Manchester United have now entered the race to sign a “deadly finisher” who’s been dubbed “England’s Ousmane Dembele”.

Man Utd keen on new forward despite impressive Brighton showing

Man United invested heavily in their frontline during the summer transfer window, and they have now started reaping the rewards, picking up all three points courtesy of a fantastic attacking display against Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.

Ruben Amorim’s side ran out 4-2 winners against the Seagulls, and their new-look front three were on top form, with Matheus Cunha scoring his first goal since arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Benjamin Sesko grabbed an assist.

Bryan Mbeumo was undoubtedly the star man, however, picking up a brace and creating one big chance in what was an extremely encouraging performance, not long after being described as United’s “best player” so far this season by Wayne Rooney.

The Red Devils must err on the side of caution, but recent results mean there is plenty of cause for optimism heading into November, moving up to sixth in the Premier League table.

Despite their attacking prowess, Man United have now joined the race to sign another winger, according to a report from The Boot Room, which credits them with an interest in Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga.

Having emerged as a first-team regular for Leicester, the forward has started to attract attention from a number of top Premier League clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, but Manchester City are currently leading the race for his signature.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey provides further information on the situation, saying: “Interest remains high, and there is a belief that by January he could be ready to make a move.

“Leicester are hoping that giving him regular first-team opportunities will convince him to stay until the summer, when he can sign a professional deal. At that point, the club could either sell him or at least secure a fee, rather than risk losing him for minimal compensation.”

"Deadly finisher" Monga could be "England's Ousmane Dembele"

There are few greater compliments than being compared to a Ballon d’Or winner, and Ben Mattinson has likened the Leicester youngster to the most recent winner of the prestigious award, while also praising his finishing.

Just 16-years-old, the teenager has already made 19 senior appearances for Leicester and grabbed his first senior goal, which showcases just how much potential he has, so it is little wonder Man United are in the race.

Cunha, Sesko and Mbeumo are currently looking like an exciting attacking trio, but it is always worth planning for the future, and if Monga continues receiving first-team football with the Foxes, it may not be too long before he is capable of starting for a top club.

Scott McTominay could be on his way back to the Premier League after Newcastle United entered the race to secure his signature alongside a number of rivals.

The Magpies, with their PSR problems behind them, have set their sights on building a side capable of staying inside the Premier League’s top four and that may start with their midfield.

Already, those at St James’ Park have tied Sandro Tonali down to a new deal at the club after holding secret talks with the Italian and now rumours are emerging as to who could join the former AC Milan man.

At 25 years old, Tonali is increasingly likely to play a key role under Eddie Howe for years to come and Newcastle could even decide to build the heart of their side around the midfielder, whilst also pursuing the likes of Elliot Anderson.

The Nottingham Forest star has been linked with a return to Tyneside just over a year since leaving Newcastle for the Midlands in what would be a sensational move.

Howe even went as far as to admit that there’s some regret that Newcastle were left with no choice but to sell Anderson amid PSR problems last year. That alone suggests that he’d be more than happy to welcome the England international back with open arms.

By signing Anderson just after securing Tonali’s future, PIF could also be opening the door for a Ballon d’Or nominee to take his place in Newcastle’s midfield.

Newcastle in pole position to sign Scott McTominay

Newcastle are now in pole position to sign McTominay from Napoli alongside Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, according to TeamTalk. Both sides are reportedly joined by Barcelona in the race to welcome the Scotland international, who is also expected to be offered a new deal in Italy.

When McTominay left Manchester United in 2024, the Red Devils were happy to show him the door. Now, over a year later, he has the world at his feet and was even a 2025 Ballon d’Or nominee. His rise has been sensational, and he could yet make a return to England to end some unfinished business.

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Newcastle may well part ways with this Howe mainstay at the end of the campaign.

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To no surprise, Howe also reportedly believes McTominay is the perfect fit for his Newcastle side and views him as someone who would help the Magpies stay in the Champions League.

Described as “special” by former Man United boss Jose Mourinho, the midfielder has finally realised his full potential and now has another big decision to make.

Ross Wilson now wants Newcastle to sign Joelinton heir

Leeds United have been linked with making an out of work manager their next boss and a new update has dropped regarding the situation, amid doubts over Daniel Farke’s future.

The Whites sit 16th in the Premier League table currently, with four defeats in their last five matches in the competition seeing the pressure increase on Farke and Marco Rose linked with replacing him.

That said, Sky Sports‘ Zinny Boswell has recently played down rumours of Farke being relieved of his duties any time soon, although there is a tough run of fixtures on the horizon.

