village base in Kansas City were broken into.

Thomas Tuchel and his squad will arrive in Kansas City on Saturday afternoon and the equipment was due to be in place beforehand.

Police officers, who are in touch with the FA, were on site on Friday night dealing with the matter.

It is understood two arrests have been made in connection with the episode.

A spokesman for Kansas Police said: “We are investigating a possible theft of equipment from a team vehicle that arrived in Kansas City with items missing this evening. The investigation is ongoing.”

The theft could potentially disrupt some of Tuchel’s preparations for their World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday (21:00 BST).

The England players will undertake their first full training day on Sunday. (BBC Sport) 

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The United States opened their World Cup campaign with an impressive 4-1 victory against Paraguay as former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun struck twice to inspire the co-hosts to an assured start in Los Angeles.

Balogun became just the second US player to score more than once in a World Cup match, after Bert Patenaude – who netted the tournament’s first-ever hat-trick in the inaugural 1930 edition, also against Paraguay.

It is also the US’ joint-biggest win at a World Cup – matching the 3-0 victories against Paraguay and Belgium in 1930, when they finished third.

It took the home side just seven minutes to open the scoring in the Group D opener in front of their vocal supporters, courtesy of an own goal from Paraguay’s Damian Bobadilla.

Christian Pulisic, however, was the architect, squeezing between two defenders with a quick burst of pace before feeding Weston McKennie, whose cutback was inadvertently turned into his own net by Bobadilla.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side thought they had a second in the 28th minute only for Balogun to be flagged offside, but they were not to be denied three minutes later as the Monaco striker thumped home from winger Pulisic’s pass.

Balogun then pulled the US further ahead, pouncing on a through ball from Malik Tillman and escaping a challenge from Sunderland defender Omar Alderete before curling past goalkeeper Orlando Gill to find the top corner.

They continued to apply the pressure after the restart, but it was Paraguay who struck next against the run of play through Brazilian-born Mauricio, who was slipped in by former Brighton forward Julio Enciso and slotted past Matt Freese.

The US victory was capped off with the goal of the night from substitute Giovanni Reyna, who curled a 20-yard shot home with the outside of his right foot with the final kick of the game. (BBC SPORT) 

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The Ministry of Housing and Water, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), says it has already engaged international law enforcement agencies, including Interpol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as part of ongoing efforts to locate contractor Omar Malik and secure justice for families affected by the failed Young Professional Homes project.

In a statement on Friday, the Ministry sought to address public concerns and what it described as misinformation surrounding its handling of the matter involving Malik and his company, DreamVu Homes.

The Ministry said it remains committed to pursuing “all available legal, administrative and international avenues” to ensure accountability and assist affected homeowners.

According to the CH&PA, authorities have been actively investigating the matter for an extended period, well before recent public discussions about the project.

The Ministry outlined several actions already taken, including the publication of multiple public notices in national newspapers and on social media during August 2025, calling on Malik to report to the Ministry to address outstanding financial obligations.

When those efforts proved unsuccessful, formal reports were made to the Guyana Police Force.

The Ministry said further action became necessary after Malik reportedly left the jurisdiction.

As a result, CH&PA’s Enforcement and Compliance Department formally engaged several regional and international security agencies, including Interpol, the FBI and the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS).

Officials said information relating to the matter has been shared with those agencies for review and possible cross-border action.

The Ministry stated that throughout the process it has remained in contact with affected individuals and continues to explore legal avenues to assist families who invested in the housing project.

While acknowledging the distress caused to homeowners, the Ministry maintained that it has acted diligently and in accordance with established legal procedures.

The statement also rejected claims that government agencies had failed to act, describing such assertions as inaccurate and dismissing suggestions that regulatory authorities had remained passive.

“The Ministry strongly denounces and dismisses recent attempts by political commentators to weaponize the situation of these families,” the statement said.

According to the Ministry, allegations that authorities failed to respond ignore the extensive multi-agency efforts already underway to locate and apprehend Malik.

The Ministry further urged the public to be cautious of what it described as politically motivated narratives that distort the facts surrounding the case.

The Young Professional Homes project has attracted significant public attention after a number of prospective homeowners complained that homes they paid for were not delivered as promised.

The Ministry said investigations remain ongoing and reiterated its commitment to transparency, accountability and the protection of citizens’ interests.

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Canada substitute Cyle Larin made an instant impact as his goal rescued a point for the co-hosts as they began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Southampton striker Larin had only been on the pitch for just over two minutes when he superbly spun away from Tarik Muharemovic and fired past Nikola Vasilj, aided by a slight deflection.

It was the first time Canada had avoided defeat in the World Cup finals, after they had been beaten in all three games in 1986 and then again in 2022.

Bosnia, who gained penalty shootout wins in the qualifying play-offs over Wales and then Italy to secure their place in North America, took a 21st-minute lead in Toronto.

Jovo Lukic grabbed his first goal for his country when he headed in after ex-Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac had flicked on Ivan Basic’s corner.

Canada nearly equalised early in the second half as Richie Laryea’s shot was going in, only for Kolasinac to produce an excellent clearance by diverting the ball on to the crossbar and away.

The hosts pushed for a leveller and had another good opportunity, only for Nikola Katic to clear off the line from Tani Oluwaseyi’s goal-bound header.

But, in a thrilling end-to-end match, Canada got a deserved equaliser in the 78th minute for their first ever World Cup draw. (BBC Sport) 

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President Dr. Irfaan Ali has announced that Guyana will formally nominate Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations when the term of current Secretary-General António Guterres ends on December 31, 2026.

In a national address, President Ali said the decision was made after “careful consideration” and consultations with colleagues and comes at a time when Guyana’s international profile has grown significantly on the world stage.

The President said the nomination reflects Guyana’s confidence in its ability to contribute leadership at the highest levels of international diplomacy and is consistent with the country’s longstanding commitment to strengthening the multilateral system.

“This decision comes against the background of Guyana’s rising international profile and is consistent with its longstanding commitment to strengthening the multilateral system at a time when the world faces increasingly complex and interconnected challenges,” President Ali stated.

Ali pointed to Guyana’s recent service on the United Nations Security Council as evidence of the country’s growing influence in international affairs.

Guyana served on the Security Council from 2024 to 2025, a period during which the country advocated for peace, dialogue, respect for international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

According to the President, Guyana’s contributions during its tenure demonstrated that the country is capable of providing leadership within the global system despite its size.

Beyond the Security Council, he noted that Guyana has become an increasingly important voice on issues including climate change, biodiversity conservation, food security, energy security, sustainable development and the interests of developing countries and small states.

“As a country that has demonstrated that economic development and environmental stewardship can advance hand in hand, Guyana has become a respected voice in global discussions on balancing growth, sustainability and equity,” the President said.

President Ali said Rodrigues-Birkett possesses the experience, expertise and diplomatic skills necessary to lead the United Nations at a time of growing global challenges.

She has served as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations since 2020 and played a central role in Guyana’s work on the Security Council.

The President said her performance at the UN has demonstrated strong leadership, consensus-building abilities and the capacity to engage effectively with a wide range of international stakeholders.

He noted that she has acquired extensive knowledge of the United Nations system, including its principal organs, agencies and programmes, through her current role.

Before becoming Guyana’s Permanent Representative, Rodrigues-Birkett served as Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Liaison Office in Geneva from 2017 to 2020, where she worked closely with international agencies on food security, sustainable development and international cooperation.

She also previously served as Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Amerindian Affairs, overseeing the country’s external relations while championing policies aimed at improving the welfare and participation of Indigenous peoples in national development.

Throughout her career, President Ali said, she has consistently advocated for inclusion, gender equality, sustainable development and social advancement.

According to President Ali, Rodrigues-Birkett’s vision for the United Nations centres on strengthening multilateralism, improving the effectiveness of international institutions and promoting more inclusive global governance.

Her priorities include addressing conflict prevention, climate change, food insecurity, sustainable development, humanitarian crises and emerging threats to international peace and security.

“The next Secretary-General must possess not only a thorough understanding of the challenges confronting the international community, but also the ability to build trust among member states, strengthen confidence in multilateral institutions and lead the organisation with vision,” the President said.

President Ali announced that the Government of Guyana will actively engage member states of the United Nations in support of Rodrigues-Birkett’s candidature.

If successful, Rodrigues-Birkett would become the first Guyanese and among the few Caribbean nationals to serve as Secretary-General of the United Nations, one of the most influential diplomatic positions in the world.

The position is appointed by the United Nations General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council and serves as the chief administrative officer and global spokesperson for the 193-member organisation.

The current Secretary-General, António Guterres of Portugal, is due to complete his second term at the end of 2026.

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