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On a typically pacy Perth pitch, the SA bowlers set the game up before their batters completed the job

Firdose Moonda30-Oct-20222:18

Du Plessis: Been impressed with Markram over the last 12 months

South Africa moved to the top of the group 2 points table and boosted their chances of making the semi-finals after recovering from 24 for 3 to successfully chase 134 against India. Aiden Markram and David Miller were the architects of South Africa’s triumph, scoring half-centuries each and sharing a 76-run fourth-wicket stand.On a pacy pitch, South Africa’s quicks set the tone with hard lengths and plenty of speed. They reduced India to 49 for 5 in the ninth over before Suryakumar Yadav held the innings together with his 11th T20I half-century but he lacked support. He shared a 52-run partnership with Dinesh Karthik, who scored only six of those runs. Lungi Ngidi and Wayne Parnell were the main beneficiaries of South Africa’s approach and took seven wickets between them but all the quicks were impressive. Anrich Nortje brought the heat on a chilly evening and clocked over 150kph with regularity while Kagiso Rabada, for a change, played only a supporting role.India’s attack were also impressive as they made use of fuller lengths and found swing. Some of the differences between the two sides lay here. South Africa bowled 50 short or short-of-a-good-length deliveries and took six wickets for 34; India bowled 48 and took one for 53.Related

Suryakumar interview: 'I wanted to do things my way'

Fleming: 'Hard to find an area of weakness' in Suryakumar's game

Rohit on giving Ashwin the 18th over – 'I have seen what happens in the last over with spinners'

In the end, both captains also had to gamble on how they used their spinner. Temba Bavuma can’t catch a break with the bat and failed again but made the right decision to only use Keshav Maharaj for three overs, while giving Markram one. Between them, they conceded 33 runs in four overs. Rohit Sharma bowled R Ashwin out and used him in the 18th over. By then, Markram was out but Miller was still at the crease and South Africa needed 25 runs from 18 balls. Ashwin’s over cost 13 runs and though he dismissed Tristan Stubbs, Miller finished it off for South Africa.This result has big implications for the rest of the group, particularly Pakistan, whose semi-final hopes are hanging by a thread. South Africa’s win means that not only do Pakistan have to beat South Africa on Thursday but also hope either India lose to Bangladesh and Zimbabwe or South Africa are beaten by the Netherlands.2:23

Faf du Plessis: ‘Suryakumar Yadav’s composure stands out, never seen him frantic’

Ngidi’s double-strike in the powerplay
India had a curious start against the swinging ball and took 10 deliveries to get off the mark – the longest in their T20I history – before both openers breached the big boundaries. Rohit Sharma hooked Rabada over fine leg and KL Rahul whipped Parnell over midwicket but neither scored too much more. Ngidi was introduced in the fifth over and made an immediate impact with hard lengths. Rohit mis-hit his first delivery over the covers but it fell safely. Then, he was cramped on the pull, the ball caught the splice of the bat and went straight up, giving Ngidi enough time to saunter across the square and take the catch. And Ngidi was just getting started. At the end of that over, Rahul was foxed by the extra bounce and edged a ball he looked to guide to third man. Markram was perfectly positioned, almost on the edge of the ring, at slip to take the catch. India were 26 for 2 and finished the powerplay on 33 for 2.KG’s catches
Virat Kohli mounted a brief riposte with back-to-back boundaries against Ngidi but when he tried to take on the bouncer, he got it wrong. Kohli sent a pull towards fine leg where Rabada ran around the corner from a deep-square position to take a good running catch, as casually as you like. Like Ngidi, Rabada also went one better. In Ngidi’s next over, Hardik Pandya took his chances against the short ball and pulled to fine leg. He connected well but not well enough and did not get the distance he was looking for. Rabada did and ran from the boundary rope and leapt forward and took a diving catch with both hands, even as both feet left the floor. India were 49 for 5.Reach for the SKY
Suryakumar scored more than half of India’s total runs and more boundaries than any of their other batters combined. Apart from his opening boundary – an edge that flew over first slip off Nortje – he timed and placed his shots well and took on the short ball with a level of discernment. He used his wrists particularly well, targeted Maharaj, which forced Bavuma to turn to Markram for an over, and then dented Ngidi’s figures when he took 11 runs off his final over. Overall, Suryakumar scored 25 runs off the 12 balls he faced from Maharaj. His 68 came at a strike rate of 170, while the rest of India’s line-up contributed 57 runs at a strike rate of 71.25. In the process, Suryakumar became the highest run-scorer in T20Is in 2022, going past Mohammad Rizwan.Aiden Markram and David Miller put up a 76-run stand to settle South Africa’s chase•ICC via Getty Images