“Leeds have no plans to change their head coach as things stand amid growing discontent among supporters and, after taking 11 points from 11 Premier League games, the club and Farke feel the team are currently on course to achieve their goal of survival.

“Sitting one point above the relegation zone, Leeds have the hardest schedule in the Premier League over the next five matches, according to Opta, with Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool visiting Elland Road as well as trips to Manchester City and Brentford. The fact Farke’s scheduled in for broadcast interviews next week is as strong an indication as any that he will be in the hot seat for at least some of those games and, although it is a daunting run, there is a belief internally that the Elland Road factor is a reason for optimism.”

"Available" Rodgers linked with replacing Farke at Leeds

Now, speaking to Leeds United News, journalist Graeme Bailey has discussed Brendan Rodgers being Leeds’ next boss, saying he could be a strong option something which “piles the pressure” on Farke.

There is plenty to admire about Rodgers as a manager, should he become a genuine option for Leeds, with the 52-year-old winning the FA Cup with Leicester City in 2021 and guiding Celtic to four Scottish Premiership titles, among other trophies.

He is an attack-minded manager famed for playing good football in a 4-3-3 formation, and he has huge experience in the Premier League, even coming close to winning the title with Liverpool back in 2013/14, entertaining the masses and getting the best out of the likes of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard.

Farke must drop Ampadu to unleash Leeds star who's like Declan Rice

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Dan Emery

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That said, it doesn’t appear as though 49ers Enterprises are going to rush into a decision with Farke for the time being, but the situation could change if they struggle in these tough upcoming games.

Leeds now eyeing 4-4-2 "quick and dynamic" manager to replace Daniel Farke

Glasgow Rangers made it four wins from four matches in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday when they beat Livingston 2-1 at Ibrox, thanks to goals from Emmanuel Fernandez and Mohamed Diomande.

Danny Rohl, who has now won all of his league games in charge of the club so far, was not entirely pleased with his team’s performance in the narrow win against Livi, though, as evidenced by his post-game comments below.

The former Sheffield Wednesday head coach wants to see improvement from his players in the weeks and months to come, as the Light Blues look to ensure that they can make something successful out of this campaign.

Rangers are already nine points adrift of first place in the Premiership, per Sofascore, but they are still in the Europa League and have the SFA Cup to play for in the second half of the season.

As Rohl said after Saturday’s game, the Light Blues simply need to improve their performances if they want to be in contention to win things by the business end of the season.

That means that individuals need to step up and become reliable performers, as too many of them have been inconsistent at best. One of those inconsistent players has been summer signing Djeidi Gassama.

Why Rangers should be concerned by Djeidi Gassama's form

After a return of four goals in six Champions League qualifiers, per Transfermarkt, the French forward looked like he was a steal of a signing at £2.2m from Sheffield Wednesday.

He was a shining light in those European matches during Russell Martin’s dismal tenure, and even added a goal in the league phase of the Europa League against Sturm Graz in a 2-1 defeat in the manager’s penultimate game in charge.

Unfortunately, though, Gassama has been unable to deliver consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in his time in the Premiership so far, with one goal and one assist in 12 appearances in the division, per Sofascore.

After his stunning start to life at Ibrox in the early European games, there may have been some hope that he could kick on to become the club’s new Ryan Kent, who produced 33 goals and 56 assists in 218 outings for the Light Blues, per Transfermarkt.

Appearances

12

Starts

11

Goals

1

Minutes per goal

972

Conversion rate

4%

Big chances created

0

Key passes per game

0.8

Assists

1

As you can see in the table above, Gassama has not provided a Kent-esque presence on the left flank for the Scottish giants in the Premiership this season, with two goal contributions in 12 matches.

His inconsistency, as evidenced by his contrasting form domestically and in Europe, should be a concern for Rangers, given that he is starting almost every league game yet failing to deliver quality on a consistent basis.

This is why Rohl may need to look at alternative options in the left wing position in the coming weeks, as the Gers may need a new starter in that role if Gassama is unable to add more consistency to his domestic displays.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Daily Record recently noted that Wales international Rabbi Matondo has returned to training after a lengthy injury lay-off that had seen him unavailable for the entirety of Martin’s tenure, and speculated that he could be in for a chance under Rohl.

Why Rangers should give Rabbi Matondo a chance to shine

It would be completely understandable if any Rangers supporters were not too enthused by the prospect of the Welsh forward returning to the team to get another chance, given that he has played zero minutes this season and spent the second half of last season on loan at Hannover.

However, if he is now back in training and is fit and available for selection, the German head coach should provide him with a chance to shine, because it has been his availability rather than his ability that has been an issue throughout his career in Scotland.

