Category Uncategorized

Farhan 80* and Nawaz three-for keep Pakistan unbeaten

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Pakistan romped to a modest target of 129 on a pitch that was tough to bat on

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Nov-2025Pakistan’s attack squeezed Sri Lanka’s batters: their seamers bossed the powerplay, before Mohammad Nawaz claimed three wickets through the middle. Sri Lanka could muster no more than 128 for 7, and Pakistan strode to the target in 15.3 overs, with seven wickets to spare.Sahibzada Farhan led the chase from the top of the order, with 80 not out off 45 balls. His knock, in fact, was the only real fluent innings in this game. Janith Liyanage – the next-best scorer with 41 not out – struck at only 108. On the other hand, Farhan hit five sixes and five fours in the innings. His most productive partnership was with Babar Azam – the two put on 69 together.The victory puts Pakistan at the top of the tri-series table with two victories. Sri Lanka are the only winless side, and also have the worst net run rate by a distance, having now suffered two exceedingly heavy losses.Mohammad Nawaz’s three wickets ensured Sri Lanka never got going•PCBPakistan peg Sri Lanka back in the powerplayKamil Mishara made the big plays for Sri Lanka early in their innings, hitting 22 off his first 11 balls. But Mishara misread a slower ball from Faheem Ashraf and holed out to mid off. After he was dismissed early in the fourth over, they managed only one further boundary in the powerplay. Then, in Ashraf’s next over, Kusal Mendis was run out attempting a needless second. Sri Lanka finished the powerplay on 44 for 2.Nawaz dominates the middle oversNawaz bowled an unbroken four-over spell starting with the eighth over, took 3 for 16, and was virtually unhittable – so accurate were his overs, and so cleverly did he vary his pace. He didn’t concede a boundary, and his third over was probably the best of the match – he first bowled Kusal Perera with a delivery that ripped through the left-hander’s gate, before slipping a straight one past Dasun Shanaka’s defences. In his final over, he had Kusal Mendis caught excellently on the deep-midwicket boundary by Mohammad Wasim Jr, who tossed the ball in the air as he was going over the rope, before regaining his footing inside the field and completing the catch.Farhan blasts Sri LankaIt didn’t take long for him to get going. By the time he’d faced ten balls, Farhan had hit two fours and a six. His main hitting zones were in a broad V, with the vast majority of his boundaries coming in the arc between cover and midwicket. He was especially severe on the legspinners – he hit 23 off 12 against Wanindu Hasaranga, and 21 off 13 off V Viyaskanth. Farhan hit the winning runs – a four down the ground off Eshan Malinga.Viyaskanth breaks new groundNever before have Sri Lanka fielded a born-and-raised player from the Jaffna peninsula, although cricket has been popular in the north for well over a century. This is largely because a 27-year Civil War in the region, which prevented many northerners from pursuing cricket. Legspinner V Viyaskanth had played a T20I before, in the Asian Games, to which Sri Lanka sent only an emerging team. This was his first major international appearance, and as such, the first appearance for a Jaffna player in a televised international match. His figures read 0 for 28 from four overs.

Smith proud of Labuschagne's 'pretty big statement'

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Steven Smith has revealed that Marnus Labuschagne told him before the season that he would be back in the Test side by the start of the Ashes.Though that decision has yet to be rubberstamped by the Australia selectors, Labuschagne is all-but certain to earn a recall having made two Sheffield Shield centuries in two matches – and four hundreds in five innings across the early domestic season – in a prolific return to form after being dropped in the West Indies earlier this year.”I sent him a message a couple of days ago saying how proud I was of him,” Smith said. “He’s just gone back and he’s got his fourth hundred in five hits. It’s a pretty big statement. He said to me at the start of the summer, he goes, ‘I’ll be in that Test team come the first [Ashes] Test’. He’s backed up his words, probably. He’s obviously not selected yet, [but] he’s done a lot of things right.”Related

  • Australia's top order: What are the selectors' options?