Swing for Singh
While South Africa used bounce to make their early incisions, India relied on swing. Arshdeep Singh struck with his first ball, which swung away from Quinton de Kock, who chased it and nicked off. Two balls later, he hit Rilee Rossouw on the back pad. Arshdeep thought the movement was taking the ball wide of leg stump but Rohit disagreed. He reviewed, with ball-tracking showing that it would go on to hit the top of middle and leg. Rossouw was dismissed for his third duck in five innings, all at the hands of Arshdeep. In between that, Rossouw has scored two centuries. In nine deliveries, South Africa were 3 for 2 and things didn’t get much better. Bavuma’s blues continued as he tried to ramp Mohammed Shami over the wicketkeeper but inside-edged to Karthik instead. South Africa ended the powerplay at 24 for 3. Markram makes his move
South Africa limped to the halfway mark in their innings on 40 for 3 and needed to change gears after the drinks break. Markram took on Pandya’s short balls and found the boundary twice in three balls before putting pressure on India fielders by responding to Miller’s call for a quick single. Miller tapped the ball to backward point, Suryakumar swooped in and shied at the striker’s end but missed. Then Markam took on Ashwin, advanced down the pitch and hit a carrom ball for four before heaving it to deep midwicket where Kohli juggled and then dropped the catch. Markam was on 35 at the time. With 25 runs scored off the 11th and 12th over combined, India were forced to bring back a frontline seamer early. Shami’s third over only cost three runs but India squandered a third opportunity for a wicket. Miller fended a delivery and Markram was already two-thirds of the way down, so Miller ran. Rohit had three stumps to aim at, but missed. Ashwin continued and so did Markram, but not before Miller cleared his front leg to hit Ashwin for six over long-off. Markram then sent him over long-on for six more. South Africa scored 45 runs in the four overs after drinks to set themselves up for the win.

Everton’s hopes of ending their 30-year trophy drought will continue for another year. David Moyes’ side suffered a 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth in the FA Cup this afternoon, and all focus will now divert to retaining their Premier League status.

The Toffees entered the match having suffered just one defeat under Moyes, while the Cherries had defeated Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United in recent weeks.

The away side opened the scoring courtesy of an Antoine Semenyo penalty after 23 minutes before Daniel Jebbison got the crucial second just before the interval.

The second half saw no more goals as the south coast side progressed into the next round. A handful of Everton players performed well, but overall, it was a poor performance in what turned out to be the final FA Cup tie at Goodison Park.

Everton’s best and worst players against Bournemouth

Iliman Ndiaye has so often been the club’s talisman of late, and his performance wasn’t bad. He succeeded with 89% of his passes while making one key pass and succeeding with six of his eight dribbles, looking to make things happen.

At the back, Jarrad Branthwaite won six of his nine ground duels while making four tackles and five clearances, but he couldn’t prevent the Toffees from losing.

Stat

Highest-ranked player(s)

Accurate passes

James Tarkowski (55)

Tackles

Jake O’Brien (5)

Shots on target

Antoine Semenyo, Justin Kluivert, Daniel Jebbison (2)

Ground duels won

Iliman Ndiaye (11)

Key passes

Daniel Jebbison (3)

Via Sofascore

Elsewhere, James Garner was poor, winning just two of his nine ground duels while losing possession 15 times. However, he was nowhere near as bad as Beto, as the striker had a shocker for the Toffees.

Beto's game in numbers vs Bournemouth

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin out injured for a few weeks, Beto was Moyes’ only option to lead the line against the Cherries. He scored against Peterborough in the previous round, while netting twice against Leicester City in the top flight last week.

The 27-year-old failed to get on the scoresheet this time around, looking like a forlorn figure up front for the Merseyside outfit.

He completed just 5 of his 11 passes – at a dismal 45% success rate – while managing just 22 touches of the ball throughout the 90 minutes – 27 fewer touches than Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal.

The centre-forward looked increasingly isolated during the encounter, failing to even register a shot on goal or create a big chance for any of his teammates.

Furthermore, Beto won just 5 of the 12 duels he contested, lost possession 15 times and was offside once in what was a disappointing showing.

Moyes will have to return to the drawing board ahead of the club’s clash against Liverpool in midweek.

Calvert-Lewin will still be missing, and if Beto performs against the Reds in a similar fashion to Saturday afternoon, Everton’s goal threat will have to come from elsewhere.

