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Kohli gave a peek into his preparation for ODIs by talking about his visualisation process and how he arrived early in Ranchi to prepare

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-20254:46

Takeaways – Kohli in comfort zone; Jansen, Kuldeep and Rana sparkle

Despite having played over 300 ODIs in a career of over 17 years, and 226 international matches across formats all over India, Virat Kohli arrived early in Ranchi ahead of the first ODI of the series against South Africa. Despite the wealth of experience he has and being an ODI great, he wanted to suss out the conditions and get a few batting sessions out of the way as he plays just the one format for India these days. And his mantra remains the same: giving 120%.It translated into a fine ODI hundred, his 52nd in the format, and helped India to a 17-run win in the opening ODI.”I’ve said it before if I’m arriving somewhere I’ll arrive at 120%,” Kohli said after receiving his 44th Player-of-the-Match award in ODIs. “[I came early] because I wanted to get hold of the conditions a little bit, bat a couple of sessions in the day and one in the evening, so my prep work was done. I took a day off before the game because I’m 37, I also need to look after the recovery. I visualise the game a lot in my mind, and as long as when I think about the game, if I see myself being as intense, as sharp, taking the fielders and bowlers on, then I know I’m in a good space and I kind of relax and play out there.Related

• Harshit takes the first step in fast bowlers' race for 2027 World Cup

• Stats – Kohli and Rohit smash records in Ranchi run-fest

• Kohli, Harshit, Kuldeep star to give India 1-0 lead

• Most sixes in ODIs – Rohit breaks Afridi's 15-year record

• Kohli dictates South Africa's reality from within his bubble

“Today was really nice to get into the game like that. The pitch played quite decently in the first 20-25 overs before it started to slow down. I just felt like let me just go out there and just hit the ball, not think too much about any of the other stuff, it’s just me and the ball coming at me and just enjoy the game of cricket which was the very reason I started playing this game. It was just about staying in the space of enjoyment, and of course, when you get a start and you get a situation then you know what you’ve done over so many years, the experience kicks in, and you understand the situation and you’re able to build an innings.”Being asked to bat, Kohli went out to bat in the fourth over to join Rohit Sharma after Yashasvi Jaiswal was caught behind for 18. Kohli got to his fifty off 48 balls and then his century off 102 balls in good batting conditions with captain KL Rahul at the other end. He finished on 135 off 120 balls that was studded with seven sixes – only the fifth time in his ODI career of 294 outings that he struck more than five in an innings and led India to a strong total of 349 in front of a packed house in Ranchi. It was his second ODI century of the year, the other being the unbeaten 100 against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy earlier this year in Dubai.”If you play 300-odd ODI games and so much cricket over the last 15-16 years, as I said if you’re in touch with the game and you know that when you’re hitting balls at practice, your reflexes are there, your physical ability is there to bat long, if you can bat an hour and half to two hours in the nets without taking a break, you’re kind of meeting all those markers. I understand if there’s a dip in form, you look for games and you try to get that form back. But as long as you’re hitting the ball well and you’re playing good cricket, I think at this stage with the experience that I have for me, it’s about being physically fit, mentally ready and excited to play the games that I’m playing, and more or less everything else should take care of itself.”I’ve never been a big believer of a lot of preparation. All my cricket has been mental. As long as I feel mentally I can play the game, I work physically very hard every day of my life it’s got nothing to do with cricket anymore, it’s just the way I live. So as long as my fitness levels are up and my enjoyment and mental sharpness is there, then you can visualise the game and you see yourself running as hard, reacting fast on the ball, then you know it’s fine. [I know] one of the days when the game opens up and you get a start, you’ll be able to score some runs.”

Arsenal have now reached out to the representatives of a former Man United star who’s come into his own since leaving Old Trafford, according to a new report this week.

On the field, Mikel Arteta’s side are preparing for a crucial North London derby against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

While the Premier League title frontrunners boast an imperious record against their rivals on home turf, Arsenal will be without star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, among others, after the Brazilian limped off against Senegal with a thigh injury on international duty.

