Liverpool have had their fair share of special European nights over the years, with the famous comeback win against Barcelona back in 2019 in the Champions League – which saw the Reds overturn a 4-0 deficit – still sticking out as the Premier League giants at their thrilling best.

The entertainment levels weren’t through the roof in a similar fashion mid-week when Arne Slot’s men got the better of Barca’s arch rivals Real Madrid by a single goal, but the impressive all-round display would have definitely pleased the Anfield masses watching on.

Indeed, away from Alexis Mac Allister grabbing the winner, faces such as Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah also stood out, when they have otherwise failed to get going this season, with the heavily scapegoated German covering a staggering 11.37km in total.

To make the win even sweeter on Europe’s grandest stage, Liverpool managed to get one over on ex-star Trent Alexander-Arnold, who would only come on for the final few exchanges for Los Blancos.

Yet, despite a chorus of boos greeting his every touch, it’s clear – when analysing Liverpool’s wobbles this season – that they have desperately missed the creativity of their former homegrown product from the right-back spot.

Why Liverpool have missed Alexander-Arnold

Of course, all of the animosity directed towards the former number 66 comes from a place of pain that he deserted his hometown club for a shot in La Liga.

Being able to replace the creativity Alexander-Arnold possessed in spades at Anfield instantly was also going to be an extremely tough ask, with his ability to burst forward and cut open a defence for Liverpool, dubbing him a “dream for strikers” by Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Alexander-Arnold would become a modern-day icon at Liverpool, with a mighty 23 goals and 92 assists falling into his lap on Merseyside.

Liverpool had their work cut out for them in the summer to try and find an attacking full-back of the same calibre as the Englishman; therefore, with the Anfield giants presumably thinking they’d hit the jackpot with the capture of Milos Kerkez.

Unfortunately, the former AFC Bournemouth star – who amassed five Premier League assists last season – has no assists next to his name for Liverpool in league action, leading to him being branded as “out of his depth” by journalist Tim Spiers.

Thankfully, Conor Bradley showed the Liverpool masses why he could be in with a shout to be a long-term fix for Trent deserting the building.

He was phenomenal against the Spanish giants, dealing with the effervescent Vinicius Junior with an energetic display, seeing him win eight duels against Xabi Alonso’s visitors.

But, there was another standout performer on Wednesday night, who could be a surprise shout to be Slot’s next Trent-style figure.

Liverpool's new Trent is in midfield

Liverpool haven’t just experienced a crisis in the full-back areas this season, with the aforementioned Mac Allister struggling in the midfield areas in patches this campaign, too.

He does look to have exited his slump now, with the winning goal against the visitors from Madrid. Dominik Szoboszlai, on the other hand, has only gone from strength to strength this season, even as meltdowns have occurred around him.

The Hungarian would live up to his reputation for being a dead-ball specialist – which saw him hammer home a glorious free-kick against Arsenal earlier this season – against Alexander-Arnold’s new employers, with Mac Allister ultimately thankful for the 25-year-old’s incisive eye for an assist.

The two-time Premier League title winner would, time after time, also come up trumps when taking his very own corner kicks and corners at Anfield, with Szoboszlai now taking on this role expertly, as seen in him already picking up three Champions League assists for the campaign.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

54

Shots

5

Accurate passes

30/39 (77%)

Key passes

3

Accurate crosses

3/3

Ball recoveries

6

Back in the bread and butter of the Premier League, Szoboszlai is in a league of his own in terms of progressive carries and crosses attempted.

Two standout characteristics of Alexander-Arnold’s expansive game in England, the Hungarian has registered 26 carries and 25 crosses already in 2025/26. That’s more than any midfielder in England’s top-flight this season.

Slot has even chucked the “unbelievable” number 8 – as he has glowingly labelled him – into the right-back spot on occasion this season, with their similarities almost becoming eerie at this point.

However, as was evidenced on Wednesday night, the 25-year-old can still be an influential figure – like the number 66 – from a number ten position.

