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They are down at No. 5 in the World Test Championship table and have plenty to do the the second half of their cycle

S Rajesh26-Nov-2025India’s 2-0 series defeat against South Africa has seriously dented their chances of making the World Test Championship final. Halfway into their 2025-27 cycle – India have played nine out of 18 Tests – they are languishing in fifth place on the table, at 48.15%.It’s still early days for many of the other teams – New Zealand haven’t played a single series yet, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have played one, and England have just started their second – but with Australia (100%) and South Africa (75%) having begun so strongly, India will have to do much more in the second half of their campaign to stand a chance of finishing in the top two.Going by the numbers from the last two WTC cycles, teams will need to be in the 60-65% range to stand a chance of making the cut. In the 2021-23 cycle, India qualified as the second team for the final with a percentage of 58.8, while Australia’s 67.54% won them second place in the previous edition.Related

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For India to get to 60%, they need to finish on 130 points, since they’re playing 18 Tests in this cycle (18 x 12 points = 216). Teams earn 12 points for a win, and four points for a draw. So India need 78 more points from their remaining nine Tests – two each in Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and five at home against Australia. They can get there in at least two ways, assuming they aren’t docked any points:- six wins and a couple of draws: 6 x 12 + 2 x 4 = 80
– seven wins: 7 x 12 = 84Before they take on Australia early in 2027 in their next home Test series, India have two-match series lined up in Sri Lanka (in August 2026) and New Zealand (October-November 2026). India have an excellent recent record in Sri Lanka, winning five of their last six Tests there (though the last tour was in 2017), but New Zealand has been a much tougher to crack: they lost 2-0 in 2020 and 1-0 in 2014. Even if India win all four of those Tests, they will probably still go into the series against Australia needing plenty of points to finish among the top two.Australia have made a terrific start to their WTC campaign with four wins out of four. With six home Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand lined up in this cycle, they have an excellent chance of making another final, and accumulating most of the points they need for it before the tour of India begins.South Africa are well-placed too, with three wins from four Tests in two away series. Their only remaining overseas series in this cycle is against Sri Lanka in February 2027. Their home games won’t be easy, though, with six Tests against Australia and England, apart from two against Bangladesh. If they win both home Tests against Bangladesh, they will only need 41 points from their eight remaining Tests to finish at 60%.Some of the other teams could come into contention too as the cycle progresses – only 17 out of 71 matches have been played so far in this edition – but regardless of how the other teams perform, India’s home defeats could seriously hurt their prospects in this cycle, just as they did in the previous one.

Two wickets each for Hasaranga and Theekshana restricted Zimbabwe to 146, before SL blazed to the target

Madushka Balasuriya25-Nov-2025

Pathum Nissanka found a timely return to form as he struck a devastating 98 off 58 deliveries to help Sri Lanka chase down a target of 147 against Zimbabwe in just 16.2 overs, with nine wickets to spare, in what was a must-win game in Rawalpindi. The result gives Sri Lanka their first win on the tour, and snaps a five-match losing streak in T20Is. It now means Sri Lanka go into their final game against Pakistan on Thursday knowing that a win will mean they qualify for the final of the tri-series.Before Nissanka’s blitz, Sri Lanka’s bowlers had done well to restrict Zimbabwe to a sub-par total of 146 for 5. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga ended with identical innings-best figures of 2 for 23, as Zimbabwe struggled to push their innings into high gear.There were starts for Brian Bennett and Sikandar Raza, but both fell at inopportune moments, while a final flourish from Ryan Burl was still not enough to challenge a strong Sri Lanka batting performance. The rest of the Zimbabwe batting once more fell flat. There was also a debut for Pavan Rathnayake, though Nissanka ensured Rathnayake was not required to bat.Nissanka finds formAfter that monumental 107 against India in the Asia Cup, Nissanka’s next five white-ball scores read 29, 24, 24, 0 and 17. Not necessarily terrible form, but for a side that relies heavily on his power-hitting to set the tone, it’s no surprise that Nissanka’s dip in form has coincided with a lean period for Sri Lanka.But here, with Sri Lanka chasing a middling total and needing a win to stay in contention for the final, Nissanka finally got one to stick. Sri Lanka produced their best powerplay of the series – 64 for 1 – with Nissanka accounting for 37 of those runs. Through the middle overs, Sri Lanka struck a further 73 – and Nissanka 51 of those. And only three death-overs deliveries were needed to seal the chase – a wide, a four, and a mammoth six.File photo: Maheesh Theekshana got two wickets in the powerplay•Associated Press