  • Labuschagne makes emphatic Ashes case

  • Weatherald makes a statement as Boland primes for Perth

  • 'Takes me two hits' – Smith already feels in the Ashes groove

During the first ODI against India, Labuschagne spoke about some of his struggles having come from getting “too deep” into his technique and “trying to be too perfect”, which echoes advice Smith had given him.”We’ve all been there [dropped] at some point in our careers and it’s difficult to hear it,” Smith said. “But I think he knew he probably wasn’t batting as well as he had been over probably four years ago when he was scoring a mountain of runs.”I think my advice to him was ‘stop thinking so technically, just go and play the game; watch the ball and react’. I think he’s been doing that really beautifully and he’s played so nicely.”While Labuschagne’s return looks certain, a significant question remains about where he bats in the order amid the ongoing debate around who opens alongside Usman Khawaja with Sam Konstas’ challenges continuing. Labuschagne was promoted to the top in the World Test Championship final against South Africa and there remains a realistic chance he will be asked to do it again.Steven Smith has been prolific since returning to No. 4•Associated Press

A large part of the final decision may revolve around how many overs the selectors are confident in Cameron Green getting through and whether Beau Webster’s bowling is also required.”He can open, as we saw in the Test championship final,” Smith said. “He can bat three. He’s versatile. We’ll see where it all stands when the team gets picked. I mean, it’s not too different to batting three, to be honest. He could be in first ball. So, it’s essentially the same thing.”I don’t think he needs to change anything if that’s the case. Just play the game, play how he has been, and see the ball hit it, and trust his instincts.”Smith, who had a four-Test stint as opener in early 2024 before returning to No. 4 last season where he averaged 53.27 against India and Sri Lanka, may also become part of the batting-order debate over whether he returns to No. 3.”I’m not too fussed, to be honest,” Smith said. “I’m happy kind of wherever. But, yeah, we’ll see what happens when the team’s picked where we’ll talk to the coaches and Patty [Cummins] and see where everyone fits in best, I suppose, and keep it as simple as that.”Sam Konstas is struggling to retain his Test place•Getty Images

With regards Konstas, who has made 4, 14, 0 and 53 in his four Shield innings of the season having scored a century for Australia A in India last month, Smith said there was a balance to strike for young players between overloading them with advice and allowing them to problem solve.”He’s obviously going through a bit of a period right now where he’s trying to figure out how he wants to play,” he said. “I think at times you’ve got to let these young players figure it out for themselves and find the way that they want to play. I think back to when I was young, I had to figure it out.”There were people that I could speak to, but ultimately you’re the one out in the middle playing. It’s your career and you need to figure out how you want to go about it. He’s so young, he’s got plenty of time to figure out how he wants to go.”From what I’ve seen, he’s got so much time as a batter when he’s facing fast bowling. That’s something you can’t really teach, so that’s a good starting point. Then there’s a few things that he has to obviously work on, but he’s a bright talent as we’ve seen and he’s got a bright future.”

Isaac Mohammed century drives England U19 to series-levelling win

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Hossan, Beg make half-centuries for visitors as Minto impresses again with three wickets

