All posts by h716a5.icu

Stats highlights from Hyderabad, where Abhishek Sharma and SRH shattered a whole host of records

Sampath Bandarupalli12-Apr-2025246 – Target that Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) chased down against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Saturday in Hyderabad. It is the second-highest successful chase in the IPL, behind the 262 by PBKS against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2024.8 – Consecutive wins for SRH at their home ground (Hyderabad) against PBKS, a streak that began in 2015. It is the joint-longest winning streak for any team against an opponent at a particular ground in the IPL, levelling Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) eight successive wins against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Chepauk.It was also SRH’s ninth win in ten meetings against PBKS at this venue. Only Mumbai Indians (MI) have more IPL wins against an opponent at a venue – ten against KKR at Wankhede.Related

Abhishek Sharma takes T20 hitting out of this world

'Felt today was going to be my day' – Abhishek dedicates century to Orange Army

Abhishek Sharma's whirlwind 141 leads SRH to second-highest IPL chase

Lockie Ferguson hobbles off two balls into his spell

Most expensive IPL spells – Shami stops one short of Archer

141 – Abhishek Sharma’s score against PBKS is the third-highest by any batter in the IPL, behind Chris Gayle’s 175* in 2013 and Brendon McCullum’s 158* in 2008.It is also the highest score by an SRH batter – David Warner’s 126 against KKR in 2017 was the previous highest.1 – Abhishek’s 141 is the highest individual score by an Indian in the IPL, bettering KL Rahul’s 132* against RCB in 2020.Abhishek’s 141 is also the highest score in an IPL chase, surpassing Marcus Stoinis’ unbeaten 124 against CSK in 2024.40 – Balls that Abhishek took to complete his hundred, making it the sixth-fastest in the IPL. It is the second-fastest for SRH, behind Travis Head’s 39-ball century against RCB in 2024.10 – Sixes hit by Abhishek on Saturday, the most by any batter for SRH in an innings. No SRH batter had hit more than eight sixes in a match before Saturday.24 – Number of boundaries that Abhishek hit, the joint-second-highest in an IPL innings, behind Gayle’s 30 against Pune Warriors in 2013. The 116 runs Abhishek scored via boundaries on Saturday are also the third-highest by a batter in an IPL match.3 – Number of times Abhishek has brought up his hundred in 40 or fewer balls in T20s – 28 balls vs Meghalaya in 2024, 37 balls vs England in 2025, and 40 balls vs PBKS on Saturday.These is the highest, one ahead of David Miller, Dasun Shanaka and Urvil Patel, who all have two such centuries (where data is available).5 – All five bowlers used by SRH conceded 40-plus runs on Saturday. Only once before have five bowlers concede 40-plus runs in an IPL innings – Rajasthan Royals (RR) against SRH earlier this year.75 – Runs that Mohammed Shami conceded in his four overs, the second-highest by any bowler in an IPL match, behind Jofra Archer’s 76 against SRH at the start of IPL 2025.

Sidharth Monga, Karthik Krishnaswamy and Dustin Silgardo look ahead at India’s T20I plans with a string of games lined up before the T20 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2025

Twelve years ago, India hosted a Women’s World Cup that barely made a dent in the country’s consciousness. Everything is different now

Sruthi Ravindranath and Shashank Kishore28-Sep-2025When India last hosted the Women’s World Cup, in 2013, marketing the sport meant herding a few hundred schoolkids in their uniforms into pockets of the stadium, to lend a bit of atmosphere to the TV coverage.Venues could be changed days before the tournament, just so the city’s biggest stadium could host a Ranji Trophy final involving Sachin Tendulkar.Match practice for India’s senior women’s team comprised games against Under-16s and Under-19s boys teams at the Police Gymkhana, after which the players would walk back to their budget rooms in South Mumbai while overseas teams checked into a five-star hotel. It was only after Diana Edulji, a former India captain, highlighted their plight in the national media that the team was eventually shifted into the hotel that housed the other teams.Related

India and Sri Lanka kick off a Women's World Cup with a difference

All you need to know about Women's ODI World Cup 2025

Whisper it, but this could be India's best chance of winning a World Cup

Memories and moments: Five of the best from the Women's World Cup

Young ones to watch: Kranti Goud, Georgia Voll and Lauren Bell prepare to light up World Cup