A big performance will be required if Moyes aims to get anything from that match, in what is his first Merseyside derby since returning to Everton.

Everton chiefs love the idea of making £90k-a-week ace their record signing

This could go down very well with Blues supporters.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 8, 2025

West Ham United transfer chiefs have an England international attacker “under consideration” as the club eye potential January signings for new manager Graham Potter.

Graham Potter era begins with defeat at Aston Villa

It wasn’t exactly the dream start to life in the Hammers dugout for Potter, who had only been in the job for around 36 hours before West Ham bowed out of the FA Cup third round courtesy of Aston Villa.

West Ham pushing to sign £200k-per-week player who Potter personally wants

The new Hammers head coach has his sights on a January addition already.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jan 11, 2025

Lucas Paqueta gave West Ham an early lead, and Potter’s side held that advantage up until the final 20 minutes of the game. However, late quick-fire goals from Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers meant the English tactician opened his Hammers account with a defeat.

West Ham had just two shots on target all game, and there is clearly plenty to work on for Potter, who is in his first job since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023.

Fulham (home)

January 14

Crystal Palace (home)

January 18

Aston Villa (away)

January 26

Chelsea (away)

February 3

Brentford (home)

February 15

Attention now turns to the winter transfer market and how chairman David Sullivan could look to back Julen Lopetegui’s successor.

West Ham considering January move for Marcus Rashford

West Ham have been surprisingly linked with a winter swoop for Manchester United outcast Marcus Rashford, who is on a whopping £300,000 per week at Old Trafford, but seemingly finds himself out of Ruben Amorim’s plans.

Marcus Rashford transfer latest: Who could sign the Man Utd star?

The winger recently admitted that he’s ready for a new challenge.

ByTom Cunningham Jan 22, 2025

GiveMeSport reporter Ben Jacobs is among the reliable media sources to state that West Ham could advance on a move for Rashford, and this is now backed up by club insider ExWHUemployee.

Writing on his Patreon page (via The West Ham Way), it is believed the 27-year-old winger is being considered a serious option by the Irons recruitment team – even if the transfer is deemed unlikely as things stand.

“Another domestic player that is under consideration, although probably not a realistic option is Marcus Rashford,” said Ex.

“He has again been told he can go on loan, and Milan seem to be leading the chase. There is a whole host of European giants looking at the player, including Juventus and Dortmund.

“Should none of these transfers work out, it is one we could look at if Manchester United pay a large percentage of his wages, but for now, we think this transfer is unlikely.”

For a permanent deal, it is believed the Red Devils would want around £40 million, but it appears Rashford’s salary could be a major stumbling block for West Ham and other interested sides in that respect.

That being said, if Rashford were to agree a wage cut, as will most likely need to be the case if he wishes to depart his boyhood club, there is clearly a quality player there when he is at his very best.

“When you have a smiling, confident, hard-working Marcus Rashford, he is a devastating player, a game-changer,” said TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand during England’s 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar.

“If he gets you one v one, he has the pace to go past you and has imagination, and he can finish.”

Golf superstar Rory McIlroy has won The Masters after an 11-year-long wait, and Manchester United have sent a message to their superstar fan.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• McIlroy wins tight affair at The Masters
• Becomes sixth player to win the Grand Slam
• Man Utd congratulate their fan after triumph

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  McIlroy has become a superstar of the sport, however, the Northern Irishman has agonisingly missed out on one of golf's four most illustrious tournaments, The Masters. The 35-year-old went into Sunday with a two-stroke lead over Justin Rose, and despite the Englishman's comeback forcing a replay of a one-hole playoff on hole 18, McIlroy succeeded after sinking a four-foot putt to birdie to claim the trophy.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 35-year-old achieved a career grand slam by winning all four majors in golf with his triumph at The Masters. McIlroy joins Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as the only other players to achieve the feat. McIlroy, who is an ardent United fan, has now been congratulated by the Red Devils.

• WHAT MAN UTD POSTED

  On X, Manchester United posted photos of McIlroy winning The Masters and his photo at Old Trafford, and captioned the post: "Warm congratulations to United fan, Rory McIlroy, on your triumph at The Masters."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  It is highly likely that McIlroy will be commemorated at Old Trafford sometime in the future for his Grand Slam, as has happened earlier in his career as well. However, Ruben Amorim's side will now be hoping that they can conjure up some sort of inspiration from McIlroy's victory as they look to make a strong end to a terrible season.

