All posts by h716a5.icu

Pakistan chased down 205 in just 16 overs – another record

Sampath Bandarupalli21-Mar-202516 Overs Pakistan needed to chase down 205 against New Zealand in the third T20I in Auckland. It was the earliest any team completed a 200-plus chase in T20Is. The previous fastest was in 17.4 overs by South Africa, who chased down 206 against West Indies in the opening game of the 2007 T20 World Cup.2 This was Pakistan’s second-highest successful chase in T20Is. The 208 they chased against West Indies in 2021 in Karachi remains their highest.4 This was the fourth time New Zealand failed to defend 200 or more in T20Is. Three of those games were played at Eden Park.ESPNcricinfo Ltd44 Balls Hasan Nawaz took to bring up his hundred, the fastest for Pakistan in T20Is. The previous record was 49 balls by Babar Azam against South Africa in 2021.4 Batters, including Nawaz, who followed up successive ducks with a century in men’s T20Is. Rilee Rossouw (100 vs India in 2022), Rohit Sharma (121* vs Afghanistan in 2024) and Sanju Samson (109* vs South Africa in 2024) are the other three. Nawaz is the only one to start his career with two ducks and score a hundred in the third game.7 Sixes hit by Nawaz, the joint-most by a Pakistan batter in T20Is alongside Mohammad Rizwan, who also hit seven against South Africa in 2021.12 Sixes hit by Pakistan in their innings, their joint-second-most in a T20I, behind 15 against Ireland in 2024.ESPNcricinfo Ltd75 for 1 Pakistan’s powerplay score on Friday, their highest in this phase, bettering the 73 against England in 2016. After ten overs,Pakistan were 124 for 1, 15 runs more than their previous best at that stage.Pakistan reached 100 in 8.1 overs, 150 in 12.2, and 200 in 15.5 – all fastest for them. They also equalled their fastest team fifty in the format, in four overs. Their previous fastest team hundred came in nine overs against New Zealand last year, while their quickest 150 was in 13.5 overs against South Africa in 2013. The fastest 200 was in 17.5 overs against South Africa in 2021.3 Instances of a team successfully chasing down 200 or more with nine or more wickets in hand. All three are by Pakistan. They previously chased down 204 against South Africa in 2021 for the loss of one wicket, and secured a ten-wicket win against England in 2022 while chasing 200.84 Runs scored by Pakistan between deep third and fine leg, making most of Eden Park’s short boundaries behind the wicket. These are by far the most a team has scored in that region in a T20I (where ESPNcricinfo has data). The most before Friday was 70 by Australia, also at this very ground during their 244 chase against New Zealand in 2018.

She doesn’t have an India cap, and she is yet to play in the WPL, but she’s signed for Trinbago Knight Riders. This is her improbable journey

Hemant Brar29-Jun-2025It is rare for an uncapped player to get picked in an overseas T20 league, especially when they have not played in their own country’s equivalent tournament. But Salonee Dangore did the improbable when she signed with Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) for the 2025 Women’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL).A legspin-bowling allrounder, the 27-year-old Dangore is one of four overseas players at TKR alongside Lizelle Lee, Shikha Pandey and Jess Jonassen. For the last two WPL seasons, Dangore was a net bowler at Delhi Capitals, the franchise Pandey and Jonassen play for. It would not be a surprise if these two put in a word after watching her at close quarters.Dangore’s cricketing journey is as improbable as her CPL selection. Growing up, she was a national-level athlete and had no interest in cricket. Until 2015, she did not even know of legspin’s existence.Related

