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Punjab Kings created a new record by defending 111 against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025

Varun Shetty16-Apr-20252:07

Rayudu: ‘Chahal bowled to get a wicket, not to defend’

111PBKS vs KKR, Mullanpur, 2025
Punjab Kings (PBKS) went from failing to defend 245 one game to defending 111 the next. Chasing 112, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were 7 for 2, then 72 for 3, and then 95 all out. Chahal was clattered for 16 in his last over by Russell, who kept KKR in the game for a little longer, but the legspinner ended with 4 for 28, which proved pivotal. Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh chipped in at the end to close the job. The ball turned and gripped but not enough to explain how a team chasing 112 went from cruise control to losing six wickets in 5.2 overs.116/9CSK vs KXIP, Durban, 2009
This was back when 116 in T20 cricket could still be competitive, especially if Muthiah Muralidaran was on your side. Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) batting spluttered on a slow pitch, but Kings XI Punjab’s (KXIP) chase was less of a reply and more of a slow surrender. R Ashwin and Suresh Raina bowled eight overs for 30 between them, taking four wickets. Muralidaran went for eight in his four and also took two wickets. KXIP never looked in a hurry.Siddarth Kaul’s three-for helped Sunrisers Hyderabad defend 118•BCCI118SRH vs MI, Mumbai, 2018
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) came into this match missing Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Billy Stanlake, got bowled out in 18.4 overs and then produced one of the sharpest defensive bowling displays seen in the IPL. Rashid Khan bowled 16 dots in his four overs, taking 2 for 11. Siddarth Kaul hit hard lengths during his three-for and dismissed Mumbai Indians’ (MI) last hope in Hardik Pandya, whose 3 off 19 was a painful crawl. Basil Thampi closed it all out after dismissing the set Suryakumar Yadav in the 16th over. MI lasted a ball more than SRH but made only 87.119/8KXIP vs MI, Durban, 2009
KXIP’s three-pronged pace attack bowled canny spells to rock MI’s chase, and despite a composed half-century from JP Duminy, KXIP hung on to complete a nerve-wracking three-run victory. MI hardly set a wrong foot forward from the time they lost the toss, striking early through spin and keeping their hands on the jugular through Lasith Malinga’s late strikes, but they failed to chase 120. Earlier, Sangakkara had kept the KXIP innings alive with an unbeaten 45 and it proved to be decisive.119/8SRH vs PW, Pune, 2013
Pune Warriors (PW) needed 19 off 19 balls. They had six wickets in hand. And then Amit Mishra happened. He took a hat-trick and ended with figures of 4 for 19, after making an important 30 off 24 earlier when SRH themselves were 44 for 6. PW batted only 13 off those last 19 balls to lose their remaining six wickets. Mishra walked off with a shrug. It was the third hat-trick of his IPL career.

England have been able to score a lot of runs there, but it isn’t necessarily because of bad balls

Sidharth Monga30-Jul-20251:31

What should India’s pace attack look like for The Oval?

Tempers are fraying, bodies are tiring (and falling apart in some cases), it is getting dark well before 10pm. It is still only the end of July, but we are already at The Oval with its end-of-series, end-of-summer vibes. It has been more than a month of attritional back and forth between two imperfect sides, who by now are hard to separate. India are averaging 45.55, England 42.52, a sign of a tough-to-call series.India have still dominated more sessions and days, but when they have messed up, they have done so spectacularly and before getting themselves into impregnable positions. Spinners have mostly cancelled each other out with 14 and 13 wickets. India’s spin wickets have come less dearly, but England have had Ben Stokes as the fourth fast bowler to counter that.Surrey are used to playing without a spinner at The Oval, which should suggest it is going to come down to one last push from the fast bowlers from both sides. India’s fast bowlers will feel they have bowled better overall, creating more chances and averaging slightly less, but they need to work out why they haven’t been decisively more effective than England, whose fast bowlers barring Stokes and Jofra Archer have largely looked innocuous.Related

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India have bowled better lengths for longer than England, who haven’t had that accuracy. They have swung the ball more and extracted as much seam movement as England, but still India’s fast bowlers have conceded 51% of their runs on the leg side as against England’s 47%, who have actually looked to bowl straighter on purpose with a leg slip in place. That is something the team has taken a note of as well.Again, it’s not as though India have necessarily bowled poorer lines. India have strayed down leg less often, and have been at the stumps or in the channel roughly as frequently. India have swung the ball into the right-hand batter twice as often as England but that is not at the expense of the outswinger. That is because India have bowled much fewer balls that haven’t swung. Against left-hand batters, India have swung the ball more often than England, and swung it back in less often.The difference perhaps is that the England batters have taken more risks and turned the ball to leg more often. It is borne out slightly by the control numbers: England right-hand batters are in control of 85.6% of their shots into the leg side, India 90.61%. The numbers are similar for left-hand batters. It tells you India are working only bad balls into the leg side, but England are more enterprising. It helps that the pitches have been so flat that the batters have not been punished enough for their errors.2:08

How do India’s five regulars cope with the quick turnaround?