Nothing but a win will do for Arsenal, who are both looking to claim the local derby bragging rights and steer clear of second-placed Man City.

Off the field, sporting director Andrea Berta continues making plans to strengthen the squad in future windows, despite spending nearly £270 million last summer on eight major signings to bolster Arteta’s title charge.

Arsenal hold talks with Scott McTominay's camp after Napoli resurgence

According to TEAMtalk, Scott McTominay’s remarkable renaissance in Serie A has triggered a transfer scramble among Premier League heavyweights, with Arsenal one of the latest clubs to hold discussions with the midfielder’s representatives ahead of a potential summer move.

The 28-year-old has been sensational since joining Napoli from Manchester United in a £26 million deal last year, notching four goals and an assist already this season, and his transformation from a United squad player to Serie A superstar has been nothing short of extraordinary.

McTominay won the Serie A MVP award for the 2024/25 season and earned a Ballon d’Or nomination, helping Napoli to secure their fourth Scudetto, establishing himself as a club icon in just one remarkable campaign.

More recently, his stunning overhead kick against Denmark, arguably one of the best Scotland goals ever scored, sent Steve Clarke’s side on their way to an historic 4-2 win over the Danes which confirmed their place at next year’s World Cup.

Last season, he made 34 Serie A appearances, scoring 12 goals and providing four assists, obliterating expectations for a player who was considered surplus to requirements in Manchester. José Mourinho has even called McTominay “one of the best midfielders” in Europe.

Antonio Conte views the Scotsman as his midfield ‘linchpin’, and TT report that Arsenal have sounded out McTominay’s camp alongside the likes of Tottenham, Everton and even his former club. However, any potential suitors face a significant hurdle.

Napoli have set a gargantuan price tag, with any bid below £71 million set to be dismissed out of hand.

While McTominay will require a hefty investment on Berta’s part, it is clear to see why Arsenal have taken an interest, with the in-form star’s future poised to be at the centre of debate over this next year.

There’s one batting spot in the XI to fill for Perth, and maybe a reserve player as well

Andrew McGlashan17-Oct-202410:42

Newsroom: How are Australia shaping up for the India Tests?

There have been a couple of key developments in Australia’s selection plans for the Test summer with Cameron Green’s back injury and confirmation that Steven Smith will move back down the order. But there remains a fascinating few weeks ahead with a combination of Sheffield Shield and Australia A matches for players to push their claims for a Test call-up.The likelihood is that the vacancy will be at the top of the order but there may also be a spot for another reserve batter in the era of concussion substitutes. Here’s a look at the runners and riders.

Marcus Harris

Harris has started the season well with 143 and 52, albeit on a lifeless Junction Oval surface, and has been named in the Australia A squad. Before that comes a potentially high-octane Shield clash against New South Wales where he will face Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott and Nathan Lyon. Harris has spoken openly about his frustrations after being overlooked in recent times having been a long-term back-up around the Test squad, but he retains significant support within the set-up. He lost his Test place one game after an excellent 76 on a tough pitch against England at the MCG, but overall an average of 25.29 from 14 matches leaves plenty to prove if another chance does come his way.Related

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• Mitchell Starc: Green absence changes dynamic for quicks

• Sam Konstas vaults into Australia A squad after twin hundreds

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• Marsh ready to bowl as much as Cummins needs him against India

“It’s not like it’s going to be the first time I’ve ever played for Australia A before a Test series,” he said last week. “There’s obviously always a bit of attention around those games. Pressure wise, I’m not going to be trying to put the same pressure on myself as I had before. It will just be a great opportunity.”

