No further play possible as heavy rains curtail contest in series finale

Valkerie Baynes17-Nov-2024

Ground staff bring on the covers as rain stops play•Getty Images

Match abandoned England leave West Indies with a 3-1 T20I series victory after the final match of their Caribbean tour was washed out.Play was abandoned after just five overs in the fifth and final T20I with Evin Lewis and Shai Hope steering the hosts to 44 without loss before a heavy storm set in at Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia.It wasn’t quite the start West Indies’ opening pair had staged less than 24 hours earlier, when they raced to 56 for nought in the first five overs and 136 for 0 in nine, on their way to chasing down a record 219 in Saturday’s dead rubber. But it wasn’t far off, with Lewis striking two sixes and three fours on his way to 29 not out before the rain arrived.Lewis had just pulled a John Turner delivery for a thunderous six over deep midwicket and sent the next ball in the air wide of mid-on for four before he was rapped on the helmet by a steepling bouncer attempting another pull on the last ball of the over – and ultimately the match.The rain arrived just as he was about to undergo on-field concussion checks, but he walked off smiling with the rest of the players.With Hope unbeaten on 14 off 10 balls, it was an abrupt end to what had loomed as another entertaining encounter to end the series after the same pitch had yielded 32 sixes on Saturday.On that occasion, West Indies had won the toss for the only time in this series, but they made a strong start in the face of Jos Buttler’s decision to bowl first on Sunday.Turner, who was playing just his second T20I after making his debut in the fourth game of this series, conceded 22 runs from his two overs while Jofra Archer, replacing Saqib Mahmood for this match, went for 16 off 2. Jamie Overton, who didn’t bowl despite taking the field on Saturday, conceded five runs off his solitary over on Sunday.Player of the Series Mahmood was comfortably the leading wicket-taker for the series with nine at an average of 10.55 and an economy rate of 6.33 with a best of 4 for 43 in the 1st T20I, eight of his wickets coming in the powerplay. Next best was West Indies’ left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein with five.”The one thing I noticed being here previously is the crosswinds at most grounds,” Mahmood told the post-match presentation. “I felt that if I wanted to take the new ball, I’d have to work on my away-swinger a little bit just because Reece Topley and Jofra [Archer] would want the new ball from the other end to swing the ball back in. That’s something I worked on. To perform and show that in a game was nice.”Phil Salt was the leading run-scorer with 162 including 103 not out in the first game and 55 in the fourth. Jacob Bethell, his 21-year-old team-mate, also impressed with 127 runs for once out, and at a superior strike rate of 173.97. The England duo were split by West Indies captain Rovman Powell on 153 runs.

Gary Neville won eight Premier League titles with Manchester United and is one of the best right-backs England has ever produced.

Starring under Sir Alex Ferguson after coming through alongside the famous Class of 92’ at Carrington, Neville retired in 2011 and has since been a pundit and co-commentator.

Premier League

1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009

Champions League

1999, 2008

FA Cup

1994, 1996, 1999, 2004

League Cup

2006, 2009, 2010

Community Shield

1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2007, 2008

Club World Cup

2009

Intercontinental Cup

1999

He did have a brief managerial spell at Valencia but has now been a regular on Sky Sports over the past 10 years, giving his views alongside Jamie Carragher.

But who is Neville’s greatest Premier League XI? Well, he was quizzed with selecting the best players the division has ever seen, but he was banned from selecting stars who have played for his beloved Man Utd.

20 Best Right-Backs in Premier League History Ranked

Where does Trent Alexander-Arnold rank?

ByCharlie Smith Jun 6, 2025 Gary Neville’s best Premier League XI without Man Utd stars 11 Alisson Liverpool

Despite being able to select the likes of David Seaman and Petr Cech, Neville decided to go for Liverpool’s Alisson Becker.

The Brazilian has helped transform Liverpool after joining from AS Roma back in 2018, costing a then-world record £67m fee. An unbelievable shot-stopper, Alisson has won two Premier League titles at Anfield.

