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Manchester City could make a £51m bid for an “insane” midfielder this summer, with Pep Guardiola personally identifying him as a target, according to a report.

City stepping up midfielder pursuit

Given the drop-off in performance levels this season, Guardiola was already due to oversee a major rebuild this summer, and the need to bring in a new midfielder has now been exacerbated by the fact Kevin De Bruyne has announced his decision to leave at the end of the campaign.

Following the news, Man City have stepped up their pursuit of a replacement for the 33-year-old, with Lyon’s Rayan Cherki recently emerging as a potential target, alongside FC Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, who Guardiola is believed to be a big fan of.

Not only does Guardiola need to bring in an attacking midfielder, but the manager may also be tasked with bringing in a new option in a slightly deeper role, given that Ilkay Gundogan is arguably in the twilight years of his career at 34-years-old.

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According to a report from Calcio Mercato, the Manchester City boss has now set his sights on AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders, as he sets out to revamp his midfield this summer.

The Sky Blues could make a huge offer of around €50m – €60m (£43m – £51m) for Reijnders, despite the fact he has recently renewed his contract with the Italian side until the summer of 2030.

Real Madrid have also expressed an interest in the midfielder, having been impressed by his performances this season, but Guardiola’s side remain the most interested party, although they are yet to make a formal approach.

"Insane" Reijnders could be fantastic signing for City

The Dutchman has been one of AC Milan’s most consistent performers in the Serie A this season, averaging a 7.04 WhoScoered match rating, the second-highest figure in the squad, having particularly impressed from an attacking point of view.

The Milan star has nine goals and four assists to his name in 30 Serie A outings, and he places in the top 3% for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, while also ranking highly across some other key metrics, when compared to other midfielders in the major 5 leagues.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.29 (97th percentile)

Shot-creating actions

3.52 (86th percentile)

Progressive carries

3.32 (98th percentile)

Successful take-ons

1.11 (88th percentile)

Football scout Ben Mattinson is also particularly fond of the Netherlands international, having lauded him for his “insane” performances earlier in the campaign, and at 26-years-old, the central midfielder could be entering his prime years.

Gundogan has been a fantastic servant to City, while Mateo Kovacic was an important player during last season’s Premier League title triumph, but Guardiola clearly feels he needs to refresh his options in midfield, and Reijnders could be a fantastic signing.

Since winning the Asia Cup title in 2018, Bangladesh have stagnated while the likes of India and Sri Lanka have zoomed ahead

Madushka Balasuriya26-Jul-2024

Nigar Sultana waged a lone battle for Bangladesh•Getty Images

If there’s one thing this Women’s Asia Cup 2024 has highlighted more than anything else, is a definitive tier list within women’s cricket – but also, simultaneously, the solutions to bridging these ever more apparent chasms.Just days after Bangladesh had routed Malaysia to secure their place in the semi-finals, the stompers swiftly became the stomped as the mighty Indian juggernaut rolled over them like an elephant might an anthill on its way to a watering hole.While such one-sided contests are not uncommon within sports, it was the routine, almost expected nature of it that might have felt a little disheartening for those watching on. This didn’t feel like a semi-final, this didn’t even feel like a contest.Related

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On to the actual matter of the game itself, it might have been a mistake by Bangladesh, in hindsight, to win the toss and bat first. India, as well rounded an outfit as they are, it is still their batting that makes the headlines – and the overwhelming feeling is that they, aided by this batting-friendly Dambulla track, would have chased much more than the 81 they were eventually tasked with running down. Though the speed and efficiency with which they took down the target suggests that perhaps giving this Indian line-up all of 20 overs to bat might have been equally unwise.So yeah, of the two options, maybe the less fanciful one was indeed to put up a borderline competitive score and hope for some Indian jitters. But this tenuous effort to work out win scenarios for Bangladesh probably speaks towards why the broadcast commentators were striving to scavenge any and all threads to manufacture the prospect of an upset – or even a contest. The closest they got was bringing up Bangladesh’s unlikely Asia Cup final win against India in 2018, a tournament in which they had actually beaten India twice.But, alas, that was six years ago, and this India team – favourites even back then – have come a long way since. Bangladesh in the meantime have stagnated.2:01

