Babar Azam bagged a duck on T20I return as a second-string South African side cruised to victory
Danyal Rasool28-Oct-2025Against a second-string South Africa side, Pakistan produced a second-rate performance, with the faultless visitors crushing the hosts by 55 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series. South Africa’s top three, shepherded by a half-century from Reeza Hendricks, saw them fly into an advantage they never relinquished, rallying at the death after getting stuck midway to post 194.Pakistan’s response was found wanting in all phases of the game as South Africa’s seamers kept Pakistan on a leash, with Corbin Bosch and George Linde picking up clumps of wickets along the way. Pakistan were derailed both by a mounting asking rate and the fall of wickets, and their defeat was de facto confirmed long before the final wicket fell in front of an emptied-out Rawalpindi stadium.
QdK, TdZ and Reeza
South Africa’s top three of Hendricks, Quinton de Kock and Tony de Zorzi was stellar but is not the first choice for too many – certainly not South Africa’s. But on a batting-friendly surface with small boundaries, the openers, Hendricks and de Kock, set the tone in the second over with Hendricks leaning across to wallop Naseem Shah over square leg for six. It set off carnage in the powerplay with de Kock joining in as the pair found five boundaries in the next ten deliveries.De Kock sliced one against Saim Ayub to give Pakistan a breakthrough, but not a breather, as de Zorzi ensured. The last two overs with the fielding restrictions saw South Africa plunder a boundary every other delivery, and it continued just beyond, too, with a majestic six over cover from de Zorzi fetching the visitors another 15 runs in the seventh. By the end of the seventh over, they had put up 89; it took Pakistan six more overs, for the loss of six more wickets, to get to that mark later.Reeza Hendricks laid down South Africa’s platform with a half-century•Getty Images
Corbin Bosch torments Pakistan once more
At the tail-end of last year, Bosch made his Test debut and was the bane of Pakistan’s existence all week, picking up wickets and scoring runs as South Africa trumped Pakistan in a thriller. Much water has flown in the relationship between Pakistan and Bosch since. He was signed up in the PSL, a deal he abandoned to take one up in the IPL. The PSL responded by banning him from the league for a year.Six months on, Bosch returned to Pakistan and in Rawalpindi, made sure he laughed last. With Pakistan desperate to keep up with a spiralling asking rate, they had no choice but to attack the fast bowler as he came on in the final over of the powerplay, with the hosts barely trickling along at just over a-run-a-ball. Babar Azam, facing his second delivery in his first T20I since December 2024, hacked wildly at a hard length delivery, but the pace meant he only caught the splice of the blade. The ball looped up harmlessly to cover, sending the returning fan favourite back into the dug out for a second-ball duck.
A bad day for Pakistan’s high-profile stars
There was no visible evidence upon which Babar had been recalled, with his duck capping off a miserable day on which he also dropped a catch late on during South Africa’s charge at the death. He was not, however, the only failure on a day Pakistan littered the board with them.Captain Salman Agha has been under fire for his performances in the format. Coming in to bat at four at the end of the powerplay, he scratched around at the start – as he often does, the required rate climbing every delivery. After two runs off his first six, Bosch darted in a 144kph ball angling back towards the Pakistan captain, rocketing into his front thigh. Agha took a review along with him, there was no reprieve to be found. It finished off a day where he also bowled one over – the one just as the powerplay ended, and gave away 15 wicketless runs.Mohammad Nawaz did well with bat and ball•Getty Images
Left-arm fingerspinners shine all round
Much separated Pakistan and South Africa on the day, but the only thing to unite them was the success each team’s left-arm spinner enjoyed with bat and ball.Linde and Mohammad Nawaz were the most effective men on either side on the day. Linde picked up South Africa’s flagging innings in the final five overs by taking apart Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 16th over, smashing four fours off him in a 22-ball 36 run counterattack.Nawaz, meanwhile, had done the most to ensure South Africa’s middle-overs flagged, breaking the Hendricks-de Zorzi stand in the eighth over, and then deceiving the dangerous Dewald Brevis in his following over. He sealed his bowling spell with the wicket of South Africa’s stand-in captain – Donovan Ferreira – off his final ball to finish with figures of 3 for 26.The two also swam in each other’s slipstream during the chase. Linde came back from Ayub taking him for runs in in his first two overs, tossing a surprise ball out wide from around the wicket. It left Ayub reaching before tamely lofting it to cover, realistically killing off a chase just as the opener came to life. It was the first of three wickets as the offspinner also accounted for Usman Khan and Faheem Ashraf.While the batters crumbled around him, Nawaz timed it beautifully. The game had long gone by then, but he found a level of ball-striking none of his peers were able to reach, smashing four fours and two sixes. When he chipped his 20th ball to long-on to conclude his innings and the game, he matched Linde’s 36 exactly. It was one similarity between a Pakistani and a South African on a day when the visiting collective pulled well clear of the hosts early.