Yorkshire to secure automatic progression ahead of previous winner-takes-all clash

David Hopps03-Jul-2022Yorkshire have essentially been given a free pass into the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast after Leicestershire were docked two points for ill discipline during their home match against Northamptonshire Steelbacks on Friday.The sanction makes what was a winner-takes-all tie between Leicestershire and Yorkshire at Grace Road on Sunday meaningless in terms of the North Group table. Leicestershire had previously been only a point behind Yorkshire and had the chance to overhaul them with a victory.Leicestershire were on a final warning with the ECB disciplinary panel following an avalanche of fixed penalty notices and had been informed on August 2 last year that any further fixed penalty in the next 12 months could lead to a two-point penalty in whichever competition the incident took place.They incurred two fixed penalty notices against Northants – both of the incidents occurring in an impassioned finale.Northants needed four to win from two balls when Jimmy Neesham, the New Zealand allrounder, whose 22-ball half-century had taken them to the brink of victory, was run out after being forced into an impossible second run to mid-off by Tom Taylor to try to keep him on strike.As Neesham walked off, Arron Lilley ran up from the leg-side to remonstrate with him and had to be pushed away by Taylor with the umpire, Russell Warren, also intervening. The umpires, Warren and Richard Illingworth, then had further words with Leicestershire’s captain, Colin Ackermann. Leicestershire won the match by one run.Naveen-ul-Haq, the Afghanistan fast bowler, also fell foul of the disciplinary board. He was removed from the attack with one ball of his spell remaining after bowling full-tosses above waist high in the penultimate over.The playing conditions in the Blast rule that two beamers in a spell must not just bring automatic removal from the attack, but also an automatic disciplinary offence with the umpires having no discretion as to whether they are either dangerous or deliberate. There was no show of dissent after the decision. Footage of the match suggests that Leicestershire accepted the decision with good grace. With bowlers heavily reliant upon slower balls of various types to combat a batter-dominated game, the double punishment is far from universally poular.A Foxes statement said: “Leicestershire has worked tirelessly to improve on-field discipline following two previous hearings in 2021 and did not incur any fixed penalties during the first half of the current season.”It was therefore requested for the improvement in behaviour to be considered in mitigation, but based on previous stipulations the CDC has decided to apply the sanction immediately, with no right to appeal the decision.”Leicestershire appealed for the ECB to impose the points penalty deduction next season, but the ECB disciplinary committee felt that previous decisions did not allow such a leeway. Sean Jarvis, Leicestershire’s chief executive, who has worked unflaggingly to attract crowds back to the Uptonsteel ground this summer, now finds what was the most significant match of the season rendered meaningless.Harry Brook’s availability for Yorkshire’s quarter-final is in serious doubt given his England involvement•Getty ImagesFor Yorkshire, a place in the quarter-finals is a relief. A reconstituted club, still seriously understaffed in places, must contend with the fallout of racism allegations by Azeem Rafiq, a former player, against the previous regime. Yorkshire have been charged by an ECB investigatory panel, and are expected to accept most of the charges, and also face action by their former coach, Andrew Gale, which is due to come before an employment tribunal in Leeds at the end of October.Although the bigger picture is a long-term commitment to diversity, Yorkshire’s chances of pushing through long-term changes will be helped if they can find success on the field – and that will not be easy with several players still mulling over their future and contractual negotiations at a delicate stage.Yorkshire will also be severely weakened in their last-eight tie. David Willey, Dawid Malan and Harry Brook have all been called up for white-ball duties by England and Finn Allen is expected to join New Zealand in Ireland. It would be quite a surprise – although, in theory perfectly possible – if Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow made themselves available after the India Test.Other counties will also face a similar draining of resources, if not to Yorkshire’s extent, and with England’s T20Is against India scheduled for Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and the Blast last-eight ties taking place on Wednesday, Thursday (probably) and Friday, it remains to be seen if the ECB will show any flexibility on player availability. That representations will be happening behind the scenes can be taken for granted.Leicestershire had received six fixed penalties for breaches of ECB Directive 3.6 from the period August 2, 2020 and to July 1, 2021 and, after the August 2 warning, they had been called to a subsequent hearing a month later after incurring a further fixed penalty point.The disciplinary committee reiterated the warnings that had been made. “On 2 August 2021 the CDC imposed the sanction on the club as follows: Subject to the over-riding discretion of the panel, should there be one or more fixed penalty issued to a Leicestershire player within 12 months of this hearing, the Club will be deducted either 12 LV= County Championship points (or equivalent), 2 Royal London Cup points (or equivalent) or 2 Vitality Blast points (or equivalent). The more serious the breach or breaches, the more likely it is that points will be deducted.”On 3 September following the further fixed penalty the CDC decision stated ‘if there are any further breaches at any Level on or before 1 August 2022, a points deduction will almost certainly be an inevitable consequence’.”