As the series has progressed, India have taken a more pragmatic approach to batting, which is to grind the bowling down, which shows in their dropping scoring rates. It has worked for them: Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse and Archer have failed to take a single wicket in overs 30 to 80. It might not be wise to ask their batters to become more enterprising.It remains to be seen if India look to address the leg-side runs at all. It was a source of frustration at Old Trafford, where the bowling coach Morne Morkel even said he had rarely seen a wagon wheel with equal runs on the off side and the leg side. There are two ways to exert better control: either move a little wider outside off or move straighter with an extra fielder on the leg side.However, if The Oval pitch is spicier as the teams seem to expect it to be, they will need to keep repeating good lengths and looking for top of off. It is only if England get into a partnership that India need ways to slow them down. Be it the chase at Headingley, the partnership between Jamie Smith and Harry Brook at Edgbaston, or the whole innings at Old Trafford, it is when things are not happening for them that India are looking for control.When England bat well, India just want to avoid being batted out of the game. They will hope they don’t encounter such a situation at The Oval, but perhaps they need to remember that it is more a combination of selection (one strike bowler too few every time plus rushing an undercooked Anshul Kamboj), pitches, and England batters’ enterprise than what the bowlers have actually bowled.

Wolverhampton Wanderers fans would have been largely encouraged by their side’s first 45 minutes post-Vitor Pereira, as the Old Gold were holding Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea to a tense 0-0 stalemate.

However, after Malo Gusto opened the scoring for the Blues early into the second half, it ended up being one-way traffic as the West Londoners picked up their sixth Premier League win of the season, which, in turn, consigned the lowly visitors to their depressing ninth defeat of the campaign.

Journalist Nathan Judah stated at the final whistle that the West Midlands outfit are “destined” to be in the Championship next season, and it’s hard to dispute this claim, with Wolves still stuck at the bottom of the unforgiving division on just two points.

It will be up to Rob Edwards to somehow steer the sinking ship back on course, with their replacement for Pereira ditching the luxuries of being in a promotion race in the EFL with Middlesbrough, for an intense relegation dog-fight in the top-flight.

Interim manager James Collins did state that he thinks Wolves can stay up, despite their pitiful start, after the dust had settled on the 3-0 defeat, as Edwards assesses what players he will stick by and what players he will ditch after the Saturday night loss.

Edwards' immediate selection dilemmas at Wolves

Watching the Chelsea defeat in great detail, the former Luton Town manager will surely stick with Sam Johnstone in between the sticks.

Without Johnstone in goal, Wolves would have been on the receiving end of a far worse battering, with five saves in total picked up by the ex-West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper. He had become Pereira’s first choice over Jose Sa, and that looks unlikely to change.

Hwang Hee-Chan might find his starting spot is on shaky ground, though. He didn’t register a single shot on Robert Sanchez’s goal, with Edwards hoping that his strike partner on the day, Jorgen Strand Larsen, finds his goalscoring mojo again when he enters the Molineux dug-out, as another goalless display passed him by.

While the forward line desperately needs to improve, something needs to drastically change with the backline in front of Johnstone, with Wolves now conceding a horrific 25 goals after the Chelsea defeat, making them the leakiest team in the entire division.

In particular, this ropey Old Gold defender could already be on borrowed time heading into the brand-new Edwards’ era, even with previous shouts from Gary O’Neil, stating he is an “incredible” talent to work with.

Wolves defender is on borrowed time under Edwards

O’Neil was chosen as the first immediate name to replace Pereira, only for advanced talks to go awry last minute.

No doubt, if his return to the Molineux hot-seat did come true, he would have stuck by Toti Gomes, based on his prior adoration, with the Portuguese centre-back also shining under Pereira’s reign in flashes.

During the early days of Pereira’s stint, as Wolves-based content creator Ryan Leister put it, the Old Gold were a far “better side” with him placed in the starting XI.

Indeed, this is backed up by some mightily impressive numbers, with Gomes winning a commanding 18 duels at the end of December last year against Leicester City and Manchester United to secure Pereira his first two league victories in the West Midlands.