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay07-Sep-2025England U19 273 for 6 (Mohammed 104, Basir 3-35) beat Bangladesh U19 272 for 9 (Hossan 57, Beg 51, Minto 3-48) by four wicketsA superb Isaac Mohammed century guided England Men U19s to a four-wicket win against Bangladesh Men U19s in the second Youth one-day international at Loughborough.The Worcestershire batter, who was dropped on six, was the backbone of a potentially tricky run chase after half-centuries from Rifat Beg and Rizan Hossan helped Bangladesh post 272 for nine.James Minto claimed three for 48 from his 10 overs – to follow his five-wicket haul in the opening-match defeat – although the highlight of the innings was arguably Joe Moores’ stunning catch to remove KS Aleen off Manny Lumsden.Moores dived full length to his right at a floating slip to haul in a remarkable one-handed catch and then struck 47 alongside Mohammed at the top of the order to put the hosts on track in their pursuit.Mohammed went on to reach 104 from 95 balls, which included nine sixes, before Jack Nelson, who made his debut in the opening game on Friday, saw the Young Lions over the line with an unbeaten 35 from 38 balls.The five-match series is level 1-1 heading into the next match at Bristol on Tuesday.Despite the early loss of Zawad Abrar, caught at mid-off from Matthew Firbank’s bowling, Bangladesh edged the initial stages, reaching 67 for one after 10 overs.The drinks interval proved pivotal, as three wickets fell in three consecutive overs, after the break. The pace of Hampshire’s Manny Lumsden rushed Beg into a mistake, ending a promising knock of 51 from 52 balls. The soft dismissal of Azizul Hakim Tamim followed, as he offered a simple chance to square leg and Lumsden claimed his second wicket courtesy of Moores excellent catch.At 126 for four inside 20 overs, Bangladesh were precariously placed but Hossan, a centurion in Friday’s game and wicketkeeper Mohammed Abdullah rebuilt with a partnership of 69. It was ended when Abdullah mistimed a pull shot off Minto.Hossan, displaying power and subtlety, got to his fifty soon after, off 54 balls. His crucial wicket was taken the ball after he deposited a huge six onto the roof of an adjacent building, Jack Nelson being rewarded for perseverance.At 218 for six Bangladesh’s innings never really regained impetus, as Nelson’s leg-spin claimed another wicket in his next over, with Samiun Basir Ratul’s top edge being caught by Bryon Hatton-Lowe.Two further cheap wickets followed as the England bowlers continued to apply themselves, although late innings hitting from Al Fahad elevated the final total to 272-9 off 47 overs – three overs being reduced due to rain.In response, the England openers raced to f50 off 6.5 overs, to get ahead of the asking rate. Mohammed’s graceful straight hits and Moores’s scooped six, were highlights of a partnership worth 68. Moores was out gloving the ball behind, from Shahrir Al-Amin’s first delivery.The next wicket came somewhat against the run of play, Ben Mayes bowled by Ratul when the second-wicket partnership looked well set, leaving the score on 120 for two. Mohammed’s second successive fifty came shortly afterwards off 69 balls, and in a run soaked 26th over he struck three sixes off Hossan’s medium pace.At the other end, a sharp stumping sent Will Bennison back for 12, before skipper Thomas Rew departed for 14 to a catch in the deep, which just kept Bangladesh in the game with 59 runs needed off 14 overs.Mohammed was dismissed, holing out off Fahad, two balls after completing a composed century. The sixth-wicket pair of Nelson and Ralphie Albert took England to the brink of victory, which eventually came with 3.5 overs remaining.Moores said: “It was a really good win, I though last game we were pretty close for a lot of the time, we had a lot of good moments, we spoke about trying to build that for longer.”Obviously Isaac batted really well, he set the tone really nicely, the lads who came in after him followed it up really nicely as well. Everyone chipped in, it’s definitely good to get the win and go one-all.”Speaking about his scoop for six, Moores added: “It’s just going to your strengths as quickly as possible, I feel like those kinds of shots are one of my strengths. It felt like it was a good option.”Moores added about his diving slip catch: “I was very pleased, it’s one of those that sticks, it felt like it was going in slow motion, it was a nice feeling (to take the catch).”

Powerplay Podcast: Can anyone stop Australia?

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Nadine de Klerk makes a special appearance as Valkerie Baynes and Firdose Moonda build up to the World Cup semi-finals

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2025The final four teams of the Women’s World Cup have been decided, and as it often has been in recent times, one of them are overwhelming favourites to go on and win the whole thing — even if they do take on hosts India in the semi-finals.Can Australia – who have even turned crises into comfortable wins this World Cup – continue their perfect record (marred only by a washout)? Will India get revenge for the league-stage defeat in their bid for a maiden World Cup title? And will South Africa recover once again from a sub-100 score against a strong England side?Nadine de Klerk joins Firdose Moonda, Valkerie Baynes and S Sudarshanan as a special guest as in the latest episode of ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast where we build up to the semi-finals:

Sairaj Patil – the six-hitting, seam-bowling Mumbai man to watch out for

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

He has taken his time to come up the ranks, but at 28, Patil might be hitting his peak as a white-ball allrounder