India could draw satisfaction from beating at-par opponents like West Indies, but even running bigger teams close felt like victory back then. Like when a wiry 23-year-old batter who dreamed of emulating Virender Sehwag batted out of her skin to briefly give England the jitters.Thirteen years on, the same hard-hitting batter is India’s captain, possibly playing in her last 50-over World Cup at 37. But this time, Harmanpreet Kaur has around her a generation of players who don’t just want to compete, but conquer. And for the first time in half a century, India’s women walk into a World Cup with every reason to believe they could be crowned champions.Thirush Kamini scored a century against West Indies in India’s first match of the 2013 World Cup•AFP/Getty ImagesThe contrast is stark. In 2013, such suggestions would have generated ridicule. Even though women’s cricket was under the BCCI’s purview, it was nowhere near as professional as it is today. Match fees barely touched INR 1 lakh for an entire tour, and daily allowances ran to INR 1500, barely enough to cover a coffee and a snack in countries like England or Australia. For players, defeat often meant checking out the next morning and finding their own way home: sometimes by taxi, sometimes by train.Players craved attention and got none. “Back then, recognition came only during a World Cup,” says former India opener Thirush Kamini, who scored a century in India’s tournament opener against West Indies in 2013. “Once you returned home, unless someone was very passionate about the game, nobody really noticed you. Today, players are recognised everywhere.”Opportunities were scarce. “Probably, I would say, the platform with which the girls are being selected now to play at the highest level [is far superior],” says former India allrounder Niranjana Nagarajan, who was part of the 2013 squad.”They have a platform like WPL. And they have more tournaments to play and show their talent. That we did not have. We just had inter-zonal and challengers. And if we qualified for nationals, we’d get an extra three games. That was it. We lost out on a number of matches.”Even when players did well, their efforts would end up as one- or two-column stories at the peripheries of the sports pages. Instagram was still too new, too basic, and too niche to turn their magic moments viral.”For the men’s team, if Sanju Samson isn’t picked, you ask why. If Shreyas Iyer performs in the IPL and isn’t selected, questions are raised,” Thirush says. This wasn’t the case with women’s cricket in her time, but it’s changed now.”Now when Shafali [Verma] is not getting picked, the selectors are asked why she’s not getting picked. The players who had played during the previous era didn’t even understand why they were not getting picked.”I understand it’s going to be a lot of pressure on a player like Shafali. But when you look at the flip side, I feel she at least has a clarity that she’s still in the scheme of things and she’s just not part of this World Cup. When you’re talking about players getting paid equally, it’s not just about infrastructure or facilities. It’s also about expectations, and that kind of scrutiny should stay.”

****

Mithali Raj, who was 14 years into her international career at the 2013 World Cup, was one of two recognisable names in the sport, Jhulan Goswami being the other. Even so, the fact that Mithali had already led India to a World Cup final in 2005 barely shifted the needle of public attention.”When I got my hundred, Mithali was at the other end,” Thirush recalls. “A journalist asked how it felt to beat her record. She just turned to me with a smile and said, ‘Go ahead, it’s your moment.’ That generosity is what made them such great leaders.”Today, the landscape is completely different. Players train at state-of-the-art facilities, compete in thriving T20 leagues in India and abroad, and play the best oppositions as a matter of routine. In the lead-up to this World Cup, India toured England and hosted world champions Australia. A far cry from the time they’d settle for practice matches against men’s age-group teams.Jemimah Rodrigues was once Tendulkar’s neighbour in Mumbai. One of the things that inspired her to play cricket was seeing him arrive home to exuberant celebrations. Harmanpreet was captivated by Sehwag’s fearlessness and his habit of starting his innings with boundaries. Today, aspiring cricketers look at Smriti Mandhana’s cover drive, Harmanpreet’s sweep, and Radha Yadav’s athleticism for inspiration.In 2025, India’s women players are in the midst of a revolution – equal pay, record prize money, and a fan following that travels to see them play and train.In 2013, Mithali Raj (second from left) was one of two widely known women cricketers in India•AFPBucket Hat Cult, a dedicated fan group for women’s cricket, are set for their biggest outing yet. The 25-member group, which officially came together in 2023, travel to “as many India games as possible”, and will be out in force in Navi Mumbai for their first ODI Women’s World Cup. “We want to create as much buzz as we can,” they say.India’s run to the final of the 2017 World Cup was hailed as a turning point for women’s cricket in the country, but the BCCI may have been a tad late in harnessing that wave. Once they did, however, with the 2023 launch of the WPL, interest in the sport has surged. WPL 2025 recorded a 142% spike in TV viewership, drawing 31 million viewers. Even Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s trophy celebration in 2024 drew a full house at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the men’s team gave them a guard of honour.It feels like a dream sometimes, but it’s very much real. And after years of anonymity, this is the players’ time to shine.

