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The Guardians, despite their perennially small payroll, are a team that deals in outsized superlatives—the longest World Series drought, the longest no-hitter drought, and the largest in-season comeback in baseball history.

Despite accomplishing the last of those feats this season, Cleveland's 6–3 loss in Game 3 of its wild-card series against the Tigers Thursday ensured the first will continue. The Guardians had a runner on third in the ninth inning of Game 1 trailing by one run and won Game 2—only for the wheels to come off in a Game 3 that laid out the team's litany of flaws.

When the dust settles, Cleveland—rudderless and sub-.500 in early July—can reminisce fondly on essentially stealing a quality year as it phases in a new generation of talent. Here's a look at the problems that cost the Guardians against Detroit and the lessons the losing team can draw from them.

1. An already threadbare offense disappeared

The number ".226" followed Cleveland around like a specter during its short playoff stint—that was the team's batting average this year, the worst in the franchise's long history. The Guardians' .296 on-base percentage was a 53-year low; their .373 slugging percentage was a low for any full season this century. Even in September and October, the team hit just .242.

Lazy an observation as it may be, it is almost impossible to hit as poorly as Cleveland did all year and do protracted damage in the playoffs—even with a pitching staff as effective as the Guardians'. Thus, a one-run lead for the Tigers in Game 1 became insurmountable, and only a big eighth inning could save Cleveland in Game 2.

The Guardians, zealous platoon advocates, gave a glut of at-bats early on to some of their worst hitters: right fielder Johnathan Rodriguez (.197), first baseman Jhonkensy Noel (.162), and catcher Austin Hedges (.161) took seven at-bats combined (Hedges drew two walks in Game 1). When they rolled the dice on young talents such as right fielder George Valera and center fielder Chase DeLauter from Game 2 onward, the offense seemed to receive a modest jolt—perhaps a preview of coming attractions for 2026.

2. Small mistakes proved costly

Cleveland's defense-and-fundamentals-first approach—while undeniably entertaining to watch—had the adverse effect of shrinking the Guardians' margin of error to near zero. The trouble began for Cleveland in the first inning of Game 1, when Rodriguez misplayed a fly ball that opened the door for Detroit to score the first run of the series. Noel, too, made a costly error while playing out of his natural position (though manager Stephen Vogt correctly gave him credit for ensuring the play didn't go even more haywire).

Even third baseman José Ramírez—the Guardians' nerve center for over a decade now and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer—wasn't immune to the blunders Cleveland so carefully avoided late in the season. He ran into a crucial out in the ninth inning of Game 1, and in Game 3 appeared to slow up running to second base after a Tigers error—only for pitcher Will Vest to throw him out and extinguish the Guardians' last significant threat.

3. The Tigers beat them at their own game

On Sept. 23, Cleveland beat Detroit during its furious push for the division title with the help of a classic display of small ball. The Guardians stitched together two bunts, an infield hit, a wild pitch, a balk and a groundout to scrounge out three of their five runs in a 5–2 victory. It was part of a streak where every break in the American League seemed to be vacuumed into a black hole on the shores of Lake Erie.

As it turns out, the Tigers—a team, as ESPN announcers Sean McDonough and Todd Frazier pointed out, had five sacrifice hits —are quick learners. Detroit turned that formula back on Cleveland on multiple occasions this series, taking the lead in Game 1 on a well-placed bunt by third baseman Zach McKinstry (dubbed the "Zachrifice" by the Tigers' X account). Center fielder Parker Meadows, too, chipped in with a critical bunt in Game 3. The moral of this story for the Guardians may be the sheer fungibility of their luck-centric approach over the long term—but Cleveland fans can take heart in the knowledge that their front office's eagerness to control every variable has kept the Guardians one of baseball's most vital organizations for a decade and counting.