The January transfer window is officially set to open for business next month and it remains to be seen whether or not Celtic will be busy in the market.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have already won a trophy this season, beating Rangers on penalties in the League Cup final on Sunday, and have been impressive in the Scottish Premiership and the Champions League.

Celtic came out on top on penalties against their Glasgow rivals at Hampden Park at the weekend after a thrilling 3-3 draw during regular time.

The Hoops have also won 14 of their 15 matches in the top-flight and are already nine points clear of Aberdeen in second place, which shows that they are well on their way to sealing a fourth straight title.

Meanwhile, they have only lost one of their six matches in the Champions League, with a 7-1 hammering by Borussia Dortmund their only defeat of the season in all competitions so far.

Despite the team’s fantastic performances, domestically and in Europe, Rodgers and the club are reportedly looking at possible signings to bolster the playing squad when the January transfer window opens up.

Celtic's interest in English defender

According to Football Insider, Celtic are ‘pushing’ to sign Hertha Berlin right-back Jonjoe Kenny to add to their defensive depth ahead of the second half of the season.

Transfer Focus

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

The report claims that the Hoops are monitoring the 2. Bundesliga full-back ahead of a possible swoop for his services next month, although there is no mention of how much the German side would want for his services.

It states that Rodgers is hoping to make additions to his playing squad in January to ensure that his team can continue to compete on all fronts, with the Premiership, the SFA Cup, and the Champions League still to play for in the coming months.

Football Insider adds, though, that it is currently unlikely that Kenny will complete a move to Parkhead because of his existing history with the Scottish giants.

The English defender spent time on loan in Glasgow in the second half of the 2020/21 campaign and the report claims that his bad experience during that spell is a stumbling block ahead of a possible return to Celtic.

Football Insider reveals that the Hoops are pushing to get a deal done, though, and they could be, as a result, pushing to repeat the same error that Neil Lennon made in 2021.

Jonjoe Kenny's first spell with Celtic

The England U21 international arrived at Parkhead on loan from Premier League Everton in the winter transfer window at the start of 2021, as the club were looking for a replacement for Jeremie Frimpong.

Bayer Leverkusen had swooped for the Dutch starlet in January and Kenny was subsequently brought in on a short-term deal to start at right-back until the end of the season.

Unfortunately, the Englishman ended up playing a part in the team that failed to secure a tenth straight Premiership title, with Steven Gerrard’s Rangers side ultimately winning the division.

Lennon, who brought Kenny to the club on loan, was sacked later the same month and John Kennedy was in interim charge for the remainder of the campaign, before being replaced by Ange Postecoglou – who arrived after the Everton loanee had returned to Goodison Park.

20/21 Premiership	Jonjoe Kenny
Appearances	14
Starts	14
Goals	0
Assists	2
Error led to shot	2
Duel success rate	53%
Possession lost per game	15.6x
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Kenny started all 14 of his appearances in the Premiership but failed to impress, making as many errors that led to opposition shots as he registered assists.

Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan accused him of “schoolboy” defending after his poor pass that led to a corner and then subsequent marking led to a goal from Alfredo Morelos in the Old Firm, in a 1-1 draw.

The same pundit went on to say that Kenny was one of the players who was “not good enough” and would likely leave to never return at the end of the season, as his loan came to an end.

Why Celtic should avoid Jonjoe Kenny

Celtic are reportedly pushing to bring the 27-year-old dud back for a second spell and are in danger of repeating Lennon’s flop with the “schoolboy” defender.

Firstly, signing a player who has already tried and failed to impress at Parkhead, as part of a poor team that failed to win the title, would immediately put him on the back foot with the fanbase, which is not an ideal situation for a player coming in midway through a season.

Also, his performances in the 2. Bundesliga for Hertha Berlin this season do not suggest that he would come in and improve the Celtic squad, which would mean that the Hoops would be taking a big gamble – given his disastrous first spell – by bringing him back.

The £13k-per-week defender has started 16 matches in the second division of German football and contributed with one goal and two ‘big chances’ created for his side.

This shows that he has not provided a consistent, quality, threat at the top end of the pitch from a right-back position, which Rodgers does get from his current first-choice in that role – Alistair Johnston.