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“When I was in school, I used to run very fast,” she tells ESPNcricinfo. “So our sports teacher asked me to pursue athletics. I would do 100m, 200m, long jump and triple jump. During my Under-14 and Under-17 days, I represented Madhya Pradesh at the national level in all those events.”She was around 17 when Jose Chacko, a Sports and Youth Welfare officer, advised her mother to make her switch to cricket for better opportunities. Dangore enrolled at an academy run by the former Ranji Trophy player Sunil Lahore in Indore. Since she had only watched boys in her residential colony bowl with long run-ups, she wanted to be a fast bowler. Lahore watched her bowl a couple of deliveries and told her to take up legspin.After spending about two years at the academy, Dangore joined the Ramesh Bhatia Cricket Foundation (RBCF). As a track-and-field athlete, her fielding was top-notch, but she struggled to turn her legbreaks. That sounds incredible, because currently she can pitch it on middle and leg stump and consistently hit off.”I was inspired by Shane Warne and the way he turned the ball,” she says. “But my arm would rotate in the other direction and most of my deliveries would end up as googlies. So I would watch his videos in slow motion to figure out how he did it.Salonee Dangore spent a lot of time with Jess Jonassen at Delhi Capitals•Courtesy Salonee Dangore”Apart from that, my coaches – Sanjay Choubey sir and Himanshu Vairagi sir – at the RBCF helped in correcting my arm alignment. It took a lot of effort but eventually I was able to turn the ball.”Dangore made her debut for Madhya Pradesh in 2017-18. Two seasons later, she was their highest wicket-taker (14 in eight games, at an average of 11.50) and third-highest run-scorer (130 at 32.50) in the One-Day Trophy, before Covid-19 ended the tournament prematurely.The turning point of her career came in 2022, when the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) called up former India legspinner Narendra Hirwani for a camp. “He changed my mindset completely,” Dangore says. “He said, ‘You will do what you think you can. So you should think you are the best legspinner in the world.’ That advice is still fresh in my mind and gives me a lot of confidence when I am bowling.”Shortly after that camp, the RBCF also invited Hirwani to their academy. Since then, Dangore has had multiple sessions with him.

“I was inspired by Shane Warne and the way he turned the ball. So I would watch his videos in slow motion to figure out how he did it”

“Sir also advised me to bowl slightly faster,” she says. “So right now I am working on increasing my pace while maintaining the turn. Apart from that, I am working on my slider and googly.”When it comes to batting, Dangore’s focus is on power-hitting and strike rotation, so that she can “contribute in every situation”.The stints with Capitals have also helped her immensely. “In my first year with them, there were only two net bowlers, [VJ] Joshitha and me,” she says. “I used to bowl in the same set as Jess Jonassen and would ask her about my bowling, tactics, and what to bowl when. Whatever feedback I got, I worked on that.”Dangore also realised she needed to shoulder more responsibility for her domestic side to stand out. In search of better opportunities, she moved to Chhattisgarh before the 2024-25 season.She picked up only two wickets in six games in the T20 Trophy, but emerged as Chhattisgarh’s leading wicket-taker in the one-dayers with 15 scalps from six matches at an average of 12.00. With the bat, she was their second-highest run-getter with most of her 144 runs coming at No. 6.Salonee Dangore bowls under the watchful eye of Narendra Hirwani•RBCFThat, in December 2024, remains Dangore’s last competitive tournament. Since then, she has had another stint with Capitals and is eager to show off her learnings. But will she get enough game time?”I am not thinking about that because it’s not in my control,” she says. “Whenever I get a chance, I want to give my best. Moreover, the pitches there [in Guyana] should help spinners.”Dangore cites Shreyanka Patil’s example. Patil too was uncapped when Guyana Amazon Warriors picked her in 2023, though unlike Dangore she had had a full WPL season behind her. She finished the CPL as the highest wicket-taker with nine wickets from five games.”I want to create a similar impact,” Dangore says. “Whenever the team needs me – be it with the ball or the bat – I want to win matches. I hope this stint opens up more doors for me.”

Lyon being left out of Australia’s XI for just the second time at home in his career signals a significant shift in the selectors thinking

Andrew McGlashan04-Dec-20251:12

‘Speed isn’t the be all and end all’ – Starc bemused by Lyon omission

When Nathan Lyon was left out in Jamaica earlier this year for the day-night Test against West Indies, Tony Dodemaide, the selector on tour, termed it “exceptional circumstances” and a “one-off”. Three Tests later it has happened again with Lyon left “absolutely filthy” at being benched at the Gabba with Australia fielding an all-pace attack for the day-night encounter.Lyon missing out for this Test was a notion trailed since the opening match finished; a combination of his lack of overs in that game against England’s freewheeling batters, and the fact he only bowled one over in last season’s day-night against India in Adelaide. Still, as the Test neared, it felt as though his overall day-night record – 43 wickets at 25.62 – and concerns that the ball can go soft at this ground would work in his favour.Lyon found out about 30 minutes after arriving at the ground, following a final huddle by the pitch involving Steven Smith, Andrew McDonald and George Bailey.”Absolutely filthy,” he said on Channel 7 of his reaction when told by chair of selectors Bailey. “But yeah, can’t do anything about it. So, yeah, hope I can play my role in making sure I get the guys ready and do whatever I can to make sure that we get the right result here.””To be honest I haven’t really sat down with Ronnie [Andrew McDonald] or George yet. I’m letting things settle down in my own head and trying to make sure that I’m, as I said, doing whatever I can to make sure the guys out in the middle representing Australia do the right thing and get the right result for us.”Related