In the here and now, however, Gomes looks a shadow of his former self, as the £25k-per-week defender let Gusto have all the time in the world to head the Blues into a one-goal lead, among other shoddy moments from his lacklustre day at the office, which also saw him win no tackles or aerial duels.

Games played

30

8

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

1

0

Touches*

68.1

53.6

Accurate passes*

46.5 (87%)

37.6 (87%)

Tackles*

2.0

1.0

Ball recoveries*

3.7

3.3

Clearances*

4.7

2.6

Total duels won*

4.8

3.0

Clean sheets

8

0

With Edwards priding himself on making his former Luton side more “difficult” to break down – as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta put it – he is likely to want to axe Gomes based on his porous performances so far this season, regardless of his impressive showings under previous regimes, and when Pereira was at his peak in the Molineux dug-out.

Of course, that isn’t to say Gomes will be completely written off, as Edwards attempts to get a tune out of those who are visibly faltering and can do better.

But, it might be beneficial for the underperforming number 24 to be removed from the starting XIs initially when Edwards enters the building, as the 42-year-old attempts to inject some much-needed fight into his downtrodden troops.

Manager's future takes twist after advanced Wolves talks and "dramatic U-turn"

He held discussions with the Molineux side.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 8, 2025

Newcastle United meet Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend. Always a fun one.

The November international break has curtailed and now it’s domestic action right through until March. By that stage, so much could have happened: the Magpies may have defended their Carabao Cup title and made headway in the Premier League to press for Champions League qualification, for example.

But the upswing in form needs to start now. United have been out of sorts this season, and languish in 14th place. Still strong at St. James’ Park, this stands as a fantastic chance to underpin Eddie Howe’s fifth chapter on Tyneside with a statement victory that tells of durability and a will to win which is as fervent as ever.

24/25

Premier League (A)

4-0 loss

24/25

Premier League (H)

1-1 draw

23/24

FA Cup

2-0 loss

23/24

Premier League (H)

3-2 loss

23/24

Carabao Cup (H)

1-0 win

23/24

Premier League (A)

1-0 loss

And Newcastle will need all their strength against a Man City side who have foiled them many times in recent years, losing just one match to the Northern outfit across 15 matches in all competitions. In fact, Newcastle have only recorded one top-flight victory over City since 2005/06.

SJP will be a cauldron of deafening noise, for sure, and it will need to be, especially with Howe contending with a glut of injuries.

Newcastle team news vs Man City

Rodri and Mateo Kovacic are both out for the visitors, and so Howe will know the importance of a fiery central display to overwhelm and negate much of the away side’s creative threat.

However, the Toon may be forced to put their plan into action without the power and physicality of Joelinton, who may be sidelined after being forced off during the defeat at Brentford before the break.

The Brazilian’s nasty leg injury isn’t thought to have eliminated him from contention here, but Howe will be wary of unleashing his midfield monster if it’s clear he lacks full fitness and ferocity.

Sandro Tonali is fit to play, while Nick Pope has been given the green light following concussion protocols. However, Anthony Gordon is “touch and go”, and wide duo Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento may not be risked from the opening after bouncing back from respective setbacks.

City are going to try and overwhelm the Magpies, but with Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes on form, there’s little question that the hosts have the tools to get the job done. Albeit, Yoane Wissa is still not quite ready to make his debut, months after completing a big-money transfer from Brentford, as he completes the final laps of his recovery process after a knee injury sustained on international duty with DR Congo.

And if Joelinton is kept out of action, or even benched, Howe has the perfect alternative to unleash in the middle of the park.

Howe could unleash Joelinton replacement

Newcastle need an emphatic performance against City, who have taken the spoils so often in this meeting. What Newcastle could do with is some uplifting flair to complement the grit of Howe’s wider system.

Well, while Jacob Ramsey will be gunning for a starting berth, it’s Lewis Miley who should be given the nod, with his deep-lying playmaking qualities allowing the senior midfielders beside him to play with freedom and dynamism.

Miley came under flak across the early weeks of the campaign, some segments of the fanbase questioning his levels, but he has grown in confidence over the past few months, particularly impressing in starts over Benfica and Fulham, both wins for United.

After that mature showing against Benfica, journalist Liam Kennedy hailed his “coming-of-age performance in the number six role”, proving that he’s now “ready for serious minutes”.

The 19-year-old is a silky ball-playing midfielder with convincing signs of defensive play. He is raw, yes, and lacks the polish of a midfielder grown into their skin. And yet he’s also got something special about him, a game-changing quality that has led one Magpies Podcaster to hail him as being Howe’s “own Phil Foden”, given his English talent and growing reputation as his side’s starboy.