Per Transfermarkt, Matondo missed 20 games in his first season at Ibrox through injury, then 19 in his second, and 23 for Rangers and Hannover combined in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he simply has not been available enough in recent years.

When fit, though, the former Manchester City youngster has shown that he has the quality to be a difference-maker on the left flank, with eight goals and 11 assists in 64 appearances, per Transfermarkt, for Rangers.

Matondo, who was once lauded as “electrifying” by former manager Ryan Giggs, has averaged a goal or an assist for the Gers every 139 minutes on average, per Transfermarkt, which is an incredibly impressive return.

Appearances

218

24

67

Minutes

17,732

1,823

2,641

Goals

33

6

8

Minutes per goal

537

303

330

Assists

56

2

11

Minutes per assist

317

911

240

Minutes per goal contribution

199

228

139

As you can see in the table above, Gassama and Kent have both failed to deliver goals and assists as frequently as the Wales international in their respective Rangers careers.

One area in which Gassama particularly struggles is the creative side of the game, as evidenced by his return of an assist every 911 minutes, whilst Matondo has assisted goals even more regularly than Kent did.

This does not mean that the Welsh whiz will automatically become a star if he stays fit and plays week-in-week-out for Rohl, because he has not played a single minute this season and could need time to settle back in to playing competitive football.

However, his statistics for Rangers throughout his career suggest that he has the potential to be Rohl’s own version of Kent as a lightning-quick winger who can provide a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which is something Gassama has failed to do so far.

Fewer touches than Butland: Rohl must bin "missing" Rangers flop after Livi

Rangers did claim another league win over Livingston on Saturday, but one player went “missing” at Ibrox, registering fewer touches than Jack Butland.

Nov 23, 2025

The Sri Lanka opener looks back on some of the most memorable moments in his career and ahead to his team’s future in Test cricket

Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Feb-2025Dimuth Karunaratne looks back on his career as he prepares to play his 100th and final Test.You made your debut in Galle as well. What are your memories of that match?
I was shocked when I heard I was coming into the national squad. But what everyone said was that staying in the team is much harder than getting into the team. I went to the middle with so many expectations, and I got out for a duck first innings. I thought I’d lost all the hard work I ever did in just a moment. I was only there as an injury replacement, so I thought I’d never play for Sri Lanka again.I was moping around the dressing room, when Angelo Mathews came and spoke to me, and told me he’d got a duck in his first innings as well. Other seniors – Mahela Jayawardena, Marvan Atapattu and others – came and encouraged me. So, I played with a lot of determination in the second innings and managed to get 60 not out. But more than the actual cricket in that match, what I actually remember so clearly is all the advice I got in that dressing room. I was really broken after that innings. I wouldn’t have come this far without those players helping me pick myself up.Related

• Kusal Mendis fights for Sri Lanka as Starc and Lyon stand out

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• Karunaratne to retire from Test cricket after 100th appearance

