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Voll and King, stars of the WBBL, will be on show in the ODIs against India. For their part, the visitors have a top order to figure out

Srinidhi Ramanujam and Tristan Lavalette04-Dec-2024India are coming off a 2-1 win against New Zealand at home but they know they are yet to win an ODI series against Australia in Australia. These teams have met 16 times in women’s ODIs in Australia, and India have lost 12 of those games. Come Thursday, India will be keen to begin to correct that record, against a Tahlia McGrath-led Australian side, in the first of three ODIs, in Brisbane. Both teams will need to address a couple of cracks, with the 2025 ODI World Cup in India less than a year away. Here are the talking points ahead of the series.Australia turn attention to ODIs after T20 World Cup disappointmentIndicative of the increasingly crowded women’s calendar, the Australian players didn’t have much time to take stock over their shock semi-final exit at the recent T20 World Cup in the UAE, with the WBBL season starting almost immediately after.But as they’ve come together in Brisbane ahead of the India ODI series, the squad and team hierarchy debriefed over what went wrong in the UAE. Hoping to learn lessons from a rare failure, Australia are now setting their sights on 50-over cricket as they start preparations for a title defence at next year’s World Cup.This series and the subsequent tour of New Zealand will round out Australia’s ICC Women’s Championship matches.Having not played ODI cricket since a tour of Bangladesh in March, Australia will be led by McGrath who takes the captaincy reins from the injured Alyssa Healy as she did at the end of the T20 World Cup. It will be McGrath’s first full series as captain with Ash Gardner her deputy.Veteran Ellyse Perry had the role in the latter stages of the T20 World Cup, but Australia’s hierarchy is keen to further the leadership of Gardner, who has assumed the vice-captaincy a couple of times before.”I’m more of a quieter leader… lead from the front, small conversations, and I think my biggest strength in leadership is my calmness,” McGrath told reporters on Wednesday. “Midge [Healy] and I balance each other really well. I’m hoping to do the same with Ash because she has strengths of her own that complement mine.”Priya Punia is likely to open alongside Smriti Mandhana•PTI A rejigged Indian top order without ShafaliShafali Verma’s poor ODI returns of late means she has been dropped from the squad but with Yastika Bhatia – who batted at No. 3 against New Zealand – also getting injured, Harmanpreet Kaur and Co will need two players who can slot in at the top of the order.The captain backed Shafali to find form again, and said on the eve of the series that “she is a very important player for us and has done exceptionally well for the country. We are looking forward to seeing her get back into her zone and perform well for the team.”In her absence, Priya Punia might open with Smriti Mandhana. Punia has played only three ODIs since 2023 and has been in and out of the team. She made a comeback against South Africa in June this year (and made 28 from No. 3) on the back of impressive performances in domestic cricket but was dropped for the New Zealand series. However, she was part of the A tour of Australia in August, when she opened and made 76, 29 and 11 in the T20s and 6 and 1 in one-dayers.There’s no definite answer to who is India’s No. 3 in ODIs. There’s a possibility that India might ask one of Harleen Deol – whose last ODI was against Australia at home in December 2023 – or the uncapped Uma Chetry to slot in at one-drop. The second scenario will be to promote Richa Ghosh or Jemimah