Miley emerged before he had even reached adulthood, and he confirmed that he has potential in Howe’s Newcastle system.

If Howe does engineer his first-ever Premier League victory over Manchester City (for Newcastle and Bournemouth), this could be a sensational turning point for a club whose residual issues from the summer transfer window are continuing to plague the team’s fluency and confidence.

Many eyes will be on Nick Woltemade, on Tonali and Bruno in the centre. The big hitters. But this is a game for a breakthrough, and Miley could finally announce himself, properly, as a star in the making on Tyneside.

He’s hardly unknown. The academy graduate has already racked up 58 senior appearances for Newcastle, and he has scored three goals and provided five assists.

He might not have Foden’s gusto and world-renowned reputation, but Miley is an exciting and creative player, strong in the duel and bringing a unique flavour that perhaps no one else in the squad can quite match.

Foden, for sure, will be a threat, and perhaps someone Pep Guardiola will look to use as a focal point. After all, Erling Haaland might have scored on his first appearance against Howe’s Newcastle, but he has blanked across five outings since.

Miley has the opportunity to stand his countryman up and take control on a big evening for Newcastle. They cannot afford to slip to a defeat on home turf ahead of successive away trips to Marseille and then Everton.

This might just be his moment.

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1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 21, 2025

Raza, Muzarabani and Evans shared eight wickets among them to never give the visitors a sniff

Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Sep-2025

Sri Lanka crashed to their second-lowest T20I total ever, going down for 80 inside 18 overs, as Sikandar Raza, Brad Evans, and Blessing Muzarabani shared eight wickets between them. At no point in their batting innings did Sri Lanka stage even a mild recovery. There was a 26-run partnership for sixth wicket, but even that appeared laboured, and had multiple close calls.Zimbabwe’s top partnership was also worth just 26, but they strung greater periods of batting competence together, even in the face of some penetrative bowling from Dushmantha Chameera. Tashinga Musekiwa’s assured 21 not out off 12 balls helped the hosts stroll to victory in the 15th over.Muzarabani and Evans boss the powerplayMuzarabani took 2 for 10 from two overs in the powerplay. Evans claimed 2 for 14 from his two. Sri Lanka were 37 for 4 by the end of it. It takes lower-middle order miracles to salvage good batting performances from there.The first wicket was off a poor ball, truth be told. Muzarabani had been expensive in the last match and bowled a wide bouncer that Kusal Mendis tried to punish, only to toe-end aerially to deep third. But then Muzarabani was back to bowling the tight, testing lines he had delivered in the ODI series. He’d have Nuwanidu Fernando caught at mid-off in the fifth over and concede only two boundaries in the powerplay.Blessing Muzarabani took two wickets in the powerplay•Zimbabwe Cricket

Evans, meanwhile, took the prize wicket of Pathum Nissanka with a shortish ball on the pads which Nissanka struck to deep square leg. Evans also sent Kamil Mishara’s stumps flying with a yorker. He later wrapped up Sri Lanka’s innings by having Maheesh Theekshana hole out to cover.Muzarabani took 2 for 14 in the end. Evans’ haul was 3 for 15.Raza’s middle-overs rampageThe seamers delivered Sri Lanka’s middle order on a platter for Raza and he duly gobbled them up. With so many wickets having fallen, Sri Lanka’s batters were watchful, and Raza did not conceded a single boundary through his four overs.He got the dangerous Kamindu Mendis out for a fourth-ball duck. In his third over, he dismissed Charith Asalanka and Chameera in the space of three deliveries. He finished with 3 for 11 off four overs, and was player of the match for these efforts.Chameera dents Zimbabwe’s small chaseIt never seemed likely that Sri Lanka could defend this, but Chameera gave it a chance. He was too quick for Tadiwanashe Marumani and Sean Williams, who had his off stump knocked out of the ground. He then had Raza drag onto off stump. Chameera would have had a fourth wicket had Asalanka held a sharp chance offered by Musekiwa, at short midwicket.