Welsh Fire condemned to wooden spoon once again despite best efforts of Kohler-Cadmore

ECB Media28-Aug-2025In the last game of the group stage, Welsh Fire could have climbed as high as fourth in the table with a win against Southern Brave in Southampton but defeat left them rock bottom, joining their women’s team in ending up with the wooden spoon.In the end it was Southern Brave, with Jason Roy (70 off 39) rolling back the years, who ended up in that fourth position, after a game that was all about playing for pride, the top three positions in the table all having been decided days ago.Fire chose to field and with the Brave at 10 for 2 off 14 balls, the Welsh side were delighted with their start. But Roy was at his belligerent best, counterattacking brilliantly, twice hitting successive sixes to get himself going and bringing up his 50 from 30 balls. David Payne (2 for 17) used his smarts to do for him in the end but despite 30 from 21 from Leus du Plooy, it took a rambunctious finish from Craig Overton and Jordan Thompson to take the home side up to an impressive looking 167 for 7.In reply, Overton took two scalps in the first five balls, one of them the big wicket of Steve Smith, snapped up by Roy at extra cover. With the score at 24 for 3 after the Powerplay, the Fire’s hopes seemed all but extinguished. And when Tom Abell went, with 117 needed from 59, it was a tall order but Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Welsh starlet Ben Kellaway soaked up the pressure and then exploded, hitting shots all around the ground to bring the Fire right back into things.Kohler-Cadmore matched Roy in striking a brace of successive sixes and Kellaway lost nothing by comparison, the two combining for 81 in 39 balls and leaving the match in the balance.In an innings where 40 overs of spin had gone for 85 runs, it was left to seamers Thompson and Tymal Mills to bowl the last 20 with 36 needed and their death bowling skills were evident, with a succession of yorkers and slower balls. It came down to 18 from 5 and a no ball and a slugged six made the Fire favourites, but then Thompson bowled Kohler-Cadmore (84 off 46) to leave seven needed off two, then six of off one. Another nailed yorker was enough to see the Brave home.Meerkat Match Hero Overton said: “It was great to get across the line; we haven’t quite put in the performances this year so it’s good to finish with a win. It was about doing the basics; it swung a bit and the way the boys finished off was great.”The boys have been awesome; the group has been similar for the last three of four years and it’s nice to get back together. We didn’t quite perform how we would have wanted but that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Os dois gols de Arrascaeta na vitória do Flamengo por 2 a 1 sobre o Cruz Azul nesta quarta-feira (10), na estreia da Copa Intercontinental, renderam ao camisa 10 um recorde. O meia alcançou Pedro como maior artilheiro rubro-negro em Mundiais, com quatro gols cada.

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O uruguaio chegou ao quarto Mundial pelo clube e voltou a balançar as redes em torneios da Fifa. Em 2019, marcou contra o Al-Hilal. Em junho deste ano, fez um gol diante do Espérance, na Copa do Mundo de Clubes. Os dois gols desta quarta completaram a lista.

Pedro, ausente no jogo por lesão na coxa esquerda, também soma quatro gols em Mundiais, todos marcados na edição de 2022 — realizada em fevereiro de 2023. Na ocasião, foram dois gols na semifinal, na derrota por 3 a 2 para o Al-Hilal, da Arábia Saudita, e outros dois na vitória por 4 a 2 sobre o Al Ahly, do Egito, na decisão de terceiro lugar.

continua após a publicidadeMaiores artilheiros do Flamengo em MundiaisArrascaeta e Pedro – 4 gols.Bruno Henrique, Gabigol, Nunes e Wallace Yan – 2 gols.Adílio, Danilo, Gerson, Jorginho e Luiz Araújo – 1 gol.

O Flamengo volta a campo no sábado, às 14h (de Brasília), contra o Pyramids, do Egito, pela semifinal da Copa Intercontinental, no Estádio Ahmad Bin Ali, em Al Rayyan. Quem avançar enfrentará o PSG na decisão.

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Jonathan Trott believes Afghanistan will start as “slight favourites” against Bangladesh, who face a must-win situation, in their Asia Cup Group B fixture in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. And going by recent history, there’s merit in that confidence.”Since I’ve been with the side, we’ve had some memorable moments,” Trott said. “I think back to when we beat Bangladesh in a 50-over series in Bangladesh for the first time [in 2023]. It had never been done before, and given how strong Bangladesh have been at home, to go there and do that gave us a lot of confidence and positivity.”Then there was the win in St Vincent at the [2024] T20 World Cup, which helped us qualify for the semi-final. That was such a tight, historic game, and it gave us great belief. This group I’m currently working with is not shy about achieving new things or breaking new ground.Related