****

Three of the four venues for this World Cup haven’t hosted a women’s international in the last five years. Outside of Mumbai, most of India’s recent matches have been in Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Delhi. Among them, Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy and Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium have drawn strong crowds, helped by the WPL’s presence.DY Patil is expected to draw big numbers again, but the spotlight now shifts to less familiar venues: Guwahati, Indore and Visakhapatnam. India last played in Guwahati in 2019, in Vizag back in 2014, and have never played in Indore. Local connection could help, with each of these cities represented in the squad. And playing the World Cup in these cities may be a “blessing in disguise”, Niranjana feels.”Women’s cricket is always taking place in Bengaluru and Mumbai, of course the reach and ticket sales will probably be more there,” she says. “But when will we expose women’s cricket to other places?”Girls there will probably pick up a bat after watching the tournament. The reach will get better. I am definitely happy because these places are maybe not as big for women’s cricket but considering this is an ICC tournament, it is definitely a good thing. Those people can also experience women’s cricket as one of its kind.”Kranti Goud is evidence of women’s cricket having spread deep into India’s hinterlands•Getty ImagesUma Chetry, who hails from Guwahati, is the first woman from the state of Assam to represent India. She carries the hopes of a region that seemed unlikely to produce international players a decade ago. In the last year alone, it has produced two – Riyan Parag, an IPL captain no less, is the other.In Kadapa, a few hours away from Visakhapatnam, N Shree Charani’s skills first took shape in gully cricket, where she’d bowl left-arm fast. In 2018-19, Charani’s maternal uncle, who had grown up playing cricket in Hyderabad, persuaded her parents to send her for cricket trials.She caught the eyes of the age-group coaches who were amazed at her athleticism – Charani was a promising track-and-field athlete in school. Today, on the back of an impressive initiation in the WPL, where she plays alongside Meg Lanning, Charani, who now bowls left-arm spin, has a platform to share a stage with the world’s best.Kranti Goud’s journey from Ghuwara, a small town 450km from Indore, to the national team, punctuated by a six-wicket-haul in England, reflects how scouting, WPL performances, and exposure are reshaping India’s talent pool.From struggling for recognition in 2013 to commanding attention and respect in 2025, women’s cricket in India has come a long way. This World Cup could finally give the players a stage that is theirs to own.

Lack of fixtures against top opposition and almost no experience in T20 leagues has hindered the development of batters in these teams

Sruthi Ravindranath19-Oct-2025Bangladesh had England under pressure at 78 for 5.Pakistan had Australia struggling at 115 for 8, and had tied England down to 133 for 9.Sri Lanka had India six down for just 124.The three teams at the bottom of the women’s World Cup points table – Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – have shown they can test stronger sides with the ball. They have also shown that their batting is not good enough to win them matches against the bigger teams.This tournament hasn’t been a run fest: there have been only two first-innings scores of 300-plus, both on flat pitches in Indore and Visakhapatnam. But even when conditions have favoured batting, those three South Asian teams haven’t been able to capitalise.Related

Heartbreak and euphoria in Diwali night drama

SL pull off a heist after Bangladesh collapse in magnificent fashion

South Africa look to keep winning as Pakistan hope to make a late charge

Top-order turbulences, left-arm spin traps and catching concerns

Against Australia in Visakhapatnam, Bangladesh stumbled to 198 for 9 before losing by ten wickets inside 25 overs. Against South Africa, Bangladesh were crawling until Shorna Akter fired them to 232, which ultimately proved inadequate.These three sides have the lowest batting averages at this World Cup. Pakistan are at the bottom with 13.55, followed by Bangladesh (19.92) and Sri Lanka (20.27). Between the previous World Cup in 2022 and this one, they had occupied the bottom three spots in batting averages among the eight teams in this tournament.What’s holding them back?Their limited exposure against high-quality opposition has often been highlighted as a reason their batting hasn’t developed. Bangladesh’s World Cup opener against England was only their second ODI against them. Sri Lanka hadn’t faced Australia in the format since 2019, and their fixture in this World Cup was washed out.Nilakshika Silva has been promising for Sri Lanka•Getty Images”This is a stage where we show our capabilities, so teams like England and Australia show interest in playing against us,” Nigar Sultana, Bangladesh captain, had said before the match against England.”Our girls are playing very few matches with those who are ranked top four in the world,” Bangladesh allrounder Rumana Ahmed told ESPNcricinfo. “So the fewer the number of matches they play against such teams, the less competitive matches they play, the lower their confidence will be.”Rumana isn’t at the World Cup squad this time, but she has been watching closely. She sees a team performing beyond expectations. “Yes, we lost by a very small margin [against England and South Africa] due to some inexperience. But they barely got to play enough international matches before the tournament. The way they are playing without that preparation is truly impressive. It is really good to see some batters who are batting very confidently, like Sobhana [Mostary], Supta [Sharmin Akhter], Shorna [Akter]. If the middle order had scored a few more runs, maybe our team could have put up a better fight against bigger teams.”The inexperience Rumana refers to is not just in terms of technique but also when it comes to handling pressure, with Bangladesh’s fielding costing them multiple times. There were several misfields and three dropped chances against South Africa. Sri Lanka, too, dropped Nat Sciver-Brunt on 3 before she scored a match-winning 117.0:58

