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Kim Garth picked up four wickets in her two overs to trigger a collapse

AAP20-Nov-2025Meg Lanning has produced one of the greatest innings in WBBL history, with a vintage century leading Melbourne Stars to a rain-affected 111-run flogging of Sydney Sixers.In a stunning reminder of why Australia’s former captain was for a long time the world’s best bat, Lanning hit 135 from 74 balls at North Sydney Oval. Her knock help Stars to the third highest total in the competition’s history of 219 for 4, before Sixers were all out for 42 in reply with Kim Garth taking 4 for 3.Sixers were only saved from the biggest defeat in WBBL history by rain wiping out 10 overs and threatening to deny Stars with the target reduced to 154. But this was still Sixers’ lowest ebb: their biggest defeat and lowest total.Stars’ victory came after Hobart Hurricanes beat the Melbourne Renegades in Thursday’s earlier game, putting Hurricanes two wins clear at the top of the ladder.But no matter how much rain fell, there was no denying this was Lanning’s night as she scored three-times as many as the entire Sixers side.The 33-year-old’s innings marked the highest of her 280-game T20 career, and the third highest in WBBL history. And in terms of pure stroke-play, there have arguably been no better knocks in the 11 seasons of the competition.Lanning hit 22 boundaries and cleared the rope another four times. Her placement was precise, regularly manipulating the balls into small gaps. Sixers fed Lanning with balls outside off stump. She responded with an array of late cuts, square drives and cover drives that all went to the boundary. She took 41 balls to bring up her half century, but from there exploded with her final 82 runs coming from 33 balls and a boundary every two deliveries.Now two years retired from international cricket, Lanning has scores of 60, 90 not out, 3 and 135 to start this WBBL season and remains one of the best batters in the world.Garth then killed off any faint Sixers hopes, bowling Sophia Dunkley, Ellyse Perry and Elsa Hunter. Rhys McKenna was the other hero for the Stars, with her 50 coming as part of a159-run opening stand with Lanning.

India have dominated all of their 11 ODIs against Pakistan so far

Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Oct-2025Big pictureThe last time these teams met at an ODI World Cup, India won. They tend to. If you are new to the women’s version of this “rivalry”, the headline is that however big the gap is between India and Pakistan’s men’s teams, it has tended to be bigger here. Pakistan have never beaten India in 11 ODIs. They haven’t got close. India have always won by at least 80 runs or five wickets.But the last time these teams met at an ODI World Cup, something else happened that seems of greater relevance to this moment. After the match (India’s win was by 107 runs, by the way), a group of India players were seen playing with and delighting in the six-month-old daughter of Bismah Maroof, Pakistan’s then-captain, who had the infant on her shoulder. It was an uncomplicated moment of shared humanity and joy, the women cooing to the baby and trying gently to draw from her a reaction, while her mother continued to comfort her. Whatever the politics surrounding Sunday’s match, it should not be forgotten that these are athletes who have enjoyed moments of connection, and treated each other with dignity, in the past.Both teams say they are focused on the cricket ahead of this match (there has been no confirmation whether the Indian team will shake hands with the Pakistan players, though), and on a purely cricketing front, Pakistan have a lot of work to do to make a match of this. Their first problem is their batting. They were bowled out for 129 by Bangladesh on Thursday. They do have batters in form – Sidra Amin and Muneeba Ali have been especially good over the last few months. But Pakistan batters don’t have a history of batting consistently against top-quality bowling, which is what India possess.Related