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“Whenever there’s something that hasn’t been done before, like a big obstacle or a big challenge, this Afghan side rises to the occasion. They’re not only setting new standards for themselves but also paving the way for future players to keep pushing those boundaries.”Since opening their Asia Cup with a convincing win over Hong Kong on September 9, Afghanistan have had six days off. The break, in Trott’s opinion, has helped refresh them “mentally and physically” after the gruelling pre-Asia Cup tri-series against UAE and Pakistan, where they played five games in ten days.”I’m actually quite happy with the break,” he said. “Playing in the extreme heat here in the UAE takes a lot out of you. It’s been a good chance to recharge the batteries, take stock of where we are, and get ready to go again. Hopefully, with a win and qualification into the next round, we know there will be quite a few games in a short space of time.”At the opening press conference in Dubai, barely a few hours prior to their Asia Cup opener in Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan had spoken of the short turnaround – less than 48 hours – between the tri-series final and the game against Hong Kong. He had also said that it wasn’t ideal to be staying in Dubai and having all their group games in Abu Dhabi, leaving them with an added commute of three hours on match days.Looking at the schedule and putting that break into context, Trott felt it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. “I think our schedule has actually played into our hands, as long as we play well tomorrow and do the job in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “Playing there is very different to Dubai. It looks like it’s been spinning a little more here and in Sharjah. Abu Dhabi is a very different type of pitch – the make-up of the soil is different too.1:36

Mukund: Dropped catches a concern for Afghanistan

“That’s the challenge of playing in these tournaments: you’re constantly adapting to a variety of conditions. I certainly feel that with our squad and the options we have, we can pick a side capable of winning in most conditions.”Trott, expectedly, talked up Afghanistan’s spin stocks, joking that they were good enough to field an XI of spinners if needed. There’s Rashid and Noor Ahmad as their frontline options, along with Mohammad Nabi. They have also got Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar and Sharafuddin Ashraf in the squad. That said, he felt that it wasn’t a given that Afghanistan would do well just because they had competent spinners.”We saw during the triangular series that just because the ball is spinning, it doesn’t automatically mean we’re going to win games,” Trott said. “We still have to do everything else well, and I stress that. Yes, our spinners have played a lot of franchise cricket and plenty of international T20 and ODI cricket, but we’ve got to be consistent across all departments. That’s why we work so hard as a side.”Right now, we have a great opportunity with the Asia Cup. Looking a bit further ahead, with the World Cup coming up in February, we have good memories of playing in the subcontinent – in Sri Lanka and India. It can be tempting to look too far ahead, but for now, Bangladesh is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and we’re focused on winning that game.”

Power in the batting and versatility in the bowling has been the cornerstone for Hurricanes’ impressive run to the decider

Tristan Lavalette26-Jan-2025The picturesque Bellerive Oval, renamed Ninja Stadium these days and nestled on the eastern shore of the Derwent River, has probably never experienced this type of bedlam before.After more than 13,000 fans were whipped into a frenzy by ferocious 150kph bowling from speedster Riley Meredith, Hobart Hurricanes staved off a fightback from competition power Sydney Sixers in the qualifying final to lift into a first BBL home grand final.Giddy fans in the terraces, many of whom were garbed in purple, were hysterical in rare scenes for a mostly downtrodden franchise. Hurricanes have never won a BBL title with Melbourne Stars the only other team with that dubious distinction.Related

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Before the Sixers victory, Hurricanes had won just two finals matches in their history and none at home. Fans had also dropped off the ‘Cane train’ in recent years with crowds sparse in an oddity compared to the other one-team cities that enjoy massive support.It was a far cry from the days when Hurricanes regularly attracted crowds of 16-18,000 during the BBL’s peak in the middle of last decade. But Tasmanians are warming to this power-laden Hurricanes side that will start favourites against Sydney Thunder in Monday’s decider.Eager fans reportedly lined up outside Bellerive Oval for tickets at 5am, five hours before booths opened, on Saturday amid temperatures of only around 12 degrees Celsius.”To play in front of a full Ninja Stadium the other day was pretty amazing,” Hurricanes captain Nathan Ellis told ESPNcricinfo. “To be able to have a final in front of a home crowd, I feel really privileged to be a part of it. This year was a point of pride for us, in trying to make a point of difference and get people to come down here.”Riley Meredith’s pace has provided a cutting edge•Getty ImagesBeing in this position seemed unlikely for Hurricanes after they were routed for 74 by Melbourne Renegades on a tacky Geelong surface in an eventual six-wicket season-opening defeat.It was a gut punch for Hurricanes, long derided as underachievers having missed finals two seasons in a row. Moments after the loss, Ellis got the team together for an on-field rallying cry.”Boys, it’s the first game of a tournament. The conditions probably didn’t suit us tonight. Let’s leave this here,” Ellis told his team-mates.It was only the second game of the season, but an under-pressure Hurricanes needed a confidence building victory at home against BBL powerhouse Perth Scorchers.After Ellis elected to bowl, Meredith set the tone and shook up Scorchers’ top-order before Mitchell Owen – relatively unknown to the wider public – lit a fuse under Hurricanes’ season with an unbeaten 101 from 64 balls, including five monstrous sixes, to mow down the target of 156.