Full or short, it didn’t matter, Nissanka dealt with them all just the same. There were sweeps off seamers, flat-batted wallops over extra cover, slaps down the ground, and mega pulls right across the square boundary. Richard Ngarava was singled out in particular, with the tall left-arm seamer being taken for four fours and three sixes.Nissanka struck 11 fours and four sixes in total. Such was Nissanka’s control over proceedings that the final shot of the chase – a front-foot pull for six over backward square leg – had Nissanka looking up at the sky with a wry smile. No, not in celebration, rather disbelief that he had struck six when he intended to hit a four, as the latter would have allowed him to make a run at a second T20I century.Theekshana stakes his claimIn 11 T20Is in 2025, Theekshana has 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.78. It is his most expensive year so far – his overall economy rate stands at 6.97 – while also being his least impactful (in which he has played at least ten matches) since his debut in 2021. It has meant that despite picking up 24 wickets in 2024 at a strike rate of 18.7 – the figure stands at 23.1 for 2025 – Theekshana has found himself the odd man out on more than one occasion.So having been dropped for Sri Lanka’s second game in this tri-series, Theekshana was recalled for this match, and promptly handed the new ball. By the time his three-over powerplay spell had ended, two of Zimbabwe’s top three had been sent back – he beat both edges to rattle the stumps of Tadiwanashe Marumani and Dion Myers – as his figures at that stage read 2 for 19. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, ended the powerplay on 44 for 2.Theekshana’s final over arrived at the start of the death-overs period, and in it he gave away just four runs. That was four quality overs in the game’s most difficult period for bowlers on a good batting track. In a year where he hasn’t been at the top of his game, Theekshana seemed to have provided a timely reminder of what he offers when he’s at his best.Sikandar Raza steadied Zimbabwe in the middle overs•PCB

Raza, Bennett to the rescue againOf the 581 runs Zimbabwe have struck over the course of four games this series, 273 have come off the bats of Bennett and Raza – that roughly accounts for 46%. It is a worrying dependency as of late, but one that Zimbabwe will be grateful for at present.After Theekshana’s early strikes, it was Bennett who ensured the scoring rate remained above seven runs an over, particularly with Brendan Taylor struggling for fluency at the other end. It meant that despite Taylor’s 14 off 16 balls, their partnership of 36 still came off 28 deliveries.And once Taylor fell, it brought Raza to the crease, and together he added 36 off 30 balls with Bennett – they mixed the odd boundary with intelligent strike rotation. While they were together, Zimbabwe looked on track for at least 160 as the pair navigated the middle overs expertly.Burl’s late show spares blushesBurl has flattered to deceive throughout this series, but against Pakistan last time out, his 67 off 49 deliveries finally realised some of what he had been threatening. Unfortunately for Burl, that knock came in a doomed cause, whereas on Tuesday evening, he revived an innings that had been limping to a close.After Bennett and Raza had both fallen in the space of 13 deliveries courtesy Hasaranga’s double strike, Zimbabwe’s innings was in danger of unraveling. Of the four overs bowled at the death, two went for three and four runs, respectively. But Burl, who had been on 1 off 7 balls when Raza fell midway through the 15th over, ensured the innings retained some momentum by striking 36 runs off his next 19 deliveries.If Tashinga Musekiwa had been able to offer more support than his eventual 6 off 14 balls, Zimbabwe may have reached the 160 they had been eyeing – or perhaps more.

Until Sunday, the 12 teams in playoff position at the All-Star break were the same 12 teams holding playoff spots with one week to play. No more. The Reds leapfrogged the sagging Mets, and the molten-hot Guardians can replace the Tigers as soon as Tuesday. You want chaos? This is your week, when baseball becomes a high-stakes, minute-by-minute sprint.