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“The communication is always there, I just hadn’t had it in me to sit down with the coach and George at the moment,” he added. “So that will happen. I’m not the first player to miss a Test match and I won’t be the last. But, yeah, obviously pretty gutted because I know the role that I can play within Australian cricket and especially a venue like this.”Bailey termed it a “one Test decision”, although it’s now happened twice in quick succession. “Nath will disagree with the decision, and that’s perfectly okay,” Bailey said. “I think he disagreed with the decision in Jamaica, and that’s perfectly okay. I have no qualms about players feeling like they can impact the game and the fact of the matter is he could have. So we could have picked a different squad…that could have been Beau Webster, that could have been Nathan Lyon, but that’s the path we go. Allow the disappointment and then build up a preparation for Adelaide.”Very much it’s a one Test decision, Nath will play in Adelaide,” he added. “It’s just how you think you’re going to structure up the resources and how it’s going to be used, when it gets dark here, when you think you’re going to be using seam bowlers, how many overs get bowled in a day, when you think new ball will be available and that sort of stuff.”It was just the second home Test Lyon has missed since his debut – a run of 69 matches before today – with the other being against India at the WACA in 2012 when Australia fielded an all-pace attack.It meant that Michael Neser played his third Test, all them having been day-night games. He previously played two in Adelaide: against England in the 2021-22 Ashes and West Indies a season later.”This is Michael Neser’s home ground and he knows the conditions really, really well,” Ricky Ponting said on Channel Seven. “But for someone like Nathan Lyon who is such a seasoned professional with a good record at the Gabba, I think it’s a massive call for the Aussies to make.”Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, George Bailey and Andrew McDonald discuss their selection options•Chris Hyde/Getty ImagesWhat does this all mean for Lyon? In the aftermath of not playing at Sabina Park he said he ultimately understood the decision but was still disappointed, believing he can be successful in all conditions.”I believe I can play a role in any conditions, and I still honestly believe that,” he said after that series. “I want to play every game for Australia, and I’ve just got that belief that I can play a role in any conditions, as every cricketer should have that belief.”In Jamaica, conditions with the pink Dukes ball were on the extreme end; the match ended before the first interval on the third day with West Indies skittled for 27. Whether it plays out a similar way in Brisbane, time will tell.Overall, there has been a diminishing role for spinners in Australia as the surfaces offer increasing assistance to the quicks. Lyon’s tally of 122.4 overs against India last season was the lowest amount he had sent down in a home summer.”I know how important spin bowling is, but there is a degree of me that’s concerned about spin bowling around the world, not just Australia, with the wickets we’re playing on,” Lyon said earlier this year.”If you look at spin bowling and your younger spin bowlers around the country, they’re not getting the overs or the opportunities to bowl on day-three, day-four wickets, or spinning wickets, or even green seamers because the fast bowlers are dominating.”Lyon will be back for the next Test in Adelaide, a day game, followed by the contests at the MCG and SCG. But it is now unarguable, that when Australia play day-night Tests, even at home, Lyon can no longer be assured of a place in the XI. And that is quite a shift.

England have said, over and over, that they are prepared to chase anything. Could that be about to change?

Vithushan Ehantharajah05-Jul-20252:26

Were India too careful before declaration?