We’ve got some pretty imposing figures, but the biggest thing is the fact that Mitch [Owen] doesn’t go out feeling like we’re relying on him for runs. Tim David doesn’t go out feeling like we’re relying on him for runsNathan Ellis

A strapping seam bowling allrounder, Owen had shown flashes of his big-hitting capabilities well down the order across formats. But Hurricanes’ hierarchy in the off-season devised plans to utilise him in the powerplay although Owen was only backed in as an opener days before the Renegades match.It wasn’t envisioned as some type of ingenious idea, but Owen’s spectacular success – where he became the competition’s most formidable batter in the powerplay – has unlocked a previously inconsistent batting order.As the season wore on, Hurricanes have been able to strategise and bat around Owen’s muscular hitting in the powerplay and Tim David’s similar fireworks in the power surge and death overs.With a staggering strike-rate this season of 191.11, Owen has continually given Hurricanes’ fliers while David has dominated the backend with a strike-rate of 177.62.It has created more defined roles for the other batters instead of the mishmash that existed in previous seasons. Opener Caleb Jewell has complemented Owen at the top of the order, performing the role as an anchor underlined by a strike-rate of 116.15.Ben McDermott, who once clubbed consecutive BBL tons, has somewhat reined in his belligerent batting, while Matthew Wade has been adaptable and shifted between the top-order and the finishing role.

"It's a brilliant sight!"@HurricanesBBL Chris Jordan full of praise for Riley Meredith bowling 150km+ in the Big Bash.#AroundTheWicket @ESPNAusNZ @ESPNcricinfo
WATCH: https://t.co/nJQev547U5 pic.twitter.com/aMctMQMBM8

— Neroli Meadows (@Neroli_Meadows) January 22, 2025

Among all of that, Indian batter Nikhil Chaudhary established himself as an important link between the destructive bookends of Owen and David. Chaudhary burst into BBL prominence last season with his flamboyant, 360-degree style of batting, but this season he’s adjusted his game.He’s been able to absorb pressure in the middle overs and help build a platform for David to capitalise on. His statistics are modest, but Chaudhary has made seven scores this season between 20 and 42.”We’ve got some pretty imposing figures, but the biggest thing is the fact that Mitch [Owen] doesn’t go out feeling like we’re relying on him for runs. Tim David doesn’t go out feeling like we’re relying on him for runs,” Ellis said. “I think we’ve got a group that has such good experiences, such good players to adapt to situations. Guys like Caleb, Nikhil, they sort of go unnoticed but have been brilliant.”While overshadowed by the batting order, Hurricanes’ attack has worked as a unit. Meredith’s rockets gets them going with the new ball and, though naturally expensive at times, he has been more consistent this season.Ellis’ canny changes of pace and deadly yorkers – characteristics that puts him right on the fringe of Australia’s white-ball teams – sees him often bowling the tough overs of the power surge and at the death. Chris Jordan also musters his wealth of experience to be a reliable option in the backend.Tim David remains an x-factor in the batting order•Getty ImagesSpinners Chaudhary and Peter Hatzoglou have bowled tidily, conceding less than eight runs an over, to further reinforce a team where almost every player is contributing with their specific role.”It’s probably changed a little bit now, but throughout the tournament, you never saw Hurricanes players leading the wickets or leading the runs, but you saw us at the top of the ladder,” Ellis said. “That was something that I was really proud of, something I was really staunch on. The fact that every win we had, it felt like 11 blokes had their thumbprint on it.”Much like the long-time formula for Scorchers and Sixers, Hurricanes have benefited from continuity with a core group of players who have been together for a while now.They’ve gone through some tough times, but this playing group is on the cusp of creating history for Hurricanes as they reel in their long-suffering supporters.”We’ve got a fair few guys who have played together a lot,” Ellis said. “We enjoy each other’s company and I think you can see that on the field. I think it’s a really healthy environment. I know how big this game is for Tasmanian cricket. Hopefully we can be the first ones to bring home the silverware.”

