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In a difficult season, the franchise has backed the same players to deliver even if they hadn’t quite done that earlier

Shashank Kishore20-May-20232:21

Should Jitesh be India’s next T20I wicketkeeper?

The more things change, the more they remain the same. This common refrain perhaps best sums up Punjab Kings season after season; IPL 2023 was no different.Take the last six seasons for example. They’ve had four designated captains – R Ashwin, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and now Shikhar Dhawan – and four head coaches – Brad Hodge, Mike Hesson, Anil Kumble and now Trevor Bayliss.This merry-go-round at the top can be unsettling for the players, at least the young Indian uncapped lot. But in what has been an anomaly, there’s been a growing sign of the team backing the same players to deliver even if they hadn’t quite done that earlier. Now, as they reflect on another season gone by, there’s an opportunity for them to build on these investments as they begin to bear fruit.Related

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Prabhsimran Singh joined the franchise ahead of 2019 but had only played six games across four seasons. This year, he had the role clarity. To give them explosive starts and allow Dhawan to anchor the innings. It wasn’t a blockbuster season, but his 358 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 150.42 provided more than glimpses of his ability.His 65-ball 103 on a Kotla deck against Delhi Capitals where most batters struggled on the two-paced nature of the surface told you of a special player who is capable of taking pitches out of the equation when in his element. Prabhsimran’s backing is unlike what the Kings have done, but here’s is a chance for them to help elevate his game.”I think the talent was always there with him, the maturity has changed,” Kings’ bowling coach Sunil Joshi said. “He started thinking about the game. He started thinking and respecting the bowlers also. That has helped him a lot, staying calm in different situations.”Then there’s Shahrukh Khan who has been branded a finisher for years now and has been with Kings for three seasons. The raw numbers will tell you he doesn’t have a T20 fifty across 33 innings in the IPL.He has failed more than he’s succeeded, and perhaps that’s simply down to the nature of his role, but the one common factor has been the team’s faith in him. This year, he featured in all 14 games but only once batted over 20 balls in an innings.On Friday night, he delivered, albeit belatedly. His 23-ball 41 not out at No. 7 gave Kings a total they didn’t look like getting at one point. In doing so, he gave more than a glimpse into his methods.It wasn’t like he was blindly swinging at every delivery. He came into bat in the 14th over and saw out Yuzvendra Chahal’s threat, fully knowing he could inflict damage later on a small ground. And against a wonky attack that has struggled in the death overs, he unleashed those big hits in the end.Shahrukh doesn’t premeditate; instead, he reacts to the ball and trains for it the same way. “I think my practice is paying off. I am reacting properly at practice to each and every ball I play. That’s the reason it’s paying off here,” he said during the season. “If I go too cheeky, I don’t think it will work for me. So, I just have one thing on my mind. I look to play straight. If anything is here and there, I try and adjust.”Jitesh Sharma ended the season with 309 runs at a strike rate of 156.06•BCCISuch clarity isn’t rare, but the ability to stick to methods that work for him and to have the belief that it will pay dividends, is.Then there’s Jitesh Sharma, whose rise has perhaps been a direct byproduct of the faith and opportunities the franchise has given him. He broke through last year after being scouted by Kumble and has shown a quality few Indian batters have – a no-holds barred approach, the ability to get go right from the outset with a fair degree of success.His power game and calmness at the same time have come in for plaudits. Like it did on Friday night, when he walked in with Kings 50 for 4 in the seventh over. Now, this can cause a few doubts to a few. Jitesh was clear the scorecard wasn’t a reflection of the surface and tried to pick his spots almost immediately.Sure, it didn’t come off, but the intent to go for it was unmissable. He somewhat made up for his relatively slow beginning – 30 off 23 – by taking apart Navdeep Saini for a sequence of 4,6,4 with each of the hits peppering different parts of the ground. In going for a fourth, he was out. But you could see he backed himself to go big once set. He ended the season with 309 runs at a strike rate of 156.06.It’s as much credit to Dhawan as it is to the team management that they’ve been willing to back players in roles they thrive at, even if it hasn’t always paid off. Dhawan himself has had a tough first full season with the Kings, and their history is replete with constant chopping and changing.Now is an opportunity for them to nip that in the bud and punt on this core that has given them an inkling of what is to come in the future with some backing and plenty of opportunities.