More wins will no doubt be collected this season, off the back of Szoboszlai’s “genius” alone, as his former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp also labelled him.

Arne Slot has just unlocked Liverpool's new Coutinho vs Real Madrid

Liverpool may have unearthed their next Philippe Coutinho after getting the better of Real Madrid 1-0.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 5, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras colocou a mão na taça do Campeonato Brasileiro, com a goleada sobre o América-MG por 4 a 0 e com os tropeços de Flamengo e Botafogo diante de Atlético-MG e Coritiba, respectivamente. Se vencer o Fluminense, no Allianz Parque, no domingo (3), o Verdão só perde o título, caso seja derrotado na última partida, se Botafogo, Atlético-MG e Flamengo vencerem seus últimos dois jogos e tirarem uma diferença considerável no saldo de gols.

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No momento, o saldo de gols do Palmeiras é de 30. Quem tem o segundo melhor saldo é o Botafogo, com 23, seguido pelo Atlético-MG, com 22. O Flamengo tem 14.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

Ou seja, se a situação da tabela se mantiver na próxima rodada, com uma diferença de três pontos do líder Palmeiras para o segundo colocado, o Verdão dificilmente será ultrapassado no critério de desempate na última rodada, caso perca a partida para o Cruzeiro, no Mineirão.

➡️ Simule aqui a reta final do Campeonato Brasileiro

E para gritar “é campeão” já no domingo, os palmeirenses precisam vencer o Fluminense e torcer para que Botafogo, Atlético-MG e Flamengo não conquistem três pontos.

Se o Palmeiras empatar com o Fluminense, vai precisar torcer por derrotas de Botafogo, Atlético-MG e Flamengo na 37ª rodada, além de tropeços de Grêmio e Bragantino, caso vençam seus jogos nesta quinta-feira (30).

+BRASILEIRÃO

Dewald Brevis scored South Africa’s highest individual T20I score, their second-fastest T20I hundred off 41 balls and became the youngest South African to hit a century in this format as they put on their best score against Australia to square the series at 1-1 in Darwin with the decider to come in Cairns on Saturday.Brevis, who already holds the South African domestic record for the highest T20 score of 162, put on a mesmerising display in only his ninth T20I. He hit 12 fours and eight sixes for a total of 96 runs in boundaries and was excellent down the ground. More than half of his runs – 66 – were scored in the ‘V’, including six sixes and all but single-handedly built South Africa’s total. Brevis, who was dropped on 56, scored 91 of the 126 in a fourth-wicket partnership with Tristan Stubbs.Related

• Bosch handed demerit point for Dwarshuis send-off in second T20I

• Breathtaking Brevis betters du Plessis to smash SA's highest score in T20Is

• 'It's close to all guns blazing' – Australia plan to power through any T20 scenario

• Maphaka: I always want to come out on top of the fight

Four of Australia’s five bowlers conceded at 11 runs an over or more with Ben Dwarshuis the exception. His four overs cost just 24 runs but it was not enough to keep South Africa to a reachable total, despite their strength in chasing.This was the first time in nine matches that Australia had lost batting second, ending a record run of nine wins in a row, and the first time they had lost to South Africa in seven meetings. They would have required the highest successful chase in Australia to avoid that.There were moments when Australia were threatening, most notably at 104 for 3 in the 10th over, but were always behind the required run-rate. Tim David’s half-century was the only individual score over 26. Teenage left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka, who was expensive, and allrounder Corbin Bosch were the most successful of the wicket-takers and finished with three apiece. South Africa’s 53-run win was their biggest margin of victory over Australia.