Former allrounder credits friend and ex-team-mate for bringing him back to the sport he loves

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2025Andrew Flintoff has credited his friend and former team-mate Rob Key for creating the conditions that have allowed the England men’s set-up to flourish under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, and says that the team’s positive outlook is a key reason why he wanted to come on board as England Lions head coach.Speaking to the Beard Before Wicket podcast, Flintoff reiterated that Key’s friendship had been a crucial factor in his return to public life, following the horrific car-crash on the set of Top Gear in December 2022.However, it was Key’s vision for English cricket that persuaded Flintoff to make a full return to the sport in a coaching capacity, initially as a consultant for the men’s white-ball squad, and latterly as Lions coach, including for this winter’s tour of Australia, which will run parallel to the main Ashes campaign.The pair have been close friends since their days in the England Under-19 set-up, and Flintoff declared that Key was “England’s best captain never to a captain the side”.”His cricket brain works in a different way to a lot of other people,” he said. “He’s similar to Shane Warne and people like that, they see the game differently.”You’re always going to have your critics. You can go into Wetherspoons down the road, and there’ll be 15 people who know better than Pep Guardiola. Everyone’s got an opinion, but I think he enjoys being the one making the decisions. He loved playing, but by doing this job, he can make an impact, and he wants to do it his way.”I think what they’ve done – himself [Key], Brendon, Stokes, now Harry [Brook]’s taken over in one-day cricket – as a fan, it’s been amazing. The way they play and the players they pick, they seem really good lads from the outside. I suppose that’s one of the reasons I wanted to be involved in this.”English cricket’s going forward. We’re leading the way in a lot of respects, and I want to be a part of that. By doing the Lions, I’m getting a chance to get involved and hopefully bring the next lads through. I’m very much on the same page of what they’re trying to do with England, and I feel fortunate to be a part of it.”England head into this winter’s Ashes with Ben Stokes looking to cement his legacy as captain with a first series win in the country since 2010-11. Flintoff himself captained England to a 5-0 loss in the 2006-07 campaign, and while he recognised there were similarities between the two men as players, he insisted Stokes was on a different level as a leader.”I do see similarities, but as a leader, he’s incredible,” Flintoff said. “I captained England, and I was terrible. I really was. It wasn’t for me, but you see him … he’s got that atmosphere. He’s got that aura.Three lions: Steve Harmison, Rob Key and Andrew Flintoff celebrate England’s 2004 series win against West Indies•Getty Images

“One of the things which I prided myself on as a player was, when the game’s on the line, that’s when the best of me came out. And I see that with Ben. Playing against Zimbabwe in Harare, I’m probably not going to at be my best, you know, but in the big moments, that’s when I came alive, and that’s when Ben does.”Both players have been prone to bowling long, punishing spells as captain – with Flintoff once bowling more than 50 overs in a drawn Test against Sri Lanka in 2006.”I just ran myself into the ground,” he said. “I’ve seen him do that a little bit as well, but Ben’s got Baz and good people around him, just to save him from himself. I never had that.”Elsewhere in the interview, Flintoff recalled how Key had helped to coax him back into the public domain, first by inviting to attend the 2023 Ashes series in a private capacity, and then by offering him a chance to work behind the scenes with England’s squads.He admitted that he had been “bricking it” prior to his first involvement with the men’s squad, for their white-ball series against New Zealand in September 2023, at which stage he had still not been seen in public since his crash.However, the welcome he received from the squad reminded Flintoff that “actually, this is this is where I want to be, this is where I feel comfortable”.”Cricket did save me,” he added. “It got me out of the house, and it got me focused on something, but more importantly, surrounded by people who have got something in common. I genuinely love it. I love the culture. It’s so much fun.”

Sri Lanka have history on their side, having won their last five T20Is against Pakistan going back to October 2019

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Sep-20252:03

Chopra: SL could bring in an extra seamer in Abu Dhabi

Big PictureLet’s cool things down a little. Two high-profile, highly-charged matches have happened. Some hands have not found the company of other hands at times around cricket matches where hands and other hands are supposed to find the company of hands.We are not naming names, or specifying political indiscretions. But at least on Tuesday, there should be some peace. Perhaps even some love.Pakistan vs Sri Lanka tends to be borderline sappy.Related