Big Picture: NZ under the pump

Two matches in, New Zealand are already at risk of playing catch-up in the Women’s World Cup. Two brilliant innings from captain Sophie Devine haven’t been able to save them as they lost to Australia and South Africa. That makes them one of two winless teams in this tournament.New Zealand hadn’t played an ODI in six months prior to the World Cup. The rust has shown: before losing to Australia and South Africa, they suffered defeats in their warm-up games against India and India A. Apart from Devine, who has contributed 42% of New Zealand’s runs in the tournament so far, the batters have struggled for fluency and the bowling has lacked bite. Against South Africa, they also let themselves down in the field with seven misfields, a reflection of a team that has looked undercooked.Bangladesh, in contrast, are on the rise. They stunned Pakistan, pushed England hard, and are brimming with belief. Their batting hasn’t quite clicked, but their bowlers have done the job with Marufa Akter consistently striking with the new ball and the spinners keeping a tight leash through the middle overs. With Brooke Halliday the only left-hander in the batting order, New Zealand’s right-hand-heavy line-up could be tested by left-arm spinner Nahida Akter and the legspin duo of Fahima Khatun and Rabeya Khan.They’ve never beaten New Zealand in ODIs, having lost both their completed games by a big margin in 2022. But with spin expected to play a big role in Guwahati on Friday, Bangladesh will be keen to use the conditions to their advantage. Unlike New Zealand, they have already played a game at this venue in the World Cup.

Form Guide

Bangladesh LWLLW (last five matches, most recent first)
New Zealand LLWWLSuzie Bates is yet to open her account in this World Cup•ICC via Getty Images

In the spotlight: Fahima Khatun and Suzie Bates

Fahima Khatun was near unplayable against England on Tuesday, returning remarkable figures of 3 for 16. She dismissed Nat Sciver-Brunt, Emma Lamb, and Sophia Dunkley, and celebrated each wicket with her trademark jig. Fahima’s slow, loopy legspin tied England down; she conceded just one boundary in 60 balls. She also had Heather Knight caught at cover, but the low catch was ruled not out by the TV umpire, a pivotal moment that arguably swung the game.New Zealand have missed the runs from Suzie Bates from the top of the order, who will be coming into this match off two consecutive ducks. She struggled to score off her first eight balls against Australia, eventually falling to left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux, while she fell for a golden duck against South Africa to Marizanne Kapp. She will need to find a way to see off a red-hot Marufa, who’s coming off four wickets in two games.

Team news: Is Mair fit and ready?

Bangladesh are unlikely to change their combination unless there’s a last-minute injury or illness. Marufa, who bowled only five overs against England and was off the field with cramps, is “fit and ready” for Friday’s game, Nahida said at the press conference.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Rubya Haider, 2 Sharmin Akhter, 3 Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), 4 Sobhana Mostary, 5 Mst Ritu Moni, 6 Shorna Akter, 7 Fahima Khatun, 8 Nahida Akter, 9 Rabeya Khan, 10 Marufa Akter, 11 Sanjida Akter MeghlaNew Zealand assistant coach Craig McMillan had said that right-arm quick Rosemary Mair was “close to fitness” before their previous fixture against South Africa. If she’s fit, New Zealand may bring her in for Jess Kerr.New Zealand (probable): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr/Rosemary Mair, 9 Lea Tahuhu, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Bree Illing

Pitch and conditions: Spin to win

Spinners have taken 75% of the wickets (33 out of 44 total wickets) in the three matches in Guwahati so far this World Cup. There is a possibility of a rain-interrupted start.

Stats and Trivia: Tahuhu gears up for 100th ODI

• New Zealand fast bowler Lea Tahuhu will be playing her 100th ODI on Friday.
• Marufa Akter has eight wickets in the powerplay this year, the second most by a bowler in women’s ODIs.
• Brooke Halliday is 57 runs away from 1000 ODI runs. She will become the 18th New Zealand batter to the feat.

Quotes

“There has been quite a bit of turn and bounce in the nets, which is exciting for my bowling. But on the other hand with batting, it’s just being really disciplined in the best way to play spin. We know with Bangladesh, they’ve, I think apart from the opening bowler, they’re a spin-heavy attack and they’ve had a lot of teams in trouble as well throughout this tournament we’ve seen. So, I think being really disciplined with the bat, you have to sum up conditions really quickly and then work out what your best game plan is.”

