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New Zealand will be cheering for PNG as their Super Eight hopes hinge on PNG beating Afghanistan

S Sudarshanan13-Jun-2024Match detailsAfghanistan vs Papua New Guinea
Tarouba, 8.30pm localBig pictureAfghanistan have had a dream start to their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign. Having brushed past Uganda in the opening fixture, they dealt a killer blow to New Zealand and are comfortably placed to make the Super Eight.In the previous edition in 2022, Afghanistan were part of Super 12 but couldn’t register a single win, losing three games and the other two being washed out.Much of their success so far this year has been down to their openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran. They added 154 against Uganda and 103 against New Zealand, with Gurbaz hitting fifties in both games. The flip side is that the middle order has not had enough time in the middle. It could hurt them as it almost did when they lost 6 for 55 after their opening stand against New Zealand.It could well be their achilles heel against nearly-men PNG. They are yet to win a match but defending 136 in their opening game, they had West Indies in a spot of bother. In their next outing, they made Uganda work hard for a target of 78.The sluggish conditions in Tarouba could level the playing field, even though Afghanistan have the skills suited for those. PNG’s plethora of medium-pacers and spinners would want to leave a mark at the Brian Lara Stadium. And the team will have a whole bunch of New Zealand fans cheering for them, as their hopes of making the Super Eight hinge on, among other things, PNG beating Afghanistan.Form guideAfghanistan WWWWL (last five T20Is, most recent first)
PNG LLLWWIn the spotlight Over the last two years, Ibrahim Zadran’s consistent performances saw him cement his place at the top of the batting order across formats. He has turned out to be the perfect foil for Gurbaz, improving his range of shots as well as his T20I strike rate (117.91 in 2024, up from 102.91 in 2023). That has meant the scoreboard did not come to a halt when Gurbaz wasn’t on strike. He finished the Qosh Tepa National T20 Cup, Afghanistan’s domestic competition, as the leading run-scorer, and has carried his form into the World Cup.Can Norman Vanua help PNG to their first win of the tournament?•ICC/Getty ImagesSeamer Norman Vanua is PNG’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is. The team felt his absence in the opening game of the tournament. But he made a successful return against Uganda, his 2 for 19 keeping the side in the contest. With PNG harbouring hopes of their maiden win in the competition, all eyes will be yet again on Vanua.Team newsMujeeb Ur Rahman missed the last game with a hand injury. If fit, he could come in for Noor Ahmad, who bowled just the one over against New Zealand.Afghanistan (probable XI): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Azmatullah Omarzai, 4 Gulbadin Naib, 5 Najibullah Zadran, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Noor Ahmad/Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq FarooqiExpect PNG to field an unchanged team.PNG (probable XI): 1 Assad Vala (capt), 2 Tony Ura, 3 Sese Bau, 4 Lega Siaka, 5 Hiri Hiri, 6 Charles Amini, 7 Kiplin Doriga (wk), 8 Chad Soper, 9 Norman Vanua, 10 Alei Nao, 11 John KarikoStats and trivia Sese Bau needs 54 runs to become the fourth from PNG to a 1000 mark in T20Is. No opening pair has added more runs than Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz in T20Is in 2024. Among those who have bowled at least 50 overs in T20Is since January 2023, Rashid Khan and John Kariko are the second- and the fifth-most economical bowlers.Pitch and conditionsThe surface in Tarouba played true to its sluggish nature during the game between West Indies and New Zealand. Because of rain in the lead-up to the match, some deliveries from the good-length area outside off stump kept alarmingly low, and it was not easy to hit through the line. There isn’t any rain on the forecast – though that might change – but captain winning the toss is likely to bowl first because of the dew around.

Sunderland are on the hunt for Premier League-level reinforcements and have entered the race for a prolific striker from one of Europe’s top five leagues, according to a report.

Sunderland set out stall to consolidate in the Premier League

Beating the drop will be the immediate priority for Regis Le Bris on Wearside, who will have to plan for life without duo Tommy Watson and Jobe Bellingham following their moves to Brighton & Hove Albion and Borussia Dortmund, respectively.