Manchester United are now plotting a January offer for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, who has emerged as one of their main targets, alongside five other potential options.
The need to bring a new midfielder has been exacerbated by the uncertainty surrounding the futures of Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro, with the latter out of contract at the end of the season, although Ruben Amorim is now open to offering the Brazilian a new contract.
The 33-year-old has been a key player for Man United this season, at the expense of Mainoo, who is now in advanced talks over a move to Napoli, with the youngster still yet to start a match in the Premier League.
It would, of course, be a shame to see the 20-year-old depart, given that the academy graduate has previously proven he has what it takes to succeed at Old Trafford, most notably leading United to glory in the 2024 FA Cup final.
However, should Mainoo move on, it will become even more important to bring in a new option in the middle of the park, and another English midfielder is now of interest.
Man Utd plotting January offer for Conor Gallagher
According to a report from Spain, Man United are now plotting a €50m (£44m) January offer for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, having identified the 25-year-old as one of their priority targets for the next transfer window.
However, there are a plethora of other targets on the shortlist, including Angelo Stiller, Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton, Andrey Santos and Elliot Anderson, with Amorim specifically requesting the board sign a midfielder, and he certainly shouldn’t be short on options to choose from.
The United boss has already given the green light for INEOS to sign the former Chelsea man, who has found consistent game time hard to come by at Atletico this season, predominantly being utilised as a substitute in La Liga.
With a place in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad up for grabs, the English maestro will no doubt want to receive more consistent game time ahead of the summer, and his all-round attributes indicate he could be a solid addition to Amorim’s midfield.
When given the opportunity, the 22-time England international has been a consistent source of goals and assists for Atletico, while also showcasing his defensive capabilities on a regular basis over the past year.
Conor Gallagher’s best attributes
Average per 90 (past year)
Non-penalty goals
0.20 (90th percentile)
Assists
0.20 (85th percentile)
Interceptions
1.72 (98th percentile)
Lauded as “incredible” by former player Darren Ambrose, Gallagher is also proven in the Premier League, chipping in with five goals and seven assists in his final season as a Chelsea player, so there are plenty of signs he could be a real difference-maker in United’s push for Europe.
Man Utd plotting January bid for another midfielder who's a "joy to watch" Man Utd making strong move to sign "joy to watch", £44m January bid planned
The Red Devils are looking to improve their options in the middle of the park this winter.