10 Cesar Azpilicueta Chelsea

Right-back Neville decided to choose Cesar Azpilicueta over the likes of Kyle Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Signed by Chelsea for just £7m in 2012, Azpilicueta proved to be one of the Blues’ best value for money transfers of all time. Making over 500 appearances at Stamford Bridge, Azpilicueta won two Premier League titles, the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup.

9 Virgil van Dijk Southampton, Liverpool

After moving to the Premier League with Southampton in 2015, Virgil van Dijk was signed by Liverpool for £75m and has gone from strength to strength at Anfield.

One of the best and most consistent centre-backs in the world, Van Dijk was always going to be in Neville’s side, with the Man Utd legend calling the Dutchman a “complete defender”.

8 John Terry Chelsea

A centre-back Neville regularly came up against at Old Trafford was Chelsea star John Terry.

The former Blues and England captain won five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups and a Champions League at Stamford Bridge, going down as one of the greatest Chelsea players of all time.

7 Ashley Cole Arsenal, Chelsea

Ashley Cole is regarded as the best left-back in Premier League history, and he was also involved in one of the most controversial transfers the division has ever seen when he swapped Arsenal for Chelsea in 2006.

Cole won Premier League titles and lifted the FA Cup at both Highbury and Stamford Bridge, with Arsene Wenger calling him “the best” the league has ever seen.

6 Steven Gerrard Liverpool

Starting Neville’s three-man midfield is former England teammate Steven Gerrard, who spent his entire Premier League career with Liverpool.

Despite never lifting the title, Gerrard has rightly gone down as one of the best to play in the Premier League since 1992, carrying the Reds on his back for large parts of his Anfield stay.

5 Patrick Vieira Arsenal, Man City

Alongside Gerrard is Patrick Vieira, who was Arsenal captain during the famous rivalry between Wenger and Ferguson’s sides in the early 2000s.

Neville and Vieira came to blows during that time, however, the former Man Utd right-back still saw plenty of quality in the towering French midfielder.

4 David Silva Man City

Finishing off the midfield is Manchester City legend David Silva, with the magician winning four Premier League titles at the Etihad.

Silva helped transform Man City’s fortunes after signing from Valencia in 2010, proving to be worth every penny of the £30m fee. He contributed to more than 200 goals in 436 Sky Blues games.

3 Mohamed Salah Chelsea, Liverpool

A terrifying front three begins with Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah, who initially had a tough time of things in the Premier League with Chelsea.

However, since returning to England with the Reds, Salah has become of the best forwards the league has ever seen. In 2024/25, Liverpool won the title thanks to the Egyptian King, who broke the record for the most combined goals and assists in a 38-game season.

2 Alan Shearer Blackburn, Newcastle

The Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer, Alan Shearer, could have been a teammate of Neville’s at Man Utd if Ferguson got his way back in 1996.

However, instead, Shearer, who helped Rovers win the title, swapped Ewood Park for St James’ Park and would go on to become Newcastle’s record scorer over a 10-year period.

It would be fair to say that West Ham United have had a mixed summer transfer window so far.

While the Hammers have made a few smart additions to the team, like Kyle Walker-Peters and El Hadji Malick Diouf, they’ve also decided to take a gamble on the perennially unfit Callum Wilson.

Moreover, as we saw on Saturday, they haven’t added enough quality to Graham Potter’s squad, and that could ultimately end up costing them come May.

Fortunately, the club have now been linked with a new exciting midfielder, someone who could be an upgrade on another of their targets: Mateus Fernandes.

West Ham target Fernandes upgrade

Arguably the most significant transfer saga for West Ham at the moment concerns Southampton’s exciting Portuguese ace Fernandes.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

The Irons have been linked with him consistently over the last couple of weeks, and even though they saw a £30m offer rejected, they have reportedly gone back in with a new and improved bid.

The Saints ace looks like a real talent, but it now looks like the Eastenders are eyeing another midfield star, someone who could be an upgrade.

At least that is according to a recent report from Football Insider, which claims that West Ham are interested in Fabio Vieira.

The report has revealed that the Arsenal man’s agent has been speaking to clubs about a transfer this summer, and one of the sides he has been in talks with is the Hammers.

It’s not clear how much the former Porto man would cost, but considering he joined the North Londoners for £34m in 2023 and hasn’t been a success there, the fee would likely be a lot less than Fernandes, even though he could be an upgrade on his compatriot.