Cameron Bancroft

As with Harris, we are back to where we were 12 months ago amid the debate about who would replace David Warner. As history shows, that took an unexpected twist with Smith’s promotion – a move which has proved short-term. So Bancroft’s name is firmly back in discussions. A pair in the opening game of the season hasn’t changed anything – “There’s plenty of batters that have managed to get a feather on an early Michael Neser ball,” chair of selectors George Bailey said – and over the last couple of seasons Bancroft couldn’t have done much more to push his claims. He has averaged 50.67 in the Shield over the last two summers (even including that pair) with last season’s runs being particularly hard to come by.Sam Konstas is the name on everyone’s lips•Getty Images

Sam Konstas

He is the 19-year-old new kid on the block and generating plenty of excitement. Konstas has been compared to Ricky Ponting and joined him as a teenager to make twin hundreds in the Sheffield Shield. Bailey was careful to temper expectations and it would be a very rapid rise – and against the grain for Australian men’s cricket – if he was catapulted into the Test squad in a few weeks.”He’s in the mix as are plenty of others,” Bailey said. “I certainly don’t want to single him out. Think the consistency of Cam Bancroft over a number of years, the consistency of Marcus Harris over a number of years, they’ve both had a look at Test cricket as well, so don’t think there’s a need at this stage to put any undue pressure or expectation on Sam.”But the opportunity is there for him to make the selectors think hard. He will face Scott Boland at the MCG from Sunday before what will likely be a strong India A side. Another couple hundreds against those attacks and the momentum could be unstoppable.

Matt Renshaw

Renshaw was the reserve batter against West Indies and New Zealand earlier this year but has been overlooked for the Australia A squad. He made 6 and 15 in the opening round of Sheffield Shield against Western Australia. However, Bailey said that doesn’t mean the selectors have moved on from him, while also referencing a couple of other experienced domestic players who have had a taste of Test cricket.”We still really like Matt’s ability to play,” Bailey said. “As far as Australia A selection goes, part of the process around that is trying to identify opportunities that may come around in the short term but also making sure we do keep an eye on developing opportunities for those players who may become important in different roles in the future as well. Whilst there’s an Australia A squad there, I think Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, as three examples, are guys who we’ll continue to watch really closely in Shield cricket.”The other aspect is that even after the initial Test squad is named there will be three more rounds of Shield before the BBL for players to impress should back-up be needed during the series.

Nathan McSweeney

The South Australia captain would not be a contender to open the batting so a call-up for him would reopen the debate about an incumbent moving up to the top therefore appears an unlikely route, but McSweeney is very highly regarded, both for his run-scoring and his leadership. He will captain Australia A as he did last summer and has already started the season with an impressive match-saving 127 not out off 283 balls against South Australia.”I’m definitely confident in my game at the moment and if I were to get an opportunity I think I would be ready,” he said on Thursday. “But all I can do is to continue to focus on what I can control and that’s preparing well for South Australia and hopefully winning games for my state.”Beau Webster’s returns over the last two seasons have been outstanding•Getty Images

Beau Webster

An immediate question after Green’s injury was whether his replacement would be a like-for-like, or as close as could be found. That sounds an unlikely option with Bailey and Pat Cummins pointing out how often Australia have managed without an allrounder, while there remains confidence in Mitchell Marsh being able to bowl. Still, it is interesting to ponder the next in line given Green faces a lengthy lay-off.Webster, the Tasmania allrounder, has numbers that speak for themselves over the last two seasons. With the bat he has averaged 53.12 in the Sheffield Shield – including an opening-round hundred last week – while has taken 66 wickets with a combination of brisk medium pace and offspin. Add in bucket hands at slip and he’s an ultimate allrounder. The Australia A series is a chance for him to do it a level up and success there will keep him in the frame should there be a need for another allrounder down the track. His versatility could also put him in consideration for the Sri Lanka tour early next year.

Aaron Hardie

Alongside Webster, Hardie is the other emerging allrounder and had an excellent limited-overs tour of England, especially with the ball whereas overall his batting is his primary suit. Bailey told that there had been consideration to trying to get Hardie one of the Australia A matches but with Green’s injury it was felt he would be needed through the ODI and T20I matches against Pakistan. There may be an opportunity for him to bat slightly higher in the order in the ODIs. He is due to return to Shield action at the weekend where he will be expected to slot in as part Western Australia’s top order. Hardie hasn’t scored a Shield century since his unbeaten 174 in 2021-22 final although did make one for Australia A in New Zealand a few weeks after that. In the last two seasons for WA he has averaged 31.45 so he may need a big season to push his case.

