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In his first big ODI tournament, the left-arm seamer is taking wickets across phases and even out-thinking top batters

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Nov-20231:10

Kumble: Madushanka showing maturity at a young age

Forty matches into this World Cup, who did you think would be topping the wicket-takers’ chart? If you were picking a fast bowler, perhaps you’d have guessed Jasprit Bumrah, or Mark Wood, or Kagiso Rabada. Narrow it down to left-armers, and it’s gotta be Shaheen Afridi, right? Mitchell Starc? Trent Boult?We’re going to tread lightly here, because the actual leading wicket-taker belongs to the most delicate of all modern cricketing species – a kind of player so fragile that even looking too long at their hamstrings could trigger a strain.Seriously though, lower your voice. Squat down into the undergrowth, and peer through the bushes. You don’t want to spook him. He has just made a promising start to his career, so we must be especially careful. But that over there, is wow, a Sri Lanka fast bowler. One who’s been tearing up the World Cup.It’s a little bit mad, because there had been no serious signs that Dilshan Madushanka was going to have this spectacular a tournament. He’d been injured through most of the World Cup Qualifier (of course), and missed the Asia Cup completely with a tear in his side. In terms of form leading in, there was not even a little sample on which to base hopes. And in terms of ODI career in total, the guy had played six matches, and gone at more than seven an over in two of them, though never without looking like he could, eventually, maybe, with a lot of work, and whatever cosmic force still holds Sri Lankan cricket together, kind of be a good player?Related

• New Zealand seek last semi-final berth; Sri Lanka's train heading towards the Champions Trophy

• How Madushanka bowled a WOOOOW over against Australia

• Trent Boult: A World Cup great who isn't having a great World Cup

But we’re not getting our hopes up. The jinx gods are likely watching, and these are guys that prey on Sri Lanka quicks like Godzilla on Tokyo.We’re on firmer ground appreciating the things Madushanka has already done: swing the new ball into the right hander late, and at speed with the new ball, develop a cutter that jives off the pitch but which does not need him to fold his wrist on delivery and thus sacrifice a lot of pace, bowl an excellent bouncer when required, become more comfortable coming around the wicket.Even still, 21 wickets in eight World Cup matches at an average of 22.23 is special for a 23-year-old in his first big ODI tournament. What is especially impressive is the strike rate of 20.57 – only Mohammad Shami (who has not only himself been ridiculously good, but bowls in a ridiculous attack), and Gerald Coetzee have a better strike rate among bowlers with more than 10 wickets this tournament.Madushanka’s hauls have even been a surprise to Mahela Jayawardene, who has overseen his development in big tournaments, as Sri Lanka’s consultant.”To be honest, no, I didn’t expect him to have such a good World Cup,” Jayawardene told ESPNcricinfo. “I thought it would be a bit too much for him, because it’s his first one-day World Cup. At the start he also didn’t have the experienced guys around him – Dushmantha Chameera wasn’t there. But I thought the young man bowled brilliantly.”Dilshan Madushanka’s offcutter to Rohit Sharma is a serious contender for the ball of the tournament•ICC/Getty ImagesThat he’s always gleaned sharp, late inswing with the new ball has been known, but of his 21 wickets, only nine have come in the first 15 overs this World Cup. He’s also become a middle-overs menace, taking seven wickets at an average of 27.42 between overs 16 and 40.”He’s coming around the wicket and creating good angles,” Jayawardene said of Madushanka’s middle-overs bowling. “He’s used the slower bouncer pretty well, and bowled the [faster] bouncer pretty well. And the length control is excellent. He’s not giving too much away. He’s staying within the stumps even from around the wicket.”In the last 10 overs Madushanka has been expensive, going at 9.16 per over, but there is wicket-taking threat there too, says Jayawardene. He’s only now developing skills for that phase of the game, but perhaps he has some innate advantages.”He’s also got a very unnatural wrist release. It’s not the normal left-armer’s wrist. It’s got a bit of a wind-up. With that he’s getting shape even with the older ball. So we’re just trying to see how best he can how best he can use that and what angles will work.”At the death, the wide slower balls, the yorkers – these are things we’ve been speaking to him about, but with the confidence he’s got now, he’s had much better execution.”Madushanka also produced Sri Lanka’s most unforgettable moment of the tournament (not counting timed-out dismissals), when second ball, at the Wankhede, he sent an offcutter across no less a batter than Rohit Sharma, and uprooted his off stump.Madushanka came to hard-ball cricket late in life compared to many of his team-mates. Hailing from Hungama, deep in the south, it was only when he impressed Chaminda Vaas at a regional fast bowling trial that he made the leap from softball to competitive cricket. But already, he is out-thinking top international batters.”I told him that good batsmen will always open their front foot to him, especially the right handers,” Jayawardene said. Right-handers open their front foot in order to access the inswinging deliveries they expect from Madushanka. “It was something that we were working on with him, with the bowling coaches as well. But we can’t take credit for that [Rohit] dismissal. It was just an idea. It was his execution that got the wicket.”He’s also a smart kid, because even though he’s a late bloomer, he understands the cricket language quite well, including adapting to tactics.”In order to avoid tempting fate, this is perhaps as much praise as a story about a young Sri Lanka quick should contain. But from a wreckage of a World Cup campaign, it is no small thing for Sri Lanka to have pulled out a bowler of Madushanka’s promise.