Black Sabbath playing their farewell gig at Villa Park while, five miles down the road, Rishabh Pant’s bat was soaring through the air at Edgbaston recalled one of the more iconic rock tales.During a gig in 1982, lead singer Ozzy Osbourne picked up what he thought was a toy bat – Sabbath fans would often toss animals or parts of animals (real and fake) on stage – and bit off its head.It was, unsurprisingly, disgusting. Not least for Osbourne, who remembers it all too well. And yet, it could not have been better for his and Sabbath’s legend.Heavy metal is as much about rough distortions of decency as guitars, and while Sabbath do have the latter, it is hard to argue their reputations, especially Osbourne’s, were not enhanced stratospherically by that misguided chomp. The flipside is the action itself remains, for Osbourne, a tedious subject to address. Its bitter aftertaste lingers not just on the tongue, but in decades of reminders of his moment of misguided impunity from all who cross him.And so, as Pant, bat in hand, strummed a half-century in keeping with his own reputation to put an absurd target of 608 in front of England, the expectation still hung heavy on England that, even at three-down for 72 overnight, they’ll still go for this. It’s an expectation rooted in a view of them of heroes or fools, depending on quite literally where you have been sitting at Edgbaston.This a team that famously chases anything. They have shown as much, chewing off six 250-plus targets chucked to Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum by darers. That includes their record of 378 achieved here, against India three years ago to the day, and last week’s 371 against them at Headingley. Akash Deep left Ben Duckett’s stumps in a mess•Getty ImagesHarry Brook’s aerial flick just beyond midwicket’s grasp – for the first of two boundaries in the final over of the day, as he walked off with a run-a-ball 15 alongside Ollie Pope, 22 off 43 with a 71 percent control – was more than a nod to the ambition that remains.”I think that’s their style,” Morne Morkel, India’s bowling coach, said when asked if he expected England to go for the remaining 536 runs. “Harry Brook is a guy who likes to take the game on, and is an entertainer.”You could argue that England’s failures in the fourth innings have been every bit as much a part of the narrative as their well-documented successes. The two previous times they have been asked to chase more than 400 runs (658 against New Zealand and 557 against India, both last year) they have lost by more than 400 runs (423 and 434 respectively). On neither occasion did they make it into the 49th over. Their fourth-innings mantra is get rich or die trying.Meanwhile, their words – oh God, their words! – have been so much louder. So loud, they squealed like feedback from the annals as the number required went up and up. Take Stokes’ comments after the 2022 success here, that a bit of him wanted India to get 450 “to see what they [his team] could do”, suggesting 378 had come a little too easy.And then there were the comments from Joe Root a year later. As revealed on documentary by Nathan Lyon, Root had told Australia’s offspinner during a break in the first Ashes Test – again here at Edgbaston – that England were “in the entertainment business – no more draws”. They lost that one. In Vizag last year, during the second Test against India, James Anderson said McCullum had gathered the players on night two, with England 171 behind having been skittled in their first innings, to tell them that they’d chase 600 if it was put before them. Set 399, they set themselves up nicely before succumbing to a 106-run defeat. Related

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A couple of weeks later, in Rajkot, we were treated to Ben Duckett’s immortal “the more the better” quote when asked what a reasonable target would be. Faced with 557, they lost by 434. Even last night, Brook basically shrugged when stating “everybody in the world knows we’re going to try and chase whatever they set us”. India did, too, with Brook’s words picked up by their management group and used as vindication for the third innings descending into a slow trudge. India, after all, are not the ones with a reputation to uphold, and it is no slight on their tactics to suggest their approach to this situation has simply been to call England’s bluff.As stumps approached, those same fans chanting “boring, boring India” rose in voice and from their seats as renditions of “stand up, if you still believe” coursed through the stands. Goading England with a monstrously big target and saying “go on then”, and swathes of the home support this evening looking at 5.96 an over for day five’s 90 and thinking “you know what …”: both sentiments come from the same place.India are wary of what England can do, especially on this deck, having somehow restricted their first-innings deficit to 180, having been 84 for 5 in reply to India’s 587. It is why they want three cracks with a hard ball – tonight, tomorrow morning and the second one due 64 overs into Sunday. And why it would be inexplicable in any other context for Shubman Gill to deploy a sweeper to the off side after Duckett lashed four boundaries in his first 11 deliveries.England, just as inexplicably, think there’ll be a time tomorrow when they might be in a position to have a reasonable go. Assistant coach Marcus Trescothick offered some logic to this apparent absurdity: “We’ve got a few overs, probably about another 10 to 15 overs, of the ball at its hardest before it gets a little bit soft. And then we’ll see how we’re going from that point really.”There is a clear halfway house here, which would involve England going at a steady rate – the runs so far this Test have come at 4.40 – without taking outlandish risks. It would be a positive way for the team to play for their first draw in 38 Tests under Ben and Baz, if you will.Would that pass the sniff test? Some fans may bemoan a shutting-up of shop at some point on day five. And there will be derision further afield of a team breaking their own promise to themselves. A lot will depend on how many wickets they have in hand.But there is clear value in the draw in this five-match series, particularly in a second Test that could preserve a 1-0 lead. And at no point should they fear their reputation will be harmed if they pass on the outlandish and stick to more conservative practice. Opponents will still fear them. Fans will still love them.Osbourne has not chewed the head of a bat in 43 years, but Villa Park is still sold out.

The Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF) has sanctioned the ILT20 as an official men and women’s competition

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2025In the coming years, the UAE’s ILT20 could see games take place in Saudi Arabia after it entered into a partnership with the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF). The league gains official recognition in the Kingdom as part of its expansion across the Gulf region.While no specific date has been set on the first matches that will be played in Saudi Arabia, the SACF has sanctioned the ILT20 as an official men and women’s competition that could host matches in the Kingdom in future seasons. The linkup will also provide Saudi Arabia players with a direct pathway into the tournament, starting with the auction for this year’s edition on October 1, where each franchise will be required to sign at least one player from the country.”We are very proud to announce our partnership with the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation,” ILT20 chairman Khalid Al Zarooni said. “Saudi Arabia is a key part of the Gulf region, and its commitment to developing cricket is inspiring. This partnership is built on our shared vision of growing the game beyond borders. The DP World ILT20 will create opportunities for players, and hopefully bring world-class cricket closer to the fans.”Related

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The agreement will also see the ILT20 and SACF work together on talent identification and grassroots development, with a development tournament planned in Saudi Arabia next year.HRH Prince Saud Bin Mishal Al-Saud, chairman of SACF, said: “This collaboration reflects our commitment to developing cricket in the country, and providing our players with opportunities to grow and succeed on an international stage. With Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 placing strong emphasis on sport and community engagement, we believe this partnership will inspire more young men and women to take up cricket.”The ILT20’s fourth season, to be held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, begins on December 2 this year, and will run until January 4, 2026, featuring six teams across 34 matches.

His assault on a tricky pitch even wowed du Plessis who is often the one wowing others

Sidharth Monga24-Mar-2025

Ashutosh Sharma hit the winning six as DC won by one wicket•Associated Press

Faf du Plessis doesn’t feel awe easily. He has seen cricket all over the world, in all kinds of formats, for all kinds of teams. At 40, he is more used to leaving people in awe of his shredded body and ability to slug it out with the best of T20 players. But even his “old brain” was left in awe of Ashutosh Sharma’s hitting on a pitch that was not easy to bat on.Unprompted, du Plessis made it a point to mention during a sideline interview: “Just as an overseas player, one thing that’s remarkable for me to watch is the amount of Indian players that are so powerful and they’ve got the ability to just strike the ball so easy. You know, it wasn’t an easy pitch [to bat on]. There was a lot going on, but the two boys at the back end there, just the way they came in and just effortlessly hit boundaries. Unbelievable.”There will be another day for Vipraj Nigam, this night belonged to the “other boy”, Ashutosh. The Railways batter had a bittersweet season with Punjab Kings (PBKS) last year. He faced only 103 balls for 189 runs to regularly bring PBKS back from the brink, but kept either falling just short or not seeing the chase through himself.Related

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As he got his new team, Delhi Capitals (DC), closer and closer against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday night, you wondered if those memories played on his mind. Of the time he took Kings from 150 for 6 to the threshold of the target of 200 set by Gujarat Titans, brought it down to the inexperienced Darshan Nalkande in the last over, but holed out to long-on and watched the victory from the dugout. Or the time his daring comeback ended two short of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 182. Or, indeed, his 61 off 28 against Mumbai Indians from 77 for 6, when he fell in the 18th over and had to watch an agonising defeat.That last year might or might not have played in his head during this chase, but it did between the two seasons. “I learnt a lot from the last year,” Ashutosh said. “Last year I brought the team close in two-three matches but left the job unfinished in the end. The whole year I focused on that. I visualised how I am finishing matches. Even in domestic cricket, I focused on finishing games. That’s why I was able to finish on such a big stage.”I have a lot of belief in myself. That if I play till the last ball, anything can happen. Stay calm. Bring it down to a few balls. Stay clear with what shot you can play. Play only those shots you have practiced in the nets.”That belief was perhaps best apparent in the way he tried to steal a single when Kuldeep Yadav was on strike. There was this inherent belief that only he was the man to do it, and he charged his runs perfectly: not before the ball left the bowler’s hand, but he was halfway up the pitch by the time the ball reached Kuldeep. One such dash even cost them a wicket (of Kuldeep), but that didn’t faze Ashutosh. If the bowler was going to err, Ashutosh was going to send the ball out of the ground.1:07

What did Ashutosh Sharma do right?