Deivarayan Muthu03-Sep-2025He has the potential to become the next big white-ball allrounder from Mumbai after Shivam Dube and Suryansh Shedge. Like his better-known team-mates, he can launch mighty sixes from the middle order and also bowl handy seam-ups. His all-round skills earned him three Player-of-the-Match awards in six games and eventually the Player-of-the-Tournament award from Rohit Sharma at the T20 Mumbai league earlier this year. Meet 28-year-old Sairaj Patil, who is now on the radar of IPL teams as well.In the 2025 T20 Mumbai league, Patil scored 233 runs in six innings at a strike rate of over 150 to go with seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.35 for Eagle Thane Strikers. Despite state-run leagues mushrooming across India, allrounders who can clear the boundary and also bowl are still rare, which is why Patil has piqued the interest of scouts ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.Patil has been bossing the local and corporate tournaments in Mumbai for a while, but the recent success in the relaunched state league was proof that he could do the job at a higher level.Related

  • Mhatre breaks records for Mumbai, Shaw shines on captaincy debut

  • Abdul Samad expects new approach to take him where he hasn't gone before

  • Rahane steps down as Mumbai's Ranji Trophy captain

  • Jaiswal to continue playing for Mumbai in domestic cricket

  • Suryansh Shedge, clear thinker and ace T20 finisher

“Yeah, I had a great Mumbai T20 league and I am grateful for everything,” Patil told ESPNcricinfo on the sidelines of the pre-season Buchi Babu Tournament in Chennai. “I had prepped very well before the start of the tournament and I was dominating Mumbai cricket for the last two years and I was part of the Mumbai white-ball squad for [the 50-over] Vijay Hazare [Trophy] and Syed Mushtaq Ali [T20 tournament], but I was not getting chances.”So the past two seasons I was sitting outside… but by sitting outside I got to learn a lot of things. I built up a lot of patience, perseverance, and the grit to do well in every game I get and while I was playing in Mumbai cricket, I had the hunger to score in each and every game and dominate in all groups.”The most striking aspect of Patil’s T20 game is his six-hitting prowess – he smashed a chart-topping 16 in six innings in the T20 Mumbai league. He can even hit sixes off yorkers and low full tosses, thanks to his ability to play the helicopter shot. He said that his six-hitting wasn’t natural and put it down to hours of training and range-hitting with his childhood coach Bharat Chambre.”I hit 500-1000 balls a day along with my coach and so it has helped me now,” Patil said. “I didn’t have much power and strength when I was a kid but I’ve built it up with good coaching, diet and training. Even now, when I go to my practice sessions, I try and hit around 50-200 sixes and I try to get better every day.”With the ball, Patil is capable of hitting hard lengths at 130kph and also has some slower cutters in his repertoire. He has been working closely with former Mumbai and India bowlers Dhawal Kulkarni and Sairaj Bahutule to add to his variations and skills.

“Yeah, when you play in a country like India, everyone aspires to play the IPL and eventually for the country. So, like everyone else, I would like to be part of any of the franchises and showcase my talent in the tournaments”Sairaj Patil