The third wild card is proving its intention: inject sizzle back into September. And don’t worry about a watered-down playoff field. The six No. 6 seeds in three years of the 12-team format have won between 84 and 89 games with an average of 86.9 wins. We again should see the last two teams qualify in that range.

How crazy is the tournament? In the three seasons with six playoff teams in each league, the No. 6 seeds (32–26) have won as many postseason games as the No. 1 seeds (32–22). Just get in, baby.

Wild card spots are not all that’s at stake this week. We’ve got playoff seedings, major awards and MLB records also up for grabs. Here’s your guide to what’s on the line in Chaos Week:

The collapse of the Mets

They no longer control their playoff fate now that the Reds, who hold the tiebreaker over the Mets, caught them for the third wild card.

Since Aug. 19 the Mets are 13–18, including 3–8 against the Marlins and Nationals. But this is not just a late fade. From 45–24 in their first 69 games to 35–52 in their next 87, the Mets have been a bad team longer than they’ve been a good team.

They have used more pitchers than any team in history, received the fourth fewest innings from starters, lost more games out of the bullpen than any playoff contender, walked far too many batters, not once rallied to win after trailing after eight innings and whiffed on trade deadline acquisitions Cedric Mullins and Ryan Helsley, who had been in one organization for a decade before they were dropped into the heat of a New York pennant race.

This week the Mets play three games at Wrigley Field against the Cubs (where they see pitchers Cade Horton, Matt Boyd and Shota Imanaga) and three games in Miami against the Marlins, while asking three kids in their rotation to save their season.

The Reds have three at home against Pittsburgh (including one start by Paul Skenes) and finish with three at Milwaukee against the Brewers. Cincinnati has the edge because of its starting pitching. It also has the tiebreaker advantage over Arizona, which still lurks in the wild card race.

The Tigers in freefall

Detroit takes a six-game losing streak into Cleveland for a huge series against the Guardians that starts Tuesday, then goes to Fenway to finish against the Red Sox, another team hanging on by its fingernails. The Tigers are in a 7–18 freefall in which their 11.5-game AL Central lead has shrunk to one.

The length of the season has exposed the flaws of the Tigers. They strike out too much, their bullpen has the worst strikeout rate in baseball and they are a 46–54 team when anybody other than Tarik Skubal or Casey Mize starts.

American League musical chairs

The Tigers (85–71), Red Sox (85–71), Guardians (84–72) and Astros (84–72) are separated by one game with six to play and three spots up for grabs. One spot will go to either Detroit or Cleveland as the AL Central winner (Cleveland wins the head-to-head tiebreaker with one more win). That leaves three teams for two wild card spots. Here is the skinny on the race:

Tigers: The good news is by finishing against Cleveland and Boston they don’t need help. Their fate is smack in front of them. But that schedule—finishing on the road against two contenders—is also the bad news, especially after Detroit hit .182 against the Guardians while getting swept in three games last week. The Tigers are in trouble, especially if they lose with Skubal on the mound Tuesday in Cleveland.

Red Sox: They are 3–10 against Toronto and Detroit, their opponents this week. They see veteran pitchers Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber in Toronto. Holding tiebreakers against Cleveland and Houston and with head-to-head games with Detroit, Boston still has a good chance of getting in.

Guardians: Manager Stephen Vogt went to a six-man rotation to survive 17 games in 17 days. It worked, not just to keep his starters fresh, but also because pitching coach Carl Willis had them throw two bullpen sessions in between starts to dial in mechanics and pitch shaping. Cleveland is 16–5 with a 2.32 ERA this month. Cleveland is the only one of these four bubble teams to finish all this week at home. If they take two of three from Detroit, the Guardians will be in first place (by virtue of the head-to-head tiebreaker) and control their fate entering a series against Texas.

Astros: This is the bubble team in the most trouble, if only because they lose the tiebreakers to the Tigers, Red Sox and Guardians and they don’t have Yordan Alvarez (ankle) in the lineup. The Astros are 12–16 in August and September without Alvarez. They need to go at least 4–2 on the road against the Athletics and Angels.