There were some seriously great batters in the Sri Lanka team in your first few years. What was that like?
The club I played for was what was really important. When I started, SSC had Thilan Samaraweera, Mahela, Thilina Kandamby, Tharanga Paranavitana, Kaushal Silva, Jeevan Mendis – a lot of the Sri Lanka team was playing at that club. So, because I’d been around them and developed with them, there wasn’t a huge change for me when I got into the Test squad. They were also around to help me with raising my standards.I think the best thing about that time was the environment. There were some great cricketers I hadn’t shared a dressing room as well – Kumar Sangakkara, Rangana Herath, Prasanna Jayawardene. What I learned from being in that environment – about how to prepare mentally, especially – has been more valuable to me than skills. I think that positive dressing room environments are vital, which is why I focused on that when I was captain. For a player like me to get to 100 Tests, I needed to share a dressing room with those players.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhat were the biggest mistakes you made early on?
Probably the biggest one was I would get quick starts and throw it away. I was really attacking back then and would get to 20 or 30 pretty quickly, in just a few overs. But I didn’t convert a lot of those. I hadn’t hit a hundred in my first 15 Tests, I think. I was making 30s, 40s, and 60s kinds of scores.Sanath Jayasuriya was the selector at the time, and he pulled me up. I played a series in England where I was giving decent starts but not converting it, and he dropped me. He said as long as I’m not converting my starts to hundreds, he wouldn’t consider me for selection. I thought at the time that when Sanga, Mahela, and others were around, my 30s or 40s are good enough. I didn’t realise how much I needed to convert those scores until I got dropped. I think my average also sits where it does because I didn’t make those good scores in my first 15 Tests.When did you start feeling like you belonged at this level?
Probably around 2017. While Sanga and Mahela were around, they didn’t let us feel a lot of pressure and responsibility. I changed my game a lot after they retired, and I started to score some consistent runs. That’s when I sort of realised how much more the team could be getting from me. I learned how to handle pressure better at the top level, and think I had a consistent run until 2023. I think right through those years I played with a lot of confidence.You’ve played in an era that’s especially tough on openers. What are your reflections on that?
Yeah, I do think I’ve played in a difficult era. The number of flat pitches I’ve batted on are very few – maybe five or six surfaces in the hundred? A lot of the conditions I’ve played on are bowling friendly, and on top of that you have to face the toughest bowling with the new ball when you open. But I think I eventually learned to adapt to that challenge – a lot of that was knowing which were the tough periods that you needed to see out, which changes from place to place. You learn a lot playing Test cricket.Dimuth Karunaratne continued to be a solid presence at the top for Sri Lanka•SLCHow hard is it for an opener to get to 100 Tests?
Openers do the dirtiest job in cricket. You’re facing fresh bowlers, on fresh pitches, and are playing the new ball sometimes after you’ve been fielding for a day or two. It’s a huge challenge. One thing I learned later was how to go on to bigger scores after you’ve survived the toughest part. Scoring that first 50 as an opener is hugely difficult compared to scoring 50 at No. 4 or 5. So it’s a huge miss if you fail to convert those tough starts – why let other batters score those runs, when you could be scoring them yourself?You’ve scored a lot of runs against spin, including against top attacks. But you barely play the sweep. How did that come about?
I learned that in 2017 in a series against India. R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were bowling, and it was incredibly difficult to face them. Once they start bowling together there’s not a loose ball to be found anywhere. They tend to start bowling very early in the innings as well, so there’s just no chance to score. I learned a lot of patience in that series. I’d bat out their first spells, second spells, third spells, and eventually the loose balls started to come. In that series, I had a small, simple gameplan – I’m only playing these three shots, nothing else. It worked nicely. Ashwin couldn’t get me out lbw, or caught behind. And eventually, I could go into my scoring shots. I scored a lot of runs that series (285 in six innings).I kept applying that method to other bowlers, and it just kept working. I’d be patient early in their spells, and later find them much easier to negotiate. I didn’t ever really need to play a sweep shot and take a calculated risk when I batted like that. But I did play the reverse – which I could play much better than the sweep. That helped build run-scoring options on the off side because a lot of teams would have a packed leg side for me.

“I do think I’ve played in a difficult era. The number of flat pitches I’ve batted on are very few.”Dimuth Karunaratne on the challenges of being a Test opener