How Vieira compares to Fernandes

The first area to compare between Fernandes and Vieira is their output last season, and while it is not the be-all and end-all, it is an area in which the Arsenal man comes out on top.

In his 42 appearances on loan at Porto, totalling 2697 minutes, the “phenomenal” midfielder, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored five goals and provided six assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.81 games, or every 245.18 minutes.

In contrast, the Southampton star managed to rack up a tally of three goals and six assists in 44 appearances across all competitions last season, totalling 3409 minutes, which comes out to a far less impressive average of a goal involvement every 4.88 games, or every 378.77 minutes.

Now, it is worth pointing out that the Portuguese league is a significantly weaker competition, but the Santa Maria da Feira-born ace was also able to produce two goal involvements in just 398 minutes of Europa League action.

Moreover, there is far more pressure to make an impact at a club the size of Porto, whereas the remit for a recently promoted side like the Saints last year is to simply survive.

Finally, on top of being more of a goal threat, the 25-year-old also comes out way ahead when we take a look under the hood at their respective underlying numbers.

For example, he comes out on top in most key metrics, including, but not limited to, actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, shot and goal-creating actions, key passes, shots and more, all per 90.

Vieira vs Fernandes

Statistics per 90

Vieira

Fernandes

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.34

0.22

Non-Penalty G+As

0.39

0.18

Progressive Passes

6.08

4.51

Progressive Passes Received

5.93

3.37

Progressive Carries

1.32

2.45

Shots

2.25

1.32

Shots on Target

0.73

0.43

Key Passes

2.01

1.07

Passes into the Final Third

2.01

0.86

Passes into the Penalty Area

4.07

3.04

Live Passes

42.8

37.1

Shot-Creating Actions

4.74

2.48

Goal-Creating Actions

0.59

0.21

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

In other words, the Gunners ace is a far more creative, incisive and dangerous midfielder, which sounds like just what the Irons need.

Ultimately, Fernandes would be a good signing in his own right, but Vieira looks to be the better player and would likely be available for less as Arsenal are looking to sell players.

Therefore, West Ham should do what they can to bring in the former Porto star before the window slams shut next month.

Related Huge Fullkrug upgrade: West Ham submit bid for £43m "revelation"

The dangerous goalscorer would be unreal for West Ham and a problem for Füllkrug.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 19, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O início da Série C do Campeonato Brasileiro não é positivo para o São José após duas rodadas realizadas. Depois de empatar em casa na estreia, contra o Floresta, o time gaúcho foi derrotado pelo Náutico, pelo placar de 2 a 1, no último sábado (6).

RelacionadasFutebol NacionalCoritiba suspende contrato de Alef Manga, citado em investigação sobre esquema de apostas manipuladasFutebol Nacional13/05/2023GrêmioGuga projeta disputa com o Grêmio da Copa Canteras de AméricaGrêmio13/05/2023Futebol LatinoEmpresário de Enner Valencia fala sobre o futuro do atacanteFutebol Latino13/05/2023

A busca pela primeira vitória deverá ser feita fora de casa, já que o São José, mais uma vez, irá entrar em campo longe de casa. Na próxima segunda-feira (15), o Zequinha enfrenta o Operário-PR, às 20h, no Estádio Germano Krüger.

Mesmo com apenas um ponto conquistado em duas rodadas, o zagueiro Ryan acredita na melhora da equipe e espera um bom campeonato por parte do São José:

– A gente vem trabalhando muito forte, buscando sempre estar em alto nível. A expectativa é de começar a ganhar uma maior confiança para a sequência da competição. E, se tudo der certo, no final do campeonato alcançar o nosso objetivo, que é o acesso.

Mesmo em um período entre dois jogos longe de casa, o zagueiro comentou sobre o empate na primeira rodada, atuando no Estádio Francisco Novelletto, e projetou a melhora que a equipe precisa alcançar para a próxima oportunidade frente ao torcedor.

– Temos que fazer valer o fator casa. Esse foi um ponto que também não aproveitamos no estadual. Em casa temos que ser fortes, pode fazer a diferença no final da competição – projetou.