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And the reasons for this are quite simple. One is of course investment in players from the grassroots up, but more importantly it’s regular experience against the best sides. For all of Bangladesh’s efforts, they rarely face this calibre of opposition outside of a major tournament, and that just isn’t good enough.Of Bangladesh’s 12 bilateral T20I series since that 2018 final, they’ve had just one series against Australia – earlier this year – one against New Zealand, and two against India. India, by contrast, have squared off in eight bilateral series against one of England, Australia or New Zealand, while also having more bilateral series in total (17), in that same period.”Going forward it’s a good experience for the girls to play against a good side,” Bangladesh head coach Hashan Tillakaratne told ESPNcricinfo after the game. “It’s very important [to play more frequently against the better sides]. When you play against the best you develop yourself.”It’s all about knowledge – knowledge wins games – not skills. The skill is there, but they need to understand the game. [The best way to do that] is with higher-level competition. We must play constant matches against the best sides.”And one only needs to look at Sri Lanka to see the benefits that more frequent contests against high-calibre opposition can bring about. It wasn’t long ago that Sri Lanka were essentially the Chamari Athapaththu team, and between a worldwide pandemic and a largely insipid cricket board they weren’t really playing all that many games between major tournaments either.But since 2022 they’ve managed to fit in bilateral series against India, England and New Zealand, among others – beating the latter two as well. The crucial aspect of this for Sri Lanka has also been that this period has coincided with the blooding in of young talent, all of whom are now gaining high-quality experience at a much younger age than those that came before them.But even so, should Sri Lanka make it to the final, despite their recent form they will be considerable underdogs against this well-drilled Indian outfit – such is the advantage derived from proper investment and a head start. They, however, are on the right path and are steadily closing the gap, which means for sides like Bangladesh and those below the blueprint is there. It just needs to be followed.

Cartwright has big boots to fill but Madsen remains key influence for trip to Taunton

David Hopps08-Jul-2022″What do you know about Derbyshire?” Hilton Cartwright was asked. He is only there for a month, so he was not about to reel off the county’s lesser-known delights, but he can already feel the yearning for the county to reach only the second T20 Finals Day in their history.”The only thing I know is don’t go to that restaurant,” he offered, before recalling the name of a well-known fast-food chain that had laid him low with food poisoning for two-and-a-half days soon after his arrival.But, in truth, he really knows two things. Much more easily digestible is the knowledge that, in filling in for Shan Masood, who has been called up for the Pakistan Test squad in Sri Lanka, in Derbyshire’s Blast quarter-final against Somerset at Taunton on Saturday, he is facing one of the most daunting tasks of the season.Cartwright joined a media link-up in Derby this week in good-natured fashion as, first, Derbyshire’s ebullient coach, Mickey Arthur, and then their finest batter of the past decade, Wayne Madsen, blithely extolled the virtues of Masood both as a captain and an opening batter, conceding that his absence will not be easily disguised. There was no sense that it was an attempt to spur Cartwright on, just an honest acceptance that Masood has been such a central figure in their reaching their third last-eight tie in the last six years.Overseas players come and go, but Masood has been more indispensable than most. The question as to whether they can cope without him cannot be overlooked.”Shan has been a big contributing factor,” said Madsen, 38 now, but revitalised by Masood’s involvement after missing much of last season with a serious hamstring injury. “It has certainly helped our batting group to know that you’re batting with someone who’s playing with such competence. He scores quickly, but you feel he’s going to bat through. I would say Shan’s had a huge influence not only in the way I’ve played, but the way that the group have played from a batting perspective this year.”Arthur is having his first stint as a county coach after a wealth of experience at international level, and Derbyshire have flourished under his ebullient brand of positive thinking. He will also tell you the same, except adding that Derbyshire have been preparing for Masood’s absence all along.”Shan’s been a colossus for us. He’s been outstanding: with his weight of runs, and his presence in the dressing-room has been exceptional. But we lose Shan and the next man comes in because he’s been primed for that position. You know, we weren’t taken by surprise by it. We knew Shan was going to be gone around this time. And it presents an opportunity for somebody else to come in and make a real mark for himself.”Hilton Cartwright has stepped up for Derbyshire since Masood left for international duty•Getty ImagesThat could be Cartwright, whose returns in the Sheffield Shield earlier this year suggests that, at 30, he is at the peak of his powers. He is not a like-for-like replacement and in his two games to date, decent enough contributions against India and Durham, he has appeared at No.5, his usual role for Western Australia. He also asserted that fitting into a successful side where everybody is confident in their role is much easier – even if expectations are higher – than trying to bale out a struggling squad. But cold, hard statistics suggest that Madsen, who finished the North Group stage with his maiden T20 hundred, against Durham at Chester-le-Street, needs others to respond to the demands of a big occasion.The runs made by Masood and Madsen are instrumental in the fact that Derbyshire are contesting a quarter-final tie against Somerset at Taunton on Saturday: 45 percent of their total in the Blast to date, with Leus du Plooy the only other batter to make much of an impact.Derbyshire are not heavy scorers – although they pulled off a record chase of 194 in that last match against Durham, and if Somerset’s talented young bucks hit form on Taunton’s fast-scoring ground, they will be stretched to the limit. In the field, though, their whole is better than their parts: they have become a well-disciplined side, mentally strong and each aware of their own responsibilities to the common good.Mark Watt and Mattie McKiernan have developed into two of the Blast’s craftier spin bowlers with 30 wickets in the group stage at around eight runs an over. And the belief in Derbyshire that George Scrimshaw can rev it up to 90 mph (a reputation that has won him an England Lions call-up) will come under scrutiny on a Taunton ground where this season Jamie Overton has already bowled with fearsome pace. Taunton is the sort of small ground where the game can get away from you in a trice, but Arthur referenced Derbyshire’s vital victory against Yorkshire at Chesterfield as one occasion this season where they handled a small ground better than their opponents and that memory will sustain them.Arthur underlined: “We are only as good as the sum of our parts. Everybody plays their role. You always talk about it being a jigsaw puzzle, and you’ve got to give everybody a role. We’re not there yet but we are getting close. Our mission as a coaching staff has always been to make the players the best they can be. And once you get that belief and you find that little hidden three or four percent and collectively you start getting a couple of wins, the whole process becomes quite powerful.Related