Before the second innings in Durban, the South Africa captain had 22 fifties but only two hundreds to his name

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Nov-2024Yes, it is a bowlers’ era, and sure, this is not the strongest South Africa batting order there has ever been, but eventually people are going to look across your stats, find the column under “Hundreds”, and check.Temba Bavuma is aware of this. Painfully aware.Before the second innings at Kingsmead, he had only two trips to triple figures, compared to 22 fifties. The rock to throw at him is that this is a poor conversion rate, even if many of those fifties came in difficult match situations. Both his team-mates and his opposition, for example, have praised his first-innings 70, for having taken South Africa from a truly modest total to a halfway-respectable 191, given the conditions.Related

Leap and joy: Stubbs and Bavuma's centuries add colour to festive Kingsmead

SA quicks leave SL on the brink after Stubbs, Bavuma tons

Still, that column on the stats page has eyes on it. And on Friday, at Kingsmead, he raised the count to three, hitting 113 against Sri Lanka. Will people wonder how he has been doing as captain and see that he averages 54.22? Will they wonder how many of his innings have come at No. 6 and lower (51 off 103 innings, by the way), and reason that these are not positions where centuries are harder to come by? Perhaps not many will. Hundreds are kind of a big deal.”Getting to a three-figure mark is always a lot more satisfying, personally,” Bavuma said, about making centuries vs important fifties. “When you bat in positions where the team is in trouble, and you get to a 50 to 60, I guess it’s good in terms of getting the team into a competitive position. But once you’re able to go over, you really get the team into a strong position.”Hundreds are a currency as a batter as well, I guess that increases that value. There’s obviously a lot of confidence that comes from scoring a hundred, and I think in terms of the batting line-up we’re getting to a stage where we’re starting to believe that in each innings, someone is able to go and get a hundred, so it’s good to add to that confidence.”

“Getting to the three-figure mark was quite nerve-racking. I went over to him and said, ‘Stubbo, please get me on strike. I can’t wait on this end'”

Bavuma’s approach to the hundred was fraught, however. Between getting to 80 and getting to triple figures, there was an edge that dropped short of the slips, a ball that jumped up and hit him on the glove, plays and misses, and an lbw shout and a review to the shot (it came off his glove) he got to triple figures off. Bavuma had, in fact, been asking for the strike.”I think I’m not too good when I get to the 80s and 90s. I’m going to try and get there [to a century] as soon as I can. They had the second new ball as well, and there was still something on offer for the bowlers. I was always looking to score.”Then, obviously, getting to the three-figure mark, it was quite nerve-racking. Against the spinner [Prabath Jayasuriya], I got one off the first ball, and then the next two balls Tristan Stubbs blocked. I went over to him and said, ‘Stubbo, please get me on strike. I can’t wait on this end.’ He was able to do that, so I was always going to play that shot.”The shot was a paddle sweep, and he just managed to get a glove to the ball before it hit him on the pads in front of the stumps.”It was a bit high risk, but the way the spinner was bowling, I was thinking of getting to that three-figure mark and then kind of starting again.”Sri Lanka reviewed that lbw, shout, but Bavuma had known he had got enough on it. He politely waited for the big screen to show the little spike as the ball brushed his glove.Then he celebrated his third hundred.

As the Chicago Cubs welcome a former All-Star pitcher, they will reportedly say goodbye to another one.

The Cubs are designating pitcher Ryan Pressly for assignment, according to a Thursday evening report from Patrick Mooney of . Pressly, 36, is 2–3 this season with a 4.35 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings pitched.

A 13-year veteran who's spent time with three teams, Pressly remains best known for his seven years with the Houston Astros at the peak of their pandemic-era powers. Coming over from the Minnesota Twins in 2018, he successfully transitioned from a spectacular middle relief role into a rock-solid closer.

Pressly's roster spot will reportedly go to pitcher Taylor Rogers, a 2021 All-Star with the Twins who was moved for the second time in two days.

Chicago, suddenly in a white-knuckle National League Central race with the Milwaukee Brewers, trails its rival by one game.