Despite receiving criticism, Kristjaan Speakman has explained that playoff final hero Watson’s departure being public was to promote transparency with supporters following the club’s decision to speak openly about his move to the South Coast.

Why is this relevant? Well, it could be a sign of things to come moving forward, which will hopefully lead to news surrounding incomings sooner rather than later.

Sunderland now want "exceptional" £37k-p/w star who could cost £30 million

The Black Cats are probing on the market.

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 13, 2025

Ishe Samuels-Smith is said to be on the Black Cats’ radar following his rise to prominence in Chelsea’s youth ranks. Meanwhile, Wolverhampton Wanderers star Tommy Doyle could also pitch up in the North East, circumstances permitting.

Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga has a £1.2 million release clause Sunderland are keen to take up. Nevertheless, recent reports suggest Le Bris may be looking to add to his pool of offensive options rather than prioritising a move for a defender.

Sunderland eyeing move for Sassuolo star Armand Lauriente

According to AS Roma Live, Sunderland are in the race to sign Sassuolo striker Armand Lauriente, and it would cost around £17 million to bring the 26-year-old to Tyneside.

Roma, Bologna, Fiorentina and Marseille are also interested in the former France Under-21 international, who will find himself playing Serie A football once again next season after his side claimed the Serie B title.

Armand Lauriente in 2024/25 – Serie B (Fotmob)

Shots

81

Shots on target

43

Successful dribbles

31

Chances created

37

Touches in opposition box

152

Labelled “amazing” by Jacek Kulig, Lauriente registered 19 goals and six assists in 34 appearances across all competitions and is now regarded as a hot property across Europe.

Intriguingly, the versatile forward has previously worked with Le Bris at Lorient, which may explain why the Black Cats have come to the table despite stiff competition from elsewhere.

The Premier League is the toughest in the world to crack, especially as a newly-promoted side, so it is interesting to see Sunderland set the bar high in their search for attacking potency.

Now, it remains to be seen whether they can tempt Lauriente with the prospect of starring for a returning force in the top-flight.

Leeds United supporters are in dreamland at the moment as Daniel Farke’s men – who notoriously make things hard for themselves – managed to lift the Championship title on the final day.

The true character and resolve of Farke’s men was on full display away at Plymouth Argyle, with a last-gasp goal from Manor Solomon managing to turn the tie around to gift Leeds that much-needed victory to be crowned champions.

Solomon’s memorable impact upon proceedings surely means he’s up there as one of Leeds’ best buys from last summer, with the Tottenham Hotspur loanee’s constant class a big plus during his team’s successful pursuit of Premier League football.

Solomon's promotion-winning heroics

Snapping up Solomon’s services, albeit on a temporary basis, would have been viewed as somewhat of a risk last August, considering the 25-year-old attacker’s injury-prone status back at his parent employers.

Indeed, across both the 2022/23 season for Fulham and the following campaign for Spurs, the dimunitive forward would miss a substantial 50 clashes owing to injury, which adds up to 425 days missing from action.

However, it’s fair to say he’s made up for all that lost time whilst on the books of Leeds, with Solomon uttered in the same breath as Elland Road legend Pablo Hernandez now when picking up a blistering 22 goals and assists this season from 39 league outings.

Leeds would love to hold onto their silky number 14 for good, with a potential now for one of Solomon’s teammates in North London to link up with the on-fire attacker in West Yorkshire.

Leeds could seal Solomon repeat with £30m "nuisance"

Of course, not every risky move in the transfer market pays off like Solomon’s did.

But, Leeds could be about to try and a seal repeat of the 25-year-old’s golden deal anyway with a new striker purchase, with The Boy Hotspur now reporting that the newly promoted side are just one suitor intrigued by a potential deal for Spurs attacker Richarlison.

Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are also named as keen onlookers, but Leeds will hope they can advance to the front of the queue for the Brazilian’s services, knowing full well he can be a lethal finisher of chances in the Premier League when on his A-game.

Unfortunately, much like Solomon, the South American is prone to a spell on the sidelines due to injury, but his superb goal record at the level when injury-free really does speak for itself.

Looking at the table above, the former Everton hero has managed to amass a sturdy 64 Premier League strikes from 241 total appearances in the competition.