The hitting was so clean he barely looked up, let alone run, just in case the ball doesn’t go past the boundary. As du Plessis said, this was not a flat deck by any means. Sample the ball that got Tristan Stubbs out, drifting into leg, turning to hit the pad and then the wicket. Or indeed the one in the last over that nearly spun past No. 11 Mohit Sharma and also dragged him out of his crease. A deflection off the pad saved him from getting stumped and gave Ashutosh another shot at a first successful heist in the IPL.During those two balls at the non-striker’s end, Ashutosh displayed the remarkable quality you need in cricket: care like hell but play like you couldn’t care less. “I was confident,” Ashutosh said of the time spent at the non-striker’s in the last over. “It is part of the game, but it was not part of my batting. I was very normal. ‘If he will take a single, I will hit a six’.”Hit a six he did. Sometimes you just need that bit of extra luck to push you over the line, but there is no substitute for bringing yourself into that situation again and again.

Sunderland are sitting inside the Champions League slots and could now be set to put forward a record bid for a European star that would represent a major shift in mentality at the Stadium of Light.

Regis Le Bris has continued to thrive in the North East after leading the Black Cats to the Premier League last season, and his side emerged with major credit over the weekend after securing a last-gasp 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal.

Despite the visitors defence being near-impenetrable in the top-flight before kick-off, Sunderland managed to carve their way through Mikel Arteta’s backline on several occasions.

More importantly, the Black Cats withstood immense pressure from the Gunners, throwing bodies on the line to secure a valuable point that keeps them on course for an excellent campaign as a newly-promoted outfit.

Dan Ballard played a significant role in helping Sunderland claim the result. However, the Northern Ireland international has stressed that his teammates have a long way to go before achieving their initial target of retaining their place in the division.

He told Match of the Day: “It’s a good morale boost to show we can go against a really top team – probably one of the best in Europe at the minute – and delighted with that. But it is just one point and we’ve got a lot of work to do to achieve our goal of staying up this year.”

Of course, Ballard’s comments are fairly routine for a side who are exceeding expectations. Still, Sunderland have definitely shown a healthy sense of ambition this term, and appear on course to achieve an excellent points total if they can maintain their current form.

With that in mind, they could now be set to target a record signing who would change the landscape of what could be to come at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland could submit record offer for Fermin Lopez

According to reports in Spain, Sunderland could be set to submit an offer of over £70 million to sign Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, contingent on whether they secure a dream Champions League slot this season.

Given their financial structure allows Le Bris to compete with elite sides across the continent, there is now internal debate at the Catalan giants over whether to accept a money-spinning sum for one of their rising stars, who would instantly be Sunderland’s most expensive signing ever.

Five similar players to Fermin Lopez (FBRef)

Leroy Sane

Galatasaray

Serge Gnabry

Bayern Munich

Christian Pulisic

AC Milan

Luis Diaz

Bayern Munich

Dani Olmo

Barcelona

Labelled “sensational” by Hansi Flick, the attacking midfielder has already notched six goals and four assists in 11 matches this season, and he is also capable of playing on the left flank or in central midfield.

Sunderland have bid for the new Chemsdine Talbi

Talks are at an initial stage and Barcelona are yet to give a definitive signal whether they are going to let him depart, though it is clear that Sunderland have given them something to think about ,and a high-profile transfer saga could be set to follow.

Referees' chief Howard Webb has denied that a former staff member lost her role as an international football official because she complained a coach "manhandled" her. Lisa Benn alleges she was threatened and grabbed by an assistant referee coach and unfairly lost her post on FIFA's international officials list because the 34-year-old submitted her grievance.

'He felt superior'

Earlier this week, Benn told an employment tribunal in London that Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) coach Steve Child "forcefully pushed her" back in March 2023 during a training tournament organised by the body. During the game in question, which was used to train staff on VAR, she alleges that Child instructed a fourth official to "kill the game", to which she replied, "Don't tell me how to referee" and directed an expletive at him. 