24/25 season	Kenny (2. Bundesliga)	Johnston (Premiership)
Appearances	16	15
Goals	1	4
Big chances created	2	9
Dribbled past per game	0.8x	0.6x
Duels won per game	3.9	4.1
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Canada international offers significantly more as an attacking threat whilst also being less vulnerable defensively.

These statistics suggest that it is unlikely that Kenny, who has already struggled at Parkhead in the Premiership once, would come in to offer an upgrade on Johnston.

This is why Rodgers and the recruitment team must opt to avoid a move for the Hertha Berlin defender next month, and identify alternative targets to come in and bolster their squad.

Celtic star "just secured his departure" with 5/10 cup final showing

The Celtic defender endured a difficult afternoon in the League Cup final against Rangers.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 16, 2024

Royals have ticked all the boxes so far, and Royal Challengers must get their batting right, firstly, to make it tough for the table-toppers

Srinidhi Ramanujam04-Apr-20221:44

Should batting teams be conservative in the powerplay?

Big pictureA power-packed Rajasthan Royals have turned it on already this IPL, winning two matches after posting scores of 193 and 210, and would be keen to extend their stay at the top of the table, when they run into Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Wankhede Stadium.Having finished second from bottom in 2021 with just five wins from 14 matches, Royals appear to have ticked all the boxes this time, on the evidence so far. Their batting approach has been markedly different, with a run rate in excess of 8.5 in both games. Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson have hit a total of 16 sixes and they also have the likes of Devdutt Padikkal and Shimron Hetmyer, who can notch up big hits without spending too much time in the middle. While teams generally tend to slow down in the middle overs, Royals have scored at 10.07 runs per over in this phase, the highest for any team in IPL 2022.Live in the USA

In the USA, you can watch the match live on ESPN+ in English and in Hindi.

So far, 200-plus totals have been chased down two of the three times they have been put up, but Royals have defended well in both their games. Barring Nathan Coulter-Nile, who sat out the second match after pulling up in the first with a leg injury, all of their frontline bowlers have been among the wickets, and Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin, who have come together in a dream spin combination, as well as Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna boast economy rates under seven. These are early days, but if Royals continue playing with the same intent, they might be serious title contenders.On Tuesday, Chahal will be up against his old team Royal Challengers, for whom he thrived from 2014 to 2021. He was the leading wicket-taker for the franchise in four of those seasons and was the highest wicket-taker overall for them with 139 strikes. Going by his form, the legspinner could be a handful for the Royal Challengers batters.Royal Challengers are coming off a five-day break, having lost their opener against Punjab Kings despite posting 205 and surviving a scare while chasing 129 against Kolkata Knight Riders to collect their first points. A strong start from the top order of Faf du Plessis, Anuj Rawat and Virat Kohli would be key to their chances.In the bowling department, Royal Challengers would be relying heavily on Wanindu Hasaranga and Harshal Patel, who had a breakthrough IPL 2021 and has carried that form into this year with three wickets at an economy rate of 5.87. Hasaranga, with five wickets to his name from two innings, has provided crucial breakthroughs and should be one of the bowlers Royals have to be wary of.In the newsRoyal Challengers are likely to stick with du Plessis, Sherfane Rutherford, David Willey and Hasaranga, with Australian quicks Jason Behrendorff and Josh Hazlewood available for selection only from April 6. Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell will be available only from April 9.Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli, or at least one of them, must take the lead with the bat•BCCI

Likely XIsRoyal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Anuj Rawat, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Harshal Patel, 9 David Willey, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Akash Deep Rajasthan Royals:: 1 Jos Buttler, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Navdeep Saini, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalStrategy puntKohli has an exceptional record against Prasidh and Boult and his strike rate jumps to 140 or above against these pacers in T20s. Kohli has also gotten out only once to Ashwin in 20 innings and averages 162 against the offspinner and will be looking to dominate again.Hasaranga has troubled Samson in the past, dismissing him thrice in four T20s in the span of 11 balls. Buttler also has had little success against Hasaranga – he is yet to hit a boundary in the 23 balls that he has faced from him in the T20s.Stats that matter du Plessis has hit 30 sixes since IPL 2021, the second-most after KL Rahul’s 33. Hetmyer has a strike rate of 248.14 in this edition, the highest for a batter who has scored 50 runs. Chahal has picked up 23 wickets in 17 matches since IPL 2021, the most by a spinner.