>Cupom LANCEFUT com 10% OFF para os fanáticos por esporte em compras acima de R$299,90

Pensando nas próximas rodadas e na evolução pela qual o São José precisa passar, Ryan se mostrou otimista:

– Nosso grupo está em um nível muito bom, com muitos jogadores de qualidade e comprometidos no trabalho. Não tenho dúvida de que, unidos da forma que estamos, ainda iremos fazer um bom campeonato.

It might sound a little hyperbolic, but it feels like West Ham United are currently in a crisis.

Graham Potter’s side have lost all three of their games so far, and while they’ve scored three goals, they’ve conceded a whopping 11.

It’s crystal clear that the East Londoners are in desperate need of quality reinforcements who can help make them a far tougher proposition to play against if they are to still be playing Premier League football next year.

Fortunately, it appears that the club are incredibly close to bringing in someone who could be just what they need and the perfect teammate for the promising El Hadji Malick Diouf.

West Ham close in on the perfect teammate for Diouf

Arguably, the area of the team West Ham are most in need of reinforcing before the window closes next week is in the midfield.

Transfer Focus

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

The middle of the park was already looking a little weak at the start of the summer, but with Edson Alvarez now in Turkey, Potter and Co are in serious need of fresh legs and quality.

Not only do the Hammers need someone who can help with the offensive side of things, but someone who can come straight into the side and make them a nightmare to play against.

Fortunately, it appears that the East Londoners are incredibly close to signing a player who would not only fit that description, but also be able to get more out of fellow summer signing Diouf.

At least that is according to a recent update from Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas, who has revealed that West Ham are closing in on Soungoutou Magassa.

Furthermore, Thomas has confirmed that the young Frenchman will be flying into London on Wednesday to undergo a medical ahead of his £17.3m move from AS Monaco, a switch that Thomas suggests is set to be done in the “next 24-48 hours”.

Magassa might not be a household name, but he looks like just the sort of player West Ham need at the moment, and someone who could get even more out of Diouf.

Why Magassa would be a dream signing for Diouf

The first and most significant reason Magassa could help get even more out of Diouf is the same reason he’d be a brilliant teammate for the rest of the West Ham team: his defensive and athletic qualities.

For example, even though he can play in central midfield and at centre-back, he’s been at his best in recent seasons playing as a defensive midfielder, where he can utilise both to break up play and harry opposition attackers.

You can best see how elite he is at the defensive side of the game through his underlying numbers.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for tackles plus interceptions, tackles in the middle third, and dribblers challenged, as well as the top 6% for passes blocked and more, all per 90 minutes.

In other words, the 21-year-old could be trusted to do the bulk of the defensive work for the Irons, which in turn would allow Diouf more opportunities to maraud down the wing and supply the frontline with chance after chance from his brilliant crosses.

Yet, there is another way in which the Monaco ace would be able to help get more out of the Senegalese gem: his passing ability.

On top of being a defensive monster in the middle of the park, the “elegant” Frenchman, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also far more accomplished with the ball at his feet than you might imagine.

Dribblers Tackled

1.88

Top 1%

Ball Recoveries

7.59

Top 1%

Tackles (Mid 3rd)

1.81

Top 2%

Dribbles Challenged

3.62

Top 2%

Tkl+Int

5.22

Top 2%

Tackles

3.48

Top 3%

Interceptions

1.74

Top 4%

Passes Blocked

1.39

Top 6%

Switches

0.77

Top 7%

Through Balls

0.42

Top 10%

Blocks

1.74

Top 10%

Successful Take-Ons

1.11

Top 12%

Tackles (Def 3rd)

1.25

Top 14%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

42.70

Top 14%

Passes into Final Third

5.78

Top 18%

Tackles Won

1.60

Top 18%

In fact, respected analyst Ben Mattinson has praised him for his “forward-thinking mindset” and his impressive ability to “spray passes wide out to the wings,” which suggests he would be able to find the former Slavia Prague ace with ease.

Once again, we can see skills in 6 foot 2 titan’s underlying numbers, as FBref ranks him in the top 7% for switches and the top 10% for through balls per 90.