And what about the bowlers?

There is probably less mystery about who will be the back-up to the big three. It appears unlikely that Lance Morris will be in consideration amid his managed return from back problems (and a more recent thigh niggle) which leaves Boland and Michael Neser leading the way. Sean Abbott was part of the squad when India last toured in 2020-21 and, along with Neser, is someone who would bring some extra batting depth.

Liverpool are in a dire rut of form at the moment and the pressure only ramped up on Arne Slot following their 3-3 draw with Leeds United on Saturday evening.

As if Slot didn’t think things could get any worse, what hasn’t helped is Mohamed Salah’s remarkable interview after the game.

The Egyptian has been on the substitutes bench for the last three games and according to reports, will not travel to Milan when the Reds face Inter in the Champions League this week.

What Mo Salah has said about his Liverpool future

Salah was in conversation with reporters after Liverpool’s dismal draw with Leeds at the weekend and it’s safe to say he did not cover Slot and Co in glory.

“‘I’m very disappointed, Salah began. “I’ve done so much for this club – everyone can see that – over years, especially last season, sitting on the bench I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That’s how I feel it.”

The Liverpool great continued: “It’s very clear that someone wants me to get all the blame. Club promised me a lot in summer. So far I I’m on bench three games, so can’t say they have kept those promises.

“I say many times I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship, I don’t know why. It seems like someone does not want me in the club.

“But again this club, I always support it. my kids will always support it. I love the club so much and I will always do. I called my mum yesterday because I knew I wasn’t going to start and told my mum and dad to the Brighton game [next Saturday].”

How Salah trained on Monday

Salah smiled and chatted with his teammates on Monday as he attended the club’s first training session since his outburst over the weekend.

He arrived on the training pitch in conversation with French striker Hugo Ekitike. Salah listened as Slot addressed the squad and then took part in a series of warm-up and passing drills, interacting with the likes of Curtis Jones, Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai.

The session was overseen by Slot who is really up against it now. Who the Liverpool board decide to side with, Salah or the Dutchman, will be very interesting.

While the results this season might suggest otherwise, West Ham United do have a fair amount of talent in their squad.

For example, when he’s not getting himself sent off, Lucas Paqueta can be a magician on the ball, and while he’s still raw, summer signing El Hadji Malick Diouf has an unreal cross on him.

Furthermore, Nuno Espírito Santo seems to be getting more out of Mateus Fernandes and has finally given Freddie Potts a proper run in the team, as fans have been calling for.

Finally, there is the club captain, Jarrod Bowen, who remains one of the best attackers in the Premier League, and therefore, fans should be excited about a young Potts-esque academy prospect who could well be the next Bowen.

Bowen's start to the season

Considering they finished down in 14th place, it would be fair to say that last season wasn’t exactly a great one for West Ham.

Yet, even though those around him were letting him down, Bowen once again proved he was one of the best attackers in the country by racking up a sensational tally of 14 goals and ten assists in 36 appearances, totalling 3148 minutes.

That comes out to a world-class average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 131.16 minutes.

So, with numbers like those, fans and pundits alike were expecting the former Hull City star to have another stellar personal campaign this season.

However, so far anyway, it hasn’t quite worked out that way.

In his 14 appearances, totalling 1260 minutes, the Hammers’ captain has scored three goals and provided two assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.8 games, or every 252 minutes.

With that said, it’s still early, and the start of the season was such a car crash that it feels almost unfair to judge him.

Moreover, Bowen has proved himself time and time again in claret and blue, so it’s likely just a matter of when and not if he rediscovers his best form and therefore, fans should be very excited about an academy product who could be West Ham’s next version of the Englishman.

West Ham's next Bowen

The good news for West Ham is that they have more than a few seriously exciting young prospects coming up through the academy at the moment.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The likes of Preston Fearon, Josh Landers and Emeka Adiele, for example, could all get their chance with the first team in the coming years.