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Both these teams also have some pride to resurrect. The reasons for Pakistan’s self-esteem doldrums are obvious. If Sri Lanka was Pakistan’s roommate in a sitcom right now, they’d be telling Pakistan to get their act together with an arm around their shoulders with insults dressed winkingly as compliments. Pakistan might point out that Sri Lanka aren’t doing so hot themselves, having lost to Bangladesh in the first Super Four match. Sri Lanka might respond by asking Pakistan to count the number of Asia Cup trophies on their cabinet. (Because this preview is written by a Sri Lankan, Sri Lankans get last word in all arguments.)Sri Lanka and Pakistan have not tested themselves against each other in T20Is for a while. The last time they played was in 2022, when in the 2010s they used to almost ritualistically have full tours every year.On the surface, they seem evenly matched, however. Pakistan have batting firepower issues. Sri Lanka have batting firepower issues. Pakistan are ranked seventh. Sri Lanka are ranked eighth. Both teams are attempting revivals. Sri Lanka believe theirs has really started. A win against Pakistan will help affirm it.Form guideSri Lanka: LWWWLPakistan: LWLWWIn the spotlightHaris Rauf has only played two T20Is against Sri Lanka, but has five wickets, and an economy rate of 6.85 against them. He was also Pakistan’s best quick in the last match against India, taking 2 for 26. Sri Lanka tend to back themselves against left-arm seam, with so many left-handers in the top order. But in the last match, they did lose three wickets to Mustafizur Rahman.Nuwan Thushara has become known for his outswing at the top of the innings, which has yielded him valuable powerplay wickets. In the last match however, Bangladesh’s Saif Hassan countered Thushara by running down the track and bludgeoning him straight. Thushara is a reasonably experienced bowler now. Can he bounce back?Pitch and conditionsAbu Dhabi tends to be one of the higher-scoring venues in the UAE. Although slower bowlers can sometimes prosper there. Sri Lanka won both matches here in the group stage.Team newsAlthough licking their wounds after the loss to India, Pakistan may keep the same XI.Pakiistan (possible): 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Saim Ayub, 4 Hussain Talat, 5 Mohammad Nawaz, 6 Salman Agha (capt.), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Mohammad Haris, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar AhmedSri Lanka are seriously considering adding a bowler. Maheesh Theekshana may come back into the XI.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kamil Mishara, 4 Kusal Perera, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt.), 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Nuwan ThusharaSri Lanka have won both their matches in Abu Dhabi so far•Getty Images

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have won all five most-recent T20Is against Pakistan, a streak going back to October 2019.
• In the UAE, however, Pakistan have won four T20Is against Sri Lanka, out of seven encounters.
• Openers Pathum Nissanka and Sahibzada Farhan are the tournament’s No. 2 and No. 3 runscorers so far, behind india opener Abhishek Sharma. Sri Lanka’s other opener, Kusal Mendis, is fifth on that list.Quotes“We tend to have four ‘proper bowlers’ and then Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, and me, have to make up the other overs. But this is T20, and even our best bowlers sometimes go for 40 or 45. If we had another bowler, it would help. But we’re still deciding how to go forward.”Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka doesn’t have a fixed plan just yet

The pitch in Colombo isn’t expected to allow free-flowing batting

Madushka Balasuriya07-Oct-20252:07

Preview – Should Australia play Megan Schutt?

Big picture: Pakistan 0, Australia 16Pakistan have never beaten Australia in any format of women’s international cricket. And if that trend continues on Wednesday, their path forward in the ODI World Cup will become very complicated given they have already lost their opening two matches to Bangladesh and India.What might be even more concerning for Pakistan is that in 16 ODIs against Australia, they’ve not even come close to victory, with the narrowest margins of defeat being 37 runs and four wickets, both way back in 2014.Pakistan’s most recent contest against Australia, a three-match rubber in 2023, had these results: eight-wicket defeat, 10-wicket defeat, 101-run defeat. And while they are also yet to beat India (12 tries) or England (15 tries) in women’s ODIs, their 16 defeats to Australia make them, statistically, the toughest opponent.Related

Ellyse Perry and Sidra Amin highlight the contrasts in Australia and Pakistan

Schutt praised for response to omission as another selection call awaits

All this is to say that Pakistan have a considerable mountain ahead of them. As for Australia, their opening game against New Zealand was an ultimately comfortable win, and their second against Sri Lanka was washed out. They are also a team in near-invincible form. In 32 matches since the last World Cup, they’ve won 27 and lost just four. Pakistan in that same period have played 34 ODIs, won 13 and lost 18.So what exactly are the straws Pakistan might look to clutch here? One, Australia haven’t played since October 1 as a result of their washout against Sri Lanka. They are also yet to play at the R Premadasa stadium, where conditions don’t necessarily seem conducive to free-flowing batting. With Pakistan already having experienced these conditions in their defeat to India, there could be an advantage to be exploited.Finally, Pakistan will be hoping the law of averages catches up and gives them the crucial win and points that they need.2:40

Australia exude an attitude of ‘we know how to win this’