Nawaz: ‘We are not being able to build momentum with the bat’

“Those subcontinent sides [Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka], I think their strengths have been with the ball,” Nasser Hussain, a commentator at the World Cup, said at a JioStar event. “Sometimes they’ve not been backed up in the field. But I do think the batting is where the improvement needs to come, if we’re going to get an upset in this World Cup. I think if there’s one area that could be improved on, it’s the power-hitting. You look at the stats of power-hitting sixes from Bangladesh and Pakistan, to a degree Sri Lanka, I think that is an area which could improve.”Sometimes it’s just a physical thing – like they have to use their wrists a bit more, they have to sweep, slog sweep, reverse sweep. With their bowling and their spinners, and Marufa [Akter] for Bangladesh, they will challenge any side, but not when you’re only getting [totals of] 150, 160, 170, because the other nations, as we saw with Bangladesh [against Australia] will stroll past that.”Power-hitting has emerged as a key skill with the rise of franchise leagues, most recently with three seasons of the WPL in India. Since 2023, India’s ODI run rate has climbed to 5.69 from the 4.47 they scored at between 2015 and 2020. Their boundary percentage has also gone up, from 41.15% in 2023 to over 52% in 2025. India also play top-tier sides regularly unlike the rest of the subcontinent teams.With this not being a high-scoring World Cup, the number of dot balls has also come in focus. Bangladesh (69.28%), Pakistan (68.85%) and Sri Lanka (60.58%) have the highest dot-ball percentages while batting. Unlike India, players from these teams barely have any presence in overseas leagues. Chamari Athapaththu remains the sole representative from Sri Lanka – and the only active player from these three nations – to have featured in the WBBL and the WPL (though players from Pakistan can’t play in the WPL). Sri Lanka have seen flashes of range-hitting from her and Nilakshika Silva but they remain the exceptions.

“With Pakistan, they had the likes of Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan and Nida Dar until a while ago, who used to play key roles for them. The players they have now used to play supporting roles for them”Former India batter Thirush Kamini

Rumana believes power-hitting needs training beyond the nets, and the lack of it once again comes down to the exposure these teams (don’t) get.”It’s very difficult to develop it just by practising. You need to use such shots tactically too,” Rumana says. “This means that you have to be involved in T20 or T10 leagues across the globe. If I take good teams like India and Australia, their development has been from the WPL and Women’s Big Bash [League]. If something like Women’s BPL [Bangladesh premier League] had been there in Bangladesh, maybe the power-hitting of the women’s team would have improved.”While slow pitches for domestic cricket at home have helped develop spinners, it has hindered batting progress. The Bangladesh men’s white-ball game began to evolve after a shift away from spin-friendly pitches. The BPL played a role in improving range-hitting.Sri Lanka head coach Rumesh Ratnayake acknowledged the need to assess domestic pitches, while also expressing concern over his batters’ inability to convert starts. “I think that’s a long-term goal of looking into the domestic level,” he said. “But when you’re here, we were well prepared for this. It’s a bit disappointing as a coach when [starts] don’t go into the 50s and to the big hundreds. The girls are aware of it. It’s a matter of how we should be putting it to them and it’s very important that we are very sensitive in putting it across so that they’ll be encouraged and not discouraged.”1:24