كشف الجهاز الفني لمنتخب مصر الثاني بقيادة حلمي طولان، عن التشكيل الأساسي لمواجهة الكويت في الجولة الافتتاحية للمجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس العرب، التي تنطلق مساء اليوم على استاد لوسيل.

ويشارك المنتخب المصري إلى جانب الكويت في المجموعة نفسها، والتي تضم أيضًا الإمارات والأردن، ضمن النسخة التي تحتضنها قطر في الفترة من 1 إلى 18 ديسمبر، وسط متابعة جماهيرية عربية كبيرة لمباريات الدور الأول.

ويأمل منتخب مصر في بداية قوية تحت قيادة المدرب حلمي طولان، الذي يسعى لتوجيه الفريق نحو الانطلاقة المثالية ومقارعة المنافسين على بطاقة التأهل إلى الدور الإقصائي منذ البداية.

من جهته، يدخل المنتخب الكويتي المباراة بعد تجاوز مرحلة الملحق، ويسعى لتقديم أداء مشرف أمام مصر وإظهار قدراته التنافسية، في مباراة تحظى باهتمام واسع من الجماهير العربية.

طالع أيضًا | بدلاء منتخب مصر أمام الكويت اليوم في كأس العرب.. الونش يُجاور أفشة تشكيل منتخب مصر الثاني أمام الكويت في كأس العرب

حراسة المرمى: محمد بسام

خط الدفاع: أكرم توفيق، رجب نبيل، ياسين مرعي، يحيى زكريا.

خط الوسط: محمد النني، عمرو السولية، غنام محمد.

خط الهجوم: مصطفى سعد “ميسي”، إسلام عيسى، محمد شريف.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

This is getting serious now. Liverpool’s abject run of form under Arne Slot’s management this season has been a massive concern, but one which all of a Reds persuasion have been steadfast in their belief that the blip will be overcome.

Mohamed Salah’s flaming comments at the weekend have threatened to split the Slot machine wide open, with terms such as civil war and crisis being bandied about like never before.

What sparked this latest drama in a season weighed further and further down by setbacks? Well, Liverpool blew a two-goal lead at Elland Road in the Premier League, and Salah did not get even a flash of the action.

Liverpool's implosion at Elland Road

Liverpool just can’t pull all the strings together at the moment, having blown their two-goal advantage over Leeds United to draw 3-3. Dominik Szoboszlai thought he’d salvaged a draw late, but the hosts struck deep into stoppage time to condemn the Reds to their latest in a long litany of disappointments.

The frustrating part is Liverpool were comfortable and well worth their lead until spineless, error-riddled habits crept in after the break.

It was Konate’s lunging challenge, clumsy, needless, which started the Leeds fightback, and this underlines the point that Liverpool keep putting themselves through the wringer, incapable of playing to their strengths and retaining balance and composure throughout 90 minutes.

Konate is only months away from the end of his Liverpool contract, and while FSG continue to keep a door open regarding the France star’s renewal, Spanish sources suggest they could be open to cashing in for £15m this summer.

It would possibly be unwise to sell Konate right now, given the dearth of depth across Slot’s backline. Salah, too, is a player FSG wish to keep, but there is another struggler who flattered to deceive at Leeds and should be sold first.

FSG must get rid of Liverpool's "major issue"

Two things can be true: Salah has been well out of sorts this season, and he cannot convincingly tout the undroppable status he has carried through his glittering Liverpool career on his current form; Salah has every right to feel aggrieved, with players like Cody Gakpo reprising their starting berths in spite of dire performances.

It is Gakpo who is becoming a “major issue” for the Anfield side, and in more ways than one, as has been observed by analyst Raj Chohan.

Though the Dutchman has been a moderately efficient force on the left flank this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists in the Premier League, it’s clear that he is limited in his approach, and that the Reds could do with a more dynamic left winger to replace Luis Diaz, sold to Bayern Munich in August.

Gakpo, 26, has been at Liverpool for three years, scoring 46 goals and providing 21 assists across 149 appearances. He is versatile and has played his role throughout his time on Merseyside, but the Netherlands man has been exposed as lacking dimensions as Liverpool’s main man on the left wing.