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“Taunton is going to be exciting. It’s a wonderful little venue. I would say it’s a great place to go and play cricket. A Saturday night is going to be even more daunting for our boys but it’s going to be a wonderful experience for everybody and one that I hope and know they will embrace.”Arthur knows that strong performances until the end of the season might also help with a bit of player recruitment, Derbyshire not always being the first name on the list for a player seeking a change. “We want people knocking the door down to come here because of the of the opportunities that we can offer,” he said.He will also take pleasure from the fact that his recruitment of Masood also appears to have reinvigorated Madsen, who competes with Somerset’s James Hildreth as the best county batter of the past 15 years never to win England recognition. At Derbyshire, though, the consolation of domestic success has also been denied him (albeit he did guide the county to Championship promotion back in 2012). When the severity of his hamstring injury became clear, some imagined the end was in sight.”Yes, you have the self-doubt whether the body can recover from severe injury but mentally I was always going to come back,” Madsen said. “Retirement never really crossed my mind. I really want to win trophies, but that has been my goal and objective for so many years. There was even more of a determination to get myself back fit and prove not just to myself but to other people that I can still perform well to help the club and the team achieve that.”

The former Jammu and Kashmir pacer has trail-blazed the way and is enjoying the current team’s success

Shashank Kishore in Jammu24-Feb-2020As Jammu & Kashmir fought to stay alive in their Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Karnataka, a dapper-looking government officer, who was in Jammu to attend meetings and finalise a tender for the installation of a water treatment plant, rushed to the Gandhi Memorial Science College ground to watch “my boys” attempt to do the unthinkable. He could’ve easily been in the tent meant for VIPs, but instead chose to sit and watch with the general public.Police officers on duty waved to him, a few players from the J&K bench walked up to shake hands during the tea interval while on a jog around the ground. Match officials, who’ve seen him from close quarters, smiled at him.Until three years ago, he was one of J&K’s key fast bowlers. Samiullah Beigh, the former captain, retired in 2017 after a run-in with the erstwhile administration. He says he hasn’t stepped into the JKCA office since, but keeps a close tab on the team.”You see, I’ve been a rebel of sorts,” Beigh tells ESPNcricinfo. “I’ve always called spade a spade. JKCA hasn’t honoured me in retirement or even during my playing days, but I have no regrets. Not many stand up for what is right, I did and I’m proud of that. Whatever issues I had was with JKCA, the players are dear to me, that is why I’m here.”Beigh leads a busy life these days. He has a bachelors degree in Civil Engineering and a masters degree in Structural Engineering. He currently works as an Assistant Executive Engineer in J&K’s Public Health Engineering department, with a team of 150 employees under him.He travels around the state for laying and installation of pipe networks and water filtration plants. It is one such assignment that has brought him to Jammu. He was to return to Srinagar, where he lives, the same day, but the temptation to watch “my boys”, many of whom he’s shared a dressing room with, was hard to resist. He even extended his stay to see if J&K could pull off a first-innings lead, and upset favourites Karnataka.We’re watching Shubham Khajuria and Suryansh Raina confidently bat against Karnataka’s pace attack. As he speaks, one eye is on the game. As and when ball hits the middle of the bat, he yells out words of encouragement.’Played, Chintu’ he repeats regularly. Khajuria is nicknamed Chintu. The two were one-time team-mates, Beigh a senior by a decade. Today, Khajuria is their leading batsman, a senior player. and Beigh is far away from the team, even if he’d like to contribute to the growth of cricket in the state.