How do bowlers deal with dew? Dale Steyn and Ajit Agarkar tell us

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi and Raunak Kapoor23-Apr-20213:33

Dale Steyn – ‘I’ve seen many a bowler run in and bowl waist-high full tosses’

No IPL in India goes by without dew becoming a talking point. It has an impact on the toss and overall game plans. The 2021 tournament has been no different, with MS Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings captain, saying the early start times (7.30pm as opposed to 8pm) give an unfair advantage to the team batting first because the dew is yet to set in. KL Rahul, the Punjab Kings captain, suggested teams bowling second be allowed to change a wet ball.What exactly is the problem that dew poses, particularly to fast bowlers in the death overs? We asked former international fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Ajit Agarkar to break down the challenges.

What happens to the ball when it is wet?

Ajit Agarkar, former India fast bowler: It’s leather, so the water keeps seeping in, the seam becomes greasy, and it is very difficult to hold the ball on the seam.Personally, because my foot landed at an angle and then there was a pivot, I used to struggle a lot if the bottom of the shoe was a little wet or greasy, or if there was a lot of mud on it. When the foot landed, it didn’t stick in the [damp] pitch for the pivot to happen; and when the foot slipped, I had no control of what happened at the other end.When the ball is slipping through your fingers, you don’t really have control over the length. You set the field for a particular ball but the execution doesn’t happen like you want it to.Plus, it skids off the pitch, which becomes a little bit easier for the batsman. To consistently bowl the balls you want becomes a lot harder.Dale Steyn, former South Africa fast bowler: I back everything he said. Your run-up becomes difficult when you land. You feel like you are a little bit unstable because you can slip. The ball becomes extremely greasy in your fingers. The seam and the leather just become extremely slippery.And once the ball hits the deck, it also loses that bounce, because it is now a little wet. So if you were to going to bowl a back-of-a-length ball, it often doesn’t get as much bounce, which means that if you like to hit the stickers of the bat, now you are hitting more of the centre of the bat, where you don’t exactly want to hit.The ball actually completely loses its swing. So if you are thinking at the back end of an innings to target a little bit of reverse swing or get the ball to dip, because it’s dry on one side and a little wet on the other, that goes completely out the window too.A slippery, greasy, wet ball is probably one of the most difficult things to control when it comes to bowling.

Can you practise by getting the ball wet during training?

Steyn: You can. It is less practice with the ball and more mental practice – training your brain that this is the situation. You can’t exactly create the same amount of dew in practice as you would have in a game. No two [wet] balls will be the same. You can’t be certain the ball is going to be wet as opposed to a dry ball, where you know, okay, I can run in and if I let it go like this, it’s gonna land exactly there. It is really just training your brain to understand that this is going to be extremely

“Jasprit Bumrah he looks like he just nails his yorker regardless. Lasith Malinga was another one that just seemed to, regardless of the dew, nail his lengths”Dale Steyn

When you are doing it in practice, and you get maybe seven out of ten, you do feel a little bit better as opposed to going out in the game and it being completely foreign to you. You are just thinking to yourself, “That’s it, this game is over”, when, effectively, you could get the ball in the right place having known you have done it in training.

So you can’t exactly simulate the situation while preparing?

Agarkar: Obviously not. Plus, the ground is not wet either [during training]. I mean, try bowling with a wet bar of soap. It can be practically impossible when there’s a lot of dew. It makes life easier for the batsman, but as a bowler it just becomes so much harder to land the ball on a spot. Then it becomes difficult to control the runs as well.

Does the dew hurt more when you are bowling second?

Agarkar: It gets progressively worse as the game goes on. That’s why one-day [day-night] games now start a bit earlier in India – at 1.30pm as opposed to 2.30pm. The team fielding second are at more of a disadvantage because it just keeps getting worse. It does not matter how much chemical is sprayed or how much the rope [to mop up the dew] goes around or [whether] the Super Soppers are used.

How does dew tend to mess up bowling plans at the death?

Steyn: Sometimes you are thinking of a particular way you want to bowl. You go “Okay, cool, tonight you know the plan is that to this batsman we are going to bowl yorkers.” And then you come across the dew factor. I’ve seen many a bowler running in and bowl two waist-high full tosses, almost shoulder high. And that’s it. You are out of the attack. It can really go pear-shaped.That’s when you have to start to think on your feet a little and drag your length back.Commentators or people watching the game might start to go: “Why did that guy bowl a back-of-a-length slower ball as opposed to running in and bowling a yorker when we know that, as an example, [Kieron] Pollard’s not good at [facing] a yorker?”That really is because you are scared that the outcome is not going to be what you want it to be. You have bowled one yorker and it’s a full toss. You have been given the warning. Now your captain comes to you and says, “Another one like that, my friend, and you are out of the attack.” So you start to change your thinking.Dew diligence: when dealing with a wet ball and a wet surface, bowlers often lose control of not only the ball but also the way their feet land•Arjun Singh/BCCI

So what is the best length to bowl in such situations?

