France’s Kylian Mbappe controls the ball ntduring the Euro 2020 group H qualifying soccer match between France
and Iceland at Stade de France stadium in Saint Denis, outside Paris, France, Monday, March 25, 2019.
Associated Press / Michel Euler
Simmons
BRAZIL AND FRENCH STARS MEET IPL history
Windies cricketers get another chance
Caribbean L 54 ife, April 5–11, 2019 BQ
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firing in 2016.
The resolution represents the first
action taken by Skerrit and new vicepresident
Dr. Kishore Shallow to fulfill
one of their campaign promises to
mend stakeholders’ differences, particularly
with former players.
At a meeting last week between the
CWI and Simmons at Sandals Grande,
Antigua Skerrit is reported as telling
the former Windies coach he would
like to apologize to him for referring “to
your appointment as a ‘mistake’. Cricket
West Indies did not make a mistake
when we selected you as head coach.”
Simmons accepted the apology.
During the recent election campaign,
former CWI President, Dave
Cameron told Jamaica radio that CWI
“made a bad decision when we hired
Phil and we had to get out of that situation.”
After the Industrial Court hearing
in Antigua last week, CWI said it was
agreed that the settlement amount will
remain confidential,
Simmons was claiming close to
US$300,000, plus legal cost for wrongful
dismissal as head West Indies coach.
Badree has played 197, Twenty20
matches and has taken 187 wickets
at an average of 22 and an economy
rate of 6.02.
not too late.”
Mbappe’s rise to the top has been
meteoric. After impressing with his
former club Monaco, he received his
first call-up with France in March 2017.
He was sold to Paris Saint-Germain that
summer for 180 million euros ($210 million)
and won the World Cup less than 12
months later. Mbappe’s most memorable
game in Russia was in in a 4-3 victory
against Argentina where he scored twice,
earned a penalty and showed off his blistering
speed under the eye of a powerless
Lionel Messi.
Mbappe said he knew that he would
“enter history” alongside Pele with a goal
in the World Cup final.
After scoring twice in Brazil’s 5-2 win
against Sweden in the final of 1958, when
he was just 17, Pele went on to win another
two World Cups with Brazil.
It remains to be seen if Mbappe will
do the same, but the French forward
believes it’s “statistically possible.’’
“But it would be unreal,’’ he said. “Of
course, as long as I will be able to win
World Cups, my goal will be to win them
because France is a great nation of football,’’
he said. “We will be back in 2022 to
try and win again.’’
Pele said Mbappe and his French teammates
reminded him of Brazil’s great
national teams from the 1960’s.
“Mbappe said France will prepare to
win the next World Cup, but he should
know that we (Brazil) are also going to
get ready,’’ Pele said.
Mbappe was also was named the World
Cup’s best young player in Russia, like
Pele in 1958.
Mbappe has often been compared to
the Brazil great for his precocity, but in
terms of style, with his devastating speed
and skills, he is closer to France great
Thierry Henry.
Asked about Mbappe’s main qualities,
Pele said he was impressed by his pace
and intelligence.
“And he is unpredictable. He is changing
his game all the time. It’s his main
advantage,’’ said Pele, who scored more
than 1,000 goals during his career.
That’s a tally that Mbappe does not
expect to match.
“It might be possible if you count the
goals scored on PlayStation,’’ Mbappe
said. “But even if with the goals scored at
training, it will be difficult.’’
Continued from Page 53
West Indies’ Samuel Badree to
coach Delhi Capitals..
Associated Press / Aijaz Rahi
Continued from Page 53
By Azad Ali
Newly-elected Cricket West Indies
(CWI) President, Ricky Skerrit says regional
cricketers, including former West Indies
Captain, Darren Sammy will get the opportunity
to represent West Indies.
Sammy captained the West Indies for
years, which included leading the regional
team to two World Titles in 2012 and
2016.
However, his career with the West Indies
came to an abrupt end when he openly
criticized the Dave Cameron-led CWI for
its lack of support during the 2016 World
Twenty20 series in a post-match interview
after winning the title.
Skerrit, who defeated Cameron’s sixyear
term for the post of CWI president,
said all regional cricketers will be considered
including St. Lucia’s Sammy.
“Our selectors will need to look at every
player, every day and that no player because
of anything other than cricket and cricket
form must be left out of the equation,”
Skerrit said, adding that former captains
such as Sammy need to be given respect as
leading West Indies is not an easy job.
In response, Sammy said he is open to
return to the Windies squad but made it
clear it must be merit-based and that coming
in from exile isn’t necessarily at the
forefront of his mind.
Former West Indies Captain, Darren Sammy. Associated Press / K.M. Chaudary, File