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Cristiano Ronaldo’s reduced punishment for his red card against the Republic of Ireland has sparked fury across social media, with fans accusing FIFA of "bending the rules" to ensure the Portugal captain is available for the first games of the World Cup. The decision to convert what many expected to be a multi-match violent conduct ban into a one-game ban with two games suspended has ignited a fierce debate.

Getty ImagesRonaldo set to play World Cup opener after suspended ban

Ronaldo’s sending off against the Republic of Ireland – the first red card of his international career – initially looked certain to trigger a multi-match ban that would impact Portugal’s opening fixtures at the 2026 World Cup. After VAR upgraded his yellow card to a straight red for elbowing Dara O’Shea off the ball, disciplinary precedents suggested a minimum two or three-match suspension for violent conduct. Instead, FIFA’s disciplinary committee downgraded the immediate consequences, ruling that Ronaldo’s offence would result in just a single-match ban, which he has already served, while placing a further two games on a suspended sanction valid for the next 365 days.

The unexpected leniency has caused significant backlash, not least because the incident involved no attempt to play the ball and came amid previous flashpoints between the same two players. Although Portugal cruised to a 9-1 win over Armenia without him, many observers believed Ronaldo would miss at least one match at the World Cup due to the severity of the elbow. Instead, he will be eligible for Portugal’s tournament opener, a decision some feel undermines the disciplinary standards applied to other players in similar situations.

The ruling has been attributed partly to Ronaldo’s previously clean international record and the fact that this was his first-ever red card at national team level. Nonetheless, the decision has ignited a widespread debate about consistency, transparency and whether the governing body has acted in the broader interests of fairness or commercial appeal.

AdvertisementFans outraged by FIFA 'bending the rules'

Across X (formerly Twitter), supporters from around the world erupted in disbelief and anger at what many saw as preferential treatment for Ronaldo.

@Shaun_Hall23 wrote: "It’s an absolute disgrace, the amount of players that have missed huge games for suspensions over the years. Makes a mockery of the game."

@Kop_101x added: "Bending the rules just so he can play in the World Cup is shocking. He assaulted another player, and should be punished accordingly and with precedent."

@notassedLFC accused FIFA of financial motivation: "FIFA know Ronaldo generates money. Him not playing opening World Cup game loses them money. Typical. If this was a Scottish player for example from a small country he’d be banned for all 3."

@CarlSwietlik didn’t hold back either, saying: "May as well just have no rules or punishment for violent conduct then 🤦‍♂️ absolute fucking shambles. State of football man."

@HHHendricks1 even joked that the ruling harms Portugal: "As much as this is completely predictable it is absolutely insane that they have given him blatant preferential treatment! Funniest part is that this actually punishes Portugal 😂😂😂 They are much better side with him not in it!"

@Ratidoking added sarcastically: "As a Messi fan, I prayed for him not to be ban, now we can enjoy his comedy, he thinks world cup is friendly match."

The reactions closed with one final jab from @Dantes__Infern0: "This means Portugal will playing with 10 men in the world cup??"

Getty Images SportRonaldo's 'violent conduct' red card against Republic of Ireland

Ronaldo’s controversial red card came in a chaotic qualifier in Dublin, where Portugal had already fallen 2-0 behind, setting the stage for an evening of frustration that boiled over in the second half. After tussling with O’Shea, the Portugal captain swung an elbow into the defender's back off the ball – an action spotted by VAR and upgraded to violent conduct. Ronaldo responded to the dismissal by ironically applauding the home crowd, further inflaming what was already a hostile atmosphere inside the Aviva Stadium.

The severity of the contact and the lack of any attempt to play the ball fuelled immediate speculation that FIFA’s disciplinary committee would impose a minimum two-game ban, especially given historical rulings on similar incidents. However, Ronaldo’s spotless international disciplinary record appears to have played a decisive role, with the committee concluding that a harsher sentence was not necessary. The decision has therefore amplified concerns about consistency, particularly as similar or lesser acts by lower-profile players have routinely resulted in multi-match bans.

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CR7 free to play Portugal's World Cup opener

Portugal will now move into tournament preparations knowing Ronaldo is fully available for their 2026 World Cup opener, barring any further disciplinary incidents before the tournament. Manager Roberto Martínez is expected to name him in the starting XI without hesitation, though he will need the veteran forward to avoid any repeat confrontations that could activate the suspended two-game ban.