You once told me you had Dean Elgar’s ESPNcricinfo profile bookmarked, because he was a more established player at the time, and you wanted to catch up with his numbers. What other players have you targeted?
There are so many openers I’ve looked at, even former players. Graeme Smith, Alastair Cook who scored so many runs in England, which for me is the hardest place to bat. I wanted to know how he did it. But this was a habit that I picked up in the SSC dressing room. We used to look at each other’s stats and hundreds, and try to catch each other up. Tharanga Paranavitana was chasing Thilan Samaraweera, and then Kaushal Silva would be catching up. I just kept doing it. After Elgar retired, I looked a lot at the way Usman Khawaja was batting. There haven’t been that many openers consistently playing for longer periods, but I wanted to know how I compared to the best.But I’ve talked to these guys too, after a series, over a beer, with Elgar, Rohit Sharma, and others, and shared all that knowledge as well. How do they play when they go overseas? What’s my gameplan when I play in Sri Lanka? Sharing those stories, and statistics are a big part of cricket for me. When you’re old, you can still go on your profile and see what you achieved. It’s something that always drove me to improve my game and play longer.You’ve said in the past that Kusal Perera’s 153* is your favourite innings ever. But what about your own innings – any favourites?
There are two – my maiden hundred against New Zealand. It was the first match I was playing after getting back into the team, and there was so much pressure. I’d got out for a duck, and to hit a hundred in the second innings required a lot of thinking. That was a really tough hundred for me, against a great New Zealand attack.Then there’s my hundred at the SSC, against Jadeja and Ashwin. That was a pitch that took extreme turn. If I want to go and watch some of my past innings, those are the innings I go back to.Dimuth Karunaratne stood up to R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja on a Colombo turner in 2017•Associated PressWhat about your hundred in Bengaluru? You got a standing ovation from the crowd and it was a pink-ball Test…
I’d put that third (laughs). There was a really tough period where we had to bat a few overs against the new ball under lights, and the end of one day, I remember telling Kusal Mendis that if I survived that period, I’d somehow get a hundred the next day. (Jasprit) Bumrah and (Mohammed) Shami with the pink ball were incredibly hard to see through that night. But then things got into a flow, and I could score runs. Probably my best innings as captain.All three of those came in losses…
(Laughs) Yes, that’s pretty sad. All of those were second-innings hundreds, and maybe that was the problem. If I’d hit them in the first innings, maybe we could have won those Tests.As soon as you got the Test captaincy, you won a series in South Africa in 2019. Was that the high point?
It’s the biggest highlight. Captaincy was never something I’d chased. I’d earlier been offered the vice-captaincy, and I’d turned it down. I was afraid of those big responsibilities because I thought it would affect my game. But then when they dropped Chandi (Dinesh Chandimal) from the team, the selectors called me and said they needed an experienced player to lead the team. I thought about it, and in the games I’d captained at lower levels, my batting had been good. So, I took the job.We had a pretty young team, and I just made sure that the environment was good. I didn’t try to change many things. I backed players and tried to make them comfort. In return I got a lot from my players. We didn’t think we could win a single Test there, but then we won the first one. And in the end, we whitewashed them 2-0. It’s one of my favourite chapters of my career.Under Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka toppled South Africa 2-0 in South Africa•AFPIs there a record you feel you missed out on, in your career?
Scoring 10,000 runs is something that I had had in mind for a long time. Between 2017, 2018, and 2019, when I was scoring a lot of runs, I thought I had a chance of getting there. But then we lost about a year and a half to Covid-19, and then Sri Lanka started to play fewer Tests after the World Test Championship (WTC) started. I felt then that it would be hard to get to 10,000 runs. You’d have to play 120-130 Tests. That’s something I am quite sad about – I was quite focused on that. After Sanga and Mahela, and I thought Angie would get there too – I’d have been the fourth Sri Lankan. To do it as an opener would have been really special.I also thought at times that I should finish with 20-25 hundreds. But with the conditions that we’ve had, you have to take a lot of risks to score runs, especially in Sri Lanka. I’ve also got 10 or 11 eighties and nineties, and regret not converting those as well.I also never got to play that World Test Championship final. We were close to getting there in the last two cycles. I’ve never been to a final even with the one-day team, so never got to experience that feeling. But what to do?

“I didn’t try to change many things. I backed players and tried to make them comfortable”Dimuth Karunaratne on his captaincy

There aren’t a lot of Tests coming up for Sri Lanka. What do think about Sri Lanka’s Test future?
I saw an article that said that from 2027, World Test Championship series will be three Tests minimum. If that happened, and we played four series a year, we’d get 12 Tests. Our past players have given us an incredible Test legacy, but if you look around at the landscape now, it’s always players from the same teams that are achieving those numbers – Australia, India, and Engand. They’re the ones who are breaking the records. I’d love to see Sri Lanka’s players get enough Tests to hit those big numbers too. Hopefully it gets better after 2027.Do you think you might be the last Sri Lanka cricketer to 100 Tests?
I’ve even said this, especially to guys like Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis who aren’t that far: “If things keep going like this, no one will be able to play 100.” Hopefully Sri Lanka Cricket can organise more bilateral series to try and push it.A lot of cricketers now are focusing on white ball cricket and leagues. I’m trying to push them towards Tests.To play 100 Tests, you have to play probably 60 to 70 at a stretch without getting injured very often or without getting dropped. But if your team only plays 60 or 70 Tests in a decade, getting to a 100 Tests would take a huge amount of time. If you have 12 Tests a year, you can get to a 100.As mostly a Test specialist in this era, you would have seen a lot of players make it big in the leagues without having to put in the kind of work that Test cricket requires. How have you felt about that?
I think that’s down to players’ luck and timing. The kinds of facilities and pay we get now, the likes of Arjuna Ranatunga, or Sidath Wettimuny, didn’t get. So, you’ve got to thank the past cricketers, for giving us that platform.I know white-ball cricket and league cricket have gone very far, but in my own heart I’m happy I’ve got to a 100 Tests over chasing millions in the leagues. When people reminisce about cricket, they think about Tests. We’re still talking about Don Bradman’s record, how many double-centuries he’s scored, in how many innings. Whatever happens to me from here, there might be a list that goes up on a Test broadcast, and my son or my grandchildren will see that. I’ve got that record for life, and beyond. That’s worth a lot to me.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider is really happy. Not just for himself, but for his team and the country he now calls home. After the Blue Jays beat the Mariners to win the American League Championship Series and advance to their first World Series in more than 30-years, Schneider was interviewed by Sportsnet's Hazel Mae, who for the second straight night found herself in an iconic Toronto television moment.