Find out if your favourite performer made it to our final XI for the T20 World Cup

Deivarayan Muthu and Matt Roller15-Nov-20211. Jos Buttler (England, wicketkeeper)
England’s most important player in their run to the semi-finals. Buttler played two of the tournament’s best innings in the space of three nights and the contrast between them showed his versatility: he took Australia’s attack for 71 not out off 32 balls in Dubai, nailing five sixes into the stands, then dug deep on a low Sharjah pitch to make a comparatively slow-burning 101 not out off 67 balls – his maiden T20I hundred.2. David Warner (Australia)
Came into the tournament with a point to prove after the fiasco that was his IPL season with Sunrisers Hyderabad – and proved it emphatically. Capitalised on an early reprieve to make 65 against Sri Lanka then hammered 89 not out in a comfortable chase against West Indies to ensure Australia’s progress. Seized the initiative in the semi-final, setting up a successful chase with 49 off 30 against Pakistan and then helped secure the title with a punchy 53 against New Zealand in the final.3. Babar Azam (Pakistan, captain)
Nobody scored more runs than Babar in this T20 World Cup and although his safety-first approach came into sharp focus during Pakistan’s semi-final defeat to Australia, there is still room for an anchor in this XI on UAE tracks. He peeled off half-centuries against India, Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland. His unbeaten 68 in Pakistan’s tournament opener helped them beat India for the first time in World Cups in their 13th attempt, and set the scene for the team’s unbeaten run in the Super 12s.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4. Mitchell Marsh (Australia)
Among the most maligned players in modern cricket, Marsh made his haters fall in love with him by delivering Australia their maiden T20 World Cup title. After being benched for Australia’s first two games of the competition, he stepped up admirably in their last two games. In the semi-final against Pakistan, he made a cameo of 28 off 22 balls and then in the final against New Zealand, he played a starring role. The way he took down spin, which has been his nemesis in the past, was a sign of his evolution as a batter.5. Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka)
The 24-year-old had played just three T20Is before the T20 World Cup, where he emerged as the breakout star. He is fearless and can give the ball a good ol’ whack, as Bangladesh found out in Sharjah and then West Indies in Abu Dhabi. He was particularly strong against spin in the competition, hitting 104 runs off 66 balls at a strike rate of 157.57.Moeen was one of the main men in this competition for England•Francois Nel/Getty Images6. Moeen Ali (England)
After playing only a peripheral role in England’s T20I sides in the past, Moeen became one of the main men in this competition. He fronted up to bowl tough overs in the powerplay, a phase in which he picked up five of his seven wickets at an economy rate of 5.72. Moeen also played his part with the bat. After sliding up the order to No. 3, he scored 37 off 27 balls against South Africa and followed it with an unbeaten 51 off 37 in the semi-final. England’s spin-hitter took on Ish Sodhi and his presence kept Mitchell Santner away from the attack, but Daryl Mitchell and Jimmy Neesham eventually combined to best him.7. Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
The World Cup’s leading wicket-taker and Sri Lanka’s new superstar, with fluorescent boots, gold chains and a rockstar persona. Hasaranga took at least one wicket in seven of his eight games and his googly – which he bowled significantly more than his legbreak – was near-impossible to pick, accounting for 15 of his 16 wickets. Took one of the tournament’s three hat-tricks against South Africa in Sharjah and chipped in with the bat: he made 71 as a pinch-hitting No. 5 against Ireland, then gave England a scare from No. 7.8. Josh Hazlewood (Australia)
Hazlewood played all of two T20Is between March 2016 and July 2021 but reinvented himself in white-ball cricket so much that he won the IPL and T20 World Cup titles in a space of four weeks, in the Emirates. He married his Test-match strengths – length-and-length bowling – with cutters into the pitch and knuckle balls to pin down batters in the powerplay. He got rid of three of New Zealand’s top four, including Kane Williamson, to set up Australia’s dominant victory in the final.Zampa conceded over six runs an over only on two occasions•AFP/Getty Images9. Adam Zampa (Australia)
Zampa picked up at least one wicket in each of the seven matches and conceded over six runs an over only twice. He hit unhittable lengths in the middle overs and when batters tried to upset him, he brought out his variations – wrong’un, slider and topspinner. His hauls in this tournament are made all the more remarkable by his training period immediately before when Covid-19 restrictions rendered him unable to use Cricket Australia or even New South Wales’ training facilities, leaving him to bowl at teenagers in the nets near his home in Byron Bay.10. Trent Boult (New Zealand)
After not playing a single game in the 2016 T20 World Cup in India, Boult headlined New Zealand’s progress to their first-ever final five years later in the UAE. He was not only New Zealand’s highest wicket-taker, but also their most economical operator – all of this while bowling upfront and at the death. When the ball did swing, Boult was potent and when it didn’t, he smartly took pace off and bowled cross-seamers to still pose questions to the batters.11. Anrich Nortje (South Africa)
He hurried the batters with his rapid pace and bounce, skills that have served him well in the past in the IPL in the UAE. His improved control over the legcutter has now transformed him into a more versatile bowler in T20 cricket. Picked up at least one wicket in each of his six matches, adapting well to all the three venues. His economy rate of 5.37 is the only second to Jasprit Bumrah among fast bowlers who have bowled at least 15 overs in the tournament.