He is set to feature in domestic cricket between two ODI series, against South Africa and New Zealand
Daya Sagar02-Dec-2025Virat Kohli is set to return to domestic cricket for Delhi in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, the domestic 50-over competition, the DDCA has confirmed.Kohli, 37, plays only one format now for India – 50-over cricket – and since the BCCI has made it a mandate for contracted India players to feature in domestic cricket, Kohli will represent Delhi when the tournament starts on December 24 in Ahmedabad.”He will definitely play a few games, but not sure about the entire tournament,” DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma told ESPNcricinfo. “It will depend upon his India matches too.”Related
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Kohli recently struck his 52nd ODI century, against South Africa in Ranchi, and was named the Player of the Match for his knock of 135 that was studded with seven sixes.Once the last ODI of the ongoing series finishes on December 6 in Visakhapatnam, Kohli will have enough time before the start of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. However, it is not clear yet if he will play all of Delhi’s seven league matches, which will go on till January 8, just three days before the start of the ODI series against New Zealand in Vadodara.Delhi will play five league matches in Alur, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, and the other two at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli’s home ground for his IPL team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).Kohli last played 50-over cricket for Delhi in September 2013, in the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy which had India Blue and India Red as the other two teams. The last time Kohli played the Vijay Hazare Trophy was in the 2009-10 season. He led Delhi in both those tournaments.In the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy – the domestic 20-over competition – Delhi have won two of their four games under the leadership of Nitish Rana.
Over the years, Manchester United have become known for their impressive young talents, with many of whom cementing their place within the first-team squad.
From players breaking through the academy to big-money additions, the Red Devils faithful have been truly blessed and have had the chance to experience numerous elite-level talents.
At present, Ruben Amorim has massively utilised Leny Yoro, after the Frenchman joined the club in a mammoth £52m deal last summer despite being just 18.
However, his importance to the manager simply cannot be overstated, with the 20-year-old featuring in every single Premier League game of the 2025/26 campaign.
The same can’t be said for every youngster currently in the first-team at Old Trafford, especially with one talent who is seemingly out of favour at present.
The future of Kobbie Mainoo at Man Utd
Just a couple of years ago, Kobbie Mainoo was one of, if not the most important player within the Manchester United first-team squad, but he’s endured a huge decline in recent seasons.
He made his breakthrough in the 2023/24 campaign, scoring vital goals against Manchester City in the FA Cup final and even netting a worldie against bitter rivals Liverpool.
Such form enabled him to secure a place at Euro 2024 with the England squad, subsequently featuring in all but two matches during the competition.
However, Amorim’s arrival at Old Trafford last November has seen a huge drop in his first-team minutes, with the manager evidently not a fan of the 20-year-old.
In 2025/26 alone, Mainoo has failed to make a single league start, subsequently being restricted to just eight appearances – totalling just 170 minutes to date.
As a result, a permanent exit has been mooted for the academy graduate, with Italian side Napoli just one of the clubs reportedly interested in a deal ahead of January.
Amorim spoke in the summer, stating that he didn’t want the player to depart Old Trafford, but given the lack of change in his first-team action, it could lead to a move this window.
The United player who has shades of Pogba & could end Mainoo’s stay
Paul Pogba is another youngster who managed to make the jump into the United first-team ranks, with the midfielder joining from Le Havre at the tender age of 17.
Paul Pogba at Manchester United.
However, his career at Old Trafford wasn’t straightforward, with the Frenchman even leaving on a free transfer before re-joining in a club-record deal back in the summer of 2016.
He managed to rack up a total of 233 appearances during his two separate spells at the Theatre of Dreams, often catching the eye with his ball-striking ability from distance.
However, his spell was marred with attitude and fitness issues, which ultimately led to yet another free transfer departure – subsequently moving back to Juventus in 2022.
Regardless of the issues behind the scenes, he gave the supporters countless moments to remember, with the Frenchman being one of the most technically gifted players to wear the shirt.
In the present day, Amorim may have landed his own version of Pogba, with a deal for teenager Cristian Orozco completed ahead of the January window.
It’s been reported in the last couple of days, that the Red Devils have paid a fee in the region of $1m (£750k) for the 17-year-old from boyhood side Fortaleza.
He may be seen as a player for the future, but there’s no reason why he can’t be catapulted into the first team in the near future, which could end Mainoo’s stay at Old Trafford.
Orozco’s stats in the early stages of his career reflect his talents, with the Colombian’s move handing the fanbase another reason to be excited about a new addition.
The youngster, who’s been dubbed “generational” by one Colombian analyst, starred at the U17 World Cup over the last couple of months, which has no doubt led to his transfer to join United.