“I’ve been bowling at 130-132 [kph] and Dhawal Kulkarni and Sairaj Bahutule have been my bowling mentors,” Patil said. “I enjoy contributing with both ball and bat. In the Mumbai T20 League, we had a tight schedule. It was quite difficult to manage the [bowling] load, but thanks to my trainers and S&Cs [strength and conditioning coaches] for managing me well.”Patil cherishes his all-round effort – 61 off 37 from No. 4 followed by four wickets – against SoBo Mumbai Falcons – at the Wankhede Stadium in June. Having come in to bat at 10 for 2, Patil watched Strikers slip further to 10 for 3, but he counterattacked with a boundary-laden fifty. He then fired with the ball too, the highlight being his dismissal of Shreyas Iyer with a 98kph cutter in his team’s successful defence of 151.”The game against SoBo Mumbai Falcons was special because we were three down [early],” Patil recalled. “I did dominate with the bat and it was special to get Shreyas’ wicket. So to score and take wickets in the pressure situation, I felt it was a turning point.”Patil, who hails from Palghar, where his father Bipin runs a club called Palghar Dahanu Taluka Sports Association, which has provided the platform for the likes of Shardul Thakur, Hardik Tamore and Sylvester D’Souza, idolises Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes, and has been bouncing ideas off Mumbai team-mates that have enjoyed success at the top level.”I share a good camaraderie with Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] , Shardul and Shreyas. Sarfaraz [Khan] and Prithvi [Shaw] are also my good friends and I learn from them. So they share a lot of insights on how I should go about with the game and how I can develop more to do better in the coming matches.”Sairaj Patil was named Player of the Tournament in the latest edition of the T20 Mumbai league•T20 Mumbai LeagueIt may not be too long before Patil joins some of those big names in the IPL. He had a stint with Mumbai Indians during their tour of the UK in 2022 and has been part of camps of quite a few franchises since, including Delhi Capitals’ most recently.”Yeah, when you play in a country like India, everyone aspires to play the IPL and eventually for the country,” he said. “So, like everyone else, I would like to be part of any of the franchises and showcase my talent in the tournaments.”Patil had been impressive with his big-hitting in the second season of the T20 Mumbai league in 2019 and now, with more experience and exposure, he believes that he is better equipped to deal with pressure.”Yes, experience comes as you play more and more games,” Patil said. “In 2019, when we [North Mumbai Panthers] won the T20 Mumbai league, I was the top six-hitter, but this year I did exceptionally well. From the previous experiences I had the motivation to become the best with bat and ball. I did that this season, so I am glad. I want to do the same things in all formats – whether it be red ball, whether it be white ball, and replicate it wherever I play.”While Patil is a work in progress in red-ball cricket – he is yet to make his Ranji Trophy debut – he has turned himself into an attractive T20 package, and though not exactly young, could yet have a career at the higher levels.

"Impressive" manager now interested in taking Middlesbrough job after talks

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

A significant update has now emerged regarding Raphael Wicky becoming Middlesbrough’s next manager, as the Championship side look to find the right replacement for Rob Edwards in the near future.

The exit of Edwards to Wolves has knocked Boro for six at an important point in the season, but it is vital that they don’t allow it to derail their Championship promotion push in the coming weeks and months.

A number of candidates have already been mentioned as potential options as the Englishman’s successor, including former Young Boys manager Wicky.

It has been claimed that Boro are serious about appointing the 48-year-old as their next boss after he impressed during talks, although he is far from the only candidate being mentioned for the job.

Former striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a contender for the Championship side, with the Dutchman reportedly given Gareth Southgate’s endorsement, following their time working together with the England national team. Steven Gerrard, Gary O’Neill and Carlos Corberan are some of the other names to have been thrown around.

Wicky keen on taking Middlesbrough job

Now, according to a fresh claim from The Northern Echo, Wicky is keen on becoming Middlesbrough’s next manager, with the Swiss very much in the mix to come in.

He is said to be one of a host of overseas bosses who are “interested” in taking charge at the Riverside Stadium, following his exit from Young Boys last year, having spent two years at the club.

Wicky stands out as a strong option for Boro, with journalist Graeme Bailey describing him as an “impressive” individual, following a successful managerial career to date.

He won both the Swiss league title and Swiss Cup with Young Boys in the 2022/23 season, outlining his winning mentality, and at 48, he is still a relatively young manager who will bring fresh ideas to the Riverside.

It remains to be seen if the 4-4-2 diamond-playing Wicky will ultimately be Boro’s pick as their new boss, but the fact that the job appeals to him can only be a good thing, and his trophy-winning pedigree isn’t something that should be ignored.

Middlesbrough now considering move for ex-QPR manager recommended by Southgate

He’s been out of a managerial job since 2022.

1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 14, 2025

It is vital that the club don’t rush into the decision, however, instead ensuring that they have the best possible choice of manager to hopefully spearhead their return to the Premier League, rather than making a quick call and bringing in the wrong man.

How Middlesbrough feel about Raphael Wicky as Swiss manager holds Riverside talks

Salah replacement: Liverpool keen to sign “one of the best wingers in Europe”

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Liverpool and Arsenal are now both reportedly eyeing the chance to sign a Paris Saint-Germain attacker in 2026.

Salah's rant compiles Liverpool misery

Ao Tanaka’s late equaliser was the last thing that Liverpool needed. The Reds only had themselves to blame after going from comfortable 2-0 leaders to level at 2-2 then throwing their 3-2 lead away at the death. In 99 minutes of action, the Premier League champions had their problems laid bare for all to see.