There’s no doubt that Gakpo is a naturally prolific player, but if anything, this underscores the significance of the concerns surrounding his name: thee is a lack of expansiveness about his skillset, and he is averaging just 0.4 shots on target per Premier League match this season, ranking among the bottom 4% of league forwards for percentage of shots on target per 90, as per FBref.

Most G+A under Arne Slot (Liverpool)

Player

G + A

Total

Mohamed Salah

39 + 26

65

Cody Gakpo

23 + 11

34

Dominik Szoboszlai

12 + 14

26

Luis Diaz

17 + 8

25

Alexis Mac Allister

8 + 8

16

Data via Transfermarkt

Someone like Antoine Semenyo, perhaps, who is ostensibly gearing up for an exit from Bournemouth in January, with Liverpool right at the top of the shopping list.

Liverpool may need a central defender, but there is a reason Slot suggested during a presser last month that he and sporting director Richard Hughes are looking further up the pitch as a priority position to smooth out the many wrinkles in the tactical fabric.

Though it would be foolish to start thinking about selling Gakpo in January, and an upgrade on the left is desperately needed, and bringing someone like Semenyo in would solve a ‘major issue’ and help launch Slot’s squad back into the ascendancy.

Salah and Konate’s respective futures are in doubt, but it might be that getting rid of Gakpo is the move Hughes needs to make first.

Related Salah upgrade: Liverpool prepare British record bid to sign £131m magician

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair 4 days ago

علق الإعلامي خالد الغندور، على هزيمة منتخب مصر الثاني أمام الأردن بثلاثية دون مقابل، والخروج المبكر من بطولة كأس العرب، مؤكدًا حجم الخلل الذي تعانيه المنظومة الكروية في مصر.

وقال الغندور في تصريحات عبر برنامج “الحريفة”، على إذاعة “أون سبورت إف إم”: “ماذا أقول؟ ماذا تريدون أن أقول بعد ما شاهدناه أمس في مباراة منتخب مصر أمام الأردن؟ للأسف، كانت نتيجة غير متوقعة، كارثية لكرة القدم المصرية 3-0 أمام المنتخب الأردني، الذي كان يلعب بالفريق الثاني، مع غياب حوالي خمس لاعبين أساسيين، بالإضافة إلى خمس لاعبين محترفين بالخارج”.

وتابع: “يقول البعض: نحن كنا نلعب بالفريق الثاني، لكن مهما كان، فهو منتخب مصر، الحقيقة أن المنتخب، سواء في الفريق الأول أو الثاني، كان يقدم نتائج أفضل سابقًا، المنتخب الجزائري، على سبيل المثال، حقق نتائج أفضل، وكذلك المنتخب التونسي، خرج لكنه على الأقل فاز بمباراة وتعادل بأخرى، بينما نحن جلبنا نقطتين فقط من تسع نقاط، ومع كل مباراة نتأخر ثم نتعادل، وأمس قدمنا نتيجة سيئة للغاية، إلى أي مدى ستصل الكرة المصرية؟”.

وأضاف: “بالطبع، هذه النتائج تعكس الخلافات المستمرة بين كابتن حلمي طولان وكابتن حسام حسن، وبين الاتحاد والأندية وعدم تأجيل مباريات بيراميدز، وما حدث بين الأندية والمنتخب، وكذلك وجود بعض الخلافات بين المدربين أنفسهم، مثل التصريحات على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، كل هذا أدى إلى حالة من الفوضى في التنظيم والنظام”.

طالع أيضًا | شوبير يُفجر مفاجأة من العيار الثقيل بشأن موقف حلمي طولان من جهازه المعاون قبل كأس العرب

وأردف: “الجمهور المصري كان موجودًا في الملعب أمس، حوالي 30 ألف متفرج، وشاهد كل شيء، ومن المثير للانزعاج أن الأندية تلعب باسم مصر، وعندما يأتي المنتخب للعب، لا يجد الدعم الكافي، كل نادٍ يسعى لمصلحته الخاصة، وهذا ما يضر بالمنتخب ويظهر عشوائية في اتخاذ القرارات”.