His story is a complex one, but there was much to admire about Pucovski with bat in hand

Alex Malcolm09-Apr-2025It was not a surprise when Will Pucovski said “I’m not going to be playing cricket again” in a Melbourne radio studio on Tuesday.Those words had been expected for a year. But the inevitability of them doesn’t make them any less sad.Twenty-seven-year-old’s with three first-class double centuries and an average of 45.19 aren’t supposed to retire from the game.Pucovski spoke of wanting to play 100 Tests. “Unfortunately, one Test is where it ends,” he said.Related

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It’s heartbreaking to think there is an alternative universe where Pucovski might have already played 41 Test matches without interruption after his debut against India at the SCG in January 2021.An alternative universe where he already has multiple Test centuries and is Australia’s incumbent opener, currently preparing for a stint in county cricket like the one he was set for last year with Leicestershire, ahead of the World Test Championship final.In that universe he would be a pivotal figure in Australia’s aging XI, with he and Cameron Green the two pillars of the next generation as a team full of over 30s hurtles towards transition.But in this universe, the sadness at what might have been is replaced by the grim reality that Pucovski’s retirement is a relief for all concerned.He is still suffering concussion symptoms over a year on from what is hopefully his last blow. He spoke of getting dizzy just looking at things from his left eye. Motion sickness from a train ride last Saturday caused a three-hour afternoon nap. Headaches and fatigue are a daily feature of his life now.An independent medical panel recommended he retire last year. The competitor in him went on a global search to find an alternative solution that might allow him to play again. But the risk of another blow is too great.Will Pucovski takes on the short ball•AFP via Getty ImagesThe number of blows is well into double figures and they even pre-date his cricket career. There were concussions in the field, in the nets, after tripping over while running between the wickets, while playing a game of warm-up soccer, on top of numerous blows facing high quality first-class bowling.Getting hit is an occupational hazard for a professional top-order batter. Even Steven Smith has been felled. But the best rarely get hit more than once or twice in a career. For Pucovski it was a yearly occurrence. He never played more than seven first-class games in a season across eight years as a professional.He also took numerous mental health breaks which he is certain are a side effect of his concussions. His family have noticed a change in him as a person.He knows it’s complicated and hard to understand. He noted that the confusion has been fuelled further by the fact there has been no consensus on how it all knits together amongst the many medical experts he has consulted.

Those who bowled to him at his best said there was an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. His intimidation as a batter wasn’t through powerful ball-striking, it was through the ease of his scoring ability against their best balls

All of that makes his case so complex. Unlike Australia Rules Football, which has made strides in navigating medical retirements due to concussion, Pucovski’s is a test case in cricket. It is hard to know what the game owes him, what his future earnings might have been worth. That is still being determined.There are no guarantees in cricket. Matt Renshaw was once a prodigy who made 184 in a Test for Australia as a 20-year-old. He has just turned 29 and looks a fair way off adding to his 14 Tests right now. Kurtis Patterson, who was selected ahead of Pucovski in January 2019, made an unbeaten century in his last Test innings aged 25. Now 31, he has not played a Test match since and has only this season fought his way back from the first-class wilderness having fallen out of love with the game.Cricket’s top earners are also three-format players. Pucovski played 50 professional matches without a single T20 appearance. He struck at 77.62 in his 14 List A games.But that’s part of what made him unique and potentially a great loss to Australia’s Test team. Growing up in arguably the first generation of Australian batters that developed on more short-form cricket than long-form at underage levels, Pucovski was cut from a different cloth. So many of his cohort have been plagued by hard hands and poor decision-making in first-class cricket. Pucovski was a throwback to a different era.Runs for fun: Will Pucovski so often looked at ease in the middle•Getty ImagesThose who saw him up close at first-class level speak about his exceptional decision-making and problem-solving ability. There was a softness to his play, an economy to his movements. People were in awe of the time he seemed to have.His first double-century in first-class cricket was extraordinary. On a WACA pitch where WA were bowled out for 208 and 251 and only four others in the match passed 42 and none of them batted in the top four, Pucovski peeled off 243 not out from 311 balls at No. 3.Those who bowled to him at his best said there was an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. His intimidation as a batter wasn’t through powerful ball-striking, it was through the ease of his scoring ability against their best balls.That was never more evident than in October 2020. There was precious little cricket being played anywhere due to Covid, but the Sheffield Shield was in a bubble in Adelaide.Pucovski grabbed the world’s attention with back-to-back double centuries against South Australia and Western Australia. His team-mates said he was in such rare form that he had asked them to fling balls at top pace in the nets from five metres infront of the bowling crease to make his practice more challenging.Will Pucovski punches one off the back foot•Getty ImagesHis Test debut only months later – although delayed by another blow to the helmet in a tour match – was also evidence of his gifts. He only struck four boundaries in a 110-ball 62 against an India attack comprising of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. What’s clear from rewatching the highlights in the aftermath of his retirement is how willing he was to let the ball come to him. He played late under his eyes, never once trying to over hit it. He was content just finding gaps and accumulating like he had so often at first-class level.It is a shame that player is now lost to cricket. But it is a positive that Pucovski the person won’t be lost to cricket. He spoke of a keenness to coach and will begin his journey with his beloved Melbourne Cricket Club as head coach next season. He also spoke of potentially getting involved in cricket administration at some point and has already shown his commentary capabilities in brief television stints in Australia.His cerebral nature, his openness to explore different ideas beyond the insularity elite cricket can often cultivate will make him an asset to the game in whatever he chooses to do.That he was grateful for one Test rather than bitter about being denied many more is a window into his character. There will be a future in cricket for Will Pucovski. Just not the one he might have hoped for.