Brevis takes down Maxwell and then gets to a hundred

Brevis led South Africa’s recovery from 57 for 3 in the seventh over. He was on 12 off eight balls when Lhuan-dre Pretorius walked down the pitch and was stumped off Glenn Maxwell but had already sent the offspinner over long-on. Much more was to come. Brevis made his way to 44 off 24 balls by the time Maxwell was brought back on, in the 12th over. South Africa were 99 for 3, Brevis’ partnership with Stubbs had grown to 42 and he was dominating proceedings but then he really stepped it up.Stubbs gave him strike after the first ball and Brevis brought up his fifty when he swung Maxwell over long-on for his fifth six. He barely had time to raise his bat before he lined up a Maxwell full toss and smashed it over cow corner for six more. Maxwell pulled the length back for his next ball and Brevis tried to force it for another six but miscued. Substitute fielder Matt Kuhnemann, on the field for David, was a long way off the rope at long-on and couldn’t hold the catch above his head.Brevis still hadn’t had enough. He sent the next ball over long-on again for a third six in the over. In four balls, Brevis moved from 44 to 66 and Maxwell’s over cost 24 runs. In total, it took Brevis just 16 deliveries to go from fifty to a hundred. He brought it up off Dwarshuis, who he swivel-pulled for four in the 15th over, which also gave Brevis plenty of time to add to his tally.Kwena Maphaka celebrates after removing Cameron Green•Getty Images

Australia limit the damage

At 179 for 3 after 16 overs, South Africa were in sight of a score in excess of 220 but Australia dragged them back a touch. Stubbs was a minor partner in the fourth-wicket stand with Brevis and keen to get going. He reverse-swept Adam Zampa for his third four but then sliced him to backward point where Kuhnemann took a simple catch. In the next over, Rassie van der Dussen holed out off Dwarshuis, whose back-of-a-length deliveries made him the pick of the bowlers. In the over after that, Bosch was castled by a Josh Hazlewood full toss that he tried to send into the stands but dismantled his middle stump. South Africa lost three wickets for 14 runs in 13 balls and had to rely on a strong finish from Brevis in the last 10 balls. They added 21 runs to finish two short of 220.

South Africa’s improved catching display

Australia put down two chances, Pretorius on 1 and Brevis on 56, with the latter proving costly, but South Africa just about learnt from their mistakes in the first match, where they dropped four. Pretorius had the first opportunity when Travis Head could not clear deep midwicket off Aiden Markram and he judged the catch well on the rope.Two overs later, Cameron Green sent Maphaka for back to back fours and was looking for a hat-trick. He pulled Maphaka to midwicket, where Nqabayomzi Peter dived forward to pluck the ball off the ground although lost his grip as he started to celebrate. The catch was checked by the third umpire who determined it was taken cleanly and Peter was in control.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Stubbs is earning a reputation he will not like after he spilled a second chance in as many matches. He was at deep square leg when David toe-ended Lungi Ngidi to him but despite making good ground, could not hold on. David was on 18, and he was also dropped by Stubbs in the first match, on 56. However, Stubbs made up for it when he got under a Mitchell Marsh skier off Bosch and pouched it safely at long-on. Brevis took another impressive catch when he ran to his left at deep midwicket as Maxwell mistimed a slower ball and was dismissed for 16.

David delivers again, but Rabada halts him

David was injured when he landed heavily on his right shoulder as he unsuccessfully attempted to stop a Brevis drive from going for four and was unable to field for the latter part of South Africa’s innings. However, he had few problems swinging the bat. His first runs came unconvincingly when he gloved Maphaka to fine leg for four but he middled the next two balls and sent them both for boundaries.David brought up a third fifty-plus score in four innings and second successive one in the series headlined by his second six which went all the way out of the ground. It was against legspinner Peter, whose third ball David hit into the crowd, that David launched the ball over deep midwicket and over the stadium’s roof. David put Australia in a promising position on 104 for 3 in the 10th over but was caught at cover off Rabada in the moment that turned the game South Africa’s way.

Newcastle United have not been afraid to splash the cash since PIF took over the club just over four years ago. T

hey have well and truly backed Eddie Howe, smashing the club transfer record twice by signing Alexander Isak and his replacement this summer, Nick Woltemade.

The Magpies have added depth in other areas of the pitch too. Out wide, Anthony Gordon and his namesake Anthony Elanga were two notable reinforcements who cost £45m and £55m respectively. At the back, they have signed the likes of Sven Botman and Tino Livramento, building a strong defence for the present and future.