Agarkar: It depends on the day. There might be days where it is wet but you are still getting the ball full enough or landing it well. I found it a little bit easier to bowl length. My [bowling] arm was anyway a little bit lower, so the ball did skid through and if I did bowl that in-between length, I had a chance of getting away with it if there was no real room or it wasn’t too short. Maybe the batsman can’t time it properly [against the skidding ball] if you are straight enough.The yorker is the toughest ball to get right when the ball is wet, because from landing on the crease to keeping your action depends on trying to bowl full and quickly. Cross-seamers are something that a lot of bowlers try because it becomes difficult to grip the seam [upright], but the control or execution of every ball then becomes a challenge.Steyn: I preferred to bowl a hard back-of-a-length. Bowling a yorker is hard at the best of times with a normal ball. And now you are trying to do that with this wet bar of soap. It becomes impossible.In T20 cricket, at least, you are using one ball. When you are playing one-day cricket, you can be bowling from the one end and the ball might not be as wet, and you are absolutely nailing your yorkers. But then your captain switches you to the other side. You run in, bowl a full toss and you just know you’ve got to completely change your game plan. I have to go cross-seam and bowl hard lengths. You really have to play it on how you are feeling out in the middle, explain it to your captain, get the right field setting, and you just have to back it and hopefully it comes off.

Are there some bowlers, in particular, who have done well in these conditions?

Steyn: I have never really played with somebody like Jasprit Bumrah, but he looks like he just nails his yorker regardless. Lasith Malinga was another one that just seemed to, regardless of the dew, nail his lengths. But I guess that was his go-to ball. He just felt confident he can do it. And maybe the guys who run in slightly slower. When they land on the crease, they are more in control of themselves. They are probably going to bowl at the same speed, but everything is a little bit more in control.And like Ajit said, when running in as a fast bowler and trying to bowl as quickly as you can, a little bit of a slip here, a little bit of a movement here – this game is by inches. You miss your yorker, it’s a waist-high full toss, and the ball goes out of the ground.So probably for Bumrah and Malinga, the dew never seems to bother them, but I can guarantee you, for the rest of the world, it’s always in the back of your mind.

Some IPL captains have suggested the ball be replaced during the second innings to compensate for the dew. What do you think?

Steyn: Yeah, it can be. But then, you know, teams are also going to be holding out against it because the team that batted first may not have had the ball swapped over as many times.

What about a pre-decided change for both innings?

Steyn: I guess so. Also, for the safety of the sport. You are going to be running in and looking to bowl yorkers. There’s a chance that the ball can slip out of your hand. When I played a game for the Royal Challengers last year, I actually asked the umpire: “Please, can we change this ball? This is a crucial time of the game and I feel like I’m going to bowl a waist-high full toss.” He opted not to. I had to bowl the back-of-a-length ball.It was the last batter. He got under it and got caught on the long-on boundary. Had they changed the ball and had it been a newer ball, it probably would have gone for six. So I was both lucky and unlucky at the time. Maybe if you are looking to come into the back end to bowl and there is extreme dew, changing the ball is the best way. But you’d be almost doing it once every two or three balls.Agarkar: That seems to be the best solution. How you get it done is a challenge. Certainly it is a completely different ball game when it is a drier ball in your hand.

Tottenham hung on to a rather uninspired 0-0 draw away to Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday, but stellar goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario wasn’t their only shining light in France.

Vicario saves Tottenham with 10/10 display in European stalemate

Without doubt, Spurs’ number one, who’s come under fire recently for his handling of crosses into the box, was Thomas Frank’s saviour against the Ligue 1 side.

Monaco ended the 90 minutes with a whopping 21 shots on goal and threatened to break the deadlock constantly, and if not for Vicario’s heroics in the Lilywhites goal, Spurs would’ve almost certainly tasted their first European defeat of the campaign.

The home side had chance after chance to win the game, and ex-Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun will still be wondering how he didn’t notch at least one strike in the first-half alone.

21

Shots

10

9

Shots on target

4

50%

Possession

50%

399

Passes

328

91%

Pass accuracy

89%

13

Fouls

12

0

Yellow cards

1

0

Red cards

0

1

Offsides

1

5

Corners

4

Alas, Monaco’s nine attempts on target were all saved by Vicario, with the Italian undoubtedly enjoying one of his best games for the club during what was a night to forget overall for the north Londoners.