However, when it comes to a Potts-esque youngster who could go on to be the club’s next Bowen, it’s impossible to ignore Andre Dike.

The 17-year-old gem signed scholarship terms with the club in July 2024, and while he had a good 24/25, he has reached another level entirely this year.

For example, in 12 appearances, totalling 987 minutes, he has already scored six goals and provided one assist, which comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.71 games, or every 141 minutes.

This ability to reliably produce goal involvements for his team is one of the reasons he could become the club’s next Bowen, and another is that he does so primarily from the right wing.

Moreover, like the first-team captain, he is more than just an output machine, as he’s got brilliant close control and an ability to create something from nothing, stemming from what Academy Manager Kenny Brown described as his “great technical ability.”

Finally, what makes him a Potts-esque prospect, you may ask.

Well, that is partly due to his impressive output, partly down to him being highly rated within the academy from people like Brown, and then partly due to him already making an appearance with the u21s despite being just 17.

Ultimately, there is still a long way to go for Dike, but West Ham look like they have a real talent in him and someone who could one day replace Bowen.

Nuno could solve big Lucas Paqueta blow by unleashing West Ham academy star

The incredible talent could be the perfect answer to Nuno and West Ham’s Paqueta problem.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 3, 2025

The allrounder is now a T20 freelancer and struck a deal with the selectors to miss the West Indies and South Africa series

Matt Roller14-Aug-2025It is mid-afternoon on a hot summer’s day in London, and Marcus Stoinis is sitting on the members’ benches in the lower tier of the Lord’s Pavilion. He has spent the last two hours training on the Nursery Ground and, yet to look at his phone, he is anxious to learn the result of Australia’s T20I against South Africa, more than 8,000 miles away in Darwin.”Has it finished?” Stoinis asks. It has: Australia have lost by 53 runs, their first defeat in 10 matches. “I was watching it on the bus, but we just had training so I missed most of our batting innings,” he explains. It is an unusual scenario for him, albeit one that he is growing used to: a regular in Australia’s T20 team since 2018, he has now missed two series in a row.The curious aspect is that Stoinis has not retired from T20Is, nor has he been dropped. His non-involvement owes to conversations he instigated with Andrew McDonald and George Bailey – Australia’s coach and chief selector – earlier this year, and he still hopes to be selected for upcoming series against New Zealand and India with an eye on the 2026 T20 World Cup.Related

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• Bailey declares Weatherald 'in the mix' for Ashes