وواصل: “هناك غياب واضح للتنسيق بين المنتخب الأول والثاني، مثلًا، اللاعب إمام عاشور لم يكن جاهزًا للمشاركة بالشكل المناسب، وبعض اللاعبين الآخرين مثل حسام عبد المجيد، محمود صابر، وغيرهم، لم يكونوا متواجدين رغم أنه كان بإمكانهم المشاركة، وهذا يعكس غياب النظام والاستراتيجية”.

وتابع: “المنتخب الثاني، هل هو موجود فقط للبطولة العربية؟ أم لتجهيز لاعبين للفريق الأول وكأس الأمم وكأس العالم؟ لا يوجد وضوح في الهدف أو الاستراتيجية، وهذا يظهر في طريقة الاختيار والتجهيز، حيث يُختار اللاعبون بشكل غير منظم، ما يؤدي إلى نتائج سيئة وأداء متراجع”.

واختتم: “حتى اللاعبون الذين كان من المفترض أن يكونوا جاهزين للمشاركة في عدة مباريات لم يحصلوا على فرص كافية، ما يعكس نقص التخطيط والتنظيم داخل المنظومة الكروية”.

Shohei Ohtani is plenty familiar with all of the animosity that comes with the rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Every time the two teams meet, it makes for a tense game and plenty of jeering from fans.

One heckler during Sunday's game at Petco Park was silenced by Ohtani the old fashioned way: with one swing of the bat. In the ninth inning of the Dodgers' 8–2 win, Ohtani parked a ball in the bleachers, hitting a solo shot out to center field. When he got back to the visitors dugout, he paused to shake the hand of a Padres fan who had been relentlessly heckling him throughout the game.

The fan looked totally shocked to see Ohtani coming up for a handshake, and he shrunk in his seat as Ohtani packed his bat while celebrating his solo homer.

Dave Roberts and some others in the dugout were loving their front-row seats to Ohtani's bit of sassy retaliation. The team was all tuned in and laughing as the Dodgers' designated hitter addressed the heckler head-on.

Sunday's win sees L.A. get back on level-pegging with the Padres for the NL West lead, with both teams now tied up at 74-57 on the year.

After a number of years of drought, the promise of renewal has arrived with four centurions on this tour of Bangladesh

Firdose Moonda30-Oct-2024If it feels like it’s taken a long time for South Africa’s batting line-up to find some solidity, that’s because it has. Since May 2018, of teams in the World Test Championship, only West Indies have a lower average runs-per-wicket figure, and South Africa’s batters have scored the fewest hundreds. Over the last two weeks, that seems to be changing.In the Chattogram Test, South Africa have posted their highest away total in 12 years, with three of their batters scoring their maiden Test centuries. Numbers aside, they also appear to have found an opening partner for Aiden Markram who can balance batting time and scoring runs, a No.3 who fits the role, a middle order that does not melt at the sight of spin, and a lower-order allrounder. This seeming overnight success has been about a year in the making.Related

