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T20 cricket is a boon for Associate nations, says Kenya legend Steve Tikolo  Steve Tikolo, batting mainstay of Kenya national cricket team at its peak, believes the rise of T20 cricket has been a “boon” for Associate nations, but insists 50-over cricket remains crucial for the long-term development of players from emerging cricket countries.“T20 cricket has been a boon for Associate cricket,” said Tikolo, head coach of the Uganda national cricket team during the side’s 15-day exposure tour in and around Mumbai. “There are more leagues, more opportunities and more exposure for players now.”Yet, the former Kenya captain remains a strong advocate for the 50-over format.“Personally, I would still want to see a lot of 50-over cricket because that is where a player grows,” he said. “T20 for me is more about entertainment. In 50-overs, players develop skills, temperament and understanding of the game.”Tikolo, the former Sri Lanka captain, said Uganda’s immediate focus remains qualification for two major ICC events later this year — the Challenge League B in Tanzania in August and the T20 World Cup sub-regional qualifiers in October.“The purpose of us coming here was to get some games and gain experience,” Tikolo said after Uganda played practice matches across venues in Mumbai. “The wickets in Tanzania will be slow and turning, so playing at various places in Mumbai, Palghar and Thane has been very good preparation for our boys.”Uganda’s steady rise in world cricket — highlighted by its appearance in the 2024 T20 World Cup — reflects the growing competitiveness among Associate nations. Tikolo acknowledged that T20 leagues around the world, led by the Indian Premier League, have significantly helped the Associate movement.ALSO READ: Suryakumar Yadav likely to face Uganda ahead of T20 Mumbai LeagueTikolo also pointed out that the ICC pathway structure now offers significantly more opportunities to emerging nations compared to his own playing days. Kenya, despite its famous 1996 World Cup upset over the West Indies cricket team and semifinal run in 2003, hardly played enough international cricket consistently.“When I was playing, Kenya would probably play only 20 ODIs in four years,” Tikolo recalled. “Now if Uganda gets ODI status, they can play at least 36 games in a cycle. That helps development massively.”Reflecting on Kenya’s decline, Tikolo admitted the country failed to build succession pathways after its golden generation featuring the Tikolos, Odumbes and Sujis. “We didn’t do enough development when that team was successful,” he said. “When senior players retired, there was nobody ready to replace them.”While Kenya continues to grapple with administrative instability and court battles, Tikolo remains cautiously hopeful about revival under a new administration. “It will take time — maybe five to ten years — but hopefully things can turn around,” he said.Published on May 26, 2026  #T20 #cricket #boon #Associate #nations #Kenya #legend #Steve #Tikolo

T20 cricket is a boon for Associate nations, says Kenya legend Steve Tikolo

Steve Tikolo, batting mainstay of Kenya national cricket team at its peak, believes the rise of T20 cricket has been a “boon” for Associate nations, but insists 50-over cricket remains crucial for the long-term development of players from emerging cricket countries.

“T20 cricket has been a boon for Associate cricket,” said Tikolo, head coach of the Uganda national cricket team during the side’s 15-day exposure tour in and around Mumbai. “There are more leagues, more opportunities and more exposure for players now.”

Yet, the former Kenya captain remains a strong advocate for the 50-over format.

“Personally, I would still want to see a lot of 50-over cricket because that is where a player grows,” he said. “T20 for me is more about entertainment. In 50-overs, players develop skills, temperament and understanding of the game.”

Tikolo, the former Sri Lanka captain, said Uganda’s immediate focus remains qualification for two major ICC events later this year — the Challenge League B in Tanzania in August and the T20 World Cup sub-regional qualifiers in October.

“The purpose of us coming here was to get some games and gain experience,” Tikolo said after Uganda played practice matches across venues in Mumbai. “The wickets in Tanzania will be slow and turning, so playing at various places in Mumbai, Palghar and Thane has been very good preparation for our boys.”