Form guideAustralia WWLWW (last five ODIs most recent first)
Pakistan LLWLLIn the spotlight: Sandhu and MooneySince the 2022 World Cup, no Pakistani bowler has picked up more wickets than spinner Nashra Sandhu – her 42 strikes in this period coming from 28 matches. But more interestingly her 248.1 overs are the sixth-most bowled by any bowler in the last three and a half years. This serves to highlight just how much Pakistan lean on Sandhu. This year has also been her most impactful one – she’s picked up 17 wickets in 10 games, including a six-wicket haul against South Africa. The only thing is, in her past five matches, she’s gone wicketless three times. Pakistan will need her at her best if they are to upset Australia.You’d be hard pressed to find a team Beth Mooney doesn’t like batting against, but even so, her ODI record against Pakistan is better than most. Across eight innings she’s struck 279 runs at an average of 69.75, an average that has been boosted by the fact that she’s only been dismissed four times. Mooney’s recent form too has been ominous, with a century and two fifties across her last five innings.Megan Schutt has a good record against Pakistan: 10 wickets in nine ODIs•Getty Images

Team news: Will Schutt get a look in?With a week’s break since their last game, Australia will be itching to get out on the field. Their biggest dilemma is down to healthy competition, as it remains to be seen if Darcie Brown continues to keep Megan Schutt out of the XI.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Beth Mooney, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Sophie Molineux, 9 Alana King, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Darcie BrownOmaima Sohail was replaced at the top of the order by Sadaf Shamas last time out, but with both openers struggling Sohail might find herself back in the side.Pakistan (probable): 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Sadaf Shamas, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Fatima Sana (capt), 7 Rameen Shamim, 8 Diana Baig, 9 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 10 Nashra Sandhu, 11 Sadia IqbalPitch and conditions: Tricky batting conditionsRain has been pestering Colombo and its surrounding suburbs over the past week, but Wednesday should arrive with clear, if cloudy, tidings. The pitch at the Khettarama has stayed true to form in the first two games its hosted at this World Cup, making life tricky for batters – expect that to stay the same.Stats and trivia: Australia’s return to Colombo This will be Australia’s first women’s ODI in Colombo since 2016 Only against Ireland (17-0) do Australia hold a more dominant ODI record than the one they have against Pakistan Australia have won their last 10 completed Women’s World Cup matches Annabel Sutherland is four away from 50 WODI wicketsQuotes”We do have an edge but it all depends on what the team does with this advantage. We were unlucky to have our warmup game against Sri Lanka washed out but we’ve also played two games here and know the conditions very well.”

Fernandinho has officially decided to bring down the curtain on an extraordinary career, drawing to a close more than two decades at the top of the game and a trophy cabinet that places him among Manchester City’s most decorated players of all time. The former Brazil international, now 40, confirmed he will not continue playing, ending speculation that had lingered since his return to Athletico Paranaense in 2022.

• A career built on brilliance and relentless standards

  Fernandinho spent nine seasons at Manchester City after arriving from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013, where he had already earned six Ukrainian league titles and a UEFA Cup. Under Manuel Pellegrini and later Pep Guardiola, he became the anchor of City's midfield. Known for his exceptional reading of the game, immaculate tackling, and unrivalled positional awareness, his influence allowed the club’s creative talents to flourish. Across 383 City appearances, Fernandinho lifted five Premier League titles, six League Cups, an FA Cup and a Community Shield.

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  A fitting final chapter in Brazil

  After leaving Manchester in 2022, Fernandinho went home, rejoining Athletico Paranaense, the club that first introduced him to professional football. His playing time naturally declined as the seasons passed, and the midfielder had not featured since December 2024 in a league match against Atletico Mineiro. Speaking after a charity game this week at the club’s stadium, he made clear his body had given him its final warning. 

  "I’m already tired. I ran for 30-something minutes today and I’m exhausted," he said. "There’s nothing in football that motivates me anymore. I’ve achieved everything I could. Now it’s time to enjoy my family."

  The 40-year-old added that his departure came after he and the club failed to reach an agreement on a new deal. 

  "We didn’t reach an agreement for a new contract, and that’s the most natural thing in the world. I’ve never hidden my gratitude, my respect and affection for Athletico, especially their fans," he said. 

• Guardiola was blindsided with his Man City exit

  When Fernandinho left City, he had not initially informed Guardiola about his decision. 

  "I didn’t know it," the manager told reporters during a press conference. "You gave me the news. We will see what will happen at the end of the season. I said many times we will see what happens. I said at the end of the season we will talk – maybe it is a family decision, maybe he wants more minutes. I would love to be with him."

  Guardiola suggested that the then sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, might have been aware of the development.