“I’ve spent more on flights from my pocket, more than the match fees I earned initially, to fly back home to write exams during my B.Tech. Selectors would tell me on my face, ‘You won’t get a chance.’ But in club cricket next year, I used to do even better, so they couldn’t ignore me.”SAMIULLAH BEIGH

Last year, Beigh earned a coaching degree for junior cricket from Cricket Australia. He runs an academy in Srinagar which he founded with a few “like-minded people”. His day typically starts early with coaching, before he sets off for field work stretching to “10-12, maybe even 14 hours at times.” Such a routine can be draining, but Beigh says this is a life he has been used to since he was a teenager.”I came from a studious family. I’m the only rebel,” he laughs. “My younger brother is a doctor – ENT – my sister is a teacher, my mother a teacher and father was a revenue officer. There was no sports background to speak of. So once I told them I was serious about cricket, they said you can go, but you can’t miss exams, you can’t fail exams. So wherever I went, I used to carry my books. So I’m used to this intense schedule.”When I finished engineering in 2006, I got a scholarship at the MRF Pace Foundation after impressing in the trials. I spent five months learning the ropes of fast bowling under Dennis Lillee. It used to be two sessions of cricket, with a lunch break. Evening used to be our fitness work. And then at night, I used to go back to my room to study for GATE (an entrance exam for post-graduation degrees in Engineering).”I used to also teach Varun Aaron and Dhawal Kulkarni, they were in Class X or XII. So we used to all train in the morning until 4.30-5.00 pm, and in the night, we used to freshen up and sit to study in our rooms. This is how it was for six months. That is where I learnt the ABC of cricket. Whatever I did outside that was all natural ability. Because we didn’t have coaches here who were qualified enough to tell us what our weakness was, so in the name of coaching, our natural abilities were being compromised. The MRF stint was an eye-opener.”Beigh’s first-class career may have lasted 15 years, but he truly found his peak only after 2008. Prior to that, he was in and out of the team, mixing cricket with engineering. In his first five years, he featured in just six first-class matches as a result.”I’ve spent more on flights from my pocket, more than the match fees I earned initially, to fly back home to write exams during my B.Tech,” he says. “Selectors would tell me on my face, ‘You won’t get a chance.’ But in club cricket next year, I used to do even better, so they couldn’t ignore me.”But I also made mistakes, I never told them I had to miss matches for exams. I used to cook up excuses. ‘Important call from home’, ‘mother not feeling well’ – she wasn’t yes, but not so bad that I had to miss matches. I had thoughts of focusing completely on studies at times because cricket had no career security. My first match fees was INR 1500 per day. For five one-dayers, I received 7500 INR. It was a very small amount.”Giving up studies was a heavy risk. I played it safe, that’s the one thing I keep thinking about. If it would’ve happened now, I would have taken the risk. Now, even if you don’t make it to the top, if you’re a domestic stalwart and play a few IPL seasons, your career is secure.”Even after 17 years, my parents tell me, ‘You could’ve done better in studies’. Now, that perception is changing among people and parents. I was given no relaxation for sports during my graduation and masters. They realised only after I finished that I could do it, because I was made captain.”

