Pakistan secured a spot in the tri-series final against New Zealand; South Africa have now lost six successive ODIs

Firdose Moonda12-Feb-2025Salman Agha’s first ODI century and Mohammad Rizwan’s fourth combined as Pakistan completed their highest successful chase in ODIs and secured a spot in the tri-series final against New Zealand on Saturday. Rizwan and Salman, Pakistan’s captain and vice-captain, shared in a record fourth-wicket stand of 260, the highest-ever against South Africa, and the fourth-highest by any pair while chasing. South Africa have never had a bigger score chased against them.On a pitch perfect for batting, Pakistan’s efforts trumped Temba Bavuma’s highest ODI score since September 2023, Matthew Breetzke becoming the player with the most runs after two matches (233) and Heinrich Klaasen’s fourth successive 80-plus score in the highest-scoring encounter between these two sides.It goes without saying that it was a difficult day for bowlers, and seamers in particular. Pakistan’s quicks conceded 206 runs in 28 overs, of which Mohammad Hasnain’s eight cost 72, and South Africa’s pace attack gave away 223 runs in 27 overs. South Africa have now lost six successive ODIs.Ultimately, South Africa will be more concerned about the loss of Klaasen to a thumb injury than the match. Klaasen left the field in the 32nd over and handed the wicket-keeping gloves to Kyle Verreynne, after a ball that kept low from Corbin Bosch struck him on the right thumb. There was no immediate update on Klaasen’s condition.Pakistan had never conceded more runs in Karachi and only once allowed South Africa to score more against them so their task was tough from the outset. But their chase got underway briskly when Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam put on 56 in the first six overs, and took apart both Lungi Ngidi and Corbin Bosch. Wiaan Mulder was introduced as first-change early, in the seventh over, and struck with his first legitimate ball. He cramped Babar for room as he tried to flick the ball away and struck him on the front pad. Babar reviewed immediately but Ultraedge confirmed there was no bat and the ball was going on to hit the middle stump.Saud Shakeel, brought into the side for this match, kept the pressure on and scored 15 off 16 balls before mistiming a pull off Bosch to Mulder at deep mid-wicket. Pakistan’s powerplay score of 91 for 2 was their third-highest since 2002 and set them up well.South Africa soon edged ahead when, four balls into the 11th over, Fakhar played inside the line of a Mulder ball, got an edge and Klaasen took a diving catch to his left. Rizwan had only faced two balls, and pulled one of them for four, when he was joined by Salman, with a rebuilding job to do.Pakistan scored only one boundary in the next seven overs and the required run-rate climbed over 7.3 but slowly, Pakistan started to find more boundaries. Salman picked on anything full from the spinners and the pair rotated strike well to take Pakistan to 163 for 3 at the halfway stage, still needing 190 runs.Senuran Muthusamy came into the attack at that point and by his third over, Rizwan lined him up and launched him over long-on to bring up the hundred partnership. By then, Rizwan already had fifty and Salman soon brought up his fifty off 51 balls.Matthew Breetzke and Temba Bavuma made 83 and 82, respectively•Associated Press

Though the required run-rate hovered between seven to eight runs an over, neither Salman nor Rizwan panicked and they were supplied with enough boundary balls to keep the score ticking over. South Africa were guilty of offering too much width, failing to adjust their lengths and the occasional piece of ordinary fielding. By the time Pakistan got to their last ten overs, they needed 82 runs. South Africa had scored 110 in the same period, so Pakistan knew what was possible.Both set batters were on the doorstep of the 90s and Rizwan got there first when he launched Mulder over deep mid-wicket, off the 106th ball he faced. In the same over, Salman got to his milestone off a single. His hundred took just 87 balls. Pakistan brought 300 up in the 44th over and needed just 32 runs in the last five overs. Despite Salman falling before the winning runs were scored, Pakistan got there with six balls to spare, leaving South Africa wondering how many they left out there.They started strongly with a powerplay that saw them total 64 for 1 and both Bavuma and Breetzke in good touch. Breetzke, in particular, was soon striking at over 100, and allowed Bavuma to dial it down slightly as he approached his first fifty in 17 innings. He got there with a single off Salman, and then accelerated once again. In general, Bavuma played more riskily than we are used to and went for an expansive drive off left-arm spinner Khusdil Shah but edged past Rizwan. Later that over, he tried to slog Khusdil over square leg but top-edged. Naseem Shah misjudged the catch and put Bavuma down on 60.Pakistan were able to keep South Africa fairly quiet for the next eight overs, and they scored at under five an over but grew frustrated with their inability to break through. Breetzke brought up fifty off 46 balls before Hasnain thought he had him out lbw when he missed a leg-side whip and Rizwan was convinced to review but ball-tracking showed it going down leg.Sensing an opportunity to create something, Rizwan brought Shaheen Shah back on in the 27th over and he tested the batters with pace and personality. There were stare-downs and words. At one point, Afridi moved into Breetzke’s path as he was completing a single and there was contact. Breetzke didn’t back down, got in Shaheen’s face and the pair had to be separated by the umpires and team-mates. In the next over, Bavuma played Hasnain to backward point and raced away for a single before checking with Breetzke, who sent him back. It was too late.Saud Shakeel swooped in and with a one-handed pick up and throw ran Bavuma out and celebrated in his face for good measure. Bavuma was stranded on 82, with a golden chance at a century gone begging, but South Africa still had 21.5 overs to face.Klaasen was sent in at No.4 and faced 14 balls for seven runs before he remembered who he was. He smoked Hasnain for four fours in his sixth over, over mid-on, mid-off, square-leg and deep mid-wicket to bring up 200 and get the innings going again. That over cost 16 runs and the next four for 36 and South Africa were back in sight of a massive score.Breetzke was out to a stunning Salman catch when he tried to smash Khusdil through the covers but Salman, who dived across and reached out with his right hand to pluck the ball close to the ground. Mulder was caught at point in the next over and South Africa entered the final ten overs on 242 for 4 but with Klaasen there, would have been comfortable.He unleashed a 95-metre six five balls into that period, brought up fifty off 38 balls and then completely cut loose. His next 37 runs came off 18 balls and he spared no-one. Afridi was treated particularly severely as Klaasen took him for back to back sixes in an over that cost 20. When he tried to give Naseem the same treatment, Klaasen sent a low full toss to long-on. In the end, Pakistan’s two centuries to South Africa’s none was the difference.