Uganda’s steady rise in world cricket — highlighted by its appearance in the 2024 T20 World Cup — reflects the growing competitiveness among Associate nations. Tikolo acknowledged that T20 leagues around the world, led by the Indian Premier League, have significantly helped the Associate movement.

ALSO READ: Suryakumar Yadav likely to face Uganda ahead of T20 Mumbai League

Tikolo also pointed out that the ICC pathway structure now offers significantly more opportunities to emerging nations compared to his own playing days. Kenya, despite its famous 1996 World Cup upset over the West Indies cricket team and semifinal run in 2003, hardly played enough international cricket consistently.

“When I was playing, Kenya would probably play only 20 ODIs in four years,” Tikolo recalled. “Now if Uganda gets ODI status, they can play at least 36 games in a cycle. That helps development massively.”

Reflecting on Kenya’s decline, Tikolo admitted the country failed to build succession pathways after its golden generation featuring the Tikolos, Odumbes and Sujis. “We didn’t do enough development when that team was successful,” he said. “When senior players retired, there was nobody ready to replace them.”

While Kenya continues to grapple with administrative instability and court battles, Tikolo remains cautiously hopeful about revival under a new administration. “It will take time — maybe five to ten years — but hopefully things can turn around,” he said.

Published on May 26, 2026

#T20 #cricket #boon #Associate #nations #Kenya #legend #Steve #Tikolo

Steve Tikolo, batting mainstay of Kenya national cricket team at its peak, believes the rise of T20 cricket has been a “boon” for Associate nations, but insists 50-over cricket remains crucial for the long-term development of players from emerging cricket countries.

“T20 cricket has been a boon for Associate cricket,” said Tikolo, head coach of the Uganda national cricket team during the side’s 15-day exposure tour in and around Mumbai. “There are more leagues, more opportunities and more exposure for players now.”

Yet, the former Kenya captain remains a strong advocate for the 50-over format.

“Personally, I would still want to see a lot of 50-over cricket because that is where a player grows,” he said. “T20 for me is more about entertainment. In 50-overs, players develop skills, temperament and understanding of the game.”

Tikolo, the former Sri Lanka captain, said Uganda’s immediate focus remains qualification for two major ICC events later this year — the Challenge League B in Tanzania in August and the T20 World Cup sub-regional qualifiers in October.

“The purpose of us coming here was to get some games and gain experience,” Tikolo said after Uganda played practice matches across venues in Mumbai. “The wickets in Tanzania will be slow and turning, so playing at various places in Mumbai, Palghar and Thane has been very good preparation for our boys.”

Uganda’s steady rise in world cricket — highlighted by its appearance in the 2024 T20 World Cup — reflects the growing competitiveness among Associate nations. Tikolo acknowledged that T20 leagues around the world, led by the Indian Premier League, have significantly helped the Associate movement.

ALSO READ: Suryakumar Yadav likely to face Uganda ahead of T20 Mumbai League

Tikolo also pointed out that the ICC pathway structure now offers significantly more opportunities to emerging nations compared to his own playing days. Kenya, despite its famous 1996 World Cup upset over the West Indies cricket team and semifinal run in 2003, hardly played enough international cricket consistently.

“When I was playing, Kenya would probably play only 20 ODIs in four years,” Tikolo recalled. “Now if Uganda gets ODI status, they can play at least 36 games in a cycle. That helps development massively.”

Reflecting on Kenya’s decline, Tikolo admitted the country failed to build succession pathways after its golden generation featuring the Tikolos, Odumbes and Sujis. “We didn’t do enough development when that team was successful,” he said. “When senior players retired, there was nobody ready to replace them.”

While Kenya continues to grapple with administrative instability and court battles, Tikolo remains cautiously hopeful about revival under a new administration. “It will take time — maybe five to ten years — but hopefully things can turn around,” he said.