“I used to also teach Varun Aaron and Dhawal Kulkarni, they were in Class X or XII. So we used to all train in the morning until 4.30-5.00 pm, and in the night, we used to freshen up and sit to study in our rooms. This is how it was for six months. That is where I learnt the ABC of cricket. The MRF stint was an eye-opener.”SAMIULLAH BEIGH

In 2007, Beigh received an offer to move to Railways. It brought with it not just the promise of playing for a “slightly better team” but also job security. But the basis of that offer was to do with his cricketing abilities. On a flat, Karnail Singh Stadium deck, he bent his back to pick up five wickets against a strong Railways side. J&K lost but Beigh had made a mark.”There was an upsurge after my MRF stint,” he remembers. “I was on the brink of getting neglected forever by my state, but word got around that a J&K fast bowler is here. So I remember, once I returned, I was picked for a match against Railways in Delhi. Sanjay Bangar was captain. That is the match that changed my career.”After the match, Bangar spoke to a few Railways authorities, and they handed over an appointment letter as an engineer that evening. It was a posting with Western Railways, so I had to move to Mumbai. It was an awesome feeling; he didn’t even ask me if I had a job or anything. He felt if I had to play at a better level, I had to choose a better team, because J&K was going nowhere those days.”There was logic, I was convinced, but I didn’t want to go to Mumbai, because it’d mean settling down there forever. Somehow, I also felt the job didn’t resonate with my profile. I felt it was too small a job, a Junior Engineer, non-gazetted post. I thought for career’s sake I can sacrifice, but for how long? I talked to my family, they didn’t agree. Here, we’re all attached to our families. If any other state offered me, I could’ve played during the season and returned home after it, but for a full-time settlement outside, it didn’t feel right. But in that match, I realised I had the potential.”Beigh gave up on the offer, just like he had a year earlier when he was offered INR 75 lakh by the Indian Cricket League. “Dhruv Mahajan, Abid Nabi had left, so I didn’t feel the time was right. The team needed me,” he says. “I spoke to my parents too, and they weren’t in favour of the cash. Karsan Ghavri was one of the team coaches, and he’d sent me the contract papers. He’d seen me in a game in Tripura, so he wanted to sign me up with the team he was associated with. As difficult as it was to tell him no, I had to do it.”Hardeep Singh, Samiullah Beigh and Ram Dayal after the win•Devashish FuloriaFrom 2009 to 2015, Beigh enjoyed his best years for J&K. It coincided with the side’s first-ever appearance in the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals in 2013-14. Rewarded with a promotion to Group A the following season, they went on to upset Mumbai. He also led the state in the same period.”As J&K cricketers, we learn to cherish small things in life,” he says. “Some people may say, ‘so what, it’s just one win’, but they wouldn’t know the struggle for that one win. For me the progress we made despite all our challenges, both administrative and political, is a big win. There is real passion for cricket here. People are crazy about the game, but don’t know how to go further. If this game is in Srinagar, I can give it to you in writing: there would’ve been 5000-6000 people.”The day’s play draws to a close. Beigh is ready to leave, but delays booking his return tickets. J&K end on 88 for 2, and the first-innings dream is alive. He calls his superiors and informs them of a change in plan. “I’ve taken leave till Monday,” he says. “My team doesn’t get here often. I have to be here when they do, right? Hopefully they will qualify.”Beigh’s passion for cricket is a mere reflection of the love the region has for the game, and he wishes the system becomes more streamlined than it was when he started off as a confused teenager. “That’s the dream. When kids can fearlessly say they can manage both cricket and studies here. One day, one day, it will happen.”

Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has named a key area that the Reds "got wrong" during their massive summer transfer window outlay. The Premier League champions spent more than any club in world football during the 2025 window with an unprecedented outlay of £446 million ($598m) on seven new signings. Yet, almost halfway through the season, the squad appears disjointed, the performances inconsistent and some new signings are already under the scanner.