India were well poised to win the shortened game but the weather just couldn’t hold out

Firdose Moonda26-Oct-2025

Radha Yadav’s direct hit removed Nigar Sultana after the rain break•ICC/Getty Images

Match abandoned Unseasonal rain washed out the final group stage match of the Women’s World Cup, with India well-poised to complete a big win over Bangladesh. The weather played more games than the cricketers after the start of play was delayed for two hours, which initially reduced the match to 43-overs-a-side. A further two-hour stoppage 12.2 overs into Bangladesh’s innings made it a 27-overs-a-side match and India were set a revised target of 126.They were on track at 57 for 0 in the ninth over but more showers meant the minimum 20 overs could not be completed.With more rain forecast for the rest of the week in Mumbai, this match may have been a taste of things to come, especially for India’s semi-final against Australia on Thursday but that could be the least of their concerns. Opening batter Pratika Rawal suffered an injury to her knee and ankle while fielding and could not take her place at the top of the line-up in the chase. With a three-day turnaround before the knockout, she is being monitored by the Indian medical staff. In Rawal’s absence, Amanjot Kaur partnered Smriti Mandhana in the chase.That India had such a modest target was largely due to their left-arm spinners, who shared five wickets between them. Radha Yadav, playing in her first match of the tournament, picked up 3 for 30 while Shree Charani iced the cake with 2 for 23 included. Only four Bangladesh batters got into double-figures as they stumbled to 119 for 9 in 27 overs.Bangladesh were under pressure from the first ball when Renuka Singh produced an inswinging yorker that tested Sumaiya Akter’s defence. She finished the over with a wide ball outside off that Sumaiya slashed at, only to find Charani at short third. Deepti Sharma opened the bowling from the other end but had to wait until the tenth over to break through. She went around the wicket to Rubya Haider and induced a leading edge which was caught at mid-off.Marufa Akter walks off as the rain sets in•ICC/Getty Images

There were 17 more balls bowled as the drizzle became a downpour and players were taken off the field at 5.50pm. Heavy rain followed and it looked increasingly unlikely the game could go ahead by 8.05pm, but the weather cleared leaving the players to deal with a wet ball.Sharmin Akhter should have been run out when she thought a single was on even as Nigar Sultana sent her back from more than halfway down. Jemimah Rodrigues’ throw was good but Charani could not collect cleanly. Four overs later, Radha made no mistake. Sharmin hit the ball to her at point. Nigar, from the non-striker’s end, ran and Radha’s clean pick-up and throw found her short of her ground.Bangladesh also struggled to find the boundary on resumption and it took 41 balls before they breached it with Sobhana Mostary taking advantage of a hint of width to cut Deepti for four. She stayed on the back foot to pull Radha through midwicket and inject some intent into the innings. Bangladesh were 73 for 3 after 20 overs and set up to go big.Related

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Mostary took back-to-back boundaries off Deepti at the start of the 21st over and then Sharmin joined in. She swung hard and sent the ball towards long-on, where Rawal ran to collect but injured herself and had to be helped off the field.Harleen Deol took a simple catch at mid-off when Mostary attempted to force the issue and hit Radha over the top. She was dismissed for a 21-ball 26 and featured in Bangladesh’s highest partnership of 38.Shorna Akter was bowled by Amanjot before Nahida Akter swiped across the line and was bowled by Radha. Substitute fielder Arundhati Reddy sprinted in from deep midwicket when Sharmin slog-swept Charani, then flung herself forward as she took the catch. Later in the over, Radha over-ran trying to field the ball and also seemed to tweak an ankle. It didn’t stop her bowling the penultimate over and picking up her third wicket as Rabeya Khan was bowled.Bangladesh collapsed from 91 for 3 to 117 or 9, which meant their total could hardly be considered competitive, even with Rawal unavailable. Marufa Akter found swing, and sometimes too much, but India established their chase when Amanjot short-arm pulled her with exquisite timing for the first boundary. Mandhana helped herself to a series of fours off Nishita Akter, using her feet well against the spin. After they had each faced 15 balls, Mandhana was on 23, and Amanjot just 7. They were both also dropped by Sultana, who could not hold on to difficult chances: Mandhana on 28 off Nahida, Amanjot on 15 off Rabeya.The rain returned after that chance and the captains shook hands at 10.20pm. Bangladesh gained a point, which allowed them leapfrog Pakistan into seventh place, on net run-rate.

MatériaMais Notícias

da pixbet： A busca do Corinthians por novos laterais deve ter sequência em 2024, quando o técnico Mano Menezes comandará uma reformulação no elenco alvinegro.

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Insatisfeita com o desempenho de Fábio Santos e Matheus Bidu, a atual diretoria já havia identificado a necessidade de reforçar a lateral-esquerda durante a temporada.

