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Israeli gymnasts, including defending world floor champion Artem Dolgopyat, will not compete at next week’s World Artistic Gymnastics Championships after hosts Indonesia denied them entry to the country.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, said it would not grant visas to the Israel team because of the country’s military offensive in Gaza.

On Tuesday the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) rejected requests from the Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) for urgent provisional measures.

The IGF said it was “deeply disappointed” by the Cas decision.

The IGF wanted Cas to compel the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to “take the necessary measures that guarantee Israeli participation in the championships” or “to move or to cancel” the event, which runs until 25 October.

It said the FIG’s lack of measures was a “denial of justice” and created a “situation of discrimination against a member association”.

A Cas statement said the FIG argued it had “no prerogatives” in the issuing of entry visas, and the Indonesian government’s decision not to grant the visas falls “outside the competence” of the organisation.

An IGF statement read: “The rules are clear, and Indonesia’s actions constitute a blatant violation of them.

“It is inconceivable that a country can bar another nation from competing in a World Championship while the governing bodies stand by.

“This decision undermines the very foundations of sport and fair competition, and it delivers a severe blow to the morale of the gymnasts and staff who have worked tirelessly for this moment.”

Dolgopyat said on Instagram: “We are so disappointed for the gymnasts, male and female, and professional teams, but not only that, we are deeply concerned by the recent decisions that could negatively impact the future of all our delegations and the future of sport in general.

“We continue the fight, hoping to achieve justice, but unfortunately we will no longer be able to compete in these World Championships.”

Dolgopyat was one of six gymnasts – alongside Eyal Indig, Ron Pyatov, Lihie Raz, Yali Shoshani and Roni Shamay – who submitted the requests to Cas in conjunction with the IGF.

Dolgopyat, 28, won Olympic floor gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and silver in Paris last year. He is also a two-time European champion.

On Monday 20 living Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian detainees were reunited with their families as part of a ceasefire deal.

In 2023 Indonesia was stripped of its right to host football’s Under-20 World Cup after the governor of Bali, where the draw was due to take place, refused to host the Israel team.

Indonesia, which has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel, was banned from the 1964 Olympics after it refused entry visas for Israeli athletes for the 1962 Asian Games.

All-rounder Alice Capsey says new captain and coach duo Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards have given England a freshness as they look to stretch their unbeaten run in the World Cup against Pakistan.

Sciver-Brunt’s side have beaten South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka so far, and will be favourites against a winless Pakistan in Colombo on Wednesday.

Capsey, who is batting at seven and providing a fourth spin option, also emphasised the importance of taking winning momentum into crunch games at the end of the group stage against India, Australia and New Zealand.

“The change in leadership with Nat and Lottie coming in has been really refreshing, in the sense that we’re talking about the game in a different way,” Capsey told BBC Sport.

“Lottie is so experienced, and being able to learn from her not only as a coach but from what she achieved as a player, it’s amazing.

“It would be greatly appreciated [to face India still unbeaten]. But every team brings a different challenge, and especially in these conditions a team like Pakistan can definitely pose a threat, perhaps a different one to what we are used to.

“I know they haven’t won a game so far but they are definitely not a team we are taking lightly.”

Capsey made a vital 20 in the tense, low chase against Bangladesh but fell for a duck against Sri Lanka as she was victim to sharp turn from Inoka Ranaweera.

The 21-year-old has significant T20 experience in India from playing for Delhi Capitals but is playing in her first 50-over World Cup, and says the spin-friendly conditions are posing a new challenge for her.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this,” said Capsey.

“All the pitches during the WPL were quite flat and there wasn’t anything like the turn and bounce we’ve had so far. It’s been a real learning curve but an amazing one to learn from.

“I’m expanding my game and developing as a batter as we go, and just watching how Nat and Heather Knight have gone about it has been hugely important for me, being able to pick their brains when I need to.”

The simmering narrative behind England’s wins is that they are yet to be properly challenged – the middle-order wobble against Bangladesh being the only period of substantial pressure so far.

But Capsey emphasised the importance of controlling what is in their own hands, and focusing on the task one game at a time.

That has been evident in England’s body language on the field, the relaxed nature off it and the smiles on all their faces – of course helped by the winning run, but it is a stark contrast to the winless team that toured Australia at the beginning of the year.

“It’s infectious, when the mood in the camp is good and training has been brilliant,” said Capsey.

“So to know that’s coming across in the game is awesome. It’s a happy group at the minute.”

She also added that they would use the Ashes disappointment to “push forward” in the World Cup.

“That was a tour where none of us was proud of what we did on the pitch,” Capsey added.

“But that was an opportunity for us to reflect, it’s a good way to draw a line in the sand and use that momentum to push forward as a group.

Former England bowler Stuart Broad believes Australia have their “worst” team since 2010 heading into this winter’s Ashes.

Broad was responding to ex-Australia batter David Warner’s prediction England would lose the series down under 4-0.

England’s last triumph in Australia was in 2010-2011, when Broad was part of a squad which won 3-1 to retain the urn.

However, they have suffered heavy defeats of 5-0, 4-0 and 4-0 in their three trips to Australia since.

“It’s very, very difficult to win in Australia as an England side, or any side – it just is,” Broad told the For the Love of Cricket podcast on BBC Sounds.

“Australia have to be massive favourites. The question really was ‘Which team’s under the most pressure?’ Well, Australia are under the most pressure because they’re expected to win. They’re brilliant at home.

Broad retired from playing after the Ashes series in England in 2023, when Australia retained the urn with a 2-2 draw.

He added: “You wouldn’t be outlandish in thinking – it’s actually not an opinion, it’s a fact – it’s probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won, and it’s the best English team since 2010.

“So those things match up to the fact it’s going to be a brilliant Ashes series.”

The first Test starts in Perth on 21 November and Australia’s preparations have been hit by the potential absence of skipper Cummins, who has not played since July because of lumbar bone stress in his back.

The pace bowler is still recovering from the injury and has said he is “less likely than likely” to play in the opener.

His absence would leave Australia with a bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland, who are all in their mid-30s, with their other seamers inexperienced or untried at Test level.

The packed Ashes schedule – five Tests in seven weeks – also means both sides will be tested by injuries.

“Australia have been so consistent for a long period of time that you just knew who was going to open the batting, who was going to bat where, what bowlers there were – and they don’t have that,” said Broad.

“It’s very much a similar situation to 2010-2011 when England went and won there.

“The fact of the matter is Australia generally have to be bad to lose in Australia and England have to be very good.

“England have a great chance of being very good and Australia have a decent chance of being bad.