Ultimately, West Ham appear to be making an excellent signing in Magassa, as not only will he add some defensive steel to the midfield, but he will also allow Diouf to flourish out wide.

After Magassa: West Ham keen on signing their best CM since Rice for £9m

As West Ham United search for midfield reinforcements, could an £9m star who “moves like a god” become the Hammers’ best since Declan Rice?

ByBen Gray Aug 27, 2025

An exchange of words late on day one has added more spark to one of the series’ most compelling duels

Andrew McGlashan03-Jan-2025

Jasprit Bumrah and Sam Konstas ended day one on a fiery note•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Sam Konstas was at the centre of a fiery exchange with India’s stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah amid a dramatic finish to the opening day of the final Test at the SCG, which has set up another compelling duel when play resumes on Saturday.Australia’s reply started with just 15 minutes of the day remaining, and first ball Konstas walked down the crease at Bumrah and whipped him through midwicket. Konstas then exchanged words with Bumrah before what became the penultimate ball of the day after Usman Khawaja had pulled away from the strike, seemingly to try and eat up time to ensure there wouldn’t be another over.Related

Rohit did the decent thing, so why cloak it in intrigue?

Boland leads the charge as Australia dominate on green pitch

India's day of futility, until Bumrah catches fire

Great Scott Boland, the supersub calling the shots for Australia

Konstas turned to Bumrah and appeared to say something, which prompted umpire Sharfuddoula to step in. The next delivery passed through outside off stump. Then, with the final ball of the day, Bumrah had Khawaja edging to second slip, and immediately turned and locked eyes with Konstas at the non-striker’s end and took a couple of steps towards him, before being joined by several team-mates, including Virat Kohli, in exuberant celebration.”I feel they had a little chit-chat,” Rishabh Pant said of the exchange. “They wanted to waste some time. I feel that’s the reason he had a conversation with Jassi [Bumrah]. He [Konstas] said something, I didn’t hear it, but I feel that’s the only thing which he wanted to do to just waste some time so we don’t bowl one more over.”The India players were animated as they left the field, having a few minutes earlier been bowled out for 185, while Konstas walked off a few metres behind Khawaja, with Australia 9 for 1.”It was an interesting one,” Beau Webster said of how Australia’s innings started. “I was sitting next to Heady [Travis Head] in the rooms watching on the TV and the first ball he [Konstas] ran down and clipped him over midwicket. There almost wasn’t surprise anymore, it was like there he is, he’s away.”Sammy’s a very confident young man, it’s what they do these days, those youngsters, they get after it and put themselves out there. He’s got all the skills and all the talent to back it up so hopefully he has a really good day tomorrow and puts a few runs on the board.”Usman Khawaja walks back after being done in by Jasprit Bumrah•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Konstas’ selection in the latter part of the series has had a dramatic impact. He struck 60 off 65 balls in his debut innings at the MCG, where he scooped Bumrah on a regular basis, and in the process of his stay was shoulder-barged by Kohli between overs. Bumrah struck back against Konstas in the second innings by removing him for 8.In the field, Konstas was heavily engaged with the packed MCG crowd and in the final innings, as Australia pushed for victory, was a vocal presence around the bat.”He’s playing with a lot of flair,” Scott Boland told . “He’s definitely under their skin. You can see that in the last few moments there.”Speaking ahead of the SCG Test, Konstas’ mentor Shane Watson said he had been surprised by how outgoing the 19-year-old had been.”My experience of dealing and working with Sam has been a very quiet, reserved personality,” he said. “[He’s] a very deep thinker and certainly not an extrovert. But obviously what we saw in the Test match is that he absolutely is a showman.”Bumrah’s late strike will raise India’s hopes that he has one more huge performance in him to cap an outstanding series with the visitors needing to win to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”Think there’s definitely a method to go about batting on this wicket, but Jasprit is a world-class bowler and no doubt he’s going to challenge our whole batting group,” Webster said. “He’s phenomenal with his lengths and lines, it is going to be tough on a wicket that will offer a fair bit for him.”Pant acknowledged India would have liked a few more runs but was confident in India being able to stay competitive in the match.”I think I wouldn’t say it’s a par score, I think anything over 220 to 250 would be a par score,” he said. “But still a very competitive score because the way ball is moving now I think there’s a lot of help for the bowler and hopefully we can capitalise on that.”