However, it is in midfield where the signings have really felt substantial, with Bruno Guimaraes one of the notable names.

The numbers behind Bruno Guimaraes impact at Newcastle

At 27 years of age, Guimaraes is entering his peak years. The Brazilian joined the Magpies back in January 2022 from Lyon for a fee of £35m. He’s since gone on to rack up 167 appearances for the North East side.

This season, the 39-cap Brazil star has shone in the middle of the park. He has three goals and three assists in 13 games, which included one of each against Nottingham Forest in a 2-0 Premier League win.

In terms of his quality on the ball, one of Guimaraes’ standout traits is his carrying ability. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League when it comes to progressing the ball from the middle third to the final third, averaging 0.5 carries into the penalty box per game during 2025/26. That places him in the top 8% of top-flight midfielders.

However, it is not just the quality on the ball Guimaraes brings. He is an excellent leader, having captained the Magpies 12 times out of the 13 games he’s played. That in itself highlights what he brings to Howe’s squad.

As good as Guimaraes is, there is a case to be made that Newcastle have a better midfielder.

Newcastle's best signing of the PIF era

Howe is certainly not short of options in the middle of the park. The Englishman has Guimaraes as one of his first-choice midfielders, but can also pick from Joelinton, summer signing Jacob Ramsey and homegrown star Lewis Miley.

However, the best of the bunch must surely be Sandro Tonali. The Italian has been at Newcastle since the summer of 2023 and has amassed 69 appearances in that famous Black and White striped shirt so far.

Since his return at the start of last season, he has been sensational. The former AC Milan midfielder has become a key man in the centre of the park for Howe, forming a quite brilliant midfield pivot with Guimaraes.

He has certainly become one of the best players in the current Magpies side. In fact, Taylor Payne, host of Newcastle fan podcast On The Tyne, said he is “the best midfield player to ever pull on a black and white shirt.”

It is easy to see why Payne and every other Newcastle fan rate him so highly. The 29-cap Azzurri star is brilliant both in and out of possession. He is a pressing monster, as shown by this clip from last season.

On top of that, he has some standout numbers. This season, has created 1.8 chances per game, showing his impact in the final third. Last term, he averaged 6.1 ball recoveries per 90 minutes.

Chances created

0.9

1.8

Forward passes

14

17.8

Take-ons completed

0.7

0.7

Duels won

4.6

3.5

Ball recoveries

6.1

4

Tonali, who earns £120k per week at St James’ Park, has been a revelation in midfield for the Magpies. He is a man whom Howe can trust on and off the ball, and is surely one of the most complete midfielders around.

It is easy to see how he has become the best signing since the PIF takeover four years ago. Tonali is certainly a brilliant operator in the middle of the park.

Saved by Woltemade: Newcastle star is looking like 2023 Gordon under Howe

This Newcastle recruit has not hit the ground running in Eddie Howe’s team.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 30, 2025

Following a court decision in his favour, Anwar El Ghazi issued a brutal statement denouncing Mainz, who have been ordered to pay his full salary after the unlawful termination of his contract in 2023 over pro-Palestinian comments on social media. El Ghazi described the Bundesliga club’s stance as “baseless” and “nonsensical,” further branding them “serial losers” and “deluded.”

• Mainz lose court appeal against El Ghazi

  Bundesliga outfit Mainz have lost their legal battle against former player El Ghazi, after the Rhineland-Palatinate State Labour Court rejected the club's latest appeal. The court ruled that El Ghazi, whose contract was terminated at the end of 2023 due to controversial pro-Palestine posts on social media, is obliged to receive his salary in full, upholding an earlier ruling from July 2024. The court also determined that El Ghazi’s right to freedom of expression outweighed Mainz’s grounds for terminating his contract.

  The former Netherlands international received the €1.5 million compensation – his wages from November 2023 to July 2024 – ordered by the court in August 2024. Mainz appealed in an attempt to reclaim that money, but the appeal has been swiftly rejected.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Why did Mainz terminate El Ghazi's contract?