Chasing a DLS-revised target of 125 in 12 overs, Heat were undone by two-wicket bursts from Molly Strano, Heather Graham and Nicola Carey

AAP15-Nov-2025

Lizelle Lee kept Hobart Hurricanes rolling, and Brisbane Heat winless thanks to a power-packed knock in their rain-impacted 16-run WBBL win in Sydney on Saturday.Lee hit an unbeaten 59 off 45 balls, striking six fours and three sixes either side of a rain delay on Saturday. Hurricanes were flying before their innings was reduced to 12 overs and they purred to 114 for 1, with Heat’s target increased to 125 based on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system.Jess Jonassen (1 for 12 from three overs) and Lucy Hamilton (0 for 26 off three) were the only Heat bowlers to escape punishment.Danni Wyatt-Hodge (44 in 26 balls) combined with Lee in a 106-run opening stand, which only ended in the final over.Grace Harris (28 in 21) hung in as Heat lost regular wickets attempting to maintain the scoring rate and finished at 108 for 9 thanks to a last-ball six from Sianna Ginger.Molly Strano (2 for 17), Heather Graham (2 for 25) and Nicola Carey (2 for 10) proved too clever for the Heat batters.The loss was Heat’s third straight to begin the season while Hurricanes sit on top of the table with three wins.

All the records that the South Africa batter broke on his Test debut against Zimbabwe

Sampath Bandarupalli28-Jun-202519 years, 93 days Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ age on Saturday, when he scored 153 in the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. He became the youngest batter to score 150 in Test cricket, bettering Javed Miandad, who was 19 years and 119 days old when he notched up 163 against New Zealand on the opening day of the Lahore Test in 1976.4 Number of players younger than Pretorius with a hundred on their Test debut. Three of those four have done it in the second innings on debut.1 Pretorius is also the youngest among seven South African men to score a hundred on their Test debut. In fact, no man younger than Pretorius had scored a fifty in any format for South Africa in International cricket. His hundred off 112 balls is also the fastest for South Africa on debut.157 Balls that Pretorius needed for his 150 against Zimbabwe. It is the fastest 150 for South Africa in Tests, a record previously held by AB de Villiers, who had achieved it off 162 balls against Australia in 2012 (where data is available).His effort is also the second fastest by a debutant in Tests, only behind Shikhar Dhawan, who got to his 150 in only 131 balls against Australia in 2013.4 Batters to have scored a century on their Test debut as well as their first-class debut. Pretorius had scored 120 on his first-class debut in December last year against the Warriors. Gundappa Viswanath, Dirk Wellham and Prithvi Shaw are the other players to have achieved this feat.38 Balls that Dewald Brevis needed for his half-century on Saturday, the fastest by a debutant for South Africa in Tests. The previous quickest was by Dave Nourse, who scored a fifty off 40 balls on his debut against Australia in 1902. Brevis’ 38-ball effort is also the joint-fourth fastest on debut in men’s Tests.95 Partnership runs between Pretorius and Brevis for the fifth wicket. It is the highest partnership between two debutants for South Africa in men’s Tests. The previous highest was 92 between Andrew Hudson and Adrian Kuiper, also for the fifth wicket against West Indies in 1992.