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Na reta final da janela de transferências, o departamento de futebol corintiano abriu conversas pelas contratações de Alan Rodríguez, do Rosário Central, e Paulinho, do Midtjylland. Porém, o Timão não atendeu as demandas financeiras dos argentinos e dinamarqueses, e as negociações não avançaram.

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Embora o foco no mercado seja a contratação de um lateral-esquerdo, não está descartado reforçar a lateral-direita, tendo em vista que Fagner tem contrato até o fim de 2024 e o jogador pode entrar em uma ‘lista de negociáveis’. Além disso, os substitutos do camisa 23 ainda não convenceram pelo Timão. Bruno Méndez prefere ser escalado como zagueiro, Rafael Ramos não se firmou na equipe e Léo Mana ainda não empolgou nas oportunidades que recebeu.

Caso algum clube apresente uma proposta por Fagner, não haverá oposição para vendê-lo.

أحرز ماركوس راشفورد الهدف الثالث لبرشلونة أمام إلتشي، ضمن منافسات الجولة الحادية عشر من الدوري الاسباني لكرة القدم.

ويستقبل برشلونة ضيفه إلتشي على ملعب مونتجويك، وكان قد أنهى الشوط الأول بتقدمه بهدفين لهدف واحد.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | رافا مير يسجل هدف إلتشي الأول أمام برشلونة

وأحرز ماركوس راشفورد الهدف الثالث لبرشلونة في الدقيقة 60 بعد تلقيه تمريرة من فيرمين لوبيز، ليسدد بقوة في شباك إلتشي من داخل منطقة الجزاء.

ودخل هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة لقاء اليوم بتشكيل مكون من: تشيزني، بالدي، جارسيا، أراوخو، كوندي، لوبيز، مارك كاسادو، فرينكي دي يونج، راشفورد، فيران توريس، لامين يامال.

ويغيب عن برشلونة العديد من اللاعبين في مباراة اليوم، مثل رافينها وخوان جارسيا ومارك تير شتيجن وبيدري وكريستنسن للإصابة.

An excerpt from Mike Marqusee’s landmark book looks at an unusual match played in Colombo ahead of the 1996 World Cup

Mike Marqusee19-Nov-2021War Minus the ShootingAfter four hours’ sleep, I boarded a three-wheeler to the Premadasa Stadium at Khettarama, in Colombo’s north-eastern suburbs. Above the broad avenue leading to the ground, the government had hung banners declaring: ‘Long live India-Pakistan-Sri Lanka friendship’, ‘We salute your magnificent gesture of solidarity’, ‘We salute the brave sons of India and Pakistan’, ‘Greetings to SAARC solidarity.’ Neat rows of schoolchildren in starched white uniforms lined the route, waiting to welcome the visiting cricketers.Related

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Outside the pavilion, I joined the little knot of local journalists covering the historic event. Eventually, Azhar and Wasim and the rest appeared, escorted by dancers and musicians in traditional costumes and a gaudily decorated elephant. The milling throng of heavily armed soldiers joined in the applause for the northern neighbours, as did most of the journalists. At the press conference inside the clubhouse, Azhar, Wasim and Intikhab Alam made all the right noises. ‘This proves to the world we’re all together. There’s nothing wrong as far as sport is concerned,’ Azhar mumbled earnestly. ‘This is history,’ a jubilant Intikhab insisted, ‘it’s the first time Indians and Pakistanis have played together on the same side. It’s a tremendous sight – everybody’s mixing like old friends. Let’s hope it’s a turning point in relations.’ Wasim agreed. ‘We are all very comfortable together. This is something for all our countries. I look forward to future joint teams, including Sri Lanka.’ Asked if he was worried about playing in the UK after the bomb blast there, the Pakistan captain laughed, ‘Ask other teams who are worried about bombs.’ When a reporter from the BBC tried to get their response to reports that explosives had been found near the ground, all three dismissed the question out of hand.Neither Azhar nor Wasim was to look as relaxed again until long after the World Cup was over. In India, Azhar’s marital problems had been front-page news (he had left his wife and children in Hyderabad to move in with a Bombay-based television model named Sangeeta Bijlani), and his leadership was under attack from retired players. In Pakistan, Wasim was caught in the crossfire between PCB factions. Their respective home supporters expected nothing less of both captains than World Cup victory. For the moment, however, the two men could bask in the Sri Lankans’ gratitude. And their pleasure in playing together was genuine. After all, the Indian and Pakistani cricketers inhabit the same world, share many of the same experiences, not least the burden of national expectation placed on them every time they play each other. What a relief it must have been to be welcomed simply for turning up, and not to have to worry about winning or losing, especially on the eve of a tournament where winning and losing was to mean so much to so many.Sri Lankan soldiers conduct security checks outside the SSC during the 1996 World Cup. Australia and West Indies refused to send their teams to play in Colombo after a bomb attack there in January that year•Dexter Cruez/Associated PressOutside, the high commissioners of India and Pakistan joined Kadirgamar for the flag-raising ceremony. The Sri Lankan foreign minister was ready with his sound-bite: ‘The world will note that south Asia can get its act together.’ For all the pomp and ceremony and the heavy security, the atmosphere was relaxed. The cricketers were dressed in whites, a reversion to tradition foisted upon the organisers by the undesirability of having the visiting side take the field in their clashing World Cup uniforms – Pakistan in dark green and India in pale blue. A red ball was to be used. The black sightscreens, prepared for the day-night match against Australia, had to be painted white early in the morning. The stadium, built in 1986 on reclaimed marshland and apparently unusable after the rainy season, sports a spongy outfield and a green pitch, the like of which I was not to see again until my return to England three months later. How the West Indies would have relished it! The Wills XI won the toss and invited Sri Lanka to bat.Despite the last-minute announcement of the match (held on a working day), and despite the non-competitive nature of the occasion, 10,000 spectators were on hand as play got underway. And what was salient from the first was that all the banners and speeches, all the politicians’ exhortations, were nothing compared to the warmth and passion of the crowd. They gave the visitors, and their own Sri Lankan heroes, an unofficial welcome far more stirring than anything the officials could cook up. Instead of scattering across the circle of empty seats, the spectators were packed together into the two tiers of the main large stand, which they had decorated with scores of home-made banners and placards: 3 Musketeers – Arjuna, Azhar, Akram’; ‘Thanks India-Pakistan – Join with Sri Lanka – Keep South Asian dignity’; ‘Neighbours in need are neighbours indeed’; ‘Wills World Cup belongs to Asia – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, UAE.’ The crowd were here not only to see something but to say something. As Wasim walked back to his mark to begin the first over, a man carrying a giant banner made of the flags of the three nations stitched together dashed up and down the boundary edge, and the crowd roared, ‘Sri Lanka zindabad! India zindabad! Pakistan zindabad!’ Briefly I imagined the chant becoming the slogan of the 1996 World Cup, carried by a million voices across the cricket grounds of Asia.Fans in Rawalpindi make their feelings clear•Getty ImagesTo expectant applause, the wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana took strike. It was his first appearance in Colombo since his scorching performances as a newly promoted opener in Australia. He clipped Wasim’s first ball off his legs through midwicket for four, and a baila band in the upper tier of the big stand struck up a joyful noise. Baila, Sri Lanka’s popular dance music, evolved from a Sinhala folk idiom under the influence of the Portuguese. For the rest of the day, the band kept us company, its brass ensemble tootling melodically over the light-hearted rhythms of drums and cymbals. At times the music recalled samba or calypso, and at its roughest and slurriest it sounded like township jazz.The band paused briefly when Kalu, as he is called in Sri Lanka (the word means ‘black’ in Sinhalese), was caught at short extra cover for 6, resulting in the piquant scoreline, ‘Kaluwitharana caught Tendulkar bowled Wasim Akram.’ As bowler and fielder ran to embrace each other, it was hard to believe that not twenty-four hours earlier Indian and Pakistani troops were exchanging fire across the disputed Kashmir border. Not for the only time that day, I felt a lump in my throat. I’m usually fairly resistant to cricket sentimentality, but I had no defence against this spectacle of subcontinental amity.Women in Calcutta watch a giant bat being driven past in a parade for the World Cup•John Moore/Associated PressAsanka Gurusinha and Ranatunga mounted the only extended partnership of the Sri Lankan innings. On his five-foot-eight-inch skeleton, Ranatunga’s ninety kilograms of flesh looked abundant indeed. He chipped and chivvied and accumulated his runs without strain. The unsmiling Gurusinha was nearly as hefty, but taller, and today his aggressive big hitting contrasted with Ranatunga’s lethargic nibbling. Dashing back and forth in front of the main stand with a huge Sri Lankan flag, Percy and Lionel egged on the crowd, which cheered anything and everything of merit on either side:

‘Aussie prime minister is Keating
Australians are cheating’

Spectators danced around the boundary, waving Pakistani and Indian flags, and periodically darted on to the field to embrace Wasim or Azhar, who reciprocated with smiles and laughter. Once Ranatunga and Gurusinha were out, Anil Kumble mesmerised the remaining Sri Lankan batsmen with his accuracy and unnerved them with his bounce, bowling his quota of eight overs for 12 runs and four wickets. The Sri Lankans finished with a score of 168.At the lunch interval I left the stifling press box and bought a cold lager from the vendors behind the stands. Beer, such an integral component of the cricket culture in England, Australia and the West Indies, is barred from the cricket grounds of India and Pakistan, but ever-present in Sri Lanka, along with the music. While the baila band rested, local chart-toppers blared over the tannoy. The crowd, mostly middle-class Colombo youth in jeans (despite the heat) and baseball caps, looked happy and healthy. Poor kids with no shoes and scrawny legs threaded their way among these well-fed giants, hawking single cigarettes and sticks of gum. Beyond the entry gates, visible from the vendors’ patch, there were green glimpses of dense tropical foliage.Arjuna Ranatunga led Sri Lanka to World Cup victory in 1996•Zafar Ahmed/Associated PressClimbing to the upper tier, I joined the merry throng clustered around the trumpets, trombones, drums and cymbals. The flags of the three nations fluttered everywhere. Vaas opened the bowling and Tendulkar drove his first ball for four through cover. With the brass riffing and blowing over the non-stop dance rhythms, Tendulkar set about cutting and driving anything a fraction under- or over-pitched. In no time, his score raced to 36 (thanks to seven clean, crunching fours). Ranatunga now handed the ball to Muralitharan. This would be the offspinner’s first bowl in front of a home crowd since being called for chucking in Australia. As he loped in, the members of the baila band rose to their feet and the massed brass blew a fanfare. Then came one of those dramatic moments that only sport can provide. Had it appeared in a novel or a film, it would have seemed hopelessly contrived. Murali flighted his first delivery, Tendulkar mistimed a drive and Dharmasena, reaching over his head at mid-on, took the catch.The brass fanfare splintered into a million improvised, ecstatic notes, the percussion rose to a thunderous din and the crowd danced with glee. The man next to me grabbed and shook my hand. ‘Murali, you are not guilty – your were only convicted by a grandson of an ex-convict’; ‘A new word for the Aussies’ dictionary – Muraliphobia’; ‘London bombed – where will sissy Warne go shopping?’81 allout PublishingSoon Murali had a sleepy-looking Aamer Sohail caught at deep extra cover. No bowler’s action in modern times has been subject to as much high-tech scrutiny as Murali’s, and all the evidence (from multi-angle super slow-mo video recordings to goniometric calibrations) has been in the bowler’s favour. Today, no one questioned his action. The umpires, Cyril Mitchley and Mahboob Shah, had been scheduled to preside over the cancelled game against Australia. For Sri Lankan fans, by not no-balling Murali they had effectively given him an all-clear for the World Cup. The next day’s Island headline summed up the events at Khettarama from a Sri Lankan perspective: ‘Solidarity match: Murali survives scrutiny as Sri Lanka lose.’ Thanks to contributions from Azhar, Ajay Jadeja and Rashid Latif, the visitors achieved an easy victory, with six overs and four wickets to spare.The result may have been of no consequence, but this match was far from meaningless. What mattered was the fact that it had taken place, and the spectators celebrated that fact and articulated its significance. For once the cliché about cricket being a unifier of peoples and nations came alive. All of us who were present had witnessed a practical demonstration of the arbitrariness of the Indo-Pak border and the absurdity of Indo-Pak enmity. International cricket, it seemed, did not have to be war minus the shooting. After the match, the cricketers were whisked off to a tea party hosted by President Kumaratunga at Temple Trees, her official residence. On the sprawling lawns, cricketers, ministers and diplomats (including the Australian High Commissioner) mingled. ‘India and Pakistan have displayed tremendous solidarity with us,’ Kumaratunga said. ‘This is the first time these two countries have come together. and I am glad that it happened in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka may have lost the game but cricket won the day.’ For the moment, at least, it seemed that regionalism had transcended nationalism., published by 81allout Publishing, is out on Amazon