For one more time, thousands made the journey to the MCG for Shane Warne.It was a chance to farewell one of the game’s greats at the ground he graced on so many occasions: the scene of his 7 for 52 against West Indies, the Ashes hat-trick and the 700th Test wicket among them.It was also about more than cricket, just as Warne was. His legacy will live on far and wide across so many walks of life as shown by the galaxy of names from sport, music, television and film to make tributes either in person or via video on an emotional evening. From Greg Norman to Kylie Minogue to Robbie Williams to Chris Martin to Ed Sheeran. His charity work was also strongly featured and there will be a United Nations conservation grant put in his name after recent work he had started to undertake.Related

• There's a Warne-shaped hole in this Ashes

• Facing Shane Warne: the magic and the theatre

• Shane Warne's magic was made for television

• In praise of Shane Warne, cricketing genius

Yet, it was what Warne achieved in those 22 yards that shaped and defined him. As a symbol, there was a cricket pitch laid out in the middle of the VIP section on the ground complete with stumps at either end. Many of the public had heeded the request of Warne’s family to come decked out in cricket gear, while his other sporting passion – Aussie Rules – which had been his first dream, was also well represented.This was an event worthy of Warne and the life he lived, tragically cut short at just 52.His father, Keith, who gave the first address of the family, quoted the line Shane had used himself: “I smoked, I drank, and I played a little cricket.”That last bit led to him being one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, produce countless match-winning performances, and to be termed “the greatest” by former England captain Nasser Hussain, who was part of the player panel that delved into his immense on-field feats [and aura of Shane Warne] plus the character behind the scenes.Mark Taylor, Warne’s Australia captain from 1994 to 1999 – which were among Warne’s peak years – and a crucial hand in so many dismissals at first slip, said, “He made slow bowling fashionable again, he made it cool.”Merv Hughes, a fellow Victorian, formed a close bond with Warne on both sides of the picket fence. “As good as he was on the cricket field, he was five times better off it,” he said. “One of the most loyal people you know. He did what he did because of who he is – I feel sorry for people who never met him.”Fans gather around Shane Warne’s statue outside the MCG•Getty Images

Brian Lara, who had Warne’s measure at times during their immense tussles, including the 277 at the SCG in 1992-93, remembered the first impressions after West Indies had been dismantled at the MCG the game before. “We were in a panic from Melbourne to Sydney, thinking it was all over… that’s when we knew that we had met someone very, very special,” he said.That performance at the ‘G was also recalled in a letter Shane’s brother, Jason, had written to him a few weeks afterwards – dated February 5, 1993 – which showed the extraordinary faith in his ability to change the game.”I can’t tell you how proud of you I was [when] I first saw it on Teletex,” Jason wrote of the haul. “Well done, keep it up. Loads of hard work at the nets now could set you up for the rest of your life. Don’t let the chance slip by enjoying the limelight and resting on your laurels. That comes in 10 years’ time when you [have] re-written all the record books.”Now’s the time to put everything, and I mean everything, into it and make it work for you. So come on, make some more sacrifices and give people the opportunity in 20 years’ time to say, remember Shane Warne, we’ll never get another leggie like him. He was the best spinner Australia have ever had.”Allan Border was Warne’s captain in that West Indies Test, having a few months earlier thrown him the ball in Colombo in what would lead to his first match-winning performance. When the panel was asked by Mark Howard, Warne’s friend and fellow broadcaster, what they would say to him, Border, his voice cracking, said: “Thank you for making my captaincy… it revitalised my captaincy towards the end of my time. I was lucky to have two years with Shane, and I’d just thank him for that.”Allan Border and Mark Taylor share their Warne stories at the state memorial•Getty Images

For so many, including a vast number of those in the stands at the MCG on Wednesday night, Warne was the cricketer who did wondrous things. But he was a son, a brother and a father. The final addresses of the night came from his three children – Brooke, Summer and Jackson – with heart-rending speeches.”You lived 100 lives, Dad,” Summer said. “You never took anything for granted and you made sure you lived every day to the fullest.”Jackson said there had never been any disappointment he did not follow his dad into cricket but recalled one successful outing. “In one of the first games of cricket I ever played, you told me, ‘Just go out there and have fun because when you’re happy, good things will happen.’ So that was the mindset I had for that game. I ended up taking a hat-trick and that’s a memory I will never forget. You were so proud of me. Although I didn’t go down the cricket path, you didn’t mind. You just wanted the best for me.”A few moments later, the trio was on the second tier of what was previously the Great Southern Stand, for the closing moment of the memorial as it was officially renamed the Shane Warne Stand.”He went from being a wide-eyed boy with dreams to be a citizen of the world and left no one behind. He was a champion in every way. And now, every time we look into the great southern stand we will think of Shane,” MC of the event Eddie McGuire said.A few chants of “Warnie, Warnie” could be heard from the crowd. For one more time, the MCG rose and cheered for Shane Warne.