Big money, big expectations, but inconsistent returns

The headline additions included German playmaker Florian Wirtz arriving from Bayer Leverkusen for £100 million, a fee that could rise to £116m ($155m) with performance-related bonuses, and Swedish striker Alexander Isak, whose British-record £125m ($168m) move was celebrated as the final piece of Liverpool’s evolving attack. Isak, who scored prolifically at Newcastle, has managed only two goals in 14 Liverpool appearances. Wirtz, meanwhile, has shown glimpses of class, registering a handful of assists in the Champions League, but remains goalless in all competitions. The 22-year-old has struggled to impose himself in a Liverpool side that has lacked rhythm and intensity, and his own performances have been a far cry from the assertive machine he orchestrated at Leverkusen. Elsewhere, Hugo Ekitike began brightly but has faced injury setbacks. And with Mohamed Salah looking noticeably off the pace after a remarkable 2024-25 season, the entire attacking unit has looked short of inspiration.

AdvertisementGettyJohnson hits out at two summer signings

It was not the high-profile forwards, however, that drew Glen Johnson’s sharpest criticism. Speaking to the former right-back singled out defensive recruits Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong as deals that Liverpool "got wrong".

"Liverpool very rarely get it wrong with transfers, but for me, they got it wrong with the signing of Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez in the summer," he said. 

He cautioned against writing players off too early but admitted both have fallen well short of expectations.

He added: "I don’t want to be too harsh on new players or write them off, because it does take time for some to settle down at a big club like Liverpool, especially when coming from teams where there’s less pressure. But at the moment, they don’t look up to it."

Johnson expressed surprise that Liverpool, a club renowned for data-driven recruitment, had misfired on these two particular signings.

"It’s strange, because Liverpool usually hit the nail on the head with these types of deals – so many statistics and data goes into their recruitment– but, for now, it looks as if they’ve got those deals wrong," he claimed.

Summer outlay has backfired so far

Liverpool’s summer spending spree was intended to accelerate a squad rebuild following the departures of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Díaz. The club pursued a strategy of aggressive investment, hoping to refresh all key areas at once. Instead, the volume of changes appears to have destabilised the team’s core structure. Arne Slot’s side has struggled to find fluency, and established stars have not always meshed easily with newcomers. However, they did churn out a result at San Siro against Inter in the Champions League, which should boost their morale. 

Slot said after the win: "I think it was mainly for us very important that we got a result today, because with an away game to Marseille also still to play and one home game, we needed points. And we know how difficult that would be over here, because they have been so, so, so strong in this stadium, in the league but definitely also in the Champions League. So it's a great result, like it was against Real Madrid. It's not funny but it's the weird thing that we've had a few special results this season; so, beating Arsenal, beating Real Madrid, beating Newcastle away, beating Aston Villa where they won 10 in a row and only lost against us. So that's why it's so surprising to see that we drop points in so many other games, although there are multiple reasons, but one of them I just said."

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Getty Images SportBrighton visit Anfield as Reds seek stability

Liverpool will hope to carry Champions League momentum back into the Premier League when they host Brighton on Saturday. The Seagulls are capable of troubling any side, and Slot knows a win is essential if Liverpool are to climb back toward the European places.

Following India’s win at the Women’s World Cup 2025, the BCCI has announced a cash prize of INR 51 crore for the players, support staff and the selection committee. The team will also receive USD 4.48 million (approx. INR 40 crore) as prize money from the ICC.”On behalf of the board, I congratulate the Indian women’s cricket team on this historic world championship victory,” BCCI president Mithun Manhas said in a statement. “The team’s resilience, talent and togetherness have lifted our nation’s hopes. This triumph vindicates the investment and faith the BCCI placed in building a world-class women’s programme.”India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in front of a crowd of 39,555 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. Asked to bat, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led unit posted 298 for 7 with Shafali Verma scoring 87 off 78. Led by Player-of-the-Tournament Deepti Sharma’s five-wicket haul, India then bowled South Africa out for 246 despite captain Laura Wolvaardt scoring a century.Related

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“This phenomenal achievement is the result of relentless preparation, flawless execution and the unshakable belief of our women cricketers,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said. “The coaching staff, support personnel and every state association have played a role. Congratulations to each and every member of the team. This team has made the entire cricket fraternity proud.”India had won the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 but this was their first senior world trophy. They had come close twice, finishing runners-up in 2005 and 2017. India beat Australia in the semi-final at the same venue to set up a title-clash with South Africa, who had overcome England in the other semi-final in Guwahati.From the squad that won the World Cup, Shafali Verma has been named North Zone captain for the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20 Trophy starting November 4 in Nagaland. She will miss the opening match as the victorious Indian team is due to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on November 5.