Rodrigues. Currently, both of them bat in the middle order but they have the experience of batting at No. 3; Ghosh was a brief experiment at one-drop against Australia last December where she even made a career-best 96. But it’s been three years since Rodrigues, who began her ODI career as an opener in 2018, was seen in the top three.By moving one of Ghosh or Rodrigues up, India would be able to accommodate Tejal Hasabnis, who made her India debut against New Zealand, in the middle order. Hasabnis played a steady innings of 42 in her debut game at No. 6 when India were in a spot of bother. She also toured Australia with the A squad and hit three fifties in as many one-dayers in Mackay.Georgia Voll finished fifth in the WBBL run charts•Getty ImagesVoll gets her chanceWhile Australia’s experienced squad brims with familiar names, 21-year-old Georgia Voll adds fresh blood having replaced Healy in the squad. She gets her chance in national colours after several eye-catching performances to start the domestic season.The powerful right-hander smashed 98 off 94 balls for Queensland against Western Australia in the WNCL before igniting the early stages of the WBBL with two scores in the 90s.It vindicated her move from Brisbane Heat to Sydney Thunder, with Voll finishing fifth overall in the runs charts with 330 at a strike rate of 144.73. Her breakout season was rewarded with selection in the WBBL Team of the Tournament.Voll looks set to open the batting alongside Phoebe Litchfield in a partnership that could foreshadow what lies ahead for Australia. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a fresh face in the side,” McGrath said of Voll. “There’s a lot of excitement. She’s been knocking down the door for a while. She’s more than ready to compete at this level.”India explore pace optionsIn-form King hoping to shrug off finger injuryAfter being benched throughout the T20 World Cup, legspinner Alana King bounced back with a standout WBBL season. She finished with the most wickets in the round-robin phase, taking 20 at an average of 13.30.But King injured the pinkie finger on her right bowling hand during Perth Scorchers’ final game of the season. She did take part in Australia’s training session on Tuesday in an encouraging development for King, who last played for Australia during the ODI series in Bangladesh earlier this year.King could be particularly relied upon when the series concludes on December 11 at the WACA. Relishing the surface’s renowned bounce, King has seemingly mastered the conditions and claimed 11 wickets at an average of just 8.37 in four WBBL matches there this season.”I’m not a tall person by any means, so having that extra bit of bounce has helped me get different modes of dismissals [at the WACA],” King told ESPNcricinfo earlier this month.Chetry as back-up keeper to GhoshGhosh has returned to the side after missing the home ODIs against New Zealand because she had to sit her board exams. Bhatia, who kept wicket against New Zealand, has been sidelined for this series due to a wrist injury, so Chetry will be the back-up wicketkeeper to Ghosh.Chetry has played four T20Is, all this year. In November, she was the second-highest run-getter in the domestic T20 Challenger Trophy with 231 runs at a strike rate of 154. She also scored 122 off 71, the only hundred in the competition. Chetry also has the experience of touring Australia, with India A side in August, though she didn’t leave a mark with the bat. In three white-ball games across formats, she accumulated 34, and made 2 and 47 in the four-day game.It should be noted that Chetry has been travelling with India’s white-ball squads on and off since July 2023, when she first earned her maiden call-up to the tour of Bangladesh.