West Ham and Tottenham have held discussions over signing former Brentford striker Ivan Toney ahead of the looming January transfer window, and he’s now given a response to both sides.

Ivan Toney attracts Premier League interest after Saudi displays

Toney’s excellent since moving to Al-Ahli has reportedly prompted several Premier League clubs to consider bringing him back to English football, with his exceptional goalscoring record defying initial skepticism about his £40 million transfer.

The 29-year-old has silenced doubters emphatically, scoring 42 goals across just 62 appearances in all competitions since arriving in the Gulf state.

His output has spearheaded Al-Ahli to success, including their maiden AFC Champions League triumph and victory in the Saudi Super Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.

Toney’s memorable hat-trick against 2024 champions Al-Hilal marked Al-Ahli’s first victory over their rivals in eight league games, with the striker going on to net 12 goals across just seven matches during one extraordinary purple patch.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

His performances even briefly earned the Englishman a spot back in Thomas Tuchel’s England setup earlier this year, but Toney has struggled to fire his way back into contention since then.

With the 2026 World Cup looming, reports have suggested that Toney could return to the Premier League in a bid to battle his way into Tuchel’s thinking ahead of the tournament next year.

West Ham now in pole position to sign "monster" striker after already making contact

The Hammers are after a new centre-forward.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 27, 2025

Of all the teams linked with a move for Toney, West Ham and Spurs stand chief among them as the two London clubs allegedly scour for striking options.

Tottenham are said to have held preliminary talks over a deal for Toney already, while West Ham have allegedly sounded out the striker as they look to replace the exit-bound Niclas Füllkrug.

Now, a report by talkSPORT has shed light on the situation, with Nuno Espirito Santo handed a key update.

West Ham and Tottenham get Ivan Toney response after discussions

West Ham and Tottenham have discussed January moves for Toney, but the England striker has made clear his intention to remain in Saudi Arabia, effectively ending hopes of an immediate Premier League return.

Sources close to the situation confirm Toney’s camp has communicated directly to interested Premier League clubs that the striker remains settled, content and unwilling to push for a transfer.

Al-Ahli sporting director Rui Pedro Braz reinforced this stance publicly, insisting speculation surrounding January departures holds no basis in reality and declaring the club counts on Toney moving forward.

Additionally, Toney must remain abroad until April 2026 to maintain his non-UK tax residency status. Returning prematurely would trigger significant tax liabilities estimated at around £14 million.

Al-Ahli would also demand more than the £40 million they paid for a permanent transfer.

The SPL club would only consider sanctioning Toney’s departure if they secured an elite-level replacement, something which could be very difficult to do in January’s limited window.

Right now, the odds are stacked against an exit for the ‘remarkable’ striker, so West Ham and Spurs may need to look elsewhere.

According to other reports, West Ham have already made contact over a deal for USG striker Promise David, who could be available for a generous £17.5 million.