Rohit’s big miss on Ranji return

Rohit Sharma’s Ranji Trophy return after nearly 10 years wasn’t as memorable as he’d hoped it would be. His 19-ball vigil brought him 3, and he was out caught off the leading edge while attempting a half-nudge, half-pull into the leg side off a rising delivery from Jammu & Kashmir’s Umar Nazir. It was reminiscent of two recent Test dismissals for Rohit: against Pat Cummins at the MCG, and against Matt Henry at the Wankhede Stadium.Rohit’s dismissal quickly followed Yashasvi Jaiswal’s after Mumbai opted to bat first. Ajinkya Rahane, the captain, and Shreyas Iyer also managed just 12 and 11 respectively in a first innings that lasted just 33.2 overs with Mumbai bowled out for 120. But excellent work with the ball means Mumbai have a chance of limiting their deficit to under three figures.Related

• Kohli available for Delhi's Ranji Trophy game starting January 30

• Fresh off Australia setback, Test stars to add glitter to second leg of Ranji Trophy

• Rohit's Ranji return lasts 19 balls as he falls for 3 against J&K

• Stung by recent losses, BCCI cracks ten-point whip on men's national team

Rohit’s return to the domestic set-up comes on the back of the BCCI’s new guidelines, which have come into force since India’s 3-1 reversal in Australia earlier this month. Rohit’s Test future hangs in the balance after he opted out of the Sydney Test, but he has reiterated that he hasn’t retired and is still hopeful of leading the team in Tests.

Gill and Punjab collapse against swing and seam

In Bengaluru, Shubman Gill’s outing was equally forgettable, not just with the bat but on the field as captain too. Punjab, who were missing Abhishek Sharma, were bowled out for 55 with Gill managing just 4 before nicking behind as swing and seam bowlers ruled on a greenish deck at the Chinnaswamy. By stumps, Punjab were so far behind in the game that they’ll probably need a Gill special to even salvage one point from the match.Gill’s return to domestic cricket presented an opportunity for him to get some match time and confidence back following underwhelming returns in Australia where he featured in just three of the five Tests, while aggregating 93 runs in five innings. His returns outside Asia since the 2021 World Test Championship final have been in particular focus – he averages 17.64 across 18 innings.File photo – Ravindra Jadeja picked up his 35th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket•AFP/Getty Images

Pant misses out; Jadeja takes five on Rajkot turner

In Rajkot, Rishabh Pant lasted just 10 deliveries as he was out to Dharmendrasinh Jadeja. Pant’s dismissal was part of Delhi’s top-order collapse against spin. Ravindra Jadeja, a formidable threat on turners, thrived in conditions tailor-made for him as he picked up his 35th first-class five-for as Delhi were bowled out for 188.In reply, Saurashtra were adrift by 25 at stumps but had lost five wickets, including those of Cheteshwar Pujara and Jadeja, who has top-scored so far with 38. Pujara, who isn’t part of India’s Test plans, made just 6. Apart from the 234 he made against Chhattisgarh, Pujara has endured modest returns so far this season, managing scores of 16, 0, 2, 3 and 14 in his other innings.

Siddarth Desai misses perfect 10

Gujarat left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai picked up nine wickets in the very first session of play against Uttarakhand in Ahmedabad, and was in with a chance of becoming the second bowler – after Haryana’s Anshul Kamboj – to record a perfect 10 this season. That chance ended when Vishal Jayswal picked up the final wicket.Desai ended with 9 for 36, the best figures in first-class cricket by a Gujarat player, bettering the record held by Jasu Patel who picked up 8 for 21 against Saurashtra in 1960-61. Desai who scalped a match haul of nine wickets on debut, against Kerala back in 2017-18, has emerged as Gujarat’s front-line spinner since Piyush Chawla left to return to his home state Uttar Pradesh.