A sell-out, enthusiastic crowd was treated to a rather disorganised evening in Guwahati

Deivarayan Muthu in Guwahati06-Jan-2020An air of uncertainty had hung over the T20I series opener between India and Sri Lanka in Guwahati right from the build-up to the match. This was supposed to be India v Zimbabwe in the first place, but with the ICC suspending Zimbabwe, the BCCI summoned its old friend Sri Lanka Cricket to jump in. Zimbabwe’s suspension was later lifted, but India v Sri Lanka had been locked in already.In the days leading up to the game, there had been political turmoil in Guwahati following the parliamentary approval to India’s Citizenship Amendment Bill – the final day’s play between Assam and Services in the Ranji Trophy was called off in December because of a state-wide curfew.Some normalcy was restored in the next few weeks, but then it was wet weather’s turn to cast doubts over the Guwahati T20I. It had rained by the time most of India’s players landed in the city on Friday and the rain returned on the morning of the game. It cleared briefly in the evening to tease a capacity crowd, but rain and a damp pitch eventually forced an abandonment.The showers lasted less than an hour and the groundstaff steadfastly covered the pitch – and the bowlers’ run-ups – but they still allowed water to seep into the 22 yards, something that was described as a “schoolboy error” by Aakash Chopra on .The groundstaff then resorted to various measures, ranging from using super-soppers to steam irons, in order to dry the wet patches near the middle of the pitch, but to no avail. After seeing repeated inspections and braving the wet weather for three hours or thereabouts, a sell-out crowd, that was desperate to catch a rare glimpse of international action, returned home disappointed.This was shaping up to be a big day for the Barsapara stadium. Giant posters of Virat Kohli and Lasith Malinga were splashed all around Guwahati and all tickets were reportedly sold out. Before Sunday, this venue had hosted just two internationals – the latest being an ODI against West Indies in October 2018.Fans were kept waiting for play in Guwahati as it rained•BCCIThe first T20I against Sri Lanka was set to be Barsapara stadium’s dress rehearsal for IPL 2020 too. The venue was in the fray to be Rajasthan Royals’ second home in the competition, and some of the Royals’ officials were apparently in attendance on Sunday, but the abandonment might have thrown a spanner in the Assam Cricket Association’s works.They had beefed up security following political unrest in the approach to the game, but political slogans and chants could still be heard from the stands.As for the groundstaff, it was a rather tragicomic evening. The super-sopper operator lost control and wound up splashing water on the LED ad boards and then on a member of the groundstaff. The loudest cheers on the evening was reserved for this blooper – and not for Kohli for a change. The groundstaff then brought in hairdryers and vacuum dryers to get a sodden pitch into a surface fit for a game of cricket. However, it was not to be and it was called off shortly before 10pm.It wasn’t all gloom and doom for the Guwahati crowd, though. On a rainy day with very little hope of cricket, the stands were full until the match officials made the final announcement. By the time the DJ played , the drizzle became a full-blown downpour, but the crowd lapped it up and grooved to the tune. Harbhajan Singh, who is working on this series as a TV commentator, couldn’t resist the buzz and showed off his skills near the edge of the boundary.At 8.40pm, the entire crowd sang , flashing the torchlights on their mobile phones. An inspection then was scheduled for 9pm, but it got delayed to 9.30pm. The cut-off time for a five-over shoot-out was 9.46pm, and the crowd now swapped song and dance for nervous excitement.Kohli and Rishabh Pant, with his pads on, headed out to inspect the pitch, with fireworks going off in the background. But they weren’t pleased with the conditions, the same as the umpires. It had stopped raining by 8.20pm, but some “negligence” on the part of the groundstaff, as Chopra put it, meant a much-anticipated game ended in a damp squib.The exodus soon began, and it resulted in a traffic jam, with vehicles madly honking at each other and the cops struggling to manage them. The build-up to this game was chaotic and the end wasn’t any different either.