He won the Man of the Match award against El Salvador, subsequently registering two shots on target despite operating as a holding midfielder in front of the back four.
Minutes played
90
Touches
107
Pass accuracy
75%
Passes completed
63
Tackles made
2
Duels won
9
Recoveries made
9
Dribbles completed
2
Orozco also completed 67 passes at an accuracy rate of 75%, whilst also completing two dribbles within his total of 107 touches during the 0-0 stalemate.
His tally of nine duels won, nine recoveries and two tackles made further highlights his all-round quality, with the midfielder undoubtedly having a huge future at Old Trafford.
He will replicate Pogba in moving to the club as a 17-year-old, with many fans hoping he can match the levels produced by the Frenchman during his own spell at the club.
However, should Orozco continue on his current development path, there’s no reason why he can’t become a key member of Amorim’s squad – potentially ending Mainoo’s stay with his boyhood club.
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Manchester United have now received an offer for an “insane” player ahead of the January transfer window, and he’s said yes to the move…
Man Utd could offload "insane" player in January
Just when Man United were looking like they might have turned a corner, they were brought crashing back down to earth against Everton on Monday night, with the Toffees emerging as 1-0 winners, in what was David Moyes’ first-ever win as a visiting manager at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils were unable to take anything from the game, despite playing against ten men for the majority of the night, with Idrissa Gueye being shown a straight red card after striking his own teammate, Michael Keane.
Having gone the five previous Premier League games undefeated, the loss serves as a reminder that the current squad is still some way off being able to compete for major honours, as pointed out by Ruben Amorim in his post-match interview.
As such, there is work to be done in the January transfer window and beyond, and Man United now have a decision to make when it comes to Joshua Zirkzee’s future, as AS Roma have submitted a loan with an option to buy offer for the striker.
That is according to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), which states Zirkzee is now edging closer to joining Roma, having ‘said yes’ to the January move, although it is currently unclear whether United are willing to sanction a departure.
The Dutchman is valued at €40m (£35m), with the Italian club willing to include an obligation to buy if they qualify for the Champions League, but it is not specified what sort of fee they would be willing to shell out.
Man Utd should cash-in on Zirkzee this winter
The 24-year-old has flattered to deceive ever since his arrival at Old Trafford, scoring just three Premier League goals in 37 appearances, and his recent performance against Everton was less than impressive.
The Netherlands international squandered one big chance and received a SofaScore match rating of just 6.3, the joint-lowest of any player, excluding Gueye, who was dismissed after just 13 minutes.
Alongside Zirkzee: Man Utd's "waste of time" must not start again for Amorim
Ruben Amorim has a bold decision to make over the future of one Manchester United flop.
By
Ethan Lamb
Nov 25, 2025
Having been lauded as “insane” by scout Ben Mattinson in the past, the £105k-a-week forward could succeed elsewhere, and he may have a part to play until Benjamin Sesko returns from a knee injury.
However, Amorim should definitely move Zirkzee on in the January transfer window and bring in a new striker to rival Sesko for a starting spot, with Man United recently renewing their interest in Bayern Munich star Harry Kane.
On Sunday, Danny Röhl’s perfect start to life in the Premiership continued, making it three league wins out of three, with goals from Nicolas Raskin, Mikey Moore and then Djeidi Gassama downing Dundee at Dens.
Despite this, the Gers remain fourth in the table, level on points with Hibs, five points below fierce rivals Celtic and a whopping 12 adrift surprise leaders Hearts.
Goals though remain a problem for this team, having bagged only 15 in 11 Premiership outings to date, netting just 31 times in 24 fixtures across all competitions, with Sunday only the fourth time they’ve scored three or more in a match, despite doing so on 21 occasions last season.
Strikers Danilo, Bojan Miovski and Youssef Chermiti continue to be, at best, inconsistent, but could Rangers’ youngster with “huge potential” solve this attacking issue?