Spurs were without captain Cristian Romero – one of 10 players unavailable – and Frank again shuffled his pack with £52 million playmaker Xavi Simons only on the bench and Archie Gray surprisingly recalled at left-back.

Gray was quickly involved, blocking an effort by the excellent Maghnes Akliouche before Vicario saved from Balogun, and Tottenham’s makeshift full-back then intercepted Ansu Fati’s pass after a dangerous run.

The visitors threatened for the first time after 20 minutes when Wilson Odobert clipped a ball in for stand-in captain Micky van de Ven, but he could only head over under pressure.

It was then Vicario’s turn to step up as he clawed away a dangerous cross by Akliouche before Balogun peeled off van de Ven, but the Spurs goalkeeper raced out to block bravely.

Seconds later, Odobert slipped in Richarlison, who had a left-footed shot thwarted by Mohammed Salisu.

However, Tottenham were indebted to Vicario again in the 36th minute. Balogun again found space and was picked out by Mamadou Coulibaly, but the Italian keeper brilliantly parried away Balogun’s curled shot from 12 yards.

It remained goalless at the break after Kevin Danso sent over a corner by Kudus – not long after, he headed straight at Philipp Kohn, but he was subsequently penalised for a foul.

Akliouche put Joao Palhinha on his backside at the start of the second half only to scuff his effort straight at Vicario before Odobert cut inside and had a shot deflected over by Kehrer.

Monaco remained on top and Vicario pushed wide a shot by substitute Aleksandr Golovin before he scrambled across his goal and looked mightily relived when Kehrer headed past the post from a Fati cross.

Vicario’s next heroics came in the 75th minute when Caio Henrique’s cross found Jordan Teze and yet his close-range header was superbly blocked by Spurs’ busy goalkeeper.

Takumi Minamino squandered another golden opportunity with seven minutes left when he blazed over from Balogun’s cut-back. When Spurs did finally fashion a chance late on, substitute Brennan Johnson’s effort was blocked by Christian Mawissa, and it finished goalless.

Media praise Wilson Odobert after "best game" for Tottenham against Monaco

While Vicario has grabbed all the headlines with Tottenham’s creativity letting them down yet again, members of the media did lavish Odobert after his fine performance at the Stade Louis II.

The 20-year-old, who was unfortunately forced off through injury midway through the second period, looked like Spurs’ brightest attacking player and created more chances in the first-half than all of his teammates combined.

Odobert earned plaudits as a result of his direct and forward-thinking play in the first period, with the former Burnley star threatening down Spurs’ left-hand side and injecting some much-needed pace into the game at times.

Podcasters Seb Martin, Ben Bowman and Jonny Blain were among the media figures to point this out, while journalists Matt Verri and Jack Pitt-Brooke also found time to praise the Frenchman.

Reporter Mitch Fretton joined in on the act as well, claiming Odobert looked “absolutely excellent” against Monaco, but regrettably for Frank’s side, Vicario and the forward’s performances were as good as it got.

Now, Frank is sweating on the fitness of Odobert, praying that the attacker’s injury isn’t a serious one.

He had just started repaying the Tottenham manager’s faith after four successive starts in all competitions, so a lengthy lay-off would be unbelievable bad luck.

It might not have been pretty, but Liverpool have that winning feeling again, having ended their recent rut with a deserved 1-0 win away at Inter Milan on Tuesday evening.

There few highs, but also – more importantly – few lows at San Siro for Arne Slot’s side, with the reigning Premier League champions looking far more comfortable than they did just days earlier amid the chaos at Elland Road.

Perhaps that speaks to the gulf in quality that has opened up between the Champions League and England’s top flight, although, regardless, seeing off last season’s losing finalists is no mean feat. Slot needed that.

Having been vindicated in his decision to leave out Mohamed Salah for the trip to Italy, the title-winning Dutchman’s ruthless streak might well be beginning to pay off.

The issue is, the Egyptian isn’t the only problem still to be solved, with more members of last season’s glorious side still looking way off the pace.

Liverpool's worst performers against Inter in numbers

Now, this isn’t to try and pop the balloon following what was a much-needed victory for Slot and co, although the former Feyenoord boss himself would admit that his side were far from perfect on the night.

Indeed, a string of absences – and not just that of Salah – saw the Reds lineup with something of a new-look forward line, albeit with it taking a controversial Dominik Szoboszlai spot-kick to eventually settle the affair.

All eyes were on the pairing of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike – with the night marking just their second start together all season – yet, perhaps as to be expected, there was little in the way of fluency or dynamism, even with the visitors posing the greater threat during the first half, in particular.