  It all started in October 2023, when El Ghazi posted about the Israel-Gaza conflict on Instagram. "This isn't a conflict and it's not war. This is genocide and mass destruction and we're witnessing it happen live. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," El Ghazi wrote in one of his social media posts immediate after the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Mainz suspended him after his post and released a statement claiming that El Ghazi had expressed remorse and apologised for his comment. However, the player swiftly refuted this in a subsequent post, claiming that he did not "regret" or "distance himself" from his initial words. Following the dispute, Mainz terminated El Ghazi’s contract unilaterally, prompting the 30-year-old to file a lawsuit in a Palatinate district labor court.

• El Ghazi makes a mockery of Mainz after winning legal battle

  Taking to Instagram on Thursday, El Ghazi wrote: "Another day, another hearing, another appeal but still the same old outcome; a loss for FSV Mainz 05. Regular defeats on the football pitch clearly aren’t enough for the board of the club so they keep coming back for more losses in the German courts!

  "I am grateful to the German courts for serving justice and seeing through the baseless and nonsensical claims of the club.

  "Let me be clear, the statement from the serial losers FSV Mainz 05 following their latest defeat is as deluded as their entire dealings and proceedings against me. I have never had, nor will I ever have, any consensus with any person or organisation which seeks to silence those standing for justice and humanity. My values can never align with any organisation whose values and convictions are to blindly stand with those accused of flagrantly breaching International law and perpetrating genocide.

  "No one is above the law. Let this latest victory send a loud and clear to message to the warmongers, their accomplices and the deluded board members of FSV Mainz 05; you cannot, and will not, silence the voices of the Palestinians and their advocates. Viva Palestina!!!"

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mainz do not regret their actions

  Following the verdict of the court, Mainz chairman and CEO Stefan Hofmann issued a statement accepting the ruling. He did, however, add that they will take the same actions with "individuals whose statements and actions fundamentally contradict" the values and beliefs of the club.

  “We have to accept the court’s decision that the conduct of our employee following the heinous Hamas attack in 2023 did not constitute sufficient grounds for immediate termination," said Hofmann. “However, we stand firmly by our position: based on the values and principles that define Mainz 05, there can be no future employment for individuals whose statements or actions fundamentally contradict them.”

  As for El Ghazi, he spent the 2024-25 season at Championship side Cardiff City, making 27 appearances and scoring three goals after signing a one-year deal with the English outfit. Over the summer, he joined Al-Sailiya in the Qatar Stars League. The former Ajax, Lille, Aston Villa, Everton, and PSV winger is tied to the club until June 2027.

تحدث توماس توخيل مدرب منتخب إنجلترا، بعد الفوز أمام ألبانيا، بهدفين نظيفين، في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

وقال توخيل في تصريحات نشرتها “بي بي سي” البريطانية: “مباراة رائعة، أحببت هذه المباراة، اليوم كان صعبًا ومثيرًا وكنا مسيطرين تماماً ثم فقدنا السيطرة فجأة، تجاوزنا لحظات صعبة وتغلبنا على أجواء كهذه وافتتحنا المباراة بهدف من ركلة ثابتة، قدمنا مستوى رائعًا والجميع سعيد واستحقوا ذلك”.

وأضاف: “شعرت أننا مندمجون في اللقاء ولكن كان من الصعب اختراق دفاعهم أيضًا، كنا بحاجة للحظة صغيرة مثل ركلة ثابتة أو لحظة سحرية، لافتتاح المباراة واكتساب القليل من الثقة وفهم أفكارهم، لذلك كان علينا الانتظار، لكننا لم نتوقف، أردنا إرسال إشارات من مقاعد البدلاء من خلال القيام بتغييرات هجومية بأننا نريد الفوز والآن نواصل الضغط”.

وسئل توخيل عن استياء جود بيلينجهام بعد تبديله في نهاية الشوط الثاني: “صحيح أن التبديل لم يعجبه، لكن هذا هو الوضع، روجرز أيضاً لم يعجبه الخروج ولم يستحقه، بيلينجهام كان يحمل بطاقة صفراء واتخذت القرار قبل الهدف الثاني وبقى القرار قائماً”.