Ousmane Dembele starred for PSG against Dunkerque and fans are calling for him to win the Ballon d'Or as reward for his stellar 2024-25 season.

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• Dembele scored twice in Coupe de France
• PSG reached the final after beating Dunkerque
• Has received widespread praise on social media

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ousmane Dembele continued to deliver the goods for Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night as he scored an emphatic double in a 4-2 win over Dunkerque to seal his side's passage to the final of the Coupe de France. With his impressive performances and red-hot goalscoring streak, fans are clamoring for the former Barcelona winger to lay his hands on this year's Ballon d'Or.

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• WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  Manchester City fan @AkanjiSZN_ took to X late on Tuesday night and posted an appreciation tweet for Dembele, saying: "I would be lying if I said there’s a player more worthy than Ousmane Dembele for the Ballon d’Or this year. What a player."

  Another user, @frenofiyin, believes that Dembele is currently the best player in the world, tweeting: "Dembele isn't getting enough hype. He is that good. No one is better than him in Europe."

  User @akwasi_4, whilst praising Dembele, took a dig at former PSG player Kylian Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid as a free agent last summer. "Dembele is scoring like crazy… Mbappe was doing nothing special in France," they tweeted.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With two more goals on Tuesday, Dembele has now scored 32 goals in all competitions in just 39 games. In fact, he has directly contributed to 39 goals (that includes seven assists) in as many games, showcasing his ruthlessness in front of goal as well as an innate ability to set up his team-mates. Dembele was not even half as productive with his output for Barcelona, showing how much he's improved and flourished since his return to France.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR OUSMANE DEMBELE?

  Dembele can help PSG wrap up the Ligue 1 title with six games to go when his side welcome 14th-placed Angers at the Parc des Princes on Saturday, April 5. PSG are currently 21 points clear of second-placed Monaco with seven games to go, and a draw against Angers would be enough for them to clinch yet another league title.

Manchester United is preparing an offer worth £33 million to sign an “exciting” ace and reunite him with manager Ruben Amorim, according to a recent report. The Red Devils get their latest new era underway at the end of this week, as they travel to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town.

Amorim has been brought to Old Trafford to return the glory days to the club, and it seems INEOS already have plans in place to have a busy January transfer window to help him do just that.

Man Utd want to sign "world-class" star to be Amorim's answer to Rodri

Manchester United fans could soon be welcoming their very own Rodri to Old Trafford.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 17, 2024 Man Utd transfer news

At the end of last week, it was claimed that United were working on a deal to sign Sverre Nypan from Rosenborg in the January transfer window. The midfielder has been watched by the Red Devils for a while now and played against them during pre-season in the summer. The 17-year-old is regarded as one of the hottest properties in football, and United are hoping to get a deal done in the New Year as he will only cost £10 million.

Nypan would be a signing that is more for the future, but United also have their eyes on an exciting attacker who would no doubt improve them straight away. United have reportedly submitted an offer worth €100 million (£83.5 million) to sign Ademola Lookman from Atalanta. The 27-year-old, who played a key role in their Europa League success last season, is on the radar of the Red Devils as well as Paris Saint-Germain. Both sides have submitted offers, and Atalanta are open to a sale if they receive a huge fee.

Man Utd readying £33m offer to sign Geovany Quenda

According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Manchester United are also looking to secure an agreement to sign Geovany Quenda from Sporting. The 17-year-old has broken into the Sporting CP first team this season under Amorim’s guidance and has already caught the eye with his performances.

Quenda, who has been labelled “exciting” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been a regular starter for the Portuguese side this season, and his performances as a right-wing back or winger have put him on the radar of the Premier League side. Obviously, United being managed by Amorim also gives them an advantage as the boss knows the attacker very well.

This report states that United are now prepared to reunite Amorin with Quenda but at the end of the season, as the 39-year-old promised he wouldn’t be raiding his old club in January. Sporting CP have extended Quenda’s contract recently, and that has involved adding a €100 million (£84 million) release clause.

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The Red Devils have no plans whatsoever to pay that amount of money however – they are willing to make an offer worth around £33 million. It goes on to add that the Premier League side want to sign Quenda “as soon as possible” to avoid competition for his signature.