Four of those have come about this season even whilst Richarlison has wrestled with various different injury issues, meaning he could kick on and be the star Farke desires up top next campaign when the treatment room is hopefully left behind.

Previously praised as a “constant nuisance for defenders” by current boss Ange Postecoglou, the £30m-rated forward’s arrival on the scene could just be what Leeds need to become clinical up a level.

Yet, splashing out such a high amount on an injury-heavy presence might well be deemed too risky, but as was seen in Solomon’s success story, hazardous deals are sometimes worth signing off on.

Pablo Hernandez 2.0: Leeds seriously eyeing move for "dazzling" £35m star

Leeds are interested in signing a Premier League star who could be the club’s new Pablo Hernandez.

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Dan Emery

May 4, 2025

Liverpool are now preparing an offer for an “outstanding” £77m striker, who is being targeted by a whole host of Europe’s top clubs, according to a report.

Reds stepping up pursuit of new striker

Darwin Nunez hasn’t been at the races this season, with the Uruguayan picking up just seven goals in all competitions, which is way below the number expected of a £85m player, so it is little wonder that the Reds are now stepping up their pursuit of a striker.

Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui is one option the Merseysiders have in mind, given the Italian’s stellar goal return this season, while they have started work on the signing of West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen, who could be an alternative to Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.

Last week, it was revealed that RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is also on the shortlist, with Arne Slot’s side said to be keen on a move for the forward, with Nunez looking increasingly likely to exit Anfield at the end of the season.

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There has since been a new update on Liverpool’s pursuit of Sesko, with a report from Caught Offside revealing they are now preparing a bid for the forward, but there could be fierce competition for his signature.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United are also planning to make offers for the Slovenian, while Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain headline the interest from abroad, and a deal is now expected to be on the expensive side.

Leipzig are said to have set an asking price of €80m – €90m (£68m – £77m), in light of the widespread interest in the 21-year-old’s signature, although the interested parties have reservations about shelling out a fee in that ballpark.

"Outstanding" Sesko could be "better than Haaland"

Scout/writer Jacek Kulig has praised the starlet in the past, describing him as “outstanding”, while his teammates also hold him in very high regard, having stated he is a better player than Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

Speaking in May last year, Sesko told the Gegenpress podcast: “My teammates at the club tell me that Haaland and I are very similar, especially in terms of speed. Most of them even tell me that I’m better than him.”

Much like the Man City star, the Slovenia international is an imposing figure, standing at 6 foot 5, and he has been very impressive in front of goal for Leipzig this season, picking up 13 goals and five assists in 31 Bundesliga outings.

With Nunez falling way short of expectations this season, Slot definitely needs to bring in a replacement this summer, and Sesko produced a stunning goal last weekend that even the most optimistic of Reds fans could envision Nunez toe-poking straight into the fans behind the goal.

Fresh from having been narrowly defeated by Nottingham Forest earlier this week, Manchester United are now gearing up for Sunday’s Manchester Derby – just under five months on from clinching victory in dramatic circumstances at the Etihad.

Having been trailing 1-0 heading into the final knockings of the game, an Amad Diallo-inspired comeback flipped the match on its head, with the Ivorian first winning a penalty following a clumsy foul from Matheus Nunes, before sealing the win in stoppage time with an expertly taken finish from the angle.

That euphoric finale ensured it was a fitting way for Ruben Amorim to seal his first win in the fixture, albeit – as is often the way at United – it was matters off the field that dominated the headlines both pre and post-match.

Indeed, the Portuguese coach had taken the bold decision to leave both Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford out of the matchday squad for the meeting with Pep Guardiola’s side, with the 40-year-old stressing that the pair had been omitted due to a “selection” choice, rather than due to illness or injury.

In the case of Garnacho, the 20-year-old has since forced his way back into Amorim’s good books, having notably scored in the recent win over Leicester City, although as for Rashford, the England international hasn’t been seen in a United shirt since, having subsequently moved on loan to Aston Villa in February.

From scoring the winning goal in the derby back in March 2016, the same fixture at the Etihad perhaps marked the beginning of the end for the 27-year-old’s time with the Red Devils, with a permanent exit looking almost inevitable this summer.