On Sunday she was interviewing Vladimir Guererro Jr. when Sportsnet did a sweet 360-degree shot to soak in the atmosphere after a win in Game 6. Tonight it was just holding the microphone so Schneider could drop a couple F-bombs after a win in Game 7.

"This f—ing unbelievable for me," said Schneider. "This is my 24th year with this organization and I f—ing love it here. These fans, this country, you deserve all of this. It's not about me. It's about every single one that's behind me and I couldn't be happier to represent this team."

Schneider was drafted by the Tigers in 2001, but didn't sign and was then drafted by the Blue Jays in 2002. He spent five years in the Blue Jays' farm system before he retired and started coaching. He worked his way up through the ranks until he got to Toronto in 2019. By 2022 he was named interim manager and now he's led them to their first World Series since he was a kid in New Jersey.

The Dodgers didn't take long to open up the scoring in their National League wild-card round matchup versus the Reds on Tuesday night.

Sitting on a 2–1 count against Cincinnati starting pitcher Hunter Greene, Los Angeles lead-off hitter Shohei Ohtani turned on the fourth pitch of the at-bat—and smoked it to Dodger Stadium's right field seats.

The home run came off the DH's bat at a crisp 117.7 mph, setting a record for the hardest hit dinger off of a 100+ mph pitch in the MLB's Statcast era.

Oh yeah, and it also gave the Dodgers a quick 1–0 lead. Take a look:

What can't Shohei Ohtani do?

L.A. starting pitcher Blake Snell took care of business in the bottom of the first, not allowing a hit and striking out two, helping the Dodgers hold a 1–0 lead through one frame.

Who are the future stars and where are West Indies headed?

Andrew McGlashan in Melbourne09-Mar-2020Fielding standards must rise
Australia secured the title amid a superb display of outfielding at the MCG, but that was not the case for many teams across the tournament. A dropped catch in the opening over of the final was a moment India could not recover from. In the aftermath, Smriti Mandhana picked out fielding and fitness (the latter of those also covering running between the wickets) as the area India needed to focus on most. During the group stage there were some very poor fielding displays with Chamari Atapattu referencing 12 dropped catches during Sri Lanka’s campaign. Even South Africa, who made the knockouts, had a very poor day against Thailand which left captain Dane van Niekerk frustrated. While batting and bowling strength is down to the skill of players available, there is little excuse for not putting in the hard work to be a consistent fielding side and to be good runners between the wickets.ALSO READ: India haunted by dropped catches and poor batting form on big stageStars of the present and future
Shafali Verma had a difficult match in the final – a first-over dropped catch followed by a first-over dismissal – but the 16-year-old was one of the stars of the tournament. South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt played one of the innings of the competition with her half-century against Pakistan – and repeated the strokeplay in the semi-final against Australia – while Amelia Kerr, who has already been on the international scene for four years and is still only 19, impressed with bat and ball. These are just three names that could be part of a golden generation for the women’s game if they continue to be given the opportunity, both in investment and game time, to shine.Getty ImagesThe gap is closing
The four semi-finalists were teams who were considered likely contenders before the tournament. However, there were signs throughout that the gap is closing. Pakistan’s victory over West Indies was one of their best ever performances, while the fact they faced being toppled by Thailand in the final group match shows that no one could be taken lightly. Sri Lanka gave Australia a big scare in Perth, Bangladesh bowled New Zealand out for 91 and Thailand made 150 for 3 in their final match.ALSO READ: A celebration for Australia, a celebration for the women’s gameMore boards are now investing properly in the women’s game – if not to the levels of Australia and a lesser extent England – but there are others that still lag behind and may need assistance to further develop the game. It’s an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.West Indies a worry
Champions in 2016, semi-finalists in 2018, but West Indies were so far off the pace in this tournament – continuing a very poor run since the last T20 World Cup – as to raise serious concerns about which direction their game is heading. They made heavy weather of overcoming Thailand and were comfortably beaten by Pakistan and England. Their coach Gus Logie gave one of the most critical assessments of any side in the tournament when he called out his batters for being fearful. Hayley Matthews looked a shadow of the player she can be and, for more understandable reasons, Deandra Dottin could never get going on return from a serious shoulder injury. They face a tough road to rebuilding for next year’s 50-over World Cup and next T20 in 2022.Getty ImagesEnd double-header knockouts
The notion of playing both semi-finals on one day came from good intentions – and if it hadn’t rained in Sydney it would have worked – but putting two high-profile matches in the same location on the same day puts a lot of eggs in one basket. Also, there is an argument to say that the women’s game is growing enough to justify separate occasions for knockout matches. And there should certainly be reserve days.Power matters
One the major evolutions of the women’s game continues to be the increasing power on display. By one six (76 overall) this tournament had the most of any T20 World Cup. Megan Schutt said she had never been hit for a bigger six than the one struck by Verma in the opening match and Alyssa Healy sent one 83 meters in the final. Touch and placement remain a key part of the game, but they are no longer enough. Teams need to be able to compete with the likes of Healy, Verma, Nat Sciver, Sophie Devine, Wolvaardt and Atapattu. For Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka (aside from Atapattu) and Thailand – although their story of being here was inspirational – that is the side of their game they need to develop.Australia remain way out on topIt may seem a very obvious thing to say after victory by 85 runs in the final, but it’s the fact that up to that point Australia were challenged in every match – and with a host of different problems – that reaffirmed how good they are. Their much-lauded strength and depth was shown by how they covered for Ellyse Perry’s injury, they overturned 10 for 3 against Sri Lanka with composure and dug deep against New Zealand and South Africa with everything on the line. India were worthy winners of the opening match of the tournament, but there was a chasm between the teams in the final. That remains the challenge for everyone else: catch them if you can.