• South Africa's batting close to finding the 'sweet spot' again

• 'Big, strong, strapping' Stubbs to be South Africa's new Test No. 3

• Sweeping success – Stubbs takes the cue from de Zorzi

• Rabada's strikes, Mulder's century pile on the pain for Bangladesh

• Stats – Three first-time Test centurions in South Africa's batting feast

“It probably started with Shukri [Conrad, South Africa’s Test coach] against India [in the 2023-24 home summer]. That was a tough series against a really good side, and there was a young team as well, and guys put their hands up in different situations. So, I think it’s just been building on that,” Tony de Zorzi, whose career-best 177 is South Africa’s highest individual score away from home since Graeme Smith’s 234 in Dubai in 2013, said after day two in Chattogram.”There’s a few young guys but a lot of them play around the world so guys are coming in with different types of experiences. It might not necessarily be in age, but they’re all pretty mature and clever about how they go about things. And even though we haven’t been playing for a while and we’re maybe not 30 or 40 years old, we have our own experiences which allow us to perform.”Tony de Zorzi’s 177 demonstrated his ability to weather an intense physical toll over a long period•AFP/Getty ImagesLet’s start with de Zorzi’s example. He made a promising start to his career for the then-second-tier Pretoria-based side Northerns in the 2016-17 season but then dropped off the radar once he graduated to their senior side, the Titans, and moved provinces to the Western Cape. There, he flourished with an average of 49.42 in the 2021-22 domestic four-day competition and 101.40 in the 2022-23 season to earn a Test call-up. By then he had also played four first-class games for South Africa A.Then he had to start all over again, but his experience through the domestic system meant his development at the highest level has come quicker. He scored a promising 85 in his second Test, an important half-century in his fifth, and now, in his eighth Test, a daddy hundred that showed what he can offer long-term.Technically, de Zorzi’s ability to adjust to conditions, especially the amount of spin being bowled, stood out. Mentally, his capacity to stay at the crease, even when battling cramps in his hand, forearm, side and legs on the first day, and for a total of seven hours and 12 minutes, was impressive. This can be developed with the practice of time in the middle and de Zorzi has some marathon domestic innings – including a triple-hundred two seasons ago – to draw on. “Once you get in, it becomes pretty much just [about] your decision-making and your ability to stay focused. It’s definitely mental but you also have to be physically fit enough to be able to do it and be able to concentrate for long periods of time; be able to switch on and switch off,” he said. “I’d say to do it for a long time, you’ve got to be 100% present as much as you can and focused.”Wiaan Mulder has had a similar experience in biding his time. He made his Test debut in February 2019, a year-and-a-half after getting his ODI cap. Batting at No. 7 behind the likes of Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock, and bowling second change after Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Duanne Olivier may have made it tough for Mulder to fully carve out a role for himself. He didn’t play another Test until that December and then only made sporadic appearances until being recalled for the West Indies tour this winter, as a levelled-up batter in particular.Tristan Stubbs has vindicated Shukri Conrad’s move to promote him to No. 3 after just one Test match•AFP/Getty ImagesIn 2022, Mulder played for Leicestershire, batted at No.6, and made 689 runs at 49.21, scoring two hundreds including a career-best 235 not out. Last summer, he was promoted to No.5 for his South African domestic team, the Lions, and in six matches scored two hundreds and two fifties to average 54.90. The results of the work he has put into his batting over the last two years all showed in his innings today, which was well-paced and purposeful, with plenty of powerful shots. The twin sixes he hit off Mahmudul Hasan to bring up South Africa’s 500 and push himself towards 70 were highlights. “This is the pinnacle for me,” he said afterwards. “That’s why I get up in the morning – to try and score a hundred in a Test match.”Tristan Stubbs, whose century was sandwiched between those of de Zorzi and Mulder, had the same feeling. He called his innings his “favourite hundred”. Before this he had one in ODIs and eight in domestic cricket, including one at first-class level, and he has repaid the faith Conrad showed in him. Conrad gave him a Test debut when he had only played 15 first-class games, and announced he would promote Stubbs to No.3 after one Test. Whatever Conrad saw has come to fruition and the results that are showing in the batting is as much a credit to Stubbs’ work as it is to his selection and the knowledge of the 66-Test-capped Ashwell Prince, who is the batting coach. It helps that Prince also has recent experience of coaching in Bangladesh.It may be premature to suggest South Africa’s batting blues are behind them but the numbers from this series are a move in the right direction. Their 575 in Chattogram is their highest away total since they scored 637 for 2 at The Oval in 2012, where they were on a journey to win the Test mace. The closest they have come to that trophy since then is now. South Africa are four wins away from the WTC final, and while there is still much cricket to be played between now and then, their fate is in their own hands.With de Zorzi, Stubbs and Mulder adding to Kyle Verreynne’s 114 from the first Test in Dhaka, South Africa have, for the first time since 2018, four different centurions in a series. The last time they had more than two hundreds in an away series was in Australia in 2016. Both the 2012 and 2016 teams were built on big stars and enjoyed strong success. South Africa will hope, as Mulder said, that the “stars are aligned,” for the same to happen again.