Isak, in particular, endured yet another frustrating outing to continue his Merseyside woes, with the £125m Swede regularly failing to make things stick through the middle, losing the ball on eight occasions from just 25 touches, as per Sofascore, prior to being withdrawn on the 68-minute mark.

While the price tag may suggest otherwise, the 25-year-old shouldn’t necessarily be the only avenue for concern, with it also proving a difficult outing for Joe Gomez at right-back.

Accurate passes

Jones (67)

Duels won

Mkhitaryan (8)

Aerial duels won

Van Dijk (3)

Successful dribbles

Ekitike (5)

Touches

Bastoni (94)

Key passes

Akanji (3)

Possession lost

Dimarco (17)

The Englishman was safe and steady, although he provided little attacking flair, having lost the ball 11 times himself, while failing to provide a single successful cross or key pass, having won just a solitary duel all night.

The Anfield side looked far more progressive and threatening with substitute Conor Bradley unleashed down that side, with the hope being that the Northern Ireland star can remain injury-free heading into a hectic festive period.

Slot will surely wish to bring the academy graduate into the starting lineup on a regular basis, although one man who could fall out of the reckoning is last season’s star, Alexis Mac Allister.

Liverpool's new Joe Allen & Lucas Leiva

Central to what made Slot’s side so impressive last term was the midfield unit, with the Dutchman reinvigorating Ryan Gravenberch in that deep-lying role, while also finally getting a tune out of Szoboszlai in an advanced, attacking berth.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

It was also, however, another fine campaign for that man Mac Allister, with the 2023 summer arrival from Brighton having cemented his status as “one of the best signings” that the club had made in the FSG era, in the view of DaveOCKOP.

The World Cup winner was the key, the glue keeping it together in the centre of the park, having also showcased his attacking flair with 13 goals and assists in all competitions.

From that knack for delivering clutch moments, the Argentine has frustratingly tailed off this time around, with his effort against Real Madrid earlier this season having been his only goal to date in 2025/26.

With just two assists also added into the mix, the 26-year-old is morphing into Lucas Leiva and Joe Allen territory at present, representing a solid but unspectacular option at the heart of the midfield.

Indeed, neither man was particularly adept at making the difference in a creative sense, with Allen scoring just seven goals in 132 games during his time at Anfield, while cult figure Leiva also netted just seven times himself, albeit from 346 total games.

To compare Mac Allister to such a limited pairing might appear hyperbolic, although again on Tuesday night, he was distinctly lacking any spark or flair, having failed to provide a single key pass, nor attempt a single shot or dribble.

He did win six of his seven ground duels, while losing the ball just five times, but again, there was that risk-averse feel to his performance, echoing those sorry days of Allen and Leiva lining up in the Brendan Rodgers and early Jurgen Klopp era.

As already stated, Mac Allister’s prior work ensures he remains one of FSG’s “best signings”, not least considering his bargain £35m fee, although like many of his teammates, the former Seagulls star simply doesn’t look like the player of 2024/25.

As bad as Isak vs Inter: Liverpool mainstay must now be axed by Slot

Liverpool secured a significant victory at Inter Milan in the Champions League.

ByAngus Sinclair 5 days ago

With the pressure growing on Arne Slot, Xabi Alonso has reportedly made his mind up on taking the Liverpool job if it becomes available at the same time that he potentially leaves Real Madrid.

For the first time in Slot’s Liverpool career, serious questions are being asked about his tenure. Last season’s Premier League title win has provided him with plenty of credit but, as Jamie Carragher pointed out on Monday Night Football, not everyone is still convinced that he’s still the man for the job.

After eight defeats in 11 games, the Dutchman simply has to turn things around. The Reds backed him by breaking their transfer record twice in the summer and spending over £400m, but are yet to see that investment pay off.

The most concerning aspect of Liverpool’s recent run is that nothing has changed. Slot has persisted with the same system, which only provided false dawns against Real Madrid and Aston Villa.

Now, with Alonso also under pressure at Madrid, Liverpool could be presented with a tempting opportunity to make a sensational change.

Xabi Alonso makes Liverpool decision

According to Football365, Alonso is now ready to take the Liverpool job if Real Madrid decide to sack him. The Spaniard has been put under increasing pressure by reports that Vinicius Junior has decided against signing a new deal whilst the manager is in charge.

As Real Madrid are forced to decide between their star man and their new manager, it’s Liverpool who could take full advantage.

For many, the big question has centred around who would replace Slot if Liverpool decided to sack the Dutchman. In Alonso, they’d have the perfect answer.

The Reds were interested in a reunion with the Spaniard before they hired Slot and could now get what they initially wanted over a year later.