This and other vital issues are tackled in this month’s Briefing

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Jun-2020The Briefing Do you remember what cricket was like? The smell of fresh-mown leather, the sound of willow hitting stumps, fast bowlers delivering devastating googlies, batsmen shining their bats vigorously on their groins. That was the basic gist, right? It’s been a while.The route forward
As cricket plots its short-term future, several proposals for how the game can be made viable in the time of coronavirus have been put forward. Many, including the ICC’s cricket committee, have recommended not using saliva to shine balls, with some suggesting an artificial substance should be allowed for that purpose. The West Indies tour of England could go ahead in some form, though there will not be any spectators in attendance, though it is possible Dominic Cummings is due another eye test by then.What else could change? Socially distant bum pats? Close fielders unnerving batsmen with fake coughs, instead of sledges? Spraying hand sanitiser instead of champagne at trophy presentations?And if there are no fans in the stands for the foreseeable future, can it really be a legitimate India v Australia Test series without thousands yelling “Kohli is a w***er” at the SCG? Plus, just who will be around for Ben Stokes to call a “f**king four-eyed t**t”? What kind of future is that?Shane Warne has no problems with Steve Waugh
As there has been very little cricket actually played in the past month, we’ve been trawling social media for theatrics, but one place you will absolutely not find any drama is Warne’s Twitter feed. Just read this tweet about Steve Waugh, in which Warne insists he’s “said 1000 times I do not hate S Waugh at all” before two sentences later going on to say “Steve was easily the most selfish cricketer that I ever played with.” Obviously, there can be no resentment in this relationship. Even though Warne tweeted twice more last month throwing shade at Waugh – specifically about his lopsided run-out record – the man has just spoken out in the clearest terms. Some of his best friends are Steve Waugh. Let it go. It’s nothing. Guys!Rising to the challenge
Wimpy cricketers may all be holed up at home, but the game’s true heroes picked up their briefcases, sucked in their paunches, buttoned up their suits, and got stuck in to the vitally important task of governing the game. A big ICC directors’ meeting was held last week, and with the game in such peril, what better time for cricket’s thought leaders to show real leadership? What exactly does a road map for international cricket starting up again look like? Can biosecure environments actually make tours possible? And what can we do about this hugely anticipated T20 World Cup, which is supposed to start in less than five months? These are all major challenges requiring urgent address. But instead of discussing any of this in depth, the directors just talked at length about an information breach, presumably to the press, and deferred the real meeting to June 10.Further adventures in administrative boldness
Sri Lanka Cricket, meanwhile, insisted forcefully that Colombo needed a huge new 40,000-capacity stadium in order to host future ICC tournaments, for which Sri Lanka had not yet won hosting rights, making a show of inaugurating the project alongside a government minister. Less than a week later, when it was clear public opinion was against the project, the government rowed back on their commitment to providing land for the stadium, and SLC immediately switched to pretending it found the whole idea ludicrous to begin with. “What fifth stadium? What’s wrong with the four we have? And in the middle of a pandemic? Whose dumb idea was this?”Cricket Australia fam
As one of the wealthiest cricket boards on the planet, Cricket Australia is better placed than most to weather the financial storm that the pandemic has wrought. Which is why, in these harrowing times, the board has committed to stick fearlessly by its executives, making an inspiring commitment to pay them 80% of their salaries while the board weathers this challenge. Almost everyone else at the board, meanwhile, gets knocked down to 20% of their previous pay, and now possibly faces redundancy.Next month on The Briefing:– “This is what I’ve been saying the entire bloody time!” Cameron Bancroft reacts to proposals that foreign substances should be used for ball management.- Sri Lanka Cricket revisits the new stadium project. Unless the government doesn’t want to. They don’t? Oh… okay… I mean… yeah, it’s a waste of money. Obviously. Always said that.- Warne’s non-hate for Waugh continues: “Look, I absolutely do not hold a grudge. I just think it’s funny that for that Barbados Test in 1999…”Briefings

