Indian Super League club East Bengal FC on Thursday announced that three foreign players, Hector Yuste, Richard Celis, and Raphael Messi Bouli will be leaving the club ahead of the next season.

“The club would like to thank Hector Yuste, Richard Celis and Raphael Messi Bouli for their services. We wish them the best in their future endeavours,” the club said in a statement.

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Messi Bouli joined the Red and Gold Brigade from Chinese League One club Shijiazhuang Gongfu on a free transfer in January and made eight appearances for the club, scoring three goals and assisting one in that period.

On the other hand, Venezuela forward Celis, who was also bought in the January window played nine games and failed to record a goal or assist.

Meanwhile, Yuste, who joined from arch rival Mohun Bagan Super ahead of last season, played 25 matches across all competitions and recorded two assists.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in talks with its Afghanistan counterpart to organise a tri-series in August involving hosts UAE if the Asia Cup gets cancelled or postponed.

This edition of the Asia Cup is scheduled to be played in September and India has the hosting rights, but Pakistan will not travel to the neighbouring country as per the hybrid model accepted ahead of the Champions Trophy earlier this year.

Therefore, there is a non-clarity surrounding the event, prompting the PCB to initiate talks with the Afghanistan board.

“With the Asia Cup now unlikely to be held in India as originally planned in September due to the simmering relations between Pakistan and India, the PCB is working on another tri-series proposal,” a well-informed source in PCB said.

“The idea is that if the Asia Cup is moved to the UAE then Pakistan will play a tri-series with Afghanistan and the UAE in Dubai in August replacing the Afghanistan tour to Pakistan,” he explained.

He said the PCB has already been in talks with the two boards to organise the tri-series.

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“If the Asia Cup is cancelled or postponed the PCB wants the Afghanistan and UAE teams to play the tri-series in Pakistan in August,” the source disclosed.

PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi is the president of the Asian Cricket Council and the source said the ACC will meet soon to decide on the Asia Cup.

“The Indian cricket board is yet to confirm its willingness to host the Asia Cup at home. So, it remains to be seen when the ACC council meets and makes a call on the future of the Asia Cup which is to be held in the T20 format,” he added.

CHESS

Nikitenko joins Abhijeet in lead at Delhi GM Open with win over Paichadze

Grandmaster Mihail Nikitenko beat Grandmaster Luka Paichadze to join Abhijeet Gupta in the lead with seven points at the end of the eighth round in the Delhi GM Open chess tournament at the Tivoli Gardens, Chhattarpur, on Thursday.

In an even battle, Nikitenko hooked a knight on the 55th move and Paichadze promptly resigned.

Overnight sole leader Abhijeet drew with Manuel Petrosyan to reach 6.5 points, with two more rounds to go in the Swiss League competition.

In the ninth round, Nikitenko will play black against Abhijeet. There were 12 players with 6.5 points and 16 players with six points, which could lead to a very lively climax. On the second board, Mamikon Gharibyan will play top seed SL Narayanan. Diptayan Ghosh will play Van Huy Nguyen.

-Kamesh Srinivasan