The former USMNT star called on MLS leadership to make changes to the league's season schedule ahead of the FIFA World Cup

• Lalas says MLS must make changes before World Cup
• Warned that failing to do so is wasted opportunity
• MLS's continued use of a spring-to-fall calendar

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, former MLS star Alexi Lalas says the league should capitalize on the opportunity and implement the much-discussed change to a fall-to-spring schedule, aligning with the European calendar.

  ‘There was a evidently a vote from the MLS ownership group about whether they are going to change the season and play from fall to spring like most of the leagues around the world,” Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. “If they were to agree to do that, that would be a fundamental change over the last 30 years of what has happened – and would be a monumental type of announcement. I'm not sure that they are going to do that because there are pros and cons to something like this. And for 30 years they haven't done that."

  Lalas said MLS risks squandering a generational opportunity – given the anticipation over the World Cup, to be co-hosed by the U.S. – if league leadership fails to implement the calendar change.

  “If you believe the rumors out there, that's not something that the ownership is going to vote in favor for, which is fine,” Lalas said. “It's certainly their prerogative… The 2026 World Cup is next summer. The time to do big, bold, different – dare I say arrogant – things is now. And if MLS comes and goes after the 2026 World Cup and has done nothing big, bold and arrogant, I look at it as a wasted opportunity. Again, easy to spend other people's money, easy to tell other people what to do.”

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• WHAT LALAS SAID

  Lalas said MLS said announcing a change post-World Cup would be too late for meaningful impact.

  “But that's just how I look at the World Cup next summer in terms of opportunity and platform to do big, bold things," he said. "And I'm telling you right now, whether it's MLS, NWSL or soccer in general… we still got a long way to go and we can do things that are bigger and better.

  “And I'm just asking – I'm begging – for someone and people out there that are in positions of power to do big things relative to the 2026 World Cup.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  MLS Commissioner Don Garber discussed the topic of a schedule change during MLS All-Star week, suggesting there is increasing momentum.

  "If it's going to happen, it's going to happen after the 2026 World Cup," Garber said. "So making this change is seismic. It's not something we should do lightly. We obviously have teams across multiple climate zones, multiple time zones, unlike any other league in the world. And if we do make the change, we're not going to go back on that decision.

  "There are a number of key benefits to it. Aligning with the world standard, we think, is important for our brand as we try to continue to engage as one of the important, influential leagues in the world. We want to align with on the calendar to be able to be even more engaged on the player transfer market."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Major League Soccer leadership will evaluate potential schedule modifications. The league will hold it's next All-Star Game in Charlotte in 2026.

The 23-year-old batter and 33-year-old allrounder on how the Bangladesh T20 tournament has helped them grow their game

Mohammad Isam13-Feb-2022Stay still, watch the ball and play your shots fearlessly. This has been the simple mantra followed by Will Jacks and Benny Howell, the English duo which has played a significant role in taking Chattogram Challengers to the BPL playoffs.Jacks’ unbeaten 92 in their last league game against Sylhet Sunsrisers was a single-handed effort that got them up to ten points. Chattogram, who started off very well in the competition before losing their way in the middle, face Khulna Tigers in the eliminator match on Monday evening.Those following the BPL this season believe that Jacks holds the key to Chattogram’s progress in the knockout stage. The 23-year-old is currently the second-highest scorer in the competition with 398 runs at 44.22. That includes four fifties. He is only 10 shy of Tamim Iqbal at the top but more significantly, he is leading the pack in powerplays performance, having scored 249 runs at 171.52 with 15 sixes.Jacks said that he has had fun scoring these runs but admitted that he needed time to figure out Bangladeshi conditions. In particular, he spoke about resisting the temptation to play a lot of shots.”The key is to play without fear,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “It is tough sometimes to be really aggressive, to score fast, without getting out. It is something that has taken me quite a while to figure out, what my good options are to get me to the boundary with the least amount of risk. Obviously watching the ball and staying still, taking as less risk as possible with the maximum reward.”The ball doesn’t quite bounce as much [in Bangladesh] as it does back in England. You have to limit the areas of the ground you’re usually scoring. I found out that it can be quite hard to play cross-batted shots off seamers. It often takes people a couple of games to get used to it. You just have to almost fight with yourself to do the right things for this wicket compared to stuff that you do back home.”Benny Howell prides himself on doing his opposition research•Alex Davidson/Getty ImagesJacks’ team-mate Howell is ten years older, but the veteran allrounder has proven just as effective for Chattogram, particularly in the latter part of most of their innings during this campaign. He has been the leading scorer in the other end of a T20 innings, the last five overs.”If you come in a little bit earlier and you have some high-quality spinners in, it is not always easy,” Howell said. “I think facing the seam bowlers is a little easier on these wickets. I am lucky enough to come in towards the middle or end of the innings where I get to face majority of seam bowlers.”I do a lot of my research and study on what they plan to do, what their different change-ups are, so I know what to expect when I get in the game. It gives me a little bit of a head start, I think.”Howell is having a second wind as a batter, which he believes had a lot to do with his work with Julian Wood, the power-hitting coach who coincidentally has worked with the Sylhet franchise too. Howell said that they tried a lot of different things to improve his stance.”I actually focused a lot on my batting in the last two months leading into the BPL,” he said. “I worked a lot in the indoor school back in England. I always knew myself as a batter originally but my bowling took over as my main strength. I want to get back to my batting, so that I can add a lot more value to teams with my all-round game. It is probably why it has come off well in this tournament.”He [Wood] has worked out the best possible positions to be able to hit a lot of balls for fours and sixes, that normally with the traditional batting stance might not be able to have the power to do that. I have worked with him with all the heavy bats and light bats, heavy balls and light balls, to improve my bat swing and bat power.”Chattogram Challengers face Khulna Tigers in the BPL Eliminator on February 14•Chattogram ChallengersJacks also believes the BPL has helped him become a better player of spin.”I think there are two different ways of playing spin. I think when I play spin in England, there’s less spin and more bounce. You can play it in a completely different way, and still score quickly. To score quickly here, I have been sweeping a lot. I have also probably used my feet more than I have done in England. I feel my game against spin has grown considerably,” he said.As good as he is, Jacks remains on the fringes of the England T20 side and missed out on the tour of the West Indies earlier this year. But he’s learning to take all that in his stride.”There’s a little bit of disappointment there but it is not something that I will be held up on,” he said. “I know that if I score runs, hopefully my opportunities will come around soon. The England squad is ridiculously talented and one of the best in the world in white-ball cricket. It is incredibly hard to break into that team.”Howell too harbours dreams of playing for England. He has done well for Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred, and believes that when the call comes, it will be due to his growing catalogue of skills that now includes bowling legitimate offspin and legspin. He has switched to being a spinner during certain overs in the BPL.”I think you have to keep it simple with your own game,” Howell said. “You roughly know your role by your batting position, and you have to adapt to situations wherever you bowl. I have been quite relaxed. Luckily it has come off well with the bat.”My bowling hasn’t been as good as it has been in the last few years. But I am happy with I have also managed to get my legspin and offspin out in the game. It adds values to the team, and especially pushing to play for England. That ambition will never stop.”