Who are the big stars in action, what do the teams look like, and everything else you need to know about SA20 2025

Deivarayan Muthu08-Jan-2025Sunrisers Eastern Cape are the defending champions, right?Indeed. Having won the tournament in 2023 and 2024, Sunrisers, under captain Markram and coach Adrian Birrell, will gun for a three-peat. If they manage to do so, they will emulate Jaffna Kings, who had recently won three titles in a row at the Lanka Premier League.Related

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Sunrisers have a particularly strong local core – Markram, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs and Ottneil Baartman – with some talented overseas players complementing them. They have lost Dan Worrall, who was their powerplay specialist last season, to Gulf Giants in the ILT20, but have filled that void by bringing in Craig Overton, who can also swing the new ball from his tall frame, and added Richard Gleeson, who can clock 140kph, to their roster. They have strengthened their batting by snapping up David Bedingham, who is set for his SA20 bow.Markram had a wretched 2024 with the bat in T20Is, but you just can’t look past him and his team in the SA20.Who will challenge Sunrisers for the title?MI had finished rock bottom in 2023 and 2024, but if they perform to potential this season, they could challenge the might of Sunrisers. Before combining with Jasprit Bumrah in the IPL for Mumbai Indians, Trent Boult will work with Kagiso Rabada in a partnership that promises to be just as mouth-watering.Reeza Hendricks, for whom MI forked out Rand 4.3 million will reunite with his Lions team-mates Rassie van der Dussen at MI in the SA20. This is a chance for allrounder Corbin Bosch, MI’s wildcard signing, to enhance his reputation after having enjoyed a memorable Test debut for South Africa in the Boxing Day fixture.Rashid Khan will lead a side that also has Colin Ingram, George Linde and Nuwan Thushara in its ranks. In a significant blow, however, Ben Stokes is set to miss the SA20 with a recurrence of a hamstring tear, for which he has had surgery.South Africa’s best players can play the SA20 this time without worrying about ignoring international cricket•AFP/Getty ImagesDoes the league clash with SA’s international commitments again?No. Not this time.The SA20’s clash with SA’s Test series in New Zealand caused a stir last year, with the CSA prioritising its league over Test cricket at the time. Any South African player with an SA20 deal was informed of their contractual obligations to play in the tournament ahead of the Tests, which resulted in a squad with seven uncapped players, including the stand-in captain Neil Brand, being selected for the New Zealand tour.The SA20, however, overlaps with other T20 tournaments – Australia’s Big Bash League, UAE’s ILT20, New Zealand’s Super Smash and the Bangladesh Premier League.What’s the format of the league like?The top-four teams in the six-team league will qualify for the knockouts, which will have IPL-style qualifiers and an eliminator. To summarise, the teams placed first and second after the league phase will play in the first qualifier, with the winner going straight to the final. The teams placed third and fourth will play an eliminator with the loser out of contention. Then, the loser of the first qualifier will play the winner of the eliminator to determine the second finalist.Gqeberha is set to host the first qualifier while Centurion will stage the eliminator and second qualifier. The final will be held in Johannesburg on February 8.Tell me about the big overseas names who will be in actionDespite the clashes, the SA20 has some big drawcards, including Rashid, Boult, Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Matheesha Pathirana and Dinesh Karthik.Boult will complete the MI set, having already played for their teams in the IPL (Mumbai Indians), MLC (MI New York) and ILT20 (MI Emirates). For Williamson and Conway, this will be their first stints at the SA20. Williamson will play for Durban’s Super Giants while Conway will reunite with Stephen Fleming at Joburg Super Kings, having already won the IPL title under him at CSK.Having “sold everything” and left South Africa, the Johannesburg-born Conway will have a special homecoming at this SA20. Back in the day, Conway and Tabraiz Shamsi used to be house-mates in South Africa but then their paths diverged. Years later, at the SA20, their paths will converge again.Also, watch out for Pathirana vs Thushara in the battle of the Lasith Malinga clones.Dinesh Karthik will become the first Indian to take part in the SA20•Abu Dhabi T10Did you mention Dinesh Karthik?Yes, the former India international will rock up for Paarl Royals this season. He’s set to become the first Indian to feature in the SA20 and will also serve as the tournament’s brand ambassador. Since retiring from Indian and international cricket in June 2024, Karthik has been part of the Legends League and the Abu Dhabi T10 league.Family affairsHaving been hit by injuries, JSK have called up allrounder Hardus Viljoen, who will play under his brother-in-law Faf du Plessis, who had led St Lucia Kings to the CPL title in 2024.JP King, who was invited for JSK’s training sessions last season, will join them as a rookie player for this season while his brother CJ King will be part of the Super Giants side.The Bosch brothers – Corbin and Eathan – were on the same side (Pretoria Capitals) in SA20 2024, but Corbin has now moved to MI, which could add some spice to the MI-Capitals clash.Is Imran Tahir still an active T20 player?Indeed. Imran Tahir, who will turn 46 in March, is still going strong in T20 cricket. He will link up with Shamsi and Maheesh Theekshana at JSK. Tahir is currently the fourth-highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket, with 526 strikes in 420 games.What about the Impact Player rule?The SA20 doesn’t have the Impact Player rule in place like the IPL, but teams can name their final XIs after the toss. Captains can take two team sheets to the toss – one with their bat-first XI and the other with their bowl-first XI – and offer up the final list once the toss has been completed.