Stoinis has been a freelancer – without a national or state contract – for the past year, and remains in high demand in leagues around the world. It is a lifestyle that suits him, and deals like his £200,000 direct signing with Trent Rockets are hard to turn down. “There’s no better place to play,” he says, ahead of Thursday’s fixture against London Spirit at Lord’s.”The nature of it is that you can’t select yourself in an Australian jersey, but you can sign a contract to come and play in the Hundred,” Stoinis explains. “When this opportunity came up, I spoke to Cricket Australia, I spoke to Ron [McDonald] and we made a plan around that, really… When you’re planning it in advance, that makes it easier.”He has retired from ODIs but remains available for T20 selection, and Bailey confirmed last week that he will be “firmly in the mix” for next year’s World Cup. “We are very lucky,” Stoinis says. “We do it very well in Australia. The relationships that I’ve got with both Ron and Bails means you just have those conversations pretty openly.”His absence has created opportunities for 23-year-old allrounder Mitchell Owen in the middle order, who impressed in the Caribbean last month. “Maybe it’s because I’m older, but I want him to do well,” Stoinis, who turns 36 on Saturday, says. “We were just with each other during the IPL [at Punjab Kings] and it’s been good for him to play different roles.Marcus Stoinis’ most recent appearance for Australia came last November•AFP”I’m also fully aware that myself and Maxi [Glenn Maxwell] – and, more recently, Timmy David – have been holding that spot through the middle of Australian cricket for a long time. It’s very hard for other, young people to come through and have a crack at that… You need to bring through the next generation as well. It’s no-one’s spot.”He has found it “weird” watching his team-mates from afar but seems at peace with the decisions that he has made. “You share a few messages after the games and have a laugh… They say playing for your country should be the best time of your life, and for me it has been. But I don’t feel like it’s done yet.”Life as a freelancer has meant the best part of five months on the road for Stoinis. He spent from mid-March to early June in India for the IPL – contracting Covid-19 during a short trip home when the league was suspended – then flew back to Australia to get his visa sorted for Major League Cricket. He had two weeks off after that, then was back to the UK for the Hundred.He occasionally employs a personal chef in India and, along with Tim David, trains with Jim Allenby – the former Glamorgan allrounder, now a coach – when he is back in Perth. But he generally looks after himself and relies on the staff at his various teams, rather than travelling the world with an entourage in tow as a tennis player or a golfer would.Marcus Stoinis shakes hands with Harry Brook•Andy Kearns/Getty ImagesIt is a happy coincidence, then, that his Melbourne Stars coach Peter Moores is involved in the Rockets’ backroom staff, and he has also worked with Andy Flower before at Lucknow Super Giants. Graeme Swann has been arranging the team’s golf days, and they are a happy bunch after starting the season with wins over Birmingham Phoenix and Northern Superchargers.Stoinis played in the Hundred three years ago with Southern Brave, and says that he has wanted to return ever since. He will have family at Lord’s on Thursday night, and his girlfriend Sarah arrives next week: “Whenever an Aussie plays in England, the family sees it as a good opportunity to make the trip over. It’s somewhere where everyone wants to be.”He has noted the presence of new team owners in the Hundred, and expects Cricket Australia will follow suit with the BBL. Players have an obvious vested interest in private investment and Stoinis is unsurprisingly supportive, arguing that it is the obvious direction of travel – even if he still sees the chance to play in next year’s T20 World Cup as his main personal ambition.”Thinking about the IPL owners and what they’ve done with the IPL, you want people that have got a track record of building something that’s very good. If they do that, it’s great for them, but it’s also great for English cricket or for Australian cricket… It’s a pretty clear path to me, as to where most of cricket’s going.”

Pakistan may be sitting at the bottom of the Super Four table after another fairly convincing defeat against India, but their best performer on the night felt the game showed what Pakistan were capable of. Sahibzada Farhan, who dominated the first ten overs of the contest and scored a 34-ball half-century, was confident Pakistan were well set up to put themselves on the board against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.”The way we batted today, the boys are very confident,” Farhan said, speaking after the game against India. “The wickets in Abu Dhabi are true and the ball comes onto the bat, and we’ll play to win.”Unlike Sri Lanka, who have played two of their four games in Dubai, Pakistan’s four matches at the Asia Cup have all taken place there. Without a formal training session, they will go into a game which may end up proving an eliminator for the losing side, with Sri Lanka having begun the Super Fours with defeat to Bangladesh. Farhan, though, dismissed the idea that preparation was a concern.Related

• Similar goals, similar problems: SL, Pakistan resume borderline sappy yet competitive rivalry

“We’re very well prepared. The boys are confident ahead of the Sri Lanka game because this wasn’t a one-sided game; it was one we took right to the end.”That increased optimism is largely down to Farhan himself. His start, particularly in the way he took down Jasprit Bumrah in the powerplay, as well as the aggression against Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel in the four overs that followed, took Pakistan to 91 for 1 in ten overs, their highest midway total against India. Despite a post-drinks slowdown which robbed them of momentum, Pakistan posted 171, requiring India to complete the highest successful chase of the tournament for victory.”I worked a lot on my six hitting,” Farhan, who hit three sixes and is Pakistan’s highest run-scorer of the tournament, said. “When I used to score runs before, there were very few boundaries among them. If we’d won this game, it would have been very valuable to me. Performing against India is very highly rated but I just regret we didn’t win the game today.”The mistake we were making in previous matches was losing wickets early on and not utilising the powerplay. This time around our powerplay was brilliant, with 91 in 10 overs. There was a collapse in the middle and we’ll look to rectify that.”When, with a six of Axar, Farhan reached his half-century, he opted to celebrate in a manner that raised eyebrows at the time, with Farhan cocking his bat and miming the firing of a gun. It was just one of the flashpoints in an ill-tempered game between the two sides, though Farhan said there was nothing to read into it.”That celebration was just a spur of the moment. I rarely celebrate when I get to fifty,” he said. “But when I got there I suddenly got the idea of celebrating, and so I did without knowing or caring how people would interpret it. We should play aggressive cricket against any team, not just India, the way we played today.”Farhan hoped Pakistan and India aren’t done with each other yet in the Asia Cup. “We’d love to be able to meet India again in the final.”Their trip to Abu Dhabi is likely to have a huge say in determining how realistic that ambition is.