Everything you need to know about the IPL auction and retention rules

Nagraj Gollapudi and Yash Jha30-Sep-20243:53

IPL auction 2025 retention rules: All the big questions answered

How many retentions have been allowed?
Franchises can retain up to six players from the 2024 squad – including a maximum of five capped players and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players – before the mega auction. This is the highest number of retentions ever allowed by the IPL and the main reason for doing so is to give franchises an opportunity to retain the core set of players.Is there a cap on the number of Indian or overseas players retained before the auction? For the first time, the IPL has imposed no nationality limit on capped players: all five capped retentions can be Indians or overseas exclusively, or a combination of Indians and overseas.Related

• Don't rule out a 25-crore buy at the IPL 2025 mega auction

• KL Rahul unlikely to stay with LSG; set for mega auction

• CSK waiting on go-ahead from Dhoni before retention deadline

• October 31 set as deadline for IPL teams to finalise retentions

• Decks cleared for 'uncapped' Dhoni to be retained

Will there be a right-to-match (RTM) card option available? Yes, franchises are free to choose their combination of outright retentions and RTM cards to keep hold of up to six players from their 2024 roster. A franchise that retains no players will enter the mega auction with six RTM cards at their disposal; a franchise retaining all six players will have no RTM cards to use at the auction.The RTM card option was introduced at the mega auction ahead of IPL 2014. It was then retained for the next mega auction ahead of IPL 2018 but discarded before the 2022 season. A maximum of three RTM cards were allowed at mega auctions previously.While a few franchises had as many as eight RTM options on their wishlist, the rule has seen a significant modification which could play a massive role this time.What is the modified RTM rule? The RTM card allows the franchise to buy back a player who was part of their squad in the previous season by simply matching the price at which that player is sold at the auction. In previous mega auctions involving the RTM card, once a player was declared sold, the auctioneer asked the franchise the player belonged to the previous season whether they wished to buy him back; if they did, they secured the player for the amount of the final bid made in the auction.However at the upcoming auction, if the previous franchise wants to use the RTM card, the franchise that made the final bid will be given an additional opportunity to raise their bid. In case that happens, the original team would need to match that bid using the RTM card to secure the player.For example, say Venkatesh Iyer isn’t retained by Kolkata Knight Riders. Another team or teams including KKR are engaged in a bidding contest at the auction for Venkatesh, and the bidding stops at INR 6 crore with the winning bid not by KKR but another team – say Mumbai Indians. The auctioneer will check with Knight Riders if they want to use the RTM card. If they do, then Mumbai Indians will be given a one-time chance to raise the bid beyond the INR 6-crore mark. In case MI decide not to raise the bid, KKR can retain Iyer using the RTM option. However, if MI raise the bid, then KKR will need to match that raised bid using the RTM card to secure Iyer. If they decline, Iyer will go to MI.The Chennai Super Kings table at the IPL 2024 auction•BCCIWhat is the auction purse? The IPL has increased the auction purse to INR 120 crore, which is a 20% increase from the INR 100 crore that franchises had at the 2024 auction. The purse available at the last mega auction, in 2022, was INR 90 crore, to which increments of INR 5 crore were made every subsequent year.What are the retention slabs?The IPL has put in salary caps based on the number of retentions. In a marked shift from previous mega auctions, where every subsequent retention could come at a lesser price, franchises will now have to shell out larger amounts to go beyond three retentions.For the first three players retained, the salary cap will be INR 18 crore, INR 14 crore and INR 11 crore. The salary cap for the fourth retention will be INR 18 crore. The salary cap for the fifth retention will be INR 14 crore. Uncapped Indians will have a salary cap of INR 4 crore.So if a franchise retains five capped players before the auction, it will need to spend INR 75 crore – nearly two-thirds of its purse. For context, teams had to shell out just under 47% of their total purse to make the maximum permitted retentions (four) ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction.While the IPL has once again agreed to the wish of several franchises to retain the core group of players, it has posed them a two-part riddle: do you want to spend a massive chunk of purse to retain five players ahead of the auction? Or do you release the player(s) you want to retain into the auction where you can use the RTM card option, but remain vulnerable to bids going above the value at which you wanted to retain the player?Is it true that a former international player can fall in the uncapped category?Yes, the IPL has revived a rule it had scrapped after the 2021 season, which allowed capped Indian players who had retired or not played international cricket in the last five years to be categorised as uncapped players. This means five-time champions Chennai Super Kings can now retain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player. Not just Dhoni, this rule will allow several other India internationals who were part of the IPL in 2024 to be retained as uncapped players, including the likes of Piyush Chawla, Mohit Sharma and Sandeep Sharma among others.While CSK will tell you they are happy to pay any price to retain their former captain, a smarter business move would be for them to retain Dhoni at INR 4 crore, the salary cap IPL has put in place for uncapped retentions before the auction.What is the deadline to finalise retentions?October 31, 2024 is the deadline for teams to finalise their retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 auction.For the purposes of retention, any player who makes his international debut before October 31 will be considered capped. If a player is retained while uncapped, he will remain in the uncapped slab even if he plays an international match before the auction.1:19