She told the tribunal on Monday: "I am a trusted referee, I referee at the highest level – this was an under-19s game. He felt superior, he felt like he could come on and tell me how to referee, he manhandled me onto the field of play – he would never have done that to a male referee."

When asked if she had seen Child act that way with other referees, she replied: "I have to female referees, yes. I haven't to male referees."

PGMOL reportedly investigated the complaint but found Child's behaviour did not meet the threshold for disciplinary action. She added that after when she raised the complaint, PGMOL did not recommend her as highly as in the past, and that cost her a place on FIFA's international referee list. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportReferee coach refutes accusations

On Wednesday, Child said in his tribunal witness statement, via BBC Sport: "100 per cent I did not grab her," it was a "guiding arm if anything," but "I don't recall putting any physical contact on her". The former Premier League referee added that he put an arm across her back in a sense of "let's go". Child also refuted Benn's claim that his treatment of her was because she was a woman. 

He also denied intimidating Benn in the hotel reception at a training camp they attended in August 2023, saying: "I think that might be a confusion on Lisa's part."

Moreover, Child insisted it was not true that he grabbed Benn a second time and said: "Your card has been marked," after a mass brawl broke out at the end of a youth game. 

Webb denies allegations

After this incident, the tribunal heard that Benn dropped from fifth to sixth on FIFA's international officials list, with the governing body only accepting the top five officials on their women's game list. However, the panel was told the PGMOL had asked for them to take on a sixth for that season. 

Webb said at the hearing that Benn received a lower ranking because she was outperformed by others. 

"It was our honestly held belief that she would be accepted," said Webb. This was because the growth of the women's game and the "noises we were hearing" from sports bodies. 

The ex-Premier League referee added: "Unfortunately, highly regrettably, it wasn't, but unfortunately, compared to the other officials in this ranking, she was correctly placed sixth, based on the performance factors listed and the holistic view we've gone through. This is a competitive world in which we work and we need to rank officials against each other. We produce a lot of other really good officials in this country and we are in the difficult task to have to rank them against each other."

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Getty Images SportThe trial continues

Before the tribunal finished for the day, Webb stressed the importance of officials airing their complaints. 

He said: "Of course, we want to know what is on the minds of our officials and for them to speak to us openly and confidently. We want our officials out on the field and performing.

"They treasure this badge, they really, really do. We had a view that a sixth position was really, really quite likely. I think the growth of the women's game is pretty incredible, and we think it's important to serve the demand."

The hearing will return on Friday.

The Pirates selected a pitcher with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 MLB draft, taking highly touted right-hander Seth Hernandez out of Corona High School in California.

Hernandez was heralded as one of the best players in the draft, and he's already drawing some comparisons to another standout pitcher in Pittsburgh; Paul Skenes.

According to Pittsburgh radio host Andrew Filliponi of 93.7 The Fan, sources have not hesitated to liken Hernandez to the Pirates' two-time All-Star and NL Cy Young candidate.

"The Pirates have their next pitching phenom after Paul Skenes. He is the best player in the draft," Filliponi's sources told him.

Hernandez was named the 2025 Gatorade National Player of the Year and dominated during his senior season at Corona, logging a 0.39 ERA in 53 1/3 innings with 105 strikeouts and just seven walks. He was considered by many to be the No. 1 player in the draft, and now he'll join a Pirates farm system that boasts plenty of high-upside arms.

A future rotation consisting of Skenes, Hernandez, Bubba Chandler and Jared Jones could be devastating if the whole group is able to unlock their potential, that is if the organization is able to keep them all in town.

Questions for India’s selectors to ponder, as they sit down this weekend to pick the squads for the England ODIs and the Champions Trophy

Nagraj Gollapudi17-Jan-2025
Will Bumrah play the Champions Trophy?
There has been no update on Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness ever since he did not come out to bowl, reportedly because of back spasms, on the final day of the Sydney Test. There has also been no word on whether Bumrah has visited the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, where the BCCI’s medical wing is located. So the intrigue continues about what injury, if any, Bumrah suffered during the Sydney Test, which forced him off the ground to have scans after lunch on the second day.Related