For a third-consecutive game, meanwhile, Mohamed Salah watched on from the bench. And for the second time in those three games, the Egyptian didn’t even get on the pitch. When Liverpool needed a goal, last year’s Golden Boot winner and top playmaker was forced to watch on and to say he wasn’t happy would be an understatement.

The Anfield icon went rogue at full-time, unleashing an explosive rant about Arne Slot’s recent decisions, saying: “After what I have done for the club it really hurts. You can imagine, really.

Liverpool join race to sign "aggressive" gem who's been compared to Szoboszlai

The Reds could deal Newcastle another blow

ByTom Cunningham 5 days ago

“After going from home to the club and you don’t know if you are starting. I know the club too well, I have been here many years. Tomorrow [Jamie] Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.

“I have been at this club, scoring more than anyone in this generation since I came to the Premier League, I don’t think anyone has scored more goals and made more assists than me. In the whole Premier League. If I am somewhere else, everybody would go to the media and defend the players. I am the only one in this situation.”

It doesn’t get much more damning than that for Liverpool, who could now have a decision to make. Do they back Salah or do they back Slot? That’s the question and if the manager wins the war then they must find a replacement for one of their best-ever players.

Liverpool battling Arsenal in Barcola race

According to Le10 Sport in France, as relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool are now a very active contender to sign Bradley Barcola alongside Arsenal, as the PSG winger continues to deliberate over signing a new deal in Ligue 1.

As things stand, his deal doesn’t run out until 2028 but PSG have been attempting to secure new terms to avoid any potential exit in the coming years. Barcola, however, is still hesitating to put pen to paper on a new contract – potentially leaving the door ajar for Liverpool.

Minutes

760

1,118

Goals

5

4

Assists

0

2

Key Passes

18

27

If Liverpool’s search for a Salah replacement has just become more urgent then Barcola should be on their list of candidates. The Frenchman has outscored the Egyptian in less minutes so far this season and is destined to get even better at just 23 years old.

Described as “one of the best wingers in Europe” by European football expert Zach Lowy, Barcola’s contract situation is one to watch, especially if Liverpool come calling next year.

"Annoying" Liverpool star showed why FSG have to sign Semenyo

Man Utd now told £50m January bid for "all action" midfielder will be accepted

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Manchester United have now been told that a £50m offer for an “all action” midfielder will be accepted in the January transfer window.

Man Utd determined to sign central midfielder amid Casemiro update

Casemiro has emerged as one of Ruben Amorim’s key players this season, with the only Premier League game the Brazilian has missed being due to suspension, and Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed that talks over a new contract are now underway.

The transfer expert said: “So now the desire is from Man Utd obviously to continue with Casemiro, but on different conditions.

“So the salary he has right now is a salary Manchester United don’t want to pay in the future. Not because of unhappiness with the player, but because they want to change the salary structure.”

Given that the Brazilian rakes in a whopping £350k-a-week, it is no surprise United are keen to reduce his salary, and it would also be savvy to bring in a long-term replacement for the former Real Madrid man, considering he is set to turn 34 in February.

As such, Man United have recently identified Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes as a target, and there has now been a development in their pursuit of the midfielder, having been told that a £50m offer would be accepted in January.

That is according to a report from Football Insider, which reveals Man United are determined to bring in a new central midfielder, having missed out on their key summer targets, and they could launch a move for Gomes when the upcoming transfer window opens.

Wolves are hesitant to sanction a departure, which is why they are demanding £50m, although the 24-year-old would still be far more affordable than Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, who would both cost over £100m.

"All action" Gomes could be viable Casemiro heir

Much like his compatriot, the Wolves star excels at winning back possession, having averaged 3.34 tackles per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 96th percentile when compared to other midfielders.

Scout Ben Mattinson has also confirmed he rates the Brazilian highly, describing him as an “all action” midfielder, a “dog of a ball winner” and an “excellent box crasher”, while also praising the central midfielder’s physicality.

The 10-time Brazil international is also now very experienced in the Premier League, having made 104 appearances in the competition for Wolves, during which time he has amassed seven goals and four assists.