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وذكر توخيل عن سلوك جود بيلينجهام قبل استبداله: “لم أرى الأمر بهذه الطريقة، علي مراجعة الأمر، رأيت أنه لم يكن سعيداً ولا أريد تضخيم الأمر أكثر من ذلك حالياً، إلى حد ما إذا كان لديك لاعب مثل بيلينجهام يتمتع بروح تنافسية عالية فلا يفضل ذلك أبداً، نحن نركز على المعايير والمستوى والالتزام والاحترام المتبادل، لن نغير قرارًا لمجرد أن أحدهم لوح بذراعيه”.

وسئل توخيل عن فكرة إذا كان بيلينجهام لا يتقبل فكرة الفريق الجماعي وعلق على عدم احتفاله بالهدف الثاني: “هذا انطباع سئ، يجب أن يكون الأمر متعلق بالفريق الجماعي، وهذا ما نحاول إيصاله في المعسكر، علي مراجعة الأمر إن كان بيلينجهام احتفل أم لا وتأكد أن الجميع احتفل بالهدف، كنت سعيداً بالهدف وتحدثت مع روجرز، لا نريد أن ننقل صورة مختلفة، نشعر أن الجميع ملتزمون ويتقبلون القرارات الصعبة سواء قبل وخلال المباراة”.

وواصل توخيل عن بيلينجهام: “عليه تقبل الأمر، لا ينبغي أن نبالغ في تقديره، لم يكن روجرز سعيدًا عندما لم يتمكن من البدء اليوم لأنه يستحق اللعب ويريد اللعب طوال الوقت، منحناه وقتًا من الراحة لأنه شارك في دقائق لعب طويلة مع النادي ولعب معنا ضد صربيا، أنا أيضاً لا أريد أن أبالغ في تقدير الأمر، أنا ملتزم بكلمتي والسلوك هو الأساس، القرارات تتخذ وعلينا تقبلها”.

وأثنى توخيل على هاري كين: “يعود للخلف ويساعدنا للحفاظ على نظافة شباكنا، أخلاقياته وسلوكه رائعان، لا أجد الكلمات لوصفه، هو ملتزم بكل ما نقوم به وقائد وذلك يظهر جدارته”.

Scrutiny remains on the M Chinnaswamy stadium which is due to host Women’s World Cup games in September-October

Shashank Kishore07-Aug-2025

The Maharaja T20 has been moved to Mysuru, after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) failed to obtain clearance from the Bengaluru police to stage their franchise-based T20 competition at the M Chinnaswamy stadium from August 11 to 27.All the franchise owners were notified of the change earlier this week, leaving them with just a few days to finalise logistics. Most teams, barring Mysuru Warriors, have been training at different venues across Bengaluru over the past week.The failure to obtain permission to host games at the Chinnaswamy could potentially be a big blow to the KSCA, given the stadium is slated to host five matches of the Women’s World Cup – including the tournament opener and one semi-final – starting September 30. However, ESPNcricinfo understands the ICC isn’t overly worried just yet about the possibility of moving the games out of Bengaluru.The KSCA has been in the eye of a storm ever since 11 people died and over 50 others were injured around the premises of the Chinnaswamy stadium, during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations on June 4. The stampede also forced two KSCA office bearers to resign, citing moral responsibility.A stampede ensued at Chinnaswamy stadium during RCB’s victory celebrations•AFP/Getty Images

