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Match details

India vs Pakistan
Dambulla, July 19, 7.00pm local time

India and Pakistan – recent form

Let’s look at the last year for this one.India first, purely alphabetically. They have played 17 T20Is in this period and have a 10-5 win-loss record (with two games ending in no-results). Right at the top, they won the Asian Games gold in Hangzhou by beating Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the final. They then lost back-to-back series at home against England and Australia, swept Bangladesh 5-0 in Sylhet and, most recently, their three-match series in Chennai against South Africa ended 1-1 with the second game washed out after one innings.Related

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Pakistan have actually played more T20I cricket in the same timeframe – 19 completed games. But they have won only seven of them while losing 12. Prior to the Asian Games, they hosted South Africa at home and had a fantastic result, winning 3-0. The Asian Games wasn’t special. They got to the semi-finals as expected, but lost to Sri Lanka there, and then to Bangladesh in the bronze-medal playoff. They have since lost a T20I series in Bangladesh, at home against West Indies, and were swept 3-0 most recently in England. The only series win came in New Zealand late last year when they won 2-1.

India vs Pakistan – head-to-head

There have been 14 fixtures between the two sides over the years but, for reasons known, no bilateral series. The only time a match was held in one of the two countries, in Delhi during the T20 World Cup 2016, Pakistan beat India by two runs in a rain-shortened game. That, though, is one of only three matches Pakistan have won against India in T20Is. India have won 11.And at the Asia Cup, too, India have a big edge. They have won five out of the six games they have played against Pakistan. The one Pakistan won, however, was at the last Asia Cup, in Sylhet, in 2022.

Players to watch

For India, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma form a destructive opening pair. Mandhana, usually the one who bats longer of the two, has 3320 T20I runs at an average of 28.13 and a strike rate of 121.83. The corresponding numbers for Shafali are 1748, 24.27 and 129.48. Getting rid of one of them quickly is often not enough for oppositions; both of them have to be removed, and fast.For Pakistan, the star is captain Nida Dar, the bowling allrounder who picks up wickets pretty much each time she bowls and can be trusted to score useful runs. And Sidra Amin has been in the middle of a purple patch with the bat – she has 205 runs from eight innings this year.

Where to watch

In India and Sri Lanka, the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 will be telecast on the Star Sports Network. The live streaming will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website in India. []

Newcastle United are now racing their Premier League rivals for the signature of a “powerful” striker who’s been likened to Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero, according to a report.

Newcastle eyeing striker amid Isak uncertainty

Newcastle should be in a strong position to retain the services of Alexander Isak beyond the end of the season, with the striker contracted until the summer of 2028, but a number of top clubs have now expressed an interest in the Sweden international.

Premier League champions Liverpool are keen on the 25-year-old, alongside Arsenal, with one report even suggesting the forward has expressed a desire to move to the Emirates Stadium in the summer transfer window.

As such, it could make sense for the Magpies to bring in a new striker capable of replacing Isak on a long-term basis, with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo recently emerging as an ideal target, while they are also interested in signing Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap.

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ByDominic Lund May 7, 2025

Having proven themselves in the Premier League, Mbeumo and Delap could be exciting options for Eddie Howe’s side, but there has also been a suggestion they could be willing to take a risk on a lesser-known forward.

According to a report from Fotomac (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are now in a race to sign Besiktas striker Semih Kilicsoy, alongside Aston Villa, who submitted a €15m (£13m) offer last summer, and soon-to-be Premier League rivals Leeds United.

Besiktas may have turned down Villa’s approach last year, but the Turkish club could now be willing to sanction a departure this summer, although they would be looking to receive a percentage of a future sale.

It is unclear what sort of fee Besiktas would be looking to receive for Kilicsoy, but £13m was deemed too low last summer, so it may take a bigger offer to tempt them into a sale.

"Powerful" Kilicsoy likened to Aguero

Football scout Ben Mattinson is a big fan of the 19-year-old, having lauded him as a “very powerful” striker in the past, while also lauding him for his shooting ability.

The teenager has also been tipped for future success by Brad Friedel, who said: “I don’t want to put pressure on him [but] he has a structure like Sergio Aguero. I think he will be very good in the future.”

Kilicsoy’s return of three goals and four assists in the Turkish Super Lig this season isn’t exactly eye-catching, with the starlet often being limited to appearances as a substitute, but he clearly has the potential to develop into a top striker.

Shamar Joseph’s brilliance in Brisbane or the thrilling England win in Trent Bridge? Which Test was better? Vote now!

ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The AUS-WI 2024 Brisbane Test moves into the quarter-finals.England hold their nerve – Trent Bridge, 2005It was a Test of two halves.The first 11 sessions were about England’s march to a 2-1 lead in the fourth game of the Ashes. The 12th and final session, in which England were chasing a small(ish) target, was dragged into a great fight from the time Shane Warne took a wicket off his first ball. Had Australia won, they would have retained the Ashes with a game to spare.England were so dominant that they forced Australia to follow-on after being bowled out for 218 inside 50 overs. Andrew Flintoff’s 102 off 132 balls and Geraint Jones’ 85, had propelled England to 477. In the third innings, Australia rode on half-centuries from Justin Langer, Michael Clarke and Simon Katich to post 387 and set England a target of 129.It wasn’t a cakewalk for England, though.The fourth innings lasted only 31.5 overs, where Brett Lee and Warne led a courageous Australian fightback. There was a period of calm when England moved from 32 for 1 to 103 for 4. But when Lee dramatically dismissed Kevin Pietersen and Flintoff to leave England at 111 for 6, Australia sensed a comeback. In the next over after Flintoff’s dismissal, Warne – who had by then picked up three wickets – removed Jones. It was left to Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard to fight it out. Slowly, they picked off the runs even as Lee peppered Hoggard with a mixture of bouncers and yorkers. Giles hit the winning runs to the delight of a joyous England balcony.Shamar stuns Australia – Brisbane, 2024Carl Hooper and Brian Lara broke down. Even the most patriotic Australian fans cheered for the opposition. The world Test champions were stunned. It was all because one bowler with a broken toe who staged a siege at the Gabba.Australia hadn’t lost a Test to West Indies since 2003, or at home since 1997. They had never lost a pink-ball Test. That changed in Brisbane.They came into the second Test having decimated West Indies in Adelaide inside three days. At the Gabba, Australia replied to the visitors’ 311 with 289 for 9 declared. West Indies fought for 193 in their second innings, setting a 216-run target.But more importantly, Shamar Joseph had retired hurt after a Mitchell Starc yorker crushed his toe. Australia lost Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne early in the chase, but Steven Smith and Cameron Green took them to stumps, requiring 156 runs to win. Shamar hadn’t bowled at all on the third evening.On the fourth afternoon, Smith and Green looked comfortable. Then Shamar arrived. He conceded 19 runs off his first ten balls and then removed Green and Head. He kept bowling – removing Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Starc, and Pat Cummins in a fiery spell.All this while, Smith kept at it. But when Alzarri Joseph had Nathan Lyon with Australia still 25 adrift, the end was near. Fittingly, it was Shamar bowled Josh Hazlewood to seal a famous win, finishing with stunning figures of 7 for 68. It was a performance that single-handedly elevated Shamar to stardom.

“The growth progression for the sport [in the USA] is really strong,” says MLC tournament director Justin Geale

Matt Roller12-Jul-2023It is the day before the third Ashes Test but Justin Geale, an Australian from Wagga Wagga, is not in Leeds. Instead, he is 4500 miles away in Dallas. “I’m walking around the stadium now,” he says. “It’s about 40 degrees, and there’s a cricket ground out in the middle.”Geale is the tournament director for Major League Cricket (MLC), the six-team franchise competition which launches on Thursday. He is an experienced administrator who spent eight years working for IMG, predominantly at the IPL, but says of bringing MLC into existence: “This is the hardest thing I’ve done.”The league has secured over US$ 120 million of funding and the involvement of four IPL owners or co-owners, plus two Australian states as “high-performance partners”, adds to its credibility. The squad lists for the inaugural season, which runs from July 13 to 30, are stacked. More than 30 IPL players are involved – and will earn up to $175,000 for two-and-a-half weeks’ work.Related

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Cricket has hoped to expand its reach in the USA for decades with limited success, but the next five years will present three “touchpoints”, to use Geale’s word: the launch of MLC; the 2024 men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by USA and West Indies; and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, which the ICC is actively targeting as part of its plan to “drive targeted growth” in the USA.”This is where the growth could be,” Geale says. “I think every cricketing nation acknowledges that. And the timing of that World Cup next year is really important. Speaking for everyone, we’re not here to take on MLB [Major League Baseball] or any other sport. But I think the growth progression for the sport is really strong.”The league is owned privately by American Cricket Enterprises (ACE), rather than by USA Cricket, and effectively operates as a start-up. “It’s privately funded by people who see the vision,” Geale says. “There’s a lot of high-profile businessmen who are privately invested.” They have already staged two editions of Minor League Cricket, which is positioned as a developmental league.”I’ve said it from the very start: if this is going to work in the USA – after so many false starts – then the cricket has to be good,” Geale says. “Our philosophy for MLC was to try and get some of the best players in the world here, and we’re combining that with domestic players who were either born here or have relocated and set up their lives here over the last three years.”Grand Prairie Stadium was reopened as a cricket venue at a ceremony on Tuesday•Major League CricketThis year, fixtures will be split between Grand Prairie in Dallas (12 matches) and Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina (seven matches); in future, all six franchises plan to have a home stadium, which would enable the league to be played under a full home-and-away format. Geale is hopeful that both venues will be conducive to quality cricket: “We’ve done all we can.”Will anyone actually watch it? There are plenty of tickets available for most games but the opening night is sold out and Geale says that sales are “tracking a little ahead” of expectations. Major broadcasters around the world will show it, though start times do not lend themselves favourably to viewers in the subcontinent.”My genuine hope is that in the first couple of days, everyone can see it’s good fun, it has good cricket and we can really drag some more people in,” Geale says. “But we’re really focusing on engaging local leagues here and local people within the Dallas and Houston regions, which can be a real hotbed of cricket in this country.”

“We’re pretty happy to have the guys [from Pakistan] here and I think the fans here are too. There’s a huge amount of Pakistan fans over here, and they want to see their heroes. I hope that continues in the future”Justin Geale

A significant obstacle is the heat: it is mid-summer, and temperatures will be high throughout the tournament. The flip-side is that MLC has found a window in the calendar that is relatively clear, only clashing with a handful of Test series. “I wouldn’t love to be starting a T20 tournament around Christmas time,” Geale says.The result is that some of the best players in the world have arrived in the USA – including a handful of active Pakistan players in Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Imad Wasim. “The guys don’t play in the IPL, and there’s all sorts of reasons and politics around that,” Geale says. “Whereas in the USA, we have the opportunity: it’s based on freedom over here.”We really want to be a league that is open to everyone: if you’re good enough and you want to play, come and play. We’re pretty happy to have the guys here and I think the fans here are too. There’s a huge amount of Pakistan fans over here, and they want to see their heroes. I hope that continues in the future.”4:02

Jayawardene: The MLC will add more traction to cricket in the USA

The relationship between MLC and USA Cricket has not always been smooth. There was a delay in MLC obtaining official sanction from the governing body earlier this year, but Geale insists, “It’s in our interests to get along. We are absolutely working together on this.”MLC has a liberal attitude to the definition of a “domestic player”, with Corey Anderson, Liam Plunkett and Dane Piedt among those classed as locals. But Geale admits, “If this is going to be a sustainable, long-term project then it needs to have American players as well. They need to be part of it.”USA went winless at the recent men’s ODI World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe, suggesting there is some way to go yet. And with the ICC set to introduce caps on the number of overseas players permitted per XI in franchise leagues, MLC – in which teams can field up to six this year – needs more domestic talent, which it hopes will emerge in the long term if the league is a success.What does success look like in MLC’s first season? “We’re in for the long haul, and this season is about proving we can do it,” Geale says. Over the next two-and-a-half weeks, it will start to become clear whether or not cricket’s American dream can become a reality.

Jonny Bairstow will find sympathy from England’s WhatsApp chat after his ‘freak golfing injury’

Andrew Miller26-May-2021 • Updated on 02-Sep-2022Cricket has a long and proud tradition of improbable injuries, from Chris Old popping a rib while sneezing, to Trevor Franklin being run over by a luggage trolley at Gatwick Airport. And as Jonny Bairstow braces for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after a “freak golf injury”, he’ll have no shortage of sympathy on the England WhatsApp group, where self-inflicted tales of woe abound…Ben Stokes (March 2014)
Incident: Punched a locker



Archer toured India despite his unusual injury•Getty ImagesSeven years on from one self-inflicted wound, Dr Doug Campbell, a hand and wrist specialist in Leeds, was peering into another. “This is going to sound like an awful conspiracy and I know what’s going to happen on Twitter straight away when I say this,” Ashley Giles, England’s director of cricket, told the BBC. “But it’s true, it’s not a conspiracy.” Yep, back in January 2021, Jofra Archer had been cleaning a tropical fish tank in the bath-tub of his flat at Hove, when it had slipped from his fingers and shattered, leaving fragments of glass embedded in his right middle finger. The injury healed sufficiently for Archer to play in two Tests and five T20Is against India, but when he flew home to undergo further treatment on his troublesome elbow, England seized the chance to clean out the wound, which appeared to have healed fully by the time he was booked back in for elbow surgery in May. That elbow, sadly, has proved more harder to resolve.James Anderson (October 2010)
Incident: Boxing match in Bavarian forest







Sidelined: Three weeksCrawley made it to the Chennai nets at the second attempt, at least•BCCIIt’s not often that the word “socks” is the stand-out detail in an injury update. But it’s surely no coincidence that the ECB chose to highlight Foakes’ woolly-footedness when confirming his dressing-room mishap, given what happened when Zak Crawley was wearing his studs indoors in India three months earlier. On the eve of the first Test at Chennai – and the eve of his 23rd birthday, for that matter – Crawley had been walking out to the nets when he lost his footing on a marble floor that one team insider likened to a “skating rink”. The team had placed towels along most of the route to the door, but evidently not enough of them, and Crawley ended up being ruled out for two Tests after suffering a sprained wrist and joint irritation.Jason Roy (August 2018)
Incident: Bat thrown to floor
Injury: Bat rebound to face
Sidelined: One matchSelf-inflicted cricket fails come in all shapes and sizes•Getty ImagesBat-flinging tantrums are two-a-penny at all levels of cricket – what better target of a workman’s ire than his tool, so to speak? And usually the damage is limited to the implement itself, or at worst, the fixtures and fittings (just ask Matt Prior). But at the Kia Oval in August 2018, Jason Roy surpassed himself in a moment of self-defeating slapstick. Surrey’s hopes of progression in the Vitality Blast were already sliding down the pan when he was done in flight by Hampshire’s Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman and bowled for a first-ball duck. In fury he flung his bat to the floor, only for it to rebound and whack him in the face, ruling him out of their do-or-die final group fixture against Glamorgan. “I’m extremely embarrassed and apologetic to my team-mates and fans for this moment of stupidity,” Roy said in a statement. In the event, his absence mattered not. Rain wrecked the group decider, and both teams were eliminated.This article was first published in May 2021, then updated after Bairstow’s golfing injury

Arsenal have now reached out to the representatives of a former Man United star who’s come into his own since leaving Old Trafford, according to a new report this week.

On the field, Mikel Arteta’s side are preparing for a crucial North London derby against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

While the Premier League title frontrunners boast an imperious record against their rivals on home turf, Arsenal will be without star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, among others, after the Brazilian limped off against Senegal with a thigh injury on international duty.

Nothing but a win will do for Arsenal, who are both looking to claim the local derby bragging rights and steer clear of second-placed Man City.

Off the field, sporting director Andrea Berta continues making plans to strengthen the squad in future windows, despite spending nearly £270 million last summer on eight major signings to bolster Arteta’s title charge.

Arsenal hold talks with Scott McTominay's camp after Napoli resurgence

According to TEAMtalk, Scott McTominay’s remarkable renaissance in Serie A has triggered a transfer scramble among Premier League heavyweights, with Arsenal one of the latest clubs to hold discussions with the midfielder’s representatives ahead of a potential summer move.

The 28-year-old has been sensational since joining Napoli from Manchester United in a £26 million deal last year, notching four goals and an assist already this season, and his transformation from a United squad player to Serie A superstar has been nothing short of extraordinary.

McTominay won the Serie A MVP award for the 2024/25 season and earned a Ballon d’Or nomination, helping Napoli to secure their fourth Scudetto, establishing himself as a club icon in just one remarkable campaign.

More recently, his stunning overhead kick against Denmark, arguably one of the best Scotland goals ever scored, sent Steve Clarke’s side on their way to an historic 4-2 win over the Danes which confirmed their place at next year’s World Cup.

Last season, he made 34 Serie A appearances, scoring 12 goals and providing four assists, obliterating expectations for a player who was considered surplus to requirements in Manchester. José Mourinho has even called McTominay “one of the best midfielders” in Europe.

Antonio Conte views the Scotsman as his midfield ‘linchpin’, and TT report that Arsenal have sounded out McTominay’s camp alongside the likes of Tottenham, Everton and even his former club. However, any potential suitors face a significant hurdle.

Napoli have set a gargantuan price tag, with any bid below £71 million set to be dismissed out of hand.

While McTominay will require a hefty investment on Berta’s part, it is clear to see why Arsenal have taken an interest, with the in-form star’s future poised to be at the centre of debate over this next year.

Mitchell Marsh’s Test audition has failed, dismissed cheaply for the second time in Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria at the MCG.In his first red-ball game since being dropped by Australia following last year’s Boxing Day Test, Marsh made just 4 in WA’s second innings on Saturday after managing 9 on day one.Related

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He lasted just six balls as he fell to Victorian seamer Sam Elliott, who is enjoying one of the best games of his first-class career.Marsh, who last played a Shield match in October 2024, had been touted as a potential shock factor at the top of Australia’s order in this summer’s Ashes.But another Test call-up seems unlikely with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald making a promising start to their opening combination for Australia.Marsh had to wait more than half a day on Saturday to get an opportunity to bat, with no play possible until midway through the second session due to rain in Melbourne.With WA starting day three on 5 for 1, Marsh was quickly in the game after nightwatchman Corey Rocchiccioli was trapped lbw by Elliott.The visitors crumbled to 17 for 3 when Marsh exited, before captain Sam Whitemanand fellow veteran Hilton Cartwright rallied.The pair got WA to 75 for 4, a lead of 14, when bad light stopped play midway through the final session. But play was able to resume again, with WA getting to 98 for 4 at stumps and Whiteman unbeaten on 56.With the weather likely to be fine on Sunday, Victoria will still fancy their chances of running through WA and securing an outright win.

MatériaMais Notícias

A organizada do Corinthians, Gaviões da Fiel, se reunirá com representantes do Ministério Público de São Paulo nesta sexta-feira (12), visando reverter a punição imposta pela Federação Paulista de Futebol (FPF) à torcida, que a proíbe de frequentar estádios até o final de 2026.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoEx-Seleção Brasileira crava eliminação do Corinthians para o CruzeiroFora de Campo12/12/2025CorinthiansCorinthians conhece seu adversário no Mundial de Clubes femininoCorinthians12/12/2025ColunasTironi no Lance!: Corinthians foi o melhor entre os quatro na Copa do BrasilColunas12/12/2025

A sanção veio a público na quinta-feira (11) e passa a valer a partir do duelo contra o Cruzeiro, neste domingo (14), na Neo Química Arena, que decide a vaga na final da Copa do Brasil. A recomendação ocorre em resposta a uma briga entre torcedores do Corinthians e do São Paulo, no dia 20 de novembro, na capital paulista.

O Corinthians também entrou na jogada e emitiu uma nota oficial manifestando uma profunda insatisfação com a decisão do MP, que consideram uma medida ‘desproporcional’ e prejudicial ao clube alvinegro na reta final da Copa do Brasil. A decisão só será revertida com indicação do órgão.

continua após a publicidade

– Entendo que a forma como a punição foi conduzida carece de maior investigação e equilíbrio. Recentemente a torcida assinou um termo de ajustamento de conduta e desde então cumpre rigorosamente com suas obrigações seja na Neo Química Arena, seja como torcida visitante. Sua presença nas arquibancadas junto às demais torcidas é parte essencial da atmosfera que identifica e alimenta o Corinthians, inspira atletas e transforma jogos em verdadeiros espetáculos populares – diz parte da nota assinada por Osmar Stabile, presidente do clube alvinegro.

Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Destaque do Corinthians

A festa da Fiel na vitória sobre Cruzeiro, na última quarta-feira (10), no Mineirão, foi valorizada por jogadores e membros da comissão técnica do Timão. Dorival Júnior, por exemplo, fez um agradecimento público em nome do grupo.

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– A torcida impressiona pelo comportamento que tem, a força que eles fizeram para estar presentes. Isso tem que ser reconhecido, exaltado, e eu agradeço, em nome de todo o nosso grupo, pelo esforço que fizeram para vir incentivar a nossa equipe. Eu acho que isso é uma demonstração de um carinho acima do normal de uma torcida que não cessa em nenhum minuto sequer – disse o treinador em entrevista coletiva no Mineirão.

Próximo jogo

Corinthians e Cruzeiro decidem uma vaga na final da Copa do Brasil neste domingo (14), às 18h (de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena. O Timão venceu o jogo de ida por 1 a 0, com gol de Memphis, e tem a vantagem do empate.

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansFutebol Nacional

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 ReezaSouth 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 ImagesCorbin Bosch torments Pakistan once moreAt 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 starsThere 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 ImagesLeft-arm fingerspinners shine all roundMuch 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 City picked up another Champions League win to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign. Pep Guardiola’s side overcame Borussia Dortmund, convincingly beating the German outfit 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

City were at their clinical best against Dortmund, bagging two goals in each half. Phil Foden, operating in the right half-space, opened the scoring. He fired his effort home from outside the penalty area on his left foot.

Erling Haaland was next to get on the scoresheet, just before the half-hour mark. The City number nine, who was their captain on the night, scored his 27th goal of the season for club and country. It was an easy goal for someone as dangerous as Haaland, who pulled away into acres of space and fired home.

After the halftime break, Foden scored his second of the night. It was a carbon copy of his first goal, too.

Once again, the England international picked the ball up in the right half-space and bent his strike into the bottom left corner.

Dortmund did pull one back to give them a fighting chance, but Rayan Cherki added a fourth to cap off a good night’s work. Indeed, the Frenchman must be in contention for a start in City’s next game.

Changes Guardiola could make after Dortmund

It was certainly a good performance from the Citizens, with their two standout players, Haaland and Foden, really putting their Bundesliga opposition to the sword.

They are players who have surely locked down their starting spot, although Guardiola could tinker with his lineup based on Wednesday night.

Indeed, Cherki is one of the players who could slot into the side.

He had a superb impact off the bench, scoring a well-taken goal which saw him carry the ball 30 yards or so, into the Dortmund penalty area and unleash his shot past Gregor Kobel.

In his ten-minute cameo, the former Olympique Lyon attacker completed one out of one dribble and won two ground duels. It was a busy night, continuing his good form and surely putting himself in contention to start City’s next game against Liverpool.

Nico Gonzalez also impressed in midfield, and with Rodri still not fully fit, there is a case to suggest he is City’s first-choice number six. Simon Bajkowski, City writer for the Manchester Evening News, gave the Spaniard a 7/10 for his efforts against Dortmund.

There is one player against Dortmund who disappointed, and it will be interesting to see if Guardiola keeps him in the lineup.

The Man City player who struggled vs. Dortmund

It is certainly hard to pick holes in a 4-1 home win in the Champions League. However, there were a few moments against the Bundesliga giants where City struggled to keep a firm grip on the game, particularly towards the end when they conceded.

Indeed, one of the players who struggled more than others was right-back Matheus Nunes. The Portuguese international, who is a midfielder by trade, had a couple of lapses in concentration which could have cost his side late on.

One of those came in the 80th minute, when a sliced pass from Josko Gvardiol went right across the City backline. The right-back was caught napping, and Carney Chukwuemeka pounced on the loose ball.

Luckily for Nunes and City, Gianluigi Donnarumma got there first.

Despite the good performance from his side, it was a disappointing showing from the former Wolves man. Nunes lost the ball 11 times and only managed to win one out of his five attempted duels.

Touches

78

Pass accuracy

86%

Possession lost

11

Recoveries

5

Clearances

3

Ground duels won

1/3

Aeiral duels won

0/2

It was certainly a frustrating night’s work from Nunes. Bajkowski gave him a 6/10 and criticised his defensive awareness, explaining that ‘he abandoned his post too often’. It was a performance that left a lot to be desired.

With a huge game against Liverpool next up, it will be interesting to see if Guardiola keeps Nunes in the side, or chooses to rotate him out of the lineup. Of course, he will be coming up against Cody Gakpo, who has been Arne Slot’s first-choice left winger this season.

The Dutchman is in excellent form, with five goals and assists in ten Premier League games. Nunes certainly can’t afford to switch off like he did against Dortmund, because City will be punished.

It is a big call for Guardiola, who has the likes of Rico Lewis and Abdukodir Khusanov as options at right-back waiting in the wings. The City boss might well decide to rotate Nunes in the crunch clash this weekend.

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