Published on May 26, 2026

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#T20 #cricket #boon #Associate #nations #Kenya #legend #Steve #Tikolo

“Hammond, Indiana. Okay. If you’ve been to Soldier Field and you’ve been on the lakefront and you are somebody that is a romantic like myself, that’s where football should be played, on the lakefront right in front of those giant skyscrapers, right next to that big, beautiful park with the best coach in football, with one of the best young quarterback. But that ain’t happening. Grow up, Peter Pan. I’m talking to myself. Grow up, Peter Pan.”

“That ain’t happening. Okay. Arlington Heights. One of the most state-of-the-art beautiful property in the north suburbs. Arlington Heights. I don’t know if you’ve ever been there, but they have a racetrack that they demolished there that I said, ‘Oh, it’s a no-brainer. They would never knock down something of such historical significance to Chicago.‘ Well, it didn’t work. Hammond, Indiana is happening. Okay, now let’s let’s not play doom and gloom. Let’s do a little mental health check in and say, what are the positives here? The positives are it’s closer to downtown. It’s closer to downtown than Arlington Heights would be. It’s in fact 30 minutes closer to downtown than where the Bears training facility is on the north side in Lake Forest where I lived. You get the unique opportunity. It’s almost like I’m going to use the phrase, I don’t fully understand it, but I’m going to use the phrase manifest destiny. Okay? Remember when people were just moving west and they’re like, I’m going to put a flag down here.”

“This looks like a nice little hill. This is my hill. I’m going to call it Johnny’s Hill. You know, like I think about all the it’s the American dream. Well, you know what? It didn’t work out in Chicago. So, just follow that coast south down to Hammond, Indiana. And I can promise you this, if they do it the right way, like a number of these teams have done, you get the opportunity to have a state-of-the-art venue for anything that you want. You get the opportunity to own your stadium and the land around it outright. You get to make it exactly how you want to make it. And I’ve heard a lot of things about Hammond, Indiana. More often than not, not good things. But I can guarantee you this. There are people, there are kids, there are generations of Bears fans that are down there that are so excited to welcome you and show you that area with open arms and you get to make it yours.”

“Now, I know that’s a slap in the face to a lot of people, including myself, but it’s time to get to the next level. And they can do that there. Winning to me, what does success look like to me? It looks like a quarterback that’s on schedule in first and second down and continues to do what he does on third down and in the fourth quarter. I think building a defense that can stop the run and rush the passer on third down and got to have it rush downs. That would be great. I think everything is moving in the right direction and I think this Hammond, Indiana thing is a unique opportunity for the Bears to really take the next step.”

“I remember when St. Louis moved to LA, and granted, it was a lot more miles for that move. They become a serious contender overnight and the Bears already are a serious contender. So imagine what happens if you pump some caffeine into that.”