Their new Pogba: INEOS "would love" to sign £100m + star for Man Utd

Manchester United appear to be making strides in a deal to land a top-level player for Ruben Amorim’s squad.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 26, 2025

Gomes has proven he deserves a chance to prove himself at a bigger club, and Man United should definitely capitalise on Wolves being bottom of the table by trying to lure him away in the January transfer window.

Mishara's maiden fifty seals Sri Lanka's T20I series against Zimbabwe

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

He added an unbroken 117 for the third wicket with KJ Perera as SL chased 192 down

Madushka Balasuriya07-Sep-2025

Kamil Mishara hit 73 not out off 43 balls•Sri Lanka Cricket

Zimbabwe put forward a team effort led by Tadiwanashe Marumani’s fourth T20I fifty to post an imposing 191 for 8. But Sri Lanka’s top four batters made light work of their target by ending the game with 14 balls and eight wickets to spare. With it, Sri Lanka took the series 2-1.Kamil Mishara will be the name on everyone’s lips after the game, though, with his 73 not out off 43 balls the shining light in an outstanding display of batting from the Sri Lankans. Pathum Nissanka (30 from 20 deliveries) and Kusal Mendis (30 off 17) once more delivered a strong start in the powerplay. But while Sri Lanka have long struggled to maintain that momentum, on Sunday, Mishara and the returning Kusal Perera dusted off the 192 chase with ease with an unbeaten stand of 117 from 63 balls.Earlier, Marumani rode his luck to propel Zimbabwe’s efforts, and he was ably assisted by cameos throughout the innings. At one point, Zimbabwe looked poised to breach 200, but Sri Lanka again excelled during the death overs, particularly with Dushmantha Chameera and Matheesha Pathirana, to ensure Zimbabwe had a total that was eventually gettable.Tadiwanashe Marumani scored a steady half-century•Zimbabwe Cricket

SL’s powerplay one-upmanshipAfter Zimbabwe posted their highest total against Sri Lanka – and their third highest total at the Harare Sports Club – Sri Lanka knew what they needed to do to chase it down.Part one played out as expected, with Kusal Mendis and Nissanka once more providing the Sri Lanka with a customary blistering start to the chase. The pair put on an opening stand of 58 off 32 deliveries, as Sri Lanka struck 67 runs in the powerplay for the loss of just one wicket.It was the ideal response to Zimbabwe, who had done similarly well in the powerplay by scoring 58 for 1. That effort had been led by a somewhat chancy knock by Marumani, who played anchor, as both Brian Bennett and Sean Williams provided the aggression.Dushan Hemantha picked up three wickets•Sri Lanka Cricket

Mishara announces himselfPrior to this tour, Mishara had briefly introduced himself to Sri Lanka’s cricket followers in 2022 during matches against India and Australia before swiftly finding himself back in the domestic wilderness. In the years since, he has crafted himself as a batter full of intent and aggression – it was ill-advised in the second T20I, but on Sunday, he showed how useful that skillset can be.Coming into bat late in the powerplay, Mishara soon found himself the senior man in a partnership with Perera, as both Mendis and Nissanka had fallen in quick succession. But with lopsided boundaries on offer, both Mishara and Perera smartly took the singles and twos on offer, without searching for the boundaries – a luxury afforded by the strong powerplay.However, a stunning loft down the ground for six, hitting through the line, signalled to all watching what Mishara was all about. It would be another ten deliveries until he found his next boundary, but scarcely was a dot ball registered under his watch.Mishara’s assurance also seemed to revive Perera, who had been dropped for the second T20I following a lean patch of form, but here he seemed to be finding his feet once more. The pair eventually began finding boundaries as and when needed, with Mishara in particular looking always keen to take on the onus. By the end, Mishara looked assured in a challenging middle-order role, one Sri Lanka will be hoping he can hold on to for a while.Sikandar Raza batted at a high tempo•Zimbabwe Cricket

Chameera, Pathirana dent Zimbabwe’s chargeSikandar Raza said after the game that he was absolutely thrilled with Zimbabwe’s batting effort, and with 191 on the board, you don’t have to wonder why. It was a performance built on a strong powerplay, but more importantly, smart and aggressive cricket throughout.Dushan Hemantha, for example, picked up three wickets – the most in the innings – and they were the prized scalps of Williams, Raza and Marumani. But such was the trajectory of the Zimbabwean innings that it hardly halted their momentum.Each of Zimbabwe’s top seven reached double digits, while five of them struck at a strike rate of 150 or more. It was the quintessential team innings, and one that saw them score 95 runs through the middle overs (7 to 16). Yet, by the end of the game, many watching on may have felt they were perhaps 30 runs short.That is primarily down to Sri Lanka’s excellent effort with the ball at the death, where they conceded just 38 runs and picked up four wickets, a period which culminated in a final over where the returning Pathirana gave away just six runs and accounted for two wickets – one of which was a run-out.