Moody: Overseas players need to commit to the IPL ‘through thick and thin’

What is it that we hear about overseas players potentially facing bans for missing the IPL?Overseas players who make themselves unavailable for an IPL season after being signed at an auction without legitimate reasons will be penalised with two-year bans. As reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier, all ten IPL franchises had requested to act against late pullouts by overseas recruits during their meeting with the IPL governing council in July.Additionally, an overseas player who does not register for the mega auction will not be allowed to register for the subsequent mini auction, with exceptions only made in case of injuries and/or medical conditions confirmed by the player’s home board.And there’s a cap on how much overseas players can make at mini auctions?That’s right, the IPL has decided to impose a “maximum fee” for overseas players at mini auctions. Any overseas player’s auction fee at a mini auction will be the lower figure out of the highest retention price [INR 18 crore] and the highest auction price at the mega auction.For example, if the highest auction price at the mega auction for IPL 2025 is INR 20 crore, then the maximum fee allowed for an overseas player at the next mini auction will be INR 18 crore. But if the highest auction price at the mega auction is less than INR 18 crore – say, INR 16 crore – then the cap will be INR 16 crore.How does that affect bidding for overseas players at mini auctions? The auction process for the overseas player(s) will continue as normal until the player is sold, and the final auction amount will be deducted from the team’s auction purse. But the incremental amount over the “maximum fee” will be deposited with the BCCI.For example, let’s say franchises take an overseas player’s bid at the next mini auction beyond INR 16 or 18 crore, eventually stopping at INR 24 crore. The player’s fee in this case will be the “maximum fee” (as explained above) – so, either INR 16 crore or INR 18 crore. The incremental amount above that – in this case, INR 8 crore or INR 6 crore – will be deposited with BCCI and utilised towards players’ welfare.Can the franchises modify the prescribed retention amounts? Yes, franchises can pay more or less but that will impact the auction purse effectively. Both instances happened ahead of the mega auction in 2021. Punjab Kings retained two players: Mayank Agarwal and Arshdeep Singh, who then was uncapped. As per the IPL retention rules, if a franchise retained two players, INR 14 crore would be deducted for the first player, and for an uncapped player it was INR 4 crore. So even though PBKS eventually paid Mayank INR 12 crore and Arshdeep INR 4 crore, their purse going into the auction was 72 crore.In contrast, Delhi Capitals retained four players: Rishabh Pant (12 cr), Axar Patel (9 cr), Prithvi Shaw (7.5 cr) and Anrich Nortje (6.5 cr). The slabs set by the IPL in case of four capped retentions were: 16 cr, 12 cr, 8 cr and 6 cr. Though DC spent INR 39 crore overall, in the case of Nortje they had paid 2.5 crore more than the prescribed limit. Consequently, DC’s purse was deducted by INR 42.5 crore.Can players refuse to be retained?Players have the right to refuse to be retained in case they prefer the auction route.

Gareth Bale has downplayed rumours that he had a bad relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid. The Welsh star played alongside the Portuguese icon for five seasons at Los Blancos, and together they won multiple La Liga and Champions League titles. For all the criticism that came the winger's way in Spain, he says he never had any issues with any of his team-mates at the European giants.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bale had no problem with Ronaldo

  When Bale swapped Tottenham for Madrid in 2013, questions were raised about where he would fit in with fellow wideman Ronaldo. In their 2014 Champions League final win over Atletico Madrid, for example, Bale played on the right and Ronaldo on the left, with Karim Benzema leading the attack. When world-class players are competing for first-team spots, some big egos may have to be put in check. But the ex-Wales international said he had no beef with the now 40-year-old during his time at the Bernabeu. 

  He told : "I'm not really in touch with that many [old Madrid team-mates] – a few of the Wales boys – but I always got on with everybody. I never had any problems with anyone. I never had any big arguments. Sometimes the media might say about me and Ronaldo, we never had an issue, never had an argument, never had a fight, never had anything."