Rangers' recent loan stars
While Rangers’ recent recruit has rightly come under scrutiny, with serious questions being asked of sporting director Kevin Thelwell, the club remain excellent in one particular area; identifying attackers on loan.
Vaclav Cerny
In the last four seasons, Rangers have signed a high-quality attacker on loan each time, as the table below documents.
52
18
9
39
16
2
43
12
5
13
3
Zero
As the table highlights, in each of the last four seasons, Rangers have brought in a high-class attacker on a season-long loan.
Amad is probably the outlier on this list, making little impact during his six months in Glasgow, albeit he’s since become a key figure for Rúben Amorim at Manchester United.
Since, Malik Tillman, Abdallah Sima and Václav Černý have all registered at least 17 combined goals and assists during one season at Ibrox, with the latter the most productive of the lot, starring during a season on loan from Wolfsburg, a major loss having joined Beşiktaş instead of returning this summer.
Now, could a current member of the Rangers squad keep the streak of outstanding attackers on loan going?
Rangers' latest loan star
Of course, the entire Rangers team has improved since Röhl replaced Russell Martin last month, an admittedly low bar, but the player who has thrived the most is Mikey Moore.
The teenager scored his first goal for the club at Dens on Sunday, doubling the Gers lead with this strike which flew into Jon McCracken’s bottom corner.
Even before opening his account, the Englishman had looked sharper since Röhl’s arrival in Glasgow.
Speaking during Sky Sports’ Coverage, Chris Sutton asserted that he is “flourishing” into his full potential under Röhl, while James McFadden notes that he is enjoying a lot more freedom with the German coach at the helm, forecasting that he will only continue to get better in the coming weeks.
When the 18-year-old arrived from Tottenham Hotspur in August, he did so with a massive reputation for someone who had only played 815 minutes at senior level.
Upon joining, then manager Martin praised his “huge potential”, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelled him “the English Neymar”.
Despite his slow start to life at Ibrox, only two Rangers players, namely Gassama and Thelo Aasgard, have registered more successful dribbles on a per 90 basis in the Premiership, early signs that he is ready to make a significant impact.
As already alluded to, scoring goals is one of this team’s primary issues.
Across all competitions, only captain James Tavernier, Gassama, Danilo and youngster Findlay Curtis have bagged more than two goals thus far, with that strike against Dundee the first of Moore’s campaign.
Thus, there is a spot up for grabs for the 18-year-old to take responsibility and become a truly integral figure in this team’s attack, following in the footsteps of Sima, Tillman and Černý, the other high-class loan attackers who have come before.
Move over Moore: Rangers star proved why he's their "best player" vs Dundee
Rangers demolished Dundee 3-0 at Dens on Sunday and Danny Röhl’s “sensational” star was as key as Mikey Moore in this Scottish Premiership victory.
Thanks to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s reverse-swing heroics, they might just have found the blueprint to win even outside spin-friendly conditions
Danyal Rasool15-Oct-2025Twenty wickets. Pakistan captain Shan Masood has concerned himself with no other number ever since England inflicted a chastening innings defeat on his side a year ago, running up the fourth highest total in Test history in the process. It was, according to Masood, the only way to win Test matches, and thereafter, Pakistan began preparing spin tracks which would just about guarantee the fall of 20 wickets.It has turned around the fortunes of Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, who took almost every one of those wickets in the past four home Tests, but Masood will take those wickets however they come. The denouement to the first Test, which Pakistan won by 93 runs, was dominated by Shaheen Afridi, who exploited the old, reversing ball, taking four in the innings – more than Pakistani pace bowlers have taken in the last four home Tests combined. It included the final three, Afridi trapping Kyle Verreynne before making a mess of the stumps for the final two.Related
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For Masood, this offered evidence that there was more than one way of breaking through on this surface. “It’s simple for me,” he said after the game. “Shaheen took four wickets [in the fourth innings]. He’s put in the effort and bowled extraordinarily well. He’s shown why he’s in the world’s best fast bowlers. On these pitches, fast bowlers don’t vanish, their role changes.”The World Test Championship will not be played in uniform conditions; they will be played in different conditions against different teams. We can’t look at one Test and extrapolate to the next two years. We have to play in England and the West Indies with the Duke ball. Bangladesh beat us in seam-friendly conditions so maybe they’ll give us seaming conditions there too. Fast bowlers’ role is not being phased out; we’re expanding the ways we can win Test matches. That’s why we played two fast bowlers, and Shaheen showed us exactly how.”On more than one occasion in the fourth innings, Masood admitted to some degree of “anxiety” after Pakistan had repeatedly failed to put the visitors away once and for all. Overnight, Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi had gutsed their way to an unbeaten overnight stand after the pair offered the most potent resistance in the first dig. Masood started the day with Afridi, who found reverse to bring the fourth ball in, hitting de Zorzi dead in front.Three hours later, South Africa had begun to sneak back into contention with another little stand for the eighth wicket, compiling 29 runs as the target neared double digits. Once more, Afridi’s introduction brought immediate relief; he would need 11 balls to take three wickets.”When we were discussing the game on the field, Shaheen said “I will turn this match around for you”. We waited for the ball to get older. Obviously not bowling him with the new ball is a big decision. We trusted him, and he demanded the ball, and then he delivered for us. The way he bowled, we’re all excited; it was a superb fast bowling display.”Masood also pointed to his team’s composition as evidence that Pakistan were not looking only to spin their way to victory. He said they had unwittingly ended up going overboard in the series against the West Indies, where prodigious turn on surfaces in Multan that broke up right from the outset ended up with the side that won the toss winning the game. Spin operated almost exclusively from start to finish that series, which ended square 1-1.In Lahore, Pakistan believed there was enough in it for the quicks to field two of them, with Hasan Ali also taking part. It is a combination Masood hinted they might stick with for the second Test in Rawalpindi, calling them “the best exponents of reverse swing in Pakistan.””We’ll collectively admit that the conditions against the West Indies were too extreme. The bowling attacks were evened out because of the conditions. Batting was difficult, and the toss and the first innings lead mattered a lot. This pitch was very similar to the Test we played in Pindi. When a batter set himself he had an opportunity to go on and get good runs here. South Africa also showed when batters are set, it looks like batting is straightforward.Shaheen Shah Afridi struck early on day four•Getty Images”When Brevis and Rickelton were batting and the target dropped below 150, that felt like a stressful situation. But the bowler’s always in the game. Our pacers also contributed. Shaheen bowled extraordinarily well. If you want to do well in the WTC and the Test team, we will need performances from all departments, and we got that this Test.”Masood knows the challenge his side has just overcome, and while much of it does come down to the toss, South Africa are coming off the best winning run in their team’s history. They had won 10 Tests on the trot, including two against Pakistan at home as well as the World Test Championship final against Australia, and gave Pakistan the biggest fright of a side losing the toss since Pakistan started preparing wickets of this nature.For the Pakistan captain, it was proof both of the strides he is convinced his side is making, as well as the notion that the toss does not decide the game. “Our focus has always been on how we’re improving as a side. Getting a result is a huge deal. We’ve taken a strong start in the WTC final, and we need to build on it.”In the last year, when we played against England in Multan, we won the toss on a used pitch. When we won the match, England said it’d be interesting what happens when Pakistan lose the toss, and then we still beat them. The toss isn’t in our hands or South Africa’s hands. It evens out in cricket long-term. In Pindi, I challenged the side to reveal their character even if we lost the toss. And we did showcase that with one of our best Test performances last cycle with Saud Shakeel playing an excellent knock and the lower order complementing him. I’ll always tell the side to show how we can play our first innings well even when we lose the toss. If we lose the toss, we’ll have a plan for how to win the next game.”Whatever that plan is, 20 opposition wickets is set to be at the heart of it.