Khaleel takes maiden five-for

Eight years after he made his first-class debut, Khaleel Ahmed has picked up his maiden first-class five-for. This included key Vidarbha wickets including those of Karun Nair who was in prolific form at the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His figures read an impressive 15-5-37-5.Khaleel’s performance coincides with his being on the fringes of the national team, especially with the selectors keen on looking for left-arm seamers, a style of bowler India’s Test attack has missed since Zaheer Khan’s exit. This is only Khaleel’s 17th first-class fixture – three of them have come in the current Ranji season (including this game), and two in August in the Duleep Trophy, in which he took nine wickets at 21.66.

Karim Adeyemi and Kenan Yildiz shared a light-hearted exchange in the pulsating 4-4 Champions League draw between Borussia Dortmund and Juventus. The pair, who once attended the same school in Germany, traded words after each scored spectacular goals. Both later clarified their comments, with Adeyemi jokingly telling Yildiz not to score again, while the Juve youngster recalled admiring his old friend as a role model.

Verbal skirmish between Adeyemi and Yildiz

A heated-looking moment between Adeyemi and Yildiz during Juve’s clash with Dortmund quickly became a talking point. The two were seen in a centre-circle exchange after scoring stunning goals, sparking speculation of tension. However, the 23-year-old Dortmund star dismissed any hostility, telling it was nothing more than banter between old acquaintances.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesAdeyemi explains exchange with good friend Yildiz

“We know each other. I went to school with him. He was younger than me, a very, very good boy and a very good footballer,” the Dortmund winger said of the 20-year-old Turkey international. “I scored, he scored, and then we played a little joke. I told him not to score any more goals and not to run backwards. That’s football. I get along well with him.”

'He was a role model' – Yildiz on Adeyemi

Juve starlet Yildiz also downplayed the incident, revealing the exchange was partly in Turkish. 

“Those were a few jokes in Turkish. He knows a few words. I think he sometimes feels better than me,” he laughed.

“We went to the same school in Unterhaching. I was in fifth grade, he was in 10th. People looked up to him, he was a bit of a role model back then.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesEight-goal thriller lights up Turin

The friendly chat was just one subplot in a chaotic Champions League opener. Adeyemi’s strike put Dortmund ahead, before Yildiz’s long-range effort levelled things. Felix Nmecha and Dusan Vlahovic traded goals in a frantic four-minute spell, while Yan Couto and Ramy Bensebaini seemed to seal the win for the Germans after the 86th minute. However, late strikes from Vlahovic and Lloyd Kelly rescued Juventus in stoppage time.

The 4-4 draw equalled the record for the highest-scoring Champions League draw and highlighted both sides’ attacking flair as well as their defensive fragility. Juve will next face Villarreal in their group campaign, while Borussia Dortmund meet Athletic Club on October 2. With Yildiz’s rise continuing and Adeyemi back in form, both clubs will hope to turn entertainment into consistent results.

The last two Premier League seasons have seen all three of the newly promoted sides get instantly relegated, but Sunderland are making some big moves in the transfer market in an attempt to break the pattern.

Of the Black Cats’ ten biggest signings, six of them have come in this transfer window. The most expensive of the bunch has been 21-year-old midfielder, Habib Diarra, who joined from Strasbourg for £30 million.

Regis Le Bris has brought in a good mix of players who are varied in their positions and their age profiles. Unproven youngsters like Noah Sadiki and Chemsdine Talbi have been balanced with seasoned pros like Granit Xhaka and Reinildo Mandava.

These new signings integrated with Le Bris’ playoff-winning squad already make a team that are well-situated to fight for survival, but Sunderland aren’t finished there, as it has been revealed that they have been pushing to bring in a Premier League-proven striker.

Sunderland made shock move for Calvert-Lewin

TalkSport’s Alex Crook has reported that Sunderland approached Calvert-Lewin earlier in the window. Calvert-Lewin is currently a free agent after his contract with Everton expired. While Sunderland have already displayed a willingness to be bold this transfer window, a move for an England-capped player would be a big statement.

Crook’s report indicates that at this moment in time, the negotiations between the two parties have stalled due to Calvert-Lewin’s desire to play for a club higher up the table. The Englishman has also been linked with moves to Manchester United and Leeds; however, Ruben Amorim’s side appears on the verge of signing Benjamin Sesko, and Leeds were put off by his wage demands that were reportedly around the £100,000 a week mark.