It is infuriating talking to an England player at the moment. The biggest series in years is on the horizon. It’s all we’ve been speaking about for months. And rather than indulge in playground gossip like the rest of us, they’re rising above it.”We’re in New Zealand,” says Harry Brook, speaking from New Zealand. So far, so good. “I’m the white-ball captain.” Also correct. “We’ve got a game tomorrow night.” Three from three. “And that’s all I’m thinking about.” Wrong. Tell us that Josh Hazlewood is going to get sent to the moon.This is a refined Harry Brook. Wiser than the man who was once burnt after saying he was glad he could “shut up” Indian fans in 2023, then twice burnt by England fans in 2024 after saying “who cares” if someone gets caught on the boundary. Now, in 2025, he is a man who leads his country on and off the pitch. When England were given a traditional cultural welcome on Friday at the Hagley Oval, it was Brook, in his role as captain, whose responsibility it was to stand and say a few words of thanks to the local Maori leaders at the end of the ceremony. A simple, but important task that earned him a tap on the thigh from head coach Brendon McCullum.Related

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“Like I said. We’re in New Zealand now,” Brook reiterates.Through nothing other than coincidence, Brook’s development as a cricketer has been inextricably linked to the country. His Test captain, Ben Stokes, has his roots in New Zealand. The only Test head coach he’s ever known, McCullum, is one of the most famous New Zealanders of all time. His centuries in Wellington, Christchurch and Wellington again include arguably his finest knock in an England shirt. And his first tour as an England captain is to the country as well. Most recently, Gilbert Enoka, the famous mental skills coach who worked extensively with the All Blacks, has become a figure Brook turns to for advice.”He’s awesome,” Brook said of Enoka’s presence with the England team. “We’ve actually just done a session with him now for an hour or so. To have him in the ranks, just to be able to pull him for a chat for five or 10 minutes is awesome.”Unprompted, Brook, who was recently named as vice-captain of the Test side, spoke about his need to adapt both as a captain and a batter. A question about Jacob Bethell’s ability against spin segued into an answer about Brook’s recognition about the need to be flexible with a batting line-up.”I haven’t liked doing that in the past,” Brook says of switching left-and-right-handers in the order depending on what the opposition is throwing up. In his eyes, that amounts to a bending of the knee to an opponent who should be dictated to, not delegated around.”But whatever’s best for the team at that stage is vital. And like I said before, having them little chats with Gilbert with everybody heading in the same direction, knowing that things might change here and there is vital for the side.”Similarly with his batting, his quickly trademarked but almost impossible to describe roly-poly Dilscoop ramp, that he unfurled in the Hundred, sounds set for a spell on the sidelines. As a shot it is a moment of pure entertainment. But rather than being the sign of a man with unlimited confidence and limitless form, Brook saw it as a sign he was straying too far into the woods.”It’s fun when the crowd’s cheering and whatnot,” Brook told talkSPORT. “But it doesn’t necessarily work every time.”I’ve actually been quite disappointed with the way I’ve played in white-ball cricket. I feel like I’ve been premeditating a lot. And that’s one goal for me this series, just to try and play on instinct as much as possible.”Brook’s aim to move away from premeditation stems from a desire, to use a football term, to play the way he’s facing. The fact he is able to play 360 degrees, he feels, is pulling him in too many directions. Literally.”Because I’m hitting it in different areas,” Brook explained of why he wanted to scale back. “Obviously it all depends on the situation of the game and the surface, but when I’m at my best I’m hitting it straight.”Brook got engaged recently. It can be the only explanation for such clarity of thought. A man can only plan so much. And a wedding outranks deciding when to scoop Jacob Duffy.When Brook entered the international set-up in 2022, Stokes made a joke at his expense, calling him “a bit dumb”. Joe Root joined the party a couple of years later when referring (endearingly, it must be said) to Brook as an “idiot”.But the fact of the matter is that Brook is very likely to walk out at some stage across the Ashes series with the England blazer on and as captain of his country. Stokes has missed a match through injury in each of his last four Test series. And the Brook that does so, thanks to those around him, will be very different to the one who debuted just over three years ago.”I want Stokesy to play all five games,” Brook said, knocking back any suggestion he’s thought at all about the prospect of walking out on Boxing Day to call heads in front of 95,000 people. “But now we’re in New Zealand. I’m the white-ball captain, and that’s my main focus. That’s all I’m thinking about at this moment in time. We’ve got a game tomorrow night. And like I’ve said so many times, [I want to] just stay in the moment as much as possible.”Brook is only interested in speaking about New Zealand. And really, given his history here, why would he want to talk about anything else?

If you were to ask Chelsea fans which position of the team is the weakest, a good number would point to the defence.

After all, Enzo Maresca’s side have scored the second most goals in the Premier League this season, but six teams have conceded fewer goals.

However, to be more specific, the issue is not with the club’s world-class full-back options, but at centre-back, where the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah have underwhelmed.

It seems the board are also dissatisfied with the work of their centre-backs, as reports have linked Chelsea with an international icon who could outright replace both of them by next season.

Chelsea target Tosin & Chalobah upgrade

With the transfer window starting to come back into view, more and more reports are linking Chelsea with potential signings.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The likes of the in-form Marcus Rashford and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton have been touted for moves to West London in the last week or so.

However, while the pair of them would certainly improve Maresca’s squad, they wouldn’t be upgrades on Tosin or Chalobah, unlike Antonio Rüdiger.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are interested in signing their former defender, who left the club for Real Madrid in 2022.

More than that, the report has revealed that the Blues have already made an offer of around €8m, which is about £7m.

However, while Los Blancos are open to the German leaving as soon as January, they have turned down the offer, deeming it to be too low.

Fortunately, as the 32-year-old’s contract is set to expire in the summer, there is a good chance the two sides will be able to come to a reasonable agreement.

It would be a surprising move, but one Chelsea should follow through with, even if Rüdiger’s return would likely be bad news for Tosin and Chalobah.

Why Rüdiger would spell the end for Tosin and Chalobah

So the first thing to say is that neither Tosin nor Chalobah is a bad defender. In fact, the pair of them are more than serviceable Premier League players who have the track record to prove it.

However, while that might make them perfect players for sides like Fulham, Crystal Palace or even Everton, it’s not enough to see them start regularly for a club the size of Chelsea.