Right at the end of the third day’s press conference, Matthew Humphreys was asked what could be expected from Ireland on the fourth morning. They need another 215 runs to make Bangladesh bat again and have five wickets in hand.Humphreys saw the humour in the question. “I think me and Andy [McBrine] walk off 200 each,” he said.Ireland manager Chris Siddle then referred to Ireland’s previous Test in Bangladesh, when Lorcan Tucker held back the home team that had all but checked out of their hotel on the third day.”I remember the last time we played here in Dhaka,” Siddle said. “The Bangladesh team were checking out of the hotel on the morning of day three, and they still had to come back for day four, so maybe, you never know.”Related
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Ireland can only hope for a miracle that would delay Bangladesh’s charge towards a 1-0 lead. After Bangladesh declared on 587 for 8, the experienced Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz and debutant Hasan Murad reduced Ireland had Ireland on 86 for 5 at stumps.The Bangladesh bowlers generally dominate at home, but their batting has also looked encouraging this year. The top three finally came together with Mahmudul Hasan Joy making a career-best 171 and Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque scoring 80s.Mahmudul, though, was disappointed after missing out on a maiden double-hundred. “I’m happy to return to the Bangladesh team after quite some time,” he said. “I was able to play a big innings for the team. It would have been better if it were a double-hundred. A little disappointed on that front.”Najmul Hossain Shanto completed his century in 112 balls•Bangladesh Cricket Board
Mahmudul, who was dropped from Bangladesh’s previous Test series due to a long lean patch, said that his recent form in domestic cricket helped him recover his confidence.”The NCL T20 hundred helped me boost myself more, because I performed very well there, and then I also had a good performance in the NCL four-day matches,” he said. “I am trying to do the same thing here as I did there – carrying the innings. I won’t do anything different. I’ll just carry on in the same way I played in the last NCL.”Mahmudul said that much of his batting form recovery came in an off-season camp with the Bangladesh Tigers programme.”I worked hard in the Tigers camp. I got a lot of help from the local coaches. [Mohammad] Ashraful has just joined us. I haven’t worked much with him before. He gave a couple of points. [Mohammad] Salahuddin sir knows me well. I didn’t make any big changes. They just told me to play my natural game, and to keep performing the way I have been.”Mahmudul, however, fell quickly on the third morning, though Bangladesh didn’t back down. Najmul Hossain Shanto slammed his eighth Test century, while Litton Das blazed his way to a neat 60.Shanto and Litton added 98 runs at 5.49 per over during their fifth-wicket partnership. It is exactly what Bangladesh wanted from them – particularly after the top three had provided such a solid foundation.”Shanto bats very aggressively whenever he comes in,” Mahmudul said. When we give a good start from the top, it becomes easy for those who bat later, like Mushfiq[ur Rahim] , Shanto , and others. The scoring option is very good then. I’d say his was a very good innings.”
Tasmania 171 and 244 for 5 (Weatherald 94, Silk 51*) lead Western Australia 172 (Hope 4-51, Meredith 3-36, Bird 3-38)Jake Weatherald missed his century but landed a fresh blow in his battle for a Test debut in the Ashes series.The Tasmania opener raced to 94 off just 99 balls on day two of the the Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia in Hobart before he was caught in the deep hooking.Related
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O'Neill bags five but late Victoria collapse in the gloom keeps NSW in touch
He had made 18 in the hosts’ first-innings total of 171, as no other player passed 41 on the tricky Bellerive Oval track until Jordan Silk (51 not out) late on day two.Tasmania were 244 for 5 when rain stopped play slightly before stumps were due to be called.Left-handed Weatherald, 30, topped last year’s Shield run-scorers’ list with 906 at an average of 50.33, and remains in the frame for a call-up for the first Ashes Test.His commanding strokeplay, particularly square of the wicket, was impressive and potentially the perfect complement to the more sedate Usman Khawaja, who is all but assured of one opening spot at Optus Stadium against England next month.Weatherald, a promising emerging talent at South Australia who has reignited his career with a move south, struck 13 fours and a six in his brisk knock on Thursday.It came after the visitors had taken a lead of just one run on the first innings, at one stage losing 3 for 3 to be all out for 172 after beginning the day 107 for 4.Brad Hope ran through the tail, while Riley Meredith and Jackson Bird both finished with three wickets.Matthew Kelly (3-47) was the pick of the WA bowlers in Tasmania’s second innings.