#Kyle #Long #optimistic #Bears #moving #Hammond #Indiana">Kyle Long is trying to be optimistic about the Bears maybe moving to Hammond, Indiana  “Hammond, Indiana. Okay. If you’ve been to Soldier Field and you’ve been on the lakefront and you are somebody that is a romantic like myself, that’s where football should be played, on the lakefront right in front of those giant skyscrapers, right next to that big, beautiful park with the best coach in football, with one of the best young quarterback. But that ain’t happening. Grow up, Peter Pan. I’m talking to myself. Grow up, Peter Pan.”“That ain’t happening. Okay. Arlington Heights. One of the most state-of-the-art beautiful property in the north suburbs. Arlington Heights. I don’t know if you’ve ever been there, but they have a racetrack that they demolished there that I said, ‘Oh, it’s a no-brainer. They would never knock down something of such historical significance to Chicago.‘ Well, it didn’t work. Hammond, Indiana is happening. Okay, now let’s let’s not play doom and gloom. Let’s do a little mental health check in and say, what are the positives here? The positives are it’s closer to downtown. It’s closer to downtown than Arlington Heights would be. It’s in fact 30 minutes closer to downtown than where the Bears training facility is on the north side in Lake Forest where I lived. You get the unique opportunity. It’s almost like I’m going to use the phrase, I don’t fully understand it, but I’m going to use the phrase manifest destiny. Okay? Remember when people were just moving west and they’re like, I’m going to put a flag down here.”“This looks like a nice little hill. This is my hill. I’m going to call it Johnny’s Hill. You know, like I think about all the it’s the American dream. Well, you know what? It didn’t work out in Chicago. So, just follow that coast south down to Hammond, Indiana. And I can promise you this, if they do it the right way, like a number of these teams have done, you get the opportunity to have a state-of-the-art venue for anything that you want. You get the opportunity to own your stadium and the land around it outright. You get to make it exactly how you want to make it. And I’ve heard a lot of things about Hammond, Indiana. More often than not, not good things. But I can guarantee you this. There are people, there are kids, there are generations of Bears fans that are down there that are so excited to welcome you and show you that area with open arms and you get to make it yours.”“Now, I know that’s a slap in the face to a lot of people, including myself, but it’s time to get to the next level. And they can do that there. Winning to me, what does success look like to me? It looks like a quarterback that’s on schedule in first and second down and continues to do what he does on third down and in the fourth quarter. I think building a defense that can stop the run and rush the passer on third down and got to have it rush downs. That would be great. I think everything is moving in the right direction and I think this Hammond, Indiana thing is a unique opportunity for the Bears to really take the next step.”“I remember when St. Louis moved to LA, and granted, it was a lot more miles for that move. They become a serious contender overnight and the Bears already are a serious contender. So imagine what happens if you pump some caffeine into that.”  #Kyle #Long #optimistic #Bears #moving #Hammond #Indiana

Lionel Messi found the net with his third touch in the FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match between Argentina and Iceland in Alabama, USA on Tuesday.

Messi marked his return from a muscle strain by scoring from the penalty spot in the 71st minute, just seconds after coming off the bench. The Argentine sent fans into raptures with an emphatic finish from 12 yards.

It was Messi’s 911th career goal for club and country and 117th goal for Argentina and made him the oldest scorer in the country’s football history.

Messi did not play in Argentina’s friendly win over Honduras on Saturday.

Published on Jun 10, 2026

#WATCH #Lionel #Messi #scores #Argentina #Iceland #FIFA #World #Cup #warmup #match">WATCH: Lionel Messi scores in Argentina vs Iceland FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match  Lionel Messi found the net with his third touch in the FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match between Argentina and Iceland in Alabama, USA on Tuesday.Messi marked his return from a muscle strain by scoring from the penalty spot in the 71st minute, just seconds after coming off the bench. The Argentine sent fans into raptures with an emphatic finish from 12 yards.pic.twitter.com/Y5URIeyx53— Messi World (@MessiWorld101) June 10, 2026It was Messi’s 911th career goal for club and country and 117th goal for Argentina and made him the oldest scorer in the country’s football history.Messi did not play in Argentina’s friendly win over Honduras on Saturday.Published on Jun 10, 2026  #WATCH #Lionel #Messi #scores #Argentina #Iceland #FIFA #World #Cup #warmup #match

It was Messi’s 911th career goal for club and country and 117th goal for Argentina and made him the oldest scorer in the country’s football history.

Messi did not play in Argentina’s friendly win over Honduras on Saturday.

Published on Jun 10, 2026

#WATCH #Lionel #Messi #scores #Argentina #Iceland #FIFA #World #Cup #warmup #match">WATCH: Lionel Messi scores in Argentina vs Iceland FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match

Lionel Messi found the net with his third touch in the FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match between Argentina and Iceland in Alabama, USA on Tuesday.

Messi marked his return from a muscle strain by scoring from the penalty spot in the 71st minute, just seconds after coming off the bench. The Argentine sent fans into raptures with an emphatic finish from 12 yards.

It was Messi’s 911th career goal for club and country and 117th goal for Argentina and made him the oldest scorer in the country’s football history.

Messi did not play in Argentina’s friendly win over Honduras on Saturday.

Published on Jun 10, 2026

#WATCH #Lionel #Messi #scores #Argentina #Iceland #FIFA #World #Cup #warmup #match

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