Marcus Rashford's rise at Man Utd in 2016

Three goals in a week have ensured that Rashford is again the talk of the town at Villa Park, with the United academy graduate having shaken off his Amorim-led exile to kickstart his stuttering career under Unai Emery.

Having spoken of his desire for a “new challenge” back in December, the high-profile star – who could join the Villans on a £40m deal this summer – appears keen to leave life at Old Trafford behind, ending his lengthy association with the Red Devils.

In truth, it looks set to be a sad end to a story that started so spectacularly back in February 2016, with Rashford soaring from unknown teenager to household name overnight, following his brace against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League.

That stunning display on debut – which had come amid a remarkable injury crisis in Louis van Gaal’s centre-forward ranks – was followed by another double just a few days later on his first Premier League appearance against Arsenal, with the 18-year-old cementing his status as the new poster boy at the Theatre of Dreams.

In all, the promising striker would end that 2015/16 campaign with eight goals to his name from just 18 senior outings, albeit with few having been quite as memorable as his winner against City on the road.

On what was just his fourth league appearance for United, Rashford proved the hero after surging past the ageing Martin Demichelis, before expertly slotting the ball past compatriot, Joe Hart, and sending the travelling fans into a frenzy.

Just under a decade on, the Red Devils head into a derby without their 138-goal graduate – who has scored six times against City – to call upon. Could Amorim, however, have the next Rashford ready to be unleashed instead?

Man Utd could be brewing the next Rashford

It is easy to forget just what an incredible story it was at the time of Rashford’s emergence onto the scene at first-team level, with the local hero even going on to end 2015/16 as part of England’s squad for the European Championships in France.

That journey was somewhat mirrored last season as Kobbie Mainoo – who was handed his first league start in November 2023 – subsequently played a vital role in the Three Lions’ surge to the Euro 2024 final, having also netted what proved to be the clincher in the FA Cup showpiece in May.

The midfield maestro is unlikely to feature this weekend, however, as the 19-year-old steps up his return from his latest injury setback, albeit with there the potential for another teenage talent to make his mark in the fixture, in the form of Chido Obi.

Chido Obi

Man Utd

7

Tom Wingate

Fulham

5

Amin Nabizada

Watford

5

Mason Cotcher

Aston Villa

5

Shim Mhueka

Chelsa

4

Finlay Gorman

Man City

4

Emmerson Sutton

QPR

4

Cruz Allen

Derby

4

Matty Warhurst

Man City

4

On Tuesday evening at the City Ground, Amorim’s men failed to score for the 11th time in the league this season, with the ex-Sporting CP boss resorting to throwing on Harry Maguire as a makeshift striker at the death.

With Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund having scored just six top-flight goals between them in 2024/25, a change needs to be made one way or another, with it perhaps an opportunity for Obi to have his own Rashford-like derby moment.

Described as a “goal machine” at academy level by data analyst Ben Mattinson, the Danish starlet was absent from the midweek defeat after starting in the U18s FA Youth Cup loss to Villa on Monday night, with Adam Lawrence’s side crashing out on penalties.

Obi had scored seven times in just three appearances in the competition prior to that, with his total tally at that age group for United standing at 12 goals from just ten outings thus far.

Signed from Arsenal last summer, the 17-year-old hasn’t quite emulated Rashford yet after failing to score in any of his four substitute appearances at senior level, albeit while certainly coming close in the FA Cup clash with Fulham, after being denied by Bernd Leno from the angle.

With United’s priority for the remainder of the season now the Europa League, Amorim may deem it wise to rest the likes of Hojlund and Zirkzee regardless, ahead of Thursday’s quarter-final, first-leg tie with Lyon.

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That could then allow Obi – who is ineligible to feature in Europe – the chance to secure a first start for Amorim’s side this weekend, with there perhaps no better time for the youngster to get off the mark.

Rashford, unfortunately, now looks to be at the end of a fruitful journey at Old Trafford. For his potential successor, however, hopefully, the adventure is just beginning.