In the IPL, he excels at the difficult task of batting in the middle order, but he has his work cut out trying to push his way back into the India set-up

Sidharth Monga19-Sep-2020Rishabh Pant runs down at Mujeeb Ur Rahman, a bowler with variations ranging from the carrom ball to the offbreak to the legbreak to the wrong’un. He thinks he has picked the legbreak and tries to go over the leg side, but it turns out to be the wrong’un, which he ends up slicing to cover. This is after he has hit the Kings XI Punjab’s then gun bowler Andrew Tye for four, six and four in the previous over, and hit the first ball of this Mujeeb over for four more.The three overs for which Pant has been in the middle have brought 33 runs, to inject some life into a Delhi Daredevils innings that was limping at 77 for 2 after ten overs. His intent and eagerness to hit out are later proved right, when the Kings XI chase down the target easily. Pant knows the Daredevils are headed to a below-par total, but gets out trying to correct that course. For 28 off 13. How has he fared? Has he failed?A big part of cricket is failure and how you deal with it. In an interview to the three years ago, Stephen Fleming, coach of a pretty successful franchise, said helping players deal with insecurity about failure was a significant part of his job: “It is very hard to convince a player that if he is going at [a strike rate of] 190 but averaging 10 and he comes in with four balls to go, [that] he is an asset. It is [about] convincing guys that they are doing their roles to maximum. If someone is batting at a run a ball for 20 balls and averaging 50 at the end of the IPL, it is not great.”ALSO READ: ‘This much I know: how to play in what situation’That is a conflict inherent in cricket: the pursuit of individual goals in a team sport. You want the team to win, but you also want to make runs to keep your place in the side. It is quite telling that as recently as 2017, a coach who had worked with some of the biggest names in T20 felt that players still rated themselves by the traditional metric of the batting average. It naturally follows that in trying to keep that average high, in trying to retain their place, batsmen run the risk of being at odds with the team’s goals.This gets all the more vexing if you don’t bat in the top three. There is no time to make up for slow starts. Your striking efficiency has to be high: there are no field restrictions in place to take your shanks and mishits over the 30-yard line and rolling into the fence. The pitch has probably slowed. It is easier for limited batsmen to be shut down, with fewer boundary options because of the spread-out fields and the fact that the opposition’s best spinners are bowling.It is no wonder everybody wants to bat in the top order, where more is expected of you but you have the time and the freedom to go about your innings. Some ordinary T20 batsmen have found their way into top-ten lists for aggregate runs or high averages simply because they have the luxury of batting in the top order. Teams have to strike a balance between the old notion of letting their best batsmen play the most deliveries and having their best batsmen bat in the most challenging phases of an innings.ALSO READ: Rishabh Pant’s wild ups and downs since 2018Batting outside the top three requires a mix of high skill and a new attitude. That’s why the likes of Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard are so highly valued as T20 players. That’s why West Indies have been such a successful international T20 side.India have struggled to manage this attitudinal shift and it has hurt them at world events.In the IPL, for example, all of their high performers bat in the top order. They are selected for India based on traditional metrics, find the top order is jam-packed, and are then forced to become middle-order batsmen at the international level. The Dinesh Karthiks of the world hardly get a run. Can you blame them, then, for worrying about their average?

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Around the time that Fleming spoke about the need for rethinking what batting success and failure in T20 meant, Pant was finding his feet in the IPL. At the time he was in his second IPL year. Since the start of that season, no one in the IPL has scored more runs than him. The next eight batsmen on the list predominantly bat in the top three. None of them is close to his strike rate of 168 in that period. And yet, he has averaged 38. He is one of only three players to have maintained the holy-grail double of an average of 30 or more and a strike rate of 150 or above through a career of 50 innings or more. AB de Villiers just misses out making that list.ESPNcricinfo LtdPant has no apparent weakness against any kind of bowling. His average and strike rate in this three-year period against pace and spin are 39 and 177, and 42 and 157. Wristspin is the biggest weapon deployed by teams in the middle over, but he averages 56 and strikes at 160 against it. Offspin, which goes away from him, goes at 38 and 151. Left-arm pace, another point of difference that every team seeks, draws an average of 36 and a strike rate of 201. Hyderabad is the only IPL venue and the Kings XI Punjab the only team to have kept him under a strike rate of 150.