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India, meanwhile, will be pleased with the start they have made in this tournament, though they will also hope their top order can fire. Against Sri Lanka, it was the lower-order batting of Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma that lifted them to a winning total. Their bowling looked in good order in the defence too, with Sneh Rana, Shree Charani and Deepti finding frequent wickets through the middle overs. They also have the advantage of knowing this venue well – India played a tri-series in Colombo earlier this year.Form guideIndia WLWLW (last five ODIs, most recent first)
Pakistan LWLLWIn the spotlight: Sneh Rana and Sidra AminOffspinner Sneh Rana took to the Khettarama surface almost immediately, taking 3 for 31 in her first ODI at the venue. In four matches since, she has built up quite the record at this ground, taking 15 wickets at an average of 14.00 here, becoming Player of the Tournament in that tri-series in May. She has also made a strong start to this World Cup, taking 2 for 32 against Sri Lanka, having also contributed 28 not out with the bat.The last time these two teams met at an ODI World Cup•PCBPakistan’s best chance of making a good score is for Sidra Amin to find some runs. Just in the last three weeks, she had hit 121 not out, 122 and a 50 not out against a good South Africa attack. She was bowled first ball on Thursday, but that was more down to the quality of Marufa Akter’s delivery than through any major failing of Amin. She is not the most aggressive batter around, but this year, she has been the rock that Pakistan build their innings around.Team newsIndia may not see a need to change their winning XI.India (probable): 1 Pratika Rawal, 2 Smriti Mandhana, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Deepti Sharma, 7 Richa Ghosh (wk), 8 Amanjot Kaur, 9 Sneh Rana, 10 Kranti Goud, 11 Shree CharaniPakistan will think about bringing Eyman Fatima into the side to strengthen their batting. Legspinner Syeda Aroob Shah may also be considered, as she offers some batting as well.Pakistan (probable): 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Omaima Sohail, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Fatima Sana (capt), 7 Rameen Shamim, 8 Diana Baig, 9 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 10 Nashra Sandhu, 11 Sadia IqbalSidra Amin has been in great form but has struggled in Sri Lanka over the years•PCBPitch and conditionsIt looks like the northeast monsoon has hit Colombo; the city is starting to get day-long rains. Saturday’s match between Australia and Sri Lanka was rained out without the toss taking place (this could be a neat way to avoid the handshake question). In the match that did see some play, on Thursday, the seamers from both Pakistan and Bangladesh got movement in the air and off the surface. With the rain around, there is bound to be moisture in the square.Stats and trivia Although Pakistan’s top run-scorer this year, Amin has an awful record in Sri Lanka. Having played five innings on the island, she has a total of 24 runs here. Her duck on Thursday was her second in Sri Lanka. This has been the richest year for Rana, with 23 of her 52 ODI wickets having come in 2025. Although this stadium is their home for the World Cup, Pakistan women had never played an ODI at Khettarama before Thursday.Quotes”Deepti, Sneh Rana and Shree Charani are a very good combination, where there is a lot of experience also. There is youth as well. They’ve been playing together since the last three-four series, and the combination is really working well for us. Also, they all are very hardworking girls. Most games also, in my interactions with them, they want to improve. What they want to improve and how they want to improve are the questions around which these three are working around. They’re very hungry to go out there and give their best for the country.”
“Support from our senior players is very important for me. They help me out when I make mistakes. Sidra Amin, Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz – they make sure we are tight-knit as a group, and any mistake that one of us makes, we do our best to cover it up or compensate for it. There is great team unity. As captain, it is a challenge leading a group at such a young age, but the support from my team makes it easy.”

Ruben Amorim has now been Manchester United manager for just over one year, but there hasn’t exactly been much for Red Devils fans to shout about.

The Portuguese manager failed to bring them European football, and has a frankly poor record during his 12-month stint at Old Trafford.

The former Sporting CP manager has taken charge of 55 games for the Red Devils so far, winning 22, losing 22 and drawing 11.

His record in the Premier League is even worse, with United winning just 12 times under his tutelage in the top flight, suffering defeat 18 times.

One of the issues Amoirm has struggled with is profiling players in his infamous 3-4-2-1 system. There are still question marks over the suitability of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in a pivot.

The continued struggles of Fernandes and Casemiro

In modern football, having athletic midfielders is essential for success. A pivot of Casemiro, now aged 34 and still a brilliant ball-winner, next to Fernandes, who has been shoehorned into a deeper role by Amorim despite being one of the best number tens in the Premier League, has struggled.

That particular pairing has been Amorim’s go-to this term, but there is nothing to suggest it is optimising them. In fact, with Fernandes so deep, there is a case to be made that it is hurting the team.

United great Paul Scholes said earlier in the season that “there is no doubt” United’s captain should be playing as a ten.

He excels close to goal, with this goal in his recent hat-trick for Portugal a prime example of how effective he is in the final third.