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India play their first match in the Champions Trophy on February 20, against Bangladesh in Dubai, followed by Pakistan on February 23 and New Zealand on March 2. The semi-finals are on March 4 and 5 followed by the final on March 9. The key question for the selectors is, if the injury is not serious, how long does Bumrah need to rest before he’s match-ready? Of course if the injury is of real concern, then the selectors will play it safe and not consider Bumrah for selection. It is likely that Bumrah will be named in the 15 with an asterisk against his name, with the idea to allow him the chance to play at least one of the three ODIs against England to test his fitness levels.Is Shami ready for ODIs?
Last week Mohammed Shami was named in India’s squad for the five-match T20I series against England, which starts on January 22. It ends a testing and stressful wait stretching nearly 14 months for Shami, whose last international was the ODI World Cup final on November 19, 2023. Shami was the highest wicket-taker in that tournament and one of the key match-winners in India’s run to the final. Soon after, he underwent an ankle surgery and his ankle healed, but his return was repeatedly delayed by fluid building up and causing swelling his right knee.Shami was recently declared fit by the NCA and played three matches in the domestic 50-overs tournament, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, representing Bengal. Shami bowled a total of 26 overs across those games, including his full quota of 10 in the pre-quarterfinals. Before that, Shami also played nine matches in the domestic T20 competition, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. So it seems Shami is set to make his ODI return against England, and he can use the series to sharpen up his match fitness before the Champions Trophy. He will be needed to spearhead the attack if Bumrah is not good to go.Kuldeep Yadav has not played since having a hernia surgery around October last year•ICC/Getty ImagesIs Kuldeep ready to return?
Along with Bumrah and Shami, Kuldeep Yadav played a key role in India going through to the 2023 World Cup final undefeated in the league phase. In the home Test series against England in early 2024, Kuldeep impressed once again, becoming the fastest Indian to 50 Test wickets. It seemed like he was moving towards taking over the lead-spinner’s role in the format. However, his progress has been stalled by a hernia surgery; he has not played any competitive cricket since the first Test against New Zealand in October. Eyebrows have been raised about the timing of that surgery – about why it was not done soon after the T20 World Cup but so close to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It is understood Kuldeep’s rehab is going smooth at the NCA, but there is no clarity on whether he will be fit to play the England ODIs, which he will need as a platform to establish match-fitness ahead of the Champions Trophy.Does Jaiswal find a spot?
Yashasvi Jaiswal was international cricket’s second-highest run-maker across formats in 2024: in 37 innings (23 matches), Jaiswal scored 1771 runs at an average of 52.08. Jaiswal scored 161 in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, an innings that helped craft India’s only win in the series. Bold and clever in his strokeplay, Jaiswal has put new-ball bowlers under pressure across the longest and shortest formats, but he is still to debut in ODIs. With the hugely successful alliance of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill at the top – they are among the leading opening pairs in ODIs – do India need another opener in the 15 for the Champions Trophy? Given the opening slots belong to specialists, Jaiswal, who became the youngest man to hit a double-century in List A cricket in 2019, could still be seen as a back-up option.Does KL Rahul trump Rishabh Pant on form?•Getty ImagesWho are the two wicketkeepers?
Based on current form and impact at the 2023 World Cup, KL Rahul should be the primary keeper at the Champions Trophy. With the bat, too, Rahul played a significant role in the middle-order in the World Cup, especially on pitches where spinners dominated, using his skills to manoeuvre the ball into gaps. Among the other contenders are Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel, who is yet to debut in the format.Pant was India’s regular wicketkeeper from the 2019 World Cup up until he was sidelined by his car accident in December 2022. His protracted absence created the opportunity for Rahul. While Pant kept wicket in one game in the previous ODI series India played – in Sri Lanka last August – Rahul once again was the primary choice. The one point in Pant’s favour is he is a left-hand batter, which is an option the selectors and head coach Gautam Gambhir could be interested in.Seam or spin-bowling allrounder?
Among the squads so far announced for the Champions Trophy, several teams have stacked their sides with allrounders. India, too, are likely to be tempted to take that approach with the objective of creating batting depth. You’d expect two if not all three of Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel to feature in the squad. In addition, there are several other options who can contribute a few overs with the ball while floating in the batting order: Nitish Kumar Reddy (yet to debut in ODIs), Riyan Parag, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube. Reddy and Tilak are part of the T20I series against England but Parag is still in rehab having undergone a shoulder surgery last year. One caveat is this latter group of players’ body of work is small, so the selectors could be wary of blooding them at an ICC event.