Bangladesh made three other changes to the side that played Sri Lanka while India went in unchanged

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-2025Toss Jaker Ali, Bangladesh’s 12th T20I captain, won his first toss and chose to bowl in the Asia Cup Super Fours match against India in Dubai. Jaker stepped into the role – and also took over the wicketkeeping gloves – with Litton Das ruled out with a side strain.With Litton out, Parvez Hossain Emon came back into the side and is expected to open alongside Tanzid Hasan, with Saif Hasan moving down to No. 3. Bangladesh made three other changes from the XI that beat Sri Lanka on Saturday, all to their bowling attack. Out went the offspinner Mahedi Hasan and seamers Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, and in came legspinner Rishad Hossain, fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and the seam-bowling allrounder Mohammad Saifuddin, who plays his first match of the tournament.India were unchanged as expected.India: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit BumrahBangladesh: 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Parvez Hossain Emon, 3 Saif Hasan, 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Jaker Ali (capt & wk), 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Mohammad Saifuddin, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Nasum Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Chelsea striker Liam Delap sung the praises of a Stamford Bridge teenager after the 3-0 rout of Barcelona, describing him as “so raw” but “so exciting”.

Blues breeze to victory against Barcelona in the Champions League

The Blues made a major statement by defeating Barca 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, leaving goalkeeper Robert Sanchez optimistic they can go all the way and win Europe’s elite competition for the third time.

Delap scored his first goal since making the move to Stamford Bridge from Ipswich Town in the summer, capping off what was a fantastic all-round display against the reigning La Liga champions, and the centre-forward was left impressed by how they executed the game plan.

The Englishman could be in line for a start on Sunday, courtesy of scoring after replacing Alejandro Garnacho in the second half, potentially alongside Estevao, who bagged the second goal in the 3-0 victory.

Indeed, the 11-cap Brazil international once again caught the eye, also creating one big chance, making three key passes and completing two successful dribbles.

Speaking after the game, Delap took the time to praise his teammate, who has now established himself as a key player for the Blues.

Estevao draws Messi comparisons after remarkable solo goal

It would be fair to say Enzo Maresca was also left very impressed with the Brazilian’s performance, taking the time to praise his fantastic solo goal, saying: “The goal Estevao scored reminded me of the one [Lionel Messi] scored against us in the Club World Cup. It’s very similar, the same action.”

With Sanchez of the belief Chelsea are the favourites to win the Champions League this season, the 18-year-old could be key to their success, having already scored three goals in the competition, which is more than any of his teammates.

Not only has the starlet been impressing at club level, but he has also continued to impress for Brazil, having scored four goals in his last four matches, which bodes well for the Seleção Canarinho as we edge closer to the 2026 World Cup.

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Perhaps Chelsea’s toughest game so far this season is penciled in for this weekend, as they take on Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, but if Estevao is firing on all cylinders, Maresca’s side certainly stand a chance of defeating their London rivals and closing the gap at the top of the Premier League table to just three points.

With less than two months to go before the January transfer window opens for business, there is already speculation about what Leeds United are going to do to their squad.

The Whites have picked up 11 points in 11 Premier League matches and sit one point above the relegation zone as a newly-promoted team, which is a respectable, but not ideal, position to be in.

Daniel Farke may want to bolster his squad with more quality in the offensive areas, because the team has only scored 11 goals in their 11 top-flight matches so far this season.