Playing for the Blues means every little mistake, misplaced pass, lapse in concentration is magnified tenfold and can be particularly costly in the pursuit of titles and trophies.

This is why Maresca needs a player like Rüdiger in his squad and why he would ultimately spell the end for the pair of them, as he is a centre-back who has been there, done it and won practically all there is to win.

During his time in West London, for example, he started ten of the club’s 12 games in their triumphant Champions League campaign in 20/21, and just a few years before that was just as vital in their FA Cup victory.

Since then, he has won another UCL title with Real, a La Liga title and a Copa Del Rey, while being called “the best defender in the world” by former teammate Mesut Özil.

Moreover, while he’s barely played this season, that is mostly down to injury, as across all competitions last year, he made 55 appearances, totalling 4539 minutes.

The Berlin-born titan is also still an important part of the national team, amassing 81 senior caps, in which he’s even scored three goals and provided five assists.

Rüdiger’s 24/25

Appearances

55

Starts

50

Minutes

4539′

Goals

3

Assists

1

Points per Game

2.11

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Finally, another important reason the 6 foot 3 monster would be an excellent signing for the Blues is that he’d be an incredible mentor for both Levi Colwill and Josh Acheampong.

In other words, the former Chelsea star could come back and help create the club’s future centre-back partnership.

Ultimately, if Rüdiger returns to Stamford Bridge in January, it would be brilliant for the club, but it would likely signal the end of both Chalobah and Tosin’s time getting regular minutes.

Related Chelsea have signed an "alien of a talent" who could usurp Estevao & Palmer

The incredible talent could become a bigger star for Chelsea than Estevao and Palmer.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 19, 2025

Ruben Amorim is reportedly set to call on Eric Cantona, David Beckham and four other Manchester United legends in a bid to take his squad rebuild to the next level. The Red Devils endured a nightmare 2024-25 campaign but have shown signs of improvement in the first half of the new season, and sit seventh in the Premier League table after winning three and drawing two of their last five matches.

Amorim wants club legends to motivate youngsters

Amorim was given the funds to start his squad rebuild in the summer transfer window, and he bolstered his attack by signing Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. He also replaced underperforming goalkeeper Andre Onana with Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp.

United started slowly, but won three matches in a row in October against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton before playing out two 2-2 draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. 

Amorim wants to keep the team on an upward curve, and is set to bring in club legends Cantona, Beckham, Paul Scholes, Teddy Sheringham, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke for additional help.

AdvertisementAFP'Deep admiration and appreciation'

A source close to Amorim has told that the Portuguese coach has "a deep admiration and appreciation" for those six United icons and wants them to offer some advice to the younger members of his squad.

The source added: "Throughout his own career, Ruben always loved when former players and legends of the clubs he played for would interact with the team — sharing knowledge, stories, and advice about what it means to represent the club. Coming from Benfica, he understands what real pressure feels like and how to use it to grow — as a man, a player, and now as a leader. He believes these exchanges can help the players make the most of their time at United, both on and off the pitch."

Cantona claims Ratcliffe rejected his help

Earlier this month, in his stage show, An Evening with Eric The King Cantona, the Frenchman claimed that he previously offered his services to United, but was turned down by part owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. "I have many other passions and projects, but I thought that for two or three years I could maybe put those to the side and try to give something to this club, which has given everything to me.," he said. "But [Ratcliffe] didn’t seem interested. I did what I had to do, so I don’t feel guilty anymore. I tried my best. Sir Alex Ferguson created a style of beautiful attacking football, which the new owners should have used. Instead, they destroyed it."

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Getty ImagesUnited looking to add a new midfielder

After bolstering the team's attack, Amorim now plans to add a new midfielder in the January transfer window. He has reportedly prepared a six-man shortlist of potential midfield options, which includes names like Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton and Joao Gomes. The Red Devils next face Everton in the Premier League on November 24 at Old Trafford. 

The 27-year-old Canada international has been out since the goalless draw in the Champions League play-off at home to Kazakhstan side Kairat Almaty on August 20, missing nine games in all competitions.

Johnston returned to training during the international break and ahead of the trip to Dundee in the William Hill Premiership on Sunday, Rodgers told Celtic TV: “It’s obviously a big blow having someone of that quality out.