As for Casemiro, the Brazilian is certainly lacking physically, despite being such a good ball-winner, averaging 3.62 tackles and interceptions per game this term.

As far back as 2023, Jamie Carragher said his “legs have gone.” He certainly needs someone more physically dominant playing next to him.

It is not just Fernandes and Casemiro who are being misprofiled by Amorim, though.

The two players struggling under Amorim

You certainly need to sign very specific players for Amoirm’s system to be a success. Indeed, the misprofiling of Fernandes as a deep-lying playmaker is just one example of making square pegs fit into round holes.

An area similar to that is at wing-back. They are, essentially, wingers, often the highest players for United, in one-vs-one situations with opposition full-backs. Amad is a player who fits the mould, but Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui do not.

Premier League Panel, an account on X, said their efforts in Monday’s 1-0 home defeat to Everton were “plain garbage.” Indeed, it wasn’t their best night at the office, but the roles they are being asked to perform, acting as wingers, are not playing to their strengths.

The fact that they are full-backs by trade certainly shows. Dorgu has just one assist playing high and wide on the left under Amorim. Mazraoui has also managed just the one, although he has played at centre-back, too.

Looking at their creative stats, you get a clear picture of the fact that they are misprofiled.

For example, focusing on the Premier League from last season and the start of 2025/26, Dorgu averages 0.3 crosses per game compared to 0.2 for Mazraoui.

Key passes

1.24

0.58

Expected assists

0.12xA

0.06xA

Crosses

0.3

0.2

Take-ons completed

0.36

0.87

Goal-creating actions

0.18

0.06

United lack an attacking threat out wide at the moment. Playing two full-backs at wing-back, who, it is worth noting, are good players when used correctly, is not helping.

It is certainly something Amorim should look to address in the coming weeks.

His time at United has been one to forget so far, but there is still time to salvage the season. It will be interesting to see if he keeps Dorgu and Mazraoui out wide, or switches them up for more attacking players.

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علق وائل جمعة، لاعب الأهلي السابق، على مواجهة الأحمر أمام شبيبة القبائل في دور المجموعات من دوري أبطال إفريقيا، مساء اليوم، السبت.

وقال وائل جمعة في تصريحات لـ”بي إن سبورتس”: “البطولة الإفريقية أصبحت محط اهتمام كبير للأهلي، مما لها من شهرة عالمية وعوائد مادية وتسويق اسم النادي بشكل جيد، والأهلي يعرف كيف يستغلها”.

طالع | تشكيل الأهلي أمام شبيبة القبائل الجزائري في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

وتابع: “التعاقد مع توروب جاء في وقت صعب بعد فترة صعبة وقرار غير موفق بالتعاقد مع ريبيرو، وأنا حزين على فرصة صناعة تاريخ لـ الأهلي في كأس العالم وزيادة العوائد المالية، لكن إن شاء الله تعوض”.

وأضاف: “توروب بدأ بشكل جيد، والفوز ببطولة السوبر جيد، وإعطاء راحة للمدرب لكي يعمل في هدوء عكس لو كان خسر، لكن عنده مشكلة فنية وبدنية”.

وكشف: “بدنيًا الأهلي كان سيئًا جدًا الفترة الماضية، وفنيًا في النواحي الدفاعية، الأهلي لأول مرة منذ سنوات يستقبل أهدافًا كثيرة وهذا أثر على ترتيب الفريق، وجرس إنذار قبل بطولة دوري الأبطال، فلا بد من الدخول بثبات وتركيز ومعرفة ما تريده من المواجهات التي ستخوضها، وأهمهم المباريات التي ستخوضها على ملعبك، مواجهة شبيبة القبائل صعبة لا بد الدخول لها بكل تركيز وجدية من البداية”.

وواصل: “بن رمضان واحد من أفضل اللاعبين الذين تم التعاقد معهم، ممتاز ويمتلك شخصية، والأهلي يحتاج لهذه النوعية من اللاعبين سواء بن رمضان أو إمام عاشور”.