Forget Leoni: 19-year-old academy star could end Konate's Liverpool career

Liverpool’s French centre-back has been abject in Slot’s system this season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 24, 2025

Although a lot of pieces will need to fall into place, there’s little doubt that Alonso would be welcomed with open arms at Anfield.

"I'm told" – Romano shares what Slot thinks about his own Liverpool future

The San Diego Padres topped the Detroit Tigers 2-0 on Tuesday and, in the process, did something no MLB team has ever done.

San Diego shut the Tigers out behind seven immaculate frames from Nick Pivetta and two clean innings from relievers Jason Adam and Robert Suarez. It continued a pattern of dominance from the team's pitching staff. It was the seventh shutout of the season for the Padres, and they became the first team in major league history to total seven shutouts in March/April.

The Friars are now tied with MLB's best record at 17-7. Their seven shutouts are tied for the most ever through 24 games, and the last team to accomplish the feat was the 1992 Atlanta Braves. That pitching staff wasn't bad; it featured Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Steve Avery, and Charlie Leibrandt.

As a team, San Diego enters Wednesday's action second in MLB in ERA (2.77) and third in WHIP. Their relief corps has been stellar, posting an MLB-best ERA (1.43) that is more than a full run better than the second-place New York Mets (2.47).

Pivetta has been outstanding so far and is looking like the bargain of the offseason. The Padres waited out the market and signed the 32-year-old righty to a four-year, $55 million contract in mid-February. He has delivered so far.

After his win on Tuesday, Pivetta is 4-1, with a 1.20 ERA, a 0.77 WHIP and 30 strikeouts against seven walks in 30 innings. In five games he has already generated 1.4 WAR.

So far this season, the Padres are proving pitching wins games.

CPL 2025 got off to a low-scoring start in Basseterre, where St Kitts and Nevis Patriots rode on a stellar bowling performance led by Waqar Salamkheil to run out six-wicket victors over Antigua and Barbuda Falcons.After Jason Holder opted to bowl, Kyle Mayers, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naseem Shah left Falcons at 39 for 3 inside the fifth over. Salamkheil, the Afghanistan left-arm wristspinner, came on in the eighth over and was on target off his fourth ball, pitching just outside off stump and turning it back in to hit Fabian Allen’s stumps. He went on to spin out Shakib Al Hasan, Imad Wasim and Odean Smith to end with 4 for 22 from his four overs.Fortunately for Falcons, USA batter Karima Gore was in good nick, but with no other batter making a significant contribution, he had to pretty much go it alone. Gore’s 34-ball 61 included eight fours and two sixes, and Falcons would have wanted him to bat longer than he did after having walked out in the first over itself. As it happened, Farooqi returned to get rid of Gore in the 12th over, a slower delivery sliced high for Andre Fletcher, the wicketkeeper, to take a sharp running catch.All Patriots, the CPL 2021 winners, needed to score was 122, and though they got there quite comfortably, and never really looked in danger of not being able to, there was a little stutter in between thanks to Rahkeem Cornwall.Evin Lewis took off in a flash, scoring 25 in 13, before falling to Obed McCoy in the fourth over. Patriots made it out of the powerplay with just the loss of Lewis and 55 runs on the board, but in the seventh over, Cornwall sent back both Kyle Mayers and Rilee Rossouw. And suddenly, at 56 for 3, Patriots were looking just that little bit out of sorts.But Fletcher was playing a sedate knock, and in Alick Athanaze, Patriots found just the man for the job. Fletcher fell after scoring a 26-ball 19, to Salamkheil’s compatriot AM Ghazanfar at the end of the tenth over, but Patriots had reached 76 already by then. Athanaze, with an unbeaten 28-ball 37, and Holder, with 18 in 14 balls, finished the job from there with five overs in the bank.

No. 7 continues lower-order fightback before India lose Vaibhav Suryavanshi cheaply at start of reply