Fahima Khatun: We’ve lost games, but gained a lot of positives

Still, there has been some progress. In this World Cup, Sri Lanka have crossed 200 twice, while Bangladesh have once. However, Pakistan’s highest total is 159, with Sidra Amin their only player to score a fifty.”Sri Lanka’s average score used to be less than 200 at one point but now it’s improved,” Thirush Kamini, former India batter, said. “That’s what we should be seeing here – though the improvement is taking time, it’s still there, and we need to give them a little bit more time and exposure to be on par with the other teams.”These three teams have experienced spin departments. They have not changed their bowling much but that can’t be said of the batting. Their spinners have been leading wicket-takers for several years now. With Pakistan, they had the likes of Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan and Nida Dar until a while ago who used to play key roles for them. The players they have now used to play supporting roles for them. Suddenly when you have your main players retired and have come out of the system, the pressure is on those who played the supporting roles before.”Bangladesh are set to face India, Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand across formats in the current FTP cycle, with Sri Lanka and Pakistan also scheduled to play several top sides. These series present crucial opportunities for growth, particularly with the bat, for these sides before the next World Cup.

It’s remarkable just how quickly the pendulum can swing at Manchester United.

From the optimism of a five-game unbeaten run, including three successive wins in October, the Red Devils can now be viewed through the lens of three games without a win, following Monday’s dismal defeat to Everton.

Results like that are perhaps to be expected for a side still enduring a hangover from last season’s 15th-place Premier League finish, although with AFCON looming, Ruben Amorim and co can’t afford to keep slipping up.

Sunday’s clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park thus provides a perfect opportunity for the Old Trafford side to bounce back, albeit with Amorim’s options again set to be somewhat limited.

Latest Man Utd team news

To borrow the old cliché, Selhurst Park has not been a happy hunting ground for United in recent times, having last tasted victory in south London back in July 2020.

Home or way, in truth, the Eagles have provided a stern test for the Manchester side, with United failing to win any of the last four meetings between the two teams, a run that includes the infamous 4-0 thrashing in May 2024, and the subsequent criticism of Casemiro from Jamie Carragher.

Hopes of ending that recent run will have been dented by the news that Matheus Cunha will once again be absent, with the Brazilian having missed the loss to the Toffees after sustaining a head knock in training.

That is a particular blow considering that fellow summer signing Benjamin Sesko is also still set to be missing until mid-December, with the £74m Slovenian having been sidelined since hobbling off in the 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Amorim doesn’t even have his makeshift marksman, Harry Maguire, to call upon either, with the 32-year-old also not set to be involved on Sunday due to injury.

Thankfully, the sight of Lisandro Martinez back on the bench last time out will spark hope that the Argentine cult hero can be involved again sooner rather than later, although it is likely that the 27-year-old will be eased back into the action gradually.

There is an intrigue at potentially seeing the ex-Ajax man deployed at left centre-back, with Luke Shaw at left wing-back, although in the meantime, Amorim might have a wildcard solution down that left flank.

Man Utd's new Evra could start at Palace

That Shaw-Martinez combination could be the answer later down the line, with Amorim certainly in need of genuine competition or an upgrade on Patrick Dorgu at wing-back, with the Dane again struggling against the Toffees.

Chalkboard

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

The former Lecce starlet notably flashed an effort wide at the backpost, prior to being hooked on the hour mark, having failed to provide a single successful cross, while losing possession 11 times from just 40 touches, as per Sofascore.

Whether the 21-year-old has been parachuted in too soon or not, he doesn’t look like the answer right now, with Amorim himself admitting that “you can feel the anxiety every time Patrick touches the ball”.

Equally, the decision to deploy a right-footed Diogo Dalot on that flank continues to leave supporters scratching their heads.

With that in mind, Amorim could surely do worse than hand a chance to the previously exiled Tyrell Malacia, with the forgotten Dutchman having been brought in from the cold in recent months.

Previously – and perhaps unfairly – included in United’s summer ‘bomb squad’, the injury-hit full-back might be a wildcard option, representing one of few genuine options on the left wing.

Games (starts)

22 (14)

Goals

0

Assists

0

Big chances created

1

Pass accuracy

87%

Tackles

2.1

Interceptions

1.1

Dribbled past

0.5

Total duels won

50%

Part of the matchday squad in two of the last four games, including against Everton, albeit while yet to make an appearance this season, Malacia hasn’t featured for United since January, having made only eight appearances in the first half of 2024/25 following his belated return from injury.

A 17-month horror stint on the sidelines had come after an initially positive start to life at United back in his debut 2022/23 campaign, with the ex-Feyenoord man having usurped Shaw at left-back following the debacle at Brentford.

The diminutive talent was even likened to a legendary figure of United’s past in the form of Patrice Evra, with Rio Ferdinand making that comparison in August 2022:

So cruelly ravaged by injury since then, the 26-year-old – to his credit – has fought his way back into contention, even after looking off the pace following his eventual return last November, with Amorim stating that it is hard for him as he is “not so offensive”.

After six months at PSV Eindhoven, and a summer exile, Malacia is now back in favour, with Amorim seemingly offering a route back into the side late last month:

Of course, those concerns over his attacking quality might still ring true, having yet to score or assist for the club, yet at a time when Dorgu is struggling, Malacia might well be able to provide a sense of balance off the left.

It would be a bold call to thrust the nine-cap Netherlands international into the mix against Palace’s Daniel Munoz, but Amorim needs to find a solution – the diminutive full-back might just be it.

Best January deal since Bruno: INEOS make PL "warrior" Man Utd's top target

Manchester United have a new top target ahead of the January transfer window.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 29, 2025

Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot agreed that Jeremy Doku was "outstanding" in Manchester City’s victory over Liverpool, with the Belgian winger starring in a 3-0 win for the Blues. Reds boss Slot saw his side suffer another demoralising defeat at the Etihad Stadium, but he has played down any suggestion that the reigning Premier League champions are in crisis.

Seven defeats in 10: City inflict more misery on Liverpool

Liverpool have come unstuck in seven of their last 10 games in all competitions. Having swept to the English top-flight crown in dominant fashion last season, they are now sat eighth in the table – eight points adrift of leaders Arsenal through just 11 fixtures. Questions are being asked of what has gone wrong at Anfield.

Doku helped to generate more of those when running the Reds ragged in Manchester. He caused Liverpool’s defence problems all afternoon, with a player of the match performance being topped off by a stunning long-range goal that was whipped into the back of the net from the edge of the box.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGuardiola celebrates 1,000 games: Doku stars on landmark occasion

City boss Guardiola was full of praise for his players afterwards, with the Catalan coach enjoying an outing to remember on the occasion of his 1,000th game as a manager. He told : “My players gave me a good present with this performance against the champions. We had to perform good and many good things happened, they all performed to the highest level. Defensively it was really good. We know their threat in behind with Mo [Salah] and the quality of [Dominik] Szoboszlai and [Florian] Wirtz and we have incredible energy with our people.

“Playing at home and winning is good for the international break. Gigi [Donnarumma] made the saves he should. Both the full-backs were outstanding. The midfielders gave us a lot of passes and control. Of course the threat of Jeremy [Doku] was outstanding alongside Erling [Haaland].”

Asked if Doku put in his best display for City, Guardiola added: “One of the best by far, for influence. Their right-back Conor [Bradley] is so quick, I saw his game against Vinicius Junior [vs Real Madrid]. We made a really good game.”

Problems for Slot: Liverpool boss looking for answers

Liverpool boss Slot added on seeing his team picked apart by Doku and Co: “They were better than us. We had a very hard time bringing the ball out from the back and it was difficult to hold on to the ball. We struggled with Doku on the inside and [Nico] O'Reilly wide. Then, of course, a referee decision could have influenced a more positive half-time feeling for us. 2-0 down at half-time makes it very difficult to get a result here.

“Sometimes going in at 1-1 can give you something different in the second half. We solved some issues we were having in the second half. And then an unbelievable goal from Doku put us 3-0 down, but I still saw a team that wanted to get back into it.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GOALWhy didn't Salah track back? Tactical questions asked of Liverpool

Slot has seen his tactical approach questioned, with Doku being allowed to run riot against Bradley as Egyptian winger Salah refused to track back. Ex-Reds midfielder Danny Murphy told : “Doku was a pleasure to watch, irrespective of who you support and who you wanted to win. You had to admire his skill, pace, strength and bravery – and his goal was just amazing. The way Liverpool were set up, though, actually helped him shine.

“He was electric and the game's star man. This was the best I've seen him play in a City shirt, but Salah not being asked to defend made it so easy for him. It became a really productive area of the pitch for City, and was one of the reasons they won so comfortably in the end.

“Because Salah stayed high up the pitch when O'Reilly was flying forward, it left Bradley isolated, and with a dilemma – did he commit and stick with Doku, or drop off him and pick up O'Reilly charging forward instead? Bradley was caught in between both players a lot because he was unsure what to do, but whatever he did it felt like there was always so much space over there for City to exploit.

“I am not saying Salah should now become a completely different player – you don't want him running back every time you lose the ball, because sometimes you want him ready for the transition where O'Reilly is out of position. Salah almost got in a few times like that on Sunday, because of his pace, but there has to be balance.

“In a game like this one, where you are 20 minutes in and Doku has been running your right-back ragged, then you could drop in for a spell even if you've been told you don't have to. I don't understand why he didn't do it at all.”

