MALMO: After weeks of vandalism, the statue of Zlatan Ibrahimovic has finally been overturned.
The 500-kilogram monument, which is located outside Malmo’s soccer stadium, was cut off at the feet, causing it to topple over onto a wire fence overnight Sunday. A dark Sweden football t-shirt was draped over the statue’s face.
Ibrahimovic, who recently joined Italian side AC Milan , angered fans of his boyhood club, Malmo, in November when he bought a stake in one of its Swedish title rivals, Hammarby, and outlined his desire to make the Stockholm-based team “the best in Scandinavia.”
Hours after that was announced, the statue of Ibrahimovic — unveiled in October by the Swedish Football Association to commemorate one of the country’s greatest players — was attacked, with vandals attempting to set it on fire and writing racist graffiti next to it.
Last month, there was an attempt to saw off the legs of the bronze statue, which was sprayed silver while its nose was also cut off.
“I can understand that there is a disappointment in Malmo, but it crosses all boundaries when you vandalize the statue in the way that has happened,” Hakan Sjostrand, secretary general of the Sweden’s FA, said in comments reported by Swedish news agency TT.
The statue is being removed but is set to be put back up. There have been no reports of any arrests being made.
Statue of Zlatan Ibrahimovic overturned in Malmo
https://arab.news/j7zta
Statue of Zlatan Ibrahimovic overturned in Malmo
- The statue is being removed but is set to be put back up
- There have been no reports of any arrests being made
Pakistan captain rules out ‘major’ squad changes before T20 World Cup 2026
- T20 World Cup will take place in India in February, with Pakistan to play its matches in Sri Lanka
- Pakistan have recorded back-to-back T20I series victories over Sri Lanka, South Africa this year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha set his sights on winning the T20 World Cup 2026, ruling out any “major changes” to the squad before the megaevent next year.
The 10th edition of the T20 World Cup will commence on Feb. 7 next year in India. Pakistan will play all of its matches in Sri Lanka as per a deal brokered by the ICC that allows India and Pakistan to play each other at neutral venues.
Pakistan have tried left-arm pacer Salman Mirza, brought back former captain Babar Azam to the T20I squad and tried fast bowler Naseem Shah and played several all-rounders in the squad this year, including Saim Ayub, Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf.
“I think our roles are defined and we need to give a chance in the next six games with consistency to this playing XI and those roles, so that we can head to the World Cup with confidence,” Agha said in a podcast with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
“I don’t think there will be any major changes because we were keeping this World Cup in mind since the last six to seven months in the way we were practicing or selecting the players for the team,” he added.
Pakistan will next play a three-match T20I away series against Sri Lanka before they head to the T20 World Cup.
The South Asian country has encountered success in white-ball matches recently, winning a tri-nation series tournament against Afghanistan and the UAE in September.
Agha also led his team to the final of the Asia Cup later the same month which they lost to India. However, he led the Green Shirts to wins against Sri Lanka and South Africa in the T20I series against both countries at home later.