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay21-Jul-2025India Under-19 51 for 1 trail England Under-19 309 (Ekansh 117, Pushpak 4-76) by 258 runsEkansh Singh completed a superb hundred on a second day of England’s Youth Test against India that was severely truncated by rain.Only 28-and-a-half overs were possible between the cloudbursts but that was long enough for Kent right-hander Singh to compile 117 sprinkled with three sixes and 14 fours. Singh was last out, as England’s youngsters totalled 309, having shared an eighth-wicket stand of exactly 100 with James Minto who made 46.Naman Pushpak finished with 4 for 76 for India who lost teenage starlet Vaibhav Suryavanshi for 20 in reaching 51 for 1 before a thunderstorm ended play shortly after 5pmOvernight and morning rain delayed the start until 12.30pm and the showers returned 22 minutes later to drive the players off again. The intervening period was long enough for Ekansh to treat the smattering of spectators to four boundaries, including two sumptuous cover drives.It was 2.15pm before the game resumed but Ekansh had lost none of his rhythm, twice driving the ball back past the stumps for four as he continued to deal exclusively in boundaries on the day until he moved into the 90s. His battle with strike bowler Aditya Rawat was an engaging one, the seamer producing two excellent yorkers both superbly dug out by the batter. There would be no nervous 90s, Ekansh raising his 100 in the grand manner with a huge six over long-on.Minto provided great support, an uppercut over the slips for six resulting in a lost ball, necessitating the third change of the cherry in the short afternoon session.The 100-stand was raised before Minto chipped one straight back to Pushpak after which the end came swiftly. Alex Green became Pushpak’s fourth victim, before Singh holed out on the long-on boundary.India’s reply began in explosive fashion with Suryavanshi and his skipper Ayush Mhatre playing almost a shot a ball. The latter top-edged one over the slips before being given a life by Ralphie Albert when he spilt him at cover, Alex French the unlucky bowler.Suryavanshi meanwhile took a heavy toll of Green, nonchalantly driving him over mid-off for six before slashing one backward of square for another maximum. However, youthful impetuosity got the better of him when he pulled Green’s next delivery down the throat of fine leg – something of a waste, especially given three balls later the rain returned, forcing an early tea.Only 15 minutes more play was possible – just long enough for India to raise their 50.

Over the last couple of years, Manchester United have been a side who have splashed the cash in the transfer market to try and take them back to their former glory days.

In the last three years alone, the Red Devils have spent upwards of £800m on new additions, but the vast majority of which have failed to deliver and catapult them up the league table.

The club finished 15th in the Premier League last time around, with pressure piling on manager Ruben Amorim as a result of his lack of impact at Old Trafford.

Despite financial difficulties voiced by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, he handed the 40-year-old funds in the region of £200m to help improve his first-team squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

However, one player already at the Theatre of Dreams has struggled as of late, with a potential exit on the cards from the club in the months ahead, given his lack of impact.

The latest on Zirkzee’s future at Man Utd

Over the last couple of days, it’s been reported that United forward Joshua Zirkzee has been hugely linked with an exit just over a year after his arrival.

Last summer, the Red Devils paid a fee in the region of £36m for the signature of the Dutchman, joining the club from Serie A side Bologna with real expectations to improve the frontline.

However, the 24-year-old only netted three league goals last season and was unable to get himself off the mark in the opening weeks of the new season after staying put.

The big-money spent by the board over the summer has seen the player fall further down Amorim’s pecking order, subsequently failing to make a single start to date.

He’s only registered 74 minutes of league action in 2025/26, undoubtedly leading to his desire to leave the club and pursue a new challenge in the near future.

Current CEO Omar Berrada has previously stated that players who failed to make any impact in two years must be sold to avoid losing huge money – with Zirkzee certainly in that category.

However, he’s not alone in that department, with another current first-team member also on borrowed time given his lack of impact at Old Trafford in recent times.

The United star who’s on borrowed time alongside Zirkzee

United’s lack of success in the transfer market has undoubtedly contributed to their demise in the Premier League, which has increased pressure onto the shoulders of Amorim.

Some of the players already on the books before his arrival struggled to make an impact after his arrival, with Brazilian winger Antony just one player who ultimately failed to hit the ground running during his tenure.

He joined the club in a £86m deal from Ajax back in the summer of 2022, subsequently following Erik ten Hag to the club after his appointment during the same period.

However, the club decided to sell the 25-year-old this summer, with the forward moving to Real Betis for just £21m, seeing the hierarchy take a £65m loss on their investment.

Another example of their failure in the transfer market is highlighted in their move to sign Manuel Ugarte last summer, with the Uruguayan costing a fee in the region of £42m from PSG.

His arrival was seen as the perfect opportunity to improve the options in the middle of the park, but a little over 12 months after his transfer, he’s failed to nail down a place in the starting eleven.

Ugarte, who’s been dubbed a “wet blanket” by former Chelsea star Craig Burley, has only started two games this campaign, along with 22 in the previous season.

Games played

6

Matches started

2

Minutes played

242

Passes completed

40

Chances created

0.3

Fouls committed

3.4

Dribbled past

0.9

Interceptions

0.6

The Uruguayan’s underlying stats from the recent campaign highlight his inability to impress, which could ultimately spell the end of his time at Old Trafford in the near future.