Liverpool will return to action after the international break with a home date against Nottingham Forest on November 22, while City will travel to Newcastle on the same day.

The Arizona Diamondbacks hoped for better news on star outfielder Corbin Carroll's hand after he was hit by a pitch Wednesday in Toronto against the Blue Jays. He has missed the team's last five games with left hand soreness and unfortunately, the Diamondbacks will miss his services for even longer.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo announced Monday that Carroll has a chip fracture in his left wrist and is headed for a stint on the injured list, via team host and reporter Jody Jackson. According to an MLB.com report, initial X-rays came back negative but an MRI Monday revealed the fracture.

"That's a little bit confusing to all of us," Lovullo said via Blake Niemann of Fox 10 Phoenix. "It's on the back of his hand, the impact of the ball hit the side of his hand which just goes to show you how hard these guys are throwing today. There's definitely that fracture and he's going to continue to get some opinions just to find out what that official diagnosis means and what the timeframe will be."

Disappointing news for the Diamondbacks, especially after slugger Eugenio Suarez left the team's game Monday after he was hit by a pitch on the right hand. Josh Naylor also exited the Diamondbacks' 10-0 win over the Chicago White Sox Monday.

Before the injury, Carroll slashed .255/.341/.573 with 20 home runs, 44 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He also has an MLB-leading nine triples on the season.

Sri Lanka have promised to field a “full-strength side”, and that might mean Maheesh Theekshana getting in keeping in mind the conditions in Dubai

Madushka Balasuriya14-Sep-20258:05

Should SL play Wellalage or Theekshana?

Big picture – Can Sri Lanka continue to play like ‘defending champions’?Prior to Sri Lanka’s tournament opener against Bangladesh at the Asia Cup, Charith Asalanka had reminded people that his team was, indeed, the defending T20 Asia Cup champions. A fact not strictly inaccurate but one that might have raised a few eyebrows when put in context: Sri Lanka’s form in major tournaments in the three years since that momentous victory has been less than stellar.But for Asalanka, the psychological boost that it had provided was something he was sure would spur his side on. And so it proved to be against Bangladesh on Saturday, when whatever confidence or motivation was being derived was on total display – they dominated a contest that was expected to be much more closely fought, and quite frankly looked every bit the champions.Related

No mystery spinner, no problem for Sri Lanka

How Martin Coetzee fell in love with Hong Kong cricket

Consistency, however, has been Sri Lanka’s Achilles’ heel, and against Hong Kong on Monday, they have a chance to build up a head of steam ahead of their final group game against Afghanistan.As for Hong Kong, two defeats already means they are out of the qualification reckoning, but they will no doubt want to bow out on a high note. And who better against the “defending champions”?While this Sri Lankan side seems to be ironing out weaknesses, their middle order is still on the soft side. Kamil Mishara has added some much-needed aggression, but in general there is still a heavy reliance on the opening pair of Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka. Get them early and who knows what’s possible.Against both Afghanistan and Bangladesh, seamers Ayush Shukla and Ateeq Iqbal showed they can pick up wickets in the powerplay. Where the Hong Kong bowling struggled was in limiting scoring through the middle overs – a period Sri Lanka’s batters have been known to struggle. That heavy collapse against Zimbabwe just three games ago has also served to highlight this Sri Lanka batting line-up’s propensity to unravel, and with the pitch expected to be on the slower side, the stage is as set as can be for a low-scoring contest.But to be clear, Sri Lanka are overwhelming favourites and, considering their clinical performance against Bangladesh, are also right on top of their game. It’s an uphill task for Hong Kong whichever way you slice it, though not impossible.Ayush Shukla has shown he can pick up wickets early on•Getty ImagesForm guideSri Lanka WWLWL
Hong Kong LLLWWIn the spotlight: Ehsan Khan and Wanindu HasarangaIf Hong Kong are to pull off an upset, their best path will be to limit Sri Lanka’s batting. While there are plenty of dangerous batters in the Sri Lanka line-up, their sometimes brittle middle order has no less than four left-hand batters – Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Asalanka and Kamindu Mendis. With offspinner Ehsan Khan being Hong Kong’s most prolific wicket-taker – 128 wickets in 94 innings at an economy rate of 6.29 – the match-ups are tailor-made.Wanindu Hasaranga didn’t look like he had missed a step on his return to the side against Bangladesh. His googly caused chaos as he ended with figures of 2 for 25, and it might have been more had heavy bails not been used with Jaker Ali surviving one that grazed his off stump. On a surface where spin has been at the forefront, it would take a special effort from Hong Kong to keep Hasaranga from adding to his 133 T20I wickets.Does Maheesh Theekshana fit into Sri Lanka’s “full-strength” side?•Getty ImagesTeam news: Will Maheesh Theekshana return?Hong Kong are likely to be unchanged, but with this being their final match of the tournament, it would be unsurprising to see some bench players get a game.Hong Kong (probable): 1 Zeeshan Ali (wk), 2 Anshuman Rath, 3 Babar Hayat, 4 Nizakat Khan, 5 Kalhan Challu, 6 Kinchit Shah, 7 Yasim Murtaza (capt), 8 Aizaz Khan, 9 Ayush Shukla, 10 Ateeq Iqbal, 11 Ehsan KhanSri Lanka have stated that they will go with a full-strength side, which means there are unlikely to be any changes in the batting unit. On the bowling front, there could be a return for Maheesh Theekshana as the pitch is likely to aid spin.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kamil Mishara, 4 Kusal Perera, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Nuwan ThusharaPitch and conditions: Spin, what else?The pitch in Dubai hasn’t necessarily proved conducive to high scores over the past year, with spinners generally finding conditions to their liking. For example, of the 17 wickets to fall in the Oman vs Pakistan game, nine fell to spin, while pace-off deliveries were regularly employed by the seamers.Stats and trivia This will be the first match between Sri Lanka and Hong Kong in any format in international cricket. The side batting first has won seven of the last ten T20Is played in Dubai. Sri Lanka last played in Dubai in 2022, in the final of the Asia Cup that they won. Nissanka’s 902 runs are the most by a player from a Full-Member nation in T20Is since the start of 2024.Quotes”We don’t want to take any chances. In this format, everybody is tough to beat. We will go with our full-strength side.”