He did it on Thursday. He did it on Friday too. This time he got to triple digits with shots all around the park, and celebrated in style after what’s been a tough cricketing period for him
Vishal Dikshit24-Jan-2025Shardul Thakur likes batting in difficult situations. He had said as much on Thursday, after he had put together 51 off 57 after coming in with Mumbai 42 for 6 against Jammu & Kashmir. On Friday, he took the rescue act up a notch, delivering an unbeaten century at almost a run a ball having come in at 91 for 6, with Mumbai leading by just five runs.All this when the recent past has not been kind to him. Shardul the allrounder was a regular in and around the India set-up at the end of 2023 before a foot surgery kept him out for more than half of 2024, and he hasn’t found a way back in since. Even though he has added consistency to his batting: four of his 14 first-class half-centuries and both his centuries have come in the last two domestic seasons. And much of this has been crisis batting, including 109 off 105 from 106 for 7 against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy semi-final last season, followed by 75 off 69 from 111 for 6 against Vidarbha to set up the title win.And he went unsold at the mega auction ahead of the IPL 2025 season. “You have to forget whatever has happened in the past,” he had said on Thursday. It is perhaps this practicality that helps him stay in the present when he walks out to bat in tough situations.Related
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Shardul Thakur on his rescue act: 'I like batting in difficult situations'
What worked in his favour on Friday was that the ball was more than 25 overs old when he came out, and had lost all its swing. So, when he saw width on offer, he didn’t shy away from slashing over the infield on the off side. When the fast bowlers pitched it short, he middled his pulls. And the shots kept coming.First ball after tea, when Mumbai were 174 for 7, Thakur punched Umar Nazir Malik through the off side for four and, three balls later, pulled a short ball to the boundary. In the next over he swept left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq for another four to get to a 59-ball half-century. What did slow him down a bit was cramps; he had to call out the physio a couple of times after he crossed 50 and was clearly struggling between the wickets.The worst of it seemed to have passed by the time he got into the seventies, and his strokes reflected that. He pounced on fast bowler Yudhvir Singh outside off on 80 with such timing that he made it look like he was picking the length against a spinner. Two balls later, he clobbered Yudhvir over the covers with disdain to take the lead past 150 in style. On 94, he hooked Auqib Nabi and got a leading edge, but also four more. He was on 98, his team was still not on top of the game with the lead only 162, but Thakur kept going for it. He lofted the next ball straight down the ground, didn’t middle it at all, but it landed just beyond mid-off’s reach.
When Shardul Thakur saw width on offer, he didn’t shy away from slashing over the infield on the off side. When the fast bowlers pitched it short, he middled his pulls. And the shots kept coming.
Next over, against Mushtaq, he brought out the sweep on 99 and got the run that cued telling celebrations: he ran at speed (what cramps?) with his bat held high, punched the air, let out a scream, and pointed to the sky. It showed what the knock meant to him.The Mumbai dressing room, which had been dour and gloomy for most of the day, broke into rapturous applause, acknowledging a rare feat from a No. 8: Thakur was only the 13th player to score a fifty and a hundred in the same first-class match batting at No. 8 or lower since 2006.The J&K bowlers knew the pitch had nothing to offer now and they started peppering him with short balls. He took a blow on his chest near the left shoulder, got some ice treatment on the field, and still went on. He ramped Nabi’s short ball over the keeper for four, and eventually walked back unbeaten on 113 off 119 with Tanush Kotian – again, his support act from the semi-final last season – for company on 58 off 119.It was another Thakur knock that will go down as one that saved Mumbai’s blushes, even putting them a little in front after they’d been far behind. Maybe it will serve Thakur well to remember these bits of the past.