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• Welsh forward was at centre of controversy

  After Ronaldo left Madrid for Juventus in 2018, much was expected of Bale at the Spanish giants. But injuries and form didn't help the Welshman's cause in his final five years at the club. The Spanish media did not shy away in criticising Bale and he gave them all the ammunition they needed after Wales qualified for Euro 2020 when he celebrated behind a Welsh flag with the slogan: "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order." Naturally, that didn't go down well back in Spain back in 2019. 

  He said, "That slogan is the one thing I felt hard done by. For one thing, no one knew how much golf I actually played. If I ask you now how much golf you reckon I played, you’d probably say three or four times a week maybe, something along those lines? I played once every two to three weeks, but only on a day off. I'd never play a game for eight hours, I was always very professional about it. But people don't know that so they make up that slogan.

  "I got absolutely slaughtered [by the Spanish media]. I felt a bit hard done by because it all comes down to misinformation. I obviously don't prioritise golf more than I do my country and my club and physically haven't done one thing wrong. I look back at it now and it's like, it is what it is. I can't do anything about it. You have to laugh or you cry. So I laughed."

• Bale backs old boss Ancelotti

  Bale played under manager Carlo Ancelotti at both the start and end of his Madrid career. The Italian led Los Blancos to multiple Champions League triumphs and going by his comments, it seems Bale holds the Italian in the highest regard. While he acknowledged that Brazil are not the force they once were, he thinks the ex-AC Milan boss has a decent chance at leading them to World Cup glory next year.

  "Yes, Ancelotti was great. For me his genius is man management; he'll always keep you happy. You learn so much from managers and him as a person, he'll teach you so much just from his calmness in situations. Where you'd be angry, he'll just keep everybody calm and that's why he's such a good manager," he said. "They don't quite have the team that they used to, but if there's a man who can get a team like Brazil going in one direction, it's him."

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• AFP
  

  What comes next for Bale?

  The former Los Angeles FC player, who unsuccessfully tried to complete a takeover of Cardiff City, admitted he is still looking to find something to fill the competitive void of being a professional footballer. He has tried his hand at punditry but that hasn't completely satisfied him.

  He added, "I started playing the piano last winter and it humbled me. It’s something I want to do as I feel like I'll get good at it given time. In my head I'm not going to fail."

Shafali Verma scored a career-best 87 in the World Cup final before taking two wickets as well

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2025

Shafali Verma celebrates with Harmanpreet Kaur after delivering a breakthrough•ICC/Getty Images

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur had a gut feeling it was Shafali Verma’s day when she threw the ball to the opener with South Africa ticking along in their run chase of 299 in the World Cup final.Shafali, who made a career-best 87 with the bat earlier, responded by delivering two key breakthroughs to help India win their maiden World Cup title.Shafali had bowled just 14 overs for a single wicket in 30 ODIs coming into the match, but it took her just two balls to end a 52-run stand between South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus in the 21st over with a sharp return catch. And with the first ball of her second over, she got another big wicket as Marizanne Kapp was strangled down leg.Related

Deepti, Shafali star as India savour World Cup glory

Mandhana on World Cup win: 'Will take the 45 days of not sleeping every night'

Stats – Deepti Sharma in a league of her own in World Cups

“When Laura and Sune were batting, they were looking really good, and I just saw Shafali standing there. And the way she was batting today, I knew today’s her day,” Harmanpreet said at the presentation ceremony. “She was doing something special today, and I just thought I have to go with my gut feeling. If my heart is saying I should give at least one over to her, I’m going to give her.”And then I just asked her, ‘can you bowl one over?’ And she was so ready, and she’s always wanted to bowl for the team. I think that was a turning point for us.”Shafali only came into India’s squad before the semi-finals after opener Pratika Rawal suffered an injury during their final league-stage match that ruled her out of the tournament.”When she came to the team, that time we spoke to her, ‘we might need your two or three overs’. And she was like, ‘you know, if you give me the bowling, I’m going to bowl 10 overs for the team,'” Harmanpreet said. “And that showed how confident she was to bowl for the team. Credit goes to her. She was so positive. Salute her, the way she was there for the team.”Despite having pulled off a record chase of 339 at the same venue in their semi-final against Australia, Harmanpreet said their total of 298 was enough, considering it was on a different pitch, the overcast conditions and the extra pressure of a final.There were moments when the score looked to be insufficient with Wolvaardt marching to a second consecutive century, stitching fifty-plus stands with Tazmin Brits, Luus and Annerie Dercksen in the process.But, with the asking rate starting to climb, South Africa lost their last five wickets for 37 runs, with Deepti Sharma running through the lineup.Deepti Sharma followed up her half-century with a five-wicket haul•ICC/Getty Images