He is understood to have hurt his hand during a first-division club game in Chennai last Sunday

Deivarayan Muthu15-Aug-2025

Tamil Nadu captain R Sai Kishore will miss the pre-season Buchi Babu tournament with injury but is hopeful of recovering in time for the Duleep Trophy, which is set to begin in Bengaluru on August 28.It’s understood that Sai Kishore had hurt his hand while intercepting a drive from M Shahrukh Khan in his follow-through during a first-division club game at the Guru Nanak college ground in Chennai last Sunday.Related

Prithvi Shaw set for Maharashtra debut in Buchi Babu Tournament

Tilak Varma to lead South Zone in Duleep Trophy

Sai Kishore, 28, is part of the South Zone squad that will start its campaign on September 4 at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.In the absence of Sai Kishore, Pradosh Ranjan Paul will take over as captain of the TNCA President’s XI in the Buchi Babu tournament, with C Andre Siddarth as his deputy. Paul had initially been named captain of the TNCA XI, but Shahrukh will now take charge of that side after the reshuffle.Sai Kishore’s injury has depleted Tamil Nadu’s spin stocks in the build-up to their domestic season. Fellow left-arm spinner S Ajith Ram, who was the third-highest wicket-taker in the 2023-24 Ranji season, is also injured while M Siddarth has been moved from the TNCA President’s XI to the TNCA XI due to personal commitments.Sai Kishore had tuned up for the red-ball domestic season by playing county cricket for Surrey and one match for his club team upon returning to Chennai. Last month, he took 11 wickets across two matches for Surrey, including a five-wicket haul against Durham, which helped his side take a key step towards their retention of the Rothesay County Championship.Seam-bowling allrounder RS Ambrish and fast bowler D Deepesh, who had played for India Under-19s in England, have also been named in the two Tamil Nadu Buchi Babu squads.The TNCA XI will face a Mumbai side featuring Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan and his brother Musheer from August 18 at the Gojan ground in the outskirts of Chennai.SquadsTNCA President’s XI: Pradosh Ranjan Paul (capt), C Andre Siddarth (vice-capt), B Indrajith, Vijay Shankar, R Vimal Khumar, S Radhakrishnan, S Lokeshwar, G Ajitesh, J Hemchudeshan, RS Ambrish, CV Achyuth, H Trilok Nag, P Saravana Kumar, P Vidyuth and K Abhinav.TNCA XI: M Shahrukh Khan (capt), Boopathi Vaishna Kumar (vice-capt), B Sachin, M Siddharth, Tushar Raheja, Kiran Karthikeyan, S Mohamed Ali, S Rithik Easwaran, SR Athish, S Lakshay Jain, DT Chandrasekar, P Vignesh, R Sonu Yadav, D Deepesh, J Prem Kumar, A Esakkimuthu and TD Lokesh Raj

Sunderland have now reportedly made contact in the race to sign a teenage sensation, who is on course to leave his current club as a free agent next summer.

Le Bris praises "demanding" Premier League ahead of Liverpool clash

Sunderland just do not know when they’re beaten in the Premier League. They are writing a blueprint that every newly-promoted side must follow to secure survival and their comeback victory against Bournemouth followed that plan to perfection.

The Black Cats came from two goals behind to secure a dramatic victory and keep hold of their place in the top six after 13 games. With Liverpool at Anfield up next, things don’t get any easier, but Sunderland have relished the challenge of upsetting the odds so far this season.