“But young Colby Donovan has come in and done very, very well, Tony Ralston is always a very capable player for the club and an international player, so it has given those guys a chance to get games.

“But there’s no doubt Ali’s been a real pivotal part of the team for a number of years now.

“His power and the balance he gives both offensively and defensively is very important for the team.

“So it’s great to have him back on the pitch and seeing that strength and power back in training.”

Rodgers excited by Celtic fixture run

After a “reset” during this international break, Rodgers is looking for his players to embrace the tough tasks they face in the seven games before domestic football takes another rest in November.

Amid a busy upcoming schedule, Celtic, who trail William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts by two points, have Europa League games against Sturm Graz and Midtjylland, a trip to Tynecastle in the league and a Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden Park.

The former Liverpool and Leicester boss said: “Let’s embrace all the challenges that come our way, both domestically and in Europe.

“It’s a really exciting period. It’s what Celtic is all about, playing these games and playing in the big games. And for us, that collective, being together, is always the attitude that we want to show.

“We’re excited by these games that are coming up and we want to go in and embrace the challenges. Everyone together fighting for the same cause is what Celtic is about.”

أعلن رونالد كومان مدرب منتخب هولندا قائمة الطواحين التي تستعد لمواجهتي بولندا وليتوانيا في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

ويلتقي منتخب هولندا ضد بولندا بقيادة مهاجمه روبرت ليفاندوفسكي يوم الجمعة 14 نوفمبر، ثم يواجه منتخب ليتوانيا يوم الإثنين 17 نوفمبر.

وتمتلك هولندا موقفًا قويًا لحسم تأهلها لكأس العالم بفضل تفوقها في فارق الأهداف، وقد قرر كومان استدعاء لوتشيانو فالنتي لاعب فينورد لأول مرة بعد أدائه الرائع مع النادي بجانب ماتياس دي ليخت وتم استبعاد ستيفان دي فري وتيون كوبمينيرز.

أقرأ أيضاً.. توخيل: لاعب منتخب إنجلترا ليس لديه عذر.. ولا أفكر في عقدي قائمة منتخب هولندا في التوقف الدولي القادم:

Presenting our squad for the final World Cup Qualifiers! 🌟🇳🇱

Welcome, Luciano! 🆕#NothingLikeOranje #POLNED #NEDLTU pic.twitter.com/ZNTRmbnxOg — OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) November 7, 2025

فليكين، روفز، فيربورجن، آكي، فيرجيل فان دايك، دينزل دومفريس، كودي جاكبو، جيرترويدا، هارتمان، فان هيكي، فرينكي دي يونج، جاستن كلويفرت، لانج، ماتياس دي ليخت، مالين، ممفيس ديباي، تيجاني ريندرز، شوتن، سيمونز، جورين تيمبر، كونتين تيمبر، فالنتي، دي فين، فيجورست.