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Questions will be asked about when SA will take the next step, but for now the answer is: not this time

Firdose Moonda02-Nov-20252:48

Wolvaardt: Reaching three finals shows we’re doing something right

The first time South Africa reached a World Cup final, at the home T20 World Cup in 2023, they were just happy to be there. The second time, a year later, they were spent from playing the game of their lives in the semi-final and beating perennial champions Australia. But the third – this time and also their first in the ODI World Cup – seemed set to be the charm, until South Africa fell short again.It’s worth remembering that’s all it was: they fell short. They neither disgraced themselves, nor choked. They lost a game of cricket against a team who were better, indeed who saw this as their date with destiny and sometimes, in sport, these things happen.Still, in the immediate aftermath, that did not soften the blow. Marizanne Kapp, probably playing in her last ODI World Cup, sat in the dugout, her eyes brimming with tears, and ignored the hand of comfort on her shoulder. Laura Wolvaardt and Nadine de Klerk sat together, the shock still writ across their faces, even as they feigned a few smiles. Tazmin Brits sat alone, staring at nothing in particular, what-ifs running through her mind.Spare a thought specifically for Wolvaardt, who is now the leading run-scorer in a single edition of any ODI World Cup and the second-highest World Cup run-scorer overall.With centuries in the semi-final and the final, eight catches in the tournament and increasingly more astute captaincy, she may feel she deserved more than a runners up medal, but sport can be cruel and Wolvaardt has been dealt a particularly tough hand.Related

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Ask her and she’ll probably say she’d trade in all those accolades for the trophy but she took defeat on the chin. “We were outplayed tonight,” Wolvaardt said at the post-match presentation before telling the press conference that she could already see the silver lining. “We’ll still look back at this tournament as having a lot of positives.”We’ve played some really good cricket throughout this tournament. At one stage we won five games in a row, which is pretty big for our group. We’re just searching for that consistency, which is something that we don’t necessarily have in bilaterals. So, I’m really proud that we’re able to perform in big tournaments.”South Africa came into this World Cup having won six out of 13 ODIs in the year preceding the tournament, which included a series loss to England and failing to make the final of a triangular series which included India and Sri Lanka.That they beat both India and Sri Lanka in the group stage and rallied from 69 all out against England before the knockouts to beat them by 125 runs in the semi-final speaks both to how bilateral form can rarely be a gauge for major tournament success and that South Africa can pick themselves up quickly when things go wrong.Those are both signs of a maturing team but still, just 12 years since professionalisation, they remain a work in progress.”We’re learning on the job and we showed that we were able to grow and actually get to the final like we did now,” Mandla Mashimbyi, South Africa’s coach, who has only been in charge for 10 months said. “To see how the team has progressed from the time that I took over, is a humbling experience for me. But at the same time, I’m excited because when nobody gave us a chance, we gave ourselves a chance.”Laura Wolvaardt kept the chase alive with a stunning century•ICC/Getty ImagesWolvaardt pointed to “different people” who “put up their hands at different stages” including how South Africa played against spin (the England and Australia blow outs which included an Alana King seven-for excluded) and how their spinners bowled.”That’s always been a big talking point with our group, is how we play spin so to make it to the final of the World Cup in subcontinent conditions (was rewarding),” she said. “Our seamers bowled pretty well in subcontinent conditions as well. They often bowled better than our spinners did, economy-wise. Kappie was great for us. And Nadine was excellent. It was really nice to see.”De Klerk’s finishing with the bat against India and Bangladesh and Kapp’s five-for in the semi-final will be talked about for years to come, but so will Nonkululekho Mlaba’s 13 wickets, which puts her as the joint fifth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.For all the celebration of individual contributions, there also needs to be an acknowledgement of which players did not perform, coupled with the empathy that comes with such an assessment.Everyone goes into a tournament wanting to give their absolute best but for some, that just doesn’t happen. Anneke Bosch scored just 35 runs in six innings at the tournament, including three ducks, and dropped Shafali Verma on 56 in the final, a chance that cost South Africa 31 runs. There were arguments to be made for leaving her out of the final XI in place of an extra seamer like Masabata Klaas but South Africa always felt they needed a batting cushion for a big chase.That may also be because they stuck rigidly to the pre-tournament plan of using Sinalo Jafta at No.6 and though she looks better than she has than at any other stage of her career, she still uses up too many dot balls. Jafta twice made her career-best at this World Cup, but her tournament strike rate was under 70 and at this level, South Africa needed more.Naturally, South Africa will wonder about the plans they didn’t make and chances they didn’t take but some perspective will remind them that they still defied expectations getting to the final. They also continued a line of excellence that stretches back to 2023 when this same team broke new ground by becoming the first senior side to reach a World Cup final. But they can’t ride on that forever even though they are doing what they can to see the bigger picture.”Cricket in South Africa is thriving. Sometimes things have to go wrong to go right and I think that was the case,” Mashimbyi, who worked extensively in men’s domestic cricket before moving to the women’s team, said. “In terms of the talent that’s coming through in South African cricket in both men and women, it’s actually quite scary. The future of South African cricket looks bright.”But now that they can reach finals (six across all formats, genders and age-groups since that T20 final in 2023) questions will be asked about when South Africa will take the next step and win trophies. For now, the answer is: not this time.