Former allrounder had been in interim role since Dale Benkenstein’s departure

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2025

Lancashire have confirmed Steven Croft as their new head coach after a successful period in the interim role.Croft stepped up after the departure of Dale Benkenstein in May. Lancashire did not win a game during the first half of the County Championship season, but rallied to finish fifth in Division Two, as well as reaching T20 Blast Finals Day.”It means so much to have the honour of being named head coach of this great club,” Croft said. “Lancashire has been a huge part of my life – from joining the academy as a young player, to captaining the team, and now stepping into this role off the field.”I’m incredibly proud of how the lads responded last season, and I’m excited for what’s ahead. We have a talented, driven squad who are passionate about representing the Red Rose and I believe there is much more to come.”My focus now is on building on the second half of last season’s progress, helping each player improve, and bring success back to the club for our members and supporters at Emirates Old Trafford.”Croft, 41, was part of the team when Lancashire last won the Championship in 2011. He retired in 2023 after playing more than 600 times for the club.Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, said: “We are thrilled that Steven has accepted the role permanently after making such a strong impression this summer.”Taking over during a challenging period in May, Steven displayed outstanding leadership throughout this summer. His passion for Lancashire Cricket, knowledge and understanding of the game, and ability to connect with players made him the outstanding candidate.”He will take a hands-on role in the leading of day-to-day coaching of the first team and will be supported by a restructured cricket department – including assistant coach Will Porterfield – with further appointments to follow.”

Fast bowler to undergo minor surgery as Scotland seamer is added for three matches at Malahide

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2025

Saqib Mahmood has been ruled out of next week’s T20I series against Ireland, and the upcoming white-ball tour of New Zealand in October, after sustaining a knee injury. His place for the Ireland trip has been taken by the Hampshire and Scotland seamer, Scott Currie.Mahmood, 28, played in the second ODI against South Africa at Lord’s earlier this month, going wicketless in England’s five-run defeat, but had not played a part in either of the first two T20Is against the same opponents.In a statement, the ECB confirmed that Mahmood was set to undergo “minor knee surgery” to correct the issue. It is the latest setback for a seamer who missed nearly two years of action with consecutive stress fractures of the back, but who appeared to have restated his credentials in recent months.His recent England performances included nine wickets at 10.55 on the T20I tour of the Caribbean in November last year, as well as a starring role in the 3-0 ODI series win over the same opponents in June. Most recently, he was part of Oval Invincibles’ three-peat-winning team in the Men’s Hundred, claiming the final wicket of the final against Trent Rockets.Currie’s call-up, at the age of 24, comes 18 months after he featured in three ODIs for Scotland, in the World Cricket League Division 2 in Dubai. However, Scotland’s failure to qualify for this winter’s T20 World Cup would appear to have ended his ambitions of further representing the country of his father’s birth.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo on Friday, he explained the rationale behind those appearances, saying he hadn’t wanted to keep turning down the chance to play international cricket “in the hope that maybe an England cap might come one day”.Scott Currie in T20 Blast action for Hampshire•ECB via Getty Images

“There’s plenty of experience to be had out there,” Currie said. “I’ve obviously got [the possibility] that you can flip between the two, and if an England cap ever came then that would be a massive honour.”But certainly, the pride of representing Scotland in those three games that I did, taking the field with my brother [Brad], knowing what it means to my old man and his side of the family, is something that always puts a smile on my face.”Everyone’s favorite word at the moment is the schedule, but it’s tough with the way the schedule is to find those opportunities. Unfortunately, they didn’t qualify for the T20 World Cup coming this winter. But yeah, I do remain in contact with them.”Currie’s call-up comes less than 24 hours after he featured in T20 Finals Day for Hampshire. He claimed two wickets in both the semi-final victory over Northamptonshire and their eventual six-wicket defeat to Somerset, but his decisive role in the final was arguably a key dropped catch at deep midwicket to reprieve Sean Dickson, early in his unbeaten innings.England are set to play three T20Is at Malahide, on September 17, 19 and 21. The squad, which will be missing several multi-format players ahead of this winter’s Ashes campaign, will be captained for the first time by Jacob Bethell.