Key tailend innings puts Lancashire on back foot before legspinner seals contest

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-May-2025 Northamptonshire 238 (McManus 53, Balderson 4-55) and 273 (Sanderson 65, Zaib 50) beat Lancashire 276 (Harris 121, Hurst 59, Conway 3-48, Procter 3-70) and 165 (Harrison 4-32) by 70 runs Legspinner Calvin Harrison turned the game with a decisive spell of four for 32 as Northamptonshire fought back to seal their first Rothesay County Championship win of the season against Lancashire.Harrison, on a short-term loan from Nottinghamshire, dismissed Marcus Harris and Josh Bohannon in quick succession after the pair had guided the Red Rose county to 116 for two – almost halfway to their 236 victory target at Wantage Road.That triggered a rapid collapse, with seven wickets falling for 28 to leave Lancashire, pre-season favourites for promotion, winless and bottom of the Division Two table.Earlier, tailender Ben Sanderson blazed a remarkable 65 from 28 balls – his maiden half-century and the second fastest in the county’s red-ball history – sharing a ninth-wicket stand of 81 with Liam Guthrie as Northamptonshire rallied to post 273 in their second innings.With their overnight lead at 102 and four wickets intact, the home side adopted a positive approach from the start as Saif Zaib hammered Anderson Phillip through the covers for successive fours.Harrison took his cue from Zaib, hitting three boundaries as they built a partnership of 49 and the left-hander advanced to his half-century, having spent almost three hours at the crease overall.When Tom Bailey slanted one across to have Zaib caught at slip, just two balls after Harrison had fallen lbw to Will Williams, Lancashire might have begun mentally preparing for the run chase – but Sanderson had other ideas.Having survived a sharp chance to gully with just four to his name, Sanderson went on the offensive with a combination of straight drives, square cuts and slashes over the slips, as well as flaying Williams past long-on for six.He also heaved Bailey over the rope to lift Northamptonshire’s advantage beyond 200 and a flurry of four boundaries from a single Bailey over brought up the 36-year-old’s maiden 50 in his 112th game of first-class cricket.A miscued pull off Phillip that looped to deep square leg eventually sent Sanderson back to the dressing-room, accompanied by warm applause before Guthrie holed out for 16 in the bowler’s next over.That left the visitors to chase 236 and Keaton Jennings seemed in a rush, hitting a trio of leg-side fours in the first over after lunch only to be fall victim to a smart catch by James Sales at square leg off Guthrie.Opening partner George Bell soon followed, snapped up at short midwicket by Zaib and, with over 200 still required, Bohannon and Harris had to maintain their composure and regroup.Harris, who had top-scored with a hundred in the first innings, looked well set for another big score as he lifted Lancashire’s total into three figures with a clinical cover-driven four off Sanderson.The pair added 83 but Northamptonshire’s decision to bring Harrison on before tea paid dividends as the leg-spinner prised out both the set batters, with Harris (43) lured down the track for a stumping and Bohannon (41) leg before pushing forward uncertainly.Those dismissals sandwiched that of Matty Hurst, who lost his off stump to a beauty from Harry Conway – and Harrison struck again in the first over after the interval, turning one to bowl Luke Wells through the gate.Conway and Sanderson collected a wicket apiece and Phillip’s top edge provided Harrison with a routine return catch for his fourth scalp before Guthrie (three for 34) had Williams caught behind to end Lancashire’s late resistance.

وجه الدولي البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور رسالة إلى زميله الفرنسي كيليان مبابي، في الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد بعد الفوز على فالنسيا ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني.

وحقق ريال مدريد فوزًا مهمًا على حساب نظيره فالنسيا برباعية نظيفة في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا”.

واستضاف ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” مباراة الفريقين التي خاضاها ضمن منافسات الجولة الحادية عشر من بطولة الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا”.

وكان فينيسيوس جونيور قد أضاع ركلة جزاء بعدما طلب من مبابي ذلك باعتبار المنفذ الأول لها لكنه سدد الكرة بشكل خاطئ وأهدرها.

وكشف تشابي ألونسو، المدير الفني لريال مدريد، حقيقة انزعاجه من تنفيذ فينيسيوس لركلة الجزاء خاصةً بعد الشكل الغاضب الذي ظهر به حينما أهدرها الجناح البرازيلي (للمزيد من التفاصيل اضغط هنا).

ونشر فينيسيوس صورة له رفقة كيليان مبابي من المباراة على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “إنستجرام” وكتب عليها: “سهلة عليك”، في رسالة شكر منه عى تنفيذ ركلة الجزاء بدلًا من مبابي.

وتألق كيليان مبابي في المباراة واستطاع أن يسجل هدفين في اللقاء أحدهما من ركلة جزاء، إذ أنه لو كان سدد الركلة بدلًا من فينيسيوس وتمكن من تسجيلها سيحرز “هاتريك” في المباراة.