The India captain’s high-risk batting has made sure there is no jeopardy as the chase enters the middle overs

Sidharth Monga08-Nov-20231:20

Kumble: Rohit and Kohli key to India’s World Cup success

Rohit Sharma has scored more powerplay runs, quicker, at a higher average, hitting more fours and more sixes than anyone at this World Cup. It is a staggering statistic. For a batter who built his game on watchful starts. For a team that is built on conservative starts and big runs from star batters. For a captain to take that high-risk role on and not delegate it to a younger batter.At least for the last ten years, India have consistently been among the best two or three sides in limited-overs cricket. However, that has been down to the sheer quality of players. Nobody can accuse them of being the most modern or tactically the sharpest side despite always having been among the best.Ever since Rohit has taken over the reins, though, he and coach Rahul Dravid have looked to push themselves out of their comfort zones. One of the areas India could push themselves in was putting a slightly lesser price on their wickets in the early and middle overs and being more enterprising. Rohit knew he had to lead by example if he wanted other batters to follow suit.Related

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Rohit has been trying to hit a boundary to 30% of the balls inside the powerplay. Only Travis Head has been more enterprising, but not with as much success. Rohit has been in control of 77% of those boundary attempts, which is incredible efficiency. As a result, India are behind only Australia in scoring quickly in the powerplay. Australia have played more higher-scoring games than India, and both their openers are going for it as opposed to one for India.While India have generally been looking to be proactive in the powerplay, the extent Rohit has taken it to has perhaps surprised even the management. “It is his idea, he is taking the initiative,” the batting coach Vikram Rathour said. “There are no set strategies at a World Cup. We are looking to maximise, looking to score as many runs as we can. And if the surface is good, and if he feels he can go for it, he does.”It has perhaps helped that the ball has not swung much when India have batted. Possibly the plan was to watch a couple of overs with each ball and then cash in on the second half of the powerplay. It seems Rohit has seen the lack of swing, and started going much earlier.The pressure it has put the opposition bowlers under was apparent in how many unforced errors South Africa made with the new ball in what was being seen as the final before the final. It was a tricky pitch on which the spinners were not going to be easy to face. The headstart that Rohit gave India allowed Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer to take their time and take no risks against the dangerous Keshav Maharaj. That is a luxury India need with Nos. 8 to 11 not offering much with the bat.Not that Kohli can’t deal with the demand of scoring quicker than his team-mates, but these starts from Rohit take away the pressure of scoring quickly. And when Kohli needs to score at only five an over, he is pretty much invincible. He is able to make sure he bats deep into the innings so that India don’t miss the batting depth.Vikram Rathour on Rohit Sharma: “He is playing the way he wants the team to play”•ICC via Getty ImagesIn a tournament where chasing has not been easy, Rohit’s starts have made sure there is no jeopardy as the chase enters the middle overs. The presence of Kohli perhaps gives him the confidence to play the high-risk game as was seen in the first match against Australia.Rathour was asked if the coaches asked Rohit to bat that way. “He feels he is batting well, and if he feels the wicket is good and he can go for his shots, he is going for them,” Rathour said. “That has been working out really well for the team.”The most impressive aspect of the way Rohit has been batting is that it didn’t come off at first. Now, batters are known to be extremely particular with what brings them success. It would have been easy for Rohit to say he gave it a shot, but it didn’t work out, and it is best for him and the team that he goes back to his tried and trusted methods. Rohit, though, kept at it.”It takes a lot of conviction,” Rathour said. “That is why he is a great batsman. He always has the conviction. He is one guy who is leading with his actions. He is playing himself the way he wants the team to play.”There is no guarantee India will finally take those final two steps after dominating the league stage once again, but for once, thanks to almost revolutionary batting from Rohit, you can’t accuse them of not being with the times.