The finish at the 2011 World Cup final remains the most memorable Dhoni moment, but how did he get there after starting out as a flamboyant pinch-hitter?

Deivarayan Muthu15-Aug-202091* v Sri Lanka, Mumbai, 2011Setting: It’s the final of the 2011 World Cup, India are 114 for 3 and the asking rate is creeping towards six in a chase of 275. Enter Yuvraj Singh, the player of the tournament Dhoni.He had managed all of 150 runs in seven innings before the final, but he knocked on the window of the dressing room and told coach Gary Kirsten: “I want to go in next”. The rationale behind the promotion was that he was better equipped than Yuvraj to handle Muttiah Muralitharan. Yuvraj was twitchy against quality spin even when at his best, and Dhoni had the benefit of having faced Muralitharan’s variations, including the , at the Chennai Super Kings nets in the IPL.ALSO READ – Sidharth Monga: The star we don’t knowFor a long time, Dhoni did not hit a single boundary, and it was Gautam Gambhir doing the heavy lifting. Then Muralitharan dragged one down outside off, and Dhoni laced it to the cover boundary. He collected a run-a-ball 22 off Muralitharan and later brought the roof down at the Wankhede when he scythed Thisara Perera over backward point. The asking rate and Sri Lanka’s attack was now at Dhoni’s mercy. He sealed it in the most emphatic fashion, launching Nuwan Kulasekara into the stands beyond long-on. Boom! India had won the World Cup after 28 years and set the gold standard for limited-overs cricket in the years to follow.148 v Pakistan, Visakhapatnam, 2005Setting: Let’s go back to 2005, when the legend of Dhoni started to take shape. In only his fifth ODI innings, Dhoni, shoulder-length red-tinted hair and all, was bumped up to No. 3 by captain Sourav Ganguly after Sachin Tendulkar was run out for 2.After walking out with a swagger and punching gloves with Virender Sehwag, Dhoni disdainfully punched Pakistan’s seamers over point like Sehwag used to. Abdul Razzaq was cracked over point, Mohammad Sami and Naved-ul-Hasan were sent through extra-cover off the front foot, and Shahid Afridi wasn’t spared either as Dhoni surged down the track and launched him over extra-cover, copping a mouthful from the bowler.Dhoni moved to his first ODI hundred off 88 balls, and then showed off his full range, unfurling scoops, sweeps and down-the-track leg-side mows to leave Pakistan wondering what had hit them.Up at No. 3, Dhoni smashed what remains the best score by a wicketkeeper-batsman in ODIs•Getty Images183* v Sri Lanka, Jaipur, 2005Setting: Six months later, another ferocious assault from No. 3, this time in a chase of 299. Tendulkar gone early again. Dhoni strides out, rolling his shoulder and windmilling his arms.He showed he could be more than a pinch-hitter and finished the steep chase with a fine cocktail of power and calculation, even drawing comparisons with Tendulkar’s Desert Storm. His unbeaten 183 off 145 still remains the highest individual score by a wicketkeeper-batsman in ODI cricket. ALSO READ: Master of the Endgame: the MS Dhoni collectionThe carnage began when he smote Chaminda Vaas over extra-cover for a brace of sixes, and then showed decisive footwork against Muralitharan, picking his with ease. His first fifty came off 40 balls, the second off 45, and the third off a mere 38. All told, 120 of his 183 runs came via boundaries, including what would become a calling card: finishing the job with a six.72* v Pakistan, 2006, LahoreSetting: The five-match series is locked at 1-1. After being sent in, Pakistan post 288 on the back of Shoaib Malik’s 108. When Dhoni joins Yuvraj in the middle, India still need a run-a-ball 99 against a formidable attack led by Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul.And Dhoni alone muscled his way to 72 off 46 balls, the dasher had become the king, of finishing games. He latched on to anything that was remotely wide of off and unleashed punches like a boxer. When his body was targeted, he pulled away with precision. Slower deliveries were swatted away, including one over mid-off with one hand. From 18 off 20 balls, he zoomed to a 35-ball fifty and killed the chase, leaving the then Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf in awe of his strokeplay as well as his hairstyle.Take the game deep, smash a few and sprint a few – the Dhoni trademark•Getty Images113 * v Pakistan, Chennai, 2012Setting: India’s top four are all bowled by full, swinging deliveries. Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina don’t last long either. On a scorching day in Chennai, India are feeling the heat – literally and otherwise.Two of Chennai’s favourite sons – Dhoni and R Ashwin – though absorbed it and saved the innings with a resolute 125-run stand – the highest ever for the seventh wicket for India. From 29 for 5, Dhoni dragged India to 227 for 6. He tiptoed along in the early exchanges and later ran hard in the middle overs in the Chepauk furnace.He willed himself into running ten twos, one three, and 44 singles and, by the end of the innings, he could barely stand. However, he teed off in the slog overs. In the final over bowled by Junaid Khan, Dhoni rolled out an outrageous shot, scything a yorker between backward point and short third man for four.
It was only fitting that he finished the Chennai tour de force with a double, but it wasn’t enough for India to win the series opener.44* v Australia, Adelaide, 2012Setting: After Clint McKay prises out Sehwag and Virat Kohli, Gambhir marshals the chase with a steely 90-something before Dhoni… sounds familiar?There were eerie similarities between this chase and the 2011 World Cup final. India were 178 for 4 in the 35th over in pursuit of 270 when Dhoni stepped out. A jab here, a dink there, and he put on 61 for the fifth wicket with Raina off 72 balls. Later, India needed 13 off the last over. Gambhir later reckoned India shouldn’t have taken it to the last over, but this was how Dhoni dealt with chases. It came down to 12 off four balls. Dhoni v McKay. The bowler missed his length, and Dhoni sent it towards the Adelaide hill for a 112-metre six. Sure, it was a half-volley, but the almighty bat-swing was memorable enough to swoop into this list. The fourth ball was a beamer that was caught at deep square-leg, but Dhoni secured a double and then polished off the chase with two balls to spare.45* v Sri Lanka, Port-of-Spain, 2013Setting: Shaminda Eranga tears up the top order and then Rangana Herath whips up some magic on a pitch where one ball bounces and the other skitters through at shin height. The tri-series final is on the line.In the latter half of his career, Dhoni traded brute power for risk-free accumulation and reduced the contest to him v the bowler in the last over. On a treacherous Port of Spain track, Dhoni watched Raina, Jadeja, Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Vinay Kumar all fall around him in a chase of 202, but blocked and bunted his way to the last over, bringing the equation to 15 off six balls. It was down to Dhoni, No. 11 for company, v Eranga. He had a big swish at the first ball… and missed. The second was full and wide, and it was biffed into the roof over Eranga’s head. From thereon there was only one result possible, and Dhoni finished it off with a six.