“We should give credit to the South Africa team. They played it beautifully. In the last moment they panicked a little bit, and that’s where we caught the game,” Harmanpreet said.”And I think we, as a group, we have been talking about, you know, once they started doing a little bit, you know, something here and there, we have to catch that. And I think that right time Deepti came and took those crucial wickets.”In the league stage, India slipped to consecutive defeats against South Africa, Australia and England – the three teams that finished above them. But, India registered a memorable win to knock defending champions Australia out before sealing the title against South Africa.”Yeah, last game also we spoke that self-belief was there that, you know, even though we lost three back-to-back games, but we knew this team has something special to turn things around the table,” Harmanpreet said. “So, I think credit goes to each and every member. They stayed positive. They knew what we have to do the next three games, and I think everybody was so involved.”

Former Southampton manager Russell Martin is “still in contention” for what would be a stunning return to St Mary’s.

Though Southampton endured a dismal 2024/25 Premier League campaign, they were still expected to be strong contenders for an immediate promotion from the Championship. Having established himself with Reims and Lens in Ligue 1, Will Still was appointed as Saints manager in the summer.

Despite his obvious potential as a coach, Still was unable to make things click during what was his first job in English football. After winning just two matches out of 13 in the second tier, Still was sacked by the club who, at the time, were 21st in the league following three successive defeats.

Working as interim boss of the Saints, Tonda Eckert won his first game in charge against Queens Park Rangers. Having been called up temporarily from the Under-21s, Eckert has made a good start to his time in charge as Southampton pursue a permanent successor to Still.

Now, reports have indicated that Southampton, who are eight points adrift of the top six, could look to bring a former manager back to the club.

Martin to return to Southampton?

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Martin is “still held in high regard at Southampton and has admirers in the boardroom”.

Taking over the Saints in 2023 after managing MK Dons and Swansea City, Martin guided Southampton to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.

Wedded to his patient, possession-based brand of football, Martin was sacked by the club in December 2024, in a season that saw the club become the first Premier League side to be condemned to relegation with as many as seven games remaining.

Martin was, in turn, hired by Rangers in the summer of 2025, going onto endure a terrible tenure in charge that lasted for just 123 days. Amongst other reported options, including Frank Lampard and Mark Robins, Martin’s current status as a free agent may mean he is more inclined to take the job.

Football Insider have reported that, whilst Martin being hired by Southampton would be “a surprise, his return has not been ruled out,” as the club do not blame him for the season that they endured in the top flight.

Having been called “unbelievable” by Flynn Downes, who Martin brought to Southampton, the 39-year-old has certainly proven himself at Southampton in the past. Given their current predicament and how badly Martin’s tenure at Rangers went, though, it remains to be seen whether Southampton push further for a reunion.

"Very intelligent" coach interested in Southampton job

Leeds United would sanction the exit of striker Joel Piroe in January on the condition they can make a “difference making” forward signing.

The Dutchman was a key figure for the Whites last season, helping them seal promotion to the Premier League from the Championship, scoring 19 league goals and producing some big moments along the way.

Piroe has found it harder to play a pivotal role back in the top flight, however, with the jump up in quality of defences significant, and only three starts coming his way in all competitions.

The 28-year-old is also still searching for his first goal or assist of the 2025/26 campaign, highlighting the difficulties he has faced in terms of making an impact.

Daniel Farke is finding it difficult to give Piroe the playing time that he craves so much, which could potentially pave the way for an exit in the January window, whether that be on loan or permanently.

Leeds could look to seal "difference-making" signing

Writing for The Athletic, Beren Cross admitted that Piroe is unlikely to leave Leeds in January, but that they would be more open to an exit if they seal a “difference-making” replacement.

Leeds are sure to be conflicted about Piroe’s future, considering he isn’t an important player currently, but does provide good squad depth in attacking, should injuries arise as the season goes on.

The former Netherlands Under-20 international is also a player who Farke has spoken so glowingly about in the past, too, even describing him as a “world-class” footballer.

Joe Piroe’s international stats	Caps	Goals
Netherlands Under-21s	4	1
Netherlands Under-20s	13	8
Netherlands Under-18s	4	0
Netherlands Under-16s	2	1
Netherlands Under-15s	3	0

It feels as though Piroe is far more likely to still be a Leeds player after January than move on, but if the latter does happen, it will be intriguing to see who the Whites move for.

Update now shared from Leeds on move to re-sign former Elland Road loanee

Could a January move be on the cards?

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 1, 2025

It would need to be an upgrade on their current attacker, in order to justify his exit, enhancing their hopes of remaining in the Premier League for another season.