Manchester United’s defeat against Everton on Monday night once again highlighted the issues of Ruben Amorim’s reluctance to move away from his 3-4-2-1 system.

The Red Devils spent 77 minutes playing against just 10 men, but he refused to budge from his philosophy, which no doubt cost the side a chance of claiming all three points.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half strike was enough to secure all three points for the Toffees, with the hosts’ impressive five-game unbeaten run coming to an abrupt end.

Since the final whistle, the manager has come under fire for his stubbornness in implementing a more attacking system, especially after the visitors’ early dismissal.

During the loss to David Moyes’ men, one first-team member massively failed to take advantage of the rare starting opportunity that was handed his way in the Premier League.

Joshua Zirkzee’s stats against Everton for United

After Benjamin Sesko’s knee injury against Tottenham Hotspur, Joshua Zirkzee was handed his first Premier League start of the campaign against Everton yesterday.

The Dutchman had previously had to settle for minutes off the substitutes bench, but the clash at Old Trafford was his maiden start of the 2025/26 league season.

However, he was unable to take advantage of the opportunity that was handed his way, with the 24-year-old struggling to match the demands of the manager’s system.

He featured for the entirety of the contest, but was only able to post a measly tally of 35 touches, with only five of his total touches coming within the opposition’s penalty area.

Zirkzee also completed just 15 passes at a success rate of just 60%, which resulted in the forward gifting the ball back to the opposition on 12 separate occasions.

His lack of quality was further outlined in his tally of one big chance missed and just four duels won, with James Tarkowski often pocketing the stand in centre forward.

Not just Zirkzee: United star must not start again under Amorim

In the 12 months since Amorim’s arrival, many United players have often struggled to match the expectations placed upon them – ultimately leading to their lowly Premier League finish last season.

Their performances, as seen by Zirkzee yesterday, will have led to the £200m spending spree during the summer window, but it should only be the start of the overhaul.

The midfield department should be next on the hierarchy’s agenda, with the manager no doubt wanting added reinforcements in such an area of the pitch.

Casemiro is getting towards the end of his current deal at Old Trafford, with Kobbie Mainoo seemingly not fancied by the manager after failing to start a single league game in 2025/26.

However, the defensive unit should also be one that the board are targeting, especially given the failures in that area over the past couple of seasons at Old Trafford.

Luke Shaw is one player who remains in such an area, but like Zirkzee, he’s often failed to deliver when called upon by Amorim over the last 12 months.

The Englishman has now spent over a decade on the books of the Red Devils, but ultimately, he’s entering the latter stages of his career – something which is starting to show.

He’s started every league game to date in 2025/26, but that’s not without question, with his performance against Everton one that failed to catch the eye for the right reasons.

The 30-year-old featured for the entire contest, but was only able to win 50% of the aerial duels he entered and was even dribbled past on two separate occasions.

He also only made one interception and one clearance, subsequently being unable to keep the side’s second clean sheet of the Premier League campaign.

Shaw’s tally of zero completed crosses out of his attempted four showcases his inability to find a teammate in attacking areas, which led to criticism from Gary Neville.

The former United star, now turned pundit, stated that the player is becoming a “waste of time” at United and that his performances at Old Trafford aren’t fooling anyone.

His latest showing under Amorim is further evidence that he’s unable to match the levels he did during the early years of his career – with Amorim needing to exclude him from his starting eleven.

Shaw and Zirkzee are certainly nowhere near the levels the club need if they are to be successful in the Premier League, with the hierarchy needing to offload them to free up funds in January.

Not just Zirkzee: Man Utd man who was among the 'world's best' must be axed

Manchester United’s flaws were brutally exposed in Monday’s dismal defeat to Everton.