Late last month, a committee tasked by the state government to investigate the stampede deemed the Chinnaswamy “unsafe” for large-scale events. The commission “strongly recommended” that large-scale events be relocated to venues that are “better suited” to handle significant crowds.Initially, the Maharaja T20s were supposed to be held behind closed doors in Bengaluru. But once the committee’s ruling came in, getting permission to play at the Chinnaswamy – with or without a crowd – became untenable. The KSCA’s focus now is on making sure things go smoothly in in Mysuru. They have been putting up makeshift stands, preparing pitches, squares, as well as temporary broadcast facilities at the Wadeyar Stadium.The Maharaja T20 is set to feature a number of high-profile Karnataka stars, including Karun Nair and Prasidh Krishna, who will feature for Mysuru Warriors following their return from India’s Test series in England.Nair is understood to have injured his finger while batting in the second innings of the fifth Test which ended three days ago, and could sit out the first few matches. Prasidh, who picked up eight wickets in India’s series-levelling win at The Oval, has been prescribed rest. The pacer is expected to join the squad mid-tournament.Some of the other big players in the mix include Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal, and Devdutt Padikkal, as well as the younger crop, led by R Smaran, Vijaykumar Vyshak, KV Aneesh and Nikin Jose.Elsewhere, the Maharani T20, KSCA’s women’s competition which began on August 4, will continue to be played in Alur, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The most important player in the history of the New York Mets glances dozens of times a day at a photo of himself in a Washington Nationals uniform. 

For more than five years, Juan Soto’s iPhone lock screen has borne a photo of him hoisting the World Series trophy in 2019. He kept it when he rejected a $440 million, 15-year contract extension offer from the Nationals in ’22; when they traded him to the San Diego Padres that July; when the Padres, shedding salary, traded him to the New York Yankees a year ago. And that photo was beside him this week as he signed the largest contract in the history of sports, $765 million over 15 years, with the Mets. He will change it, he has long said, only when he wins his next title. 

The Mets got him in large part because they convinced him that would happen in New York, and it would be soon. 

Two days before Soto made his decision, Mets owner Steve Cohen hosted him for lunch in Boca Raton, Fla. Soto, 26, asked how many championships Cohen planned to win in the next decade. Cohen, who at his opening press conference after buying the team for $2.4 billion in 2020 said he would consider it “slightly disappointing” if the Mets did not win a title in the next five years, said, “Two to four.”

Soto liked that answer, he said in his own opening media session on Thursday at Citi Field. 

“That’s what it’s all about,” he said, adding, “We look at everything, we look at the chances, and we look at what other teams wanted to do, and what everybody wants to do for the next 15 years, and I think we have the best chance to win here.”

Read that again. Sure, the Mets offered more than $300 million in real value more than the previous richest contract. (Two-way star Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers is mostly deferred and comes out to about $461 million in current money.) But they also offered, in Soto’s estimation, his best chance to win. When is the last time someone said that about the Mets?

This is the Cohen effect. The hedge-fund chief is the richest owner in the sport by a factor of three with what estimated this fall to be a net worth of $21.3 billion. But more than that, he is a collector of beautiful things. He and wife Alex own more than $1 billion worth of art, including works by Jeff Koons, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. Cohen grew up a Mets fan in Great Neck, six stops east of Citi Field on the Long Island Rail Road, and when he took over the franchise, he said he wanted to change its perception as a group of losers, the forever little brother to the Yankees. 

The Oakland Athletics made a splash on Thursday, agreeing to a franchise-record contract with free agent starting pitcher Luis Severino according to multiple reports. ESPN's Jeff Passan was first to report the news.

Severino's deal spans three years and is worth $67 million, the largest total value contract in franchise history, according to . The deal includes an opt-out after the second season. Oakland, with the lowest payroll in MLB at $62,132,581, reportedly has designs on increasing that number into the $100 million range, as Passan noted.

The A's entered free agency in search of starting pitching after fielding a rotation with just three hurlers who exceeded the 100-inning mark. In Severino, Oakland lands a dependable starter with nine years of MLB experience.

Finishing third in the American League Cy Young Award race in 2017 as a member of the New York Yankees, Severino was once regarded as an ace. However, the Dominican Republic native was plagued by shoulder and elbow injuries, which ultimately brought about the end of his eight-year (2015 to '23) tenure in the Bronx.