Before the IPL, there is one more T20I against Sri Lanka which gives him more time to get into his groove

Saurabh Somani29-Jul-2021Before India’s second T20I against Sri Lanka, the last time Kuldeep Yadav had bowled in a T20 game was in IPL 2020, a competition in which he played only five games out of a possible 14 for the Kolkata Knight Riders. He bowled 12 overs in those five games, for one wicket only. The last time he bowled for India in a T20I was back in January 2020 against Sri Lanka. He conceded at 9.50 runs per over when Sri Lanka’s overall scoring rate was 7.10 in a total of 142 for 9.To find the last time Yadav picked up more than one wicket in a T20 game while conceding runs at less than nine an over, you have to go back to February 2019. There is a neat before and after division for Yadav, very marked in T20s, in 2019. Until IPL 2019, he could do no wrong, as an average of 19.43 and an economy rate of 7.32 showed. Since IPL 2019, those numbers ballooned to 42.33 and 8.61 before Wednesday’s T20I.He had a full Murphy’s hand of bad luck, bad performance, and bad timing in the last two years. It took a pandemic to get a regular spot in the XI back on India’s tour of Sri Lanka, beginning with the ODIs, where he began well. He might not have played the T20Is, but was fortunate enough to be one of 11 men left in the original squad who didn’t have to isolate after Krunal Pandya tested positive.Related

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Ironically enough, while luck played a part in him getting a look-in again, Yadav wasn’t quite lucky when actually bowling in the game. He should have had Dasun Shanaka lbw with his second ball, struck plumb in front. Not given on the field, India erred by not opting for the review. He could have had Dhananjaya de Silva caught behind in his second over, but Sanju Samson couldn’t latch on to a sharp chance off a bottom edge. He then should have had Minod Bhanuka on the first ball of his third over, only for Bhuvneshwar Kumar to spill a fairly straightforward chance running back from point.Yadav also had a boundary conceded in his fourth over when it should have been a single, due to a fumbled stop at long-off. Every over he bowled, he was on the wrong end of the luck divide. On another day, Yadav will bowl in exactly similar fashion and end up with something like 4 for 20, instead of the still creditable 2 for 30 he had on his T20 return.What Yadav did was impress India’s bowling coach Paras Mhambrey enough to declare that the spinner was on track to strengthen his chances for selection to the T20 World Cup.”He is an extremely talented bowler. And he’s a thinking bowler,” Mhambrey said after the match. “There were a lot of discussions we had during the period before the games that we spent together. We were seeing videos, discussing plans. It all boils down to execution, so the credit should be given to him and the way he has taken it up. Yes, there’s challenges, and yes he’s been on and off, in and out of the team for a while now – which he knows. He also knows that he needs to work hard to maintain his position, which he’s doing. I’m so happy to see that, and very happy as well with the results that he’s getting. I’m sure he’ll take a lot of positives from this. Thinking ahead, the World Cup is also round the corner, he’ll really increase his chances to be part of that squad.”After the first ODI, Yadav had admitted to feeling the pressure and nerves that accompanied a long absence from international cricket. “Pressure… nervousness is always there when you play, and I was playing after a long time,” he had said.Yadav had also spoken of how sitting on the sidelines breeds self-doubt, even from the most well-intentioned help. “There are many people who want to help you, talk to you. But if you talk to too many people, then you create doubts within yourself also,” he had said.Pressure, nerves, doubt, they were all by-products of an extended time on the bench. Yadav is bowling in an era of unprecedented depth in Indian cricket, which means time on the bench comes with the territory. There was no greater showcase of depth than the fact that an Indian team already missing several first-choice picks who are in England, had to make do with a lopsided XI where Bhuvneshwar Kumar batted at No. 6 for the first time in his international career – and still managed to squeeze Sri Lanka to a last-over win.Yadav’s bowling was particularly impressive given the low total that India were defending, and how they needed all their spinners to do the twin jobs of tying down runs and getting wickets.The T20 World Cup is still some way off, and whether Yadav ultimately makes it might have more to do with how he, and the other spinners in contention, perform in the second half of the IPL. Before that, there is still one more T20I against Sri Lanka, which gives Yadav more time to get into his groove. He grabbed his opportunity with a good performance when he got to bowl in a match, and has a second one in the last T20I. After months of bowling in the nets, getting game-time and doing well might feel like several steps forward in itself, World Cup or no World Cup.