At £5.2 million a year in wages plus a potential signing-on fee, a move for the striker looks feasible for Sunderland, given how much they’ve already been willing to spend this window. Interestingly, When Calvert-Lewin was being linked to a move to Old Trafford, Alan Pardew controversially said that “on their day there’s not much between” him and Arsenal’s new striker, Viktor Gyokeres.

Since these negotiations took place, Sunderland have signed Chelsea’s Marc Guiu on loan, but as Calvert-Lewin is a free agent, they could easily go back in for him if he doesn’t find a preferable club.

Calvert-Lewin's defensive value

Many Sunderland fans may question why they are looking to sign a striker who hasn’t registered more than 11 goal involvements in any of the last four seasons. However, as Calvert-Lewin’s danger in front of goal has decreased, his abilities as “the first defender” have improved.

In comparison to some of the best strikers in the league, Calvert-Lewin has outperformed them drastically in numerous defensive actions.

Defensive Action (per 90)	Calvert-Lewin	Haaland	Isak	Gyokeres
Average Tackle Success	77.8%	48.4%	41.7%	55.6%
Duels Won	7.09	3.88	2.16	5.84
Ariel Duels Won	4.8	3.1	0.88	1.16
Times Dribbled Past	0.22	0.26	0.33	0.13

Le Bris may not see Calvert-Lewin as a striker who will score bags of goals and keep Sunderland up, but as a rotation player who can see out games and defend from the front, helping ensure that Sunderland don’t concede too many late goals.

In this sense, the signings of Guiu and Calvert-Lewin could work well together as they provide Le Bris with multiple options depending on the situation.

“These guys are still hungry, and still have the passion to play for the country and deliver for the country”

PTI01-Feb-2025India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir believes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will both have “massive roles” to play for the team in the upcoming Champions Trophy. Gambhir said that both players still have “so much value” to offer, despite their recent poor run of form.”I think both Rohit and Virat, they add so much value to the dressing room. They add so much value to Indian cricket as well. They’ve got to play a massive role (in the Champions Trophy),” Gambhir said in Mumbai on Saturday, at the BCCI annual awards.”And I’ve said it before as well, those guys are so hungry, they want to play for the country. They have the passion to play for the country and deliver for the country.”Gambhir said India cannot afford to relax even for a moment in the Champions Trophy because they have just three league matches, unlike the 2023 50-over World Cup where there were nine each.Related

PCB chair says Gaddafi Stadium will be ready for Feb 7 inauguration

No captains event or photoshoot before Champions Trophy

Tickets for Champions Trophy final from only four days before match

“Champions Trophy is a completely different challenge as compared to the 50-over World Cup because literally every game is a make-or-break, so you can’t stop anywhere in this tournament.”So hopefully we’re going to start off really well, because ultimately, if you want to go on and win the competition, you have to win five games.”Gambhir played down the hype surrounding the India vs Pakistan match, which is scheduled to be played in Dubai on February 23.”Look, we don’t go to the Champions Trophy thinking that the 23rd is the most important game for us. I think five games, all the games are important. The mission to go to Dubai is to win the Champions Trophy, not only win one particular game. But yes, if that is one game in the middle of winning the Champions Trophy, we’re going to try and take it as seriously as possible.”And more importantly, I think when two countries, India and Pakistan, play against each other, obviously the emotions are really high, but ultimately the contest remains the same.”Gambhir also hailed Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain, for infusing fresh ideas into the squad following the retirements of Kohli and Rohit from the shortest format after the T20 World Cup last year.”Me and Surya have been on the same page when we talk about selflessness and fearlessness. But yes, we want to be more smart going forward, because that is how we’re going to grow as a T20 team, and hopefully in all the other formats as well.”But I think the guys have been absolutely phenomenal. They’ve got the skills, they’ve got the temperament, they’ve got all the ability. And what they’ve done in the last six months, I think that’s been incredible.”I think the foundation of this T20 team was based on two principles. That is selflessness and fearlessness. I think that is something which we want to create in that dressing room, and these young boys have responded really, really well.”