Regis Le Bris was full of praise for both his side and the Premier League itself following Sunderland’s victory over Bournemouth, telling reporters: “This league is really demanding. You make two mistakes and are punished.

“With the ball, we are good, so just keep pushing. We are able to hit their defence, and it was important to be clinical in the box. I think here we have a great energy in the stands. If we give a lot on the pitch, then they will react. We deserved to win in the end.

“It’s important to play game after game. We went to Fulham last week and we lost. We were dominated. We go again. It’s positive to start this week with three points. It’s an exciting league with tough challenges but we want those challenges.”

Survival, which almost looks guaranteed already, would be a major achievement on the pitch, but it would also make an impact away from the action. The Black Cats are already thinking about the future on that front, targeting Rangers teenager Bailey Rice.

Sunderland make contact to sign Bailey Rice

According to the Daily Mail’s Simon Jones, Sunderland have now made checks on Rice, who is on course to leave Rangers as a free agent next summer after rejecting the Gers’ contract offers.

The 19-year-old became the club’s youngest post-war player to make a Scottish Premiership appearance in 2023, but now looks destined to leave Ibrox with Sunderland, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City all queueing for his signature.

Manchester City were also tracking the young midfielder when he decided to leave Kilmarnock, only for Rangers to jump in and secure his arrival.

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For Sunderland, it would therefore be a major coup to land a player of Rice’s potential. Man City’s initial interest highlights how highly he’s rated in England and praise from Rio Ferdinand echoed that earlier this year.

The Manchester United legend said on commentary when Rangers squared off against Manchester United last year: “I tell you what, I’m liking Rice by the way, he’s come on and looked composed, the kid’s got something about him, he’s got a lovely left foot on him.”

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From Harmanpreet Kaur’s 171* to Anya Shrubsole breaking hearts, we look back fondly at the past three tournaments

Vishal Dikshit26-Sep-2025Alyssa Healy bosses the 2022 knockoutsThe Australians are known to step up on the big stage, against the best opponents, and in the knockouts. Alyssa Healy did it all at once and on her own in the 2022 edition to send Australia to their seventh ODI World Cup.Batting first in the semi-final against West Indies, Healy raced to a 91-ball century after being given a life early, but then sped from 50 to 100 in just 28 balls for her maiden World Cup hundred to finish on 129 off 107, studded with 17 fours and a six that set up their 157-run victory.Four days later, she hit new highs – again after being given a life – with a commanding 170 against England to take home the Player of the Match and Series awards along with the main trophy. Her magnificent knock helped her finish the tournament with 509 runs, the most in a World Cup edition.”It was an amazing 50-over World Cup for the Australian women’s team, but for me personally the innings in the final was pretty special,” Healy later told ESPNcricinfo. “To contribute and get them over the line in a big match was obviously pretty special for our group.”The 171* Harmonster in the 2017 semi-final0:45

Harmanpreet on her 171*: ‘A lot of things changed in women’s cricket’

If there was one recent World Cup that gave women’s cricket lift off, it was in 2017, and if one had to pick a knock from that tournament that did the same, it would be Harmanpreet Kaur’s epic 171* off 115, that too in a rain-curtailed match.Despite a strained shoulder, Harmanpreet knocked the daylights out of the Australia attack in unexpected and unprecedented fashion, relentlessly belting 20 fours and seven sixes. She raced from 50 to 100 in just 26 balls and then from 100 to 150 in just 17 balls. Her barely believable manner of eliminating Australia from the tournament was immediately chronicled in cricket history.”That knock was really special to me and for women’s cricket,” Harmanpreet said last month in Mumbai. “After that knock a lot of things changed personally in my life, and especially in women’s cricket also, because at that time I didn’t really know what had happened because I was totally off social media. But when we came back to India, and even though we lost the World Cup [final], the amount of people who were waiting for us, cheering for us, that was something very special. Still, when I remember that innings I get goosebumps.”Jhulan Goswami’s peach to Meg Lanning in the 2017 semi-final