Rasmus Hojlund is thriving out on loan at Napoli currently and a new update claims that a permanent switch there from Manchester United is already close.

The £87,000-a-week Dane found it tough to shine in a Red Devils shirt after joining in a big-money move from Atalanta, proving to be one of many disappointing young signings at Old Trafford in recent years.

Last season, Hojlund only managed four goals in 32 appearances in the Premier League, not offering enough consistency leading the line, and it felt right for him to enjoy a new challenge.

The 22-year-old was shipped out on loan to Napoli during the summer transfer window, and he is enjoying a far more fruitful time of things in Germany, already netting twice in five Serie A outings, and also bagging a couple of goals in the Champions League.

It remains to be seen if Ruben Amorim sees a long-term future for Hojlund at United, but a new update suggests that a permanent exit is far more likley than him returning to Old Trafford.

Napoli close to permanent Hojlund move and now want Mainoo

According to a key claim from Caught Offside‘s Mark Brus, Napoli now want to trigger the buy clause in Hojlund’s Manchester United contract once this season comes to an end. Talks have been held and a deal looks set to be finalised ready for the summer.

“Napoli are confident. They’re in a strong position with the buy clause and they’re ready to activate it. Talks have been taking place and it should be finalised soon, ready to formally go through at the end of the season.”

It is also stated that Napoli want to sign Man Utd midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in the January transfer window, with the England international “likely to push for a move away” from the club.

There is a certain risk in United allowing Hojlund to leave, considering he is still young, but they now have Benjamin Sesko in their ranks, suggesting that they have moved on from the Denmark international.

With all due respect to Serie A, it is a weaker division than the Premier League, so he is naturally standing out more – Scott McTominay was arguably the best player in the whole league last season, which speaks volumes – and he has struggled with the pace of English football.

Hojlund may simply be one of many transfers that just hasn’t worked out for United, but that’s not to say he can’t still enjoy a strong career for club and country. He possesses plenty of attributes, from speed to power, but his finishing is inconsistent and the Red Devils need a far more prolific figure to lead the line.

Carragher said Man Utd star was "terrible", now he's Amorim's key player

Manchester United now have a talent who has managed to transform his career at Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 30, 2025

Granted, Sesko is still finding his feet and hasn’t exactly been perfect yet, but the likes of Amorim and Jason Wilcox seem to be confident in him being an upgrade on Hojlund, and they need to be trusted after this recent improved run of form.

As for Mainoo, on just £25,000-a-week, it would be a shame to see such a talented homegrown player leave, but if United’s manager doesn’t see him as an important part of his plans, a move away may be best for all concerned.

Man Utd flop Rasmus Hojlund has seen value fall £20m since Amorim was hired