وأكمل: “محمد شريف حتى الآن لا يستطيع ملء فراغ وسام أبو علي، نتمنى له كل التوفيق، فاللعب في الأهلي صعب والضغوط كبيرة”. واختتم: “جراديشار من اللاعبين الجيدين، أتمنى كل التوفيق في البداية اليوم، ولا بد أن نعرف ماذا نريد من كل مباراة، لا بد أن تفوز بالمباريات التي على أرضك بصرف النظر عن الأداء”.

Everton have enjoyed a solid start to the campaign. Negativity has wended its way in over recent weeks – and understandably so – but few expect the 14th-place Premier League side to slump into the drop zone and remain there.

Of course, neither are David Moyes’ team firing on all cylinders, and after a hard-fought draw at high-flying Sunderland on Monday evening, the issues relating to goals and strikers remained at the forefront.

Perhaps more concerning was the way the Toffees tapered off after the interval, almost knocked out of kilter by Granit Xhaka’s deflected howitzer moments into the second half; the Black Cats were on the hunt for much of the affair thereafter.

Moyes needs to fix these problems and ensure Everton push for an elusive place in the top half. But, in order to do this, he must find solutions to the current problems.

How Moyes can solve Everton's problems

Not to be unduly pragmatic, but the data suggests Everton are headed for a mid-table Premier League finish, settled somewhere on the bottom half of the ladder.

How to dissect the glaring conundrum on Moyes’ desk? Between them, Beto and Thierno Barry have scored one goal in the league this season, and the slew of missed chances are piling up.

Barry will be desperate to break his duck after moving to the Hill Dickinson from Villarreal for a £27m fee in July. A smart deal for a promising attacking talent wrapped up nice and early.

Things need to improve in the final third, with Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish keeping things afloat.

However, Moyes’ job would be a whole lot more unstable were the defenders not playing their part. James Tarkowski has not looked his sharpest so far this term, though Jordan Pickford is as important as ever. An issue down the defensive flanks is as noisy a talking point as the one at number nine.

With Jarrad Branthwaite yet to make his seasonal bow as he recovers from a hamstring injury, the Blues’ secure defence could have crumbled over the past few months, but there’s been an unlikely hero who is keeping Everton away from the maw of the relegation zone.

The Everton flop saving Moyes' skin

Toward the end of the 2024/25 campaign, it looked nailed on that Michael Keane would close the door on his Everton career, drawing to a close a career on Merseyside with many ups and downs.

Keane, 32, penned a new deal at the start of the summer, and that’s a move which has proved incredibly shrewd, for he has started all ten Premier League fixtures so far as Branthwaite recovers.

Once said to have “failed a succession of managers” at Goodison Park by writer Jim Keoghan, Keane looks as sharp and cultured as he ever has, really making a positive impression as the protective tissue in front of Pickford’s goal. Against Sunderland, for example, Liverpool World handed him a 9/10 match rating for his defensive contribution.

Looking at how Keane has fared alongside Tarkowski, you might argue he has been the superior man. Certainly, he has been less error-strewn in his efforts than the vice-captain.

Premier League 25/26 – Tarkowski vs Keane

Stats (* per game)

Tarkowski

Keane

Matches (starts)

10 (10)

10 (10)

Goals

0

1

Assists

0

0

Touches*

58.6

51.1

Accurate passes*

35.9 (81%)

31.1 (85%)

Chances created*

0.5

0.1

Recoveries*

2.4

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

2.3

1.7

Clearances*

6.9

7.7

Ground duels*

2.2 (61%)

1.3 (62%)

Aerial duels*

4.3 (70%)

2.9 (62%)

Errors made

4

0

Data via Sofascore

The significance of Keane’s fine form in the rearguard cannot be understated. Branthwaite is indeed sidelined and may yet be uncleared for several months.

Imagine a world in which the Friedkin Group had opted against renewing Keane’s deal, content with the options at hand. It would have been disastrous and to the detriment of Moyes’ first full season back in charge.

Just look at the England international’s display at the Stadium of Light. His fearlessness to make one near-the-line clearance showcased his determination and spirit, and he has been a credit to Moyes’ team this year.

Issues persist at right-back, and while he’s imperfect in the role, Jake O’Brien has proved largely effective in an unnatural berth. Recalling him to central defence alongside Tarkowski might have had an adverse effect on the squad’s fluency, not least because of the lack of options in the position.