While every season is a big one, next season feels especially important for Tottenham Hotspur.

The club are finally back in the Champions League thanks to Ange Postecoglou delivering on his promise of winning something in his second year.

However, while he’ll enjoy the benefits of leading out a team in Europe’s biggest competition, new boss Thomas Frank will be under pressure to improve the club’s dire Premier League form that saw his predecessor get the sack.

Fortunately, Daniel Levy and the board are not hanging him out to dry this summer, having already spent £55m on Mohammed Kudus and working to bring Morgan Gibbs-White to N17 for his £60m release clause.

The Nottingham Forest star would be an excellent addition to the squad, but Spurs might be better off signing another attacking ace they’ve previously been linked with.

Why Spurs want Gibbs-White

While we think there might be a better option out there, it’s easy to see why Spurs want to sign Gibbs-White this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

After all, not only does he have an abundance of experience in the Premier League, but he was also seriously effective for Forest last season.

For example, in 38 games across all competitions, totalling 3142 minutes, the 25-year-old ace scored seven goals and provided ten assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or one every 184.82 minutes, and under the tutelage of the attack-minded Frank, you’d expect those numbers to improve in North London next season.

Another reason the Lilywhites might be keen to land the midfielder is that he’s a homegrown star and has already won four caps for the Three Lions, which is always great for the marketability of a player and his own development.

Finally, at 25 years old, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers gem is neither past his peak nor someone who will need time to develop; instead, he’s a prime age player who can come in and make an instant impact.

Yet, for everything there is to like about Gibbs-White, there is another international we reckon Spurs should sign instead: Xavi Simons.

Why Spurs should sign Xavi Simons over Gibbs-White

While it appears the club’s attention is now on Gibbs-White, they have been linked with Simons several times this summer.

Moreover, with his reported price tag also being around £60m, switching their focus to him wouldn’t incur additional costs.

With that said, why should they opt for the Ducthman over the Forest ace?

Appearances

33

38

Minutes

2763′

3142′

Goals

11

7

Assists

8

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.57

0.44

Minutes per Goal Involvement

145.42′

184.82′

Well, the first argument comes down to their output from last season, as in his 33 games for RB Leipzig, totalling 2763 minutes, the Amsterdam-born ace, who one analyst has dubbed “one of the best 10s in the world,” scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.

In other words, he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 145.42 minutes, which is far better than what the Englishman could manage.

Moreover, the former PSV Eindhoven gem has more experience at the very highest level of the game, making 13 Champions League appearances thus far and playing a major role for the Netherlands at the last Euros.

Another key advantage the 22-year-old has is that he’s more positionally versatile than the former Wolves star and is comfortable in the ten, off both wings and even up top.

Ultimately, both players would be brilliant additions to the side, but due to his significantly better output, experience beyond his years and the fact that he can comfortably play all over the pitch, we reckon Simons would be the better signing.

With all that said, Spurs would be clever to bring in both.

Gibbs-White will love him: Spurs huge admirers of £80m Premier League star

Tottenham Hotspur’s huge transfer window has shown no signs of slowing down in recent days.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 14, 2025