How many players earn more money than Piroe at Leeds?

Thomas Tuchel’s assistant coach Anthony Barry has explained why he believes England can and will win the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer. Barry praised the character of the Three Lions squad and claimed that this England side had both the talent and mental fortitude to lift the trophy for the first time since 1966.

Barry and Tuchel form strong pair

Barry and Tuchel have worked together on a number of occasions previously, before the pair agreed to take the reins after Gareth Southgate’s long spell at the helm and Lee Carsley’s interim time in charge. The former lower-league midfielder has been at the German’s side at both Bayern Munich and Chelsea, and when Tuchel agreed to take charge of the Three Lions, Barry was the obvious choice to partner him in the Wembley dugout.

As per a report in The Times, FA technical director John McDermott knew that Barry was the right fit to take the England assistant role, and the 39-year-old quickly agreed to the position, excited at the prospect of not just returning home, but also to oversee a talented crop of players at the next World Cup.

The assistant has shared why he is confident in his players and, having already secured qualification to the game’s biggest tournament, can start to look ahead to just how they can become World Champions in New Jersey next July.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesBarry's blueprint for success

Speaking to , Barry explained that “it is a huge privilege” to work with the English national team, but the real enjoyment comes in working with this generation of England players. The assistant said that he and Tuchel spent an afternoon in a cafe in Munich detailing how they would help bring a “second star to England”.

On that meeting, Barry said: “You start to do analysis. Okay, what’s the squad? What’s the mission? Pretty quickly we had the feeling that [winning the World Cup] is something we could do with this not only level of player but, we thought, character of player. We thought there were some real lads in the squad.

“We have 360-degree profiling of all the players, psychological, technical, tactical, physical, and we don’t view them just as individual players but how they interact: how will this player psychologically affect this player, can he play with him tactically.”

He continued to share that they have psychologists and scoring systems that help the coaches measure body language, behaviour, inter-squad interaction, and the manner in which players share information with others. This analysis also allows the coaches to understand when an individual requires further support.

An 'impossible' task

According to Barry, building the right environment is just as, if not more, important as being tactically impressive. Given the short windows in which the England coaching staff will work with their players, the assistant admitted it is difficult to implement a playing style akin to a free-flowing Barcelona or Manchester City.

“In international football, you will never create a team on the field that can play the way the Barcelona of old or the recent Man City did, it’s simply impossible,” he explained. “But if you can create a brotherhood, a connection, an energy between each other, then that’s the petrol in the car. When I worked at Chelsea, I could tell by the players walking out the door [for international duty] who was going to win. I could tell, because they wanted to go.”

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gettySerbia and Albania provide chance to build

England have games against Serbia and Albania on Thursday and Sunday next week, two tests which provide Tuchel’s team an opportunity to keep building towards the World Cup. The England boss will have to cope without Marc Guehi, who has established himself as a key part of the Three Lions’ defence, after the centre-half was ruled out with bruising to the bone in his foot.

Jude Bellingham also returns to the England squad for the first time since being ruled out with a shoulder injury and could look to force his way back into the starting line-up for these final World Cup qualifiers.

Let’s have some run today with a couple of plus-money pitching props!

We are betting on two home pitchers to allow at least three runs before they exit today.

Best MLB Prop Bets Today

Yusei Kikuchi OVER 2.5 Earned Runs (+110) at DraftKings

The Houst Astros bats have been hot lately, averaging 5.37 runs per game since June 1. They hit lefties well, too.

Their .266 average vs. southpaws ranks fifth in MLB, and their .457 SLG ranks sixth.  

On average, the Astros have scored 2.70 runs this season in the first five innings of games. Across the last three, that number is even higher at 3.33 runs per first five.

On the other side, Kikuchi has been struggling lately. He allowed four or more runs in each of his last three starts. With Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez both hitting lefties better than righties this year, I’ll grab the plus money here for the Astros to put up a three-spot before Kikuchi exits. 

Trevor Rogers OVER 2.5 Earned Runs (+105) at DraftKings

The Boston Red Sox have also been hot since June 1, scoring 5.32 runs per game — just behind the Astros. 

They also see lefties well with a .337 OBP (fourth in MLB). Per first five, the Red Sox are averaging 2.7 runs this season, and they have averaged 3.0 runs per first five innings across their last three games.  

The Red Sox are also averaging 5.07 runs per road game – the fifth most in MLB. Lefty Trevor Rodgers has an xERA of 5.17 according to Statcast and a higher ERA when at home this year. That’s enough to have me interested in plus-money.