T Natarajan makes his first appearance for DC, replacing Mukesh Kumar

ESPNcricinfo staff05-May-20252:39

Martin: Starc’s bounce and angle ‘a challenge’ for Head

Pat Cummins, the Sunrisers Hyderabad captain, has chosen to bowl against Delhi Capitals on a grass-free Hyderabad pitch, in IPL 2025, that is expected to be full of runs.SRH rang in the chases from their XII against Gujarat Titans three days ago. Out went Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has endured a quiet season, and Mohammed Shami, who conceded 48 in three overs before being subbed out. Kerala top-order batter Sachin Baby came in for his first game of the season, while Abhinav Manohar returned to the middle order. There was one change among the overseas players too, with fast bowler Eshan Malinga replacing his Sri Lankan compatriot Kamindu Mendis. Travis Head, who starts on the bench, is likely to be SRH’s Impact player.SRH tweeted after the toss that Reddy missed out due to illness.DC, as has been the case of late, named a bowler-heavy line-up despite batting first, with Ashutosh Sharma ready to come off the bench should the need arise. Left-arm quick T Natarajan, formerly an SRH player, makes his first appearance for DC, replacing Mukesh Kumar.The two teams went into the game with contrasting bowling strategies. SRH picked only one spinner in Zeeshan Ansari, while DC went in with three, in Kuldeep Yadav, Vipraj Nigam and their captain Axar PatelSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Sachin Baby, 4 Heinrich Klaasen, 5 Aniket Verma, 6 Abhinav Manohar, 7 Pat Cummins (capt), 8 Harshal Patel, 9 Zeeshan Ansari, 10 Eshan Malinga, 11 Jaydev UnadkatImpact Subs bench: Mohammed Shami, Harsh Dubey, Travis Head, Rahul Chahar, Wiaan MulderDelhi Capitals: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Karun Nair, 3 Abishek Porel (wk), 4 KL Rahul, 5 Axar Patel (capt), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Vipraj Nigam, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 T NatarajanImpact subs bench: Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sameer Rizvi, Mukesh Kumar.

Patel will look to build on his unbeaten 74 to help Gujarat pocket the 28 runs they need for the decisive first-innings lead

Shashank Kishore20-Feb-2025

Eight games into his maiden season, 22-year old Jaymeet Patel has already made massive contributions as a batting allrounder. Like his quarter-final century against Saurashtra or his twin half-centuries in a must-win against Himachal to qualify for the knockouts.On Friday, he’ll have a chance to put impactful performances like those to shade, if he can build on his unbeaten 74 to help Gujarat pocket the 28 runs they need for the decisive first-innings lead against Kerala. The first innings hasn’t yet been decided in the game, but the scorecard hardly reveals how fascinating this slow burn of a contest has been – purely for the contrasting approach of both sides.Kerala went slow and steady for two full days and posted 457; Gujarat responded with slightly more urgency, led by the experienced Priyank Panchal who made 148 to lay the foundation of their heist. But when things started to happen early on day four, batters went into their shell as the pressure mounted, before Jaymeet absorbed all of it to grind his way to what could be a career-defining half-century yet.Related

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Panchal leads strong Gujarat reply with unbeaten century

Gujarat’s hopes of a lead had all but vanished at 357 for 7. Jaymeet and Siddharth Desai, the left-arm spin allrounder, have since put on 72 in 36.4 overs, batting through the final session, to keep Gujarat’s hopes of making their first final since 2016-17 alive.When stumps were drawn, Kerala’s spinners two frontline spinners – Jalaj Saxena and Aditya Sarwate – had bowled a combined 97 out of the 154 overs. Jalaj, who bowled unchanged right through the morning session, bowled 61 of those himself, to have figures of 4 for 137 – a spell that could yet prove to be the turning point if Kerala go on to nip out the three remaining wickets early to take the first-innings honours.Resuming on 222 for 1, Kerala struck early when Manan Hingrajia was lbw to Saxena’s straighter one from around the stumps. The ball of the day, however, was the one Saxena bowled to dismiss the set Panchal, the ball ripping in from the rough to dip and beat Panchal’s inside edge to crash into the stumps. Then he had Urvil Patel stumped after beating him in flight and skid. At this point, Kerala were gung ho, as Gujarat slipped to 292 for 4.Hemang Patel, the bowling allrounder who came in as a concussion sub for Ravi Bishnoi, earned a promotion up the order and walloped a quick-fire 28. The decision to replace Bishnoi was made after he experienced delayed concussion this morning, for a fielding effort on Day 3 where the ball bounced onto his forehead as he tried to stop the ball at point.Hemang’s impetus for quick runs briefly put Kerala on the back foot, but an attempt too play one shot too many had him miscue a hoick that was brilliantly taken at square third man by substitute Shoun Roger. When Chintan Gaja was lbw, a decision that was upheld through DRS, Gujarat were right on the edge. Until they were brought back to life by Jaymeet, who stands in the way of Kerala and a maiden Ranji final.