With goals reset, Kusal Mendis finally finds his niche

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Where once greatness was expected, now only meaningful contributions are required, and Kusal Mendis is playing match-winning innings while also impressing with the gloves

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Sep-20252:22

Maharoof: Mendis a nightmare for spinners once he gets going

“The prince”, “next great Sri Lankan batter”, “boy wonder” are some descriptions that have been assigned to Kusal Mendis. “Spoilt”, “useless”, “soft”, “touchy” are some others. Although at home he is a polarising cricketer, outside Sri Lanka, he is a pretty inoffensive presence – one of those South Asian wicketkeepers who doesn’t feel especially comfortable sledging in English, so there are no viral clips.And yet, few Sri Lankan cricketers have got into as many arguments with fans at the edge of the boundary as Mendis. When Sri Lanka were on one of their huge losing streaks in the late 2010s or early 2020s, Mendis was one of the guys to blame. Not taking sufficient responsibility was one accusation. Caring too much about social-media likes was another. People would say things like this to his face, and Mendis would respond just as quickly.But he is 30 now, and has, in his own way, carved out a place. He was a specialist batter for Sri Lanka when he started out, but had kept wicket at the age-group levels. Long after it became clear he was not about to be the saviour of Sri Lankan batting, choices were reassessed, expectations were toned down, and goals have been reset.Related

  • Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka to kick off Super Four stage

  • Kusal Mendis, Nuwan Thushara knock Afghanistan out

He is now one of the few players that appears across formats for Sri Lanka. What is key to this deal is that he must keep wicket, and do it well. At international level, Mendis has been crushing it.Even just in this Asia Cup, he’s made his presence felt behind the stumps. Against Hong Kong – the opponents that tested Sri Lanka most in the group stage – he stuck pads out to stop extras, scrambled stumpings off bad ricochets, and took a high catch. The entire vibe of this team is that now, you find ways to make yourself useful. Nine years after he appeared in international cricket, perhaps Mendis has found his pocket.He is, as Afghanistan found out, brutal on errors of length, a master of varieties of the sweep, and an excellent manipulator in the middle overs. If there is a ball that can possibly be hit square of the wicket, Mendis tends to oblige. He also tends to far prefer spin. By necessity, he has now become a white-ball opener. But he’s always looked most comfortable when playing the sweep as often as possible.”We knew today they’d bowl a lot of spin,” Mendis said after the Afghanistan game. “What me and Kusal Perera talked about was to bat normally until the 12th over. But almost automatically, we were able to make eight or nine runs per over. That made things easier for us.”Even when Charith Asalanka came to bat, we were waiting for those seam-bowling overs, so we can score some runs off that.”If there is a ball that can possibly be hit square of the wicket, Kusal Mendis tends to oblige•Associated PressAlthough Asalanka faced zero seam-bowling deliveries through the course of his stay, Mendis’ theory held true – Afghanistan’s seamers are easier to get away with the older ball than their spinners. It was Kamindu Mendis, in the end, who helped Mendis take Fazalhaq Farooqi down. By that stage, there had been 12 successive overs of spin, through which Mendis’ sweeps, cuts, swivel-pulls and nudges had helped Sri Lanka stay in touch with the required rate.Then a 15-run over off Farooqi sealed the result. Mendis hit the winning runs, deservedly, crashing Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman through midwicket.Where once greatness was expected, now only meaningful contributions to the team are required. Mendis has had to reassess his role several times in his career. But he is now Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper-batter across formats. And he is playing match-winning innings, while also impressing with the gloves.Sometimes all it takes is finding your niche.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus