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As Evangelos Marinakis commenced the club’s latest scouting mission in Turkey, one Nottingham Forest target was given his marching orders in what was an ill-timed moment to forget.

Nottingham Forest send scouts to Besiktas vs Galatasaray

After defeating Manchester United 1-0 courtesy of Anthony Elanga’s stunning solo effort, Nottingham Forest have every right to be dreaming of Champions League football more than ever in the Premier League. And with that comes the right to turn their attention towards stealing further headlines in the transfer market this summer.

On the transfer front, several big names have already been mentioned – the biggest of which arguably being Victor Osimhen. The Galatasaray loanee has enjoyed an excellent spell in Turkey and looks destined for bigger and better things once back at Napoli this summer. With Chris Wood not getting any younger either, Forest could yet make their move.

Turkish football seems to be where it’s at for those at the City Ground too, having also set their sights on two other targets. According to The Boot Room, Nottingham Forest’s scouting mission focused on Semih Kilicsoy last weekend, only for the young Besiktas star to receive a red card in his side’s 2-1 victory over Galatasaray.

Forest officials were also in attendance to watch Baris Alper Yilmaz, but it’s Kilicsoy who stole the headlines when he received his marching orders in the 96th minute before his teammates handed their rivals their first league defeat of the campaign.

Nottingham Forest now racing to sign £33m defender wanted by Real Madrid

He’s a man in-demand…

ByTom Cunningham Apr 2, 2025

The first red card of the teenager’s career couldn’t have come at a worse time given that scouts from both Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa were in attendance, but he will hope to have still done enough to maintain their interest.

"Incredible" Kilicsoy is a rising star

Red card aside, Kilicsoy has been one to watch throughout the current campaign. At just 19 years old, the winger has scored four goals and assisted a further six in all competitions and doesn’t look likely to stop there. A player destined for the top, Nottingham Forest could yet sign another talented winger to add to the likes of Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi in the coming years.

Earning the praise of football talent scout Jacek Kulig last season, who described his campaign as “incredible”, Kilicsoy has only improved ever since and could earn the move that reflects that improvement this summer.

The Besiktas star is arguably one of the most talented young players that European football has to offer, but that won’t stand in Forest’s way. Closing in on a Champions League place, they could be more ambitious than ever this summer.

The ECB hoped for better, but will the 2024 edition prove enough to entice the investors?

Matt Roller19-Aug-2024This was not a vintage year for the Hundred, just as it has not been a vintage English cricketing summer. The season’s main event – the men’s T20 World Cup – happened overseas, the touring men’s Test teams are ranked No. 7 and 8 in the world, and the Olympics and football’s European Championship have dominated the attention of general sports fans.For the ECB, the 2024 instalment of their shiny new thing has been about consolidation and proof of concept. They will hope that the prospective investors in hospitality suites across the finals weekend were engaged enough by some tense knockout games that they paid scant attention to declines in scoring rates and crowd numbers which defined the rest of the season.The sales process will officially get underway next month, with stakes of 49% or more in each franchise on offer. The stated aim is to “take the competition to the next level” – most obviously, by staving off competition from overseas leagues for the best players in the world through higher wages – with the proceeds shared across English cricket.Official figures showed a seven percent decline in ticket sales from 2023, from 580,000 to 540,000, most obviously outside of London. Between them, Lord’s and The Oval hosted 10 matchdays out of 34 but contributed around 46% of the Hundred’s total attendance this year: no wonder London Spirit and Oval Invincibles are expected to be the most sought-after franchises.Rob Hillman, the ECB’s director of major events, said the board were “immensely proud” of the Hundred’s fourth season, citing record-breaking attendances at women’s fixtures. “We look forward to seeing how it grows in the future and how we build on these foundations as we seek partners to help make the Hundred even bigger and better,” Hillman said.The women’s tournament remains some way ahead of the men’s in its status relative to the global game. “I can’t speak highly enough of how it’s put the women’s game on the map,” said Heather Knight, whose London Spirit side won their first title. “You look at the crowd and it’s so different to what you’d see at a men’s Test match… it’s brought different people to the women’s game.”The cricket itself was a mixed bag. The first week of the men’s competition suffered on account of clashes with Major League Cricket and England’s third Test against West Indies. That was compounded further by Jos Buttler’s calf injury, which deprived the Hundred of its best player and badly exposed Manchester Originals’ previous reliance on his runs.A batch of balls that swung and seamed early on, combined with indifferent pitches and heavy investment by teams into their bowling attacks prompted a sharp decline in scoring rates: around 14 runs per 100 balls in the men’s competition, and seven per 100 balls in the women’s. It brought bowlers back into the game – but probably too much so for casual followers.Nicholas Pooran arrived without luggage for his first game but found form for Northern SuperchargersThe success of Oval Invincibles – back-to-back champions, three defeats in two seasons – has benefitted the men’s tournament as a whole, with their focus on continuity in recruitment helping them to create an identity as a side. In the women’s game, the best stories were Welsh Fire’s resurgence and the unexpected struggles of Southern Brave, whose title defence culminated in a wooden spoon.The overlap with MLC caused a swathe of farcical one-match signings: Mohammad Amir bowled 15 of the first 20 balls in the men’s competition, then flew straight to Canada’s Global T20. Nicholas Pooran, the top draft pick, arrived with his luggage stuck in transit after a night on a transatlantic flight, then made 10 off 15 balls using a borrowed bat on Northern Superchargers debut.The women’s competition proved that investment can attract the world’s best players, with a 60% increase in top salaries tempting Meg Lanning and Ash Gardner to feature for the first time. Annabel Sutherland, another top-bracket £50,000 signing, was named MVP after starring with bat and ball for the Superchargers.But this season was a reminder that short-form leagues live or die on the quality of domestic players as much as their overseas stars. Lanning’s involvement was a major coup but she averaged 17 with a single half-century; Pooran batted brilliantly after his false start, but Andre Russell earned nearly £1,400 per run during an abject season for London Spirit’s men.Related

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There were only four overseas players in the men’s final, with Spencer Johnson injured and Andre Fletcher running the drinks for Southern Brave. But there were still 15 players with international caps involved in a high-quality game. “Our domestic pool of players is phenomenal,” said Sam Billings, the winning captain. “The standard is only second to the IPL.”England player availability is just as – if not more – important than that of overseas players, so Ben Stokes’ hamstring tear in his fifth-ever Superchargers game was a PR disaster. The ECB responded by resting Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests; next year, the Hundred has a clear run from early August, starting immediately after India’s tour.The public response to Stokes’ injury underlined the fact that the tournament remains hugely unpopular in some quarters. “There’s a few Lancs fans who want me burned at the stake,” Keaton Jennings said – perhaps only half-joking – having captained them at the start of the Metro Bank Cup only to sign a replacement deal with London Spirit a few days later.The imminent sale means nobody knows exactly what the 2025 season will look like. “It is a huge unknown, of course,” Billings said. “There will be big change.” Any alterations to team names or salaries may wait until 2026, as details of investments are finalised: “We are going to take our time in order to make sure that we get to the right decisions,” Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, said.The Hundred is now four years old and for all the division that it has caused, it has shown signs of delivering on two of its core objectives: accelerating the growth of the women’s game, and attracting new fans to cricket. This winter’s sale process will dictate whether it can achieve a third, and its biggest yet: underpinning the sport’s financial future in England and Wales.

They play their best cricket when riding a wave of emotion, but they also need to hang in when it is not going their way

Sidharth Monga02-Nov-20221:36

Moody: Litton aside, Bangladesh went about their power-hitting the wrong way

Litton Das has batted in 154 T20 innings. He has scored 40 or more at a strike-rate of over 150 only three times. He is still considered Bangladesh’s best bet by many. Aesthetics have a lot to do with that. When he is on song, he doesn’t look like he is incapable of anything. The pull, the cut, the cover-drive, the deft late-cut, he plays them all, and does so languidly. Yet his T20 record: average of 22.95 and strike-rate of 125.95.T20 cricket, more than any format, strips you of any leeway style might get you. If you can’t use your aesthetics to score runs, and quick runs, you are discarded. A few Bangladesh batters – whether stylish or not – fall in that category. Play on a slow pitch, neutralise the opposition’s six-hitting, and they are a dangerous team. When you are chasing 185 against India on a cold night in Adelaide, you need some six-hitting to even dream of winning.Related

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India survive Litton Das scare in wet Adelaide

This is when Litton stuns India. He has no choice but to come out swinging. Even when he does come out swinging, Litton doesn’t look like he is playing a single shot in anger. KL Rahul says that it is the fact that Litton is hitting good balls away without an element of slogging that has fazed the India bowlers. They have been kicked off their lengths and plans.There are quite a few Bangladesh supporters in the stands, but the silence among the Indian section is so deafening you can’t hear the Bangla cheers. Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami are all taken apart. He brings up his fifty in 21 balls. It is difficult to plan for this kind of assault from a batter with those stats. A measure of how good Litton is, that while he has scored 56 off 24 in the powerplay, his partner Najmul Hossain Shanto has managed just four off 12. Another measure of how good Litton has been is that Bangladesh are 17 runs ahead of the DLS par score when it starts raining at the end of the seventh over.

****

We are in the bizarro universe now. Normally sides fielding are more reluctant to resume play in post-rain conditions. Here India are desperate to play on. On the other hand, the more it rains the better it is for Bangladesh. No more play gives them the elusive win over India in a world event. If we lose 10 overs, Bangladesh have to chase 23 in three; if we lose five, they will need 76 in eight.The ground staff keep running a rope on the ground almost through the rain break. Even before it stops raining, the big cover comes off. In all likelihood, this is just the ground staff showing confidence in the radar and getting a head start when it comes to drying the surface. It stops raining at about 9.37pm, about 40 minutes after it first started coming down. That’s a loss of two overs. You would think it would take another 20 minutes or so, a total loss of seven overs, but it is announced play will resume at 9.50pm, giving Bangladesh a further target of 85 in nine overs.As the ground gets through the final touch-ups, India look relaxed, in their huddle, regrouping after that assault. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan is seen having an animated discussion with the umpires while India captain Rohit Sharma mostly just stands and listens. Shakib is seen running his hand on the ground and showing them the water that comes up with it. Even after the umpires’ chat with the captains is done, Litton comes and has a chat with the umpires with some finger-pointing towards the ground.Bangladesh are not happy. This break has broken the momentum, but it is not long enough to help them mathematically even though the wet conditions will challenge India’s bowlers and fielders.Just to make things worse, Litton slips when running on the first ball. He injures his wrist too. He is running on the edge of the pitch, but when he is sliding in at the end of the run, he is almost on the grass next to the pitch, which takes him down. They decide against two. On the next ball, the second is properly on. This time, Litton is running on the grass and slips during the second. He doesn’t fall, but on this precise occasion, India, who almost comically couldn’t hit the wickets from close range against South Africa, manage a direct hit from the deep.Litton Das slipped while running between the wickets•ICC/Getty ImagesLitton is furious, looks back at the grass that nearly tripped him and walks off in disgust. If you are already feeling hard done by, this is enough to make you want to protest.

****

This is the exchange in the early goings at Shakib’s post-match press conference.Reporter: Shakib, smiling:Reporter: Shakib, still smiling: Reporter: Shakib, smile getting wider: Reporter: Shakib doesn’t know what to say.Reporter: Shakib: Reporter: Shakib: Reporter:

****

Shakib at this press conference is different from the Shakib we know. The Shakib who kicks down stumps, who argues with umpires, who gets into fights with spectators, who gesticulates at the camera for spending too much time trained on him, is the voice of the reason at the end of the match.However, how he is during the match in that dugout is important. Shakib is not the only emotional person in that team. That team runs on emotion. If anybody has been to Bangladesh, they will know the country runs on emotion.Emotion is Bangladesh cricket’s superpower. And during the rain break they have probably been told they have already failed to protest about a Virat Kohli fake-fielding incident. Twice in this tournament Kohli has remonstrated with the umpires even before they have had a chance to call a no-ball. It has annoyed the fans of the opposition. Not the merits of the call, but that Kohli gets to remonstrate. Now that there has been a chance to put Kohli on the spot, both the umpires and the batters have missed it. This is where emotion would have been well spent.You can imagine it is all building up. Then there is a chance to finally put one past India after the nightmares against them: the borderline no-ball to turn it around in the 2015 World Cup, the premature celebrations in the 2016 T20 World Cup, the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka. And now they have a chance not only to beat India but also to have proper semi-final aspirations.It is all at risk, and then what happens to Litton has happened.Then one after the other, Bangladesh batters keep swinging. Some shots come off spectacularly but Bangladesh don’t need these risks. Most teams in these circumstances give themselves a few balls to get themselves in knowing no target is safe when they take it deep. Bangladesh don’t have experience of doing so. More importantly, they don’t have known six-hitters on whom they can rely to finish the game if it gets tight.They are also angry, they are emotional, and they start playing the kind of shots Litton didn’t play at all.India on the other hand are doing small things right. Their long-on is wide, almost a deep midwicket, where two slogs end up. Rahul nails that direct hit. Arshdeep gets yorkers right with that wet ball. They are a lesson in being clinical.Emotion is also Bangladesh cricket’s kryptonite.

****

Never mind the coincidence that Bangladesh fall short by five, the same number of runs India would have been penalised had Kohli’s fake-fielding been noticed. In the fact that they come this close despite making all kinds of mistakes is a lesson. They play their best cricket when riding a wave of emotion, but they also need to hang in when it is not going their way. A lot of it comes from depth in your team, but sometimes you have to consciously keep the emotions aside. A bit like how Shakib does at the press conference to avoid controversy and fines. On the field they have to find a way to avoid it when it begins to harm them, which can admittedly be difficult when the amount of play left is as little as nine overs.

Here’s a look at seven young Indian bowlers who could make a mark at the 2020 edition of the IPL

Varun Shetty and Sidharth Monga08-Sep-2020ALSO READ: Uncapped Indian batsmen to watch out for
Ravi BishnoiTeam: Kings XI PunjabWhy we’re excited
Bishnoi is at the batsman all time with his legspin, relentless with his intent to attack and suffocating to face. The 20-year-old was the highest wicket-taker at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup and is among the brightest wristspinning prospects in the Indian domestic circuit. He will be working with Anil Kumble, whose bowling he seems to have been inspired by.How will he fit it into the XI?
The Kings XI have invested a decent amount in signing Bishnoi, and he will likely be used in rotation with M Ashwin, the only other frontline wristspinner in the squad.Ishan PorelTeam: Kings XI PunjabWhy we’re excited
Porel has incrementally become one of India’s most promising fast bowling prospects over the last few years and is coming off a career-high domestic season, even if it ended in March. He has worked relentlessly to go from “medium-fast to fast” and looked unplayable by the end of the last Ranji Trophy season.How will he fit it into the XI?
It would be hard to explain if Porel is not his team’s automatic domestic fast-bowling choice to pair with Mohammed Shami.Shivam Mavi played nine games for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2018•BCCIShivam MaviTeam: Kolkata Knight RidersWhy we’re excited
The fast bowler had everyone’s attention after a rollicking U-19 World Cup in 2018, but it has been frustratingly stop-start since as he battled injuries. But Mavi said he is back to full rhythm and is ready to make up for lost time.How will he fit it into the XI?
A tournament in the UAE might not be the ideal place for a bowler of Mavi’s strengths – pace, swing, and bounce – to make a full-fledged comeback. But the Knight Riders could use him as a rotational option, given how important workload management can be over a 53-day long tournament.Kartik TyagiTeam: Rajasthan RoyalsWhy we’re excited
He’s fast, accurate, and swings it both ways. Tyagi also has a mean yorker and is already considered as one of the best among India’s upcoming generation of fast bowlers. He hasn’t played at the senior level since 2018 because of injuries but led India’s bowling attack with success at the last U-19 World Cup.How will he fit it into the XI?
Kartik brings variety to a four-man domestic fast bowling line-up that will compete for two or three starting XI spots. He is the junior-most in that group, but Royals are invested in their youth and could try and ease him in, perhaps alongside Jofra Archer, Jaydev Unadkat and Ben Stokes.Shahbaz Ahmed played a key role in taking Bengal to the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy final•PTI Shahbaz AhmedTeam: Royal Challengers BangaloreWhy we’re excited
In a sparkling season for Bengal, Ahmed became their go-to man with ball, and even with bat at times. That they made the knockouts, leave alone the Ranji final, was the result of the left-hander’s ability to tone down an otherwise boisterous batting approach; but if he wasn’t doing it with bat, he was doing it with ball: he took 35 wickets, their joint-highest. He not only ran through teams with his left-arm spin but also played a crucial supporting role to their fast bowlers when needed. A complete package.How will he fit it into the XI?
In the UAE, we see Ahmed rising above Pawan Negi in the pecking order for the Royal Challengers and playing in any combination that involves three spinners.R Sai KishoreTeam: Chennai Super KingsWhy we’re excited
Sai Kishore is the quintessential Super Kings spinner: he can bowl in the powerplay, he has got no gimmicks about his orthodox left-arm spin, and he is economical. He took 20 wickets at an economy of 4.63 for Tamil Nadu in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, far and away the best last season.How will he fit it into the XI?
It is fair to assume, especially in the absence of Harbhajan Singh, that Sai Kishore will have a more involved role for the Super Kings now. Particularly against teams that are likely to have a fair number of right-handers in the early overs.Kamlesh NagarkotiTeam: Kolkata Knight RidersWhy we’re excited
We have been excited about him since the 2018 U-19 World Cup but injuries have unfortunately denied him any senior T20 cricket. His captain Dinesh Karthik feels the youngster has dealt with them bravely, is still bowling “150 clicks” and is “on par with Ravindra Jadeja” in the field.How will he fit it into the XI?
He is junior-most among the Knight Riders’ young Indian fast bowlers, but the franchise rates him highly. Karthik believes he should focus on shorter formats and focus on his explosive pace. Those are enough indicators the team might be ready to unleash him this year.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras conheceu os detalhes de seu caminho na fase de grupos da Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior (Copinha). Neste sábado (13), a FPF divulgou os jogos do Grupo 27, que tem o Alviverde como cabeça de chave, além de Monte Roraima (RR), Batalhão (TO) e Remo (PA).

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras mira exemplos de janelas recentes em meio a investidas por AllanPalmeiras13/12/2025Futebol FemininoCom 66% de aproveitamento, Palmeiras mantém média superior a 2 gols por partida no anoFutebol Feminino13/12/2025

+ Palmeiras mira exemplos de janelas recentes em meio a investidas por Allan

Todos os confrontos do grupo serão disputados na Arena Barueri, que também será a casa do elenco profissional do Palmeiras durante a reforma do gramado do Allianz Parque. As Crias da Academia estreiam no dia 5 de janeiro, contra o Monte Roraima (RR), a partir das 19h30 (de Brasília).

Três dias depois, a equipe encara o Batalhão (TO) e encerra sua participação diante do Remo, no dia 11 de janeiro, às 11h.

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Jogos do grupo 275 de janeiro, 17h15: Remo x Batalhão-TO5 de janeiro, 19h30: Palmeiras x Monte Roraima-RR8 de janeiro, 17h15: Monte Roraima-RR x Remo8 de janeiro, 19h30: Palmeiras x Batalhão-TO11 de janeiro, 8h45: Batalhão-TO x Monte Roraima-RR11 de janeiro, 11h: Palmeiras x RemoPalmeiras na Copinha

O Palmeiras vai em busca do terceiro título da Copinha. A primeira conquista veio em 2022, com goleada por 4 a 0 sobre o Santos na final, disputada no Allianz Parque. No ano seguinte, a equipe alviverde superou o América-MG por 2 a 1, no Canindé, e ficou com a taça.

continua após a publicidade

Em 2025, a equipe sub-20 do Verdão conquistou o Campeonato Brasileiro pelo segundo ano consecutivo ao vencer o Red Bull Bragantino na final, nos pênaltis, após dois empates. Na temporada anterior, as Crias da Academia foram campeãs diante do Cruzeiro, com vitória por 5 a 2 no placar agregado. Antes disso, o Palmeiras já havia faturado o Brasileiro Sub-20 em 2018 e 2022, ao derrotar Vitória e Corinthians nas decisões, respectivamente.

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CopinhaPalmeiras

ESPNcricinfo has learned that USA, Namibia and Netherlands are the other teams in the India-Pakistan group

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Nov-2025

India and Pakistan had three heated contests during the 2025 Asia Cup•AFP/Getty Images

India and Pakistan will play each other in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup on February 15 in Colombo as per the tournament schedule that will be unveiled by the ICC in Mumbai on Tuesday.The marquee contest – the first time the two teams are meeting since three heated contests at the 2025 Asia Cup – will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium and is India’s third group match. ESPNcricinfo has learned India and Pakistan have been grouped along with USA, Netherlands and Namibia.India play their first group match against USA in Mumbai on February 7, the opening day of the T20 World Cup. They then take on Namibia in Delhi on February 12, followed by Pakistan, and their final group game is against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on February 18. There will be three matches a day during the group stage of the tournament.The 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup from February 7 to March 8 is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan playing all their games in Colombo or Kandy. The format is the same as the previous tournament in 2024 in the USA and West Indies, where the 20 teams were divided into five groups of four. The top two teams from each of the four groups progress to a Super Eight phase, where they will be further divided into two groups of four each. The top two teams in each of the two Super Eights groups will qualify for the semi-finals, which will be followed by the final.Related

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If India progress from the group stage, their three Super Eight matches will be in Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kolkata. If they make the final four, their semi-final will be in Mumbai. It is understood the ICC has shortlisted Colombo or Kolkata as the other semi-final venue depending on whether Sri Lanka and Pakistan qualify. The final will be played in Ahmedabad, unless Pakistan qualify in which case it is likely to be in Colombo.Apart from hosts India and Sri Lanka, the other 18 teams participating in the T20 World Cup are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, United States of America, West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Oman and UAEIndia are the defending champions, having beaten South Africa in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados.

Australia achieved the highest successful chase in women’s ODIs

Shashank Kishore12-Oct-20253:54

Review: Healy was Australia’s bedrock

Alyssa Healy’s epic 142 powered Australia to the highest successful chase in women’s ODI history, leaving a packed Visakhapatnam stadium thinning very quickly towards the close as World Cup hosts India suffered a second successive heartbreak.Two nights after failing to defend 252 against South Africa, India’s decision to play just the five specialist bowlers will be debated long and hard after they were unable to work with a total of 330. Australia won with six balls to spare, and three wickets in hand; Ellyse Perry hoisting her WPL team-mate Sneh Rana down the ground to seal victory.Perry, who remained unbeaten on 47, had suffered a bout of cramps that forced her to retire hurt with Australia cruising at 154 for 1. Then she returned at the fall of Ash Gardner’s wicket with Australia needing 32 off 36. When Amanjot Kaur had Sophie Molineux lbw at the start of the 46th over, Australia were seven down.This is when Kim Garth joined forces with Perry to put on 28 crucial runs off 23 balls to see Australia home. Garth finished unbeaten on 14, including a superbly executed reverse-paddle off Rana in the penultimate over with Australia needing 13 off 11. The win, Australia’s third in four games, puts them on top of the table halfway through the World Cup.Ellyse Perry and Kim Garth walk off after Australia sealed the highest chase in women’s ODI history•Getty ImagesIndia were eventually left to rue the seven balls they didn’t play after a late and sensational collapse – they lost 9 for 138 in the last 30 overs to finish with 330 when they looked set to scale 350. Unlike Australia, who had Healy go on to convert her start into a maiden century as captain, and third in a World Cup, India were left waiting for their big innings, with both Smriti Mandhana (80) and Pratika Rawal (75) falling short of three-figures.Except left-arm spinner N Shree Charani, who displayed terrific control to put the brakes on Australia with figures of 3 for 41, the others wilted against Healy’s assault in trying conditions. Shree Charani bowled out in the 39th over, by which time Australia’s required rate was a-run-a-ball.It didn’t help that Kranti Gaud, full of bristling promise, had a second off day, conceding 73 in nine wicketless overs, while Sneh Rana, one of India’s form bowlers, went for 85 from her full quota. The make-up of India’s attack meant Harmanpreet Kaur had few alternatives on what was among the best batting surfaces of the tournament.Australia began cautiously, scoring just 25 off the first five overs before switching gears to ransack 57 in the next five. Healy’s fast hands were on display as she took 18 off Gaud’s fourth over, while Phoebe Lichfield cracked three consecutive boundaries off Amanjot Kaur before a missed stumping chance briefly spared her. India didn’t have to wait long, though, as Litchfield fell reverse-sweeping Shree Charani to Rana at point to end an 85-run opening stand off just 11.2 overs.Smriti Mandhana made 80 off 66•Getty ImagesFrom overs 6.6 to 10 alone, Australia hammered eight fours and two sixes, most from Healy, who dismantled India’s spinners with sweeps to every part of the leg side. Perry, scratchy early on, found rhythm alongside her, even resorting to reverse sweeps to unsettle Rana. Their fifty stand came in 55 balls, but India sensed an opening when Perry retired hurt and Beth Mooney and Annabel Sutherland, who celebrated her birthday earlier in the day with a five-for, fell in quick succession.Healy briefly reined herself in before surging to a brilliant century off 84 balls, managing the chase almost single-handedly despite struggling with cramps. Her dismissal, caught off a sliced drive to point was adjudged clean after a tight review where stand-in third umpire Kim Cotton looked in two minds. When she finally felt Rana’s hands were underneath the ball, it ended a stunning innings that comprised 21 fours and three sixes. It gave India a fleeting lift, but Perry’s return and Garth’s composure soon quashed any hopes of a late twist.India would look back on their batting performance with mixed emotions. They displayed the kind of sustained aggression they’ve long spoken about but rarely executed, yet the recurring collapses would be worrisome for the team management. From 192 for 1 at the 30-over mark, they looked set for 350-plus but fell woefully short, as they failed to capitalise on a superb 155-run opening stand between Mandhana and Rawal.India have lost two matches in a row now at the 2025 World Cup•Getty ImagesAfter three ordinary outings, Mandhana returned to her fluent self, reaching fifty off 46 balls. Her six off Molineux made her the first woman to score 1000 or more ODI runs in a calendar year, and she later became the fastest to 5000 runs in the format. While Mandhana took on Molineux, Rawal targeted Gardner, though their partnership was interspersed with spells of caution – like the passage that produced just 15 in five overs after they finished the powerplay at 58 for 0.This was largely down to Rawal’s cautiousness. That forced Mandhana to take more risks, producing audacious shots like a ramp over Healy’s head. Rawal’s 69-ball half-century helped post the second-highest World Cup partnership by any side against Australia before Mandhana fell for 80.Harleen Deol (38), Harmanpreet (22) and Jemimah Rodrigues (33) injected urgency unseen so far in this tournament but couldn’t convert their starts. The burden of providing the late surge yet again fell on Richa Ghosh, whose 94 against South Africa had bailed India out earlier. Here, though, a Sutherland slower ball undid her, triggering a collapse from 309 for 6 to 330 all out.Sutherland’s clever changes of pace and length earned her a maiden ODI five-for and throttled India’s momentum, leaving them disappointed at not making the most of the platform they had built so well.The loss now leaves India without a win against South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia at a World Cup (50 overs and T20 included) for five years now. And with England up next in a week in Indore, they’ll need to regroup quickly to keep pushing for the semi-finals.

Big picture: It’s India against Lalchand Rajput’s UAE

It’s been a month and five days since the most lucrative banner in cricket took field. It is rare that India get such a long break from international cricket. They resume international cricket with a tournament that to the cynical mind exists so that other Asian boards can benefit from India’s economic heft and in turn support the BCCI in the boardroom. However, one mustn’t downplay the opportunity it gives to some of the smaller teams to play big-time opposition.Like UAE, India’s first opponents, who have played a full T20I tri- series since India last played international cricket. They came within a shot of upsetting Afghanistan even though they didn’t win a single match in the tournament. This is just the kind of tough cricket they needed before facing the best team in the world in a year in which their momentum of a bilateral series win against Bangladesh was thwarted by two defeats in ten days to Uganda in the Pearl of Africa series.Make no mistake, they are coming up against the reigning T20 world champions, who are not just the only team to have won every match in a T20 World Cup but one that has only got better since that campaign. India may have a small weakness in not having a specialist bowler who can hit sixes, but their specialist batting’s firepower and their specialist bowling’s uniqueness makes them strong contenders for being the best T20 empire ever created.Who else to know the powerhouse India have become than the UAE coach, Lalchand Rajput, who took India to their first T20 World Cup campaign when the superstars of the game were not even serious about the format? If Rajput and captain Muhammad Waseem can plot a win against India, it will be the upset of the year.

Form guide

India: WWLWW
UAE: LLLLL

In the spotlight: Shubman Gill and Simranjeet Singh

India’s Test captain Shubman Gill is making a comeback into the T20I team. Not just any comeback but one as a vice-captain, which suggests he will take his opening position. There can be an argument made that he never lost the place, he was asked to vacate it as he prepared for what was perceived as more important cricket at that time. Now he comes back as India get a little more serious about their combination in the lead-up to their world title defence early next year. And he comes back with form: 650 runs in the IPL at a strike rate of 155.87 while batting within himself.Fellow Punjabi, Ludhiana’s Simranjeet Singh bowled to Gill in the nets when the India Test captain was about 12 years old. Always on the fringes of Punjab and Kings XI Punjab, left-arm spinner Simranjeet was stranded in Dubai during the Covid-19 lockdown. He ended up staying back, coaching young cricketers, and now, at 35, will come up against Gill, who has just turned 26.10:21

Does Samson get a place in India’s starting XI?

Team news: Will Sanju Samson get a chance?

The big question for India is around Sanju Samson and the No. 8. If Gill takes the opening slot alongside Abhishek Sharma, does Samson bat at No. 3 or in the middle order or does he get to play at all? An ideal T20 combination won’t ask him to bat out of position or disrupt their Nos. 3 and 4, which should open the door for Jitesh Sharma to come back into the XI. Stranger things have happened, though, and there is a lot of popular backing for Samson.The other question for India is: do they play four specialist bowlers plus two allrounders and have no batting from No. 8 onwards or do they go three plus three? If they go four plus two, they could play both mystery spinners in Kuldeep Yadav Varun Chakravarthy, with Harshit Rana asked to do a batting job at No. 8. Three plus three will call for one of the spinners to be left out unless the pitch is a turner, which it doesn’t seem to be.India (possible): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun ChakravarthyAlishan Sharafu, back to opening the innings during the tri-series after an experiment to space the big hitters out through the order, should continue doing so with captain Waseem. Asif Khan and wicketkeeper Rahul Chopra should form the rest of the core of the batting. Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Rohid and Haider Ali are the core of the bowling, with Simranjeet making an impression with figures of 4-0-24-1 in his only match this year.UAE (possible): 1 Muhammad Waseem (capt), 2 Alishan Sharafu, 3 Rahul Chopra (wk), 4 Asif Khan, 5 Muhammad Farooq, 6 Harshit Kaushik, 7 Muhammad Zohaib, 8 Muhammad Jawadullah/Saghir Khan, 9 Haider Ali, 10 Junaid Siddique, 11 Muhammad Rohid

Pitch and conditions

When India played in Dubai earlier in the year, in the ODI Champions Trophy, they unleashed four spinners on a used surface. The pitches are likely to be fresher and livelier for the Asia Cup, which might call for more balanced attacks and a second specialist fast bowler to partner Jasprit Bumrah. The oppressive heat at this time of the year will test the conditioning of both the sides.

Stats and trivia

• UAE have played India only once in T20Is, losing by nine wickets in the 2016 Asia Cup. They have also lost each of their three ODIs against India, the last of those in the 2015 World Cup.
• India hold a 24-3 win-loss record in T20Is since the start of the last T20 World Cup.

Richarlison could now make a sensational return to Everton in the January transfer window amid reports that The Friedkin Group are ready to back David Moyes this winter.

The American owners went all in on the Everton boss in the summer, spending big to welcome Thierno Barry, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jack Grealish and making Tyler Dibling their second most expensive signing of all time. It was a summer fit for a side about to enter a grand new home.

But Friedkin aren’t done there. Reports are now suggesting that they’re looking to solve Everton’s striker problems in 2026 following the struggles of both Beto and summer arrival Barry.

The £27m striker has particularly disappointed. After scoring 19 goals in all competitions at Villarreal last season, he is yet to find the back of the net at Everton. His struggles have also been made worse by Beto’s poor performances.

The towering forward has scored twice in 11 games to once again highlight the Toffees’ struggles in that role. It’s something that Friedkin must solve if they want Moyes’ side to compete in the top-half.

To that end, a number of names have emerged as potential options. Everton’s scouts were reportedly in attendance for Galatasaray’s recent Champions League clash against Bodo/Glimt and watched on as Victor Osimhen netted a brace. There’s no doubt that the Nigerian would hand them the ultimate solution to their problems.

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Everton have already hit the jackpot on this talented first-teamer.

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Ivan Toney has also been in the headlines. The Al-Ahli forward is aware that he’ll likely need a January switch to the Premier League if he is to get into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad and reportedly wants to work with Moyes. Whether those at the Hill Dickinson Stadium are willing to match his hefty salary is another question, however.

Instead, a familiar face could yet be on his way back to Merseyside.

How Richarlison feels about Everton return

According to TeamTalk, Richarlison would now jump at the chance to join Everton in the January transfer window in what would be quite the return. The Tottenham striker has been forced to watch on from the bench in the last three Premier League games and may need to move on if he wants consistent minutes.

That’s where Everton could come in. Friedkin are ready to go all in for Moyes in January and he desperately needs an impressive striker to lead the line – something Richarlison has been for the Toffees in the past.

Appearances

152

Goals

53

Assists

15

Whether Spurs boss Thomas Frank will be open to losing his forward is another question, however.

The Dane told reporters after Richarlison got off to an excellent start earlier this season: “Fantastic he is scoring. The first one is definitely easier to score without being easy, but I have a striker that takes those two chances and helps us win the game.

“He deserves a lot of praise. He was very good against PSG and today he was exceptional, with his work-rate, driving the team, link-up play, hold-up play, just dominating and then the two finishes.

“So happy on his behalf and again performance department, medical department did a top job to build him.”

Everton's most expensive sales

As Nuno Espirito Santo looks to solve their goalscoring problem, one striker has reportedly “definitely” emerged as a January transfer target for West Ham United.

West Ham's striker problem

It’s a problem that Michail Antonio covered for a number of years and one that Jarrod Bowen is desperately attempting to do without his former teammate, but one that is simply not going away. West Ham simply lack goals. Take away their captain’s output and the Hammers have scored just three goals in seven Premier League games, despite welcoming new striker Callum Wilson in the summer.

On Nuno’s list of priorities, a new striker must sit at the absolute top. Neither Niclas Fullkrug or Wilson are likely to take the role as talisman in years to come, given that they’re both in their 30s, and that should ring alarm bells about the summer transfer window that West Ham just endured.

As much as Graham Potter struggled, it’s clear that the Hammers should have signed a striker at the peak of their powers when they had the chance in the summer.

2025/26 PL goals	Goals
Bowen	3
Fullkrug	0
Wilson	1

Just who arrives is the question. The likes of Joshua Zirkzee have already been linked with shock moves to the London Stadium in 2026 and there’s no doubt that he could return to his best away from Manchester United. Like Wilson and Fullkrug, however, Zirkzee has not shown the type of form in front of goal that the Hammers need.

Nuno was bought in to solve West Ham’s current problems, but he must be backed with an attacking addition when the winter window swings open. To do that, the Hammers could use the upcoming World Cup and one player’s desire to make Thomas Tuchel’s England squad to their full advantage.

West Ham "definitely" targeting Toney

According to former Premier League scout Mick Brown, West Ham are “definitely” targeting Ivan Toney, who could leave Al-Ahli on loan in the hope of winning a World Cup place in January.

West Ham join race for "insane" £105k-a-week striker who "loves a Cruyff turn"

The Hammers are looking to sign a Premier League centre-forward, who is keen to leave his current club.

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 13, 2025

A loan deal would certainly suit West Ham too. It would likely mean a discount on the forward’s hefty £22m-a-year wages in Saudi Arabia and there’s no doubt that the 29-year-old is still capable of finding the back of the net in the Premier League.

After scoring eight goals in 10 games in all competitions this season, Toney would be an excellent addition for West Ham as they look to finally solve their striker problem. Whether the forward is granted a January exit remains to be seen, however.