Would it be too much to claim Keane has been the signing of the summer for the Toffees? Perhaps not, considering the circumstances. His steely displays in front of Pickford’s goal might even be keeping Moyes in a job as he looks to find a successful formula to stave off any worries of yet another relegation-threatened campaign.

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Warwickshire handed The Blaze their first defeat of the Women’s Vitality Blast campaign, by 25 runs, in a clash of two of the competition’s front-runners at Edgbaston.Warwickshire’s total of 172 for 6 was built upon strong contributions from their top three with Sterre Kalis hitting 54 (41 balls), Meg Austin 39 (30) and Davina Perrin 25 (18). Thereafter runs came less freely as Kathryn Bryce dismissed those three on the way to an excellent 4 for 21.The Blaze replied with a scrappy 147 for 8. Tammy Beaumont hit 44 off 29 but the rest of the powerful batting line-up misfired against the home side’s excellent and varied attack led by the pace of Em Arlott, with 3 for 33 and the spin of Millie Taylor (2 for 23).Warwickshire chose to bat and were given a strong foundation by openers Austin and Perrin who added 59 in 40 balls. Both then fell to the Bryce sisters – stumped by Sarah off Kathryn. In each case it was excellent glovework by the wicketkeeper as Perrin was lured down the pitch and Bryce (S) did well to take a ball that bounced, and then Austin missed an attempted cut and lifted her back foot just momentarily but long enough for Bryce to pounce.Kalis added another polished half-century to the one she lodged for Netherlands against USA in Utrecht eight days ago but the rest came and went fleetingly.Laura Harris tried to slog-sweep from outside off stump and skied Kirstie Gordon to midwicket. Pavely, Warwickshire’s match-winner two days earlier, lifted Grace Ballinger to long-on.Kathryn Bryce returned to have Kalis caught at mid-off and Nat Wraith pouched at extra cover as Warwickshire came in with a decent but by no means daunting total on a good batting pitch.The Blaze soon lost former Warwickshire batter, Marie Kelly, who pulled Issy Wong to deep square. Beaumont, who hit seven fours and a six, and Kathyn Bryce added 49 from 48 balls but then fell in successive overs, caught in the deep off Taylor and Georgia Davis respectively. When Heather Graham chipped Hannah Baker to midwicket, three wickets had fallen for 12 runs in 18 balls and the required rate had climbed above ten per over.As the equation came down to 64 from the last five overs, the Blaze needed a huge over but it never came. Georgia Elwiss sought six over midwicket off England pace bowler Arlott but was well-caught by Perrin just inside the rope. Ella Claridge lifted Taylor straight and Perrin was under that one too as Warwickshire’s diverse and disciplined attack extinguished the Blaze chase.

Rajat Patidar: It is really special for me, special for Virat Kohli and all the fans who have supported us for years. So I think they all deserve it. After Qualifier 1, we thought we could do this. I think 190 was a good score on this track because it was a bit slow. The way our bowlers executed their plans, that was tremendous to watch.[On Krunal Pandya] Of course, he is a wicket-taking bowler. Whenever I come under pressure, I check where KP is. I had a lot of belief in him.Related

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Suyash [Sharma] also bowled really well throughout the season and all the bowlers, fast bowlers, Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar], Yash [Dayal], [Josh] Hazlewood. And the way Romario [Shepherd] came in and the way he gave two-three overs and that breakthrough [Shreyas Iyer’s wicket], I think that was really special.It’s a great opportunity for me to captain him [Virat Kohli] and it was a great learning for me. And as I said, I think he deserves it more than anyone else – Virat Kohli and all the fans. And after that, I think everyone who has supported, everyone, the management, the support staff, the coaching staff. I think the way they have supported every player, I think that was beautiful.Krunal Pandya, Player of the Match: When we batted in the first innings, I had a discussion with the batters and realised that the slower you bowl, the better it is, and it is difficult [for batters to hit]. In this format, as a bowler, you need guts to do that because the margin of error becomes very minimal. I just backed myself and thought that if I could vary my pace and keep it more on the slower side, I would create chances, rather than just firing it in.