Severino then inked a one-year deal with the Mets in November of '23—and authored a bounce-back season. He pitched to a 3.91 ERA while striking out 161 batters in 182 innings, helping the Mets reach the National League Championship Series.

Oakland, which will play in a minor-league ballpark in Sacramento for the next three seasons before its planned move to Las Vegas, now has a veteran righthander atop its rotation, as well as a key building block as it looks to bolster the seventh-youngest roster in MLB.

Bangladesh held on for a win in the first real nail-biter of Asia Cup 2025, as they pipped Afghanistan by eight runs and kept their hopes of qualification alive.The defence was set up by the very first delivery of the chase, as Nasum Ahmed trapped Sediqullah Atal lbw. It signalled the start of a dominant bowling powerplay that would see just 27 runs scored for the loss of two wickets.From that point on, Bangladesh’s bowlers, led by their excellent spin contingent, strangled the chase through the middle overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz tried to play through the innings, but he fell straight after the drinks break. That started the downward spiral of the Afghan innings.Nasum ended up finishing with figures of 2 for 9, while Rishad Hossain – whose only blip was dropping Ibrahim Zadran in the second over – finished with 2 for 18. Taskin Ahmed, recalled to the XI, picked up two as well, but the pick of the bunch was the evergreen Mustafizur Rahman with his 3 for 28 – including some pivotal overs at the death.It was a team effort that ensured Bangladesh were able to defend a total that seemed perhaps around 20 runs short, after Afghanistan’s excellent bowling through the middle and at the death had hauled Bangladesh in following a blistering powerplay led by Tanzid Hasan, who ended with a 31-ball 52.It was an innings that secured Tanzid the player-of-the-match award, and one that in hindsight, likely proved the difference between the two sides on a surface that was not the easiest to bat on.

Powerplays prove to be the difference

Tanzid’s display of unadulterated intent at the top of the order set Bangladesh up for a total much more than they eventually got, but it showed the importance of utilising the fielding restrictions.It was an innings with its fair share of fortune – a thick edge sailing between keeper and first slip when he was on 2 the glaring example – but he rode that luck and found a string of boundaries to give their innings momentum. Of his first 12 deliveries, six went to the boundary.2:44

Abhinav: Tanzid has shown a lot of promise

The powerplay brought 59 runs, nearly 40% of Bangladesh’s final total before Afghanistan clawed things back with the ball. Bangladesh dominated the powerplay once more in the chase, this time through Nasum Ahmed, who bowled three overs for seven runs and picked up two wickets in those pivotal first six overs.Batting only ended up getting harder in the next phase as Bangladesh tightened the screw and kept pushing the required rate ever higher.

Spin to win

The spinners from both sides proved impossible to get away – in fact the only spinner that struggled was AM Ghazanfar, who was brought inside the powerplay and was targeted expertly by Tanzid.Prior to Nasum and Rishad throttling the chase, Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad had done the same to Bangladesh’s innings after their Tanzid-propelled start.1:34

Jaffer: Omarzai wicket the turning point in Afghanistan’s chase

The pair gave away just 49 runs across their eight overs while sharing four wickets between them. They proved pivotal in the middle-overs period that saw four wickets fall for 65 runs.In fact, Afghanistan’s bowlers bettered their Bangladeshi counterparts both through the middle and at the death, with the difference being made up crucially in the powerplays.

Bangla seamers come in clutch

Even accounting for the excellence of Bangladesh’s bowling, 53 needed off the final five overs with five wickets in hand was not strictly an impossible ask. And with Azmatullah Omarzai going strong, Afghanistan would not have given up hope in the slightest.The Bangladesh seamers, however, ensured they kept their nerve at the death, and stuck diligently to their plans. Taskin, who ended with figures of 2 for 34, accounted for the key wicket of Omarzai, while Mustafizur got rid of Rashid, who had struck a pair of no-look boundaries to keep Afghanistan in the hunt.Rashid ended up admitting after the game that the final three-over requirement of 31 was not beyond the realms of modern T20 batting, and that credit must go to Taskin and Mustafizur for holding their nerve in a must-win scenario.