  "Maybe Txiki knows it and didn’t tell me," Guardiola said. "I don’t know. It is a surprise for me; I will say to him [Txiki]: 'What happened?' But I know his [Fernandinho’s] intentions. Another player would do it for his benefit. Knowing Ferna, it will not be this.

  "I want the happiness of my players and absolutely we are going to play tomorrow for him and give him the best farewell moment, reaching again the semi‑final of the Champions League and try to go through again. I understand the players want to play, it is completely understandable. Not just because he is 35 or 36. Look what happened with Ferran Torres: he wanted to play so joined Barcelona. I understand Ferna wants go back to Brazil, with his father and mother there, and I am pretty sure the club is going to help him do what he wants."

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  What comes next for Fernandinho?

  Attention now shifts to Fernandinho’s future beyond the pitch. The Brazilian has previously expressed interest in coaching, and Manchester City have a history of integrating former players into roles across their academy, global network or ambassadorial programmes. With his intimate knowledge of Guardiola’s system, he would be a valuable addition should he choose to pursue the coaching path. However, as he mentioned, right now, he would opt for a quieter period dedicated to family life, after spending years at the elite level. 

Real Madrid have reportedly abruptly ended their interest in Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate amid his poor form for the club. The France international is in the last year of his contract and so far has shown no signs of extending his stay on Merseyside. However, his hopes of a dream move to Los Blancos appears to be over ahead of the January transfer window.

• Konate issues Liverpool rallying cry amid contract uncertainty

  Last season, Liverpool appeared to be in a huge bind as key trio Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were in the last few months of their Liverpool deals. Fortunately for the Reds, captain Van Dijk and star forward Salah signed new two-year contracts, but Alexander-Arnold chose to leave, before eventually signing for Madrid. Liverpool have reportedly been trying to extend the stay of defender Konate, whose terms run until 2026, but so far, no breakthrough has been struck. The Frenchman was linked with Los Blancos earlier this year, and amid that speculation, he gave a rather coy comment on his future. 

  He said a fortnight ago: "My agents continue to discuss with Liverpool. I hope my decision will be made very soon so I can announce it." He also rubbished claims the Reds had approached him with a new contract.

  It seems, however, that this contract uncertainty has led to Konate taking his eye off the ball, with the ex-RB Leipzig man making a string of mistakes this season – the latest of which was in his side's humbling 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. 

  After that loss, he wrote on social media: "We have to take this moment on the chest. Criticism is part of football, and we’ll fight back every time and come through this storm. In these moments, the fans matter most. The ones who stand with us in the good times and the bad – the ones who sing for us even in the difficult moments! Your voice and your support mean everything to us. We know we need to improve and we’ll keep fighting for you. Always."

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  Real Madrid move on from Konate

  According to The Athletic, Liverpool tried to extend Konate's deal way back in 2023. But fast forward to the present and it is uncertain where he will be playing in 2026. The report states that Madrid have informed Liverpool they now have 'no interest' in signing the 26-year-old. That could strengthen the Reds' hand in the contract negotiation stakes, although Konate will be able to talk to foreign clubs in January in regards to a possible pre-contract agreement for the summer. The former Sochaux man has chalked up 150 appearances for Liverpool, and over the years, he has been a competent ally to team-mate and fellow defender Van Dijk. Although his form has nosedived this season, manager Slot continues to pick the 6ft 4in player, partially because they are short on defensive options. Their inability to land Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi is looking more and more costly.

• Konate sent Liverpool contract message

  Former Liverpool ace Vladimir Smicer believes that Konate should decide on his Anfield future as soon as possible. If he does that, the Frenchman's form could improve.

  He told BOYLE Sports: "We've seen this last season with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah. Two players stayed, one went. Personally, I don't like this situation (with expiring contracts). I think for the players, it's better when they know their future. At the moment, I can't see if Ibrahim Konate is sure about his next move. Anytime he's not performing at the top level, the fans question his contract situation. It's normal, it will always be like this.

  "If you commit your future, then the fans will say, 'Okay, maybe he was not good today' – but because the situation is like this, anytime he makes a mistake, they will say, 'He will go.' That will be in his head. We experienced this situation last season with three players, but personally, when I was playing, I always wanted a long-term contract. It's better for your confidence, for your life, for your position in the team. I knew my future, and I committed to the team. I’d like Konate to decide as soon as possible what he's going to do in the future."

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  What comes next for Konate?

  With Madrid pulling the plug on a potential Konate move, the France ace will hope to fire Liverpool to victory this weekend away at lowly West Ham. Subsequent games against Sunderland and Leeds United could reportedly determine the fate of Reds boss Slot.