By
Robbie Walls

Nov 25, 2025

Pakistan brought in Hussain Talat and Faheem Ashraf for Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2025

Toss India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and chose to field in the Asia Cup Super Fours match against Pakistan keeping in mind the dew in Dubai. He said there was a lot of dew around when India trained on the eve of the match.India went back to their first-choice XI, bringing back Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy. Out went Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, who played against Oman once India had ensured their qualification for the Super Fours stage. As expected, Axar Patel was fit for the match after he went off the field with a blow to the head during the game against Oman.Pakistan, who had chosen to bat first in historically bowl-first conditions in their group game against India last Sunday, were looking to correct themselves had they won the toss, but didn’t get the opportunity to make that choice. Pakistan made two changes themselves, bringing in Hussain Talat and Faheem Ashraf for Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah. That meant Haris Rauf stayed in the XI. Both Talat and Ashraf are seam-bowling allrounders.The captains didn’t shake hands with each other or match referee Andy Pycroft at the toss.Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Salman Agha (capt), 5 Mohammad Haris (wk), 6 Hussain Talat, 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar Ahmed.India: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.

MatériaMais Notícias

O volante Jair, do Vasco, voltou a ser julgado pelo STJD nesta quarta-feira (22) e teve sua pena reduzida em dois jogos. O motivo do julgamento foi a expulsão do jogador contra o Bahia, no empate em 1 a 1, no início de setembro.

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Jair cumpriu suspensão automática na vitória do Vasco contra o Fluminense, duas semanas depois e ficou aguardando o julgamento. Nesta quarta-feira, a pena do volante foi reduzida de quatro para dois jogos.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Vasco

O jogador cumprirá mais um jogo de suspensão no domingo (26), contra o Athletico-PR. Nesta quarta, Jair está apto para jogar contra o Cruzeiro. Como a decisão do julgamento foi anunciada no mesmo dia do jogo, o volante está liberado para entrar em campo.

O primeiro julgamento, quando Jair recebeu quatro jogos de suspensão, aconteceu no início de outubro. Mas, o Vasco conseguiu um efeito suspensivo e um novo julgamento foi realizado nesta quarta.

➡️ Confira a classificação do Campeonato Brasileiro

– Ele entra em todos os jogos, podemos estar aqui afetando a briga contra o rebaixamento. Não houve agressão deliberada, e os bons antecedentes de Jair falam por si – disse o advogado Pedro Moreira na defesa de Jair.

Jair tinha sido primeiramente denunciado por agressão física, que prevê suspensão de quatro a doze partidas a partir do artigo 254-A do Código Brasileiro de Justiça Desportiva. Porém, a decisão foi derrubada por unanimidade no segundo julgamento.

Thursday, Topps announced an exclusive partnership with two-way MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers batter/pitcher is partnering with the brand on a unique global trading card deal. Previously, Ohtani partnered with Topps in a non-exclusive fashion.

As a part of the deal, Topps will manufacture products that feature Ohtani autographs and game-used memorabilia to be distributed in the United States and Japan markets. David Leiner, President of Trading Cards at Fanatics Collectibles, which owns Topps, promised that the partnership would give collectors, "product that's never before been seen in the hobby."

Ohtani joins other countrymen, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ichiro Suzuki, and Hideki Matsui in partnering with Topps. He also joins a roster of larger-than-life athletes partnered with Topps like LeBron James.

“I'm happy to be exclusively partnering with Topps to give fans unique cards and collectibles for seasons to come," Ohtani said in the press release. Just a few days ago, Topps announced a 1/1 card with a "40/40 club" inscription from Ohtani along with the date he achieved the exclusive mark.

Fanatics acquired the familiar Topps trading card brand in 2022 and is giving a new platform to the collectibles space. Earlier this month Fanatics held a "fan fest," a sports-angled convention comparable to conventions in other spaces like Comic Con, and later this year will hold its first unique auction in a deconsecrated church.

Ohtani famously is reported to make a number in the ballpark of $100 million annually from endorsements and non-baseball contracts. Quite possibly, that massive figure gave him the flexibility to largely defer his contract with the Dodgers in last offseason's free agency, giving the franchise more flexibility to build a winning team around him.