Real Madrid have now informed Liverpool about their final decision on Ibrahima Konate as 2026 approaches.

Arne Slot reveals "conversation" with Liverpool hierarchy

Arne Slot’s dream Anfield move commenced with a Premier League title in his debut season, but since then he’s endured the ultimate nightmare. The Reds are in historically bad form, losing nine of their last 12 games in all competitions, and serious questions are beginning to be asked about the Dutchman’s tenure.

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Liverpool have never been a sacking club, but recent reports have dropped names like Ange Postecoglou and Andoni Iraola as the pressure continues to grow on Slot. Whether Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes decide to pull the trigger on either of those names remains to be seen, however.

Slot’s had his say on the matter, revealing conversations with Liverpool’s hierarchy and telling his squad to “fight on” in the face of their disastrous run.

Up next, the Premier League champions travel to West Ham United in desperate need of three points. It is simply a must-win game for Slot, who will only have the backing of the club’s hierarchy for so long.

Ahead of their trip to the London Stadium, fixing their defensive issues should be Liverpool’s priority – starting with solving Konate’s form just days after he’s been informed about Real Madrid’s final transfer decision.

Real Madrid inform Liverpool about final Konate decision

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Real Madrid have now told Liverpool that they have no interest in signing Konate, despite rumours that they were set to pursue the Frenchman at the end of his contract next summer.

The Reds looked destined for a Trent Alexander-Arnold repeat, but Konate has seemingly played himself out of a move to the Bernabeu next summer – leaving the ball firmly in Liverpool’s court.

Whether both parties can now strike an agreement over a new contract is the big question. Konate’s recent form has left him in a weaker negotiating position, but there’s no doubt that he’s an important member of Slot’s backline at his best.

Dubbed “tremendous” by former Manchester City star Micah Richards last season, the Frenchman simply has to get back to his best if Liverpool are to turn their torrid run of form around.

He’s one of just two fully fit central defenders, with Joe Gomez not yet ready to step in, so has no choice but to play himself into form – especially if he’s after a pay rise up from his current £70,000-a-week deal.

"Oh my god", "Sackable" – Carragher rips into Liverpool star in behind-scenes footage

The New York Yankees will be adding an important piece back to the starting rotation on Sunday as Luis Gil is set to make his season debut against the Miami Marlins.

Gil has missed the entire season up to this point due to a lat strain he sustained in the spring. He was placed on the 60-day IL and missed the first four months of the year, but is finally ready to make his long awaited return to action.

It's not all good news for the Yankees, however. While Gil is returning, the team announced that Jonathan Loaisiga would be placed on the 15-day IL in a corresponding move, retroactive to Aug. 2.

Loaisiga is dealing with a back injury and was sent back to New York from the team's road series in Miami in order to be evaluated by the team's physician.

Loaisiga has had his career derailed by injuries in recent years. He made just 17 appearances in 2023 and pitched just three times in 2024. This year, he missed the first month and a half of the season before returning to action in May. He's made 30 appearances this season with a 4.25 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings.

At the earliest, Loaisiga could potentially be reactivated on Aug. 17, though it remains to be seen if he'll be ready to return when first eligible.