He’s only completed an average of 40 passes per 90 this season, whilst only creating 0.3 chances per 90, subsequently showcasing his

inability to progress the play into attacking areas.

The 24-year-old has also committed 3.4 fouls per 90 to date, whilst also ranking in the 73rd percentile for being dribbled past – highlighting he often resorts to taking out an opponent if he’s struggling to dispossess them.

As a result, he’s often been selected behind the likes of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in such a role, with his move to England undoubtedly failing to reach the heights many anticipated.

After such a disappointing first year in the Premier League, it wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone to see him depart in the near future, subsequently raising funds for another talent to arrive in the process.

The new Yorke & Cole: Man Utd's "superb double-act" could save Amorim's job

Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke famously scored 53 goals as Manchester United won the treble in 1998/99, but has Rúben Amorim found a new “electric” duo?

ByBen Gray Oct 7, 2025

Joe Root says guilt at not being able to support Jos Buttler during his captaincy is driving the 34-year-old to continue in limited-overs cricket under Harry Brook. On Sunday, Root became England’s leading ODI runscorer, a feat capped with a career-best 166 not out to chase down a target of 309 in the second ODI against West Indies in Cardiff, sealing a series win in the process. It follows his ascension to the top of the English Test charts last October, when he moved beyond Sir Alastair Cook’s tally of 12,742 in the first Test of the Pakistan tour.Upon reaching 42, Root passed the previous highest of 6,957 achieved by Eoin Morgan. As impressive as Morgan’s runscoring exploits were, his captaincy was legacy-defining, overseeing a white-ball revolution that sent England to the top of rankings, capped off by winning the 50-over World Cup in 2019.Root, England’s top-scorer at that tournament with 556 runs, was a vital cog in Morgan’s machine. However, with priorities shifting, particularly in the final years of his own Test captaincy, he found himself playing less and less 50-over cricket. Even without the Test captaincy during Buttler’s tenure, Root ended up playing just 25 of a possible 47 ODIs.That included the dismal 2023 World Cup campaign, and an equally poor Champions Trophy earlier this year, which ended in Buttler’s resignation. Those tournaments sandwiched a 2024 in which Root played no white-ball cricket for his country.Now, with eight ODIs under his belt in 2025, and an 18th hundred in the bag, he is back to being at one with the format. And he admits his renewed drive comes from wanting to support Brook in the way he felt he had not with Buttler.Related

• Will Jacks embraces 'clarity' at No.7 as second England coming begins

• Adil Rashid: 'I've still got the hunger to be the best'

• Keacy Carty: 'I'm not just proud to be here, it's time to be impactful'

• Brook calls on England to forget the past after crushing opening victory

• Bethell: It was 'electrifying' to walk out with Virat Kohli at RCB

“I played a huge amount of cricket with Jos and almost felt guilty that I wasn’t there for him throughout a lot of his tenure,” Root said.”And now that there’s more chances and more opportunities to play ODI cricket, I want to be involved in that. I want play as much as I can for England and, if I’m going make the team better, then absolutely want to be there and involved in, in trying to do that.”Whether that’s helping in and around practice with the younger players as a senior bat, and sharing and expressing my experience with them to try and speed up their processes and their learnings. But also out on the field, I feel like I’ve still got a lot to give and there’s a lot more runs in there. Hopefully knocks like that show that.”Hopefully, this can be a team that is quite consistent and sticks together for a long period of time and we can start building something as a group together. It’s what we did really well leading up to that 2019 World Cup. I don’t think that counts for nothing.”Naturally, Brook was full of praise for Root, whose unbeaten 166 eclipsed the 146 for 7 that the rest of the team (plus extras) managed between them. It confirmed a first series victory as captain for the 26-year-old, achieved ahead of Tuesday’s third and final ODI at the Kia Oval. It also eases qualifying automatically for 2027’s ODI World Cup.Root was similarly full of praise for his new skipper, particularly his work in the field to restrict West Indies to 308 all out. However, he could not resist a familiar jibe at his Yorkshire teammate’s expense.”He’s still an idiot,” joked Root. “As much as he’s an idiot – and I can say that because I’ve known him forever – he’s very cricket intelligent. He might not always be the most intelligent away from cricket, but he understands the game exceptionally well and that’s why he’s so consistent as a batter. I think that’s what will make him a really good leader as well.”You saw today, he might see the game slightly differently and he might do things differently, but it asks different questions of a batter. There was a phase in the game today where we had quite unusual fields, but they found it hard to rotate. It built pressure, it led to wickets and we ended up bowling them out.”