The lack of goals for the Championship champions has not been because of a lack of creativity, though, as they have missed too many high-quality opportunities in the final third.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2.89

1

-1.89

Jayden Bogle

0.88

0

-0.88

Brenden Aaronson

1.79

1

-0.79

Joel Piroe

0.73

0

-0.73

Pascal Struijk

0.65

0

-0.65

Dan James

0.47

0

-0.47

Jack Harrison

0.41

0

-0.41

As you can see in the table above, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been particularly wasteful with the chances that have been created for him in the Premier League.

Former Leeds striker Patrick Bamford signed for Sheffield United earlier this week, and the Whites need to be looking for their next version of the English forward.

Why Leeds need to find their next Patrick Bamford

The experienced marksman left Elland Road on a free transfer in the summer after he failed to score a single goal in 18 appearances in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

It is not last season’s Bamford that Leeds need to find a new version of, though. Instead, the 49ers need to find Farke’s own version of Bamford from the 2020/21 campaign under Marcelo Bielsa.

After Leeds were last promoted to the Premier League, in the summer of 2020, the former Chelsea and Middlesbrough attacker played a pivotal role in the club’s survival and eventual top-half finish in their first season back in the big time.

The left-footed centre-forward scored 17 goals, including a hat-trick against Aston Villa in the highlights above, and provided seven assists in 38 appearances in the division in that term.

Since that impressive season from the former England international, no Leeds player has scored more than 13 goals in a single Premier League campaign.

25/26

Noah Okafor

Joe Rodon

Lukas Nmecha

2

22/23

Rodrigo

13

21/22

Raphinha

11

20/21

Patrick Bamford

17

As you can see in the table above, the club’s top three scorers in the current term have all managed just two goals, which speaks to the lack of outstanding goalscorers within the squad.

This illustrates how badly the Whites need to find their next version of 2020/21 Bamford, due to their lack of goalscorers, and they are reportedly interested in a star who could be exactly that.

Leeds chasing move for Eredivisie star

According to LeedsUnitedNews, the Premier League new boys are eyeing up a swoop for AZ Alkmaar centre-forward Troy Parrott in the upcoming January transfer window.

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The report claims that the Whites are now looking at signing the Ireland international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, as they chase a winter deal for the marksman.

It adds that Leeds had scouts in attendance to watch his performance for the Republic of Ireland against Portugal earlier this week, when he netted twice against Roberto Martinez’s side.

The same outlet has posted an update on Farke’s future at Elland Road, explaining that the 49ers are not ready to pull the plug on him yet, but that they could be forced to make a decision if results do not improve.

With this in mind, Leeds could save themselves from having to remove the German head coach from his role by signing Parrott to save his job in January.

Why Leeds should sign Troy Parrott

The Whites should swoop for the Irish centre-forward because his performances in the Netherlands this season suggest that he has the quality to be Bamford 2.0, which would help to push the club up the table.

Per FotMob, Leeds are 10th in the Premier League for xPTS (15) and have underperformed their xG of 13.2 by 2.2, as they have only scored 11 goals. This suggests that Farke and his coaching staff have not been rewarded for the performances that they have coached, due to poor finishing.

These statistics indicate that it is not the German boss who should be under fire for where the team are in the division, and that signing a clinical striker could change the perception of the job that he is doing in the dugout.

Parrott, as shown in the graphic above, enjoyed an incredibly prolific first season with AZ Alkmaar in the 2024/25 campaign, netting 20 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions.

The former Tottenham Hotspur youngster, once dubbed “phenomenal” by former boss Ryan Lowe, has proven that his form last term was not a flash in the pan, as he has carried his exceptional goalscoring exploits into the current season.

Appearances

7

7

xG

5.56

N/A

Goals

6

7

Minutes per goal

87

59

Conversion rate

25%

N/A

Big chances created

2

3

Assists

0

1

As you can see in the table above, Parrott has scored 13 goals in 14 appearances in all competitions for AZ Alkmaar, on top of the two goals that he scored for Ireland against Portugal.

This means that the striker has already scored an eye-catching 15 goals for club and country in the 2025/26 campaign, whilst no Leeds player has scored more than twice in all competitions.

Parrott, per Sofascore, has scored 37 goals from 30.67 xG in the Eredivisie since the start of the 2023/24 season, which suggests that he is the clinical striker that Leeds are crying out for at the moment.

Therefore, the Ireland international could be the next Bamford to fire the Whites to safety with his prolific goalscoring, whilst saving Farke’s job in the process by making the most of his coaching to improve the results picked up by the team.

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